Episode 24: Attack of the Handsome Man
It was another Monday, June 2nd in Domino, Japan. Yugi had gotten himself ready to head to school. He planned on going with all of his friends that morning, as a sort of victory party to be proud of accomplishing the challenges from Seto Kaiba. He had invited Yugi and his friends to be participants for his Ultimate G.A.M.E Tower, with five levels of intense puzzle-solving, action-adventure, and quick-thinking challenges. It was tough, and there were moments where they were wanting to give up. However, thanks to his friends and his Millennium Puzzle, he was able to persevere and get through it all. In the end, he defeated Kaiba and gave him a taste of his own medicine.
Frankly, he kind of wanted to stay home and recover from all that excitement yesterday. Even Sugaroku suggested that Yugi could stay home if he wanted to, since he knew he would be feeling just as stressed out. The young high schooler declined the offer. He'd rather just go back to his life and try to move forward rather than dwell on it. Of course, he wasn't planning on acting like it never happened, but he also didn't want to be constantly reminded of it all.
Everyone had planned on meeting up with Yugi at his Game Shop so they could head to school together. The young boy got up a bit earlier than usual because he wanted to check on something first. He headed out the door of his shop just as his Grandfather was opening it. He hurried over to the store that was next door to them. The flower shop that Cosmo lived in with her sister. After hearing about her condition yesterday when they were free to leave, Yugi was worried about Cosmo and wanted to check if she was alright. He wasn't sure what he was going to say to Galaxina though, since he figured she would hate him for what happened to Cosmo. Not that he would blame her, but he knew it would be words that would sting him.
He saw the sign on the front door, indicating that it was still closed. Yugi bit his lip, going over to try knocking as a way to open it up. Just as his knuckles were about to hit the glass, the entrance swung open which caught him off guard. Yugi jumped, wondering who was coming out. He looked up, seeing the woman in a suit with cyan hair. A briefcase was in her hands as she seemed like she was ready to head to work. Her eyes quickly caught the figure that was the young Mutou child, which made her turn to him with a raised brow. "Sorry sir, but we are closed today." Galaxina told him.
Yugi waved his hands up in defense. "O-oh! No! I'm not here to buy any flowers… I uh… wanted to see if Cosmo was doing any better?"
Galaxina looked over his features until her eyes went wide with deja vu. "Oh, you're her friend from school. Yugi Mutou, correct?"
He nodded. "I… wanted to apologize for what happened yesterday. We were focusing so much on the games and challenges, I didn't even notice she was feeling unwell. I should have seen the signs sooner, and got her back myself." He stated, doing his best to utter a sincere apology. He even bowed to Galaxina, in the hopes that it would add a bit more belief. "I mean it, I would never want Cosmo to ever get hurt. And I take full responsibility for her fever. I just wanted to make sure she is alright, if she will be able to come to school today."
The cyan haired woman looked at him with her free hand on her hip while she just kept her eyes upon Yugi. He sounded truly upset, not that she blamed him. He seemed to have really cared for Cosmo, just as she cares for him. Galaxina had a small smile upon her face as her eyes softened. "Your apology isn't necessary. It wasn't you that caused her to get a fever, and I am certain she tried to keep herself grounded so you wouldn't be worried and canceled your plans." She gave a sigh, shaking her head slightly. "That's the down side to her, I'm afraid. She is always worried about others wanting to have fun and be satisfied, that she doesn't worry about her own health. She really does take up after our mother…"
Upon hearing that, Yugi stood back up as he wondered what that meant. But he rather not question it since it could be a sensitive subject. Galaxina went on speaking. "Anyways, one of your friends brought her to the infirmary at that KaibaLand area, and I was able to pick her up. I brought her home yesterday and tended to her. Thankfully her fever broke later that night, but I want to keep her home for today, just to be safe. I have a few meetings to attend today, but the other employees took today off so they could care for her."
Yugi sighed in relief when he heard that. So Cosmo was going to be okay after all. Thank goodness, he was worried that she would be much sicker, but it seemed she was going to stay home to be on the safe side. "Thank you for taking care of her."
Galaxina waved her hand. "That's what big sisters do. I'll tell her that you stopped by to check up on her. Though if it may be alright, I don't want her to know you were overly worried about her. She would surely never forgive herself if she made you upset."
"Oh, no I'm not upset at all!" Yugi assured the older sister. "I just wanted to make sure she would be alright. I was really scared when I found out she was taken to the infirmary…" He trailed off, it was like his heart just stopped when he heard about Cosmo's fever.
"Really Yugi Mutou, you shouldn't take this burden." She was the one that tried to reassure him. "Actually, Cosmo has had a history of fevers and illnesses. She's always been very frail as a child. It was one of the reasons we came to Japan from America, for better health care and a more secure neighborhood." She admitted. "Thankfully, she has done much better over the years. In fact, this is her first time having an episode in the past two years. Sure it is scary, but she had them more frequently before… Progress is progress. And her recovery is much quicker as well."
"Sounds like she's a tough one." Yugi commented.
The older woman sighed. "I just wish she remembered her limitations at times. I know she wants to become stronger, but it takes time to recover and to grow. Still, I am glad she has you for support. I'm sure she will be pleased to know her friend came by to check up on her. And… if it isn't too much trouble, could you maybe come by later and give her the homework and class work she missed?"
Yugi smiled, nodding to assure her that he would do just that. "Thank you again, Galaxina. Cosmo is lucky to have you as a sister."
That comment made the cyan-haired woman blink, but soon smiled. "Thank you for the compliment. Well, you best hurry along now. You don't want to miss school."
"O-oh right!" He gave a wave to the older woman and smiled. "See you later!" He ran off, heading back to his Game Shop just in time to see the others waiting for him. They had their usual morning greetings as they began to make their way to Domino High. Along the way, Yugi informed everyone about Cosmo and what her condition was. They were all relieved when they found out she was going to be okay.
"Thank goodness." Miho sighed.
"Looks like it wasn't as serious as we thought." Honda added.
Jounouchi nodded. "Hopefully she will be able to come back to school tomorrow." His face was beaming with excitement. It stayed with him even when they were crossing the gate into the school's grounds.
"You seem pretty cheerful on a Monday morning." Anzu noted as she raised a brow at him.
"What can I say? Ultimate G.A.M.E has made my confidence about games increased! I feel much stronger now after what we all have been through!" As if to prove a point, the blond flexed his muscles off to show them. He then squealed in pure delight, raising up his fist. "Now I really want to play a game with someone! Bring it on!"
Yugi had to admit, it was weird seeing Jounouchi suddenly ecstatic about such challenges. Yet it was a welcoming sight for the young high schooler and his friend. It was nice to see that Jounouchi was having a new passion for the enjoyment of games and it was also comforting to know that despite the events of yesterday, he was still willing to go along and use what he learned to make himself stronger.
"Damn," Honda noted as he was also taken aback by the new attitude the blond was projecting. "It's rare seeing you in such a cocky state. Did you forget that you didn't win those levels on your own?"
Anzu agreed, placing her hands on her hips. "Exactly! We won by supporting each other and sticking together."
Jounouchi had a blush across his face, turning away from the group as he began to walk off. "Y-yeah… I know that!" He tried to walk on ahead, while Yugi just chuckled to himself.
It was around this time that a certain blueish-white haired man was slowly walking through the school grounds. Bakura had his head hung low, as if he was not truly there. Of course, the first person to notice this was the periwinkle girl. "I spotted a Bakura!" She giggled, making her way over to the young lad. Honda stood there, watching her go though he did call out her name in a quiet tone. "Good morning, Bakura!" She called after him as she tried to reach him.
Suddenly, he felt a familiar pain in his chest once again. He hissed, biting his lip as he felt his body growing hot once more. Thankfully, it went away quickly. It took him a moment to register what was going on. He turned around, seeing the young girl smiling at him. "O-Oh! Nosaka…"
Yugi approached Bakura as well, giving a grin of his own. "Morning Bakura."
"Yugi… everyone…" The young man looked around as he saw the group had gathered close to him, looking cheerful for the start of the school week. They gave their usual greetings as well, waving to him even. "G-Good morning…"
"Hey uh… you okay Bakura?" Honda questioned, noticing how pale he was, more than usual. "You don't look so good."
Bakura jumped at the question, but tried to regain himself quickly. "A-Ah! I'm alright, guess I didn't get enough sleep last night." He lied to them. "Thanks for asking." He forced a small smile on his face, trying to change his appearance. "I guess I'm still trying to get used to the fact that I'm living alone now, and I haven't fully set up my room yet."
"You live alone?" Jounouchi questioned.
"Y-yeah… my father is always away on excavations being an archaeologist, so he's rarely home."
"It must be lonely…" Miho noted sadly.
Bakura waved his hand. "Really, I'm used to it. And I'm still surrounded by people at school, so I'm not completely alone…"
Yugi stepped forward as he attempted to keep the conversation light. "Speaking of, how have you gotten used to the school?"
"Ah well I-" Bakura was caught off as his chest began to throb in a horrible fashion. He bit his lip, shuddering as he felt himself unable to speak.
"Is something wrong?" Yugi asked, noticing how Bakura was acting.
"I-I'm sorry, I need to go on ahead." He didn't give the others a chance to stop him, as he picked up his feet and began to run off into the building, heading to the nearby bathroom.
"Ah… B-Bakura…" Miho looked upset as she watched him go.
Anzu tilted her head in confusion. "Wonder what that was about."
The blond stood in front of the other four with a wide grin upon his face. "Isn't it obvious? He probably just had to go to the bathroom! Couldn't hold it in anymore."
Miho took offense to that, raising her hand and slapping Jounouchi's left cheek, which left a mark and forced him to the ground. "Bakura did not look like he had to go to the toilet!" She screamed at him.
Jounouchi glared up at her in hatred. "That was totally uncalled for!" He shouted at her.
Bakura managed to get himself to the bathroom, he was all alone and probably for the better. He leaned over the sink, sweating profusely as the aches in his chest began to increase. "Not again… It's this pain again…" He winced, it hurt to even speak. He grabbed ahold of his shirt, removing the buttons as he screamed. The item around his neck was glowing brightly, which only he seemed to notice. Was the Ring causing this pain in his chest? But why was it acting up now? It's been like this ever since he came to Domino High. Ever since… Bakura was caught off as he believed he heard laughter from within the room, but he was certain there was no one else with him. "Who's there?!" He looked around, trying to find the source.
"I am… you…" The voice called out.
Bakura held onto his head, kneeling onto the floor as he began to hurt all over. "Now there's pain coming from my head…" He fell to his hands and knees, shaking on the floor as he could hardly keep his form together. "W-What is… h-happening to my body?" He questioned himself, wanting to know what the cause of this torture was coming from.
Throughout the morning, Yugi was still worried about Bakura. He seemed really ill and he hadn't seen much of him during classes. Yugi wondered if there was some kind of flu going around, first Cosmo now Bakura. Everyone seemed like they were starting to get sick. And yet… part of Yugi began to wonder if there was something more going on. It was the second period, and the boys of Class 1-B had gym. They were to be doing three miles around the track as per order of Mr. Karita, the gym teacher. Yugi, Honda and Jounouchi were running around, wanting to get the laps done so they could relax. As they began, they noticed Bakura was not around. Again, that worry inside of Yugi kept growing.
As they were going, the teacher began to shout at the students, mainly the blond. "Hey, Jounouchi, quit running so slowly! That's only your third lap."
He looked back over at the Sensei. "I'm properly running." He assured him.
"Don't you dare backtalk to me! For that, you'll be bunny hopping for two laps!" Jounouchi's face paled as he was forced to comply with the teacher. He had his hands tied behind his back as he used his legs to hop around the track, muttering how much of a bastard the teacher was while Karita was laughing in the background.
Yugi and Honda watched from behind, seeing how cruel that punishment was. "Looks like Karita Sensei is being harsh on us again…" Yugi muttered as he kept running alongside his friend.
Honda leaned in to make a comment on that. "He believes that it's his job to bully students to help them reach their potential."
Karita could see them talking with each other, as he pointed in their direction. "Mutou! Hiroto! For talking during class instead of focusing on running, you guys will be bunny hopping for two laps!" Honda and Yugi gasped in shock, but were forced to accept the punishment, having their hands tied behind their backs as they bunny hopped with Jounouchi along the track. Karita laughed as he watched them struggling to keep up with everyone using such a method to run. He began to hear something from behind him, turning and seeing Bakura who was approaching the teacher."Transfer student! You're pretty gutsy to be able to show up ten minutes late to my class!" Karita stated.
"I'm sorry, sir. I was feeling unwell earlier, but I'm fine now." Bakura tried to assure him, though he appeared more pale.
Karita crossed his arms as he glared at Bakura with his beady black eyes. "Don't think I'll fall for that excuse! I bet you were screwing around with some female student. After all, you're pretty popular with the girls, right?"
Bakura took a bit of offense to that, looking at the teacher as he tried to defend himself. "N-no. I really wasn't feeling well-"
Karita approached Bakura, practically face to face with him. "Don't you dare give me that excuse! You'll make up for it by giving me five laps around the campus!" Bakura backed up, slightly scared at the sudden voice that the Sensei was using.
At this point, Jounouchi, Yugi and Honda had finished their laps with the bunny hops, and were taking off their binds on their arms. They heard what was going on, and Jounouchi was the first to speak up. "Hold on a moment! How can you force someone who said they don't feel well to do that?!"
Karita turned, seeing the three standing there. "What was that?"
"Bakura was really pale this morning, and he looked like he was about to double over." Honda further explained.
Yugi nodded in agreement. "That's right! Bakura doesn't seem like the kind of person to lie."
The young man was actually touched upon hearing their words. He couldn't believe they were defending him, despite them not knowing him for a long time. It made his eyes waver in happiness. "Yugi… everyone…" A smile was placed on his lips for a moment.
Karita ruined it by mocking them for this performance. "Oh? What's with this friendship speech? Trying to make me tear up?"
"We're just stating facts, how about you listen!" Jounouchi approached, ready to beat the teacher if he had to. Honda pulled him back, not wanting him to get into trouble.
"Besides," Karita pointed over to Bakura. "It's dangerous to be this guy's friend." When he heard that, Bakura gasped, already knowing what he could be referring to. "Rumor has it that at his previous school, his friends would end up falling into comas one after another."
"That's just a coincidence! That proves nothing!" Honda declared.
"Maybe it's a coincidence, but it still happened nonetheless. Isn't that right, transfer student. That's the reason you don't have any friends?" Karita looked over at Bakura, who stared at the ground. He felt his fists clenching up again as he was visibly shaking. The teacher smirked, glad to see that he was getting under everyone's skin.
"Why you…" Jounouchi glared hatefully, really wanting to punch the guy's lights out.
"What? You can't handle the truth?" Karita bragged, a smirk on his face still. It was lost though the moment that he felt a hand being placed on his shoulder. Everyone turned to see a familiar female figure standing behind him, with a smile gracing across her lips.
"My, my… for a supposive macho gym coach, you sure do like to dabble in gossip." Sparkle mocked as she stared at Karita.
Karita pulled back, looking at the woman in shock then went back to his hateful glare. "M-Miss Starlight!"
"Sparkle!" Yugi gasped, glad to see she was here.
Sparkle kept her eyes on the teacher, supporting that smile. "You know what's so funny about tough guys like you? You always feel like you need to constantly put people below you down. Because that's how you see yourself as strong, by overpowering the weak. In reality, it only makes you look like a douche."
"L-Language young lady!" Karita spoke.
"Language? Mr. Karita, I have heard you call your students worse names with my own ears and from other teachers. You know that calling out your students like that is in violation of teaching principals. As well as exhausting those that are still considered fragile and sick?" Sparkle walked over to Bakura as she talked, placing an arm around his shoulders, which made Bakura feel a bit weirded out, but he allowed it if she could get him out of this mess.
Even Karita was trying to find the right words to get her back, stuttering a bit in rage as he was the one that was ready to fight her. "I mean, you could keep doing your methods, but if you do… it will only make you out to be like Miss Chouno." Sparkle smirked wider at the name. Everyone else, except for Bakura, gasped. They remembered what happened to the red-haired teacher that was abusing her power. She lost not just her job but her career in the process, being humiliated and left with nothing. Karita was aware of her, going pale as he gulped. "You don't want to ruin your reputation like she did, do you? All just to try and prove yourself to a bunch of kids? Would it really be worth it?" She practically dared him to counterattack with the argument.
The man grunted, biting his lip as he looked away with arms crossed. "Y-You said you weren't feeling well, transfer student?! Then you best be getting to the nurse and have her look you over!" He turned his back on everyone, walking away defeated, but still full of hatred.
Jounouchi looked over at Sparkle, grinning and laughing. "Only you could make Karita shake on his knees."
Yugi looked up at both Sparkle and Bakura, since they were still close. "Thank you, Sparkle."
The lavender-haired girl waved her hand, then turned to the one next to her. "Are you doing alright?" She asked him. The young man looked down as he remained silent. Even though he was grateful that they defended him, the words that were said still hurt.
Yugi could see how upset he was, and wanted to make him feel better. "Bakura, you shouldn't let what he said bother you. I'm sure he was just trying to scare us."
The blue-haired boy slowly shook his head in remorse. "That's the real reason why I keep transferring to different schools. All of my friends just ended up comatose around me…" He looked up at the other three, sadness and pain in his eyes. "I should have told you all sooner." They just stared at him, silent as they weren't sure what to say. So… it really was true? But that doesn't mean anything, right? "Thank you again for sticking up for me, but it's better if you all just avoid me from now on. I don't want you guys to get hurt because of me." He slowly pulled away from Sparkle, then bowed to her. "Thanks for your concern, and I'll take the advice and head to the nurses office. Goodbye everyone." He quickly turned on his heels and began to run back into the building. Jounouchi called out for him, but Bakura kept running until he was out of sight.
Yugi watched him go, feeling guilty and helpless. "Bakura…" He uttered his name.
After the second period, Yugi, Jounouchi and Honda met up with the girls before the start of the next class. They explained what had happened between Bakura and Karita and what was all said. Anzu was the first one to speak up in disgust. "That jerk, Karita said all of that?!"
"That's horrible!" Miho gasped.
Jounouchi sat at his desk, looking over at the table surface and sighed. "Bakura tried to act like it didn't affect him, but it clearly stung him."
"Of course it did!" Anzu placed her hands on her hips as she looked over at the boys. "So, where is Bakura now?"
Yugi answered her question. "Sparkle said that he ended up going home with how unwell he was feeling."
"I'm still pissed off at Karita! I'll rally the beautification members to protest the staff to get him fired for what he did!" Honda declared, raising his fist in determination.
Jounouchi looked up at his friend, a mixture of doubt and boredom on his face. "I'm sure they won't be taken seriously."
Miho changed the subject with a smile. "At any rate, we should all head to Bakura's home and visit him to cheer him up!" She suggested.
Yugi looked over at the periwinkle-haired girl, admitting that he liked the plan. "Great idea! I know that Bakura doesn't want us to be close to him, but he shouldn't be left alone."
"Of course!" Anzu agreed. "I mean, people losing consciousness can't be all his doing. There's got to be a logical explanation behind that."
"In that case, we'll get close to Bakura and figure it out!" Jounouchi declared, everyone else cheered in unison as their plan was in motion. They would have to get through the rest of the school day first, but afterwards, they would go to Bakura and cheer him up.
He was sitting at his desk, holding his head in his hands as he felt the splitting headache coming back into his mind. Surrounded by glass cases that were filled with figurines, some collecting dust as they had not even been out of their confinement for so long. Despite going back home for the day, the pain inside of him was getting worse. He didn't know what the cause of it was, not even the Nurse was able to help him. At this point, he was beginning to think that transferring to Domino High was a mistake. The agony only grew immensely when he stepped foot into that building. There was nothing at that place that made him want to stay anymore. "I-I've got to transfer schools again… Now there's no way I can stay at Domino High." Between the pain, the rumors that would no doubt start flying, and Yugi along with everyone else wanting to get closer to him… it was too much to handle. Perhaps it would be better if he just left Japan altogether.
"That would be trouble for me if you did that."
Bakura gasped, looking around the room as he heard someone else speaking, yet he was all alone. "That voice again!"
"After all, I finally found the Millennium Puzzle after so many years." Bakura did not know who was speaking or where they were coming from. However, he was getting fed up with the questions and wanted some answers.
He stood up from his desk, his tone of voice becoming demanding. "Who's there? Who and where are you?!"
"Who me? You haven't figured it out yet? I am the other you that is hidden deep inside of your body. Or, more specifically, I am hidden inside of the Millennium Ring." That voice explained.
Bakura looked down to his shirt, feeling the cold metal that was the cause of his necklace. "Millennium Ring? Are you referring to this pendant?!" He tore open his shirt, looking to see what was going on. To his horror, the five prongs that were attached to the outer circle had dug themselves deep into his skin, a few trickles of blood ran down the wounds. "W-What is this?!" He began to grow panicked as he now realized what the cause of his chest pain was.
The voice laughed in a malicious tone. "There is no way to remove the Ring from your body at this point. I have decided to make you my personal host from here on out."
"What do you mean?" Bakura demanded as he stared up at the ceiling. "N-No, that doesn't matter at this point. Just get out. Get out of me!" He grew more angry, as he felt his body acting up again to the point he curled up within himself.
"Such a cold response. And I have been generous by granting your wish up to this point as well." The voice pointed out.
Bakura was far more confused as he spoke up. "Now what are you talking about?"
"You don't remember? When you were young, you were picked on often. You barely had any friends aside from your sibling. Then you began to get involved with your Tabletop RPG game, you made your wish by saying: "This is great! I hope we can all play this forever!" That was what you truly wanted, to be surrounded by many friends, correct?" As the voice spoke, Bakura's eyes wavered once again. He remembered now… when he first played that game with his friends. And then they all suddenly began to slip into a coma after playing said game. "So that's why I've been granting you your wish. I've made it so that your friends will always be nearby."
"W-What do you mean? A-Are you trying to tell me that my friends were comatose because…" Bakura trailed off, as much as he didn't want to believe it there was no denying it. The figurines that were in his cases, the ones that his friends used from before...
"I'd figured you would have found out sooner or later. Well now, in return all I request is to get the Millennium Puzzle which I have been searching for. You see, the Millennium Items are very special treasures. Some of them hold such secrets and powers, like a tomb with many riches. In some cases, they even hold the souls of someone from the past. Those that have these items are the guardians, sworn to protect them from thieves who wish to take the treasures and use them for themselves." The voice explained.
It didn't take long for Bakura to put the pieces together. "Now I get it! The guardian is Yugi, and you are the thief!"
Once again, that voice had a menacing laugh. "So you figured that one out?"
"Stop it! Don't you dare lay a finger on Yugi!" Bakura demanded, still shouting.
"Is it because you consider him a friend?" The voice questioned. Bakura lowered his head, unable to answer. It was true he did care for the shorter high schooler, but… did he even deserve the title of friend, especially with what he told them? "Don't worry. I will personally see to it that your friend will always be by your side."
"W-What?!" Bakura looked back up at the ceiling, only to quickly feel the pain back in his chest. He winced, looking down at the Millennium Ring as it started to glow.
"But first I need to take care of something. After all, I also am obligated to punish those that have insulted you, my dear host."
"What are you going to do!?" Bakura asked, once again fear taking hold of his body as he felt himself becoming warmer.
"You should sleep for a bit." The voice advised.
"STOP IT!" Bakura shouted, only to be engulfed by the blinding light. His body felt like it had gone through a metamorphosis. He appeared a bit taller, only by an inch or two. His hair was much more spiky and ruffled upwards. And his eyes… the same shade of blue, but lacking any light to indicate his gentle demeanor. Instead, they had a piercing glare, as a chilling grin crept up onto his face.
The gym teacher was currently putting supplies away, as it was lunch time and no students were having class at this hour. He was inside of the shed where all of the equipment was usually stored. He was all by himself, grunting as he was trying to think of a way to get payback against Sparkle and what she had said to him in front of the other students. He hated being downgraded in front of those younger than him. Why did the school allow her to stay here to begin with?
Karita finished putting all of the sports balls away, sighing as he wiped his brow. He would have to come up with something for the next class once lunch was over. His eyes scanned the room, soon catching sight of a shadow. "Who's there?" He asked, turning around to see a figure in the doorway, with his eyes covering his fluffy hair. Karita blinked as he saw 'Bakura' just standing there. "Transfer student? What are you doing here? I was told you went home early." Karita questioned.
"Isn't it obvious, Sensei?" 'Bakura' spoke in a lower, much more cunning tone as he stepped forward. "I'm here to make you pay for what you did."
The gym teacher was caught off guard, a bit scared even as he backed up. "W-What are you talking about?!"
'Bakura' raised up his finger, pointing it directly at the coach as he stated in a sinister tone. "Punishment Game!" It was at that instant, that Karita's voice could be heard across the field. But nobody would be able to hear it as there weren't any students present. Which made it all the more easier for 'Bakura' to slip away without being detected.
The transfer student gasped, opening his eyes as he looked around. "Did I…" He saw that he was back in his room, surrounded by the shelves lined up with dolls. He breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that he was at his apartment now. "Looks like I blacked out again…" He realized, having no memory of what had just occurred.
"I've finished my little job." The voice called out.
When Bakura heard that, he gasped and looked up. No, did the other him do something?! "What have you done now?! What did you just make me do?!"
He didn't get an answer, just cackling laughter as the other Bakura changed the subject. "Don't worry about that, the Millennium Puzzle is on its way."
"W-What? Yugi?" Bakura gasped, looking over at the door to his apartment.
The sun was still clear in the sky, though it was a bit lower now. The group of five were already outside the complex where their friend was. "This is the place Sparkle told us where he lived." Yugi stated as they looked up at the building.
"So fancy!" Miho gushed, as they began to head in through the doors.
"I think she said that he was the first door on the sixth floor." Honda stated.
"Guess we'll be taking the elevator." Jounouchi noted, going over to the metal shaft as they were nearly at the apartment.
Bakura grew more nervous, going over to the window as he could see the five heading into the building, making their way to his place. He began to sweat, fear gripping his body. "So many people are here to check up on you. Isn't it nice to have friends?" The voice mocked.
"Yugi!" Bakura ran over to the front door, he had to warn them. He couldn't let them suffer the same fate because of him. He made it to the door, wanting to meet up with them and drive them off while he still could. Every time he took a step, his chest felt like it was growing hotter and hotter. He clutched his shirt, groaning in intense pain as he was slowing down. He could feel the other half of him wanting to push him down so he could take over. In the state he was in now, Bakura would not be able to stop him. "Y-Yugi… please… stay away… ugggh!" He made it to the door, leaning against the wall as his vision began to blur. His body began to grow numb as he felt he was no longer in control.
The five were outside the door with the plate number reading 'Bakura' on it. "Looks like this is it." Jounouchi noted, seeing the plate. Yugi reached over, ringing the doorbell and waited. The five stood outside, and at first no answer.
"Did he hear the doorbell?" Honda wondered.
Anzu shrugged. "Maybe he's resting up inside if he was really sick."
"Oi? Bakura!" Jounouchi called out to the door. Yugi looked back at the group, seeing that they weren't sure what to do. If Bakura wouldn't answer, then there would be no point in staying here. But he had to make sure that Bakura was alright, especially after…
The door to the apartment swung open, revealing a figure who was leaning against the frame. He looked up at everyone, with his icy pupils staring as he gestured into the room. "Welcome everyone, I'm glad you all came by."
"Bakura!" Yugi smiled, glad to see that they would be able to talk to their friend. "Sorry for the intrusion, but we wanted to check up on you."
"No, please. I'm happy you stopped by. Come on in." 'Bakura' led them into the entrance, letting the five take off their shoes and put some slippers on. He kept a sly grin on his face, but tried not to act too differently around everyone. After all, he didn't want to ruin the surprise. They soon were brought to the main room, as 'Bakura' made sure to make them feel welcomed. "Sorry I can't offer you anything, I don't have much for refreshments."
"Don't worry about it. We just wanted to check up on you." Anzu assured him.
Honda stepped up. "Are you feeling any better?"
'Bakura' turned back to everyone and nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine now. I guess I just needed some sleep after all."
"Thank goodness." Miho breathed a sigh of relief. "Though I'm still worried, especially after what Karita-Sensei said about you. They were really terrible."
The man gave a shrug. "I'm used to those rumors. They still sting, but I learn to move on."
Anzu chuckled. "Well, then you may be pleased to note that Karita was taken to the hospital earlier today."
'Bakura' narrowed his eyes at her when she said that as he acted concerned. "Oh? Did something happen?"
"Apparently they found him collapsed in the equipment shed after lunch." Honda stated. "He seemed to have had a couple of pieces of equipment fallen on him, so it was probably an accident."
Jounouchi smirked as he seemed pleased with the news. "If you ask me, he totally had it coming."
Yugi looked around the room, seeing the dolls that were placed in the cases. He took notice of them and realized they looked familiar. "Hey Bakura, by any chance, are these figures from the Monster World game?"
'Bakura' nodded. "That's right. I'm actually a big fan." He admitted.
Jounouchi leaned over to Yugi, curiosity taking hold of him. "What's Monster World?"
"It's kind of like Dungeons and Dragons, basically a board game where there are role-playing elements." Yugi beamed as he explained.
"What? A game?!" Jounouchi sounded way too excited as his eyes shone. "Now that sounds really interesting!"
'Bakura' smiled, seeing their excitement as he would use that to his advantage. "Would you guys be interested in giving it a try? I have everything to set it up and the rules are fairly simple."
Miho nodded, as she was intrigued by the game herself. "Yeah! Let's all play!"
'Bakura' wandered over to a wooden door, holding onto the handle. "Then, let's all head into the game room." He turned the knob and opened the room up for them to see inside. There in the very center was a large table that was set up to be a diorama. Mountain like cliffs acted like walls as green and white squares were the floor of the board. There were some attachments such as buildings, trees and other landmarks to decorate it. The group awed, impressed to see such a detailed display. "This will be the Monster World's Battlefield." 'Bakura' explained.
"This is amazing!" Jounouchi commented.
Miho was jumping up and down in joy, as she was liking this idea more and more. "I'm getting excited already!" 'Bakura' helped them take a seat, as the five gathered around one end of the table while 'Bakura' sat at the opposite side, where the large castle was.
"So then, are you ready to start the game?" He asked as he stared intently at everyone.
Yugi nodded, unable to contain his glee. Jounouchi raised a fist in the air to declare how ready he was. 'Bakura' was mostly focused on the golden treasure hanging around Yugi's neck, that would be his ultimate prize once he won. 'I will definitely make that Millennium Puzzle mine! Once this game is over…' He softened his gaze, needing to make sure that he still acted like the friendly Bakura they all have come to know. "So then, I'll quickly explain the rules."
"Alright, what do we have to do?" Jounouchi asked, keeping his eyes on the field.
"There are two types of players in this game, the first one being the Monster Master, the one controlling the actions and routes that the game goes through. The others are what we call adventures, the ones who are to navigate through the world and achieve the goal. Usually the Monster Master creates their own story for the adventures to follow, writing out a script with npc's to help them out along the way. There could be different types of stories all taking place in different locations and having different monsters and characters. But, since this is your first time playing, we'll keep it simple. The main idea is that the Monster Master controls the evil creatures in this world, and his goal is to stop the adventures from dethroning him. The objective for the adventures is for them to confront the Monster Master and defeat him. The adventures have their own character that they can create and control. In order for the adventures to win, they need to find and defeat the Monster Master. For the Monster Master to win, he needs to defeat the adventurers."
"So that's where the role-playing aspect comes in for this game?" Anzu asked as she sat by Yugi.
'Bakura' nodded. "That's right. I'll take the position of being the Monster Master. Before we begin, you will need to create the characters you will be taking up. I'll help to design the characters so they can look the way you want them to. As for what kind of movesets, race, weaponry and abilities you want them to have that will be left up to you. Gather the character parts from the cases and bring them over so we can create your avatars."
"Alright, sounds easy enough!" Jounouchi shrugged, getting up from his seat and walking over to the case where the parts were. The others followed behind, trying to look over what they needed.
"One more thing," 'Bakura' added. "Role-playing' means that you are playing a certain role. Once the player enters the world of adventure, they have to act as their character throughout the game. It's what makes up the ecstatic of Monster World."
When Yugi heard that, he glanced over at 'Bakura' for a moment. For some reason, his gut was telling him that his friend was acting slightly differently. Not just from this morning, but just in general. The mannerisms, the voice, Yugi thought he was imagining it but now he wasn't so sure. Still, he didn't say anything about it because he didn't want to bring everyone down.
"Hey, what kind of character do you think Miho should have?!" The young girl asked as she checked over the charts to take a look over the classes.
"Hey Honda, maybe you should be a fairy! You'd look good in a tutu." Jounouchi mocked.
'Bakura' watched as they were gathering the parts they needed and setting up the sheets for their figures. He made sure to keep a close eye on them as they were deciding on what features to have. 'Choose carefully. After all, your souls will eternally inhibit those characters once you are done.'
It took about forty minutes for them all to decide, with much of 'Bakura's' help. It was a long process, but once it was done they were proud with how well they all turned out. "Alright, I believe we have the characters down. I just have to add their stats to the computer to keep up with their movesets and levels. You tell me your character and what they are in terms of race and profession." 'Bakura' requested, typing away on a small laptop on his side of the desk.
Yugi set his figure down, it looked exactly like him, wearing a golden plate of armor on light blue clothing and cape, with big red shoes and a red eye symbol on his chest. "My character will be called 'Yugi'. He's a half human and half elf, whose profession is magician."
"Alright, level will be one and health points will be 22…" Bakura typed away. "Who's next?"
Jounouchi set his figure down, supporting the hair and eyes, as he wielded red and golden armor, holding up a sword and shield, having green shoes on a green base. "I'm calling my character Joe, he's a full human who's a warrior!"
"With HP at 25 and level being one…" 'Bakura' added.
Honda placed his figure up next, as he had the same hairstyle and eyes, but was dressed up in golden tights with a belt and crimson cape. "My character is Hiroto, he's also a human, who is a professional gunman with a magic pistol."
"HP will be 23 and level is one…" 'Bakura' looked over at the girls as he wondered what they had.
Next up was Anzu, who made her figure look just like her, but wearing a teal colored magician getup with some cream colored design, holding a wooden staff and wearing white gloves. "I'll call my figure Anzu, she's an elf sorcerer."
"Level will be the same with 18 Health Points." 'Bakura' added.
Miho laid out the last figure, which was a girl that looked like her, wearing a golden headband over her hair and a red ponytail. She wore a pink cape with a red bra and a green skirt. "Miho is a fairy merchant!" She added.
"With a level of one and HP of 15." Bakura finished typing, hearing the beeping of the computer. "Alright, everything is all set up so we can officially begin."
Jounouchi looked from above, as their five figures were on the board near the gate, ready to advance. "Now let the adventure start!"
"Let's do our best, everyone!" Miho cheered.
Despite the 'game' officially starting, Jounouchi suddenly realized something. "Hey, wait a minute. Why are our adventures the only ones on the field? Shouldn't the monsters have shown up to give us a 'welcome' party?"
"If that were the case, it would be too easy." 'Bakura' stated. "One feature of this game is that the monsters are hiding. You have to do certain actions in order to advance into the story. The monsters appear to the adventurers depending on the player's luck and actions."
Jounouchi looked over at Honda, scratching his head. "Hold on, we don't know anything about this world though!"
"Yeah, we don't even know where to go or how to find the Monster Master." Honda added. "We should figure out what it is we are supposed to be doing and where to go if we want to get anywhere."
"What about the village?" Anzu pointed down to a miniature town with buildings and roads. "Gathering information in a village is usually an RPG trope."
Yugi beamed over at the brunette. "Great idea, Anzu! Let's head to the village!"
"Okay, the adventures head to the village to gather information about the Monster Master." 'Bakura' typed away on his computer. "Anzu, would you care to lift up the village?" The brown-haired woman did as she was told, revealing a small tavern with a bar-tender, an innkeeper, a fortune teller and a few random villagers.
"Woah, amazing!" Miho commented.
"The detail is incredible!" Honda added.
"Alright, let's gather some information already!" Jounouchi declared, moving his character into the small tavern. "Hey! I want to ask about the monsters in this land! Who knows anything?" They waited, expecting 'Bakura' to have one of the npc's speak so they could get what they needed to know. One of the figurines in the corner turned to face the group. He wore simple clothing of a red outfit with a golden brown-scarf. He had small pupils with a bowl cut black hair. When they saw the figure, Jounouchi and Honda couldn't help but laugh. "Look at this villager's figure!"
"The physique reminds me a lot of Karita Sensei!" Honda added.
The said figurine looked up, seeing the blonde as he was making fun of him. 'J-Jounouchi!'
The blond blinked, hearing his name being called as he turned to Honda. "Hey, did the villager just say my name?"
"Maybe it's a mistake?" Honda wondered.
"Please save me! He… he changed me into this doll!" The Karita look-a-like pleaded. Yugi stared at the figure, curious as it seemed to have a mind of its own.
Miho seemed confused as well. "Is it just me, or did the figure have the same voice as Karita as well?"
"Are you an idiot?!" Jounouchi complained.
"Shut up!" Honda shoved his face away from Miho.
"But all characters who aren't controlled by the adventures should be played by the Board Master." Yugi explained.
"Oh! So it's just Bakura that's talking through the figure?" Miho asked.
"I'm sure he's just having his fun. I would too, if I made a doll look like someone that got on my nerves." Jounouchi admitted with a shrug. Yugi still looked over at the doll that resembled the gym teacher. Now that he thought about it, it seemed too coincidental for Bakura to have a toy that looked like Karita just after the man was found collapsed in the storeroom. Once again, that sinking feeling came back to him.
'Bakura' glared down at the doll, his eyes were much sharper as he mentally scolded him so no one else could hear. 'You are no longer the teacher nor the human named Karita-Sensei. By my power and hands, you are merely an eternal inhabitant of this game world. You are a village that is to give the adventures the information they need. Play your role… or suffer a fate far worse.' The Karita figurine looked up at the Board Master, seeing the evil intent in his eyes. Considering what he had done to him… he didn't want to imagine what else 'Bakura' was capable of. So, he was forced to play the role he was given.
'A-A few months ago, the Monster Master, Zorc, took over the castle with his army. They ended up killing our ruler and have made a home in that palace. Ever since then, monsters have been appearing practically everywhere. Many of the villagers have even fallen victim to this horde."
"What's that? Talk about unforgivable!" Jounouchi grunted, getting into his character.
"So, the Monster Master is inside the castle!" Anzu pointed out. "Now we know where to go."
"Which way is this castle you speak of?" Jounouchi asked.
The villager responded. "The place you seek is north of this village."
"We got what we needed, let's head out of the village and make our way to the castle!" Yugi declared.
Honda nodded. "We'll defeat this Monster Master and free everyone in no time!"
"The adventures head to the castle belonging to Zorc." 'Bakura' stated as he voiced the movements of the characters, all the while the group were moving their figures to the next area. "They head out of the village, however the moment they are out of the town, you find a monster has appeared before you, wanting to stop you in your tracks." Just as Yugi placed his figure down in front of the others, said monster appeared in front of everyone with sickly swamp skin and boils all over its body. Wearing leather straps for armor and holding an ax for a weapon. "The monster that appears before you is a Goblin."
"Finally!" Jounouchi screamed in utter joy. "Now this is what I've been waiting for!"
"Let's fight this Goblin and progress!" Yugi stated as he was next to Jounouchi.
"In that case, you will be battling using these two ten-sided dice." 'Bakura' held out his right hand, showing the dice where one was red and the other was white.
"Ten-sided dice?" Jounouchi blinked, confused as he looked at the game pieces.
"So that's what we use in order to attack?" Honda questioned.
"Your attacks and special moves are determined based on the number you roll. The white die represents the one position while the red dice represents the tens. The numbers range from double zeros to 99. The closer you are to zero, the more accurate and powerful your attacks and spells will be. However, should you end up getting 99… then punishment will await you." As he said the last line, 'Bakura's' eyes narrowed in anticipation.
Jounouchi was the first one to grab the dice, smiling as he was excited to experience some action. "Alright, I'll be going first!" Jounouchi let the dice land on the table, rolling around until they stopped.
"13." 'Bakura' typed away on his laptop as he determined what the result would be. "Okay. You directly attack the Goblin." Joe swung his sword at the monster, killing it in one blow. Yugi and Jounouchi were close together, jumping in joy at the victory.
"Alright! Only one hit and it's down!" The blond smiled proudly.
Miho was pleased with the results as well. "Way to go, Jounouchi!"
"This is pretty fun!" Honda commented.
Anzu giggled. "We've got this in the bag." Yugi raised up his fist, as he was becoming more and more invested into the game.
'Bakura' could see how confident they were, pleased that they were enjoying themselves for now. 'Those poor fools haven't realized it, but this Monster World they are playing is a Shadow Game. And should they lose, punishment awaits them.' For now, he would let them have their fun before he took it all away.
"Come on everyone, let's keep moving forward!" Jounouchi declared.
As they moved their pieces again, 'Bakura' spoke up as he placed a doll laying down on the board. "As you continue your way to the castle, you find a stranger who is laying face down on the ground. They do not appear physically hurt, yet you can see them shaking. What do you do?"
Everyone looked at one another, trying to figure out what their next move would be. Anzu was the first one to question the situation. "Do you think we should help them?"
Yugi didn't seem as convinced. "I dunno… it looks kind of suspicious. What if it's a trap?"
"That's a good point." Jounouchi added.
Honda shrugged. "I mean, should we really worry about humans? It's the monsters we are fighting anyways."
Miho smiled, reaching over to where the doll laid. "I say we help him! We could just attack if he tries anything." She pointed out. When she lifted the figure up, it was a human who had a brown scarf and was wearing a light cream colored cloak and headpiece. His eyes were a dark navy with bits of his black hair sticking out.
"Thank you for helping me!" The npc said. "I was attacked in the forest by some monsters and my treasure got stolen."
Miho gushed as she listened to his story. "See?! He mentioned treasure!"
"And was attacked by monsters?" Anzu added that other detail in.
"What was your treasure?" Jounouchi, acting as his avatar, asked the npc.
"It is a holy sword, the weapon so pure it is the only thing in this world that can defeat Zorc."
"A holy sword that can defeat Zorc?" Joe's character repeated as he, Yugi and Hiroto were standing side by side on the board.
"I'm begging you! Retrieve that sword and use it to end the dark master once and for all!"
Anzu once again was the one to ask their next plan of action. "Should we try to go for it?"
Yugi once again seemed hesitant. "I feel like it would be too easy to obtain such a weapon that can defeat Zorc."
"Treasure is treasure, and if it is to help aid us in our quest, we have to go for it!" Jounouchi declared.
Honda hummed as he seemed concerned. "But chances are we'll have to face other monsters just to find this sword."
Miho tried to reassure everyone. "It'll be okay! As long as we stick together, we can take them down in no time."
"So, what do you do?" 'Bakura' asked, ready to type out the next segment.
Everyone looked at each other, taking a bit to fully decide. Even though it could be a trap, it was the only lead they had. Jounouchi made the decision for everyone. "We'll be helping this stranger find the sword and use it to defeat the Monster Master!" Upon that reply, the npc thanked the group.
"Okay," 'Bakura started to type on his laptop once more. "The stranger tags along with you to show you where he was attacked. He leads you to the forest, where he was ambushed. However, the encounter rate of monsters in that area is 80 percent." As he pressed the buttons, a small panel on the board flipped over to reveal a good chunk of the square had pine trees and moss on the floor. "I will roll to determine how many monsters show up." 'Bakura' took the dice, tossing them onto the field as the red one landed on zero, while the white one landed on five. "Upon entering the forest, five monsters appear and surround your group. You are forced to enter in battle."
Jounouchi smirked, taking the dice in his hands as he was ready to roll once again. "Alright! I'll roll the dice again!" He tossed the two pieces out onto the board, landing on the numbers.
"Joe rolled an 82, which resulted in him falling over and not landing a hit." 'Bakura' stated, as the Joe figure fell on the ground in front of the monster. This caused Jounouchi to stutter, his eyes twitching in humiliation.
"Bummer…" Honda stated as he picked up the dice. "Leave this to the beautification member!" He blew on the dice before tossing them to the field for the results.
"Hiroto got 21, this results in a direct hit and a kill on one of the monsters." 'Bakura' explained, as the figure that Honda controlled, aimed his gun at one of the enemies and blasted a hole into the body, killing it instantly. Miho ran over to Honda, holding and praising him for his victory. The brunet blushed, enjoying the embrace and allowed it to happen. Even though they managed to defeat one monster, there were still four left.
It was Yugi's turn to roll the dice now. "Here I go." He released them onto the board, waiting for what 'Bakura' will give him.
"Yugi rolled a 25, meaning he can unlock his special spell to turn one of the enemy monsters into a comrade." 'Bakura' explained.
The Yugi doll was surrounded in a bright, yellow aura as he pointed over at a dirty golden sphere with a few spikes on its head and side. It looked at him with thick midnight eyebrows and tinted pink eyes. "Alright! I choose you!" The creature growled, clearly in defiance. "Gloved Hand!" Yugi declared, holding out his arms as a pair of gloved hands encased the monster, rubbing it in the palms. Once it was freed, it looked completely different from its tainted counterpart. Its body was a lighter lemon shade, looking cuter with light pink, wide eyes and a violet mask around it's sphere body. "Alright! Now we have another ally to fight along-side of us!" Yugi was pleased with the result, growing slightly attached to his new monster friend.
"Looks like it's my turn now." Miho declared, rolling the dice and letting them land on the board.
"Miho got a 76. This results in the merchant finding some money to stash away." Bakura explained. Despite it not being a real attack, the figure of Miho seemed happy with the end result. "Three monsters still remain." 'Bakura' reminded everyone.
Anzu picked up the dice next as she was up. "Then it's my turn to shine!" She released the pieces, letting them determine what her power would be.
"You got this, Anzu!" Yugi cheered on the sidelines. Once they were on the board, 'Bakura' gasped in surprise.
"Double Zeros! That's a supercritical hit! You are able to let loose a very powerful move, despite being at your current level." The Board Master explained.
Anzu's figure raised her hands up, being covered in a blue aura as she shouted: "Apprentice Final Big Bang!" She was able to summon a sphere of icy blue and engulf the monsters into the light, disintegrating them in the process all at once.
"That was amazing!" Jounouchi admitted as he and everyone watched the outcome on the field. "You were able to blow away the last three monsters in one hit!"
"Way to go, Anzu!" Yugi cheered.
Even the brunette was impressed with how powerful the attack was. "So this is what a supercritical hit can do!" Once the five monsters were removed, the pathway to the castle was opened, allowing them to progress.
"Looks like we can move forward. Let's keep going!" Jounouchi urged, ready to move their figures further down the map. Before they could, a sudden echoey laughter came from behind them. The npc that had tagged along with them lifted his mouth up from the scarf as he chuckled.
"So this is the power of the adventures that are trying to stop me? However, your luck has come to an end the moment you step into this forest. This will be your grave for eternity." The figure stated in such a malicious tone. This caught everyone off guard, even Yugi was taken aback as his face paled.
"W-what was that!? Hold on, just who are you?!" Jounouchi demanded as he glared at the stranger. The blond got his answer soon enough, as the npc started to grow bigger, his clothing being removed in exchange for a leather based getup. A towering figure appeared before the group, as an evil aura surrounded the monster.
"I am the Dark Monster Master, Zorc!"
Yugi stared at the field, caught off guard at the sudden twist. "That's Zorc?!" He looked at the brown-skinned figure, who had on a bone like bat mask, talons on his side as his sharp teeth hung open in his mouth. He wore a leather cape and pants on his waist.
"I suppose I should tell you right now. There is no sword in this world that can defeat me!" He laughed more as he looked down at the adventures.
This was the moment 'Bakura' was waiting for, all he had to do now was wait a few more turns and he would be the victor, then claim his prize at the end. "The players are completely caught off guard upon the discovery of the true identity of the stranger. They become defenseless, allowing Zorc to attack first."
"That bastard! He tricked us!" Jounouchi realized, glaring more at the figure then at 'Bakura', since he was not mad at the Board Master. At least… not yet.
'Bakura' took hold of the dice, having a sly smirk on his face. "Now Zorc will attack." He let the dice land on the board, and the results were final. "Double zeros. A supercritical hit. Zorc uses his dark powers to attack one of the players." The group of five looked at one another, wondering who the Monster Master would take as his first victim. A few of them actually sweated with nervousness as they feared it would be them. "And the target will be… you!" 'Bakura' pointed at Miho. The periwinkle-haired girl gasped, her body feeling like it had been hit by a gust of wind as she felt herself becoming lighter. "Soul Body Transfer!" The Board Master shouted.
Miho's face fell to the board, laying there as if she looked asleep. However, this caught the attention of Jounouchi and Honda as they noticed her suddenly collapsing. "M-Miho?!" Jounouchi gasped, as he got up from his seat with his friend.
"What's the matter, Miho?!" Honda questioned as he looked worried.
'Bakura' looked at the others in a smug-like manner, knowing full well what happened. 'Now one of the five souls have been transferred into their figures. At this rate, the game will be over in no time.'
Yugi was also growing impatient, as the gut-feeling inside of him was practically waving a red flag and shouting at the top of its lungs. "Bakura, what did you do to Miho?!" Yugi demanded to know as he glared over at the one who was not his friend.
"Isn't it obvious? You guys are participating in the ultimate role-playing game." 'Bakura' explained as he held his hands together and rested his chin on them.
Jounouchi began to sweat a bit when he heard that. "Ultimate what?"
"A game where the fate of the player is determined by the outcome. In other words, it is by the dice if you will win or lose. If you get hit by Zorc's Supercritical Attack or roll a 99 on the dice, then you will suffer a punishment game. In this case, the player's soul will be trapped in the figure of their creation." He spoke in a calm demeanor, as if this was normal for 'Bakura'. Which it technically was as he had been doing this for years now.
Honda didn't care about the game, he was more concerned with their fallen comrade. He snarled at the Board Master, wanting an explanation. "Explain to us right now what you did to Miho!"
It seemed that they still didn't understand, well, he couldn't fully blame them. 'Bakura' opened his arms wide to stretch across the field. "Not to worry. Miho Nosaka is still alive. Living as a resident in the game world, that is." Everyone looked down at the field, seeing the Miho figure moving around in confusion. Being animated despite not being controlled by the owner above.
Miho looked around, seeing the scenery before her and noticed how fake it appeared. "W-what's going on? How did I get here?" She asked while scanning her surroundings. Her eyes glanced above, seeing the horrified and shocked expressions of her friends, who appeared much larger than her. "W-Why is everyone bigger all of a sudden?" She tried reaching up to them, only to now notice that her hands were nothing more than numbs at this point. Miho checked over her body, seeing that she was in a different outfit. The same outfit as her avatar she created for the game. Soon enough, she was able to piece it all together as her mouth was agape. "T-this can't be… I-Impossible… I've turned into my figure?!" She screamed, crying out as she was utterly scared, and who could blame her?
"Miho!" Yugi called out, knowing how afraid she was. He turned to where 'Bakura' sat, as he recalled the penalty of losing in this game. 'Wait… Bakura mentioned a Punishment Game. Don't tell me… Bakura, you have…" Now it all made sense. Bakura having memory lapses, like Yugi whenever he allowed his other half to take over. All of the people that Bakura had been friends with lost consciousness, probably after playing a game. A game with intense punishments for losing or cheating… He's seen all of this before. Because he's personally lived through it!
"You can retrieve the soul that is trapped, but you need to defeat the Monster Master, Zorc." 'Bakura' explained. Miho glanced up at the large Monster Master, shuddering as she wondered what would happen if she got attacked in her doll body now.
When Honda heard that, he knew he had to act fast. He grabbed the dice and was ready to throw them. "Don't worry Miho! I'm going to save you right now!" He tossed the dice onto the board, landing him a 05 for his roll.
Bakura grunted, not liking that Honda was taking matters into his own hands. "Honda! It wasn't your turn to attack right now. You have broken one of the game's rules!"
Honda's eyes twitched when he heard that. "No way!"
"And as you know, breaking the rules results in a punishment game as well." 'Bakura' pointed his finger at the burnet, giving him the same treatment as Miho. Within seconds, he fell onto the board with glass eyes as his figure slumped.
"Honda no!" Yugi gasped, seeing his friend had suffered the same fate.
"W-What the?!" Honda looked down, seeing he was wearing the same getup as his avatar, indicating he was in that doll now.
"Not you too, Honda!" Miho gasped, looking over to see his doll coming to life now. He turned over, seeing her standing there. At least she was still okay, but now they both were stuck in the game.
Jounouchi reached for the dice, knowing it was up to him now. "Bakura, you bastard!" That was the only comment he could make to show how pissed off the blond was.
"Now then, let us continue the game." 'Bakura' once again took his seat, in a nonchalant fashion as he spoke.
"Then it's my turn!" Jounouchi declared, holding the dice in his hand while it shook. "I'll be sure to get a supercritical."
"Really? Even though your hand is trembling?" 'Bakura' pointed out.
"I'm not afraid!" Jounouchi tried to act tough, though the sweat on his forehead told them otherwise. Even Yugi and Anzu could see how nervous he was becoming.
"Well, you can't help it. After all, there's a chance you will end up trapped inside of your character should you fail." 'Bakura' pointed out. "Just know that if you roll the dice in fear, you won't be getting a good result."
The glare that Jounouchi was giving off intensified as he gazed at 'Bakura'. "Shut up! I'm not afraid! I'm just shaking with anger!"
"We'll see about that in the outcome of the dice." 'Bakura' said, not worried at all.
"Come on Jounouchi, you got this!" Anzu urged.
"Please Jounouchi…" Yugi prayed for him.
"Roll the dice!" Jounouchi tossed the pair onto the board, watching nervously as they landed on the numbers. He gasped when he saw what he got. "99! Impossible! I wasn't afraid!"
'Bakura' merely chuckled, amused by the struggles. "The dice do not lie, Jounouchi. Punishment Game!" The blond gasped, feeling his body going numb as he met the same fate as the others, his soul being transported into his avatar and becoming one with the Monster World board game itself.
"Jounouchi!" Honda gasped as he looked at the Joe figure coming to life.
"Not you as well!" Miho whined.
The blond squinted his eyes as he bit his lip. "Damn it! I'm sorry, I don't know why I was afraid!" He felt ashamed, disappointed in himself as he was unable to help his friends in the end.
Yugi watched, his heart beating quickly as he saw his friends being dragged into the game one by one against their will. "Jounouchi… everyone…" He whispered under his breath. At this rate, they would all end up as their figures and would suffer an immortal state of agony. 'Bakura' merely laughed, as the results were all in his favor. Just two more souls left, and he would claim the prize waiting for him in the end. He's waited this long, just a few more minutes won't kill him.
"Alright then, it's your turn now Yugi. You may roll." 'Bakura' advised him.
Yugi just stared over at the Board Master, he knew that rolling the dice would not be enough. Even if he was lucky and wasn't overcome by fear, getting a supercritical hit wouldn't be enough to take down the Monster Master, Zorc. The levels were too different, and one powerful hit would not be enough to even graze Zorc. Anzu could see how tense Yugi was, muttering his name under her breath. She was just as scared as he was, as even she knew what their fates would be should they get the penalty roll.
"What's the matter? Are you scared as well?" 'Bakura' asked, the smirk on his face not being removed.
"Yugi, you got this!" Jounouchi urged the board.
"We believe in you!" Honda agreed as he made his doll body jump.
"Everyone…" The short high schooler looked to see his friends who were trapped, then over at Anzu. He knew how this would go, if there was no one to roll the dice, then that meant there would be no one able to play. The Monster Master would win and they would not be able to get out of this prison. The way Yugi saw it, there was only one hope they had to be able to get out of this mess. It would be a huge gamble, and not even Yugi was so sure it would guarantee their victory. His fingers held onto the Millennium Puzzle under the table, taking in a deep breath as he knew what he had to do.
"Come on now, hurry and take your turn." 'Bakura' was beginning to grow impatient as he waited on Yugi to roll the dice.
Yugi made up his mind, as big as the risk would be, it was one he had to take. "Before that, Bakura… transfer my soul into my avatar with the others!" He demanded.
This actually caught 'Bakura' by surprise, as he jumped from his seat and stared at one of the last two players standing. "What was that? You're telling me you want to become a figure of your own free-will?" Even Anzu and the others were caught off guard by this, uttering his name as they questioned if he knew what he was doing.
"If we are going to fight, then I want to be with everyone on the field." That was Yugi's wish, and he knew that if it came true then he could make it so that everyone would have a chance of getting out.
'Bakura' slightly shook, not at all understanding what Yugi was trying to accomplish. "Are you an idiot?!"
Anzu could see how determined Yugi was, even though the idea appeared crazy to her. Even so, part of her still trusted his judgment. Considering how well he was able to fight during Ultimate G.A.M.E., then surely Yugi knew what he was doing. The brunette stood up from her chair as she chimmed in. "I'm joining as well! Let me be turned into a figure!"
"Anzu?!" Yugi turned to her, looking at his friend as if she was the crazy one. However, when she gave a nod and smile his way, he knew that she trusted him in his decision and wanted to see it through to the end.
'Bakura' once again had that confident grin upon his face, inwardly chuckling to himself. They wanted to become part of this game world, who was he to deny them? After all, it would make things less painful and end the match quicker. "Very well then, I shall grant you your wishes if you desire them. However, if there is no one that is able to roll the dice, then that means you all will forfeit."
"Just do it already!" Yugi shouted.
"Hurry up!" Anzu demanded.
'Bakura' arched his brow, not certain why they wished to accept this terrible fate so quickly. Even though he warned them, they were still willing to go through with it. Of course, he saw this as an easy win for himself, so he wanted to take it. "You fools. This is your game over!" He pointed directly at Anzu first, then at Yugi as he gave them the punishment of this challenge. Within a few seconds, the other two joined the rest of the group inside of the game world. 'Bakura' watched as they were all in their avatars now, souls trapped in bodies of clay rather than flesh. "Now all of the players have been turned into their figures. That means that I, the Board Master, wi-" He was cut off mid-sentence as his eye looked back over to the other side of the table. His pupils shrank as he saw that 'Yugi' was still sitting over as he had a smile on his face.
"Are you sure about that?" 'Yugi' questioned, as he was now in control. 'Bakura's' mouth opened wider, looking up to see the other 'Yugi'. What was this? How could Yugi be possessing his avatar and still controlling his body at the same time?! "Let us continue this game." 'Yugi' declared with a smile of his own. "I will be rolling for the warrior." He tossed the dice, letting it land on the table. "03. A hit!"
Jounouchi jumped up, using his sword to slash at Zorc, landing a hit which caused 'Bakura' to shake more. The blond figure was happy at the result, cheering on as he looked up in triumph. "It's just like last time. As long as we are together with people we trust, there's no reason to be afraid of anything!"
'Bakura' grunted, as he now had yet another opponent to face. This was the 'Other Yugi' that they were talking about? The one who had the confidence and skills to battle anyone. 'Bakura' couldn't believe he missed such an oversight, making his plans much more difficult. Looks like this game would be much longer than he anticipated.
"Do not worry, your lives are in good hands. I will defeat Zork and free you all!" 'Yugi' promised everyone on the field.