Read the A/N! Dont Skip it!

A/N: Yeah, I know. This is the second time I've taken down my previous YGO story and posted a new one. Well, the reason I took it down this time, would be because it had no plot at all, and I had no idea what I was going to do with it. ._.

I'm not sure if I'll have Nafre, my OC, in this one. I might.

Doubtful, though, even though I have an amazaaaah (LK! 3) plot deal-y for her in the Dartz ark.:3 I'll figure it out. Post your opinions, though, if you want.

Ah, and later on, maybe in a sequel, I don't know for sure, but I WILL make this into a Harry Potter x-over. I just love the idea of the Shadow Mages (Yugi, Malik, Ryou, and their yamis) clashing with the modern magic. I wish there were more of them, just like I wish there were more fem!Yugi. XD

Important: This story is Alternate Universe. That mean I can do whatever the hell I want and you have to suck it up and deal.

Also Important: Yugi is a GIRL in this fic, which, in my opinion, is total win-cakes. Guess who else is a girl? Our favorite she-male, Ryou Bakura! ^.^

Yes, I went there.

The yamis are all the same gender, though. ^.^

Also, there will probably be Anzu bashing. o.o; It wont be to bad, though.

Summary: Yugi Motou was without friends her whole life. But, when she solves the mysterious Sennen Puzzle, she regains lost memories of her past life, and friends who would never abandon her! But, good things always come with a price, and in to form of Sennen Item bearers, past grudges, evil souls, and an ancient evil!

Parings: Yugi x Yami, Ryou x Bakura, Malik x ?, Jounouchi x Mai, Kaiba x Shizuka, Miho x Honda, and if I decide to put her in here, Nafre x ?

Hah! That blue-haired girl Miho that vanished from everyone's mind shall be in this story! Bwahahaha! Take that Kaiba! I screwed the rules better then you ever did with your three Blue Eyes summon in one turn!

Yami/Hikari Speech: Yugi- \Like this\ Yami-/Like This/ Ryou- (Like This) Bakura- ((Like This)) Malik- [Like This] Marik- [[Like This]]

Nafre: Get on with the story!

Yugi: I'm... a girl?

Clockwork Soul: Yes Yug', you is a girl.

Yami: ...Win-cakes.

Clockwork Soul: I know right! =^.^= So Yams will be the Pharaoh, and Yug' the Pharaoh-ette! :D

Yugi: ..Traitorous-

Yami: Now now, Aibou, your supposed to be the hikari! No cussing for you! ^.^

Yugi: And yet, I'm a slightly cold, indifferent girl in this story.

Clockwork Soul: That'll melt. Kind of like Kaiba's heart when he meets a certain nearly-blind Shizuka. ^.^

Kaiba: …

Shizuka: o.o … =^.^=

Jou: Stay away from my sister, Rich Boy!

Kaiba: Make me, Mutt.

Malik: Whew, you nearly made me a girl too, Soul! o.o; Good thing you figured out it wouldn't make much sense if Marik was a boy when he was technically born from me.

Clockwork Soul: Still thinking about it, Ma-chan. I plan on letting the readers have a big say in this.

You hear that, readers? Review whether or not you want Malik Ishtar, our favorite psychopath, to be female and I'll take your votes into account!

Marik: Malik, a girl? ...Mwahahaha! ...Why bold?

Malik: It's for your demonic voice.

Marik: ...Ah.

Nafre: Why not Malik x Marik?

Clockwork Soul: You know I swore to never write Yaoi or Yuri. NOT that I have anything against homosexuals—I have quite a few lesbian/bi/gay friends. I just don't like to write it.

Nafre: Understandable... What about Malik x Nafre? * Wink Hint Wink*

Clockwork Soul: ...May be a bit too Mary Sueish, but I'll think on it.

Nafre: Woot!

Ryou: ...SHE-MALE? I am NOT a she-male!

Bakura: Ahhahahahah!

Clockwork Soul: Sorry, Ry! And, 'Kura-kun, quit laughing at him... her. You'll thank me later.

Clockwork Soul: Anyways... HEY! EVERYONE! Do the disclaimer!

YGO Gang: Clockwork Soul does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! If she did, then Yugi would probably be a girl, because, as stated before, that is just win-cakes. Oh, and she'd hire Little Kuriboh to think up any jokes. And maybe do voices. Except Yami. Because Dan Green is amazaaaah. ^.^

Clockwork Soul: ...This is my longest A/N ever. o.O Ah, well. -Goes back to solving a Rubik's Cube.-

Masks

A Yu-Gi-Oh! Fanfic

By Clockwork Soul

Chapter 1: Echoes of the Past! The First Yami no Game!

~Egypt, The Palace, Unknown Time~

Egypt was burning.

Darkness loomed over the city, the burning buildings giving off the only light, giving the city a horrific beauty. In the darkness, two large red eyes where the only thing noticeable of the monster who did this.

The Pharaoh stared out over his city. He had tri-colored hair that spiked up wildly, black for the most part, but for the ends, which were crimson, like his eyes, with golden bangs, with three golden lightning-like pieces that traveled upwards. A golden, upside down pyramid hung around his neck.

A young woman came up beside him, also, with long tri-colored hair that hung down behind her, hers being black with amethyst tips, and golden bangs that framed her face. She had bright amethyst eyes, and a golden necklace with the Eye of Horus on it hung on her neck.

The Pharaoh opened his mouth to say something, but the woman beat him to it.

"I'm going with you." She said in a soft voice, calm despite the burning city before them. He turned to her, surprised.

"But-"

"No 'buts'. I'm going with you." She turned to him, and smiled, grasping his hand. The Pharaoh sighed and smiled ruefully.

"I never could argue with you, Game."

She chuckled at the nickname, "No, I don't suppose you could, love."

~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 6:30 AM~

Yugi Motou woke with a start as her alarm clock suddenly blared to life. She jumped up and landed in an ungraceful heap on the floor. Her purple sheet flew into the air before falling to the floor, covering her completely.

She groaned, ("My face...") and felt on her desk for the alarm, eventually hitting the button and silencing it. She struggled against the sheet for a moment before tossing it into the air (again) and stood quickly. The sheet fell onto the bed in an odd little way, making it look strangely like her grandfather. (1)

Weird.

She diverted her attention from the sheet and to her mirror. That dream again.., she thought. She looks exactly like the young woman, from her hair to her eyes. She shook her head and ran a hand though her golden bangs before grabbing some clothes and walking out her door to the bathroom.

~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 7:38 AM~

A Yugi clothed in a amethyst shirt with a black leather jacket, black skirt, and black leather boots with amethyst/black striped tights, and various leather buckles ran out of the Kame Game Shop, "Late late late late! I'm gonna be late! Bye Jii-chan!" She grabbed her black/amethyst messenger bag and slung it around her shoulder before leaving.

~Japan, Domino High School, 12:00 PM~

Yugi sighed and sat down at the base of an old tree outside the school, that was a little ways away from the main group. She pulled out a cheese-and-vegetarian-bacon sandwich and a Coke from her bag for lunch. She rummaged around a bit before pulling out a golden box that had hieroglyphics and an Eye of Horus on it. She opened the box to reveal several oddly shaped pieces of gold, and one lump of completed pieces that looked vaguely like the corner of something. "Something you can see... but not see..." She murmured.

She took a drink of her Coke and picked up the completed piece intending to start working on it again. But a hand reached out and grabbed the box before she could pick up a piece. She looked up to see one Jounouchi Katsuya. She groaned inwardly, while outwardly schooling her features into a look of frosty indifference, with an edge of annoyance.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean? 'Something you can see but not see'. Feh."

Yugi twitched slightly, and stood, "Give. It. Back."

He sneered at her, "Yeah, what're you going to do about it? You just sit around playing games, you really need to get out more."

"Didn't you hear her? She said give it back." Yugi swung her icy glare to the newcomer, looking up at Ushio, who towered above both of them. She twitched again.

"What the hell do you want?" She asked, her voice layered in ice. Ushio—the self-proclaimed bodyguard of the bullied. But, in Yugi's eyes, and the eyes of a select few others, he was the true bully. Yugi never considered Jounouchi a true bully, or his friend Honda Hiroto.

She just mainly considered them annoyances. She knew they would never stoop so low as to hit a girl, but Ushio? She was slightly weary of him. He was known to have beat up girls when they didn't live up to his 'bodyguard' fee.

And now it seems like she'd be his next target.

Damnit all.

"To protect you from this bully, of course." Ushio said haughtily, bringing her out of her musings. Yugi crossed her arms and leaned against the tree. Jounouchi shuddered under the gaze of Ushio, and quickly gave Yugi her box back, muttering, "Not worth it.." He quickly vanished from sight. Ushio swung his gaze to her.

"Sorry to inform you, Eyebrow-sama," Yugi said mockingly, as she put the lump of completed pieces inside the box and closed the lid, placing it in her bag, "But I'm not being bullied. Just annoyed." She quickly stalked away, thoroughly put out at how her lunch was ruined.

~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 5:32 PM~

"...'Air Fresheners are Sexy'? What the hell is this title generator on? And where can I get some?" (2)

"'Italians Can Save the Universe'... Damn right they can. Italians are awesome." (3)

"'Quest for The Shins'... Once again, what the hell?"

"'Wet Doughnut'... Huh, now I'm hungry."

Yugi stretched in her desk chair as it rolled away from the laptop and the Random Title Generator that she had looked up for the hell of it. (4) She stood and walked to the kitchen, where her grandfather was. She moaned dramatically, "Foooood... Must... Eat..!" Sugoroku laughed and pushed over a plate of leftover salad. She grinned and dug in happily.

~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 9:12 PM~

Yugi walked into her room, shutting the door behind her. She quickly dug out the golden box she had at lunch, and set it on the table. She stared at the box for a moment, reading the hieroglyphs like her grandfather taught her to.

'Whoever solves this shall inherit my dark knowledge and power.'

The Sennen Puzzle. The Gods Puzzle. The Millennium Puzzle.

From ancient Egypt, the Sennen Puzzle was found in the tomb of the Nameless Pharaoh, by her grandfather. Some time later, he gave it to her on her birthday when she was seven, and its been eight years. She was 15 now.

She sighed and removed the lid from the box, setting to work on the Puzzle once again, her mind wandering.

She had never told anyone exactly why she worked so hard on the Puzzle. Her main reason, was because her grandfather told her something, the day he gave it to her.

"Here you go, Yugi-chan! It's an ancient game!"

"Really, Jii-chan!"

"Haha, yep! But there's a catch!"

"Oh?"

"If you solve this, you might just get your wish granted!"

"Really!"

The memory echoed in her head.

The Wish.

For some reason, she still believed that. Maybe it's just exactly what her wish was.

She wanted a friend.

A true friend.

She'd never had one.

Before, she was a kind, sweet, innocent, light-filled girl. But people always picked on her, deemed her weak and everyone who didn't avoided her because of the bullies. Eventually, no one tried anymore, and she grew up alone.

She had turned to games for solace, and found she was a master at any type, strategy games more then others. But, as she grew older, she started to put up a mask. One of cold indifference and Gothic tendencies. She started wearing less bright colors and more black. The next time anyone even attempted to pick on her, they'd hit a solid wall of ice and insults.

And yet, she longed to destroy that mask, she really did. It was against her nature, which was kind and gentle. She was a vegetarian, even—she hated to hurt anything! But, she knew that if she did, it would be more harm then good.

So her wish?

She wished for a true friend, one who could destroy that mask. One who would always be there.

Suddenly, light exploded in the room. She looked down in shock at the completed Puzzle. It was in the shape of a golden, upside-down pyramid, with the Eye of Horus on the front, and a loop on the top.

She'd done it...

~Unknown Place, Unknown Time~

Yugi groaned as she sat up in a bright room. She glanced around.

It had white walls and amethyst carpet. Games of all types were scattered on the floor, and a large bookshelf full of books dominated one wall. A black door that had a strange, ice-blue mask on it was directly opposite of her. She was sitting on a decently sized bed with white sheets. Opposite of the bookshelf, was a row of pictures, all empty except one, which surprisingly had her grandfather in it.

It all seemed... very familiar, yet she knew she had never seen this room before. Her attention went back to the black door with the mask on it. She stood up and walked tentatively toward it. She stared at the mask for a moment before opening the door slowly.

She was met immediately with the sight of another door. This was was made of metal, and had the golden Egyptian Eye of Horus on it, with gold veins pointing toward the Eye. The light from her room spilled out into the hallway, forcing the shadows back.

The door across from her creaked slightly as it opened, darkness pouring out and clashing magnificently with the light from her room, before the two seemed to coil around each other calmly. But Yugi was to busy to notice this, as she was currently staring into familiar crimson eyes.

He is... exactly... Exactly! Like the man in my dreams...

The man across from her did indeed look exactly like him, from his hair to his eyes. He was wearing a black shirt, with leather pants, shoes, and jacket. He was staring at her, just as astounded as she. She was the first to speak.

"...I... know you... Who are you?" He continued to stare at her, before speaking in a deep baritone.

"I... do not remember... But, I know you, too... Who are you?"

"...Yugi."

She watched as a spark of recognition flashed in his eyes as they widened, "Yugi... Game..." He murmured, raising his hand and catching one of her gold bangs between his fingers, "I... remember... vaguely.."

He watched as that same spark of recognition flashed in her eyes as he mentioned the nickname. She lifted her own hand and put it over his, "I... I remember... too... but.. I still don't know your name... Why can't I remember your name?" She muttered, closing her eyes as a strange feeling of sadness washed over her, and flashes of memory passed by in her head.

"My name is Yugi, my prince." She said, bowing slightly.

The prince smiled, "Yugi? Nice name. I take it you like games?"

She smiled brightly, "Quite so. Do you?"

"Yes. Want to play a game?" Yugi grinned, always ready for a challenge.

"...Why is it that you always manage to beat me, Game?" He moaned as she beat him, yet again.

"Well, maybe its your lack of strategy, skill, and my own Ra-blessed skill." She said, smirking.

"Seems my little Game is modest." He deadpanned.

"Yep." She laughed, him joining in soon afterward.

"..Game?"

"Neh.." She groaned as she cracked open an eye, looking at him as he laid next to her on the grass, "What?"

"...Thanks.." She blinked at him.

"For what?"

"For not liking me just because I'm the prince."

She rolled her eyes at him and rolled over, laying on her side, her head on his arm, "Well, your welcome."

He chuckled and pulled her closer. She leaned up and placed a light kiss on his lips.

Yugi stood there, staring at him, tears falling down her face as the memories flashed by. Her eyes widened as he pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her. She wrapped her own arms around him, and somehow, it felt right.

"I'm sorry.." She muttered into his shirt. He smiled, even though she couldn't see it.

"And why, pray tell, are you sorry?"

"...I cant remember your name..." She didn't know why that bothered her so much.

"Don't be," He said bluntly, "I cant remember it either. But... You may call me Yami."

"Yami... Oddly, I think it fits." The newly dubbed Yami laughed.

~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 9:16 PM~

Yugi gasped and jerked up straight as she returned from their 'soul rooms' as Yami had called it. She glanced at the clock, expecting it to be hours later, but, surprisingly, it read only four minutes later.

Strange, it felt like they had talked for hours.

Yami had explained all he knew, which, admittedly, wasn't much. Mostly, he knew only darkness from his time in the Puzzle. He, like her, remembered only flashes of his past.

He remembered all about the Shadows, though, an ancient, almost sentient magic that was used by the higher-ups of Egypt. You could play games using them, called the Yami no Games, or Shadow Games, where if you cheated, you immediately got a Penalty Game. These could be minor or full-blown tearing apart of the soul, and the one who called the Yami no Game would be the one to choose the Penalty Game if they cheated (For those who know enough about the Shadows to call the Game usually know not to cheat, unless they are just foolish), or the victor of the Game would chose, which, admittedly, was usually the one who called the game.

In a Shadow Game, you could use it to A) Judge a persons soul, as it was normally used, as the Game brought out a persons darkness, B) Bet. These could range from small bets, like a piece of candy, or large bets, like a persons soul, or C) They could be used to battle fairly. It was in these battles that the loser normally faces a Penalty Game, depending on the nature of the Shadow Game and the victor. The Shadows have also been known to protect and help their masters using a more tangible form of the magic, allowing things such as manipulation of shadows and transportation though their realm, known as the Shadow Realm, which, is very dangerous to mortals, unless you are, as Yami called it, a Shadow Mage.

Apparently, Yami was the prince of Egypt, later to be the Pharaoh, and she his lover. That sounded right, to her, as her own snatches of memories and dreams she'd had in the past told her that. She had (unhelpfully) supplied that her grandfather thought the Puzzle was as old as 3000 years old.

That really didn't explain why she was there, though.

/Reincarnation, maybe?/

Yugi jumped at the sound of Yami's voice in her head. He laughed, /Relax, Game. I can hear your thoughts, and you can hear mine./

\...I'm not very reassured by that.\ She felt him mentally smirk—which, by the way, was weird. \Anyways.. Reincarnation? You really think that I'm the reincarnation of your lover?\

/It makes sense./

She sighed and wilted, her head dropping onto the desk. \I'm sorry... This is just... a lot to take in. A 3000 plus year old spirit stuck in my Puzzle, voices in my head, strange memories, and me being a reincarnation. Stuff like this doesn't exist now!\

He was quiet for a minute, before he mentally smiled, /Hey, why don't you show me your world, Game? I gathered a lot from your memories, but its all very strange./

She smiled, and fished out a rope, looping it through the Puzzle's loop and tieing it around her neck, \Alright... Wait, you.. went through my memories?\

The only response was laughter.

~Japan, Kame Game Shop, 10:40 PM~

And so, after one vacuum cleaner, blender, and a car sent to the Shadow Realm later, Yugi sat, doing the classic 'Facepalm'.

\...Why?\

/...Hey! Don't blame me! That Ra-forsaken vacuum... And the blender... And the damn car! I just touched it! But nooo... It had to blare its horn.../

Yugi rolled her eyes and sighed as he continued to rant. They had found out that Yami could take over her body, which annoyed her to no end. He could also appear in a 'spirit form', which was invisible to everyone but her, and, last but not least, with her help, he could form a temporary body from her own shadow. This, however, drained them both immensely, and forced them to come home since her legs felt extremely weak after he vanished suddenly after about 30 minutes. Yami had said that it would just take practice to have it last longer.

/...and, really, who would want to get near one of the things, anyway?/

\Yami.\

/They're loud and- Yes?/

\Get over it.\

A pause. Then a sigh.

/Sorry./ He said sheepishly, appearing in spirit form, sitting on her desk. He glanced over at the clock and gave her a mental nudge, /You should sleep. You have that 'school' in the morning./

She sighed and nodded, taking off the Puzzle and moving to stash it under her bed. Yami blinked, /What are you doing?/

She gave him a pointed look, \I am not undressing in front of you.\ She smirked as he blushed and disappeared. She quickly put on her black pajamas and retrieved the Puzzle, Yami reappearing soon afterward. She clambered into bed, setting the Puzzle next to her. She started as she felt someone wrap ghostly arms around her waist. Feeling heat rise to her cheeks in a light blush, she turned her head to see Yami, still ghostly, yet using his magic to make a more tangible body.

\...Y- Yami?\

/Go to sleep, Game. I'll be here, always./ He murmured, pulling her closer. She smiled and turned, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her own arms around him.

\...Thank you...\

It seems her wish actually came true.

~Japan, Just Outside Domino High, 3:30 PM~

\...I'm worried.\ Yugi mentally stated, her worry leaking though their link. Yami, who had been walking beside her in spirit form, admiring the various modern things, while Yugi sent him the various description and using of the things, turned to her.

/What's wrong, Game?/

Yugi chewed her lip thoughtfully as she glanced around, worry crossing over her icy mask briefly. That mask had caused Yami to worry, only intensified by how she acted at school. He knew she was a very light-filled person, in both past and present. 'Must have something to do with her black door and that mask in her soul room,' He thought to himself, wondering briefly what he could do to fix that.

\Jounouchi and Honda\ she said, pulling him out of his thoughts, \They weren't here..\

Yami growled, /Those two who pick on you? Why do you care about them?/

Yugi sent a glare his way, about to reply, when another voice spoke up.

"Yugi Motou!"

She turned to see Ushio standing at the mouth of an alleyway. She paled, something Ushio missed, but Yami did not. Ushio continued, "Come with me, I have something to show you.." He turned and walked down the ally in a confident stride. She frowned and stalked after him, pausing for a moment as Yami's ghostly hand grasped hers.

/Yugi. Don't go. Its probably some sort of trap./

\I'm not dumb, Yami. But it's not me I'm worried about.\

She continued forward, her hand still in his. They rounded the corner, only to stop dead in their tracks. Yugi gasped. \...That's why I was worried...\ She said weakly.

Ushio stood with a cocky smirk, as Jounouchi and Honda sat up against the wall, battered and bloodied. Honda looked on the verge of unconsciousness as he leaned against Jounouchi, who cracked an eye open at her arrival.

"...Yugi... Run... You know what he... does... with his bodyguard ruse..." He muttered out weakly.

"Jounouchi! Honda!" She yelled as she ran toward them, dropping on her knees before them. Yami growled and followed, standing between Ushio and Yugi, even though the former couldn't see him. He immediately called the Shadows just in case, and the alley darkened slightly.

"Like my little surprise, Motou?" He sneered. Yugi growled and turned on him, standing up.

"Like? Like?" She said, her voice dangerously low, "I don't like this one bit, Ushio."

"I'm afraid that doesn't matter, Motou. Because, you see, me being your bodyguard comes with a price." Ushio stated, a triumphant smirk on his face, "This should cost you about ¥200,000."

Yugi's shadow seemed to split, something only Jounouchi noticed. His eyes widened as the two shadows moved apart from each other, despite there being no other light source. One looked the same as her regular shadow, the other looking male, with spiked up hair. This one moved so that it was directly in front of Yugi, the other moving slightly behind her.

"Please. As if I would even consider paying your sorry ass for something I never agreed to!" Yugi spat, while on the inside she—and, by extension, Yami—knew what this comment would spark, and they were gathering up the Shadow magic needed for what Yami had planned. Yugi was slightly against it, but, Ushio did deserve it. She ignored the way her shadow had split, and the very faint glimmer of the Puzzle and Eye of Horus on her forehead. Thankfully, Ushio didn't see anything odd.

The rule enforcing hall monitor scowled, "Well then, I suppose you'll just have to pay up another way!" He pulled back his hand, intending to slap her.

Bad idea.

The glow from the Eye of Horus and the Puzzle suddenly spiked, glimmering brightly. At the same time, Jounouchi saw, the same Eye glowed on the shadow in front of Yugi. Then, a mass of shadows burst forth from it, and wrapped around Ushio's wrist, stopping him.

The shadow grew up, forming the shape of a man, the Eye of Horus glowing brightly on his forehead. The shadows condensed briefly before seeming to melt away from the figure and making a shadow of his own. Yami stood there, his hand still holding Ushio's wrist, glaring.

"You dare to try to hurt my light?" He asked darkly, "I'll send you straight to darkness!"

Ushio trembled slightly, despite the fact that he towered over the irate dark. There was just something about him that made Ushio fear him—whether it was the fact that his crimson eyes seemed to have a fiery darkness, or the fact that he had appeared from freaking shadows! He wasn't sure.

The shadows sprang up again, covering Ushio's form before he had time to blink. In a few seconds, he was gone. Yami turned to Yugi and smirked, "Want to come play too, Game?" He said, "I know you want to see a Shadow Game."

Yugi bit her lip and glanced back at Jounouchi, who was staring mouth agape—Honda was out cold. She kneeled before him, her mask cast aside as concern entered her eyes. "Jounouchi, will you be okay if I call an ambulance? I have to go make sure Yami doesn't go too far. I swear I'll explain everything later."

He swallowed the lump in his throat and glanced over at Yami before answering, "..Yeah.. We'll be fine, Yugi, but you have to explain later!" Yugi nodded and quickly called an ambulance before standing. Yami came up behind her as Jounouchi said one more thing, "And.. Yugi... Thanks, for standing up for us..."

Then she did something he never would have expected from the Ice Queen of Domino High; she smiled brightly. "Don't worry about it, Jounouchi," She said as Yami wrapped his arms around her waist and shadows started to rise around them, "You would have done the same for me!"

And they were gone.

~Shadow Realm~

Ushio had no idea where he was. All he knew was that there was a twisting void of black, purple, and deep blue around him. He jumped as they rose up suddenly, and Yugi and Yami emerged from them, The Eye of Horus still on their foreheads. Yugi wore a slightly disapproving look, yet her eyes betrayed her excitement.

"What the hell are you?" Ushio demanded, "Where the hell am I?"

Yami smirked, "Me? Why, I'm just a yami, protecting my hikari. As for where we are, that would be the Shadow Realm, and now you shall be judged in a Yami no Game."

Ushio snorted, his voice braver then he felt, "'Yami no Game'? As if I'd play a game with you freaks."

"Oh? But we went to the trouble of getting ¥400,000 just for you, too..." Yami said, holding up a wad of bills they had grabbed from the game shop before they entered the Shadow Realm, "And if you win the Game, you'll get double the money you asked for..." He thumbed through the bills invitingly.

Ushio's greed outweighed any common sense. He grinned, "Fine then, if you want to lose money that badly."

Yami smirked and Yugi sighed. The shadows between them rose up, forming a table and three chairs. Yugi spoke up for the first time, "Alright Eyebrows, here's the rules." She plucked the money from Yami and held it up, "You take the money and place it over the top of your hand," She did so, palm down, "And you stab it with that little knife in your pocket. You keep what you get. You hit your hand, you lose and face a Penalty Game. You cheat you face an even worse Penalty Game, and forfeit all money." She raised an eyebrow at them, tossing the money back to Yami, "I'm not playing." She sat down and leaned back, crossing her arms. Yami and Ushio followed.

The Game didn't last very long.

Ushio's strength eventually got the better of him, and he disregarded Yugi's warnings about cheating. "Feh, I can get all the money and not hit my hand!" He yelled as he pulled back the knife, intending to throw it at Yami.

Yami just chuckled darkly and the shadows rose up behind Ushio, unnoticed.

"The Door of Darkness has opened."

Ushio gasped as his chair turned into a mass of shadows, and the ones behind him grabbed his arms, stopping his movements, "I should just out right punish you as the Laws of the Shadows say, yet Yugi wishes to give you a chance. And the Illusion of Greed would really be more of a blessing than punishment to you…"

Yami reached his hand forward and pointed it at Ushio. "You greed for money at the expense of others and thus your lesson will be this: Poverty! From this day on money will turn into dirt in your hand and those who are rich will turn poor in your eyes. You will see the decay and destruction of things you want the most..."

Yugi picked up now, "...And if you do not learn, then you shall be punished."

The Shadows enveloped Ushio and he vanished.

~Japan, The Hospital, 4:20 PM~

Jounouchi was sitting on a hospital bed, despite how much he really didn't want to be there. The reason why he was still there: Honda. He was in a bed next to him, with an ice pack on his head and covering his eyes, and another on one of his ribs.

Honda had gotten a worse beating then he had, getting a light concussion, and a fractured rib. It wasn't to bad, but the doctors insisted they stay there for a while longer, just in case Honda had some internal damage, despite the fact that he had insisted he was fine.

He had told Honda everything once his headache had subsided, thanks to some handy pain medication. Honda at first, naturally, didn't believe him, but once Jounouchi had asked him why he would lie about this, he fell silent and pondered it.

Jounouchi glanced around wearily, noting that in the shadows two violet eyes peered back at him.

Wait. Backtrack.

Eyes?

His eyes snapped to the others, who glanced at the closed door to their room before stepping into the light.

"Y- Yugi?" He stammered, and Honda removed the ice pack from his eyes before sitting up carefully.

Yugi smiled, looking distinctly tired, "Hey. I came to explain, as I promised." She sat thankfully in a chair, yawning.

"You look terrible." Honda noted.

Yugi sighed, "Yeah, well, calling the Shadows like we did cost a lot of energy." She sighed again, realizing both that she had to explain everything, and that she'd been sighing a lot lately.

"Alright... That guy who came from my shadow? His name is Yami." She began, and the two gave her their undivided attention. She held up her Puzzle, "This is the Sennen Puzzle. You remember that gold box, Jounouchi?" She asked, looking at him. He flinched slightly.

"Er... Yeah... So er- you completed it?" He asked lamely, scratching the back of his neck and looking to the side with a guilty expression.

Yugi smiled at him, "I forgive you, Jounouchi. Both of you." They stared at her in surprise.

"W- what? Why? After all we've done to you.." Honda said, looking away.

"...I never really held it against you... You weren't the worst ones, even."

Jounouchi felt extremely guilty right then. She was forgiving them? Why? She even stood up for them! And she never fought back all those times they picked on her, either... He clenched the bed sheet he was sitting on and looked up at Yugi with determination on his face, and a glint in his eyes.

"Yugi. I have a riddle for you. What can you see, but not see?" She looked at him, surprised.

"My answer would be a puzzle, but that is not your answer, is it?" She asked softly.

Jounouchi grinned and shook his head, "Nope! Its friendship! You can see us, but you can't see our friendship!"

Yugi blinked at him for a moment, before lowering her head, shoulders shaking. Jounouchi panicked, thinking he might have upset her, "N- no, don't-" He was cut off as Yugi threw her head back and laughed joyously.

"Oh, to think," she said as her laughter subsided somewhat, "My first friends would be with you two!" She giggled, eyes bright, "Irony is hilarious, really." She shook her head and smiled brightly at the two, "Thank you."

Honda and Jounouchi were floored. This was the Ice Queen of Domino High? She acted so different out of school, it made them think this was an impostor at first. Then a thought struck them: What if it was a mask? Put up because she had no one. This thought, and her previous statement of them being her first friends, hardened their resolve to be her protectors and best friends. Their guilt also increased, reminding them that it was they who just made it harder for her.

They grinned at her and stated in unison, "Anytime, Yugi!"

~Yami no Linebreak!~

A/N: Oh... my... Ra... That was fun!

And this is the longest chapter I've ever written! About seven and a half pages and 5327 words, not counting the A/N! Damn. I was going to make it two chapters, but it felt better making it just one.

Yeah, this one feels better then all my other Yu-Gi-Oh! stories. It actually has a plot line! Yay! And, remember!

Vote in your reviews for whether you want Malik to be female, my OC to be in this, and, if so, if you think she should be paired up with Malik since I have absolutely no idea who he should be paired up with! If you have an idea, and don't want him paired up with an OC, then post your opinions!

Now, I shall go read up on my Yu-Gi-Oh! manga, especially for Season 0.

(1)- This happened to me, once, at a friends house. She laughed herself silly when she woke up to find me on the floor.

(2)- My exact reaction. XD

(3)- Italians rock. You know its true!

(4)- Yeah, these were what I got when I was looking for a title for this story on a title generator. As you can see, none of them... ah... fit.