The Shadow Games Return: Part I

The Abandoned Dorm, a forbidden place as per the rules at Duel Academy, and a spooky one at that. It wasn't like any of the dorms today, heck if it was still a verified, living dorm people would be ecstatic to live at least in the Slifer Red Dorm. It was a large, run-down building with boards over the windows and the front door broken open. As lonely as the place was, one person frequently visited since she came to the island. That person was Alexis Rhodes. She walked through the trees and stopped right at the wall and 'Do not enter' sign. Next, she laid down a red rose at base of the wall and prayed...
"Be at peace brother, wherever you are..."
----Next day after class, Claudio visited the card shack when heard about a new shipment of assorted cards. After the fiasco with the rare cards on exam day, he went to see if they had some packs for him. And with the duel points he racked up, he could buy himself another deck for all he cared. He settled on some new packs, hoping for some new cards as extra support for his deck.
"Let's see what these packs got for me..." Claudio muttered as he searched through the deck. "Hmm, some of these warriors could help out, but they are not exactly compatible to the monster cards." He skimmed through the next pack, "Hey, some field spells and some new traps!? Hello!" He felt extra pleased with the field spells, they actually looked like concert stages. As for the traps he got some decent ones, some summoning and destroying ones.
"Got any new cards lately?" He heard Melody's voice behind him.
"Yup, and check out these field spells!" Claudio showed her the cards.
"It's a shame you didn't have those; you would feel right at home performing with those cards." Melody said.
"Yeah, they'll be tricky to use as well, since they affect my side of the field as well." Claudio thought out loud. "Such as the power of a field spell."
"You'll be fine." Melody said patting him on the back. "Time to go get some packs, wait here!" She ran off to the shelves, grabbing what she could find.
'Wow, look at her go.' Claudio thought as she took a whole box of packs and bought them. When she returned to her friend, she was carrying them with another package. "Where did that come from?"
"Oh, my mom sent me some winter clothes." Melody said. "Guess I'm staying around when winter break rolls through."
"Maybe she could visit on Christmas?" Claudio added. "You know, I'll carry the package to your room; looks like you got some trouble holding them."
"Thanks!" She threw him the package, but when Claudio caught it, HE had more trouble carrying it. "Whoa! You must have a whole wardrobe in here!"
"Suck it up!" Melody shouted, startling the Jukebox Hero duelist. "Now, let's go!"
'Okay, when did she get so scary?' Claudio thought as he walked after her, struggling with the package.
----It took about a half hour to get to Melody's dorm room, turns out she lived right at the same dorm building. Since there were a limited number of girls in Ra Yellow with no girls' dorm of the Yellow, they gave her a room at the top floor of the building.
"Here we are!" She said as she unlocked the door to her room. It was a little wider than the boys' floor rooms, but it basically had the same essentials. Claudio was happy to put the 'heavy' package down on her bed, and took the time to look around. Melody had decorated the room with posters of some famous spellcasters; no doubt the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl were present, there was also a young girl in white and blue clothing with a background of an older woman version of the girl. Even a poster of the Magician of Faith was present and twins girls with one in a white dress and the other in a black one. He then turned his attention to a picture frame of Melody in a blue dress with her parents. Her father was a tall, black-haired man in a white dress shirt and khaki pants. Her mother was like the older version Melody, having blonde hair and in a yellow dress under a white apron.
"Happy family, huh?" Claudio asked his friend. Melody smiled at the picture.
"Yup, my loving parents!" She replied cheerfully.
"Now I actually know where you got the good looks from!" He added, jokingly. Melody blushed and tried to look angry with her hand on her hips.
"I don't whether you're hitting on me or my mom!" She said. "But cut it out!"
"Sorry, sorry..." He said, trying to raise his hands in defense. He turned his attention to the posters, to change the subject. "Very nice posters, you got here. I can imagine some of these cards in your deck."
"Yeah, but not all of them." Melody replied. "But, I know how to make the most of what I got!"
"I'll say; I heard from Bastion, that after his field test duel; you had completely locked your opponent to surrender!" Claudio exclaimed. "And hardly anyone does surrender the duel."
"Oh, he told you that?" Melody suddenly felt bashful from the praise. "I could've sworn I told him not, too!"
"Why's that?"
"I wanted to tell! Now that brainy blabbermouth spoiled how I won my duel!" She then heard Claudio started laughing and hit him in left arm. "Don't laugh!"
"Sorry, but 'brainy blabbermouth?'" Claudio said, holding his arm. "That's funny!" Melody then started laughing as well, seeing that he wasn't laughing at her reaction to Bastion spoiling her duel. Claudio then returned to his room, but then got an idea... "I wonder what Hero boy and his red man friends are doing?" He took his guitar and went over to the Slifer house to visit.
----At the Slifer dorm's mess hall Jaden, Syrus and Chumley were telling ghost stories and when Claudio showed up they brought him along for a scary one, or at least as scary as they could...
"I went out into the woods, and underneath the full moon, I see a path leading to a cavern that seems… abandoned!" Syrus said taking his turn.
"Oh really?" Jaden asked interested. "And then what?"
"Then at the back of the cavern I see a mysterious lake. So I go in to look very carefully. And under just the right angle of light, at the very bottom of the lake beyond my reflection, I see a rare and powerful card. Naturally, I go to get it, but when I reach out for it… an arm shoots out of the water, grabs me, and begins to PULL ME INTO THE LAKE! AAAAAHHHHHHHH! HELP ME, NOT THE WATER, NOT THE WATER!"
Apparently Syrus had gotten so into his story that he thought he was living it out.
"Water's not so scary," Jaden said.
"Not even dirty swampy water?" Syrus asked. Claudio shook his head. Syrus sighed, "You're right, only a chump would be afraid of a story like that," he said unaware that Chumley had taken a position in the far corner of the room.
"Still, good story," Jaden said picking up a four-star monster called Earthbound Spirit. "Mid-level scares for a mid-level card." The rules were you had to tell a scary story depending on the level of the monster was. "Your turn, Claudio."
"Here goes..." Claudio shuffled the deck and drew a monster of seven stars; Hyozanryu. "Hmm, maybe this story will work; but I'm not sure it fits the appropriate level."
"Just go with it, man." Jaden urged him on.
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid..." Chumley started chanting as he was coming back from the corner.
"Uh, c-come on, how s-scary a story this could be?" Syrus asked, trying to convince himself not to be scared either.
"Well here goes, and to sweeten the pot," Claudio picked up his guitar. "Some music to go along with it!"
"Alright! After seeing you play during your duel before I had to duel Chazz, this'll be sweet!" Jaden exclaimed.
"Not scary music, too!" Chumley started cowering back at that corner.
(Play Mr. Crowley by Ozzy Osbourne)
"It started when a young woman was trekking through the snow, alone. Why do you ask? Her lover thought she was a traitor to their army, and cast her aside. She felt heartbroken, like the whole world came crashing down. Her travels led to a dark castle with a gothic look to it. Candles lit area up so as if the ceiling and walls were stained red. Once in, she found what she was looking for: a lake filled with dark water..."
"Oh come on, it's like my story!" Syrus interrupted.
"There may be something else about that water, right Claudio?"
"Right. It was filled with dark power that could make you strong, but also drive you insane. The army betrayed her because of her lineage that tied in with it. The woman thought, 'They're so dead set that I'm a part of this lake, may as well give them what they want.' And so, driven in despair, she dove right in. At first she felt nothing, just floating there, but it turned out there was more; black mist tentacles grabbed and tried to pull her deeper into the lake. The woman struggled, but it was all in vain as she drowned." Syrus and Chumley were freaked by this. "But the worst part of it was, as the woman drowned, the lake spawned a darker version of her and used to lure others into the lake. Pretty soon, she had her own army: The Drowning Doom."
(End music)
"That story was well worth 7 stars!" Jaden said, slapping Claudio on the back. "Way awesome and with the right music, too!"
"Thanks, how you guys..." The Ra turned to see Chumley hiding face in his hands and Syrus hiding under the desk. "... Guess I had the scariest one yet."
"I only hope I can get a high number so I can tell a story like…" But the card Jaden drew was Sinister Serpent, a weak one-star monster.
"Aww, you lucked out," Syrus said, coming out from under the table. "You don't have to scare us at all." Chumley also walked back to the table.
"Well, I think I have a story that might do the trick," Jaden said putting the card down. "Actually, it's more of a memory. Back when I was a little kid, I used to hear sounds, but I only hear them way late at night. I think I was dreaming, but then… I heard them… they sounded like voices, but not ones that I recognized. I would go into the playroom to investigate but when I did, there was nothing there at all… except my cards."
"And…?"
"And that's the end of the story."
Syrus and Chumley groaned. Claudio shrugged; at least the story fit the level
"But want to hear something strange?" Jaden asked. "Lately, I started hearing them again."
'I wonder, Claudio thought. I've been hearing the monsters in my deck, but lately I'm hearing more than just them as well...
"HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" A laugh came from behind Jaden. "I want to get in on the fright fest!"
It was only Professor Banner and Pharaoh.
"GYAH!" Syrus and Claudio fell out of their seats.
"You… you just did." Claudio said, getting up.
"Yeah, we're kind of on the edge of our seats here." Jaden added.
"Or we were." Syrus added. Chumley had went back to the corner again, cowering. "But since you're here, why don't you draw a card, the tougher it is, the scarier it is."
"Well that sounds easy enough." Banner drew a card.
It was the Five Headed Dragon, and it had the highest level possible!
"Level 12?!" Claudio said. "Get ready to have nightmares, boys!"
"I think I'm going to go to bed now," Syrus said.
"But don't you want to hear about the abandoned dorm?"
"Abandoned dorm?" Jaden, Syrus, and Claudio all asked.
Banner pulled up a chair and sat down. "Did you know that there are actually four dorms on the island?" The boys shook their heads. "You only know of the three named after the Egyptian God Monsters, but back when this school was first constructed, a special fourth dorm was created. This dorm was made for those who were as good as Obelisk Blue but without the rudeness and snobbery. In fact, it was called the Millennium house."
"Really?" The boys asked.
Banner nodded. "Nobody talks about it anymore. Because they shut it down because several students started to go missing."
"Where did they go?" Syrus asked.
"Well that's the mystery of it." Banner replied. "But rumor was it had something to do with Shadow Games."
"Shadow Games?" Claudio asked. "Why does that ring a bell to me?"
"Thanks, you can stop now." Chumley pleaded from behind another table.
"You see, children, Shadow Games are duels that are played with mystical objects called Millennium Items. Claudio, this is what we discussed in class today, remember?"
"Oh yeah; the game of duel monsters started it in Ancient Egypt."
"That's correct, but the Egyptians, their form of dueling was in Shadow Games. And if you lost, you got sent to the Shadow Realm, a mystical place that feeds on the darkness and fear of those who enter it. According to legend, Shadow Duels were very lethal and some even led to deaths."
"And what does this have to do with the abandoned dorm?" Jaden asked.
"The dorm being called the Millennium House?" Claudio asked the Professor.
"Correct, it was originally built to study the Millennium Items and the Shadow Games. But then a team of researchers also started disappearing, so the rest were afraid that investigating it would lead to them being trapped forever in the Shadow Realm. When Kaiba Corporation first established this school, they made it into a dorm, but then the students who roomed their disappeared as well so they shut it down."
"Come on." Jaden said dismissively. "Millennium Items, Shadow Games, this stuff can't possibly be true."
Banner chuckled and adjusted his glasses, "Well that's what most people say, but as the saying goes, in every fable exists a grain of truth." Pharaoh yawned. "Well I think that's my cue to get back to my room, good night, Children." Banner left out the door.
"Good night, Professor." Jaden, Claudio, and Syrus said.
"I guess it must be that rundown building that was X-ed out on this map." Claudio said, pulling out his Pilot.
"Sweet." Jaden said. "Then you can lead the way for us tomorrow night."
"What do you mean tomorrow night?" Syrus asked.
"What do you mean us?" Chumley threw in.
"It'll be fun." Jaden said. "We might even find out what happened to all those missing people."
----Dr. Crowler heard the entire thing from outside. "This is just the opportunity I've been waiting for," he said excitedly. "I think it's time the Shadow Games make a comeback, Millennium Items and all." He walked away thinking of just the person to enlist...
----In a dark alleyway in Domino City, a duel was just about to wrap up with one of the participants scared out of his mind. "Okay, you win, just take whatever you want and go!"
"What I want." The metal masked man in a trench coat wearing a duel harness similar to Crowler's but the tray on his sleeve, "Is your soul!" He held up a gold-colored upside down pyramid with a single eye at the center. It suddenly started glowing gold as the opponent protested again...
"Please show some mercy! Let me go!"
The man just looked on emotionlessly as the pyramid spread around the scared man. "Some mercy? What is that?" The gold light turned white as the opponent screamed and fell over, scattering the cards in his deck. "Rest in peace; in the shadows." As he went up to make sure his opponent was down and out, his cell phone rang. "Speak." The person on the phone spoke some details. "Duel Academy, tomorrow night… I'll be there." He hung up the phone and smirked.
"Hey boss, another job?" Another person in a black coat and with a blindfold on appeared.
"Indeed it there is." The trench coat wearing man replied. "In fact, there might some be some fun for the both of us..."
----The next day during class, Jaden and Syrus slept the day away as Banner gave his next class. Unaware that Crowler was peeking in on them.
'This will be the last time you sleep in on a class, Silfer Slacker!' Crowler thought. 'But you'll have your real lesson... on the Shadow Games!'
----Later that night Crowler stood alone on the docks next to the lighthouse, waiting. After an eternity of waiting, he was about to give up when he heard footsteps behind him. He turned around and saw a person in black standing a few feet away from him.
One of these people was a tall man in a black trench coat and a wide brimmed hat, Crowler looked back to the man, "So you're the one they called the Shadow Duelist?" he asked.
The tall man smirked, "My opponent's call me many things, but most of them are hard to discern through their shrieks of horror. What's the job?" he asked as a fog appeared around them.
Crowler smiled as he informed him of the work, "I want you to frighten someone so intensely, he'll leave this island and never come back! Are you up to the challenge?"
"Of course I am!" The shadow duelist replied. "I never turn my back on a challenge, neither does my underling..."
"Underling?" Crowler asked, but then felt a hand on his shoulder and tensed up. When he turned around, he saw another person through the fog wearing a blindfold.
"Hello!"
"AAAHH!" Crowler shrieked as he hid behind the shadow duelist. "W-Who's that!?"
"Allow me to introduce my associate, Striker."
"Uh... yes well, who do I make the check out to?"
"Titan," The shadow duelist replied. "And we'll make sure this someone faces the terror of the Shadow Realm!" The fog disappeared, taking the hired men with them.
"I know I'm getting my money's worth if he has help." Crowler said as he left.
----"You know, you could think of it as being lost, or you could think of it as us finding a few places where it's not..."
"How did I get into this mess again?" The four Slifers and Ra boys had traveled through a forest in search of the abandoned dorm. "We've been 'finding' a lot of places for almost an hour."
"Well it could be worse, ya know," Chumley thought out loud. "Well, worse for Syrus anyway."
"Like how?" Claudio asked.
"We could find a large puddle of dirty swamp water..." Chumley taunted the younger one.
Syrus glared at him. "Shut up! Chumley, you're the one who refused to take a bath last night because you were scared of the bath water!"
"Man, is that what reeks?" Claudio asked while holding his nose, looking disgusted. "I thought he had some spoiled grilled cheese on his breath."
"Hey, don't make fun of how I save my grilled cheese, you Ra!" Chumley said, feeling offended.
"Chill man, I'm not like those guys who thinks he's better than everybody." Claudio protested. "I just play the game."
"Hey guys...check it out," Jaden aimed his flashlight ahead of them. They looked ahead to see a rose lying on the ground in front of a wall.
Syrus tugged at Jaden's sleeve, "Look what's behind it..." Jaden looked up to see a run-down building with boards and debris everywhere,
"The old dorm!"
Chumley moved behind the rest of the boys, "And it probably got lots of ghosts in there, too..."
"Relax, Chumley...no one's here." Jaden assured him.
Claudio was about to agree with him when a loud snapping sound was heard. "Then what was that?!" He yelped.
Jaden turned and watched Alexis and Melody step into his flashlight. "Hey you two...what are you doing here?" He asked.
Alexis frowned, "Funny...we were about to ask you guys the very same thing."
"Yeah Claudio, Bastion said you sneaked out around an hour ago!" Melody added.
"That little snitch..." Claudio angrily muttered. "You see...
"Well we heard about the dorm and wanted to check it out..." Jaden explained for him.
"Well you shouldn't have; don't you know that kids have a way of disappearing around here?" Alexis inquired, walking closer to them.
"People disappeared here?" Melody asked.
"So the rumors are true..." Claudio muttered silently.
Jaden waved them all off, "Aw come on...that's just a myth."
"Believe me I know; why else would the Academy close this place off?" She told them.
"Plus, I heard it's completely forbidden. If any faculty catches any of you here, you will get expelled!" Melody warned.
Jaden grinned and said to them both, "Then what are you two doing here?" he wondered.
The Queen of Obelisk Blue turned bright red, "I have my reasons, that's why!" she snapped.
Jaden shrank back, "Hey...Alexis, we just came to look around. Don't worry, we'll stay out of your way, I promise!"
Alexis sighed and walked a short distance away, "It's just that..."
"Just...what?" Syrus asked.
"One of the kids here that disappeared... was my brother." She finished quietly.
Jaden and Claudio looked away and stared at the rose on the ground. 'That explains the rose...' They both thought.
They looked back to see Alexis walking away.
"If Alexis' brother really was one of the kids that disappeared, then the rumors about this place were true the whole time." Claudio said.
Syrus looked at the old building again. "I say we go back Jaden..."
"Well, I say we go in. Who knows, could be fun!" Jaden replied cheerfully.
"SAY WHAT?!" Syrus shouted as he and Chumley
SJaden and Chumley began to walk towards the dorm, with their flashlights leading their way. Jaden waved at the lagging Slifer and Ras. "See you later, you guys! Don't disappear on us!"
"Oh wait up!" Syrus ran in after them. Claudio was about to follow until Melody grabbed his jacket and yanked him back.
"Oh no, you don't!" She said.
"Oh come on!" Claudio whined.
"No way! I may be intrigued by this, but I'm not about to risk expulsion on the first year!" She snapped as she put him in a headlock, walking him away from the dorm. "And I won't let my rock-headed friend risk it either!"
"I can walk on my own!" Claudio protested as they got away.
They were also unaware of the fact that Alexis was still around, watching everyone leave. She had a let off a chuckle seeing the two Ras bicker, but it quickly turned to worry seeing Jaden going in the dorm.
'I hope Jaden knows what he's doing...' She thought. As she was turning to leave, a shadow came in and snatched her.
AAAAHH!
----"You hear that?" Claudio whispered.
"Yeah, that was Alexis!" Melody replied. "She could be in trouble!"
"Just like you..."
Another shadow came in and grabbed Melody!
"Claudio!" He turned around just in time to get knocked on his back by the shadow. "Help!" Melody cried out as she was carried off into another part of the dorm.
"Melody!" Claudio got right back up and followed the shadow, going to get his friend back. 'Now I regret coming here in the first place!'
---- Back with the Slifers, they were checking out the inside of the dorm. It was more rundown inside they outside; looked like an inside storm hit the rooms and halls.
Jaden laughed, "Sorry...but ya know, this place is sweet! I mean, with some fresh paint, a couple of boxes and a throw rug...we could so totally move in here!"
"You kidding?" Syrus asked. "This place is worse than the Slifer Dorms! I mean...look at this!" he pointed his light to a nearby wall. On it, was a large amount of symbols and letters carved or painted on. "What the heck is all this?"
"Do you think it has to do with the Shadow Games Banner was talking about?" Chumley thought aloud, looking at the marks.
Jaden walked up and peered closely at one of the sets, "Hey you know what? I think this wall shows the seven Millennium Items! Ring, Puzzle, Scale, Key, Rod, Eye, and Necklace... never heard of 'em." He turned his flashlight towards another wall with a photograph on the wall. "And that's someone I've never seen before..."
----In another part of the dorm, Alexis woke up in a coffin with her wrists and ankles tied together.
"Where am I?" She wondered.
"Dangling on a hook, just waiting for your friends to fall into my trap!" She heard a sinister voice.
"Jaden..." She gasped. Then she saw a eye flash in front of her.
----In fact, the same thing was happening elsewhere...
Melody was tied to a pole, struggling to get free.
"Don't bother girly, those rope knots are tight!" She heard a voice call out, a creepy one...
"Who are you!? Let me go!?" Melody shouted.
"Just seeing if that kid I knocked down early is gonna come after ya." The voice replied.
"You try and hurt Claudio, and the first thing I'm gonna do when I get out of this is break your legs!" Melody threatened. "That way you won't run when I hurt you even more!"
"You're in no position to make threats, especially with this!" A gold object dropped to the ground in front of Melody. It was a golden pole with two scales dangling from it. "Now then, who's the tough guy now!"
----The Slifer boys continued to look around, until a loud scream ripped through the air.
"What was that?" Syrus cringed.
"It sounded like Alexis!" Jaden shouted, running towards the hallway where they came from. The other two quickly followed suit downstairs until Jaden suddenly came to a stop. He bent down and picked up something from the floor.
"It's...it's one of Alexis' cards!" he gasped, holding up one of the dancer cards from their duel.
Before anyone could answer, another scream echoed through the building, but this one was different and it came from the upper floors. "Who else could be here!? Chumley asked.
"Melody!" The boys turned to see Claudio on the top floor running through.
"Claudio!" Jaden yelled to get his attention. "Is someone else here?"
"Yeah! Melody just got kidnapped!" The Slifers gasped. "Did you guys hear anything?"
"Yeah, we heard Alexis scream down where we are and another where you are!" Jaden told him. "Chances are that's Melody!"
"Okay, you guys go find Alexis, make sure she's alright. I gotta go find Melody!" Claudio said.
Jaden nodded. "Go for it! Meet up with us outside the dorm when ya do find her!"
Claudio gave them a thumbs up. "Gotcha...good luck you guys!" he waved at them and disappeared into another hallway.
Syrus groaned and pulled at his hair, "This is bad...we don't even know where Alexis could be!"
Chumley pointed to the side where a dark hallway leading down. "Only one place she could be..."
----"Melody! Where are you!?"
Claudio ran through the upper floors, waving his light around like a madman as he tried to find his friend. He came to a door that had a glow coming out from underneath. "This...doesn't look right..." He whispered to himself, but kicked the door down anyway.
The first thing he saw when he entered was Melody tied up and a guy with a blindfold on about to gag her. "Hey!" The man turned around showing himself; he wore a black cloak and had white hair. He looked to be in his early twenties.
"Claudio!" Melody said, happy that her friend came to rescue her and then turned to the cloaked man. "You're in trouble now!"
"Like hell I am..." The cloaked man. "Welcome to the party, kid! Enjoy the trip I gave you earlier?"
"Let her go now!" Claudio demanded.
"Can't do that I'm afraid." The guy said. "The name's Striker; I'm on special assignment to make you and your friends' experience here, a living nightmare!"
"Too bad that I grown out of the Boogeyman!" Claudio joked. "You don't scare me!"
"Even with this?" Striker showed the item that Melody saw earlier.
"What the-!"
"That's right; we're gonna play a little game, a Shadow Game!" Striker cackled. "And you two are on today's soul collection plate!"
"Like hell we are!" Claudio and Melody shouted. Claudio pulled out his duel disk.
"Looks like I get to be a roadie for a night..." Claudio said inserting his deck. "By kick this piece of trash off the stage!"
"Oh goodie, a rock n' roll brat..." Striker revealed his duel disk, a black disk that had the tray come out like a scythe. "This is gonna be fun..."
----Claudio wasn't the only one dealing with a Shadow Game problem. Jaden, Syrus and Chumley were standing in a round room, underneath the dorm looking at a tall figure in black while Alexis lay motionless in a coffin nearby, bound hand and foot.
"You wish to save her?" Titan, the Shadow Duelist pointed to Alexis, "Then you'll have to beat me in a Shadow Game!"
"He's not lookin' at me, is he?" Chumley whimpered.
Jaden stepped forward, "Look I'm not afraid of dueling you, but Shadow Games don't exist!"
Titan laughed darkly, "My foes didn't believe in the Shadow Games either, but they were convinced right before they were sent screaming into the Shadow Realm!"
"So you're the one behind the disappearances! Well this time is different, you won't take Alexis!" Jaden swore.
"Jaden!"
He turned to see Chumley holding a Duel Disk he had taken out of his knapsack, and then placed it on his arm, glaring at the Shadow Duelist, "Get your game on!"
Titan smirked as he activated his own Duel Disk, "Shadow Game that is, foolish boy!"