R Amythest: *still chasing Ryou*

Yami Amythest: *still sweatdropping*

Yami Yugi: *mad because R Amythest wouldn't let him wear leather in 'From a Hieroglyphic'*

Ryou: *still trying to get away from R Amythest and a bunch of drooling fangirls*

R Amythest: *still chasing Ryou*

YAMI!!!!!!!! *BASH!* *BOOM!* GET OFF MY COMPUTER!!!

Yami Amythest: OW! Ok, ok, you don't have to be violent about it!

R Amythest: *reads what Yami Amythest wrote* exactly how could I be chasing Ryou and typing at the same time?

Yami Amythest: hold your laptop on your waist and go running around, like you are now?

R Amythest: -_-; true, true. Anyhow, on with the story!

*******************Chapter Nine: Escape*****************

We were on the wooden beam that the strike ninjas were holding, bouncing along and sometimes getting a mouthful of dirt. The sun was high in the air, and I felt like I was going to be burnt to a crisp. The only thing that kept the ninjas from touching me was the sword, or they would've punched me like they did to Joey.

**FLASHBACK**

"HEY! Doesn't this totin' service include air conditionin'?" Joey complained.

"Joey! Quiet!" Myst shushed.

"Yeah, what she said!" Leafe added.

"I don't need you shushing me!" growled Joey. "Doesn't this one-way trip to hell at least give some comfort?" His complaint was met with a smack in the face. "OW! Ok, I get ya point!"

"HEY! No one touches Joseph except me!" Mai yelled. She was disciplined with a kick on the wing. After that, we were all quiet.

**END FLASHBACK**

Beads of sweat trickled down my forehead, and my mouth felt dry. My tongue felt like paper towels, dry and moisture absorbing. I saw the strike ninjas set us down and empty out a canteen. The cool water looked so tempting.

Guys. . . Are you guys thirsty as I am?

/No! I'm thirstier!/

And then I thought that couldn't be possible.

\Joey, Yugi, we're all thirsty, hungry, and hot. . .\

=so there's no use ARGUING about it!=

^Yeah, we're all dehydrated. . .^

#Can't those strike ninjas show a simple sign of kindness?#

I think they have loved ones as hostages, too.

/Or maybe they're robots./

\#=^JOEY!^=#\

|Don't shout at my boyfriend!|

=See? She admits it! Mai loves Joey!=

I'm too thirsty to be happy. . .

^Don't be a downer!^

Joey stared at the strike ninja closest to him drink.

/must. . . have. . . water! OR SODA! OR ICE CREAM! YUMMMM!/

Mai gave Joey a kick, or at least the best she could do so while being tied up. |JOEY! THIS IS NO TIME TO BE THINKING ABOUT FOOD!|

/I can't help it! I'm hungry and thirsty and hot and. . ./

We heard it already. I am, too.

#We all are.#

My mouth felt amazingly dry as the strike ninja taunted me with the canteen.

"Hehe, sorry bum. No water for you!" the ninja taunted. My forehead was itchy from all the sweat, and I felt really hot and bothered.

Without thinking, I shouted at them. "YOU JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET UNTIED!!!! I'LL GET YOU! I GUARANTY IT!!!!" The strike ninja raised an eyebrow.

"The problem is, you can't get untied!" he taunted. They picked up the stick we were on and started toting us again.

\Yugi. . . gutsy move. . .\

I'm too hot to think properly.

/I think I've had enough!/

=Don't try anything.=

[Exactly.] Huh? Who was that?

Who are you?

[Crygif, and I swear you will suffer for my pain!]

What do you mean?!

[Never mind it. You do know, and don't kid me with it. I see you are suffering. Fortunate.]

\How do you find glory in others' suffering?\

[It is my revenge, and it is very sweet indeed. . .]

=Revenge?=

^What ARE you talking about?^

[It does not concern you. Mind closed.] Crygif blocked his mindlink path. We continued being carried down the dirt path. I felt weak, hot, and like I was going to faint. My sword glowed beside me. It activated itself- and cut the rope! I tumbled down onto the ground.

"What?! How'd you get out you runt?" the strike ninja asked.

I grabbed my sword. "Dark magic, ATTACK!" I yelled. The strike ninjas tensed and dived at me again. "Dark Magic, ATTACK!" The ninjas disappeared. I freed my friends. Crygif turned around.

"What's going on?" he inquired huskily. Seeing us free, he aimed a blast at us.

Remembering what happened before, I raised my sword. "SILENCE SWORD, STRIKE!" Our blasts met. The struggled for area, pushing the boundary back and forth. A blast came from the sidelines. The fire caught Crygif by surprise, and my blast gave a bit more area. Joey kept his fire stream up. Sensing this was a good idea, all of my other friends joined in with a large beam of energy. Thrown back by the large energy beam, Crygif was blasted a few yards. He opened his wings.

[I'll deal with you later!] Crygif flew off, until he became a dot in the sky. I sighed.

"I guess this means we continue with our journey," I mused.

"Which one? To find Harp or to defend the army?" Leafe asked.

Joey grabbed the branch on Leafe's back and gave a tug. "TO GET HARP! If we don't get Harp, she WILL be in their army!"

Leafe jerked away from Joey and massaged his back. "Ok, don't break my back!"

"So, anyone have an idea of where to go to find Harp?" Myst asked. We all stared and looked at each other. Looking back, we should've let them carry us into the hideout, THEN break free. Myst sighed. "Then I guess we just wander around, right?"

A British-accented voice broke the silence. "Not really." Bakura pushed aside some bushes and crawled out. "I found their hideout. They tried to catch me, but being Change of Heart has some unique advantages." I had a mental image of Bakura going into guard after guard, everyone wondering where he was.

"Good! So, Bakura, lead us to it!" Joey commanded.

I, however, still felt thirsty. "But wait, do you have any water?"

"Yeah, of course." Bakura reached into the pouch tied to his waist and pulled out three canteens. Our mouths watered. (If that's possible)

"But there's one problem. There's only three!" Bakura announced. We groaned, wondering who was going to be the lucky one who got a well- deserved drink.

Myst stepped up. "No problem." Myst began to chant, and the canteens began to shift in and out. Bakura stepped back with an amazed expression. The canteens multiplied, being 6, 12, and then 24.

"STOP! I think we have more than we can handle!" yelled Tea. Mai nodded in agreement. Myst stopped chanting, and all the canteens fell. Everyone (except Bakura and Myst) rushed to get one. Even Myst, trying to be polite, found it hard to resist, and dove into the crowd to get a drink after the whole afternoon of being in the sun.

We ended up on our backs, gulping as much water as we could handle, and having stomachs that sloshed as we walked. Joey started a burping era, and Leafe, always wanting to be best, broke his 'watch-your-manners' policy and started to burp after him. It was truly a sight. Knowing that it would be hot later, I advised my friends to grab an extra. They greedily agreed, and the 'hurry-up-to-get-your-canteen' era started all over again. Dust flew in the air. That night, we were dusty and tired, but happy and satisfied, for the first time that day.

**********************

R Amythest: SO, how was it?

Ryou: I thought you said you wanted me in the dungeon.

R Amythest: I made a mistake. SORRY SWEETY!!!! *glomps Ryou*

Yami Amythest: that's quite enough. . . O_O;

Yami Yugi: I agree.

Yami Amythest: You agree, Yami dear? HOW NICE! *glomps Yami Yugi*

Yami Yugi: AAAAGH!!!

R Amythest: Ryou! ^_^ *glomp* *hug* *glomp*

Yami Amythest: YAMI!!! *glomp* *hug* *glomp*

Ryou and Yami Yugi: HELP!!!! THE AUTHORESSES ARE PUTTING US THROUGH IMPERSONATED HELL!!!!!

*BAM!* Yami Yugi, get OFF MY COMP! And Ryou's really not the type to say hell.

Yami Yugi: *rubs spot where R Amythest hit him* well, that's why it's impersonated!

R Amythest: True, but all the same, GET OFF MY COMP!

Yami Amythest: Don't yell at Yami! *hugs Yami protectively*

Yami Yugi: I don't what's worse, a violent author or being a girl's favorite bishie.

Ryou: *walks over to Yami Yugi* believe me, it's a lose-lose situation.

R Amythest: RYOU!!!!! *glomp*

Ryou: AGH! Never mind, I'd take the violent author!

Yami Amythest: *Bashes Ryou on the head with the millennium sceptre* You really prefer that over a hug?*

Ryou: *sweatdrop* Yes, thank you hair gel!

Yami Amythest: how'd you SURVIVE THAT? You're supposed to have a hole in your head!

Ryou: *pokes hair* hair gel. It cushions. (quote by YuNique337)

R Amythest: *hugs harder*

Ryou: But not from a rabid fangirly authoress!!! AHH!!!!

Yami Amythest: Anyway, just review!!!! YAMI!!!!

*curtains close, and authoresses are still in tight embrace with their bishies*