A Change of Heart

Chapter 8

We were talking down a path through the forest, conversing quietly with each other before Ryou spoke up, "I wonder how many duelists are left on the island...?" The white-haired boy inquired and Joey shrugged, "They shipped a couple dozen home yesterday."

"I bet even more have been eliminated by now." Tea said, I kept quiet as I followed behind them at a slower pace. My body was throbbing from my unpleasant experience last night with that sadistic eliminator. I shuddered at the thought, "And some of them were really good players, with powerful cards." Yugi's voice broke my train of thought and I gazed at them, "We could be next." I wasn't too keen on experiencing another eliminator for the rest of my time on this island. The thought of them being just as sadistic as Panik and the Torturer scared me badly. "Not a chance, Yuge," Tristan said, "Those other guys just wanted the prize. You and Joey have a lot more at stake."

Yugi nodded, turning his head to face Tristan, "That's true. I got to rescue grandpa from Pegasus and Joey needs the money to help his sister," Yugi looked ahead of them, "And the duelists we face today will be even stronger because they survived the first round." I gave it a thought, Yugi wasn't wrong. Even the duelists that have been eliminated had been pretty tough themselves, so its no doubt that anyone else we face would be even tougher.

I looked up when we stopped and I raised an eyebrow at the trembling Joey, "Be careful what you say, Yugi. You got little Joey here trembling in his sneakers." Tristan teased the blonde and I snickered as Joey rounded on Tristan, his hands clenched into fists, "What?! You think I'm a scared little puppy dog?" He jabbed Tristan in the chest and the boys got into each other's face, "Well, if the collar fits!" I was about to intervene, but Tea did so before I could take a step forward, "Alright! Break it up." She pushed the two away from each other.

"Hey! You just bring on any duelist," The blonde turned into some random direction, holding a fist close to his chest, "And I'll cream 'em!" Yugi nodded, "Right, you gotta believe in yourself, Joey." I looked up to the top of the small cliff we were standing under and I saw three heads quickly move out of sight, "Huh..?"

Ryou looked at me curiously, "What is it, Rin?" The white-haired boy questioned, gaining the attention of the others and I looked from them and back up to the top of the cliff where I heard that sound, and I saw those three people, "Nothing... I guess." I murmured before we began walking again.

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We were walking back down the path, when I got a feeling that we were being followed, "Did you hear that?" A now paranoid Joey asked, "I think we're being followed." His voice was shaky, giving away that he was scared. Everyone glanced around as we walked, "I think you're getting a little paranoid." Tea pointed out, and she sure wasn't wrong about that observation. 

Even I was a little unnerved, ever since we left that small cliff-face, I had the strangest feeling in my gut that something bad was about to happen. "You've been acting hyper since you woke up this morning. Man, what's been eating you anyway."

Joey stopped walking, turning to face us as he showed a look of fear on his face, "I've been telling ya, someone's stalkin' us!" Joey then ran off, Tristan shouting after him, "Where are you going?" Joey just kept running, throwing over his shoulder, "To stalk them!" I took that moment to walk off into the trees, following after Joey at a quick, yet slow pace.  

I followed Joey to a waterfall, where he washed his hands in the clean water, "I guess Tea was right, I guess I was just hearing the waterfall." My eyes went wide as a shady guy stepped behind Joey, the latter turning around to face the creep, who gave a creepy chuckle, "Eh... Can I help you?" My eye widened as the guy punched Joey in the face, knocking him out.