Ranko: (groans) So tired…

Yami: What happened to you?

Ranko: High school can go to hell…

Yami: Enough said.

Yuugi: Okay? On a lighter note, Ranko, you have reviews to answer!

Ranko: (yawns) Okay, let's see…(holds up list)

hikari no senshi17: Sometimes it is hard to remember that the Yu-Gi-Oh characters are still in high school, though it's hard to believe, and that means that experience high school drama (groans). Anyway, I hope that Yami does truly mean what he said in the alternate ending, but you never know.

raindropdew: We all have those days :) thanks for the review.

Doragon-chan: No! I should know what you mean because I love the YGO abridged series but I don't! I should probably go look it up.

Dinogirl: I know what you mean! When I am stressed out I do not want to hear "It's going to be okay" from my friends! I will bite their heads off…but that's beside the point. Anyway, thank you for the kind words and awesome review!

naomi: The Shadow Game is not the only game they will play. There is a whole new game in this story.

Ranko: Can I take a nap?

Yami: Not yet.

Yuugi: Ranko twin does not own anything to do with the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise and the Forbidden Game books. This is all for fun!

Ranko: Enjoy…(falls asleep)

-/-

In Soren's subconscious mind, he was trapped. He was being held prisoner in his own body as his own shadow came to life and took over. He had no power; it was like running in a dream, but you could never run fast enough. That is the feeling Soren got when he was possessed.

The first time it happened, he was in the library, in the storage room, when he met that crazy looking man for the first time with that great beast at his side. He remembered that a shadow had taken control of his body and mind and he was forced to hide the dead bodies of two boys he used to go to school with.

Yes, he remembered everything that happened when he was possessed by this strange being. It was like looking through a window and watching but never being able to do anything about it.

The next time he was possessed was when Bakura, Malik, and Yuugi came walking towards him that one day. He had felt joy at first, he had always admired Yuugi Motou from afar but then it became dread as the familiar feeling of being crept upon came over him. And then he was shoved into that little room in his soul that he was always trapped in when the shadow took over.

Then when he "woke up" he had a nasty bruise on his face from being punched and was being assisted to the infirmary.

Then something new happened, something that had never happened the other two times he was possessed.

He was in a deep, dreamless slumber when he was possessed next and he came face to face with the "shadow" that had taken residence in his body for the time being. He almost fell over in shock when he stood across from an exact replica of Yuugi Motou.

He was a man with spiked up, star shaped hair with three different colors, like Motou's, the only difference was that this man's hair had lightning bolt bangs shooting up his hair. The man's face was more angular and he was taller and more slender than Yuugi. And instead of soft, light amethyst colored eyes, the man had cold ruby eyes that glowed menacingly. They were slanted and his smirk was almost sadistic.

Soren heard the man say only one thing before he felt a fluttering in his heart beat that warned he was going to be possessed once again.

"Yami…"

Elsewhere ~

The group of friends, plus Mai, walked out of the police station. Mai was holding Yuugi and Malik in each arm to keep the two shaken boys standing. Jounouchi was rubbing his forehead, as if to keep back a migraine and Honda rolled his stiff shoulders; Anzu kept a hand on each of the boy's shoulders. Seto was the only one who remained silent and alone.

"What are we going to do?" he asked aloud.

Everyone was left speechless; what were they going to do? It was kind of a waiting game. They had no idea where the Shadow Men were and when they might strike next. But the Shadow Men were more powerful then Yuugi and the gang and probably knew their exact location at this very moment.

Mai shook her head and tightened her arms around the two teenage boys she was supporting. "I think we all need to sit down and think up a plan; who knows what the Shadow Men are thinking up right now and we need to be ready. Suguroku will be out of town for a couple more weeks, if everyone wants to crash at the Game Shop so we can all be together, that's fine. We have plenty of room."

Malik nodded his head silently. "Yeah, I just have to get my stuff from my place."

"I'll go with you," Bakura said.

Jounouchi shrugged. "I might as well, its better than living at home. I'll just go into town; I need to get a few things."

Anzu looked up helplessly. "I don't know guys, this all seems really silly, don't you think?"

Malik's head snapped up. He stopped abruptly which forced Mai and Yuugi to stop as well. "How is this silly, Anzu?" Malik asked, his temper rising. "This is serious! I don't understand why you aren't as worried as the rest of us are! I'm sure if you had a Shadow Man hunting you you'd be scared as hell too!"

Anzu stopped gave Malik a pointed look. "I never said it wasn't serious, Malik; I just mean its silly to go to such lengths as living together when we don't even know what the Shadow Men are doing."

Mai sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "That's the point, Anzu. We're doing this and grouping together because we don't know what the Shadow Men are going to do, and its best if we all stay together in case something does happen."

Anzu raked her fingers through her hair in frustration and groaned. "I am not going to give up my life just of some stupid threat!" The girl turned on her heel and started walking in the direction of her house, calling over her shoulder, "I'm going home; I'll see you guys tomorrow!"

Anzu stormed down the street as tears of frustration burned her eyes. She rubbed away the salty tears before they could fall past her eyelids. Stupid friends, and stupid threat, and stupid Shadow Men!

A hand shot out from the shadows of an alley and clasped a hand over Anzu's mouth before she even drew in a breath to scream. She felt herself being pulled away; there was a slick rope like thing coiling around her legs and a low growling sound emanating from the shadows.

That was the last thing she remembered before she passed out.

Elsewhere ~

Honda stared worriedly down the street where Anzu had been walking, he knew he shouldn't worry, but he couldn't help it; she was his friend, no matter how stubborn she can be.

Jounouchi clasped a hand over Honda's shoulder and squeezed. "Don't worry about Anzu, she's just confused; we all area. Give her a little time; she'll get over the melodrama."

Honda worried his lower lip between his teeth and nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, I guess you're right." So why couldn't he shake the feeling of something terrible happening?

"So when do you guys want to meet at the Game Shop?" Mai asked, an arm still around her cousin, though Yuugi seemed to have recovered from his initial shock.

Honda checked his watch. "In an hour, I guess. That will give everyone time to get there stuff and get to the Game Shop."

Mai nodded her head in agreement and everyone went off in different directions. Bakura went to accompany Malik back to his apartment; Seto followed Jounouchi into town like a taller, colder shadow and Honda ran past Yuugi and Mai towards his house.

Mai squeezed Yuugi in a half hug. "Come on, Yuugi, we have to prepare the apartment for our guests."

Yuugi squirmed his way out of his cousin's arms and started to back away. "Actually, I have to go check on something; you go on ahead, I'll meet you at the Game Shop."

Mai noticed that Yuugi was inching towards the road Anzu took. The blonde nodded her head in understanding and waved her hand in a shooing motion. "Go, I'll meet you back at the house."

Yuugi gave his older cousin a thankful look and took off running down the street Anzu took. It was the way she usually walked home from school; a relatively public area because the girl was always worried that if she was alone she would get kidnapped. But today the street was nearly barren.

Yuugi was so busy looking through up and down the street for people he didn't notice one lone person walking in the opposite direction as him until he ran into this person. Yuugi nearly fell down on his back side from the collision. One thing he hated about being short was that his nose always took the brunt of the damage when he ran into people.

The man he collided with groaned and Yuugi noticed that this person did fall from the run in. Yuugi scrambled to help the person, stuttering out apologies. "I'm so sorry, I didn't even see you there; I'm sorry." Yuugi grabbed the man's calloused, large hand and began to pull to help him up.

"Don't worry about it," a familiar voice groaned. Yuugi's eyes widened in surprise and shock; he looked down into a pair of narrow, emerald eyes and dropped Soren's hand, making the teenage boy fall again.

Yuugi nearly shrieked. "I am so sorry!" He helped Soren to his feet without dropping him this time.

Soren straightened up, towering over Yuugi, and rubbed his sore tailbone. "Damn…" he mumbled.

Yuugi bowed lowly. "I'm so, so sorry."

Soren blinked and awkwardly looked up and down the block. "Don't worry about it; I should have watched where I was going."

Yuugi straightened and smiled, and then realized something. "Soren, what are you doing out of school?"

Soren stared at Yuugi for a moment and then smirked; the crooked upturn of the lips sent a bad shiver up Yuugi's spine, it was so familiar.

"I could ask you the same question."

Yuugi stuttered for a moment and made wild hand gestures, as if trying to catch words from the air and put them in his mouth. "Well, um, you see…my friend Anzu—"

Soren's eyes darkened and almost gained a rusty red tinge, something Yuugi failed to notice. "Anzu? That bubbling bimbo that moved here last year?"

Yuugi's mouth fell open and he gaped. Where did that come from? "Um…I'm guessing you don't like Anzu?"

Soren stared at Yuugi, but not directly at him, more like through him.

"Soren?" Yuugi asked.

The taller man's emerald eyes cleared and he literally jolted as he refocused. "Oh, I'm sorry, Yuugi. I really am." Soren's eyes were almost fearful. He started to back up, away from Yuugi, and held his hands out in front of him like warding off a demon. "I've gotta go…I hope you find Anzu!"

The tall teen turned on his heel and took off down the street, disappearing behind the next street corner.

Yuugi stared after Soren long after he was gone and then came to a conclusion. "I never told him I was looking for Anzu…"

Malik and Bakura ~

Bakura stood in the corner of Malik's room as the blond ran around the room gathering his things and writing a note to Ishizu. She wasn't home, still working at the museum and she didn't like people calling her when she was working.

Ever since Malik learned that the Shadow Men were free, he had been shaking. It literally pained Bakura to see his best friend in this state. He had never seen Malik like this, and the two of them have known each other for years.

The small boy was always so strong, even when he didn't need to be. Yet he was so broken and fragile after years of being mistreated. He hid his wounds behind his smile and happy demeanor. He was beautiful, yet so scarred. He had no physical scars but his heart was beaten and bruised. Those beautiful doe, brown eyes…

Bakura shook his head to clear those thoughts; he was thinking of Ryou again. Why did his thoughts of Malik always overlap with the thoughts and memories of Ryou?

Without warning, Bakura went up behind Malik and wrapped his arms around his friend's slim waist. It was so comforting to have a warm body against his again. But Malik's body didn't fit as perfectly against his as Ryou's did.

"It's going to be okay," Bakura mumbled, hiding his face in Malik's silky hair. He closed his eyes and saw Ryou's magnificent smile and shining eyes. Who was he trying to convince when he said that?

Bakura desperately kissed Malik's neck and cheek, gripping him tightly.

"Bakura," Malik spoke up meekly. "Please stop," he said firmly.

This surprised Bakura; he removed his face from Malik's neck and looked into the boy's hard lavender eyes. "What?"

Malik unwrapped Bakura's arms from around his waist and stepped away. "Bakura, I understand that you are still grieving over Ryou; hell, I miss him too. And don't deny that you don't think about him, I see it in the look in your eyes and your actions, you think about him nonstop and I understand! But do not make me some kind of rebound, someone to fill the void! I don't want that! Not now, especially after everything that has happened! If you want to be with me, I want it to be out of love not just some need because your hurting!"

Malik grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulders. He began to walk past Bakura but the taller male grabbed the boy's hand before he could leave. "Wait, Malik—"

Without looking back, Malik jerked his hand out of Bakura's. "Don't follow me." With that said, Malik stormed out of his own home.

Malik stopped outside the apartment complex and just stood there for a moment. Then he limply fell against the brick wall gating the compound and slid down it. He hugged his legs close to his chest and hid his face in his knees. He should be crying, he should be so upset that he wanted to scream, but he didn't; he couldn't.

There was a whisper of the wind and Malik saw the fluttering of a plum cape out of his peripheral vision and spiked platinum blond hair. Malik felt his nerves jump and he snapped his head up.

He was alone.

There was no one on the lone street except himself and an alley cat. Malik stood on shaky legs and ran the rest of the way to the Game Shop, tripping over his own feet in his haste.

Jounouchi and Seto ~

"Why the hell are you following me?" Jou asked as he walked down the street, Seto Kaiba acting as his shadow.

"I have nothing better to do?"

Jounouchi scowled and wondered aimlessly down the market place, refusing to acknowledge Seto as children and adults pointed at the tall teen in awe, seeing th CEO of the largest gaming company of the country walking down the street.

"So you were once in love with the midget?"

That came out of nowhere.

Jounouchi turned a bright shade of red and whirled around to face the cold man. "What the f—?"

"Language, Jounouchi," Seto cut in.

Jou looked down at his feet and started to walk again. "Why do you care?"

"I don't."

"Then why did you ask?" Jounouchi cried in outrage.

Seto was silent for a moment and then asked. "What was your nightmare in the Game?"

Jounouchi stared at Kaiba for a moment like he was crazy. "What the hell is wrong with you? Do you need help?"

Kaiba shot the blond a look. "I'm just curious."

"Well—! Wait…what?" Jounouchi asked, dumbfounded; Seto Kaiba sounded honest, like he really wanted to know. The tall blond stood with his mouth gaping open; Seto rolled his eyes.

The irritated expression melted into a look of hurt, like he was just told his best friend was moving away and he would never see them again. "I'll tell you what my nightmare was, or is."

Jounouchi realized how serious the man was and waved his hands in front of him like warding off flies. "You don't need to—"

"I watched my little brother get murdered before my eyes and unable to save him."

And it felt like the world dropped under Jounouchi's feet. That was Seto Kaiba's fear? That was his nightmare? Under the visage of being untouchable and unapproachable, under all of that stoniness and cold heartedness, was a man that was just as weak and human as the next guy?

Seto continued. "And you killed him."

Jounouchi felt his eyes widened out of proportion. "Wh-what?"

Kaiba smiled, but it was a humorless smile. "In my nightmare, I drove you to that madness, to go insane enough to kill Mokuba. Because of all the rude things I say to you. I told that hallucination of you that I never wanted to cause you this much pain, I never want to cause you pain, but that seems to be the only thing I'm good at."

Jounouchi gulped; he felt his heart stop and his blood stop in his veins and then flow back with a rush. He suddenly remembered what Yuugi had said to him the next morning they came out of the Game.

"I am so sorry, Jounouchi. And I just want to say, I—"

Jounouchi's cellphone rang in the pocket of his jacket; the boy nearly jumped ten feet in the air; time was suddenly returning to his senses.

He fished his cellphone out of his pocket and pressed TALK. "Hello?" he asked.

"Jounouchi? Where are you?"

It was Yuugi.

"Um, I'm here in town with Kaiba."

"Can you hurry to the Game Shop? Everyone else is here and we've been waiting for you guys. We need to talk."

Joey snorted. "When do we not need to talk?"

"Ha-ha, can you just please hurry?"

"Yeah, we'll be right over."

"Okay, thanks."

And then Yuugi hung up.

Jounouchi stuffed his phone back in his pocket and turned back around to face Kaiba. The blond raised a questioning eyebrow; did Kaiba look dejected? Jounouchi decided to ignore it for now and shoved what Kaiba was going to say to him to the back of his mind. "We've been called upon."

-/-

Ranko: That is the end of chapter three! Thank you for reading, as always! I'm sorry that it's going to slow right now, but it will pick up. Honestly, this is not my favorite chapter. Let me just say that in the original book, it moved even slower, I'll try to pick it up so I don't lose you guys!

Yami: Stop making excuses, Ranko.

Ranko: I'm not! Anyway, updates will be coming later because of school but I will try to post one every week, more or less. Sorry that the chapters are getting shorter.

Yuugi: Please review! The more reviews, the faster the update!