AN: Hooray for inspiration! I must admit it struck when I read Masami Mistress Of Fire's suggestion yesterday. (Just so you know, I used it, and if you want to find out what she suggested, I could tell you, or you could just read the story!) I was trying to figure out how it might work when it just hit me, of course with my arms up to my elbows in dirty, oily dishwater. I had to write it down. I stayed up until ten last night, starting at 7, and finished it off during school, instead of taking notes. (Who needs them anyway? actually...I do!) So, here you go, the next chapter of The Collector, only one day after the last two!

PS. No slacking as you read, despite what the Collector says, the game is actually a little complicated, and I don't want any of you to get lost. I pride myself in the design of this game andthe awful horribleness it creates! JK! Read On!

Chapter 9

Burning With Anger

The remaining holograms shattered into thousands of sparkling, multihued shards of light as the duel ended. Soon they, too, dissolved into the dim light of the room.

"You did it, Pharaoh! You won the duel!" Yugi shouted excitedly through the glass. "Yeah!" Yami faced him, smiling and showing an encouraging thumbs-up.

The Collector spluttered at his loss, but only for a moment. He watched the two disgustedly. "He's not yours yet, so you might want to stop bothering my property."

Yugi looked over at him, along with the pharaoh, whose expression had returned once more to being serious and daunting. "Just remember, I have the first win. And, if I'm able, this challenge will be the last of our business."

"Oh, you think so, do you?" the Collector drawled, his composure once more established. A broad, evilly twisted grin disfigured his bloated face. Yami didn't like the look, as it seemed to not bode well. "You may have won this one round, but you've yet to win our private war. Besides, you've now exhausted the opportunity of having a game you have any advantage in. You're at my mercy now." The awful grin deepened. "I believe it is my turn to choose an attribute to test, and how to test it. Why does this matter, you might ask, if this is how we agreed it to be?" The smile loomed closer as he leaned forward, sliding off the now deactivated duel disk. "Because you have made me mad. And that is never a good position to be in; things might get…dangerous."

The newly removed machine spun as he threw it to the ground, sliding across the gold-veined marble to clatter against the gleaming glass at the side of the corridor. The spirit's gaze followed its white, blue, and red blur of color, his eyes widening in surprise as the transparent surface it now rested against began to move. Through the rippling reflections he could see Yugi with an expression that mirrored his as the leading edge of the glass slid down out of sight into the ground. Golden trinkets and jewels of sparkling shades tumbled down in a melodious ruckus as the surface they had rested against disappeared.

"What's going on! What are you doing!" Yami shouted across the room, eyes locked with the frightened violet ones in the now open chamber of riches.

"Just our second challenge, what else? I'm only preparing the stakes. Things are only interesting if there is actually any chance of losing what you want." A laugh wobbled in his throat, deep and sinister and threatening. "I'm taking back control of this little game of ours." Two trenches appeared in the floor, stretching on beyond either side of the contended captive and running on each side of the glass still remaining, rising with a soft whir to sit with their tops mere inches from the floor surface and their ends next to each opponent. Around Yugi a ring of the same trench rose, its circumference large enough to encircle him, but remaining small enough that he couldn't leave it, thanks to the golden leash that clinked softly as he stood. There was barely enough chain to allow his small stature to stand, let alone pull away. Inside the mysterious trenches, many small walls sectioned off compartments of shimmering liquid. A faint smell wafted across the open space to Yami, one familiar to him, though hazy, as if it was something from his forgotten memories. He recognized it, though he didn't remember from where, as lamp oil.

"What is this? What is its purpose?" the pharaoh asked in confusion.

"Merely set up. Don't worry if you don't understand. You will once I explain the rules." The Collector laughed jocularly, seeming to have forgotten about his former frustration as the other man was once more put off balance. A lazy wave of his hand, and flames erupted beside the two, startling Yami. He looked, and saw that the oil in the chambers beside both him and the Collector had been set aflame, the conflagration halting at the walls separating the compartments from the next.

"You see, this challenge will test our courage. It's a game I love, and have often played, as we get to give ourselves what we most need to win. I do so like gifts, even if they are from myself," the Collector explained, unconcerned with the fire at his side.

"Explain yourself."

"But, of course. In this contest, we will award ourselves points each turn. Whatever point total we give our self, within the range of 0 and 21, will be added to our total. So simple, and the first to 168 wins. That's only 8 turns if someone gives themselves full points each turn. But what is to keep both players from giving themselves these points indiscriminately? Well, there is what makes this game interesting. It's fear. Fear of losing what they are fighting so hard to win. Because, once we have given ourselves these points, the difference of our scores is subtracted from 21. This number is the stake score. The higher the stake score is each turn…the more chambers on these trenches this happens to."

At his words, the wall separating the flaming chamber beside the pharaoh slid down, allowing the oil to mingle. Immediately the second compartment was ablaze. Next to the Collector, a second compartment was on fire as well. "This is the trick, getting those points without allowing the flames to reach the stakes." He laughed harshly at the shock on Yami's face. "And trust me, many a valuable has been lost to the flame because of stubborn pride and unwillingness to let someone else win." The ensuing silence lingered as he savored the image of Yami absorbing this horrendous fact. "Shall we begin, then? Just write your score on the paper."

Yami scowled as a shadow arm reached up from the ground to hand him a pad and odd pen. He now had a choice, a very difficult choice. He could give himself the maximum allowed points each turn, 21, and reach the goal of 168 in 8 turns, hopefully before the Collector did. But if the Collector also wrote down a high number, especially a 21 as well, then the stake score would be high. This meant many compartments on the trenches would be set afire, and, after a few turns like that, the flames would reach the circle tightly surrounding Yugi, meaning that-

He stopped this line on thought, focusing instead on his score and noticing the Collector had spent no time thinking, but just jotted down a quick number. Right now, things were just beginning, so he needed to get an idea of his opponent's strategy. With a hasty scribble, he wrote down a number on the paper.

"Good, good, you've finished. I expected it to take you longer than that. No matter. Now just place the paper in the fires beside you, and we'll see what the other has chosen." His chubby fist crumpled the paper on the top of his pad and held it near the flame. Yami did the same, and they both released together. The smoke from the fires wavered, and the color of a thin stream at either side changed to a dark, cloudy black, in the form of two numbers, their scores.

"Hmmm, I gave myself a full score of 21. And it seems you gave yourself a 19. Daringly high, but apparently you don't have the courage to go all the way. The difference is 2, so that means the stake score is 19. Such a shame, looks like the flames will advance rather far this round." As the Collector spoke, the walls for a large group of compartments slid down, their oil joining and igniting as they met that of the two were already alight. Though the fire moved a large distance, it was still relatively far from its goal.

He would have to be careful. This round he had scored himself high trying to at least keep up with the greedy nature of his opponent so he might have a chance to win. But now the flames were much closer to Yugi. And that was probably the other man's strategy: How far would he let the blaze go before admitting defeat?

"Round Two, then?" the Collector purred malevolently. His head bowed, hiding his face as he studied the number he wrote upon a second sheet. "Go ahead. Show that bravery you so valiantly displayed as you came bursting through my door mere hours ago." The taunting voice caressed Yami's grimacing face as he attempted to work out a strategy of his own. After a moment, he tossed a crumpled paper into the blaze beside him. Again, numbers of darkened smoke formed hazy in the air. Yami's score showed high again, but lower than before. Surprisingly, the Collector's shimmered in the air a figure one point below his.

"Oh dear, it seems I've made a costly mistake. I rather thought you would fight back with a full score, so I scored low to spare our dear friend. But, alas, no. Now it's your fault he's that much closer to danger, with a stake score of 20." His tone clashed harshly with his words, saying instead that he had known exactly what was going to happen. The flickering firelight cast wavering shadows about the hall, casting an evil pallor as the flames roared forward again.

The turns passed, the fires snaking forward inexorably, the scores a haze of smoky numbers counting down the impending danger. The heat in the room began to grow uncomfortable, many of the Collector's guests in the back removing jackets to cool themselves. A brilliant glare of ever shifting light now lit the room, revealing the worried set of the pharaoh's face, and the wide grin on the drooping one opposing him. The Collector had continued to surprise him, each turn matching him with only a point or two difference above or below, as he had continued to score himself lower and lower in an effort to slow the rapid progress of the flames. It didn't make sense, as the Collector showed no will to reach a win, but neither did he seem to care that the fire was now dangerously close to his captive. Yami, good as he was at games of all kinds, could not figure it out. Now, the last round was on them; it had to be, as the conflagration had reached the sections just two adjacent to the ring of oil around Yugi. If this round had a difference of scores of anything but 1or 2, the lowest possible, that ring would ignite, with Yugi inside it.

"So now we've reached the last round. Always the best part of the game, where the players'…true colors are shown, and wonderful emotions are high," the Collector murmured, smug satisfaction in his voice, and a hint of something more, malice. "Now you've got a decision to make. It so happens that you are exactly 21 points away from the goal of 168. If you score yourself fully this round, you-will-win. And, not only this game, but your little friend's freedom as well. But," the work cut through his soliloquy with a satisfied pop, "I will be giving myself 19 points; not enough to win, but enough to put you in quite a dangerous spot. Because you see, that means giving yourself a score of 0 or 1 is the only way to keep our precious gem from being set…aflame." His mirthful laugh resounded through the room, as he gazed down on Yugi. He was still standing, attempting vainly to pull free of the chain that bound him in harm's way. Yami could feel his worry and fear, loud in his mind despite the faint, tenuous contact through the puzzle. "Oh, and, by the by, if you have the opportunity to win and you don't take it, your forfeit said victory."

Yami saw now what his plan had truly been. All along, he never intended to gain the victory, but to instead back the spirit into a corner where he had no choice but to voluntarily cause his own defeat. It was spite at its purest, done solely in response to him inciting the man's anger. His whole strategy had been designed to hurt and humiliate, and it rankled Yami that he could do nothing about it. But his choice was clear, there was no other decision he could make.

"What will you do now? You can win the game, and kill the boy, or lose the game, and lose the boy. Either way, you can't win. What will you do now?" Behind the Collector, his mass of nameless guests laughed and jeered with open hostility. Yami ignored them, not caring about what was thought of him by people that only laughed while someone was in such mortal danger. He wrote down his choice decisively, and hurled it into the searing flames. Across from him, a knowing smile mocked him as the second paper was tossed in.

The flames spluttered and sparked, tongues dancing among themselves in a frenzy as if somehow sensing the tension. For the last time, smoky numbers formed beside the two, hovering in the air with finality. Yami's score hung as a single streak of black against the glowing flames, a one. He had chosen to have the low stake score and save Yugi, instead of win the duel and risking it all. But his anger at this low blow changed quickly to shock as an even lower one struck hard. The Collector's score showed, not the promised 19, but a 1. The stake score was now 21, and the flames would advance much too far.

"NO! YUGI!" He rushed over to the open space in the glass panels, grabbing hold of Yugi as the flames rushed forward, heedless of the Collector's previous warning of disqualification at this action. As he reached him, the flames reached the ring now surrounded both of them, but instead of the last wall sliding down to allow the fire in, it remained in place. The heat blasted them for a moment, then left in a cool rush of breeze as the fires died down. Yugi slumped to the ground in exhaustion and relief, Yami following him down, still gripping his shoulders. Another second passed as they sat in confusion before the familiar self-satisfied laugh broke their reverie.

"Hmhmhm," the Collector rumbled under his breath, "Did you really think I would kill him? No, no, he is much too valuable for that. It would be tantamount to burning my mountains of bills." Something startlingly cold pushed up against Yami's wrists, its relentless force breaking his grip. The glass rose back up, separating them once more, Yugi turning to face him. He placed his hand against the glass reassuringly. "I'll get you out, don't worry. But at least for now, you're safe." He stood up, grabbing the second duel disk from where it had lain forgotten for the duration of the duel.

The pharaoh strode back to his former position, every line and movement regal and dangerous, fitting of a powerful king. The people in the room stopped laughing, growing silent as they watched the change that stole over him.

"That little joke might have amused you, but now it is I who have been angered. As you so kindly pointed out at the end of the last round, you have now exhausted your chance at choosing a game beneficial to you. And this round, I assure you, I will not allow you gain the upper hand again." Yami's glare made many of the guests quiver in fear of his wrath, but the Collector just smiled once more.

"Ah, but you forget, my miniscule monarch, that it is I who will decide who will choose our next game. And in case you haven't noticed, the only people in this room besides you and me…are on my side.

"And to the victor of this one last match goes the spoils."

I bet you weren't expecting him to lose, huh? A little short this time, but hopefully good. Be sure to come back next time as the last challenge begins in the next chapter of the Collector- Chapter 10 Silver-Tongued Syllables!

See you there!