Ranko: Oh my, Ra! Thank you guys so much for giving me 200 reviews! I love you guys so much!
Yami: I don't understand why you are so happy, it is the last chapter.
Ranko: (sad mood)
Yuugi: Enough of that, there is no need to be sad because there will be a third installment to the Shadow Game series…then you can be depressed because that will be it.
Ranko: Okay, before you guys make me even sadder, let's just answer the reviews.
hikari no senshi17: I know, it's craziness. But if it weren't crazy what fun would that be? Please continue to review!
raindropdew: I loved Yuugi last chapter! He was kicking ass! And Jou, oh goodness, I love him so much. I'm so glad you love my stories so much! Please continue to support me in the third and final installment of the Shadow Game series. Please continue to review!
AmerillaRose: Your wait is over because I bring forth the last chapter! I love Yami so much, even I was fooled by him at the very end. Hm…can there be a D) All of the above? ^^ Thank you for being so awesome and please continue to review!
Cheshirecat23TheWantedOne: Your review made me so happy! Don't worry, there will be a third installment to this little ol' series! Don't feel bad that you didn't know where the base was, there was no real clue until the very end, anyway. Your review made me smile (as always!) Thank you and please continue to review!
sea girl: Aw! Your reviews always make me happy! You're so nice and please continue to review (And I'll keep up the updates ^^)
lilpopsplash: The best time to read fanfiction is whenever your dead tired and high on caffeine (that is usually when I write fanfiction *_*) Please continue to review!
CandyFiend: I am not the brightest crayon in the box so it took me a while to get your joke, I feel so bad! Now I get it though! Don't feel bad that you didn't get it, it wasn't very obvious, actually (until the very end). Anyway, the reason it has so much suspense is because…wait, you think its suspenseful? Please continue to review!
TheGuardian'sOfTheFishbowl: Oh, you hate Yuugi and love Yami? That's new…though, you are right. Yuugi is so stubborn and Yami just wants to love him! And don't worry, I like rambling! Please continue to review! By the way, I really love my nickname!
Pharaoh Silver: Everyone loves Yuugi and Jounouchi, what about everyone else? LOL Anyway, please continue to review!
LaurelBird: Just saying, your review made me feel loved. Anyway, I actually write each chapter in, like, a day and spend the rest of my week doing nothing! Don't worry about excuses, I have a box full of them! I know how it goes. Yuugi is a little tough guy, but he is still the cute little uke we all love! I really don't know what else to say besides that your review made me laugh (in a good way)! Please continue to review!
Daemon Luciel: Woo! One point for Yuugi! Please continue to review!
Ranko: I hope you guys realize how much I love you considering how much freaking space I took up to answer all the reviews!
Yami: Ranko twin owns nothing!
Yuugi: Enjoy!
-/-
Yuugi felt as if his skin was being burned off. It was one thing to stick his hand in the flames for a few seconds, but when his whole body was surrounded by it, it affected him more than he thought it would.
His hair felt like a torch and he could swear that his skin was peeling off in black crisps. When he looked down at the hand that was holding onto Jounouchi's tightly, he saw smooth white skin.
It was easy to say, just walk through the fire. Doing it was another thing entirely. Now he understood what his friends were saying about it feeling real.
The first few seconds of walking in the fire were unbearable. He began to panic and he realized that it probably wasn't just an illusion, but a real fire. He was on fire and he had to run to get out of it. The only thing that prevented him from that was the firm grip both Jounouchi and Mai had on both of his hands.
The flames were all around him and Yuugi honestly thought that he was dying. But he couldn't let Yami win this Game, not after all the hell he put him through. He would show Yami, he would show him what he was made of and why they called him the King of Games.
"Cool, wet grass! Cool, wet grass!" he chanted to himself, yelling as loud as he could over the crackling of the flames so his friends could hear him as well.
'I have to make it,' Yuugi thought desperately. 'I am not going to lose. I have to do this for my friends, they're counting on me!'
"Cool, wet grass!" Mai began yelling beside him. He saw his cousin's face turning red from the heat and he felt perspiration pool in the palm of her hand.
And then it was like someone slammed into their backs, pushing them forward and into the light. Yuugi went rolling forward, the four friends falling in a heap on top of each other.
Yuugi felt plush carpet under his skin.
They were through.
Yuugi wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. They had made it. They were all alive. Yuugi still couldn't believe it. They were back in the apartment building. Before Yuugi could relish this thought further, he was pushed to the side by a firm hand as Jounouchi got to his feet; Yuugi had landed on top of the blond.
Jounouchi helped Seto to his feet and clasped hands with the taller man. "Well, we're alive." Seto grunted in response but smiled none the less.
Yuugi felt like dancing, he was so happy. He turned to his cousin and embraced her as she pushed herself to her feet; he almost knocked the two of them down again. "We did it! We did it! We're alive!" he cried joyously.
Mai laughed and rubbed her cousin's back. "I know! I know! Can you let go of me? I can't breathe," Mai joked.
This startled a laugh out of Yuugi but he backed away anyway.
"Yeah, but it is impossible," Seto spoke up. "No one could have lived through that fire."
"But it was all just an illusion, didn't you know that?" Jounouchi questioned, staring at the brunet questionably.
"Well…"
Yuugi was shell-shocked. "You didn't believe me?"
Seto stayed silent and Jounouchi fumed silently. "Then why did you go with us?" Jou asked.
Seto turned his head away so he wouldn't have to look at Jounouchi's honey brown eyes. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and there was the tiniest tint of pink coloring his cheeks. "Well…that is because…I wanted to make sure to keep you safe," he said quietly.
This just resulted in Jounouchi getting angrier. "What do you think that I'm some kind of…?" His voice trailed off as realization dawned on him. "…Oh," he said quietly, looking away as well.
Mai sighed. "Alright, enough of the helpless shounen-ai!" she cried.
Yuugi gaped at his cousin, as well as Jounouchi and Seto, they had no idea that Mai knew that word. Even if she did know that word, Yuugi couldn't believe that she actually said it.
The girl walked over to the two men and pushed them together forcefully. The two boys were face to face, their noses barely brushing each other and both of their faces flaming red, and it wasn't because they had just gotten out of the fire.
"You two have been pissing me off lately," Mai continued. "I feel like there is just some greater being that is manipulating our lives and our whole world, and purposefully keeping you two apart just for her own amusement. I'm here to put an end to it! Seto loves Jounouchi and Jounouchi loves Seto so quit beating around the bush and provide some fan service!"
"Mai!" Yuugi cried, embarrassed that he was related to her. "Stop it!"
Mai looked at him helplessly. "What?"
Jounouchi looked up at Seto. "So, you…love me?" he asked.
Seto gulped and tried to keep eye contact with the boy but failed, having to look away. "And if I do?"
Jounouchi smiled and kissed Seto on the corner of his lips. This left Yuugi and Seto speechless, and Mai squealing like a fan girl. Jounouchi winked at the brunet who was blushing madly. "Then I guess we're just going to have to get through this alive so I can give you a proper kiss."
For once, Seto Kaiba didn't know how to control a situation he was in and was left paralyzed, unsure of what to do.
Mai cleared her throat, gaining the couple's attention. "I hate to break up this wonderful scene but we have four friends who are waiting for us back at the base."
Yuugi gasped. "Oh my, God! You're right!" He turned to where the vortex to the base should be and was met with a disturbing sight.
The vortex had grown to the size of one wall and was now on fire.
"Not all of us can go," Mai pointed out. "I'll stay here to wait for you guys and the rest of you go! Hurry!"
Yuugi nodded and grasped hands with Jounouchi again, Seto holding Jounouchi's other hand. They all ran into the flames quickly, to get to the other side and Yuugi felt agonizing pain again. This time, it didn't last as long and he was surrounded by cool air again.
They saw Bakura, Malik, Anzu, and Honda all standing there in a row, a few reaching out to catch them when they came tumbling forward. Yuugi fell into Bakura's arms and smiled up at his friend. "See? All in the mind."
Malik took Yuugi out of Bakura's arms and hugged the shorter boy. "You're alive!"
"Listen," Jounouchi spoke up. "We don't have much time, the vortex is burning up and if we don't get out soon we could be stuck here for a while, and by a while I mean forever."
Malik cringed and Yuugi had to rub his back to calm him down.
"It does burn and it does hurt, but it won't kill you," Jounouchi continued, "just count to ten and your out. You just have to keep thinking of cool, wet grass."
Honda's eyes glistened. "I'm excited, let's do this!"
Anzu held onto Honda's hand tightly and trembled, clearly afraid. Malik was in no better shape. Yuugi and Bakura had to calm the boy down. "It's just an illusion," Yuugi soothed.
"Okay, we have to move," Seto said. "We'll all hold hands and make a train so none of us will be stuck in the flames. Don't worry, everyone will be just fine. I'll lead the way and Jounouchi will take the back to make sure everyone gets out safe."
Bakura whistled. "When did you get so assertive?"
Seto just scowled at the man. Anzu held onto Seto's hand and Honda held onto Anzu's hand; or more like Anzu squeezed Honda's hand. Then Yuugi was in the middle between Bakura and Malik. Jounouchi was at the back, his blood circulation being cut off by Malik's hand squeezing his.
"Okay, everyone ready?" Seto called back. Everyone nodded in response; Malik was close to tears and Anzu was crying. The girl nodded and followed Seto into the flames, everyone else following one by one.
It was hard to keep control of Anzu when they stepped into the flames, she was crying and trying to run away; she was basically in hysterics. Malik was calmer than she was.
"No, I don't want to do this anymore…" she whimpered out pathetically. It was like when she rode a roller coaster and halfway up the hill she would start to cry and say she wanted to get off the ride.
Then the unthinkable happened…
Malik tripped. He didn't know how it happened but Yuugi's hand was suddenly empty. He stopped, Bakura didn't seem to notice because he kept walking forward. Yuugi turned around and began to look around frantically. "Malik!" he cried and then coughed violently when burning air filled his lungs.
He knew one thing though, if Malik had fallen behind, then so did Jounouchi.
Yuugi suddenly felt a hand grasp his own again and drag him forward; it felt like the time he was being dragged away from Ryou's nightmare, leaving his friend alone to die.
Then there was a rush of cool air and plush carpet. Yuugi felt miserable and in pain, but at least he was alive. He didn't know if he could say the same thing about Jounouchi and Malik though.
All of his friends were there and staring at him expectantly. Yuugi just shook his head as he tried to regain his breath. Bakura was breathing just as hard; he was the one who noticed Yuugi was gone and had turned back around to get him.
"Where is Malik?" he asked, although he already had an idea.
Yuugi shook his head again, using the excuse of smoke in his lungs so he wouldn't talk.
Seto's eyes widened. "Where is Jounouchi?"
Yuugi couldn't keep shaking his head. "Malik fell behind, Jounouchi must have fallen back to help him. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…" he whispered pathetically, staring down at the floor.
Seto bit his bottom lip and looked as he was holding back a rant or a scream. "I'm going back in there," he said, advancing forward. This made Yuugi's head shoot up. He jumped to his feet and clung to Seto before he could take another step forward.
"No, you can't! It will kill you! The fire is getting worse by the second and if you went in there, you wouldn't make it back!" Yuugi cried.
Honda nodded. "The kid has a point."
"Shut up!" Seto snapped. "Your best friend is in there, you bastard! How can you not be concerned?"
Honda glared at him. "Don't you dare accuse me of saying I don't care about my best friend! I just don't think it is a smart idea to just—!"
"Um, guys," Mai said weakly, pointing in the direction of the wall of the vortex. Everyone turned and saw that it was slowly burning up at the corners like a piece of paper until all that was left was the original photograph and then that burned up as well.
Yuugi's eyes widened. He couldn't believe it. He had lost more of his friends. More of his friends had died because of Yami.
Dead…Jounouchi was dead. No more practical jokes, no more laughter during the morning walks to school, no more sunshine that just seemed to radiate off of him. And Malik…he had lost Malik, he promised he would keep him safe and he let him die. Poor Malik.
There was no screaming or crying from anyone; just silence as the realization hit everyone.
Their two closest friends were gone for good; it was just too much to think about or understand.
Then the tears came.
Yuugi collapsed to his knees, crying and hiding his face in his hands. He had lost them; they were gone. That was all that was going through his mind. He felt someone pat him on the shoulder and saw Seto with tears rolling down his cheeks, it was just like back in the old Game.
Mai hugged her cousin, warm tears falling on his neck. "Please, don't cry, don't cry." Yuugi didn't know if she was talking to him or herself.
And then everyone was huddled together, crying and holding each other and wave after wave of pain hit them.
Honda got up and wiped the tears from his eyes. "Look at it this way, they could have made it back to the living room and that means that they are safe; that they didn't die. It could still all be okay."
"You think so?" Yuugi asked hopefully; Honda nodded, tears still glistening in his eyes.
"Oh, God," Mai whispered breathlessly beside Yuugi. Yuugi looked at his cousin and she was pointing at the floor. They all turned to see what it was and Yuugi realized why his cousin was so shaken.
There were words scorched into the carpet.
They glowed red like coals in a fire and smoke rose them as if they were just freshly imprinted there.
Your friends are with me—in the Shadow Realm. If you want them, come on a treasure hunt and join me in another Game. But remember: if you lose, there is always a price to be paid. Prepare to pay up to the devil.
There was dead silence in the room for a moment and then Honda said, "That can't be good."
That startled a laugh out of everyone. "At least they're not dead," Anzu said gratefully. She gestured to the letters that were already beginning to fade. "Yami is just keeping them to bargain with."
"Sneaky bastard," Mai whispered under her breath.
Yuugi knew that he should be afraid, and trembling, but he wasn't afraid of Yami right now. He was furious and if he saw him any time soon, he would be sure to punch him.
Yuugi smiled and stood up, staring off into space. "He wants a new Game; I'll give him a new Game."
"This Yuugi scares me," Honda whispered to Bakura who elbowed him in the ribs.
"I know I can beat him," Yuugi said, paying no heed to what Honda said. "It isn't over until it is over. I'm coming for you Yami, and I'm not leaving without my friends."
-/-
Ranko: Is it over already?
Yuugi: Not yet!
Yami: There will be a third and final installment to the Shadow Game series. We will post an alert to this story to tell you guys when it is ready but that won't be for a while.
Ranko: Thanks so much for all the support guys and please continue to support me in (insert name of new story here)! I promise I will continue When Life Gives You Lemons, I've just been busy lately.
All three: Please review!