Notes: MUWAHAHAHA!! Thanx to an RP with WingWeaver Hope, I was able to obtain two of the three riddles in here! ^___^
Shielding their eyes, everyone was able to see a figure standing directly in the middle of the light.
"What on earth?!" Joey yelled.
"It's that man again!" Bakura realized, starting to curl up in a ball from the pain. Yami Bakura growled at this and shoved a cloth against the wound in the boy's shoulder.
"Who is he?" Yugi wondered, staring in a kind of awe as the Middle Eastern stranger put forth his hand and uttered something forcefully in his native language. The fake janitors screamed in fear of the righteous punishment that was coming upon them and then vanished into nothing, their weapons remaining behind.
All eyes turned to the enigmatic man who had just rescued them. He ignored their stares and bent down to retrieve one of the rifles, muttering softly to himself.
Bakura's moans of pain interrupted him and he looked over at the agonized boy, his eyes narrowed.
"Can you help him?" Téa asked hopefully.
Without a word the stranger set the gun aside and knelt down by Bakura. Gently he laid his hand on the tormented boy's forehead, willing him to sleep. "The wound is not serious," he said, his voice muffled by the veil, "but the boy cannot tolerate the pain. He must rest now."
Bakura gave a last groan before falling into slumber. Oreo meowed, licking his cheek and then putting her paws on the man's hands. Their rescuer stroked her fur before straightening up and turning to go.
"Wait!" Yugi cried. "Can you tell us anything that will help us today?"
"Nothing that you do not already know," came the reply as their rescuer shimmered and disappeared. Everyone stared at the spot where he had been for several long moments in silence, stunned.
Ishizu broke the hush as she embraced her brother warmly. "Dear Marik," she whispered. "I am so glad you overcame your hatred."
Marik smiled weakly, hugging her and then Rishid when he came over.
Many thoughts tumbled through Ishizu's mind as she held her brothers close to her. She couldn't stop thinking about the strange man who had come to their rescue. Something seemed so familiar about him . . . but what was it? His eyes? They had been hidden in shadow for most of the time, but once Ishizu had been sure she had caught a glimpse of them—and they were a striking blue. But . . . the one she longed to see was dead. It was foolishness to fantasize that she had seen him.
"Sister?" Marik blinked at her. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," Ishizu assured him, snapping back to the present. "I was thinking about . . ." She trailed off, a faraway look coming into her eyes.
Marik sighed sadly, looking up at the sister he loved and treasured so much. He knew she was thinking of Shadi and missing him. And yet . . . when that strange man was here, it almost seemed as if I could sense Shadi's presence, the boy thought then. But no . . . that's ridiculous!
At that moment the doors burst open and Tristan, Duke, Serenity, and Mrs. Perkins appeared, all looking worried.
"Joey!!" Serenity exclaimed, running to her big brother and throwing her arms around him.
"Serenity, what the heck are you doing here?!" Joey gasped, his eyes wide as he returned the embrace.
"Well, we were looking for Alyson, but then we heard about the hostage situation and that you were all in trouble!" Serenity replied.
"Wait a minute, Alyson's missing?!" Yugi gasped.
Tristan nodded. "She left this," he said, showing the other boy the note.
"How did you guys know we were the ones in trouble?" Mai asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Some weird Middle Eastern guy told us," Duke said with a shrug.
Yami Bakura, meanwhile, was ignoring all the conversation and instead was busily engaged in watching Bakura sleep. The teenage boy was moving about in the tomb raider's arms and didn't seem very calm at all.
"Settle down, you dolt," Yami Bakura hissed grouchily.
Bakura replied by moaning loudly.
"You can't even handle a little bit of pain," the thief grunted, shaking his head in apparent disbelief.
Téa just rolled her eyes at that, still considering Yami Bakura to be an insane sicko.
Martin looked highly upset at all of this, as if he thought himself responsible for everyone's troubles.
Yami Yugi clenched his fists. "We don't have much time," he reminded them all, glancing outside and noticing with distaste that the sun was almost setting.
"Hey! Where do you think this leads?" Mokuba spoke up, sticking his hand through a strange, shimmering rip in the air.
"What in the name of Heaven is a portal doing here?!" Yami Bakura growled in irritation.
"It could have been left by the wicked pirates," Ishizu replied slowly, "or perhaps it was left by our benefactor." She touched the Tauk. "Either way, I believe we are destined to travel through it."
Mokuba let out a yelp as he was suddenly pulled in. Everyone gasped as they watched.
"Mokuba!" Marik cried, diving after him.
"Well, we've got no choice now, destined or not," Joey remarked. "We havta go through!"
It wasn't long before the entire group had passed through and were flying about in space.
"Oh man, I really hate these things!" Joey moaned.
"Just don't lose your lunch near me," Mai grumbled.
"I just wanna get off!" Tristan wailed.
Almost instantly they all crash-landed on a hard surface and Tristan regretted his words.
"Next time, wish for a soft landing," Téa pleaded.
Marik struggled to get up from where he was sprawled across Rishid's chest. The older man helped him to sit up and then pulled himself up as well.
"Do you guys realize we haven't slept since we took those naps right after registering in the hotel?!" Joey announced suddenly.
"That's hardly a major concern right now," Yami Yugi retorted. "We only have till midnight to stop this evil, and already it's nearly evening!"
"Where are we, anyway?" Joey wondered.
"Not somewhere I'd pick for a vacation," Mokuba exclaimed, pointing to a nearby skull.
Oreo gave a loud yowl and hiss and then reached out to attack it. Yami Bakura ignored her, muttering something about foolish felines, and concentrated solely on Bakura, who moaned again.
"I doubt that trip did anything for him," the thief grunted.
"What the heck are we doing in a cemetery?!" Joey screamed, messing up his hair in frustration.
Rishid raised an eyebrow at his actions but said nothing.
"There must be a reason we have been sent here," Yami Yugi said, walking ahead cautiously.
Agreeing with him, the others advanced as well and hoped nothing ill would befall them.
"Joey, don't fall in that open grave!" Marik called out abruptly.
"Say what?" Joey asked, taking another step and swaying violently on the edge. The Brooklyn boy gave a cry of panic and grabbed for anything or anyone nearby who could help him. The one nearest to him, Rishid, reached out and pulled him away from the edge, sighing to himself. Both of them fell on the ground in a heap. Joey blinked, taking a deep breath. "Wow, thanks, man," he exclaimed.
Rishid grunted in response.
Serenity hurried over. "Are you alright, big brother?" she asked.
Joey stood up and grinned. "Sure, sis," he said. "I'm just fine."
Mai walked over and peered into the open grave. "I have a bad feeling about this," she remarked, narrowing her eyes.
"What's an open grave doing here, with no one around to take care of it?" Téa wondered. Her eyes widened as she glanced around. "Wait! There's lots of open graves here!!" she burst out.
"You're right," Duke said, coming up beside her. "It almost looks like there's . . ." He quickly counted the number he could see.
"Exactly enough for all of us!" Tristan yelled.
Joey gulped noticeably. "Okay, now you're creepin' me out," he declared. "We're all alive . . . right?"
A horrible scream tore through the air nearby and everyone jumped.
"We are, but it sounds like someone else has just met an unfortunate end!" Mako cried.
"No way!" Téa wailed, starting to become so very nervous.
"Let's go check it out!" Without waiting for an answer, Tristan tore off ahead.
"Tristan, wait!" Serenity pleaded.
"We'll have to go after him," Marik said, narrowing his eyes.
Quickly everyone followed . . . and they were all shocked and disturbed to see a strange creature with a lion's body and a woman's head holding a dead body in its paws.
"What . . . what's that thing?!" Joey gasped, seeing Tristan paralyzed with fear.
"A sphinx, you moron," Yami Bakura snapped, pulling Bakura's body closer to him. The boy was starting to stir now, and if the first thing he saw was the grotesque scene before them, Yami Bakura knew that he was very likely to be sickened.
As Yugi was right now. "What's she done?!" he burst out, his violet eyes widening considerably.
"The mythological sphinx usually is guarding something important," Yami Yugi explained.
"That is correct," Ishizu said softly. "If anyone attempts to pass by, the sphinx will ask them a riddle or two. If they guess it correctly, they may proceed."
"But if they guess wrong, they are destroyed," Rishid finished, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh!" Serenity said in horror, putting her hand to her mouth.
"Hey, it'll be fine, sis!" Joey tried to comfort her. "Your big brother won't let anything like that happen to us!"
Mai rolled her eyes. "Since when have you been good at riddles?" she wanted to know.
Joey glared at her. "I've always been good at it!!" he retorted.
Bakura's eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Yami Bakura in confusion. "Yami, where are we?" he asked softly. "And . . . why do I have this horrible feeling?!"
Yami Bakura snorted. "Don't worry about it, fool," he told him.
Now the sphinx was turning toward them. "Ah. Dinner," she smiled.
Unintimidated, Marik stepped forward to face her. "We were brought here by a portal," he said, explaining of their mission and the little time they had left in which to complete it.
The sphinx licked her lips and sat down. "Well, if you have truly been selected and are not imposters, such as the one who just attempted to get through, then you should be able to answer my riddle easily." She paused. "Hmm. Because it's such an important quest, let's make it more interesting. Three riddles."
"Three?!" Joey cried indignantly.
Lazily the beast raised her paw and showed Joey her claws. "I trust it won't be too hard for you," she purred.
Oreo hissed loudly and it was all Yami Bakura could do to hold her back from attacking.
Bakura just stared in wide-eyed astonishment, not sure whether to be awed or frightened out of his wits.
"We accept your terms," Yami Yugi declared, proclaiming himself the spokesperson for the group.
"Very well." The sphinx got up and began to pace, enjoying making them nervous. "You have one minute on each riddle to consult with the others of your party and come up with the answer." She walked up near Yami Yugi and curled her tail around his leg. "First riddle. 'It fills the heart, but craving still, man, though full, it cannot fill.'"
Joey's eyes bugged out. "WHAT??!!!" he cried.
Duke grabbed him forcefully. "Come on, don't make it angry," he hissed. "Everyone's necks are on the line here!"
"But what the heck could it mean?!" Tristan said in frustration. "This is gonna be harder than I thought!"
Mako was silent for a while, deep in thought. "I believe I have the answer," he said, and told them.
"Yes," Ishizu nodded, "that is it."
Yami Yugi turned back to the creature. "Greed," he said simply. "It fills the hearts of men, but they are never satisfied with what they have and always want more."
The sphinx smiled. "Well done, Mr. Tsunami," she said, addressing Mako.
"She knows our names?!" Joey cried. Everyone ignored him.
"Next riddle," the sphinx said calmly. "'It crushes the weak, it rules the poor, but he who owns it, it rules the more.'"
Bakura blinked, still horribly confused but beginning to understand what was happening. He was about to give his opinion when Mokuba took the words right out of his mouth.
"I know!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Power! It's gotta be power!"
Marik looked away. "Yes," he said finally. "That must be the answer." Rishid laid a hand on his brother's shoulder.
The sphinx began to wash herself. "Not bad," she said. "Power is the answer. I take it that you craved power at some point in your life."
Marik chose not to answer.
Now the beast closed her eyes to slits. "Now. Last one. If you get it right, you may pass on to complete your destinies. But if you tell me wrong . . ." She sneered at them all.
"Hey!! No one makes a salad out of Joey Wheeler!" the blonde boy yelled indignantly.
Marik looked rather disgusted at Joey's choice of words but chose to ignore him again. "What is the riddle?" he asked.
The sphinx smiled. "'What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening'?"
Joey slumped against a tree. "Oh man . . ."
Serenity smiled at him. "I know you can come up with the right answer, Joey!" she declared.
Joey tried to smile back, then suddenly stood up straight. "Heck, yeah, I can!" he said, slamming his fist into his palm. "Now let's see . . ." He became deep in thought, trying to unravel the confusing mystery.
Téa sighed. "This really is hard," she said, shaking her head.
"Thirty seconds!" the sphinx informed them.
"I'm totally stumped!" Tristan wailed.
"The answer must be simple," Yami Yugi said, closing his eyes. "It seems complicated, but it truly is not, if we only think about it. . . ."
Yami Bakura growled, then smirked suddenly.
"Do you know, Yami?" Bakura asked hopefully.
"It is a man," the thief replied.
"A man?!" Tristan said in disbelief.
"Yes," Marik nodded. "He crawls on his hands and knees as an infant, walks on his two legs as an adult, and carries a cane in his later years, making three 'legs.'"
"Is that your final answer?" the sphinx asked.
"It is," Yami Yugi said evenly.
Abruptly the creature gave a screech and dissolved into nothing.
"Hey! Yell in your own ear!" Joey said indignantly.
A loud creak interrupted them all as a door appeared from out of nowhere.
"Now what?!" Mai moaned.
"Now . . ." Yami Yugi stepped forward. "We go inside."
****
"Mr. Kaiba, sir!" Alyson shrieked as they ran along down the corridor.
"What is it?" Seto asked, preoccupied with finding the exit.
"Look out!!" came the worried reply.
"Huh?" Seto dove out of the way just as a spear struck where he had been standing a moment before.
"Something's wrong!" Alyson said worriedly, grabbing the Ankh tightly.
Ten more spears rained down from above them, going in a straight line as Seto grabbed Alyson and ran. The last one caught him in the shoulder and he gasped, his eyes widening.
"Mr. Kaiba??!!" Alyson shrieked.
Seto groaned, trying to pull the weapon out of his flesh and failing.
An evil laugh echoed throughout the corridors. "It seems, Seto Kaiba, that you're my catch of the day!" With that a strange figure somersaulted down next to them and sneered.
Alyson screamed. "No!! Not you!! Anyone but you!!"
Shielding their eyes, everyone was able to see a figure standing directly in the middle of the light.
"What on earth?!" Joey yelled.
"It's that man again!" Bakura realized, starting to curl up in a ball from the pain. Yami Bakura growled at this and shoved a cloth against the wound in the boy's shoulder.
"Who is he?" Yugi wondered, staring in a kind of awe as the Middle Eastern stranger put forth his hand and uttered something forcefully in his native language. The fake janitors screamed in fear of the righteous punishment that was coming upon them and then vanished into nothing, their weapons remaining behind.
All eyes turned to the enigmatic man who had just rescued them. He ignored their stares and bent down to retrieve one of the rifles, muttering softly to himself.
Bakura's moans of pain interrupted him and he looked over at the agonized boy, his eyes narrowed.
"Can you help him?" Téa asked hopefully.
Without a word the stranger set the gun aside and knelt down by Bakura. Gently he laid his hand on the tormented boy's forehead, willing him to sleep. "The wound is not serious," he said, his voice muffled by the veil, "but the boy cannot tolerate the pain. He must rest now."
Bakura gave a last groan before falling into slumber. Oreo meowed, licking his cheek and then putting her paws on the man's hands. Their rescuer stroked her fur before straightening up and turning to go.
"Wait!" Yugi cried. "Can you tell us anything that will help us today?"
"Nothing that you do not already know," came the reply as their rescuer shimmered and disappeared. Everyone stared at the spot where he had been for several long moments in silence, stunned.
Ishizu broke the hush as she embraced her brother warmly. "Dear Marik," she whispered. "I am so glad you overcame your hatred."
Marik smiled weakly, hugging her and then Rishid when he came over.
Many thoughts tumbled through Ishizu's mind as she held her brothers close to her. She couldn't stop thinking about the strange man who had come to their rescue. Something seemed so familiar about him . . . but what was it? His eyes? They had been hidden in shadow for most of the time, but once Ishizu had been sure she had caught a glimpse of them—and they were a striking blue. But . . . the one she longed to see was dead. It was foolishness to fantasize that she had seen him.
"Sister?" Marik blinked at her. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," Ishizu assured him, snapping back to the present. "I was thinking about . . ." She trailed off, a faraway look coming into her eyes.
Marik sighed sadly, looking up at the sister he loved and treasured so much. He knew she was thinking of Shadi and missing him. And yet . . . when that strange man was here, it almost seemed as if I could sense Shadi's presence, the boy thought then. But no . . . that's ridiculous!
At that moment the doors burst open and Tristan, Duke, Serenity, and Mrs. Perkins appeared, all looking worried.
"Joey!!" Serenity exclaimed, running to her big brother and throwing her arms around him.
"Serenity, what the heck are you doing here?!" Joey gasped, his eyes wide as he returned the embrace.
"Well, we were looking for Alyson, but then we heard about the hostage situation and that you were all in trouble!" Serenity replied.
"Wait a minute, Alyson's missing?!" Yugi gasped.
Tristan nodded. "She left this," he said, showing the other boy the note.
"How did you guys know we were the ones in trouble?" Mai asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Some weird Middle Eastern guy told us," Duke said with a shrug.
Yami Bakura, meanwhile, was ignoring all the conversation and instead was busily engaged in watching Bakura sleep. The teenage boy was moving about in the tomb raider's arms and didn't seem very calm at all.
"Settle down, you dolt," Yami Bakura hissed grouchily.
Bakura replied by moaning loudly.
"You can't even handle a little bit of pain," the thief grunted, shaking his head in apparent disbelief.
Téa just rolled her eyes at that, still considering Yami Bakura to be an insane sicko.
Martin looked highly upset at all of this, as if he thought himself responsible for everyone's troubles.
Yami Yugi clenched his fists. "We don't have much time," he reminded them all, glancing outside and noticing with distaste that the sun was almost setting.
"Hey! Where do you think this leads?" Mokuba spoke up, sticking his hand through a strange, shimmering rip in the air.
"What in the name of Heaven is a portal doing here?!" Yami Bakura growled in irritation.
"It could have been left by the wicked pirates," Ishizu replied slowly, "or perhaps it was left by our benefactor." She touched the Tauk. "Either way, I believe we are destined to travel through it."
Mokuba let out a yelp as he was suddenly pulled in. Everyone gasped as they watched.
"Mokuba!" Marik cried, diving after him.
"Well, we've got no choice now, destined or not," Joey remarked. "We havta go through!"
It wasn't long before the entire group had passed through and were flying about in space.
"Oh man, I really hate these things!" Joey moaned.
"Just don't lose your lunch near me," Mai grumbled.
"I just wanna get off!" Tristan wailed.
Almost instantly they all crash-landed on a hard surface and Tristan regretted his words.
"Next time, wish for a soft landing," Téa pleaded.
Marik struggled to get up from where he was sprawled across Rishid's chest. The older man helped him to sit up and then pulled himself up as well.
"Do you guys realize we haven't slept since we took those naps right after registering in the hotel?!" Joey announced suddenly.
"That's hardly a major concern right now," Yami Yugi retorted. "We only have till midnight to stop this evil, and already it's nearly evening!"
"Where are we, anyway?" Joey wondered.
"Not somewhere I'd pick for a vacation," Mokuba exclaimed, pointing to a nearby skull.
Oreo gave a loud yowl and hiss and then reached out to attack it. Yami Bakura ignored her, muttering something about foolish felines, and concentrated solely on Bakura, who moaned again.
"I doubt that trip did anything for him," the thief grunted.
"What the heck are we doing in a cemetery?!" Joey screamed, messing up his hair in frustration.
Rishid raised an eyebrow at his actions but said nothing.
"There must be a reason we have been sent here," Yami Yugi said, walking ahead cautiously.
Agreeing with him, the others advanced as well and hoped nothing ill would befall them.
"Joey, don't fall in that open grave!" Marik called out abruptly.
"Say what?" Joey asked, taking another step and swaying violently on the edge. The Brooklyn boy gave a cry of panic and grabbed for anything or anyone nearby who could help him. The one nearest to him, Rishid, reached out and pulled him away from the edge, sighing to himself. Both of them fell on the ground in a heap. Joey blinked, taking a deep breath. "Wow, thanks, man," he exclaimed.
Rishid grunted in response.
Serenity hurried over. "Are you alright, big brother?" she asked.
Joey stood up and grinned. "Sure, sis," he said. "I'm just fine."
Mai walked over and peered into the open grave. "I have a bad feeling about this," she remarked, narrowing her eyes.
"What's an open grave doing here, with no one around to take care of it?" Téa wondered. Her eyes widened as she glanced around. "Wait! There's lots of open graves here!!" she burst out.
"You're right," Duke said, coming up beside her. "It almost looks like there's . . ." He quickly counted the number he could see.
"Exactly enough for all of us!" Tristan yelled.
Joey gulped noticeably. "Okay, now you're creepin' me out," he declared. "We're all alive . . . right?"
A horrible scream tore through the air nearby and everyone jumped.
"We are, but it sounds like someone else has just met an unfortunate end!" Mako cried.
"No way!" Téa wailed, starting to become so very nervous.
"Let's go check it out!" Without waiting for an answer, Tristan tore off ahead.
"Tristan, wait!" Serenity pleaded.
"We'll have to go after him," Marik said, narrowing his eyes.
Quickly everyone followed . . . and they were all shocked and disturbed to see a strange creature with a lion's body and a woman's head holding a dead body in its paws.
"What . . . what's that thing?!" Joey gasped, seeing Tristan paralyzed with fear.
"A sphinx, you moron," Yami Bakura snapped, pulling Bakura's body closer to him. The boy was starting to stir now, and if the first thing he saw was the grotesque scene before them, Yami Bakura knew that he was very likely to be sickened.
As Yugi was right now. "What's she done?!" he burst out, his violet eyes widening considerably.
"The mythological sphinx usually is guarding something important," Yami Yugi explained.
"That is correct," Ishizu said softly. "If anyone attempts to pass by, the sphinx will ask them a riddle or two. If they guess it correctly, they may proceed."
"But if they guess wrong, they are destroyed," Rishid finished, narrowing his eyes.
"Oh!" Serenity said in horror, putting her hand to her mouth.
"Hey, it'll be fine, sis!" Joey tried to comfort her. "Your big brother won't let anything like that happen to us!"
Mai rolled her eyes. "Since when have you been good at riddles?" she wanted to know.
Joey glared at her. "I've always been good at it!!" he retorted.
Bakura's eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Yami Bakura in confusion. "Yami, where are we?" he asked softly. "And . . . why do I have this horrible feeling?!"
Yami Bakura snorted. "Don't worry about it, fool," he told him.
Now the sphinx was turning toward them. "Ah. Dinner," she smiled.
Unintimidated, Marik stepped forward to face her. "We were brought here by a portal," he said, explaining of their mission and the little time they had left in which to complete it.
The sphinx licked her lips and sat down. "Well, if you have truly been selected and are not imposters, such as the one who just attempted to get through, then you should be able to answer my riddle easily." She paused. "Hmm. Because it's such an important quest, let's make it more interesting. Three riddles."
"Three?!" Joey cried indignantly.
Lazily the beast raised her paw and showed Joey her claws. "I trust it won't be too hard for you," she purred.
Oreo hissed loudly and it was all Yami Bakura could do to hold her back from attacking.
Bakura just stared in wide-eyed astonishment, not sure whether to be awed or frightened out of his wits.
"We accept your terms," Yami Yugi declared, proclaiming himself the spokesperson for the group.
"Very well." The sphinx got up and began to pace, enjoying making them nervous. "You have one minute on each riddle to consult with the others of your party and come up with the answer." She walked up near Yami Yugi and curled her tail around his leg. "First riddle. 'It fills the heart, but craving still, man, though full, it cannot fill.'"
Joey's eyes bugged out. "WHAT??!!!" he cried.
Duke grabbed him forcefully. "Come on, don't make it angry," he hissed. "Everyone's necks are on the line here!"
"But what the heck could it mean?!" Tristan said in frustration. "This is gonna be harder than I thought!"
Mako was silent for a while, deep in thought. "I believe I have the answer," he said, and told them.
"Yes," Ishizu nodded, "that is it."
Yami Yugi turned back to the creature. "Greed," he said simply. "It fills the hearts of men, but they are never satisfied with what they have and always want more."
The sphinx smiled. "Well done, Mr. Tsunami," she said, addressing Mako.
"She knows our names?!" Joey cried. Everyone ignored him.
"Next riddle," the sphinx said calmly. "'It crushes the weak, it rules the poor, but he who owns it, it rules the more.'"
Bakura blinked, still horribly confused but beginning to understand what was happening. He was about to give his opinion when Mokuba took the words right out of his mouth.
"I know!" Mokuba exclaimed. "Power! It's gotta be power!"
Marik looked away. "Yes," he said finally. "That must be the answer." Rishid laid a hand on his brother's shoulder.
The sphinx began to wash herself. "Not bad," she said. "Power is the answer. I take it that you craved power at some point in your life."
Marik chose not to answer.
Now the beast closed her eyes to slits. "Now. Last one. If you get it right, you may pass on to complete your destinies. But if you tell me wrong . . ." She sneered at them all.
"Hey!! No one makes a salad out of Joey Wheeler!" the blonde boy yelled indignantly.
Marik looked rather disgusted at Joey's choice of words but chose to ignore him again. "What is the riddle?" he asked.
The sphinx smiled. "'What walks on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening'?"
Joey slumped against a tree. "Oh man . . ."
Serenity smiled at him. "I know you can come up with the right answer, Joey!" she declared.
Joey tried to smile back, then suddenly stood up straight. "Heck, yeah, I can!" he said, slamming his fist into his palm. "Now let's see . . ." He became deep in thought, trying to unravel the confusing mystery.
Téa sighed. "This really is hard," she said, shaking her head.
"Thirty seconds!" the sphinx informed them.
"I'm totally stumped!" Tristan wailed.
"The answer must be simple," Yami Yugi said, closing his eyes. "It seems complicated, but it truly is not, if we only think about it. . . ."
Yami Bakura growled, then smirked suddenly.
"Do you know, Yami?" Bakura asked hopefully.
"It is a man," the thief replied.
"A man?!" Tristan said in disbelief.
"Yes," Marik nodded. "He crawls on his hands and knees as an infant, walks on his two legs as an adult, and carries a cane in his later years, making three 'legs.'"
"Is that your final answer?" the sphinx asked.
"It is," Yami Yugi said evenly.
Abruptly the creature gave a screech and dissolved into nothing.
"Hey! Yell in your own ear!" Joey said indignantly.
A loud creak interrupted them all as a door appeared from out of nowhere.
"Now what?!" Mai moaned.
"Now . . ." Yami Yugi stepped forward. "We go inside."
****
"Mr. Kaiba, sir!" Alyson shrieked as they ran along down the corridor.
"What is it?" Seto asked, preoccupied with finding the exit.
"Look out!!" came the worried reply.
"Huh?" Seto dove out of the way just as a spear struck where he had been standing a moment before.
"Something's wrong!" Alyson said worriedly, grabbing the Ankh tightly.
Ten more spears rained down from above them, going in a straight line as Seto grabbed Alyson and ran. The last one caught him in the shoulder and he gasped, his eyes widening.
"Mr. Kaiba??!!" Alyson shrieked.
Seto groaned, trying to pull the weapon out of his flesh and failing.
An evil laugh echoed throughout the corridors. "It seems, Seto Kaiba, that you're my catch of the day!" With that a strange figure somersaulted down next to them and sneered.
Alyson screamed. "No!! Not you!! Anyone but you!!"