"Well," says Judai cheerily. "It could always be worse."

Yuusaku peers over the edge of the swinging cage and lets out a sigh. The sheer drop doesn't look any less sheer and the large, protruding spikes that lined the bottom of the pit seem as sharp and lethal as ever.

"How?" asks one quarter of the clone brigade. His tone is more curious than panicked as he yawns without covering his mouth. Even Yuusaku has trouble telling them apart sometimes, especially that one time they all got themselves dyed pink.

"I know!" replies another clone, his eyes curving up into little arches as he beams. "We could all be trapped in a cage that's about to be dropped into a deathtrap with no chance of survival. Oh wait."

"Dial back the sarcasm, Yuuri," the first clone sighs.

Magenta eyes glitter with glee. "Make me." But when the first clone only sighs and looks back down at his shoes, he seems to deflate. "Where's Yuugo when you actually want him."

"No one make anyone do anything. Please." Yugi cuts in, although his voice comes out muffled since he's speaking into his knees. "Everyone just calm down and stop panicking."

All of them turn to him with slightly concerned looks. Out of respect, they don't point out he's the only one who seems to be panicking.

"Yugi- san, are you okay?" Judai asks, leaning closer and the cage shifts with his weight. "Are your ulcers acting up again?"

"Yes," Yugi says in a voice that is slightly pinched. "I mean. The swaying is a little…"

"Ah," they say.

"If Astral was here, he'd know what to do," Yuuma laments, sitting cross-legged in the corner and leaning rather precariously against the bars.

The cage does feel rather full. Yuusaku sighs for the third time as he deliberately blocks from his mind the three reasons that led to them being in this predicament since it doesn't really help.

Yugi aside, the rest of them seem to be in relatively good spirits since: one, none of them were injured, two, all of them were relatively seasoned veterans, and three, rescue in the form of Atem, Yuusei, Astral, and the rest of the clones was probably on its way.

A loud, jarring rattle suddenly sounds from somewhere above them, followed by the ugly clank of grinding chains. They look up, a slight sinking feeling in the pits of their stomachs as they see what was being lowered down beside him.

"Um. Hey guys," says Yuuya. Behind him, Atem, Yuusei, Astral and Yuugo all sport identical guilty expressions. They wave.

"Well, shit," says Judai.