Anonymous Review: Not really, I have written card game based fan fictions, I'm actually going back to the season 0 Shadow Games. Originally, Duel Monsters was one of the variety of games Yami Yugi would use to play his Shadow Games. He played other games like RPG, a silence game, a game using a knife, etc. This is also using diaha as one of the varieties, including dancing, rock climbing and poker. This is the only type of Shadow Game that includes fighting, which is based on idea of the wizard battle between Yami Bakura and Mahad.
Another thing I want to point out is that you're actually wrong about the Yugioh Characters never using fighting to solve their problems. Again, let me remind you of the wizard battle between Yami Bakura and Mahad. Also, if you watch seaon 0 or read the manga version of Yugioh, there was fighting in there. Hell, Joey was the main street fighter of the gang. He used his street fighting skills to fight against a thug that stole Yugi's millennium puzzle, after punching him in the stomach, and in the manga he did this with a knife in his mouth. To say that Yugioh made fighting or the idea of using violence useless tells me you've never watched season 0 or read the manga, which used the idea of fighting and violence as one of the possible choices of fighting against an opponent (many characters, especially villains, used this as a main choice, including Ushio). The reason Yugi never used it is, because he hated fighting and violence, but loved games, thus why Yami often used card games later on without using as much violence (at that point, him and Yugi could talk through a mind link). If you're more into the card game type of Shadow Games, I highly suggest you read my other story To the Unknown and To the Unknown 2.
Next chapter! I apologize for taking too long to write this, but here it is. There's going to be a lot of feels, so prepare to bring your tissue. Review please!
Ronda was inside the clinic with Ms. Fonda, who was caring for three patients found in the forest severely wounded, except Carl. Carl only had slight injuries and had a bit of a headache when she woke up. Though, Professor Banner was full of splinters and skin peeling off that there seemed to be no way he'd ever survive. It would only be a matter of time before his heart rate would eventually fail.
"This is insane. You're telling me that the Professor won't make it!?" Ronda asked with desperation.
"I'm afraid so. I don't know how this happened. His injuries look like they had been around untreated for several years. I'm afraid there's little hope for him to survive," Fonda replied sadly.
"How could this have happened!?" Dr. Crowler cried in both confusion and desperation.
"He was working for Nightshroud," Carl replied in a slight dark tone.
"What!?" Dr. Crowler and Fonda gasped together.
"I saw it. Him and Jaylin were duking it out."
"I can't believe he'd do this to us!" Ronda glared, feeling angry that there was a traitor in their midst.
Suddenly, Professor Banner's heart rate dropped instantly, showing a single line. Everyone sighed. There was no way of saving the Professor anyways, even if he wasn't a traitor. Ronda glared at what was left of the Professor as his spirit stood behind her with sad eyes. He looked at Jaylin, who was still asleep.
Ronda gasped, turning behind her, but seeing nothing.
"Something wrong?" Fonda asked worriedly.
"It's nothing. I just thought I felt something."
"Please... don't die..." Everyone heard Jaylin muttered, tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"Jaylin?" Ronda asked as Jaylin's eyes fluttered open, then looked over at Professor Banner, then his heart rate.
"No! NO!" Jaylin cried, bitter tears falling down her cheek as she rolled to her side, covering her face. "I didn't...!"
"Jaylin, what's going on? Please speak to me!" Ronda pleaded, but her friend kept crying.
Carl folded her arms, glaring at the feet sticking out at the end of her bed. Jaylin had used her powers against Carl, almost harmed her. She wasn't sure what to think of it. On one hand, Jaylin didn't mean to hurt her. It seemed more like Jaylin was trying to push Carl out of the way of her fight and it was Carl's own fault for getting in the middle of it in the first place. On the other hand, there was a side of Jaylin Carl had never seen before and it scared her.
"Professor... Banner... he worked for Nightshroud... b-but... he broke the contract with Nightshroud... he sacrificed his life to save me... It's not fair!" Jaylin wept.
Both Carl and Ronda looked at Jaylin with such shock on their faces. How was that possible? There was so much confusion on their faces that it seemed unreadable. Ronda blinked a few times before looking at the corner of her eye. She saw the spirit of Professor Banner, then stared at him with such shock. He turned, then smiled at her, before making his way to Jaylin.
Jaylin wept, then felt a hand brushing fingers through her hair. She peeked through her fingers, then saw the spirit of Professor Banner, who smiled, then said, "I'll always comfort you, Miss Yuki." His spirit then disappeared.
"Meow!" Pharaoh, Professor Banner's cat, sounded as he jumped next to Jaylin. She smiled, then gently petted the cat.
"I guess I'll be keeping you, huh?" Jaylin said, holding the cat before looking up at Carl, who was still glaring at her feet. She saw the minor wounds on Carl and her eyes turned sorrowful. "Carl, I'm so sorry."
"It's okay," Carl replied, nodding. "It was an accident. I shouldn't have gotten in the way."
Jaylin nodded, then held Pharaoh close, petting the soft cat. She held Pharaoh, then yawned before falling into a deep sleep. She still couldn't believe that Professor Banner was gone. He sacrificed his life to save her and now he lived as a spirit, watching her like a guardian angel. Jaylin wasn't sure what to think of it. She just wished her pain would go away, but knew it never will.
Despite everything, something told her that this wasn't over. There was more coming Jaylin's way and the girl knew it. Jaylin had to prepare herself for what was to come. There was still one more Shadow Charm yet to be claimed and she's yet to find out what it is. Who would Nightshroud send this time and why was he handing all the Shadow Charms to Jaylin? These were questions yet to be answered. Jaylin could only think, 'if only I knew what it is.'
Jaylin slowly began falling asleep, exhaustion taking over her, as she found herself falling into dreamland.
Jaylin found herself at the Domino City Park. She walked through the fields of grass with the trees blooming pink flowers all over it. She smiled, walking through the fields. She saw Yugi, who was sitting under one of the threes with Tea. They both looked up, giving a hand jester to come join them. Jaylin smiled, running to them, then lying under her father's arm.
Suddenly, Jaylin saw a figure hiding among the trees far ahead. She got up, then ran toward the trees, which led to a large forest. The flowers on the leaves began turning into just green leaves. She had to know who this figure is.
"Hello!" Jaylin cried out, then found herself in a wide open meadow.
"It seems I have found my way into your dreams," Jaylin heard a voice from behind her. She turned and saw the figure beyond the shadows of the trees. It looked like an older version of herself with a royal black dress.
"Are you...?"
Jezerel smiled, looking pleased as she came out of the shadows, replying, "I am."
"How did you...?"
"I was testing one of the Shadow Charms, particularly the tablet your teacher gave you," Jezerel replied, showing the small tablet with the Eye of Horus in the middle.
"I see," Jaylin replied, looking around. "So, you decided to use it to explore my dreams?" She was asking out of curiosity.
"I've never talked to you before, so... I suppose this was the only way I know how, for now."
"I see..." Jaylin replied calmly as Jezerel joined with her in the meadow. She then sighed, dropping to her knees, then fiddled with the flowers. "I'm a monster."
"That's both of us," Jezerel said bluntly, sitting next to Jaylin. "Amazing how your teacher could see the person you are through the mask and the monster behind the mask, hm?"
"What do you mean?" Jaylin asked curiously.
"Look at this," Jezerel said, gesturing her hand toward the meadow. "Beautiful, isn't it?"
"It is."
"My husband always told me that I made him curious. On one hand, there is a monster behind my mask, but behind that monster lies beauty. I am still not sure, if he's right, but... I think this is what he meant. I do see beauty in you, Master. Yugi saw it in you when he first laid eyes on you. It only takes a few to see it," Jezerel said, as Jaylin nodded, leaning her head on Jezerel's shoulder.
"Why are you calling me master?" Jaylin asked, having never been called that before.
"I am your Ka and you are my master. It is my duty to give you your wishes. We monster Ka's must obey our master's orders, you see," Jezerel explained, her hand over her heart.
"I... see... feels weird."
"I suppose commanding me would be a bit difficult, hm? I do try my best. It's hard for us Ka's, whose masters are out when we're summoned every time. Though, we do try to work our way around it."
"I've heard of Ka merging."
"Yes, there is that. Atem did that with his Ka, though he practiced for so many years."
"How is that supposed to work?"
"Well, first you must know how to control a Shadow Game, which you clearly don't know how to do."
"Well, shit."
Jezerel chuckled, then took Jaylin's hand, assuring, "you'll get it. Just take it one step at a time, hm?"
"I suppose. There's also wondering who will take Professor Banner's place in teaching my class."
"Now, that one, you will have to leave to your teachers. Though, I think that's the least of your worries. There's the last of Nightshroud's goons."
"True."
"Be strong and keep your eyes peeled. There's more to come than you know."