Note: Thank you very much to my reviewers, although I can't remember who it was…we usually copy all the reviews into a word document and sort them out for which review was submitted for which chapter, but of course we had to get a new hard drive…but according to Rowena Raven was the only reviewer for my last chapter…thank you anyway! This chapter is incredibly short I know, so great apologies!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, Kazuki Takahashi does.

Key

#Blah# Someone thinking, or talking to someone else through a mind link i.e. Yugi to Yami.

"Blah"Someone talking on the other side of a phone conversation, etc.

Warning: This story contains bad language, so if you get offended easily please don't read.

Episode 13 - Dosed

A shadowy figure sat in the corner of a darkened room, head lowered and body slouched. They had been like that for what seemed like months; never stirring, never talking; just silent. But on this day, there was going to be change. Whether this change was for good or for worse, one can only guess…

XxX

The figure stirred and sat up, looking around its confined cell. Its eyes were dull and shadowed, nothing like the beautiful, sparkling lavender colour they used to be. Its hair was messy and in disarray, in need of a good wash. Everything about its features was distorted and dirty.

A thought passed through the figure's mind; just the trace of a nameless face, and yet somehow it seemed…familiar to them. They tried to remember some sort of name, some kind of recognition… but in the end it all came to nothing.

The figure sat for a few more minutes before trying to stand. It was clear that they had not done this for ages, though, for as soon as it got up, it staggered and fell. This did not deter it though; it got up again, and soon it was walking around as if they had always been able to walk.

"Where am I?" Its voice was horse, barely a whisper; but in the deafening silence it was loud and clear, ringing like a bell down the nearby chambers and hallways. The figure watched as a torch outside its cell flickered and blew out, and the same for the next one and all the ones it could see, until it was surrounded by complete and utter darkness. No noise was heard, no movement was made; what seemed like hours passed, but never did the figure move from its position. It just watched and waited.

And then, from nowhere, a bright and brilliant light shone in front of them, blinding anything that stared into it; but the figure never moved, its features now clearer to the eye. It wore black trousers and a lilac top, both of which were torn and dusty.

"I have come for you now…" A voice penetrated the air, filling the place with noise; it was hard to describe what it sounded like. It was low and bellowing, it was old and feeble, it was young and happy, and it was high-pitched and squeaky. But when you did try to define it, it didn't sound like anything…just an echo of a voice, like a distant memory…perhaps one that was about to be realised.

The cell door bust open, and through that the light poured in, and bore the figure away into its brightness…

"Here we are." Yami announced as he stepped into the park for what seemed like the billionth time. Seto walked up beside him and stared around in the hopes that he might spot Joey running towards them, but he saw nothing. He sighed, lowering his head in defeat.

"He's not here. He's gone, I knew it."

"Don't give up so easily, Seto." Yugi said, taking a step towards him. "We'll find Joey, don't worry."

"Yeah, sure we will…" Seto muttered, before continuing to walk.

"What do you think has happened to Joey?" Ryou asked Bakura, watching as Yugi and Yami followed Seto.

"I don't know…but I don't think we're alone here." Ryou looked at him, confused.

"What do you mean?"

"There's someone else here…"

"Are you sure?" Ryou frowned and looked around, as if expecting to see someone following them.

"Yes. Let's keep moving." Bakura grabbed Ryou's hand and pulled him along, trying to shake off the feeling of being stalked.

"Shouldn't we try to do something, then?"

"No. Pretend we don't know they're there."

"Okay…"

XxX

#Yami…#

#Yes, Aibou?#

#Do you feel like we're being followed?#

#No…#

#Are you sure?# Yami looked down at Yugi, who was walking by his side, and saw that he was looking at him with fear in his eyes.

#Don't worry Yugi, I won't let anyone hurt you.#

#'Kay…# Yugi smiled at him, intertwining his fingers into Yami's and clasping his hand. #Promise me you won't leave me, Yami.#

#I already have.#

#Promise me again. Please…#

#I promise I'll never leave you, Yugi.#

#Thank you…# Yami looked curiously down at Yugi, estranged by his behaviour. Yugi was no longer smiling, but instead was looking scared and intimidated.

#Yugi, are you sure you're alright?# Yugi shook his head.

#No…I'm frightened.# Yami frowned and stopped, watching as Yugi turned and flung his arms around his neck.

"What's going on!" Seto called back, scowling at Yami and Yugi hugging each other.

"Yugi thinks we're being followed."

"So do I." They turned to see Ryou and Bakura arriving behind them, Bakura frowning with a thoughtful look on his face. "Don't you feel it Yami?"

"Yes…" Yami hadn't noticed it before, but it felt like there was a blanket of darkness trying to press itself around his soul, just like…

"Shadow powers." Bakura announced. "Someone with a Millennium Item is close by."

"Malik." Seto growled. Yami frowned, before turning around to see Malik standing behind them, leaning on a tree and smirking at them.

"Well hello there." Malik sneered, getting up and walking over to them. "Well, not that there's much point in me saying that."

"Why is that!" Seto spat, taking a step forwards.

"Patience, Mr Kaiba, or you'll end up in the same situation as your dear love Joey."

"What did you do to him!" Seto shouted. Malik smirked and closed his eyes.

"You'll soon find out. Right now, in fact…" Malik opened his eyes again and simpered at them, amused at how frightened some of them looked…especially Yugi. "I think I'll take him first…" Malik pointed the Rod towards Yugi and he began to glow, the eye on his forehead growing and brightening.

"No you won't…" Yami growled, his eyes seeming to grow to a blood-red colour as anger filled his mind. He tightened his grip on Yugi, never taking his eyes off Malik as he did so.

"Yami, Yami, Yami…" Malik tutted, smiling with amusement as Yami's Puzzle began to glow. "When will you learn? Your efforts are useless…" And with that a brilliant flash issued form his Rod, causing all of them to cover their faces with their hands. When the light finally died down, they uncovered their eyes and looked in shock as they saw that Yugi was nowhere to be seen.

"YUGI!" Yami screamed, turning his furious eyes onto Malik. "Oh, you have crossed the LINE this time." Yami whispered, body shaking with rage. He hadn't even managed to keep his promise to Yugi; so easily, it had been broken.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about it, Pharaoh. You'll be joining him soon."

"And why it that, Malik?"

"Huh, you'll see." He moved the Rod straight out in front of him, and with another flash they disappeared into darkness…

"Mister Pegasus, sir. Malik is reporting back from his mission." Croquet's voice resounded around the virtually empty room, echoing off the bare walls. Pegasus turned around and nodded, before watching Croquet back out of the room and stand aside to let in a very tired-looking Malik.

"At last, Malik. I assume you have god news to tell me? Because you know what will happen if you don't…"

"Yes, Pegasus, I have done what you wished for." Malik shuddered as Pegasus began to laugh, a cold and heartless laugh of someone who was bent on revenge, as was the case.

"Very well, Malik. You may go." Malik growled before turning on his heel and leaving, hatred bubbling up inside him for the man that had caused him so much trouble. "Oh, and Malik…" Pegasus said just as he reached the door. "If I catch you consorting with the likes of Yugi again, I'll make sure that you'll wish you had never been born…is that clear?"

"Crystal." Malik muttered, walking out of the room. "Laugh all you can now, Pegasus, but soon you'll be as silent as the grave…"

Luff: Right, I'm stopping right here.

Seto: Well that was bloody short.

Luff: Oh ming ming ming.

S. Chensu: "You will accompany these fine gentlemen to the helm Sparrow and then spend the rest of the journey contemplating all possible meanings of the phrase 'silent as the grave'." HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA #gets hysterical#

Luff: Oh, feck off! Anyway, hope you like this chapter, despite its shortness. It's a record five pages long, including a page long authors note at the beginning. Anyway, please read and review, and I'll see you all next chapter!

S. Chensu: F' it! Ft! #Laughs hysterically as Luff takes her away in her wheelchair and straight jacket#

(S. Chensu: Hello people, Luff doesn't know about this so it'll be our little secret. Mwhahaha! The power of my Millennium Ring will destroy them all!)