Hello everyone. I'm taking a stab at a mystery this go-around, and all comments/praise/flames are appreciated! I am aware that the beginning is very Capsule Monsterish, but the rest of the story isn't. Just so you know, I've never written a mystery before, so this is uncharted territory. If you have suggestions, I'll accept them with open arms (and I've got brownies to give out to you guys for reading so continue!)

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Surprise!! Kazuki Takahashi does. Mr. Kaju and Jacques Cordoneu are my own creations, along with other characters that have yet to make an appearance. I'll announce them as they appear.

/Blah/ is host to spirit.

/Blah/ is spirit to host.

Chapter 1

Man, I've got a good feelin' about today. Something great is just waitin' for me around the corner, Joey thought to himself as he walked to school. He turned the street corner and stopped in his tracks. A small booth was set up. The lady in the booth smiled and beckoned him over.

"Come on! Try your luck! Spin the wheel for a chance to win the grand prize!"

"Oh yea!" Joey put his books on the booth table and rolled up his right sleeve, "Round these parts, they call me Lucky-Left-Arm!"

The lady in the booth blinked, "That's your right arm."

"I know that!" Joey round up the spinner and then let go, watching the wheel intently.

Yugi was already in class, trying to show Tristan a new game his grandfather had picked up for the shop.

"Your piece can't move on diagonals, Tristan; only forwards and backwards, left and right."

"I knew that."

"Oh, hi Tea," said Yugi, as his friend entered the class.

"Hi Yugi – looks like a new game!"

"Yup! For his first time, Tristan's doing pretty good!"

"Yea, if I roll a three or better I'll be able to win!" Tristan took the dice in his hand and dropped it onto the table. It tumbled and stopped on a two." He moved his token two spaces and picked up a game card. "'Switch places with another player'!"

"My turn," said Yugi. He rolled the dice, "I win! Yay!" He threw his arms in the air in a victory pose.

"I was so close!" Tristan cried, "Victory snatched away right under my nose!"

"That's what happens when you play Yugi," said Ryou, joining them, "You can only get so far before Yugi claims the win away."

"How are you feeling, Ryou? You haven't been in school the last couple of days," said Tea.

Ryou smiled, "Oh, don't worry about me, I was just a bit…under the weather…."

Yugi noticed that Ryou glanced down to where the Millennium Ring was hidden under his school jacket. I wonder if Bakura had to do with it somehow…

/You never know, Yugi…/

Class was beginning to fill up, and their teacher had already entered the room. Upon a quick glance (and greeting Duke as he joined them), Tea saw that one of their own was missing.

"Has anyone seen Joey?"

"Not me," said Duke, "I just came from the shop. Knowing him, he slept in late or thought today was Saturday. Though, I must say, I am surprised that Kaiba's not in class either. Isn't he usually here early?"

Yugi glanced toward the back of the room, where the CEO would normally be working on his laptop or reading, ignoring the people around him. "Usually, but I'm sure he's busy doing something for Kaiba Corp."

Their teacher was about to close the door to signal the start of class when Joey burst into the room. "Sorry I'm late, Teach!"

The teacher, Mr. Kaju, sighed, "Just take your seat Mr. Wheeler and try to be more on time tomorrow."

Joey took his seat, a wide grin on his face. He turned to Tristan who sat next to him, "Man you'll never guess what happened to me this morning!"

"Quiet back there," said Mr. Kaju, going through the attendance roster, "If you have something exciting to say, Wheeler, say it after class or at lunch."

Joey pouted but fell silent. He sat through class, with enough excitement bottled up like a shaken soda can. When class was finally over and they had break, Joey ran up to the others. "You guys are never gonna guess what happened!!"

"You beat Kaiba in a duel?" asked Tristan.

"Man I wish, but no."

"Serenity is coming to visit?" asked Duke. Tristan glared at him. What makes him think Serenity likes him? She obviously digs me!

"Eh, that'd be nice…but it's not that either."

"Does it have anything to do with why you were almost late today, Joey?" said Yugi.

"You bet it does, pal! It so happens that while I was on my way to school, I won a skiing trip in the Alps! It's an expenses-paid trip to a resort thingy somewhere in France for a week. Awesome, huh?"

"Great, Joey," said Yugi, "When is the trip?"

"Next week, and the good news? I've got four other tickets too, so you guys can come too!"

Duke frowned, "But there's five of us, not counting you. One of us won't be able to go."

"Oh," said Joey, pouting, "Man, that kinda sucks! I didn't really think about that."

Duke shrugged, "Don't worry about it, Joey! I've got a lot of work to do back at my shop. It doesn't run itself you know!"

Tristan grinned, "You're starting to sound a little like Kaiba. Going to grow a big ego too?"

Duke laughed, "Not likely, but I think I'll pass on the trip. Besides, snow isn't really my thing. Now, if you were going to Hawaii or something, I'd be the first to head out with you!"

"What about you, Bakura?" asked Joey, "You comin'?"

"I'd love to, but is it worth missing a week of school?"

Joey waved a plane ticket in his face, "It's free!"

/We're going, and that's final! Got that?/

Ryou sighed, /Yes, Yami.../

"Well, okay!"

Joey blinked, "Wow! You're easier to convince than I thought!"

"A skiing trip in the Alps, huh?" said Grandpa Muto, "You don't even know how to ski!"

"Well neither does Joey," said Yugi, "But I'd love to learn – did I mention the trip is free?"

"Yes," chuckled Grandpa, "But for a week…who's going to help with the shop?"

"Well, Duke is staying, maybe he could help you out."

"No no, I don't want to burden him. I'll be fine," Grandpa reassured him, "You go have fun on your trip. Just make sure to pack plenty of sweaters!"

"Hello Gramps!" said Ryou, entering the Game Shop, "Hi Yugi!"

"What's up, Ryou?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to come with me to Tristan's house. He and Joey are having a video game showdown, and the loser has to pay the winner's room service at the hotel. Apparently that's the only thing not covered."

"Sounds like fun," said Yugi.

"Go on," said Grandpa, "Have your fun, but remember to be home before it gets too late!"

They left the Game Shop and headed down the street.

"What game are they playing anyway?"

"Some sort of Duel Monsters game Industrial Illusions brought out," said Ryou, "Or at least I think. There might be Dungeon Dice Monsters too…oh, it's something along those lines." They reached Tristan's house and Tea opened the door for them.

"Hi guys," she greeted, "The two knuckleheads are playing the new Capsules game. Personally, I think it's going to be one big déjà vu from the ordeal in the Pyramid."

Yugi laughed, "Really?"

They looked into the next room, where Joey threw down his controller in frustration.

"HA! I beat you!"

"You may have won the first round, Tristan, but the game is young! No one can beat the Godfather of Games!"

" 'Nobody' Joey?" Yugi grinned entering the room.

"Well…nobody but you, Yug'."

"You're behind, Joey!"

Joey quickly picked up the controller, "Man, Tristan! Why didn't you tell me you started the next round!?"

It turned out, after six hours of intense video gaming, the scores ended up in a tie. Joey and Tristan were now passed out on the floor from burned out thumbs and three boxes of pizza (each). The others had gone home quite some time ago. The rest of the week went smoothly, but Joey and Tristan were still ticked off that they couldn't beat the other in a video game.

Before they knew it, it was the night before the trip. Yugi was running around his room trying to collect everything he needed.

/Calm down, Yugi. You're bound to forget something./

/No, no! I won't forget anything!/

Yugi jumped onto the top of his suitcase, clicking it shut. "There," he said, "everything's packed and ready to go!"

Yami phased out of the Puzzle, "Well, if you're sure. You've got a big day ahead of you tomorrow."

"I know! I can't wait to see Europe – I've never been there before. This is all pretty exciting!"

"As long as we don't get dragged out of the sky mysteriously and go into pyramids far from Egypt, I agree," said Yami, "I could do without another Capsule Monsters repeat."

Grandpa knocked and entered the room, "I'm sure your eager to head off, Yugi, but you can't go without your clean socks!"

Yugi's eyes widened as he looked down at his packed suitcase. "I-I forgot…my socks!?"

Grandpa chuckled, "Remember to check everything twice so you really don't forget anything. Just remember to have fun and be careful!"

"It's just a skiing trip, Grandpa. It's not like monsters are going to come to life and attack using the Seal of Oricalchos (1)."

"Well, it seems whenever you do something special, there's always the world to save. Pegasus, Marik, Dartz, it begins to add up you know!"

"Don't worry about me, Grandpa. I'll be fine. Besides, Tristan, Bakura, Tea and Joey will be there too. Whatever it is, we can handle it!"

Grandpa smiled, "Well, okay! Good night Yugi. Remember to get to the airport on time!" With another chuckle, Grandpa headed off to bed.

Yugi, after stuffing his socks into his already-packed suitcase, jumped into bed, excited for the next day's events.

He woke the next morning, barely able to contain his excitement. Yami had to take control so Yugi could stomach some breakfast, and soon after collecting his bags, he waved his grandfather good-bye at the airport and waited for Joey to arrive.

"Look at those mountains over there!" Tea pointed out the window toward the ground below, "It's such a beautiful view!"

"Yea, and before you know it, we'll be skiing near 'em too!" Joey smiled, "I can't wait to fly down those slopes!"

"Joey, do you even know how to ski?" asked Tristan.

"No, but it can't be hard, right?"

"I can't wait to see how long it takes for him to crash," Tristan whispered. Tea rolled her eyes.

When they reached the airport, Joey pulled out a letter he had received back home. "It says we go to the East Entrance and meet with the guide. Whoever this guy is will take us to the lodge. Sounds easy enough, right?"

"Yes, but where is the East Entrance?" asked Ryou, "None of us have ever been in this place before and it's quite large!"

"Um, guys?" asked Yugi, noticing someone out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm sure there's a directory or something around here somewhere…" Joey mused, wandering off.

"Guys?"

"It would help if half these signs weren't in French!" Tristan said, trying to keep up with Joey.

Yugi sighed, "GUYS!!"

Joey stopped, "What is it, Yug'? We're trying to find the exit!"

Yugi pointed a ways back, "I already found it!"

"Well, geez, Yug'! Why didn't you say so?"

Their guide smiled at them, "Welcome! Are you ready to enjoy your week of skiing and relaxation?"

"You bet!" said Joey, "Where is this place exactly?"

"The ski lodge is called the Chateau Belle, for its architecture and scenic location in the hills. If you all have your luggage, we'll head off!" He led them to a medium sized car. "You may have to squeeze in the back a little so we can fit everyone. European cars are small."

"How far away is the Chateau?" asked Tea.

"Not too far," said the guide, "But just so you know, there is a large business conference going on at the resort. The organizer of the event has asked that the regular guests stay out of certain areas of the building until they are over."

"How big is this conference thingy?" asked Ryou.

"That I don't know," said the guide, "But there's plenty of room to explore the chateau without getting in their way, so don't worry."

The guide drove them up to the doors to the chateau. The gang could only gape at the size and beauty of the property. The snow-covered grounds seem to extend on and on into the distance. The ski lifts could be seen behind the building.

"Man, this is going to be so exciting!"

The guide led the group up to the front desk, "Once you check in, the fun begins! The day before the trip ends, I'll send you a letter telling you where to go the following day. You're welcome to stay longer, but it won't be paid for – you'll have to foot the bill from that point."

After showing them the check-in desk, the guide left.

Joey nervously approached the front desk, where a middle-aged man was recording something in a log.

The man looked up and smiled, "Bonjour, monsieur!" (Hello, sir!)

"Ehh, hi."

"How can I help you?" asked the man. His English had a slight accent.

"We're the prizewinners and –"

"Ah! Say no more!" said the man, "I am Jacques Cordoneu, the owner of the Chateau. Welcome! The Chateau is full of history, feel free to explore it during your stay! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. Now, if you follow me, I will show you your rooms." He grabbed some keys off of a hook and headed down the hallway.

"He speaks English!" Joey whispered to the others excitedly as they followed Jacques up a beautiful, almost spiral staircase.

Jacques stopped them at a set of glass doors. He indicated to a manned table set up on the other side. "There are conferences of some sort going on through those doors. Only guests with an ID tag are allowed inside. Any doors marked with a blue schedule on them are for the meetings. Please stay out of those areas until the assemblies are done for the days. Now, if you would follow me, I will show you to your rooms."

"Those rooms are huge," said Ryou, "I feel like I'm worth millions to be staying in suites like those!"

"I know," said Joey, "Now I know what's it like to live like Rich Boy."

"Check it out," said Tristan, as they found a lounge next to a set of doors leading toward the conferences. "Look at all the squashy furniture!"

Joey took a seat in an oversized armchair near the roaring fireplace, "Ahh," he grinned, "I could sit here all day!"

"Can it be?"

The gang turned, recognizing the voice.

"My good friend, Yugi-boy! What a coincidence to see you here!"

Everyone's jaws dropped.

"Pegasus?" Yugi exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

Pegasus indicated the ID tag pinned to his red suit, "I'm here for business, Yugi-boy! Those conference meetings are very important in bringing Duel Monsters to Europe!"

"Duel Monsters hasn't been released in Europe yet?" asked Joey, "Weird."

"Well, it's been around," said Pegasus, "But it's not very popular. I'm meeting with all sorts of businesses to increase the popularity of Duel Monsters here so it can one day meet the figures in America and Japan! However, I take it you're here for the skiing."

"Yep! I won us an all-expenses paid trip! We're gonna live like kings!" Joey grinned from ear to ear.

"Well, I must be going. There's just so much to do. I daresay we'll meet up again, Yugi." Pegasus headed off toward the stairs leading to the bedrooms. When he was out of earshot, Tristan turned to the others, "Well, we've been through a lot, but I don't think any of us imagined Pegasus to be with us on vacation!"

"You can say that again," said Ryou, "So what should we do now? Explore the chateau? I'm sure there are some interesting things to learn about this place!"

"I dunno…" said Joey, "I don't want to move. These chairs are just too darn comfy!"

"Oh, come on, Joey!" said Yugi, "It'll be fun! Besides, you might just find out where the food is…."

"Okay let's go," Joey said, already halfway out the door.

"Wait for us!" They followed Joey when a blood-curdling scream was heard coming from the other side of the hallway.

Ryou gasped, "What was that!?"

(1) Is there even a proper spelling for Oricalchos?

Well, there's the first chapter! What do you think? Enjoy your chocolately sprinkled brownies!