A/N: Just thought I post this one since it's been on my hard drive for a while. I'll update these from time to time because I like them very much as do a couple of my friends. Sorry for getting rid of it earlier. I had to undergo a reality check to realize how wrong I was about a lot of things.

I'll be taking a break at the end of the week so I can wind down from some stresses that have negatively impacted my health. Take care everyone!


Thunder rumbles and lightning flashes outside of Bakura's window. He's leaning casually in his tall armchair and takes a sip of bourbon from his glass. The sphered ice mold jingles around the glass and the gold rings on his fingers flash in the fireplace.

"Do you mind if I finish my bloody drink first?"

He takes one last sip and sets the glass down.

"Ah. Welcome back, my friends. To Tales from the Shadow Realm, in which we delve into the lives of poor souls whose sinful lives force them to wander into the deepest, darkest pits of the abyss. Have you ever heard the phrase 'always obey your parents?' Well of course you have. Many of us have grown up with mommies and daddies or people who we consider parents. They know best. They always know what's best for you, so listen to their words carefully, lest you wish to find yourself consumed by the jowls of black eternity. There's no doubt that mischievous children have always trekked down the path to darkness. They think because they're older, that this path is the path to salvation into the land of milk of honey. A world where they find freedom, salvation, and acceptance from their peers. But life has a way of dealing with these spoiled brats. Our tale for tonight is about a rebellious young lady who absolutely refuses to listen to or even care for her sick mother, who loves her daughter with all her heart. It is a love that the girl takes for granted. And her actions will cost her more than she has ever dreamed of."

Bakura smiles as lightning and flashes and thunder shakes the castle.


Mischievous Mindy


The DJ plays loud electronic music that shakes the nightclub, which has the theme of Dante's Inferno. The lights douse the building with red, orange, and fiery yellow while green lasers criss-cross against one another over the battlefield where a Duel is taking place.

Mindy, who is celebrating her 18th birthday, whoops as she sits on the lap of a bulky young man in an unbuttoned dress shirt with jeans, and a silver chain around his neck. Mindy is clad in a black, sparkly cocktail dress with a plunging neckline and a choker around her neck.

She smiles with excitement and takes a sip of a glowing blue cocktail she has in hand.

"All right, babe!" said the player, whose name was Harrington Rosewood, a boy she went to school with a few years ago. "Ready to see what I can do?"

"Yeah!" Mindy said, moving her shoulders up and down. "Show me what you got! What have you learned since school?"

"All right, here we go!" Harrington holds up his deck. "Show me some love, baby?" He says, holding the deck in front of Mindy's face.

Mindy giggles and blows on it for good luck.

Harrington set down his deck on a fancy platform lit up with liquid-crystal displays which showed the cards that were on the field and showed their Life Point counters. The platform had a lit-up playmat flashing in all the colors of the rainbow in bright neon.

The cards of his deck were sealed and protected by black sleeves with a gold filigree circle in the middle.

"All right, I set a card face-down and summon Moon Envoy in attack mode! I end my turn."

In the deep pit below glowing green and red, an oversized hologram of the soldier, armored in blue and wearing white slacks, was rendered in full form on the field. He spun his staff, topped with a crescent-shaped blade.

The other player, a skinny guy in a sleeveless vest, torn jeans, and a beanie draws his card.

"From my hand, I activate Second Coin Toss! Now, I can redo the results of an effect that deals with a coin toss. Now, I activate the spell, Cup of Ace! Now, here's how it works. If I get heads, I draw two cards. If I get tails, you draw two cards."

He tosses a golden coin in the air. The coin flips and falls on the playing mat of his booth, cameras along its walls film his every move in case he was cheating and it showed on the holographic screens displaying over the duelist with Mindy sitting on his lap. But the guy with the beanie knew better than to cheat in this place. The club's owner would toss him out on his ass and ban him for life, and then upload the spectacle on his Instagram as an example for all to see.

"Heads!" said the Duelist. "I draw two cards! Now, I activate a second Cup of Ace!" He flipped the coin. "Heads again! Man, Lady Luck is on my side! I draw two more cards. Now, it's time to get rid of that monster of yours. I summon Baron of the Fiend Sword!"

He summoned a demonic aristocrat wearing dapper clothing and a bowler hat. He resembled an angry bulldog and he carried a very long sword colored black and hued in an eerie red glow. Eyes were moving around on the guard shaped like a bat's wings, decorated with spikes, lower jaws, and screaming skulls.

"Yeah! He has fifteen-fifty attack points while your measly Moon Envoy only has eleven-hundred. He doesn't stand a chance. Attack!"

Baron of the Fiend Sword chuckled and charged towards the Moon Envoy.

"I activate my spell, Forbidden Lance!"

"Oh no! Now my monster loses 800 attack points!"

Moon Envoy jumped out of the way, avoiding getting sliced by the demonic sword. He then landed behind the Baron and jabbed his crescent blade into his back. The Baron shouted and exploded.

"Nuts!" said the Duelist in the beanie.

"I draw!" said Harrington. "Hmm. You were in the Obelisk Blue dorm, right, Mindy? You must be somewhat of an expert. What card do you think I should play next, baby?"

Again, Mindy giggled. She leaned forward and examined his cards. Using the pinky of the hand she used to clutch her glass, she chose the best card for him to play.

"Damn! You are so smart! Wow, what did I tell you? Duel Academy girls really are something else. All right. I tribute Moon Envoy to summon Tenmataitei!"

Moon Envoy was replaced by a gallant knight on a winged horse. They were both clad in black and gold armor and a red cape flapped behind the knight.

"Now, I give him this card. Bashing Shield. It only works on monsters that have been normal summoned. If they were, this card gives them a 1000 point boost! And next, I play Monster Reborn to bring back Moon Envoy. Next, I attack your Life Points directly!"

"Nooo!" The other Duelist yells, using his arms to shield himself from the attack.

"And that wins me 12,000 CP (Club Points - a currency used by the club to use to exchange for prizes). Know how many packs we can get with this?"

"I sure do," Mindy said, getting off his lap so they could walk down the white lit-up stairs of the booth hand-in-hand. Her friends Madison, Alyssa, and Kami clap as the pair come down triumphantly.

Harrington walks to the shop to use the CP he earned in his Duel to buy new packs and a giant stuffed bear for Mindy.

"Damn, Mindy!" Kami says, patting her on the shoulder. "You sure do know how to pick 'em!"

"Alexis has no idea what she's lost," Alyssa says with a swoon. "Harrington is the man!"

Mindy scoffs and sweeps her open palm across the air. "Alexis is one of the hoity-toity types. She has a certain taste for guys. Well, I guess a really strict taste, considering all the boys she turned down at school. Nobody can seem to tickle her fancy."

"Well, Harrington's yours now," Madison said, clinking her glass with Mindy's. "Now that's what I call one sweet birthday present. So, uh, how's your mom?"

"At home, sulking around as usual," Mindy answers hatefully. "She gave me some money to buy a cake for us to sing happy birthday with. Ha! Fool that she is. She still thinks I'm a little girl."

"But she's sick," Alyssa says, shocked to hear Mindy's disdain for her mother. "She needs your help right now."

Mindy shook her head and said, "Look, she can handle herself. I left her medicine on the counter right out in the open. She'll have no trouble finding it, trust me. Besides, it's time I showed her that I'm grown up. Too long has she kept me stuck in that house, preening me for years to be a proper lady. She washed me, fed me, kept me from going out. Pfft, all that was left was for her to be changing my diapers. I can't stand the woman."

"But she loves you," said Kami. "What I would give to have a mom like that. I grew up with a really nasty step-mother who'd kick me and slap me just for spilling orange juice all over her pristine countertop. And she pulled my hair so many times, it's amazing I have any left."

"Well, moms need to learn when to let go," Mindy said coldly and finished the last of her cocktail. "My mom sadly hasn't. Ah, here comes Harrington!"

She waved him down. Once she got her prizes, she followed him to the dance floor and the others followed. There they partied until the wee hours of the night. Once the club closed, Mindy said goodbye to her friends and then walked home. She lived in a quiet suburb that was just a short walk from the city. It was creepy at night, to say the least. Except for a few cars passing by, Mindy was all alone. And right beside her on the path back to her house was the cemetery. She peered at it from the corner of her eye.

Silhouettes of dead trees, tombstones, mausoleums, and obelisks could be seen reaching out against the deathly purple sky. It had been raining earlier. The sidewalks were full of puddles and the breeze of the passing storm eerily made autumns leaves dance around at her feet. When the wind howled in her ears, Mindy shivered, thinking that it was the moans of the undead coming from their graves on the other side of the stone wall that separated the sidewalk from the cemetery. Orange street lamps lit her way, but they were so far apart, Mindy had to walk in darkness for a short while, making her fear that something was about to jump out and get her.

Just the thought of a ghoul dragging her into the graveyard caused her to go into a sprint. Mindy's high-heeled boots splashed in the puddles and clopped loudly, making her damn them for making so much noise. If something was out there lurking in the shadows, it would hear her and find her in no time. And this damn giant bear in her arms made her feel like it was weighing her down. But she was so close to home now. Just a few more minutes and she'd be safe and sound in her house.

At last, she made it. Mindy sighed with relief and paused for a moment to catch her breath. She looked toward the east and saw the tall, glittering towers of the city beaming down at her. She smiled. One day, she would live up there. Parties, friends, money, and more rare cards than she could count. All she had to do was be patient with her new relationship with Harrington. He came from a very wealthy family who owned their own sporting goods franchise. Much of their gear was bought by her old school, Duel Academy, such as the tennis rackets.

If Mindy could make things work between the two of them, then she could kiss this old house and that senile old woman she called a mother goodbye and leave it all behind her once and for all. She blew a kiss to the city and walked inside her house. The pungent smell of chicken and rice that had been cooked hours ago perfumed the air, making Mindy's face crinkle in disgust. Sure enough, she heard the sound of the rocking chair creaking and carpet slippers dragging across the floor.

Mindy sighed and prepared herself for another long scolding.

"Mindy!" her mother said. She tried to shout, but she was too ill, and her anger came out like a croak. "Look what time it is!" she pointed at the green digital numbers on the oven's clock. They read 4:30 in the morning. "Look what time it is!" she said again.

Mindy stomped her foot on the ground. "Why do you always have to repeat yourself? God! You're like a broken record. I know what time it is. I didn't spend all these years at school to be stupid!"

"What has gotten into you, child!" the poor woman said, eyes bubbling with tears. She had no energy to argue with her. All of it had been spent worrying and waiting for Mindy to come back. "What happened to the cake you were supposed to buy?"

Mindy's mother walked toward her and yanked the giant bear from her grip. "Where did you get this?"

She then looked at Mindy's attire. She was shocked to see how much skin her dress was showing. "What is this!" she yelled. "Where did you get this? You used all the money from your job to buy this didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah."

"But why? You told me there was no work! You told me they were barely paying you at your job. I had to use my welfare money to purchase our necessities."

"Well, my dress helped me find a cute guy."

"Cute guy? You went to the nightclub again, didn't you! Boys, ha! I know those boys. They stalk the city streets at night like ravenous wolves, looking for feeble-minded little lambs like you to ravish! I thought I raised you better than this! Why? Why would you go looking for their company? Why would you present yourself like this? Why would you do something like this?"

"Because it's my only way to get away from you!" Mindy shouted.

Her mother's mouth fell open in shock. She stepped back to let Mindy pass. "Me? But, what did I do? I'm your mother. I thought we loved each other. Mindy, what's the matter?"

Mindy turned sharply. "You! You! Always hounding me! Always trying to control my life! You never let me go out! You never let me get the things I want! You never let me have any fun! Well, I'm sick of it! I'm sick of you! I hate you! Leave me alone! "

Her mother's lips trembled. "But I'm just trying to protect you, Mindy! You're my daughter! I love you."

"No! I don't feel like your daughter anymore. Ever since dad left us, all you've ever done was sit on your ass and feel sorry for yourself and our world just continued to decay. You know what? I'm not surprised daddy left us! You never do anything! You're useless! I wish he would have taken me with him!"

She took her bear back from her mother and went to her room to change out of her dress and into her pajamas. As Mindy got ready for bed, she could hear her mother sobbing out in the hallway. Instead of going out there to comfort her, Mindy got into bed and used her mother's sorrow as a lullaby to sleep soundly like a baby all through the night.

The next morning, Mindy and her mother said nothing to each other. But later, her mother broke the silence by asking Mindy to go on a few errands.

"Mindy, please. This is what's left of my check until next month." She handed Mindy a few crumpled bills. "Could you please go to the market and pick up some bread, cheese, and milk. And I know you're feeling ill will towards me but I sold my bracelet to a little girl for this."

He handed her five dollars. "Consider that my birthday present to you. Use it to by some candy or whatever you'd like."

"Candy? Mom, what the hell? How old did you think I turn, three?" She held up the bill. "And do you expect me to get anything decent to eat with this? I can't even get a box of tampons with this chump change."

Her mother's lips trembled with hurt. "I just thought..."

"You just thought. You know what? Forget it! I'm not gonna argue with you. God, you're so senile."

Mindy changed out of her pajamas, stuffed the money into the pocket of her jeans, and stormed out of the house. Just then, her phone rang.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hey, Mindy! It's Alyssa! Guess what? Harrington is going to host a really awesome party tonight in his private yacht at the harbor! You game?"

"Hell yeah!" Mindy said, jumping with joy.

"All right. Be sure to wear something nice. Harrington's parties have a very strict dress code."

"All right, got it!" Mindy said. "See you there."

She hung up the phone then paused. "Shit!" This meant she had to go buy a new dress. She couldn't see Harrington in the same outfit she wore last night! What would he think of her? She checked the money in her pocket.

Damn! Only fifty dollars in total. That wouldn't be enough. And on top of that, Mindy needed to get some new shoes, get her hair and nails done. Damn! She walked out of her neighborhood, trying to figure out what to do. As she walked by the cemetery, she noticed a funeral being prepared on a lonely hill. The casket was wide open as a group of men in black trenchcoats set up chairs and placed flowers here and there.

Mindy had an idea. A very dark and nasty idea. She went through the rusty gates of the cemetery and snuck to the hill. While the men went inside a wooden cottage to have coffee, Mindy looked at the body in the casket. It was an old woman with long, white hair, a very gaunt face caked in makeup, and she had a very beautiful ring on her index finger. It was made of gold and covered in diamonds — real diamonds! And the biggest one, which topped the ring, was the size of a grape.

Mindy looked around to see if there was no one watching. She and the woman were all alone. Wasting no time, she removed the ring from the woman's finger and sprinted out of the cemetery before anyone could spot her. Mindy took the ring to a pawn shop in the city and received more than enough money to pay for her dress. In fact, she had enough that she could buy new dresses for all her friends. She could even afford to have them all pampered at a massage parlor to ease some stress before the party. After that, they had their hair and nails done, and they were off to Harrington's yacht, where they partied all through the night.

Again, Mindy did not go home until it was late. Thankfully, Alyssa drove her home. Once she dropped her off outside her house, Mindy heard something howling in the night. She thought it was a fox or an owl. But upon closer inspection, it started to sound more and more human. She could make out words now, chilling her to the bone.

Mindyyyyy! Mischievous Mindyyyyy!

What? What was going on here?

Mindyyy! Where's my riiiing!

Mindy was frightened. She ran across the stone path of her house and shut the door. "Fuck! I probably had a little more to drink than I thought."

Again, her mother was there waiting for her. She didn't want to fight. Instead, she stood where she was and asked: "Mindy. Did you at least get the milk, bread, and cheese I asked you for?"

"No!" Mindy said. "I had no intention of getting it. And I won't have to be bothered by things like that anymore. From now on, you're on your own, woman! I have a boyfriend now. A rich boyfriend. One who can take care of me and get me everything I want. I don't need you anymore so piss off!"

Mindy scampered down the hall to her room laughing and leaving her mother heartbroken. The poor woman went upstairs to her room, sniffling as she heard her daughter chatter away with her friends about her new relationship. When she got into bed, she laid down and passed away from grief. The kind woman would find peace. But her daughter, would not be so fortunate this night.

Mindy, who was too excited from the thrill of the party left her room and went to the kitchen to gulp down the last bit of orange juice when she heard the sound again.

Mindy! Mischievous Mindyyyy! Where's my riiiiing!

Mindy dropped the carton of orange juice, spilling it all over the floor. She was so scared, she froze as still as a statue. She heard the sound again — it was closer.

Mindyyyyy Mischievous Mindyyy! Where's my riiiing!

Mindy couldn't believe it. Something was coming to get her!

She looked at the wall, lit up by the light of the lamps outside. Amongst the shadows of the leaves, Mindy saw the gate slowly open. Then the silhouette of something awful darkened the wall with its shadow. Mindy ran to the door and locked it before sealing it up with the chain. The knob turned. The creature let out a bone-chilling howl and shouted:

Mindy! Mischievous Mindyyyy! Where's my riiiing!

"Mama!" Mindy muttered. She wet herself in fright, her legs wobbled as if they were made of jelly. "Mama," she sobbed.

WHAM!

The door started breaking open! Then a long, bony hand reached out from the crack of the door.

Where's my riiiiing! It groaned.

Mindy ran for her room. The lights in the house flickered and the walls rocked as if an earthquake had erupted. She slammed the door to her room, locked it, and hid under her bed, shivering in fright.

She heard the door fall off its hinges. The thing was in the house. It shouted: Minddyyy! Mischievous Mindyyyy! Where's my riiiiing!

"Mama!" Mindy whimpered. "Mama, where are you?"

The door to her room fell to the ground effortlessly. Mindy saw a shadowy ghoul with wild hair and burning red eyes standing outside the frame.

Where's my riiiing!

"I don't have it!" Mindy screamed. "Please! Please, leave me alone!"

Mindy! Mischievous Mindy!

The ghoul floated closer and with an unseen force, flung the bed away to reveal the frightened girl.

"Mama!" Mindy cried, cowering against the wall as the thing approached her slowly. "Mama! Mama, please help me! Mama! Mama! Mamaaaaaaaaaaaa!"


Bakura shuts the book closed and puts it back on the shelf.

"But it's too late for that, Mischievous Mindy. Well, it seems that she's learned a very important lesson. Respect your elders and listen to your parents. More often than not, they will steer you in the right direction. There is a time and place for us to grow and spread our wings, children. But we must never rush to achieve flight. We must never take shortcuts into adulthood, for youth is such a joy. Treasure it, for it goes by faster than you know. And remember to keep to the path your parents have made for you. For even though it is a bumpy road, it is full of love and light. But steer away from it, who knows what dark corner may find yourself in. And more often than not, you'll never find a way out. Until next time, children. Goodbye."