Chapter II: Puzzles, Duels, and Magic! Oh My!

Kasumi dumped the last of the water onto the fire where most of the Saotome's things were burning, now unrecognizable. She wished she hadn't need to do this, but they had to get rid of the unclean ones before their house could regain it's full honour. Housing Burakumin did not look good on a family's honour.

After insuring the items were fully destroyed she began to bag it, to be buried someplace. Now if they're monetary situation wasn't so bad. Mostly because Nabiki took off in a huff.

Couldn't she understand the unclean needed to go, no matter how good of a person they were? Although she did wonder what happened to him.

---

"There is nothing to fear from me. I have summoned you here... to ask for your assistance."

Ranma heard the being, Exodia as he called himself, say this and couldn't help wonder why a great being would call a Burakumin for help.

"I know recent... events have not been kind. As it was with most of your life. However fate and destiny has called you forth to reset the balance. To unlock the power!

The being lifted it's head as high as he could looking towards the non-existent sky.

"I cannot force you into this... situation. I may only ask."

Ranma decided to break his silence since he was brought to... wherever they were.

"Why do you need my help? And what do you mean by balance and destiny."

Exodia looked back towards him, thinking of the best way to speak.

"5000 years ago, I created a game, THE game. The Shadow Games! I blessed these games upon the people known as Egyptians, then later created a world were I could better perfect them called Celadon. They played these games in place of battles during war, then later for fun and challenge.

"However there were people who feared this power. Since I created these games and was Lord over them I was banished into this realm, a pocket of limbo, trapped by the powers of a Silver Queen and a Silver Crystal. However, the spell held a flaw.

"Holding a being of such power like myself, a true god, is not easy, even for the most powerful of mages, so they created an elaborate spell to bind anyone at their current level of power. They cast the spell upon me, sacrificing seven of their mages, and almost sacrificing their Queen.

"To counter their trap I locked my power into five items before the spell was competed and sent them into another world that I created myself. Their reunion would restore my power, allowing me to break the bonds that have chained me here for three millennia."

Exodia lowered his head a little, trying to invoke sympathy to his situation.

"I have called you here to help restore my power. For my imprisonment has shifted the balance of order and chaos.

"Order creates peace and helps people live their lives in harmony.

"Chaos creates struggle forcing people to adapt and grow stronger and create new ideas and concepts!

"Since I have been chained here the balance has shifted slowly. But even small drops can fill a lake given time. The daughter of the Queen who chained me here was reborn with her protectors. They plan to destroy chaos and cement order. But the balance then will shift without warning.

"Complete order means no weapons or knowledge of war. Easy picking for beings of war to conquer. This lack of balance could kill the human race. Humans must know war and peace for the balance to be restored.

"Only you could do this! Fate's hand has pushed you towards the door, and Destiny has opened it for you. But you must choose to walk through the door, or walk by it. Embrace destiny, or turn away from it.

"Destiny is not about what you must or must not do, but what choices you must make.

"If you assist me I will remove your curse, leaving you male permanently, a scroll to help you tame the Neko-Ken and lastly..."

He looked towards Ranma seeing that he almost had him agreeing to it, but the last part was necessary for the pig-tailed youth to become the Yu- Gi-Oh.

"An item that will help you learn of the world, help build upon existing skills, create new ones and break the social weakness your father had taught you.

"Now I ask you the question. Do you accept my offers? Do you accept the door Fate and Destiny has shown and open for you? Do you accept the quest? Do accept the journey to an unknown world?

"Do you accept the title Yu-Gi-Oh! King of Games! King of the Shadow Games!"

Ranma didn't answer right away, but tried to create a reason not to go. He couldn't.

As a Burakumin his life back 'home' may as well have been over. Accepting would rid him of his curse. He could learn to CONTROL the Neko- Ken! And staying at the dojo for so long and only made him want a new adventure, away from his idiot father. He could go to a new world, an adventure of a life time! What kind of exotic martial arts would they have? And maybe he could learn of these 'Shadow Games' and master them.

But most of all, he had nothing left, the Tendo's wouldn't even let him have his backpack! He had nothing to lose, and who knows how much to gain.

"What do I do to find these 'items' of yours?"

If the skin around Exodia's mouth wasn't pulled back, Ranma was sure the giant would have been smiling. In a short flash of light a three items where dropped near him. The first looked like a scroll.

Upon looking at it his jaw almost dropped. It was details to the Neko-Ken, not what his father showed him, but a new version, a better version. The second item was backpack. Looking through it he saw some clothing, like his normal Chinese garments but with golden linings, and golden dragons on the shirts. He also saw some food, water, a pair of containers which held cards, each with different pictures. Those that had the images of beings on the yellow and orange cards, human or otherwise, had a pair of numbers, ranging from the hundreds to the thousands.

One of the decks felt like... his. As if it was a part of him. Upon looking at the card on top he saw what looked to be a human in purple garments with two sets of numbers. 2500 and 2100. He didn't quite understand how he knew, but he knew that it was the cards strength, it's power, it's ability to launch an assault and defend from one.

The last item was a small box with what looked to be broken metal. He didn't understand why, but the pieces looked like a puzzle to him, and not a pile of junk. He'd figure it out later.

He packed the scroll and box into the backpack, and hefted it onto his shoulders, turning back to the golden giant who brought him.

"Ready when you are."

Exodia simply nodded, closed his eyes and focused his limited power.

"Then let the journey begin!"

Instantly his surrounding changed. From total black broken only by a god, to a clearing in a forest. Setting his back down, he went about setting up camp.

---

She was the guardian of the Time Gate. She was the only real survivor of the Silver Millennium, not being sent forth to be reborn, but surviving the two thousand years since her Queen's kingdom had fallen. But soon everything would be right again. Crystal Tokyo, the future of the world, the golden age of the world was only centuries away! She could almost relax, for now everything was on autopilot.

The newest enemy, The Dark Nebula, had shown up as planned, and when they were gone nothing would stop the birth of Crystal Tokyo.

Sailor Pluto smiled to her self then frowned in though. The sudden burst of chaos energy that appeared the day before felt... odd. Nothing changed though, so she put it out of her mind for the time being. Little Hotaru Tomoe, also known as Sailor Saturn, would, by month's end, destroy Prince Nebula of the Dark Nebula when he tried to kill her, but ended up learning why the Sailor of Saturn was the Senshi of Destruction.

She smiled once more. Life was good.

---

Upon the rising of the sun, the completion of a kata, and feeding the pit known as a stomach, Ranma pulled out the box of puzzle pieces. The metal looked jagged and not like a puzzle, more like a shattered vase, but something inside him said it was a puzzle. HIS puzzle. So he started the somewhat difficult task of assembling it. Putting it together though was not easy, nothing seemed to fit together.

He was about to call it a waste of time when we sort of heard an odd chanting noise as two pieces he was playing with fused together. Somewhat surprised, but also encouraged, he grabbed another piece and tried to fit it into the larger piece. It too fused to form a larger piece of the puzzle.

For the next few minutes he would grab a piece, move it across the larger piece that kept growing, and move it into a position where it would fuse, making the fused piece larger and larger until it began to look like a pyramid with a hoop at the centre of it's base. Eventually he reached for the last piece, looking like the Eye of Ra from Egypt, and placed it into on of the puzzle's faces.

The completed puzzle began to glow with a golden light in Ranma's hands. When it stopped he wondered what that had done.

"Congratulations upon completing your puzzle Ranma."

Ranma leapt to his feet and turned around to face off with...

Himself.

Or someone who looked like himself. The person had wilder hair, one particular unruly bang stuck out from the right side of his hairline darting over to just over his left eye.

He was also semi-transparent. He could see THROUGH him like a ghost. Hence he came up with the one question anyone would ask in this sort of situation.

"Who are you?"

The ghost smiled, not with his arrogance, but with pure confidence.

"I am you. Or a part of you rather. I am the representation of your confidence and honour. I am also part of a spirit, locked inside of the puzzle until you would take possession of it. If you need to call me something... Yami shall be fine."

Ranma blinked once, then twice. That was not the weirdest thing he heard of, but it came close.

"So why me? Why was I the one to 'take possession' of the puzzle?"

"Simple. Only a PART of the spirit was locked inside of the puzzle. The rest was reborn thought the ages until the time was right. And the only one who could unlock the powers of the Millennium Puzzle was the one who had the other half of that spirit.

"It is you, Ranma, who holds the other piece of the spirit of the person we were three thousand years in the past."

Ranma took this information, simplified it, and then said, "So a long time ago we were the same person?"

Yami smiled.

"Yes, we were. I'm sure you know which Duelling Deck is yours?" Seeing Ranma nod he continued. "That is what the duels here are fought with, so even the weakest of bodies could match the strongest of fighters. This is a game of wits, not power. Power is important, but more so is strategy, as I'm sure you know from your fights."

Ranma nodded again, taking in this new information.

"So, how do these duels work?"

Yami simply smiled.

"Allow me to teach you."

---

"So, they refuse to pay our fees of protection?"

"You mean pay us not to destroy their little village? No. They didn't take kindly to it."

"Bah, the fools! Do they not know their lives are meant to better US!?"

"I suppose not My Lord. Shall I send someone to show them to show them the... error of their decision?"

"Yes. Weevilus needs some entertainment, let him do it."

"At once My Lord!"

---

Ranma felt a pang of remembrance walking though a forest on a trail. Genma was a welcome deduction from that feeling.

Yami had taught him the rules of Duelling and how to play the Shadow Games as well as use the cards. Calling forth the Shadow Games powers was amazingly simple, and he was able to do it in no time. The cards were not magical, like he first believed, but where like keys of which to bend magic to create effects or monsters.

Yami was also quite pleased at the speed of which Ranma learned the rules, strategies and memorized his deck, as well as what each card did. He also said the second deck belonged to an old friend of his. His friend was long since dead, but he gave his deck to Yami. They'd make use of it later.

As the path exited the forest Ranma found a small village outside of it. The houses were wooden, no taller than two stories, and had a European med-evil feel to it. Yami had said Celadon was like that. No sooner than he set foot in town his senses screamed aloud. Something BAD was about to happen. Very, very, bad.

As always senses proved to be accurate. The sounds of screams and a falling building were heard from across the village. Racing down the main road he quickly came to the scene as an eight legged monster with sharp mandibles and fangs. He recognized it as a Hunter Spider (1600/1400) from a sketch Yami had. How he had a book of sketch without a real physical body was a mystery, but Ranma accepted the oddity. The puzzle glowed with unearthly light as Yami fused with Ranma, uniting for the battle. As it was rampaging in the town and the townsfolk were running terrified of it, Ranma decided intervention was inevitable.

He quickly grabbed a card. After looking at it, he held it up to reveal Neo, The Magic Swordsmen (1700/1000).

"Neo, stop that spider!"

The ground in front of him burst forth with light as a blonde swordsman with a broad sword, armour and a cape arose up from it. When Neo fully appeared he ran towards the giant insect monster, leaping to the air, his sword glowing with power. With a swift strike the Hunter Spider shattered like glass, and the townsfolk were looked towards the new duellist with something akin to wonder.

"HOW DARE YOU!"

Ranma, and most of the town turned to see a young man who was somewhat vertically challenged.

He stood around 5'4, wearing a green cloak that covered his body. Short bluish hair fell almost like a helmet around his head, and he wore a pair of glasses that were large and, in Ranma's opinion, looked silly.

He also looked mad. Red-in-the-Face type mad.

"Master Panik has ordered the town's dismemberment! You shall not stand in the way! Not while Weevilus Underwood is doing the dismembering!"

Ranma grinned in a smug way, more to enrage Weevilus than anything else.

"And how do you suggest you get past me?"

Weevilus only smiled. His smile, Ranma noted, looked horrible.

"I, Weevilus Underwood, hereby challenge you to a duel! Prepare to meet your fate!"

Ranma grunted at that. The rules of the Shadow Realm bound ANY bet. However it'd be a cold day in hell before he let Shorty bully anyone.

He also had a nice bit of inspiration.

"I, Ranma Yu-Gi-Oh, accept your challenge Weevilus 'Shorty-Cakes' Underwood!"

The name was mostly to distance himself further from his father and his stained honour. Weevilus's nickname was to piss him off. Judging by the grinding of teeth, and red as a tomato face, it worked.

"Fine then Mr. Yu-Gi-Oh, follow me to your doom!"

With that the green-robed duellist stomped towards the forest. Ranma followed, recalling Neo along the way, only for the townsfolk to follow him.

---

The clearing in the forest was home to the first duel the village of Arcus had seen in fifty years. It was also more important as the fate of their small town depended on the outcome.

On one end stood Weevilus Underwood, shuffling a deck of cards, plotting what kind of torture he could impose on this upstart.

On the other end stood Ranma, shuffling his own deck, preparing for the battle.

They both looked at each other, intense dislike passing between them. Together they called out, "Let's Duel!"

Upon the call a rectangle of light lit up around them, like the walls of an arena. Podiums of light burst up in front of them, solidifying for a place to play their cards. They placed their decks down into their spots and drew five cards a piece.

It had begun.

------------ Ranma: 2000 Weevilus: 2000 ------------

Weevilus made his move first.

"I place Killer Needle (1200/1000) into attack mode!"

Much like Neo a burst of light announced the appearance of a giant wasp to the field.

Seeing as it was his turn, Ranma placed down his own card.

"Attack, Giant Solider of Stone! (1300/2000)"

A giant golem arose from a burst of light with two large daggers. It swung one at the Killer Needle, but, to Ranma's surprise, it was deflected.

"What in the?"

"Oh, so sorry Mr. Yu-Gi-Oh! I guess I shouldn't have chosen a field where I get a POWER FIELD BONUS! HA HA!"

Ranma blinked at this.

"Field Bonus?"

"Yes! Inside the forest ALL of my insects get a thirty percent attack AND defence bonus, raising the attack of my Killer Needle! (1560/1300) Attack Killer Needle, Stinging Strike!"

The wasp charged in, stabbing the golem with it's stinger, shattering it into glass, like the Hunter Spider earlier.

------------ Ranma: 1740 Weevilus: 2000 ------------

The crowd winced at this turn of events. Ranma just grinned.

"Celtic Guardian, (1400/1200) swat that bug! Elven Sword Strike!"

The new card burst into life bringing forth an elf in chain mail and a broad sword and simple metal helmet. It leapt to the air, sword raised high.

"Fool, my Killer Needle is stronger because of the forest!"

Weevilus grinned at his opponent's foolishness. The grin died a quick death at the insect was sliced in half.

"Impossible!"

------------ Ranma: 1740 Weevilus: 1740 ------------

"How can this be!"

Ranma grinned with glee. " The Celtic Guardian is an elf of the forest. Thus he too gains a bonus from the field! (1820/1560)

"You will pay for this!"

"I doubt it."

---

In her room a girl brooded about her life. It wasn't fair. Sure she had Setsuna, Hakura and Michiru, but at school...

She was an outcast, a freak, a thing. She was Hotaru Tomoe. She looked out of the window and sighed, making a simple wish.

"I wish I could meet someone who'd love me... for me"

And with that she went to bed, missing the shooting star in the night sky...

---

Drawing a new card, Weevilus decided to try and make a comeback. He placed a card in defence mode, hoping to buy time.

The monster died quickly at the hands of the Celtic Guardian. Ranma ended his turn, goading Weevilus with a smirk.

Weevilus in turn drew a card. He grinned and placed it face down along with another monster.

With his turn Ranma placed his own card face down, and Vorse Raider into attack mode (1900/1200). Weevilus then chuckled.

"You'll get a kick out of MY card! Just Desserts!"

With that he flipped his face down card, revealing a trap.

"You'll lose 500 Life Points for each monster you have! Ha Ha Ha!"

From Weevilus's side of the field a blood red hand came forth striking Ranma's side of the field. Ranma could very well feel the loss of Life Points from the connection over the Shadow Realm.

------------ Ranma: 740 Weevilus: 1740 ------------

Ranma, however had been ready.

"Nice trick Shorty-Cakes. Now watch mine!"

Ranma flipped up his card, bathing his side of the field in sparkles of light. Weevilus nearly chocked as Ranma regained LP!

------------ Ranma: 1640 Weevilus: 1740 ------------

"What was that!?"

To say Weevilus was angry was like saying fish swam, it was obvious.

"Gift of the Mystical Elf. For every monster on the field, regardless of who's, I regain 300 life points. How does it feel, Buggy, to be countered twice in a duel!"

Weevilus gritted his teeth again as Vorse Raider banished his defence monster. He drew another card and grinned.

"This is more like it! Hunter Spider, Attack mode!"

Once more Weevilus's arachnid came to life standing over the field.

"And in addition I can use Laser Cannon Armour to boost him 300 attack and defence! Not to mention the field bonus! (2380/2120) Destroy Vorse Raider!"

The spider leapt at the beast-warrior, sinking in it's fangs killing Vorse Raider off, and reducing Ranma's life points.

------------ Ranma: 1160 Weevilus: 1740 ------------

"Ha Ha Ha! I am king of the forests!"

Weevilus, bolstered confidence and all, was wary. His opponent had taken him off guard twice. He did not want a third repeat.

Ranma's response was to draw a card and smile.

"For now, I place my Celtic Guardian into defence mode. That will end my turn."

"And your monster! Hunter Spider! Attack!"

Once again the spider sank it's fangs into a target, and once more that target was destroyed.

Ranma drew a new card, and smiled wider.

"Any other moves you'd like to make during your turn?"

"None. Make your move fool."

Ranma smiled wider.

"Then I begin my turn with my first card Armoured Glass! It negates all equipment magic."

Weevilus practically snarled as his Spider's attack dropped. (2080/1820) However Ranma was not done.

"Next, I play the Burning Land Magic Card!"

Upon playing the card the field inside the arena became bathed in flames. When they died down the earth was scorched, destroying the land and ending the power bonuses.

"Lastly I play Gaia, The Fierce Knight to destroy your spider! (2300/2100)"

A mounted knight in armour with twin swords arose charging the lethal spider. A swing from one of the knight's blades ended the spider's life on the field.

------------ Ranma: 1160 Weevilus: 1040 ------------

Weevilus wasn't just mad now, he was enraged.

"How," He thought to himself, "Can this arrogant... worm cause me such TROUBLE! I will destroy him!"

Drawing a card, Weevilus grinned.

"Ready to lose now? I will play my second Hunter Spider!"

Once more a large spider rose into the field baring it's fangs.

"Next I will play Monster Reborn and resurrect my first Hunter Spider!"

As the second monster joined it's insect brother Ranma was thinking.

"Why play two of them? Better yet, why waste Monster Reborn to bring back a monster that can't beat Gaia. He's up to something."

Just as that thought ended, Weevilus slapped his last card down.

"And I will sacrifice them both to play this card! Javelin Beetle Pact!"

Ranma didn't need to be told this could be bad as Weevilus slapped his card down. Green light burst from underneath both Hunter Spiders, followed by a pair of javelins. The spiders were impaled on the pole arms, then sucked into them as the javelins slipped back into the ground. The green light expanded, bringing forth one of the most powerful insect cards, Javelin Beetle. (2450/2550)

The large blue beetle held a javelin in it's two hands, claws gripping them as it stood on hind legs. It then roared, demanding a command. Weevilus was quick to comply.

"Attack! Piercing Beetle Stab!"

The beetle charged in, thrusting it's weapon like a spear, piercing Gaia in his heart. Like the monsters before him, Gaia shattered into glass like pieces.

"Behold my monster's might!"

------------ Ranma: 1010 Weevilus: 1040 ------------

Ranma frowned as he drew his next card.

"I'll place one card in defence mode, and another card face down."

Upon finishing his moves Ranma ended his turn.

"Do you think a defence monster can stop me! Piercing Beetle Stab!"

Once more the insect charged. In never reached it's target.

"Thank you for walking into my trap." With that Ranma flipped his face down card.

"Wha...?"

"Go, Spell Binding Circle!"

A magic hexagram burst from the field underneath the beetle, pinning it's arms to it's sides, and sapping it's attack power. (1750)

"Impossible! My... My best monster..."

Grinning, Ranma drew his final card.

"And now... I will place my monster into attack mode to reveal... Dark Magician!"

Now reverting to attack mode, the humanoid and purple garbed wizard rose from the ground, staff held in one hand. (2500/2100)

"And I will also grant him the Book of Secret Arts, raising his attack power!"

Placing down his newly drawn card, Ranma watched as his Magician grew in power. (2800/2400)

"Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack!"

Thrusting forth his staff a blast of power that inverted the colours of the field shot forth, ending Javelin Beetle and Weevilus's Life points.

------------ Ranma: 1010 Weevilus: 0 ------------

Ranma's deck returned to his hand in it's entirety. The arena and podiums removed themselves, and the townsfolk, whom Ranma had forgotten about in the duel cheered. He then approached Weevilus.

"Impossible... how could... this happen..."

The insect duellist had collapsed to his knees with his deck scattered around him, disbelieving what happened. Until Ranma spoke up.

"I do not know why you terrorized these people, but it will not happen again. Your life, by the rules of the Shadow Games, is mine to decide! And I have decided... OBLIVION!"

With the Eye of Ra of his forehead, and the powers of his puzzle he stretched his arm out at his opponent. Weevilus screamed as he was banished into the Shadow Realm, first losing colour like he was on a black and white TV screen, then shattering like glass.

All backed by the thanks of a small village. The puzzle lightly glowed as Yami's presence retreated, leaving Ranma in his natural state. As he looked to the crowd he said the first thing that came to him.

"I'm Ranma Yu-Gi-Oh. Sorry about this."

No one noticed the figure that left.

---

Duellist Profiles

Name: Ranma Yu-Gi-Oh. (Original Name: Ranma Saotome)

Deck Style: Multiple Type Deck

Best/Favourite Monster: Dark Magician

Other Monsters Owned: Summoned Skull, Gaia, The Fierce Knight, Curse of Dragon

Info: When it was learned he was Burakumin, or an ancestor of his held one of the lowest-class jobs, he ran to one of his brooding spots. He was then summoned by Exodia to go on a quest in another world. With the Millennium Puzzle and it's spirit Yami, he sets out onto adventure.

Name: Weevilus Underwood

Deck Style: Insect Assault Deck

Best/Favourite Monster: Javelin Beetle

Other Monsters Owned: Hunter Spider, Killer Needle

Info: Picked on because he was so short, Weevilus learned the arts of duelling to exact revenge. He was later hired by Lord Benjamin Panik as an attack dog and trouble-shooter for his army of terror.

Author's Note: I would appreciate some feedback to this fic. Also note, that while I'll be only using cards that have been realised in English (And maybe some of the Japanese cards on occasion) I won't make my own cards, except for story-line reasons.

Next Chapter: Exodia has a problem? Panik is mad? And which duellist will Ranma face next?