Disclaimer: I don't own YUGIOH

Please R&R!

(Hope you all like this chapter! Sorry if Kaiba is OOC, but I tried...)

When Joey woke up he had one hell of a headache. He found himself sitting with a week's worth of garbage in the old alleyway. "Damn... How did they get the drop on me?" he asked himself as he massaged a lump on his head. He stumbled up into a standing position, cursing as he peeled off a rotting fruit skin and tossing it back in the container.

He returned to his house and was greeted by the girl from the stall "You sure attract the weird ones Anzu" he commented as he peeled off his shirt and threw it in a basin of water the teenage girl had her hands in, scrubbing some clothes.

"They didn't hurt you did they?" she asked concerned as she turned up her nose at the smell. With a sigh she set to work scrubbing the shirt against the soap and cleaning it to the best of her ability. "Did you sleep near a dumpster again Joey?"

"The brat tossed me IN it never mind near it" muttered the blond as he slipped on a fresh shirt and trousers. He then wandered into the kitchen of his house and held a wet rag to his head. "They sure packed a punch"

"What did they want?" Anzu asked as she put the rung out shirt into a basket and continued with another set of clothes

"They want to talk to Seto. Something about saving their Guardians, I can't remember much, the shortest one clocked me on the head pretty hard." Joey said throwing himself onto a battered chair.

Anzu didn't bother to hide that she was amused. "That serious one of the three? Yeah, he was a bit intimidating besides his short stature."

"I can tell you feel for me" Joey snapped dryly as somebody walked into the kitchen. He was a tall brunette with cold ice blue eyes.

"What's going on?" the tall man asked the blond stonily, as he sat down on another chair.

"Nothing, some guy's want to talk to you, something about the forest" Joey waved the man off "Anyway what are you hanging around here for Seto? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"Anzu flipped when you didn't come back to the house last night, and sent a messenger to see me asking if I had seen you" replied Seto getting up "And now you apparently have information regarding these 'Spirits of the forest'"

"Some fanatics" Joey shrugged "Said they were coming to take it up with you at the office later on"

The millionaire turned away from them "When they come to my office, I'll be ready for them" he smiled to himself. Joey frowned suddenly concerned

"What are you up to Kaiba? Why are you cutting down the forest?"

"All in due time" said the millionaire as he walked back out into the street.

--------Shrine Garden-----------

Yami yawned and stretched as he woke up, blinking lazily before suddenly remembering the scroll. His hand flew to his pocket, sighing in relief when he felt and heard the paper crinkle. He took out the roll of parchment and set it on his lap.

It was normal parchment attached to two sea-glass rollers, obviously of Ryou's craftsmanship. It was tied with red cord and at the end of the cord hung the crest of each of the three Spirit's. It was oval in shape split into three sections. One contained rolling waves, rendered a light blue with pearl white for the top of the waves. He second bore only the insignia for wind, for it had no colour or obvious designs. The third was a simple Sakura petal, which made Yami wince with the urge to return home immediately.

"Well are you going to open it or are you going to stare at it all day?" Bakura suddenly snapped, jolting him out of his musings.

On reflex Yami struck out, only to get his fist gripped by Marik from above him "Woah, Yami chill, it's just us"

"Don't scare me!" Yami retorted annoyed as they plonked down on either side of him as he untied the blood red cord.

Carefully he unravelled it; they all leaned forward to read the writing that was surely within. Yami unravelled it fully, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"What?"

The scroll was blank. A plain beige parchment stared back at them. "But we saw Ryou write it!" Bakura denied almost in a panic "Did you grab the right scroll?"

"There was only one scroll on the shelf!" Yami confirmed rolling it up and unrolling it as if the writing would magically appear again.

"That's it!" snapped Marik storming away, but not before grabbing the blank scroll from a bewildered Yami and Bakura. The two followed him out of curiosity as he stomped over the bridge and wrenched the newly unlocked door open, scaring Solomon who was on the other side.

"Alright old man, talk!" Marik thundered making the elderly man backtrack "What did Ryou write in this scroll?!"

"How did you get that?" Solomon asked calmly

"Answer my question first" Marik replied, looking murderous "Malik, Ryou and Yugi don't keep secrets from us. You know something old man, so start singing"

Bakura's eyes were wide "He's good" he muttered to Yami who snorted when Solomon went pale as Marik whispered his threats into his ear.

"Alright, alright" Solomon said frowning beckoning them into the kitchen "The Spirit's only have a month, before they are forced to clear the forest. They can't take you where they will be going and so they, well the Sakura Spirit cast a spell. It... will wipe your memories of them in a month's time if you can't stop the destruction of the forest."

Yami swore his jaw would have hit the ground if it hadn't been attached to his skull.

"Let's see the scroll, Solomon" Marik replied as the old man took a folded piece of paper from his pocket

"I changed the parchment around, when you boys became interested" Solomon amended as the boys unfolded the real scroll on the table

"You said a month right?" Bakura asked as his face went even paler

"Yes why?"

"Then why does it say we only have five days left until the spell takes effect?" Yami swallowed dryly as the four mortals watched the number on the parchment glow a feint pink.

"We're so screwed" Marik supplied.