Disclaimer: Nine chapters of beautifulness, and I still have to ruin my glee by saying a disclaimer?! HELLO! THEY'RE NOT MINE! (Like you all didn't know that already.)

Yami: Why must you do that in chaptered stories, huh? I mean, if it didn't belong to you in the first chapter, why would it belong to you in the ninth one?

Seto: Maybe she bought it in the lag time.

Yami: Considering she hasn't updated for a couple months, yeah. I concede the point.

Seto: Never doubt the power of money.

Author's Notes: Fair warning-this is going to be the second-to-last chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh! Karaoke. Tristan has somehow disappeared into the mysterious void between chapters, so he's not going to sing. Unfortunately, this also means Malik is not going to get a chance to sing, either. He's not really the singing type, anyway. The song I used is "Ain't No Mountain High" by Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell. That said, let's hit it!

~*~*~*~

Once Joey recovered from the paralyzing effects of Serenity's song, everyone decided it was time for someone else to sing.

"Joseph, why don't you go?" Mai suggested, winking.

Joey blushed deep red and kicked at the floor. "I dunno.I can't really sing."

Seto grinned. "No problem. I have the perfect song for you-"

Yami shook his head. "Too late. Yugi hid the Baha Men CD before you guys came over."

Yugi smiled slyly. "I knew you'd try to force Joey into singing "Who Let the Dogs Out", so I made sure that CD was long gone before you even got in the door."

Joey frowned. "Well, I do have a song.it sure ain't Baha Men, but it's sort of okay."

"Do it!" Ryou burst out, causing everyone to stare at him in surprise. He blushed. "Well, I really think he should." he added sheepishly.

So Joey took the mike. "This one's for you, sis."

And he began to sing.

~*~

Ain't no mountain high,

Ain't no valley low,

Ain't no river

Wide enough, baby,



If you need me, call me,

No matter where you are,

No matter how far,

Don't worry, baby,



Just call my name,

I'll be there in a hurry,

You don't have to worry,

'Cause baby, there,



Ain't no mountain high enough,

Ain't no valley low enough,

Ain't no river wide enough,

To keep me from gettin' to you, babe



Remember the day,

Serenity?

I told ya you could always

Count on me, darling,



And from that day on,

I made a vow,

I'll be there when you need me,

Someway, somehow



'Cause baby, there,



Ain't no mountain high enough,

Ain't no valley low enough,

Ain't no river wide enough,

To keep me from gettin' to you, babe



Oh, no, darling, No wind, no rain!



Or winter's cold,

Can stop me, baby,

Oh, no, no, baby,

'Cause you are my goal



If you're ever in trouble

I'll be there on the double,

Just send for me,

Oh, baby!



You're always with me,

Right there in my heart,

Although we are

Miles apart,



If you ever need

A helping hand,

I'll be there on the double

Just as fast as I can,



Don't you know that there,



Ain't no mountain high enough,

Ain't no valley low enough,

Ain't no river wide enough,

To keep me from gettin' to you, babe



Don't you know that there,

Ain't no mountain high enough,

Ain't no valley low enough,

Ain't no river wide enough,



To keep me from gettin' to you, babe!

~*~

Serenity, possessing more self-control than Joey, managed not to faint. But the moment Joey finished, everyone burst into wild applause.

"Awesome, Joey!" Mai cheered, stepping up to give him a kiss on the cheek.

"Incredible!" Ryou agreed.

"Great job!" Yugi said with a smile.

Yami and Seto, however, seemed to be having a heated discussion in one corner.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do NOT!"

"Do TOO!"

"WHAT ARE YOU ARGUING ABOUT?!" Yugi shrieked, which caused everyone to stare at him oddly. No one expected such an outburst from little Yugi.

There was a long pause before Yami finally answered, "We had a bet, and Seto lost. I want my ten bucks!"

"I did not lose!" Seto replied hotly. "We never agreed on a judge! The bet is null and void!"

"What was the bet?" Tea wanted to know, trying unsuccessfully to bat her eyes at Yami.

The pharaoh shuddered at Tea's gesture. "Seto thought that Joey's voice would crack sometime during his song. I didn't think so. So we bet, and you lost!"

"Seto, just pay him the money," Mokuba said tactfully.

Grumbling, Seto pulled out his wallet and handed Yami a ten-dollar bill. "Fine."

Joey began to laugh hysterically. "You guys are hilarious! Absolutely hil- eep!" He cut off, just as his voice cracked.

Seto stared at Yami for all of two nanoseconds before snatching his ten dollars back out of Yami's hand. "I'll take that back, thank you!"

Yami's mouth opened with a snappy retort, but Yugi was quick to cut him off. "Who's going to sing next?" he asked tactfully.

Immediately everyone stared at each other. Who WAS going to sing next?

~*~*~*~

That's the second-to-last chapter, everyone. Thank you for all the information on Malik! I really appreciate it. Don't worry, I have something special planned for the grand finale, and yes, it did come from one of you reviewers.

Seto: In other words, read all her reviews, take a guess, and leave a review of your own!

Yami: Who knows? She might let us do an encore, if one of you comes up with a great idea for a duet!

Seto: ENCORE!

Yami: WE WANT TO DO AN ENCORE!

Me: That's very plausible, guys. But I'll only do it if they review.

Yami: PUH-LEEZE REVIEW!

Seto: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE!

Joey the Flame Swordsman and Flamina are going to annihilate any nasty reviews. Joey especially won't tolerate anyone criticizing his singing. But other than that, you heard Yami and Seto: PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!