Ranko: Yay! I'm happy!
Yuugi: You're always happy.
Ranko: That is partially true.
Yami: Why are you happy?
Ranko: Well first off, Yuugi is here! One person asked where you were last chapter Yuugi and I was wondering if you could tell us.
Yuugi: I was taking a small vacation, you can only take so much of those two. But I love them both none the less.
Yami: I love you too, Yuugi!
Ranko: Ew! Not in front of me! Do your weird couple stuff later when I'm not in the room. Anyway, the other reason that I am happy is because I got past 200 reviews! Woo! Thanks so much for that you guys. Its means a lot to me. I love all of my reviewers and followers, and people who favorite me!
Yuugi: How about answering some of those reviews?
Ranko: Okay, but I'm not answering all of them! Like I said, I love you all and I love that I get so much feedback, but that is A LOT of feedback. I'd be dead if I answered every review each chapter.
SincerelyChristina: I completely understand. That bonding moment between Seto and Yuugi made me go "Aw!" …and I was the one who wrote it! My life is sad. Seto is one of my favorite characters (thanks to YGOTAS) so I kind of have to give him a little credit.
lilpopsplash: Yeah, I hope that the curse is lifted too. No spoilers though! I have to admit, I have a very short term memory; it is my greatest downfall. Could you be so kind as to remind me how I answered your question without giving away the ending? =3 That has been happening to me a lot recently. Kudos to you for writing that review at 5 in the morning. At that point I can't even form a coherent thought; everything is on autopilot.
CrimsonStrawberry17: I know, right? I am not a big fan of heights; I had to remind myself, "Why am I writing this again?" I feel a little stupid saying this, whenever Anzu said that one line you commented on (about Thor), Anzu was actually portraying me. I have recently seen the Thor movie with Chris Hemsworth, so while I was writing this chapter, I realized for the first time what Asgard was in relation to Thor. So Anzu was portraying my stupidity. Anzu was referencing to the movie, which I figured must have been subtitled or dubbed over in Japanese voices (limited knowledge).
Guest/WildWinds(?): Thank you for pointing out my mistake; I have yet to fix it but I hope to do it soon. Also, I plan on doing about 16 to 17 chapters.
The Akatsuki Rocks: Oh my, goodness…that is amazing =D Tell your nephew I think that he is awesome. But I think I would freak out too. "Yami?!" Then I'd fangirl.
Great: In answer to your question, they are still kind of mad at Yuugi for not giving himself up as payment when he was younger. Also, of course, for catching Yami's eye. And Yuugi has always interfered with the Shadow Realm and their Shadow Men in some way in all three of the stories. He always seems to be in their way if you think about it (what he is in the way of, interpret it as you please). They also don't like Yuugi because they set their prisoners free (who were his mother and Soren). I guess the better question is what Yuugi didn't do ;) But some of these things you can't really pick up and less you really dig, you know?
AmerillaRose: You don't think there isn't going to be a happy ending? You're different from everyone else; I like different ;) Anyway, there may be hope yet, I still have a few more tricks and surprises up my metaphorical sleeve.
IlluminatedWord: I guess I should have warned everyone at the beginning of The Shadow Game that this trilogy may cause heart attacks. Anyway, I can promise you, you will not expect the ending that I have planned. So have medics on standby. All the FEELS! There are nine worlds in total according to Norse mythology, Earth is one of them. I loved writing Ryou jealous, I should try that more. I plan on having them appear very soon, so worry not.
Cheshirecat23The: Thanks for the word, darling! Enjoy the fireworks, I always love them. Ryou getting all jealous was definitely my favorite part too. He is just so cute when he is intimidating. Bakura better be scared though, because Ryou don't mess around. I should write Ryou jealous more often. You will have more of Yami soon, do not worry.
Ranko: I just want to say one thing, I love all of my reviewers and followers and such equally. I appreciate how much you have supported me throughout this crazy story. I know that I would not have had the drive to continue this story without all of the love I get from you guys.
Yami: Can you get any cheesier?
Yuugi: Yami!
Yami: Alright, without further delay: Ranko twin owns nothing.
Ranko: Enjoy (blows a kiss)!
-/-
Yuugi gasped and spun around. Standing behind him was Yami; on either one of his sides stood Akefia and Marik, flanking him. They didn't make a sound, they did not move, they did not grin evilly at them; the two just stood there, looking pained, as if they had just seen a loved one pass away.
Malik let out a tiny shriek at seeing Marik and quickly clung to Bakura's arm. Yuugi looked and saw that unshed tears were glistening in his lavender eyes. He also noticed that Ryou was staring right into Akefia's eyes without fear.
Yuugi still remembered finding Ryou, huddled in a corner in the hall of mirrors in the paper house. He was paralyzed with fear because he was so terrified of Akefia, now he was staring the Shadow Man right in the eye with no fear. Yuugi then remembered what Ryou had said in the fun house.
"Yeah, I made friends with him; he's nice."
Yuugi turned back to Yami. He expected Yami to look smug and confident with his arms crossed over his chest and his hip cocked to one side. It was so familiar to Yuugi so whenever he saw Yami standing there, looking so weak and tired, it unnerved him.
Yami had his hands shoved in the pockets of his jacket; his stance was not as tall and strong as Yuugi remembered it being. Yuugi bit his bottom lip as he stepped forward. He expected Akefia and Marik to pounce at him for getting so close to their leader, but they just continued to stand there. Yuugi's heart had never beaten this rapidly before.
Yuugi looked Yami in the eye; he couldn't tell if his shields were down or if his feelings were veiled. Yami was not letting him in and Yuugi felt like a hand had just grabbed his heart and squeezed.
"We've won." It was supposed to be a statement, but it came out as more of a question. Yuugi pressed on, steeling himself. "It's the last Game, and this time there is no way you can bend the rules. You have to let us go." Yuugi wished he sounded more confident as he spoke. It was like he was back in the game store where he first met Yami and he was at a loss for words.
Except, the look in Yami's eyes were different back then. Yuugi remembered his eyes were full of some sort of predatorily gleam; it was like he was staring at something just out of reach. Yuugi didn't realize back then that he really was something just out of reach to Yami.
But now, the look in his eyes was more like…
His train of thought was cut off when he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. He looked up and over his shoulder. He saw Jounouchi there; he was smiling at Yuugi encouragingly and then looked at Yami menacingly.
Jounouchi; his best friend. He knew Jounouchi would always be there for him. He wouldn't let Yuugi stand up against Yami alone. Although…
Yuugi looked back at Yami.
…Yuugi didn't think that there was anything to stand up against.
"You know, I should kill you," Jounouchi said stubbornly. "After everything you put me and my friends through, I should kill you. I can't, but I'll die trying."
Yami didn't respond, his eyes just traveled down to the hand on Yuugi's shoulder.
Yuugi remembered what Yami had said to him in the cave.
"I craved that love and warmth."
Yuugi thought he realized what the look in Yami's eyes was. Wistfulness. Yami had always said he was unlike any other Shadow Man and that was because he craved what he could never have. Love, warmth, light. He was witnessing that just by the simple gesture from Jounouchi.
Jounouchi pursed his lips. "So…are you going to try anything?"
Yuugi gulped as he braced himself for anything that Yami might do to them. Yami was always full of tricks and surprises. The other times they had won a Game, Yami always threw in a little twist at the end that was always to his advantage. And then he and his brothers would laugh at them.
Yuugi expected him to do the same for this Game and he was prepared for anything Yami might throw at them. He was prepared to fight Yami. Why else would he let Yuugi take his friends so easily without a challenge? He was expecting something like…crossing a river of lava to get to them. He didn't expect to just walk right up to them and untie them without any fuss.
Then he would make a bargain with Yuugi and Yuugi would devise a plan to get out of it. Those were their roles; that is what always happened. Why wasn't Yami playing the Game?
Maybe he had something worse up his sleeve. Maybe…maybe…
Yuugi looked at Yami's eyes again and saw how weary he looked.
…Or maybe he was just tired of playing.
"We have won, haven't we?" Yuugi asked, still expecting for Yami to flash Yuugi a heartbreakingly beautiful smirk and then proceed to screw them over.
But none of that happened. Yami nodded his head. "You've won, Yuugi." There was no emotion behind his voice; he wouldn't even look him in the eye. He really did look tired and weary, almost as if he had just given up.
Yuugi ferociously shook his head. No! That couldn't be! Yami wasn't the kind of person who would give up. He fought for everything he wanted!
"So…I can leave?" Yuugi asked.
"Yes."
Yuugi's eyes widened. There must be a catch here somewhere. Yami did not just admit defeat this easily. But his stance did look defeated. "And I can take everyone with me?"
"Yes."
Jounouchi pulled on Yuugi's shoulder. "Come on, let's go," he whispered.
Yuugi shrugged off Jounouchi's hand and stepped a little closer to Yami. He couldn't believe who was standing in front of him. This wasn't Yami. This couldn't be Yami. But the thorn bracelet tattoo around his wrist begged to differ.
"I can leave and I can take all my friends with me. It's the last Game…it's over now." Yuugi didn't know who he was trying to convince whenever he said that last sentence.
Yami finally looked Yuugi in the eye and smiled sadly at him. Yuugi sucked in a breath; he looked so…so broken. Like a once beautiful glass figurine that had been shattered.
Yami shrugged helplessly as if to say, "What can you do?"
"It's the last Game, it's over now. I won't bother you again."
Yuugi didn't understand why that statement troubled him so much. This is what he wanted from the very beginning. He wanted Yami to leave him alone; he wanted nothing to do with the Shadow Man. Now with the idea of him being gone…it upset Yuugi. He didn't know what to think.
Yuugi took a few more steps forward and before he knew it he was standing right in front of Yami. He raised his hand and touched Yami's cheek with the pads of his fingers. Yami's eyes widened; he looked down at his feet.
"Get out," he whispered just above a breath.
Yuugi almost thought that he misheard; he drew his hand to his chest. "Wh-what?"
"Get out!"
Yuugi jumped back.
Marik put a firm hand on Yami's shoulder and squeezed down hard, digging his nails into his shoulder. "Yami, calm down."
Yami shook his head furiously, still looking down. His fists were clenched and it looked like he was shaking. "No! Get him out of here!" His voice broke half way through his sentence.
Yuugi barely noticed Jounouchi grabbing his shoulders and directing him away.
"JUST GET HIM OUT OF HERE!" he yelled, making everyone flinch at how desperate and shaky his voice was. He choked on a sob as he began to breathe heavily. "Before I do something…"
"Yami," Yuugi whispered softly, feeling the hot sting of tears in his eyes.
"…We'll all be sorry for." His voice sounded so weak.
Akefia looked at his leader and friend sadly. "Yami…"
Yuugi saw that there was a door that was right in the middle of the stage of the amphitheater. There were no walls around it; it was just a plain open door that came into existence out of nothing.
Through the open door, Yuugi saw his parents' hallway that was across from the basement door. Everyone looked pleased to see the sight of it, breathing sighs to relief. But whenever Yuugi saw the open door, he felt an unexplainable cold feeling grip his heart.
He jerked out of Jounouchi's grasp and took a few long strides until he was standing in front of Yami again. He noticed that Marik and Akefia were gaping at him; they tried to stop him but they were too late.
"Yami," Yuugi tried, his voice strong. He needed some sort of explanation for this.
Yami looked up at Yuugi and Yuugi drew in a surprised breath when he saw streams of tears run down Yami's cheek; his control was breaking. He could see in Yami's eyes that all he wanted to do was hold Yuugi in his arms and never let him escape…but he was giving Yuugi a chance.
"Leave. Just go—NOW!"
Yuugi flinched but he didn't back down.
"Yuugi, are you crazy?" Mai's voice was desperate from behind him.
Yuugi looked over his shoulder and gave all of his friends a sharp look. "Just give me one minute!" The force and the power behind his words even made Marik and Akefia flinch. The two Shadow Men stayed silent, something Yuugi was not used to. They stayed out of his way as he stood right in front of Yami and were looking at the shorter boy with raised eyebrows…again, something Yuugi was not used to from the two of them.
"Will you just get out of here?" Yami asked, his voice still forceful, but it was sounding more broken as his resolve was cracking.
His friends were shouting at him to just leave already; Malik was crying. During this experience with the Games, Yuugi had grown closer to Malik. He understood him more. He understood why Malik was crying now. It was because Malik—like Yuugi—was more confused then ever about his feelings. He didn't know what to believe.
Malik was doing exactly what Yuugi wanted to do right now.
But because of Yami, Yuugi was stronger now. All of those times he had to hide his fear and intimidation from Yami had made Yuugi stronger and more independent. He was no longer a pushover who could be bossed around by anybody. That was all because of Yami. The Shadow Man helped him grow as a person.
That is why Yuugi couldn't let this go.
"Yami, please listen to—"
He was cut off when Yami grabbed his shoulders and shook him. Everyone shouted at this, including Akefia and Marik. Yuugi was frightened then. He had never seen Yami so angry before.
"No, you listen to me, Yuugi. I have told you this so many times. No matter what you do, you cannot save me from myself. None of us can be saved!" He gestured to Akefia and Marik who were standing behind him. Yuugi could now see how badly Yami was shaking. "We are damned, nothing can change that. So please…" Yami took a deep breath. "Leave."
Yami let go of him and then shoved him. Yuugi didn't realize Jounouchi was standing right behind him until he ran into his chest.
"Please, get him out of here," Yami told Jounouchi. "I want to play this Game fairly. But if he isn't out of here in the next thirty seconds, I will gladly break the rules."
Jounouchi nodded in understanding. "Come on, buddy." Before Yuugi could make a sound of protest, Jounouchi slung Yuugi over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
Yuugi shrieked and kicked his feet wildly. He beat his fists weakly against Jounouchi's back. "No!" he yelled. "Let go of me! Let go of me, Jou!" He felt like a child having a tantrum.
"I'm sorry, buddy," Jounouchi said solemnly.
Yuugi continued to struggle; he looked up and saw Yami was slowly growing smaller as Jounouchi walked further and further away, closer to the door. Yuugi saw Yami wave and mouth something like, "Goodbye Yuugi."
Yuugi felt tears run down his cheeks. "No! Yami!"
Suddenly, Ryou was in Yuugi's line of sight, blocking his view of Yami. He looked at his friend sadly and brushed away the tears. "Oh, Yuugi…I understand. I am so sorry."
Yuugi choked on a sob. This couldn't be the end! It just couldn't.
They all started towards the door, Yuugi still over Jounouchi's shoulder.
When Ryou moved away, Yuugi noticed something unnerving. Akefia was looking up in the sky, worry was clear in his eyes. It looked as if he was checking the sky for storms and he saw a twister forming.
"Um, Yami…" Akefia began nervously.
But it was too late.
A thick mist moved in quickly, surrounding all of them. It was interspersed with dark tendrils, like lines of smoke from a chimney. Frost was forming on every surface. It covered construction equipment that was close enough and created a fine layer of crushed ice over the grass.
Ice and shadows.
Yuugi remembered it very well. It was the sight of the Shadow Realm. The horrible sight that became a recurring nightmare to him when he opened the door to the closet at five years old.
"Yami!" Mai shouted over the howling wind that had formed. It was cold and fierce. It reminded Yuugi of the water that had almost drowned him in the mine shaft.
Judging by the look on Marik, Akefia, and Yami's faces, they had nothing to do with this. But soon the mist became too thick that they could barely make out the Shadow Men's outlines.
"What is happening?" Anzu screeched over the wind.
Jounouchi had put Yuugi back down on his feet and was holding him tight to shield him from the wind. They were soon torn apart. The dark smoky tendrils reached out towards them like arms and held them apart. They trapped everyone.
The blinding brightness of the ice storm faded and the dark mist that had gathered began to form into human like shapes. Figures with ancient, evil eyes.
The other Shadow Men had come.
There were so many of them, some created a wall around Yami, Marik, and Akefia to keep them away. They were all dressed in the same smoke like black robes. And they were all gorgeous.
Anzu gaped. "Oh God…"
Everyone seemed a bit shocked at the unearthly beauty these Shadow Men possessed. Yuugi expected them to be ugly and deformed, much like the men from Malik's nightmare were like. But all of these men were handsome; they were so beautiful that there was no possible way they could be human.
Yuugi couldn't understand how cruel and ravenous eyes could match such a face as theirs.
They each had a beautiful feature different than the rest; something that made them stand out among the others. One thing they all had in common was that they were unbelievably pale. Yuugi wondered for a moment why Marik and Akefia were so tanned.
They may have looked gorgeous, but their smell did not match how they looked. They smelt like a hot, humid summer day felt. Musky and almost sweaty.
Suddenly, that little creature that Yuugi saw earlier—in his dream and in the park—scuttled across the ground. It stopped in front of Yuugi and the boy felt like he was going to be sick. It was a hideous creature to look at up close. Its skin was wrinkled and almost looked gray. Its skin stretched across the skin of its bald head.
Ryou looked away from it and clenched his eyes shut. "Oh God…what is that thing?"
Before Yuugi had a chance to answer—even though he didn't know what it was either—the thing spoke, "Can we take you? We can carry you." Yuugi's eyes widened and the little creature laughed similarly to the Joker.
Before Yuugi's eyes, the ugly little creature changed its shape to one of those beautiful Shadow Men. The man before him now was just as heartbreakingly beautiful as the rest, but there was something about this one's eyes…
Yuugi's eyes widened and he made a strange choking noise in the back of his throat before screaming. This Shadow Man, his eyes were so old and ancient and the most evil. These eyes kept reappearing in all of his nightmares, watching him from the shadows. This is the pair of eyes that has always been watching him since he opened that closet door.
Yuugi knew that this Shadow Man was the oldest of them all.
The Shadow Man before him laughed again, the sound was rich and deep.
"Yuugi!" Yami shouted from beyond the wall of Shadow Men. "Leave him alone!"
Yuugi was still staring wide-eyed off into space. "That thing…j-just changed into…one of them. I don't understand…"
The leader of all the Shadow Men smiled; it reminded Yuugi so much of a shark's smile. "What you see, children, is not our true forms. We truly are hideous creatures, it is a shame, but we hide our true forms with this illusion you see here. We can change at any time of our own free will."
This Shadow Man's voice sounded so similar to Yami's it made Yuugi want to crawl in a corner and cover his ears with his hands. It wasn't right. There was no way that anyone could have the same soothing baritone voice as Yami's. This man's cruel face and malicious eyes did not match the sweet sound of his voice.
The Shadow Man scowled in the direction of the three younger Shadow Men. "Even these three are not as they truly appear."
Yuugi thought he saw Yami bow his head in shame.
"You're lying," Yuugi said, beginning to recover from the trauma. His voice was shaky but it was beginning to become stronger again.
The oldest Shadow Man shook his head. "We never lie. Just ask, Slifer."
Yuugi briefly wondered who the Shadow Man was referring too but then Yami responded.
"Yes, we are truly monsters."
Yuugi couldn't imagine Yami looking so distorted and ugly as that one Shadow Man did before he changed into a beautiful being. It was hard to picture.
"But I don't understand why they are here!" Yami snapped, trying to push past the wall of bodies. "This isn't your Game, you have nothing to do with this!"
The leader smirked. "You know that it has always been our Game, Slifer. But it officially became our Game when the little brat stole our prey."
Yami froze then his jaw dropped in shock. He looked at Yuugi and disbelief was in his ruby eyes.
"He took what was rightfully ours. That wench of a woman and the boy. The woman was ours by blood right and whenever you let the boy go, Slifer, we hunted him and he became ours as well," the leader of the Shadow Men explained.
There was a chorus of agreement coming from the other Shadow Men.
Yami pursed his lips. "You must have been done with…the woman, right? She was so weak; she couldn't have been much fun to you anymore, correct?"
Yuugi quickly looked at Yami in surprise. Was he…defending him?
"That does not matter!" one Shadow Man snapped.
"She was ours by blood right and that wretched boy had no right to release her!" another spoke up.
"And we hadn't even gotten to enjoy the young boy yet," one said hungrily.
Yuugi was happy to hear that he had saved Soren before anything like that could happen to him. He was also glad that he could save his mother from an eternity of torture. But he was still frightened.
The leader moved closer to Yuugi and looked down at the boy. He scowled at Yuugi, as if he were nothing but mud on his shoe; bothersome. "The boy stole their souls from us, now his life is forfeit." He looked over his shoulder and threw Yami a smug look. "Now, he is our prey."
Everyone's eyes widened at once.
"No!" Mai shouted; she struggled with her bonds. The tendrils of smoke that were holding them back tightened like rope when Mai began to fight. "Get away from him, you bastards!"
They all ignored Mai, knowing that she couldn't do anything, and knowing the number on her side that marked her fate.
"By our laws, you are now ours," the leader said, a sickening smirk stretching across his face. "We can do anything we wish to you; take you, embrace you." The man ran a long, slender finger down his cheek; Yuugi shivered. "The law cannot be changed."
"No!"
Yuugi couldn't tell if it was Mai or Yami who had shouted that.
The Shadow Man suddenly grabbed Yuugi's chin roughly and forced the boy to stare into his stormy gray eyes. "You cheated us ten years ago, but now you are ours. Now, we can taste that sweet flesh of yours."
-/-
Ranko: If you think about it, this cliffhanger isn't as bad as the other cliffhangers I leave you with…right? Don't kill me…Hey! At least I updated quickly!
Yami: I don't know what to think about this chapter.
Yuugi: Neither do I, but I have to admit, my character is pretty awesome in this chapter.
Ranko: I know! I am so proud of you, Yuugi! Oh yeah! Here is some random news about my life. I got my toenails done today and I have Totaro painted on the nails my big toes! It is the cutest thing I have ever seen!
Yuugi: Do some of these people even know what "My Neighbor, Totaro" is?
Ranko: If they don't, they are seriously deprived. If you have never seen "My Neighbor, Totaro" or "Kiki's Delivery Service" or "Howl's Moving Castle" go watch them now! That is what I watched all the time as a kid…I still do ^^
Yami: You know the drill: review.
Ranko: And watch the movies! You seriously have not lived until you have seen them. I will love you forever!