Ranko: Quoting Michelle from Full House, "I'm back!"

Yuugi: We all are!

Yami: And we're better than ever!

Ranko: If you guys have been keeping up with my craziness lately you would have noticed that I posted an alternate ending to the Shadow Game and created a new story RENT! Make sure to check both of them out!

Yami: Enough advertising Ranko, we have reviews to answer!

Ranko: But it's the first chapter!

Yuugi: The reviews from the last chapter of the Shadow Game.

Ranko: Okay…(holds up list)

hikari no senshi17: The sequel is here! Don't worry, I have plans for some of our favorite pairings and I will stray if I need to. ;)

Inspiration's Wonderer: I know! Go Jounouchi!

AnimexXxGoddess: Here is the sequel for you! The reason I know about it is because of other fanfics I read that used aibou or other words like that and I did a bit of research. Also reading doujinshi. ;)

Verniemac: Thank you! I am planning on doing all three books and I know what you mean. My friend and I read the Forbidden Games together and we wanted Jenny to get together with Julian, he's just so sweet! Again, thanks so much! You have no idea how much your review meant to me!

CrimsonStrawberry17: You're telling me. =3

PomPoms: Your review? So nice! I'm glad that you enjoyed it so much, I hope you like the sequel just as much! I understand and here is the sequel for you.

naomi: Technically, Yami is in the game box.

raindropdew: Ew! Tests are icky! Anyway, I'm glad you liked the story so much! And the sequel is here for you enjoyment! I feel loved. 3

Dinogirl: You make me feel so loved! :') Thank you so much for the review. Puzzleshipping! And I was planning on having the ring stick to his finger but at the last second I was like, "I wouldn't want to overcomplicate things." I know, I just want to hug Yami! Thanks again and here is the sequel for you!

PhantomChaosMagician: No…can't resist…puppy eyes! Here is the sequel for you!

Dark-Huntress Sam: I bring forth the sequel!

Ranko: Wow! I think I have them all. Thanks so much for all the awesome reviews!

Yami: Ranko twin doesn't own anything, we've been through this.

Ranko: Enjoy!

Yuugi: Also, thanks so much Inspiration's Wonderer for letting us use your awesome OC Soren Tiu! He will be making his debut in this sequel!

-/-

Soren didn't know what it was about the library that made him feel so peaceful. Maybe it was the smell of parchment paper and old lady perform. The way a person got a far off look in their eyes when they read a book. When it grew silent as soon as you entered it, after being in the outside world. Or maybe it was the donations they got from people; all different and unique that someone would learn to love as much as the donor used to.

But when Soren went into work that day at the library, it felt different. He didn't know what it was, but there was this ominous presence hanging over everything. He tried to ignore it most of the day, going about his everyday business. Starting a new book and finishing it the same day and helping bookworms search for a new book they wanted.

He would accept the donations and put them in the storage room in the back for them to be sorted out later; that wasn't his job.

The day flew by quickly and Soren still felt the thick aura hanging over his head. He couldn't wait to lock up and get the hell out of there, for once.

Soren grabbed his backpack and went for the door. He waved goodbye to all the elderly woman he worked with. "Goodbye, ladies."

"Wait, Soren!" one of the ladies called.

"Yes?" he asked.

"Would you mind staying late and sorting out some of the donations we received today?"

Soren's mouth fell open and he gaped. "Um, yeah, sure, I can do that." But he really didn't, he wanted to get home and out of this place.

The elderly woman smiled. "Thank you so much, Soren. You're such a sweet boy and handsome too."

Soren forced out a smile. The boy was seventeen years old and very tall for his age. He had pitch black hair and long bangs that fell in front of his face boyishly. He had expressive emerald eyes and his eyes were always slanted.

"Thanks again Soren," the woman called. "And if you wouldn't mind locking up, too?"

"Yeah, no problem."

The woman smiled and waved goodbye.

And then Soren was alone in the store, and at this point, he wished he had a knife.

Soren cautiously walked to the donation room in the back and the door creaked open. Soren scrambled for a light switch and flicked it on in the small storage space. The donation storage room was the size of a small walk in closet and everything was orderly placed on shelves on the walls, except for the day's donations which were in big garbage bags.

Soren dove right in and worked fast, sorting all the items out. He was almost done when he heard a strange growling sound coming outside the storage room. Soren jumped to his feet and turned around; he gasped in shock. Crouching in the doorway was a large dog. No, that wasn't right, that thing was much too large to be a normal dog.

And standing behind the werewolf was a psychotic looking teen with spiked bleach blond hair and slanted violet eyes. He wore khaki pants and a skintight black tank top with a cape hanging off his shoulders. He smiled at Soren and grabbed a bloody dagger from his belt and sniffed the end of it. Soren recoiled in disgust.

"You smell just like my Malik-pretty," the boy said.

Soren furrowed his eyebrows; wasn't Malik that senior kid that always causes trouble with Bakura?

Suddenly, the boy was in front of Soren his cape fluttering behind him. His deep purple eyes looked deep into Soren's green ones and Soren suddenly felt strangely exhausted, like the energy was being drained out of him.

Marik smirked as the boy's emerald eyes lost their luster and the kid fell unconscious. The spiky blond smirked and licked the end of his dagger. "Thank you, that's all I needed from you, boy."

On his way out, Marik stomped on a rectangular, golden game box with the Eye of Horus in the center. Written quickly on the top was: THE SHADOW GAME.

Elsewhere ~

Yuugi tossed and turned in his bed and tried to fight off the nightmare that plagued his sleep.

"No, Yami, please don't! No, please, get away…no. No. No. No! Ryou!" Yuugi screamed, shooting up in bed. The boy gasped for breath for a moment and then scrambled to turn on his bedside lamp. Yuugi let out a sigh of relief when the light illuminated his room.

Yuugi clutched his sheets closer to his body and took deep breaths. The Game was over. Yami was locked away. He will never bother him again. Everything is going to be okay.

So why did he feel so uneasy?

Yuugi's bedroom door slowly opened and a thin silhouette stood in his doorway; Yuugi jumped.

"Yuugi?" Mai asked, stepping into the light of her cousin's room. "Is everything alright? I heard you scream." Mai went over to sit beside Yuugi on his bed.

The boy sighed in relief. "Yeah, I'm fine, just another nightmare."

Mai's eyes softened and she pulled her cousin in for a hug. She rocked Yuugi back and forth and made shushing noises. "It's okay, it was just a nightmare, you don't have to worry."

Yuugi breathed in the scent of Mai and leaned his head on her chest. Now he felt safe.

After they won the Game, life turned almost completely back to normal. Bakura was still grieving and Malik was trying to comfort his friend the best he could. Jounouchi was trying to sort out his feelings towards Seto. They told the police that Ryou went missing; they knew that it was the wrong thing to do, but they had to tell them something and Yuugi would get Ryou back.

And Yuugi and grandpa talked; albeit over the phone but they talked and cleared up many things.

Mai was taking a break from college and staying with Yuugi; he no longer felt safe living alone when grandpa wasn't home. So Mai was going to live with him for a while since grandpa's excavation was going to run longer than he had predicted.

"Hey Mai," Yuugi whispered.

"Yes, hun?"

"Do you think life will ever get back to normal again?"

Mai smiled and smoothed out Yuugi's hair. "I don't know, maybe or maybe not, but then again, who wants to be normal?"

The next day ~

Yuugi felt a pair of eyes burning a hole in his back. He was sitting with his friends in the school courtyard, eating lunch and just talking when suddenly, Yuugi felt like he was being watched. He took a quick look over his shoulder and was met by a pair of sharp, slanted eyes.

They were so similar to Yami's that Yuugi nearly jumped out of his skin. But he noticed that the eyes were the color of emeralds, not the hypnotizing ruby that he was so used to seeing.

Yuugi flushed a deep red and turned back to his friends who were now staring at him.

"What's wrong, Yuugi?" Malik asked.

"That guy is staring at me," Yuugi mumbled, not daring to look back.

Bakura narrowed his eyes and looked over Yuugi's shoulder. "Who?" He almost rose to his feet, but Malik put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back down into his seat.

"I don't know, just that kid behind me."

Seto Kaiba was tapping at his laptop, a look of deep concentration on his face. He didn't even look up from his word when he said, "That's Soren Tiu, he's in your grade Yuugi and he's always lived in Domino. He has attended all of Domino's public schools since grade school and lives alone downtown. He works at the library and he's known to be a "loner". He doesn't get associated with anyone and likes to be alone."

"How do you know all that?" Honda asked.

Seto looked up. "It's called the internet, dumbass."

"Hey!" Joey snapped. "Don't talk to my friend like that."

Seto's mouth snapped shut and he pursed his lips. He went back to work on his laptop and didn't look up again.

"Soren Tiu?" Yuugi wondered aloud. "Should we go say hi or something? See what's wrong?"

Bakura nodded curtly and stood up abruptly.

"Wh—Bakura?" Malik cried, rising with his friend.

Bakura grabbed Yuugi's elbow and pulled him to his feet. He dragged the small boy behind him across the courtyard to Soren who didn't even seem to notice them even though he was staring right at them.

It wasn't until Bakura, Malik, and Yuugi were all standing in front of him did his eyes actually clear and he was looking at them. His eyes widened noticing Bakura and he jumped in his seat. "Ah!" It looked like he was about to high tail it out of there, but Bakura caught him by the collar.

"Hey, buddy," Bakura said, growling low in his throat. He brought that boy's face closer to his so their noses were touching. "Who do you think you are staring at my friend like that? Hm? Freaking him out and acting like a stalker, and not a very good one at that."

Soren's eyes flickered away from Bakura's for a moment to stare into Yuugi's and then to Malik, and back to Bakura. "Because I hate him."

Yuugi gasped; he didn't even know this guy, how could he hate him? Bakura bared his fangs and lifted the boy off the ground by the collar of his shirt. "What was that? You want to run that one by me again?"

Soren wasn't going to take much more of this; he grabbed Bakura's hand that was fisted in his shirt and struggled to free himself. "You heard me, tough guy, I hate that little runt. I hate all of you! Who do you think you are anyway?" he yelled. Now everyone in the courtyard was staring in their direction, watching; no one dared to interfere, not in the teachers.

Bakura growled. "What was that?"

Soren was smirking now; his emerald eyes glazed over. "I hate all of you, you make me sick. You think I don't know what happened last weekend in Yuugi's house," Soren whispered.

Bakura, Yuugi, and Malik froze; Soren grinned in triumph. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I hit a nerve? Are you still sensitive over your little boyfriend's death, Bakura?" Soren asked, mocking sympathy. Bakura's fist slackened and he looked down at the ground. Soren shrugged. "I guess not, since you've already moved on to that little slut: Malik."

Malik grew stiff and downcast his eyes; tears were starting to collect in his lavender eyes.

Bakura's head shot up and his fist once again tightened in Soren's shirt. He bared his fangs and his eyes became a menacing shade of red. "You little piece of shit! Don't you ever, ever talk about my friend like that! Do you understand me? You know nothing! So keep you fucking nose out of other people's fucking business! And I swear, if you ever even mention Ryou's name in front of me like that again, I'll kill you!"

Bakura released Soren's shirt and punched the boy in the jaw.

Soren's eyes cleared back to their luminous green color as he fell. He cried out in pain and curled up in a ball. Yuugi gasped and ran to the boy, crouching down beside him.

Bakura sniffed and stuffed his hands in his pockets before walking off as teachers and staff started to run onto the scene, separating students who started crowding around the injured boy. Yuugi helped take Soren to the nurse as the boy muttered, "What the hell just happened?"

Malik began to chase after Bakura. "Bakura! Wait up!" he called, but Bakura just kept walking, not even looking back.

Malik sighed and followed his friend until Bakura stopped in the middle of an empty hallway. "Bakura?"

Bakura ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, leaning against the nearest wall and then sliding down it to sit down. Malik stood there for a moment and then sat down beside his friend. They just sat there in silence for a few moments until Bakura spoke.

"Do you think Ryou will ever forgive me?" he asked.

Malik's head snapped up and he saw tears rolling down Bakura's face. Malik opened his mouth to say something but he was cut off.

"I know that he is still alive somewhere and we will get him back, but do you think, that once we do find him, he will still love me? That he will forgive me for abandoning him? That I let him…die?"

Malik's eyes softened and he put a hand on Bakura's shoulder. "Of course he will Bakura, none of what happened in the Game was your fault, it was none of our faults. So don't beat yourself up, don't blame yourself; if you want to blame someone, blame those damn Shadow Men." Malik absent mindedly rubbed the shoulder Marik cut with a knife. "They're the ones that caused us this much pain."

Bakura hugged his legs close to his body and rested his chin on his knees. "You don't understand Malik, I promised to protect him; he was so scared. And while I was trapped in that dark room, watching Ryou die and knowing I couldn't do anything t save him, I knew that I failed him." Bakura hid his face as he began to sob. "You didn't see that look in his eyes when he died, over and over; he was crying out for me and I couldn't do anything."

A few tears slipped down Malik's cheeks. He hugged Bakura and smoothed down his wild hair. "I know, I'm sorry, but we will find him and we will bring him back home, and I will be there the whole time to help you." Malik smiled encouragingly.

Bakura looked up and smiled at his long time best friend. "I'm so glad I have you, Malik." Bakura let out a watery chuckle. "Look at me, I'm a mess, I think I would die if anyone else saw me…like this."

Malik giggled. "Hey, what are friends for?"

Bakura grinned and stared deep into Malik's expressive eyes. Bakura caught Malik's chin in his hand and leaned in closer and closer until their breaths tickled the other's lips.

"B-Bakura?" Malik breathed out.

Bakura closed the distance between them and sealed his lips over his best friend's. Malik gasped and then melted into the kiss, closing his eyes and tilting his head to deepen it. Bakura sighed and wrapped his arms around Malik's slim waist.

The two friends stayed like this for what felt like a lifetime. Malik opened his eyes a crack and he caught what looked like a violet cape in his peripheral vision. His eyes widened in fright and he quickly pulled away from Bakura. He swiveled around and tried to catch any signs of him, but it was just him and Bakura in an empty hallway.

"Malik?" Bakura asked; he grabbed Malik's shoulders and made him look at him. "Is everything alright?"

Malik blinked and continued to look around; he swore that he saw it. "Y-yeah, everything's fine. I'm sorry, i-its just that, I thought I saw…"

Bakura furrowed his eyebrows together in confusion.

Malik sighed and then put on a fake smile. "It was nothing, I thought I saw someone but I guess it was just a trick of the light."

Elsewhere ~

Yuugi sat by Soren's bedside as the boy held an ice pack to his aching jaw. There was an uncomfortable silence between the two. Soren tapped his finger against his leg and tried to avoid making eye contact with Yuugi.

"Yuugi-san?" Soren suddenly spoke.

Yuugi looked up from his lap. "Hm?"

"I-I'm so sorry about what happened in the courtyard, I just want you to know that I didn't mean anything I said. I-I don't know what got over me." Soren looked down in shame.

Yuugi smiled and patted Soren's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Soren, I believe you."

The boy sighed in relief. "That's good to know."

"But…" Yuugi started; Soren deflated. "What you said about knowing what happened at my house last weekend…?"

Soren furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I said that?"

Yuugi mirrored Soren's look of confusion. "Yes, you did."

Soren thought for a moment and then shrugged. "I don't remember ever saying something like that."

Yuugi nodded hesitantly and rose from his seat. He checked the clock on the wall and gasped. "Oh, I better get to class. It was nice meeting you, Soren," Yuugi said as he left the infirmary.

"See you late, Yuugi," the boy said weakly.

As Yuugi was leaving the phone rang in the nurse's personal office. Yuugi looked around and noticed no one where there, and it could be important. He would just pick up the phone, ask for the message and give it to the nurse later. Yuugi nodded and went to pick it up.

"Hello? This is the nurse's office, student speaking."

He heard an electronic hiss. Then there was a click, and in the static he seemed to hear a low whispering in a male voice. It was distorted, drawn out, and there was something weird about the way the syllables were stressed. It sounded like one word whispered over and over.

A as in apple. Then a dragging, hissing sigh: ish. A…ish…

Gibberish.

"Hello?" Yuugi asked again.

The hissing sound again and then a click. In the background he heard something that might have been speech. Like someone muttering right into the receiver so it came out muffled and whispy.

Yuugi slammed the receiver back in its cradle and then ran out the door, passing the nurse on his way.

The speech sounded familiar, but Yuugi couldn't quite pinpoint where he'd heard it before. But none the less, he felt an uneasy feeling settle in his gut; the same feeling he got when he opened THE SHADOW GAME box for the first time.

He had to find his friends, they had to talk, because Yuugi had a horrible feeling that a storm was coming.

-/-

Ranko: And that is it for now! I hope you guys enjoyed it! This chapter was so much fun to write and I have a good feeling about this story!

Yami: What was with the thiefshipping moment?

Ranko: I think that its cute but I'm still 100% tendershipper!

Yuugi: Why was Soren so mean?

Ranko: He's not really like that! You'll see, I have plans for this OC.

Yami: As always, make sure to review. The more reviews Ranko gets the faster she will work on the next chapter and the shorter we have to wait.

Ranko: Stop being a bitch, Yami.

Yuugi: Review, please!