A lone figure sits on a dark hillside, the falling rain hitting the 
leaves above his head. He looks up slightly as a Card appears from thin air 
in front of him. The figure's lips twitch upward and his head tilts a little 
bit as he plucks the Card from the air. Then a voice speaks into his mind.
'I believe you have been looking for me...'
As the Card speaks the figure stands, nodding slightly and whispering to the 
Card in his hand. The voice was masculine but it sounded hollow, and 
uncaring.
"Yes...Yes. We will teach him to respect what you are, my friend..." Then the 
man starts down the hill, toward what awaits him in the city. The rain 
hitting his jacket and rolling down onto his clothing as he walks.


Katsuya wasn't at the hotel when Jinsaku came back. Not knowing where to go 
and not really caring he took a shower before crashing out for the rest of 
the day and night. Tyrell came around at his normal time in the afternoon 
though, waking up Jinsaku. He was looking for Katsuya, but was happy to find 
Jinsaku back from his trip. After getting Jin up they both got in Tyrell's 
care and headed to Denny's. On the way Tyrell filled Jinsaku on what happened
while he was gone. About talking with Steve and everything they have found 
out so far. When they actually get settled down at a table and place an order
Jin tells Tyrell about Eric and how he had lived though two Games and this 
was his third. Also he tells about Shade.
"I keep looking over my cards, thinking it will be there, but it never is. I 
mean I threw it away and it came back to me, only to leave again?"
"This sounds bad Jin, I mean I have never heard of a Card leaving its Player 
like that. Also this thing with Eric is really bad. He's living proof of what
we have all feared. If we survive this Game we'll be forced into another and 
another. Until we don't survive..." He sighs and takes a sip of his cola, 
wishing Annette had been on duty today. But instead it was one of her days 
off. 
"And with your theory about what the Cards truly are...Maybe the time the 
Game 'sleeps' in when Players die off. The Cards then have to find new 
Players and the Game starts up again. Who could have thought of this?
Tyrell doesn't have any ideas and just about that time their food comes, so 
they start to talk about lighter matters.


====================================================
High Stakes 
Chapter Seventeen: "Chips are Down" 
Starring: Jinsaku Nagaoka, Rachel Miller, Chase Campbell and...Shade
Created by NeoVid
Written By Spellbinder
====================================================


Mister Campbell was looking over the Card he had received from that kid 
again. The normal minion was in the draw with his other Cards. But the one 
tilted CHRISTAIN was in his hand once more. It felt like a normal Card, and 
looked like a normal Card. Other than the fact it didn't have life and attack
stats that is. He had tried to get another Card like this one, but apparently
he would have to let his next challenge not forfeit. And maybe there was 
something else...something he hadn't thought about until now. That kid's 
ranking was low, so low in fact it was the stats of the Card he had used. 
Campbell smiles an evil smile, the kid was on his last Card. He was surprised
that it hadn't occurred to him sooner. Pulling out his deck again he wills 
the Cards to find him someone with only one Card left. When he fells the pull
he nods and puts away all his cards, going back to his work.


He was walking though the streets, mumbling to himself. He had shoulder 
length black hair that was slick from last nights rain. He also wore a long 
black trench coat that did little to keep his clothing dry. He didn't appear 
Goth, more like someone that just liked the color black. He idly pulls some 
cards from one of his coat pockets, spreading them out in his hands. Mumbling
the names as he walks.
"Sally, Charles, Vivi, Sam, Dick, Rich, Melly, Fanny, Kile, Carl...I need 
more, I don't have the right combination..." Just then the other cards in one
of his many pockets pulse and his thin lips turn upward slightly. "And 
Sandra...Will she be the one I am looking for?"


Jinsaku and Tyrell were on their way to the hospital to check up on Michael 
and see if Katsuya or Rachel needed anything when someone ran out in front of
the car. Tyrell slams on the breaks and Jin slams his head on the dashboard 
because of it. "That baka!" Jinsaku cried out while rubbing his forehead. The
figure was running down an alleyway yelling something about cats and nights. 
Tyrell just shakes his head and starts off again, wanting to go after the 
person to see if they needed help, but he was already gone.


The box on his desk buzzed and Mister Campbell hits the receive button. "Sir 
a young man says he has an appointment with you." Smiling and pulling his 
cards from the drawer he lets go of the button and hits the send one in its 
place.
"Yes send him right up..."


He was walking though the back alleys, heading toward his next card. Not only
was it the last this Human had, but it was one he was looking for as well, 
lucky day indeed. Then out of the blue someone runs right into him, blowing 
past. He turns his cold eyes to follow the figure and the corners of his lips
turn upward yet again. "You shall never escape from what chases you Human, it
shall be forever behind you till the day you perish." That had to be the most
he's ever said in one sentence for a long while. His coat whips as he turns 
around, walking faster now. His tongue rolls out and he licks his lip, the 
Game always did this to him. It was his reason for being, why he was on this 
gods forsaken rock of a planet. He would collect what was his and be gone, 
but along the way it would not hurt to increase his ranks of loyal Minions. 
He arrives at the place his newest card suggested, a large circle under a 
street. The man could smell the death in the air; many Humans had lost th!
 eir lives in this place. Pulling out his Deck he waits for his opponent to 
show. 


"What do you mean they are not here?!"
"Please sir try and clam down. Yesterday morning Mister Neville flung himself
from his bed room window. Miss Miller and Mister Katsuya went after him. I 
and the rest of the staff have not seen or heard any more about them. " 
Tyrell and Jinsaku where the hospital and had asked the nurse behind the 
reception counter how Michael was doing, only to be told that. Jin sighs and 
shakes his head as they walk from the place of healing.
"All this wouldn't have happened if she had never shown him..."
"You can't change the past Jin my man" Tyrell's cherry disposition coming 
back at once. "Just like you can't change the past with Abe. Now we can 
either mope around here or we can go and find them." The oriental nods once 
before moving back over to the rolling hunk of scrap Tyrell calls a car. "But
first let's go pick up Annette, six eyes are better than four as they say."


Campbell was looking over his new cards. The first was your average Minion. A
Water/Light type with stats of 475/500 named Aqua Bright. It was the other 
card he was interested in though. A Blood/Earth/Air type with no stats, named
BILLY. He tries to combine the two but it doesn't work, just like with his 
CHRISTAIN card. He opens his drawer and pulls out the two small piles of 
Cards therein. Dropping Aqua Bright on top of the larger pile, the one full 
of Minions he had no use for right now. He picks up the BILLY card and places
it in his false hand, which was good for little other than holding a pen, or 
a card. He pulls the top Card of the other pile and looks at it for a second.
"Now to see what will happen..." He touches the two Cards together and they 
glow slightly. His real hand starts to burn while his false hand grows warm 
as the cards meld together very slowly. Pain racks though his body and his 
sight dims as an inhuman wail fills the room. He drops the two cards onto !
 his desk as they glow brighter, hurting his eyes even though his sight was 
not as good as normal. He struggles to stay awake to watch as the two lights 
become one, but he fails horribly. When he regains consciousness he finds a 
new card on his desk. It looked more like a normal Minion Card, but was still
more Human than Monster. As his eyes fall on the stats they widen, he then 
starts to laugh. He laughs so hard his ribs hurt and he falls from his chair.
But even on the floor he laughs. Meanwhile the Blood/Earth/Fire/Air 2000/2500
card on his desk just quietly sits there. 


He was leaning against the wall when the Human confidently walks into the 
shadows. She had short cut red hair and was wearing a joggers out fit. Her 
headphones playing quietly to her ears. She looks around and notices the 
figure in the shadows, walking over to stand in front of him. "You're the one
that challenged me? I don't have time to mess around with you so let's get 
this over with."
So confident, yet I sense she is what I am looking for, she is the one. He 
thinks as he pushes off the wall, holding out a Card.
"Show me Human, show me what I seek." She blinks but then chuckles.
"Trying to act tough eih, well you won't stand a chance against my" she pulls
the Card from her breast pocket "Skeltone!" As its name is called a skeleton 
comes forth from the Card, a bone guitar on its back, held by a strap of 
flesh. The man smiles when he Minion is fully formed.
Yes that is what I am looking for.
The Darkness/Air 500/900 Minion pulls off its instrument and starts to tune 
up as the man holds out his Card.
"Come forth my new friend, Shade." The cloak pulls its self from its Card and
floats in front of the dead musician; the scythe appearing in one of its bony
hands as the other pulls back the hood to its robes.
"Skeltone Vibes of Darkness." The skeleton starts to beat the strings of its 
guitar, making waves of blackness stretch out from it. Shade easily dodges 
the attack and brings its weapon to bear, slashing down across the opposing 
Minion's shoulder. The man smiles as the lady flinches, starting to become 
one with her fighter. He obscenely licks his lips as the fight continues, 
never once giving an order to his own Minion. The fight took longer than he 
thought it would, but he actually smiles as two simple words enter his mind 
before the finishing blow is struck.
'Was fun'.
But both Shade and Skeltone fade as the lady wails her pain, body 
disappearing, and her card floating before the man along with the skeleton. 
He takes both, but slips the two cards that had just done battle into his 
pocket, looking over the other card.
"Sandra...Blood/Earth...Fear." He pulls forth one of his other Human cards 
and is about to meld Sandra with Kile when the voice is in his head again.
'No, we will show him what it is like. He must see it.'
The figure smiles again, showing off the impossible white teeth and he tosses
his head back in laughter. The sound reverberates off the walls and carries 
for miles, the sound of laughter that had no heart, a sound that makes little
kids want to cower under sheets and small animals run in fear. A sound that 
chills strong men to the bone and makes weak men wet them selves. Blood tears
stream down the figures pale face as the pain of his laughter causes him to 
slowly stop. It had been too long since he had a good laugh. "YES! You and I 
think alike my friend, come let us find your old 'master'." With that his 
coat flaps and he starts off once more.


Katsuya and Rachel had searched all day, then most of the night. But they 
finally gave up and went to Rachel's house. Katsuya didn't know how to help 
her, so she was forced to cry and bear the burden alone. Her parents where 
out like they normally where, so no one bothered them. The next day they 
where out looking for Michael yet again, but they where not having any luck. 
While resting on a bus stop bench someone pulls up in an old car that seemed 
vaguely familiar to her, it wasn't until Jinsaku and Tyrell got out did 
Rachel know why. She looks up at them, her eyes red from crying, and a 
sleepless night on nights full of restless sleep. "I take it the search isn't
going well" She shakes her head at the Japanese man as Tyrell sits next to 
her, placing an arm around her shoulder.
"The nurse told us what happened, I'm sorry to hear about it second hand like
this. We should have been there..."
"No it's alright, we barely know each other. It's all my fault for showing 
him that damn Card. If I had never done..." But she breaks down into sobs yet
again. She didn't know what made her fell worse, breaking down in front of 
nearly complete strangers or having done this to the only person that really 
showed any caring to her at all.
"As I was telling Jin earlier today, you can't change the past. All you can 
do is work toward making a better future." Wiping her eyes Rachel nods to the
large man. "Come on we won't find him sitting around here." After a few more 
words they all pile into Tyrell's hunk of junk and start off down the road.


He stops and smiles. "She is with him, this makes things much easier..." 
Closing his eyes and holding back his head he wills the Cards to do what he 
asks of them, the challenge going out like a bullet from a gun. 


As the car pulls off onto the road again Rachel gasps as her visions blurs 
and she holds her head, mumbling "Not now...Please not now..." Jinsaku looks 
back at her and she rubs her eyes again. "I was just challenged." He slaps 
his forehead and Tyrell groans and stops the car again.
"Where at and by whom?" She shuts her eyes and rubs her temples.
"Uh...the park just up ahead. By someone named...Morbis? No last name just 
Morbis..." Jin looks to Tyrell who shrugs and states.
"Never heard of him, I take it he has a higher ranking than you."
"Yes much higher, I only have twenty minutes to get to the place."
"No problem, this old girl will get us there in no time." Pulling off the 
side of the street he drives them to the park. Piling out they all follow 
Rachel. She leads then over a large hill, to the outer edge of the park. It 
wasn't as secluded as Jinsaku would have liked but it was unlikely anyone 
would see the fight. They where six minutes early and started to talk about 
where Michael might be at while they waited, but they didn't get to say much 
since a figure comes from the woods.


He had been told a short cut though the woods, his newest Card knowing this 
part of the city better than the others he currently had. He can hear the 
voices from the distance and smiles slightly as he steps out into the light; 
his checks still stained with his blood tears. He looks over the four 
gathered and his head rolls to the side, his tongue lolling out and licking 
his lips. Jinsaku is reminded of an Anime he had watched shortly before 
becoming a Player and it sends a shiver down his spine. Rachel steps forward 
and sighs. "Let's get this over with, I have places to be." The man waves his
finger in the air while smiling, the act only hinted at really.
"Tisk tisk tisk young Human. My friend and I must show you something 
first..." His voice making them all, but mostly Jinsaku, slightly nervous. 
The man pulls out two cards, and Rachel gasps as she notices they are both 
Human cards. Tyrell clenches his fists and Jinsaku starts to fell sick, he 
can guess what is coming...Morbis touches the two cards together and they 
start to glow, he relishes the pain this brings like a fat man relishes a 
good meal. As the cards start to wail Rachel's body shakes almost as much as 
Tyrell's fists, meanwhile Jinsaku falls to his knees and throws up what lunch
he had. Katsuya merely wavers, having started up his CD player when Morbis 
came from the woods, something about the man making him need his music. The 
power surging though his pale body brings bliss, bliss Morbis had not felt in
so long. As the glow fades he holds in his hand a new card. His head rolls to
the right this time and leans to his left side.
"You Monster!" Tyrell starts forward but Rachel weakly blocks him.
"No, he challenged me and I will make him pay for this..." She pulls out her 
deck and grabs the first one. "Carnivale." The laughter flows around them as 
the mask takes shape, the colors changing in the blink of an eye. Morbis 
frowns and shakes his head lightly.
"No no, not good at all...I want your Boatman Human, you shall give me your 
Boatman..." He pulls out his Deck and slides his new card into it, pulling 
out the second from the top. "But if I must, The Reaper Grim." The card 
flashes and a skeleton rises from the ground as a long robe falls from above 
to cover it. A bony hand jabs down into the ground and pulls forth a very 
large sword. Morbis licks his lips once more and titers insanely. "Ooo you 
are lucky Human, Grim only uses his sword on those that are not peasants." 
Rachel looks at the back of Carnivale's card, checking the stats on this new 
Minion. Earth/Darkness 600/1000.
"I don't give a shit you freak! I'll make you pay for ruining people lives 
for your own amusement! Deadly Cloud!" Green gas pours from behind the mask 
as it flies at the other Minion. Grim rises its sword and slides forward, 
floating above the ground. It moves impossibly fast and slashes right though 
the gas, cutting Carnivale almost in half. It then hovers back around in 
front of Morbis who smiles yet again. Meanwhile Rachel checks the damage, 200
points. But Earth shouldn't be that strong against Air she screams to her 
self. Not wanting to give this freak what he wants she calls Carnivale back 
and pulls forth-another card. "Slime Volt!" Blue gel drips from the card and 
forms into a roughly human shaped Minion. It's arms where made of silver and 
crackled with electricity while its body was a light blue color. Morbis looks
at the back of Grim's card and rolls his head to the side again.
"An Air/Water/Lighting Minion...but still not what I want." Grim floats up 
some, then flies right at the new Minion. Slashing at it, but only knocking 
off small amounts of damage with each hit. Slime Volt blocks with one arm 
while driving the other at the specter of death.
"Hydro Shock!" Water charged with lighting shoots forth form the arm and 
slams right into Grim, forcing it back. The Minion slumps and drives the tip 
of its sword into the ground, trying to stand. Morbis smiles and calls it 
back.
"Congratulations girl, you have done what many Humans spend decades trying to
do...you have beat Death..."
"Just send another Minion out or forfeit already."
'Use me'
"No not yet..." Pulling another card he holds it out. "Strong Bones" The 
sounds of chains is heard as another skeleton comes from the card, the chains
attached to metal bands around it's wrists, ankles and neck. Looking at the 
back of her card Rachel laughs.
"Another Darkness/Earth type, what are you an idiot? Slime Volt Crackling 
Wind!" Her Minion waves its arms quickly and a massive gust of supercharged 
wind blows toward the skeleton. Strong Bones just stands there, the wind 
hitting against it and blowing past. Rachel laughs until she notices the 
monster's stats, 2000/100, and this is after the attack. "It let the attack 
hit it so Morbis wouldn't get hurt..."
"Strong Bones, Chains of Doom" The skeleton throws out its arms, making the 
chains lift from the ground and fly toward Slime Volt. The Minion dodges one 
of the chains but the other wraps around its arm as it blocks. Strong Bones 
plants its feet into the ground and wraps the chain around both bony hands, 
pulling Slime Volt toward it. "Shackles of Despair" The chain around Slime 
Volt's arm writhes as if it was alive and quickly wraps around the other arm 
and the Minion's leg, turning into shackles.
"Backfeed!" Lighting courses though the chains back along to Strong Bones who
starts to jerk and starts to dance, its health falling slowly. Morbis rises 
the card.
"Return Strong Bones." Rachel smiles as the Minion fades but then frowns as 
the chains stay.
"What the fuck..."
"This isn't good." Jinsaku says as he slowly stands, the food had tasted all 
right going down but worse coming back up. The sight of the two Human card 
melding had made him so sick, and the fact this man was so like someone he 
knew about. He has watched an Anime a long time ago about a Demon of Death 
that killed Humans and Demons alike, and this Morbis acted the part way too 
well.
'Use me!'
"No I want to have more fun with her...Come forth Plaseton" A pile of red 
bones falls from the new Card and forms into a blood dripping skeleton.
"I'm sensing a common theme with you Morbis, your Darkness/Blood type doesn't
scare me. Slime Volt Laser Gust." The Minion's arms glow but then so do the 
shackles, redirecting the monsters attack back at its self. Morbis laughs as 
the Minion falls and struggles to get back up.
"Now will you send forth the one I want?"
"In your dreams, I'm not going to do anything for you freak!" Calling back 
her monster she pulls out another card. "Cloaker" A long cloak falls from the
card and floats into the air, the sides flapping like wings. "Dive Bomb" The 
cloak flies up into the air and dives down at the bloody skeleton. Plaseton 
just looks up and holds out both hands, looking ready to attack but just 
before the cloak hits Rachel calls out another attack. "Volt Hugger" The 
cloak shifts in the air and lands around Plaseton, like a normal cloak would.
But then they both get charged with electricity. Plaseton reaches back and 
rips the cloak form it, tossing it to the side.
"Black Blood" Blood slops off the arms and forms into two balls, which start 
to swirl with darkness as well. They then ram into the cloak and drive it 
into the ground. The skeleton presses the attack until Morbis calls a halt; 
the last hit knocking Cloaker down to 1 life.
'USE ME!'
"Cloaker return...fine you want to fight him, Boatman!" The cloak disappears 
only to be replaced by one with a lantern on a long pole.
'USE ME NOW!'
"Alright, now is a good time. Plaseton return." Placing that card away he 
pulls out the other. "Come forth...Shade." Katsuya goes pale as his worst 
fear starts to form, during the whole battle he had been off in his own world
but now...Jinsaku's eyes widen and he mumbles a no while Tyrell looks over at
him.
"Jin, I thought you said Shade had left for good."
"He did, and found one who appreciates his talents... Now Shade Death 
Scream!" 
"NOOOOOOOOO!" But Jinsaku was too late; his former Minion swelled up and 
launched its self at Boatman, the scream filling everyone's ears. Katsuya 
falls to his knees and whimpers, turning his CD player to max and wanting to 
claw his ears off. Rachel falls down as well, holding her ears tightly and 
closing her eyes. Jinsaku holds his ears and tries to make his way to Katsuya
but falls on his face. While Tyrell wasn't quick enough and had to clamp down
on bleeding ears, passing out while still standing. Only Morbis doesn't cover
his ears, even though blood streams from them. Boatman wavers before falling 
apart under the attack, the cloak deforming, and the card floating over to 
Morbis. But Shade doesn't leave; it slowly floats over to the dazed Rachel 
and rises its scythe. Jinsaku looks up and tries to move closer, to stop the 
specter before it can kill the woman. The blade glints in the fading sunlight
and comes down toward Rachel's head.
"Stop Shade". The blade stops right above the girl's head and the Minion 
turns it's eye sockets toward Morbis. "You know as well as I do it is not her
time, now return." The specter of Death nods once before going back into its 
Card. Morbis turns his hollow eyes to Jinsaku down on the ground before 
smiling yet again, totally ignorant of the blood coming from his eyes and 
ears. "Your time is coming soon Jinsaku Nagaoka, and when it does we shall be
the ones that break your hour glass." Licking his own blood from his checks 
Morbis turns on his heals and starts to laugh as he walks away, tossing his 
head back like before. Jinsaku struggles to gain control of his body, but 
that laugh makes him throw up yet again before passing out. Katsuya was 
clawing at his ears and eyes; that wailing sound still in his ears, and the 
thing still coming for him. He starts to claw across the ground, toward the 
only place of any safety he knows, Tyrell's car. Rachel stars blankly at the 
ground in !
 front of her, not comprehending how close she just came to being killed, and
not caring as her exhaustion catches up with her and she passes out. As the 
laughter fades into the distance the sun starts to set and three of them 
rest, the forth finally running out of energy on the hill side and passing 
out as well, the man known only as Morbis has done well this day...


=================================================


Authors Notes
Hey cool it's done ^_^. First off to any large people reading this I meant no
insult with my line 'relishes the pain this brings like a fat man relishes a 
good meal' 
My first Impro Fic ::claps then pats himself on the back:: I'm not very good 
at already made chars so I hope I did good, why most of the story had to do 
with Morbis. If you're wondering, yes he is not Human but something else. 
Alien, Death god, Demon, Normal man who had his soul taken...it's up to any 
one else who dares the pick up such an evil character and write about him. I 
really wanted to hit on what would happen with the Human cards and think I 
did rather well on that, hope it doesn't ruin anyone else's plans about that.
Also I wanted to hint that maybe the order of elements on the Card play a 
more important role than just being there. I just want to think NeoVid for 
coming up with such a good idea, and Beware The Radish for having it, and for
letting me add my own spin to such a wonderful story line. Also I want to 
think John for prereading and helping with the editing. Comments and flames 
can be sent to danceroftheebonytwist@yahoo.com. Comments will be read while 
fla!
 mes will be used to heat Ramen noodles. Ohh and I looooved writing about 
Morbis, not as Evil as I have gone though >: )