"Adina! Why? How?" stammered Joe.
"I am sorry," she sobbed. "Mokuba insisted that we change spots. He was so serious, I could not resist. I am sorry."
"Don't apologize. It isn't your fault," said Shayla, sympathetically.
"We need to get to that castle!" exclaimed Joe. He raced to the end of the balcony and held up a flying monster card.
"It won't work," stated to king.
"What?" asked Mai.
"The floating castle is protected by a spell that keeps all Duel Monsters out," explained the queen.
"No monster can approach it," added the nanny.
"Then what can we do?" asked Yu-Gi.
"There is another part to our legend," said the king. "The five ancient heroes were able to get to the floating castle by a strange bird. That bird became the foundation for the old city. According to the legend, when the ancient heroes return they shall resurrect the bird and once again enter the castle and stop evil."
"Woah," muttered Mai.
"I agree," added Shayla.
"You can see the ruins from here," said the queen as she pointed to an area below the balcony. There were remains of buildings. Most were just crumbling foundations. But a silvery silhouette of an angular bird could be seen. It glittered in the afternoon sun.
"Oh!" exclaimed Yu-Gi.
"So, now what?" asked Joe.
"We go down there and raise that bird!" exclaimed Mai as she took off. "Come on!" She insisted as she grabbed Shayla's and Joe's hands and began to pull them.
They eventually reached the ruins. It took a lot of walking and the group had gotten lost once, but they were there. Their guide left them the minute they made it to the silhouette.
"Now, how do we do this?" asked Mai.
"Eros!" exclaimed Yu-Gi as the little fairy made her way to him. "You want to come too?" Eros nodded.
"Eros is going to be our guide?" asked Shayla.
"Yep!" smiled Yu-Gi.
"Does she know how to raise ancient legends?" asked Mai.
"How about Reborn the Monster?" asked Shayla.
"I don't think it will work. Remember, no Duel Monster can enter the Castle of Dark Illusions. That means this bird, or whatever it is, was, isn't a Duel Monster. Therefore Reborn the Monster would not work on it."
"So what do we do?" asked Joe.
"What is one card in our decks that can turn back time, enough time to raise this bird from the past?" asked Yu-Gi.
"Time Wizard!" exclaimed Joe as he held up is card.
"Wait, Joe!" cried Mai in concern. "You might also lose life points if you are not careful."
"It is a risk I am willing to take. This is the only way!" exclaimed Joe.
"Joe," moaned Mia as she repressed an urge to run and embrace him.
"Time Wizard, Time Roulette!" ordered Joe as he summoned his monster. A large clock with a literal face, blue cape, and red hat appeared. It held its staff high in the air. On the end of the staff was a dial that began to spin. There were two symbols the dial would stop on. One would manipulate time. The other one, a skull symbol, would cause the Time Wizard to self-destruct, taking its attack points from Joe's life points.
The dial kept spinning. Everyone tensed up as it slowed down, very nervous at where it would stop. It slowed and slowed. Then it stopped, barely missing the skull symbol.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Joe as the Time Wizard's magic was activated.
"You did it!" added Yu-Gi. The landscape began to tremble. Debris flew everywhere as the ruins were rebuilding themselves.
"Look! Time is going backwards!" exclaimed Mai. The silhouette began to glow brightly. The earth shook. A loud rumbling was emitted from the depths as more debris began to build itself around the area the four were standing on. It was complete chaos. Someone was screaming.
Back on the castle's balcony......
The king, queen, and princess were watching as the ruins disappeared into dust.
"Oh, no! They are gone!" cried Adina in despair.
"This cannot be! The legends!" protested the king.
"Look!" exclaimed the queen. Something silver was rising from the dust. It looked like an airplane that was fashioned in the shape of a bird. It had several propellers. One on each wing and one on the tail. On top of it were a very shocked Mai, Yu-Gi, Shayla, and Joe.
"They did it!" exclaimed Adina.
"We are going to save the Kaibas and the world!" exclaimed Yu-Gi.
"Let's go! Nothing can stop us!" added Joe.
"Don't worry, we will not let you down," finished Mai.
"I think I am going to be sick," moaned Shayla, who was the only one not standing.
"Come on, kid. You are going to be fine," said Mai as she pulled her roommate to her feet.
Not so far away.....
Kaiba had his back to a stone slab. His arms were shackled over his head, much like he had been in the Shadow Realm. He was pale, possibly from the heat from a nearby lava pit.
"Why aren't you enjoying yourself, Kaiba?" asked the Witty Phantom, his jailer. The Witty Phantom wore a violet suit with white gloves. It had elfin ears and an orange face. He tipped his top hat when he spoke. He was slightly short than the average human guy.
"Go away," snapped Kaiba.
"But I have brought you company," said the Duel Monster. The Armed Ninja appeared and dropped Mokuba, who was still in the princess's outfit. "But he didn't fool us. Meet your brother!" He cast a spell and Mokuba's gown became his armor.
"Mokuba!" cried Seto.
"Big brother! I made it!" exclaimed Mokuba.
"Now the ritual can begin," smiled the Witty Phantom.
"I don't think so!" said Mokuba. "Sword Stalker!" He summoned one of his brother's monsters, since he had Kaiba's deck. A violet demon like creature appeared, wielding a wicked sword. It cut Kaiba free.
"Thanks, Mokuba," Kaiba smiled. "Now, Sword Stalker, destroy the Witty Phantom!"
"No!" the Duel Monster protested as he was obliterated.
"Let's go," said Kaiba. "Thank you for protecting my deck. Now let's get out of here." Just then the Armed Ninja came back, ready to recapture the two brothers. "Not this time. Blue-Eyes, White Dragon!" His favorite card appeared. It was enormous. It was silvery white, with laser blue eyes. Its wings covered the two Kaibas. It craned its long neck forward, ready to strike.
"White Light-" Kaiba began to order, but a Dragon Capture Jar appeared, ready to seal the dragon away. "I am better prepared this time. Trap Master!" Kaiba summoned another monster. It looked like a clown with a green cape and top hat. But underneath the cape, instead of legs, it was like a Swiss army knife. The main part, a chain saw, shredded the Dragon Capture Jar.
"And with that gone I get my other Blue-Eyes back!" smiled Kaiba as a second Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared besides the first.
"You did it!" congratulated Mokuba.
"How did you get here?" asked Kaiba.
"I asked Yu-Gi for help," answered Mokuba.
"What?" murmured Kaiba, clearly annoyed. "Did he bring his pet dog with him?"
"You mean Joe, yes," answered Mokuba.
"You know how I feel about the dueling Chihuahua," groaned Kaiba as they began to search for an exit.
In the air not so far away.......
"This is so awesome!" exclaimed Joe as the scenery flashed below them.
"I can't believe you would admit that you liked Seto Kaiba's biggest production yet so much," snickered Mai.
"Hey," protested Joe. Her turned to glare at her, but they both held each other's gazes for a moment.
"Oh, no! Here come the Duel Monsters!" cried Yu-Gi as the flying Duel Monster began to pour out of the Castle of Dark Illusions.
"This time we fight!" exclaimed Mai. "Harpy Lady!" Her feminine monster had lilac wings instead of arms. Her hands and feet were wicked bird talons. She had a beautiful face with flaming red hair. She wore scandalous golden armor.
"Winged Dragon and Guardian of the Fortress (#1)!" added Yu-Gi. His dragon was one of the smaller ones in the game. It too had wings for its front appendages. It was completely blue with a wicked, gargoyle like face. "And the Dark Magician!" Yu-Gi summoned his favorite monster.
"Mystical Sand and Witch's Apprentice!" Shayla summoned as she quickly found two of her flying monsters. The Mystical Sand was her favorite. She wore a scarlet robe similar to Shayla's except the Mystical Sand's robe didn't have a hood. She had a scarlet pointed witch's hat. Her seaweed green hair was blowing in the wind. She sat side saddle, perfectly balanced on her broom.
The Witch's Apprentice had bright red hair and a blue robe-like dress on. She had graceful dove wings, but rode a broom as well. She had her hair tied in place by a navy blue tie, the same color as her dress.
"Flame Swordsman!" Joe summoned his monster. His monster was confined to the ship, but he still obliterated any enemy that came close. He wore blue armor with a red cape. He held a sword made of pure fire. Even the armor could not hide the impressive muscles he had.
The battle began. Winged beasts flew in for their attacks. The Dark Magician began to blast anything that moved with his Dark Magic Attack. The Flame Swordsman was holding all monster on the right side of the ship at bay. The Winged Dragon was breathing fire. The smell of charred feathers and fur filled the air.
The Mystical Sand was casting spells left and right. Petrified Duel Monsters began to fall from the sky like hail. The Harpy Lady was matching any enemy move for move and shredding them in her talons. The four humans kept screaming, adding to the general chaos. The whole time the ship kept moving forward, closer to the Castle of Dark Illusions.
Then a Kurama, a blue bird Duel Monster with powerful arms broke through the defenses. It charged Yu-Gi. Yu-Gi could do nothing but duck. His monster were to far away to help.
Then, a small red steak appeared in front of him, just as the monster attacked. Eros took the attack full on and collapsed. That was when the Dark Magician arrived and blasted the Kurama.
"No! Eros!" cried Yu-Gi as he cupped the fairy in his hands. Eros looked at him then disappeared, gone from the game.
"No!" cried Yu-Gi.
"Not Eros," moaned Mai.
"This has gone far enough! Our friends have suffered enough! This is going to end now!" cried Yu-Gi as he tapped into the magic of his Millennial Puzzle.
"What the!?" exclaimed Shayla as her vision cleared. "Again?!" was all she could do as she gaped at the battle scene around her. The filmy white substance that had covered her eyes since birth was gone. Her Millennial Scales were glowing brightly in her backpack, which was on under her robe.
"No, Flame Swordsman!" cried Joe as his monster was destroyed. He clutched his chest in pain as he was brought down to 1300 life points.
"AGH!" she gasped in a similar way as a spasm of pain rushed through her. Her holo-disk made a beeping sound. Shayla looked at her life points, 1850. Her Witch's Apprentice had been defeated.
"We are almost to the barrier!" Joe warned the group. Mai had been busy encouraging her Harpy Lady, she turned suddenly to face the front of the ship.
"Brace yourselves," warned Yami Yu-Gi. The nose of the airplane like machine connected with the barrier. Lightning began to spark from the tip as the ancient machine tried to force its way through. The flying Duel Monsters dove for a second attack. The allied monsters formed a ring around the four people. But some of the enemies began to attack the ship directly. Shayla, Mai, Yu-Gi, and Joe were thrown to the ground. The ship began to burn. At the last second the magical barrier gave away. The ship struggled forward, quickly losing altitude.
"We have to get out of here!" exclaimed Yu-Gi.
"I agree," said Joe as he helped Mai to her feet. Just then a second wave of winged beast attacked the ship. Its nose went down, and it began to crash.
"No!" cried Shayla. Mai screamed and grabbed onto Joe's arm in desperation.
Their Duel Monsters responded to their need. With the barrier down, they were able to pick up their duelist. The Winged Dragon had Yu-Gi on its back and the Dark Magician hanging from its claws. Mai was being carried from the talons of her Harpy Lady.
"AGGGHHHHH!" screamed Joe as he began to fall.
"Dark Witch!" summoned Mai when she saw the problem. The Dark Witch dove and grabbed Joe by the strap of his caveman's get-up.
"EEEKK!" screeched Shayla as she began to fall as well. Then she felt strong hands reach down and pick her out of the sky. She was sat on a narrow pole. Shayla found it hard to keep her balance.
"Mystical Sand?!" she asked in surprise as she looked into the face of her favorite card. The Duel Monster smiled and nodded. Then she began to guide the broom to the entrance of the Castle of Dark Illusions. The rest of the group had already made it.
"Thank goodness we are all her," said Yu-Gi. Mai had woven her arms around Joe's left arm in her panic. Joe was giving her looks of discomfort, which she ignored.
"There is no turning back," said Shayla as the airplane became a burning speck on the ground below.
"Then we'd better move on," said Joe. After recalling their Duel Monsters, they entered the castle. The group raced through it, somehow knowing they were short on time.
"Woah!" exclaimed Joe after a while.
"It is like a park down here," said Mai in wonder. Trees, bushes, and flowers covered the area.
"It is beautiful," agreed Yu-Gi as he enjoyed the shrubbery. "But look at all of the bugs!" exclaimed Shayla as a swarm of Petite Moths covered them.
"Kaiba has been playing too many video games to come up with something like this," complained Joe.
"Yeah, but you were the one who tried to set the Guinness Book of World Record's for the longest time in front of a Playstation ©," teased Yu-Gi.
"Hey!" protested Joe.
"Let's get out of here," suggested Mai. Everyone nodded and began to run again.
"Look at the size of that tree!" exclaimed Shayla as they almost made it to the end.
"What is that in it?" asked Mai. It looked like several head of enormous Q- tips had been pasted to the tree.
"Cocoons of Evolution!" cried Yu-Gi. Inside of each one was a powerful Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth ready to emerge. First one cocoon opened, then another.
"Oh, no!" cried Joe. The first moth spread its poison yellow wings, preparing to fly.
"We need to do something, and fast!" insisted Mai.
"I know, Catapult Turtle!" exclaimed Yu-Gi. His new monster was as big as a small room. It looked exactly like a common turtle, except it had a huge catapult strapped to its back.
"Is that it?" asked Shayla.
"No, I add Kuriboh," said Yu-Gi. His next monster was a weakling. It looked like something a cat had hacked up. "Kuriboh, get on the Catapult Turtle. Catapult Turtle, fire the Kuriboh at the moths. Now, I add Multiply to create hundreds or Kuribohs!" The air was filled with hundreds of hairballs, all on a collision course with the moths and cocoons.
"Kuribohs self-destruct on contact!" cheered Mai as the entire tree started to smolder. Perfectly Ultimate Great Moths cried in pain as they burned. The are was filled with smoke.
"Let's not wait around for them to get angry," said Joe. Everyone began to race through the end of the forest. They entered a narrow cave.
"I am glad we are through that," said Shayla.
"I agree," said Mai. Just the roof of the cavern began to give away. Something was digging through the roof.
"EEK!" Mai shrieked as she grabbed Joe's arm again.
"What is it?" demanded Yu-Gi. A large snout with several big teeth was the first thing they all saw.
"Oh, shoot," moaned Shayla when she saw it. Then the head pulled back. A second later two figures slid down the hole.
"Mokuba! Kaiba!" exclaimed Yu-Gi.
"What happened?" asked Joe as he tried to break Mai's death grip. Kaiba ignored him.
"I found him!" declare Mokuba proudly.
"Return, Blue-Eyes," ordered Kaiba.
"Now can we get out of here?" asked Mai.
"HaHaHaHaHaHaHa!" evil laughter filled the air. The group turned to look around.
"What is it?!" demanded Kaiba.
"You have not won yet. Now you have to face the greatest obstacle," laughed the computer voice.
"What do you mean? You can't summon the legendary dragon, I escaped. The ritual cannot be performed. Therefore, we win," protested Kaiba.
"System over ridden," said another computer voice, this one feminine. "Creating ritual. Summoning legendary dragon." (AN/ Name and stats would be very much appreciated.)
The air in front of them began to swirl as the terrifying dragon was summoned. It had five heads, each one representing a different element. It was so big it dwarfed the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It glared at the group, ready to obliterate them. It didn't matter what monster they summoned, if they lost a monster they would lose all of their life points.
"You actually put this monster in the game?!" exclaimed Shayla in shock. This monster was even stronger than the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
"I never thought I'd be risking my life against it," snapped Kaiba. Shayla gave him a look that shut him up, though.
"If we have to fight, then we fight," said Mai. "Harpy Lady."
"It doesn't stand a chance!" cried Mokuba. But the minute the harpy was summoned it collapsed in pain.
"What happened?" demanded Yu-Gi.
"This area has been magically sealed," said the computer. "Only dragon types can be played here."
"If it is dragons you want, then it is dragons you get," sneered Seto Kaiba. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
"Red-Eyes Black Dragon," said Joe. His skeleton like dragon was pure black with coal red eyes. It had stick like wings that were no less impressive than its counter-part, the Blue-Eyes.
"Harpy's Pet Dragon," declared Mai. Her dragon was orange. It had several feathers on its face that resembled a Mardi Gras mask. It had impressive wings, but they weren't so impressive with the other dragons around it. A chain dangled off of its neck.
"Curse of Dragon," summoned Yu-Gi. His dragon was a skeleton. It had no arms or legs, just wings. It had a deadly snout filled with razor sharp teeth. The rest of its body was like a snake. Shayla and Mokuba backed up, giving space for the battle.
The legendary dragon attacked. The other dragons retaliated with simultaneous attacks. All five attacks filled the air. They exploded, but no one was hurt. As long as the dragons stood, the defense could not be broken.
"You think you have outsmarted us," sneered the first computer voice. "Not all of you have dragons!" The legendary dragon turned and aimed at Mokuba.
"No, Mokuba!" cried Seto as the dragon attacked.
"Block it, Red-Eyes!" ordered Joe. His dragon took the hit full on. It disappeared into dust. Joe clutched his chest and collapsed.
"No, Joe!" wailed Mai.
"It is up to you know," he moaned. His holo-disk read 0. He disappeared from the game.
"No!" cried Yu-Gi.
"How dare you?!" demanded Mai, tears coming down her face. "Harpy's Pet Dragon, Blazing Fire Blast!" Her monster attacked the legendary dragon. The beast countered, disintegrating her monster. She fell to the ground in pain as she lost every single life point.
"Mai!" cried Shayla, racing to her roommate.
"I am sorry, that was stupid of me," she muttered as she faded from Shayla's arms.
"This is too easy," taunted the computer. "All I have to do is pick you off one by one." The legendary dragon turned to attack again.
"Defend yourself Blue-Eyes!" demanded Kaiba.
"It isn't after your dragon, it is after you!" cried Mokuba. He tackled his brother, sending him out of harm's way. But in the process Mokuba took the blast. His holo-disk beeped as his life points reached 0.
"No! Mokuba!" cried Seto as he cradled his brothers fading form.
"Beat him, Seto," said Mokuba as he was eliminated from the game. Shayla saw all of this. She knew she would be next, so she was quietly slipping towards the exit.
"Where do you think you are going?" demanded the computer as it attacked her.
"AGH!" she screamed as she fell to the ground. The blast knocked her to Kaiba's feet.
"NO!" cried Yu-Gi and Kaiba together. Kaiba tried to help her up, but she was vanishing in his arms, just like his brother had.
"This stinks," she complained. "I can't move. Ugh, I'll see you back in reality. Well, you know what I mean....." She was eliminated as well.
The next thing Shayla realized was that she was laying on her back. People were cheering. She still had her vision and her robe, she assumed she was still in the virtual world. Mokuba, Mai, Joe, and Eros were also laying down near her. Slowly they all stood up.
"What happened?" asked Joe.
"We beat it," smiled Yu-Gi.
"A Mystical Elf!" exclaimed Shayla as she approached the nearest Duel Monster. She had greenish blue skin and a green robe. Her long blonde hair went down to her waist. A white tiara enhanced her features.
"That is Adina, she brought all of you back," explained Yu-Gi.
"The princess was a Duel Monster?" asked Mai. "Talk about RPG plot twists." Eros darted back and forth, greeting everyone. The people of the virtual world continued to cheer. The tyrannical beast had been defeated.
"A Key Mace (#2)," smiled Shayla as she identified the Duel Monster that Eros was. The Mystical Elf Adina chanted and a portal opened, the way back to reality.
"Come on, Mokuba," ordered Seto as he walked to it.
"What, is that is? After all we did for you and not even a thank you?" demanded Joe.
"I don't remember you doing anything," snapped Kaiba. He took a few steps forward, then stopped. "Perhaps I do owe you some thanks, Yu-Gi."
"It was an honor to duel with you," said Yu-Gi. "Perhaps now you will not see us as rivals, but as friends." Kaiba said nothing, but the look on his face was not the look of harsh indifference that one might expect. He exited the virtual world, glancing once over his shoulder and catching sight of Shayla.
"I think we should head back, too," said Mai.
"I agree," said Joe and the four entered the portal.
Shayla woke up as the pod opened up. She felt like she had taken a nap. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, realizing she was blind again.
"You OK, kid?" asked Mai as she walked over, yawning.
"I think so," said Shayla, walking down. She made sure she had everything, her backpack and deck.
"Let's find the others," suggested Mai. They walked a few doors down and found Yu-Gi, Tea, Tristan, Mokuba, Bakura, and Joe.
"Mai, you are here," said Joe with a smile.
"Yeah," yawned Mai. "That was insane."
"I am going to find my brother," said Mokuba, racing off.
"We'd better get going too," said Tea.
"Yeah, both Kaiba's and Pegasus's goons were really mad at us," added Tristan.
"Pegasus was here?" asked Shayla.
"Just his toadies," answered Bakura.
"Probably left over from his failed take over of Kaiba Corp.," muttered Mai. The group said their good-byes and the two girls headed back to Mai's apartment.
"I am sorry," she sobbed. "Mokuba insisted that we change spots. He was so serious, I could not resist. I am sorry."
"Don't apologize. It isn't your fault," said Shayla, sympathetically.
"We need to get to that castle!" exclaimed Joe. He raced to the end of the balcony and held up a flying monster card.
"It won't work," stated to king.
"What?" asked Mai.
"The floating castle is protected by a spell that keeps all Duel Monsters out," explained the queen.
"No monster can approach it," added the nanny.
"Then what can we do?" asked Yu-Gi.
"There is another part to our legend," said the king. "The five ancient heroes were able to get to the floating castle by a strange bird. That bird became the foundation for the old city. According to the legend, when the ancient heroes return they shall resurrect the bird and once again enter the castle and stop evil."
"Woah," muttered Mai.
"I agree," added Shayla.
"You can see the ruins from here," said the queen as she pointed to an area below the balcony. There were remains of buildings. Most were just crumbling foundations. But a silvery silhouette of an angular bird could be seen. It glittered in the afternoon sun.
"Oh!" exclaimed Yu-Gi.
"So, now what?" asked Joe.
"We go down there and raise that bird!" exclaimed Mai as she took off. "Come on!" She insisted as she grabbed Shayla's and Joe's hands and began to pull them.
They eventually reached the ruins. It took a lot of walking and the group had gotten lost once, but they were there. Their guide left them the minute they made it to the silhouette.
"Now, how do we do this?" asked Mai.
"Eros!" exclaimed Yu-Gi as the little fairy made her way to him. "You want to come too?" Eros nodded.
"Eros is going to be our guide?" asked Shayla.
"Yep!" smiled Yu-Gi.
"Does she know how to raise ancient legends?" asked Mai.
"How about Reborn the Monster?" asked Shayla.
"I don't think it will work. Remember, no Duel Monster can enter the Castle of Dark Illusions. That means this bird, or whatever it is, was, isn't a Duel Monster. Therefore Reborn the Monster would not work on it."
"So what do we do?" asked Joe.
"What is one card in our decks that can turn back time, enough time to raise this bird from the past?" asked Yu-Gi.
"Time Wizard!" exclaimed Joe as he held up is card.
"Wait, Joe!" cried Mai in concern. "You might also lose life points if you are not careful."
"It is a risk I am willing to take. This is the only way!" exclaimed Joe.
"Joe," moaned Mia as she repressed an urge to run and embrace him.
"Time Wizard, Time Roulette!" ordered Joe as he summoned his monster. A large clock with a literal face, blue cape, and red hat appeared. It held its staff high in the air. On the end of the staff was a dial that began to spin. There were two symbols the dial would stop on. One would manipulate time. The other one, a skull symbol, would cause the Time Wizard to self-destruct, taking its attack points from Joe's life points.
The dial kept spinning. Everyone tensed up as it slowed down, very nervous at where it would stop. It slowed and slowed. Then it stopped, barely missing the skull symbol.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Joe as the Time Wizard's magic was activated.
"You did it!" added Yu-Gi. The landscape began to tremble. Debris flew everywhere as the ruins were rebuilding themselves.
"Look! Time is going backwards!" exclaimed Mai. The silhouette began to glow brightly. The earth shook. A loud rumbling was emitted from the depths as more debris began to build itself around the area the four were standing on. It was complete chaos. Someone was screaming.
Back on the castle's balcony......
The king, queen, and princess were watching as the ruins disappeared into dust.
"Oh, no! They are gone!" cried Adina in despair.
"This cannot be! The legends!" protested the king.
"Look!" exclaimed the queen. Something silver was rising from the dust. It looked like an airplane that was fashioned in the shape of a bird. It had several propellers. One on each wing and one on the tail. On top of it were a very shocked Mai, Yu-Gi, Shayla, and Joe.
"They did it!" exclaimed Adina.
"We are going to save the Kaibas and the world!" exclaimed Yu-Gi.
"Let's go! Nothing can stop us!" added Joe.
"Don't worry, we will not let you down," finished Mai.
"I think I am going to be sick," moaned Shayla, who was the only one not standing.
"Come on, kid. You are going to be fine," said Mai as she pulled her roommate to her feet.
Not so far away.....
Kaiba had his back to a stone slab. His arms were shackled over his head, much like he had been in the Shadow Realm. He was pale, possibly from the heat from a nearby lava pit.
"Why aren't you enjoying yourself, Kaiba?" asked the Witty Phantom, his jailer. The Witty Phantom wore a violet suit with white gloves. It had elfin ears and an orange face. He tipped his top hat when he spoke. He was slightly short than the average human guy.
"Go away," snapped Kaiba.
"But I have brought you company," said the Duel Monster. The Armed Ninja appeared and dropped Mokuba, who was still in the princess's outfit. "But he didn't fool us. Meet your brother!" He cast a spell and Mokuba's gown became his armor.
"Mokuba!" cried Seto.
"Big brother! I made it!" exclaimed Mokuba.
"Now the ritual can begin," smiled the Witty Phantom.
"I don't think so!" said Mokuba. "Sword Stalker!" He summoned one of his brother's monsters, since he had Kaiba's deck. A violet demon like creature appeared, wielding a wicked sword. It cut Kaiba free.
"Thanks, Mokuba," Kaiba smiled. "Now, Sword Stalker, destroy the Witty Phantom!"
"No!" the Duel Monster protested as he was obliterated.
"Let's go," said Kaiba. "Thank you for protecting my deck. Now let's get out of here." Just then the Armed Ninja came back, ready to recapture the two brothers. "Not this time. Blue-Eyes, White Dragon!" His favorite card appeared. It was enormous. It was silvery white, with laser blue eyes. Its wings covered the two Kaibas. It craned its long neck forward, ready to strike.
"White Light-" Kaiba began to order, but a Dragon Capture Jar appeared, ready to seal the dragon away. "I am better prepared this time. Trap Master!" Kaiba summoned another monster. It looked like a clown with a green cape and top hat. But underneath the cape, instead of legs, it was like a Swiss army knife. The main part, a chain saw, shredded the Dragon Capture Jar.
"And with that gone I get my other Blue-Eyes back!" smiled Kaiba as a second Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared besides the first.
"You did it!" congratulated Mokuba.
"How did you get here?" asked Kaiba.
"I asked Yu-Gi for help," answered Mokuba.
"What?" murmured Kaiba, clearly annoyed. "Did he bring his pet dog with him?"
"You mean Joe, yes," answered Mokuba.
"You know how I feel about the dueling Chihuahua," groaned Kaiba as they began to search for an exit.
In the air not so far away.......
"This is so awesome!" exclaimed Joe as the scenery flashed below them.
"I can't believe you would admit that you liked Seto Kaiba's biggest production yet so much," snickered Mai.
"Hey," protested Joe. Her turned to glare at her, but they both held each other's gazes for a moment.
"Oh, no! Here come the Duel Monsters!" cried Yu-Gi as the flying Duel Monster began to pour out of the Castle of Dark Illusions.
"This time we fight!" exclaimed Mai. "Harpy Lady!" Her feminine monster had lilac wings instead of arms. Her hands and feet were wicked bird talons. She had a beautiful face with flaming red hair. She wore scandalous golden armor.
"Winged Dragon and Guardian of the Fortress (#1)!" added Yu-Gi. His dragon was one of the smaller ones in the game. It too had wings for its front appendages. It was completely blue with a wicked, gargoyle like face. "And the Dark Magician!" Yu-Gi summoned his favorite monster.
"Mystical Sand and Witch's Apprentice!" Shayla summoned as she quickly found two of her flying monsters. The Mystical Sand was her favorite. She wore a scarlet robe similar to Shayla's except the Mystical Sand's robe didn't have a hood. She had a scarlet pointed witch's hat. Her seaweed green hair was blowing in the wind. She sat side saddle, perfectly balanced on her broom.
The Witch's Apprentice had bright red hair and a blue robe-like dress on. She had graceful dove wings, but rode a broom as well. She had her hair tied in place by a navy blue tie, the same color as her dress.
"Flame Swordsman!" Joe summoned his monster. His monster was confined to the ship, but he still obliterated any enemy that came close. He wore blue armor with a red cape. He held a sword made of pure fire. Even the armor could not hide the impressive muscles he had.
The battle began. Winged beasts flew in for their attacks. The Dark Magician began to blast anything that moved with his Dark Magic Attack. The Flame Swordsman was holding all monster on the right side of the ship at bay. The Winged Dragon was breathing fire. The smell of charred feathers and fur filled the air.
The Mystical Sand was casting spells left and right. Petrified Duel Monsters began to fall from the sky like hail. The Harpy Lady was matching any enemy move for move and shredding them in her talons. The four humans kept screaming, adding to the general chaos. The whole time the ship kept moving forward, closer to the Castle of Dark Illusions.
Then a Kurama, a blue bird Duel Monster with powerful arms broke through the defenses. It charged Yu-Gi. Yu-Gi could do nothing but duck. His monster were to far away to help.
Then, a small red steak appeared in front of him, just as the monster attacked. Eros took the attack full on and collapsed. That was when the Dark Magician arrived and blasted the Kurama.
"No! Eros!" cried Yu-Gi as he cupped the fairy in his hands. Eros looked at him then disappeared, gone from the game.
"No!" cried Yu-Gi.
"Not Eros," moaned Mai.
"This has gone far enough! Our friends have suffered enough! This is going to end now!" cried Yu-Gi as he tapped into the magic of his Millennial Puzzle.
"What the!?" exclaimed Shayla as her vision cleared. "Again?!" was all she could do as she gaped at the battle scene around her. The filmy white substance that had covered her eyes since birth was gone. Her Millennial Scales were glowing brightly in her backpack, which was on under her robe.
"No, Flame Swordsman!" cried Joe as his monster was destroyed. He clutched his chest in pain as he was brought down to 1300 life points.
"AGH!" she gasped in a similar way as a spasm of pain rushed through her. Her holo-disk made a beeping sound. Shayla looked at her life points, 1850. Her Witch's Apprentice had been defeated.
"We are almost to the barrier!" Joe warned the group. Mai had been busy encouraging her Harpy Lady, she turned suddenly to face the front of the ship.
"Brace yourselves," warned Yami Yu-Gi. The nose of the airplane like machine connected with the barrier. Lightning began to spark from the tip as the ancient machine tried to force its way through. The flying Duel Monsters dove for a second attack. The allied monsters formed a ring around the four people. But some of the enemies began to attack the ship directly. Shayla, Mai, Yu-Gi, and Joe were thrown to the ground. The ship began to burn. At the last second the magical barrier gave away. The ship struggled forward, quickly losing altitude.
"We have to get out of here!" exclaimed Yu-Gi.
"I agree," said Joe as he helped Mai to her feet. Just then a second wave of winged beast attacked the ship. Its nose went down, and it began to crash.
"No!" cried Shayla. Mai screamed and grabbed onto Joe's arm in desperation.
Their Duel Monsters responded to their need. With the barrier down, they were able to pick up their duelist. The Winged Dragon had Yu-Gi on its back and the Dark Magician hanging from its claws. Mai was being carried from the talons of her Harpy Lady.
"AGGGHHHHH!" screamed Joe as he began to fall.
"Dark Witch!" summoned Mai when she saw the problem. The Dark Witch dove and grabbed Joe by the strap of his caveman's get-up.
"EEEKK!" screeched Shayla as she began to fall as well. Then she felt strong hands reach down and pick her out of the sky. She was sat on a narrow pole. Shayla found it hard to keep her balance.
"Mystical Sand?!" she asked in surprise as she looked into the face of her favorite card. The Duel Monster smiled and nodded. Then she began to guide the broom to the entrance of the Castle of Dark Illusions. The rest of the group had already made it.
"Thank goodness we are all her," said Yu-Gi. Mai had woven her arms around Joe's left arm in her panic. Joe was giving her looks of discomfort, which she ignored.
"There is no turning back," said Shayla as the airplane became a burning speck on the ground below.
"Then we'd better move on," said Joe. After recalling their Duel Monsters, they entered the castle. The group raced through it, somehow knowing they were short on time.
"Woah!" exclaimed Joe after a while.
"It is like a park down here," said Mai in wonder. Trees, bushes, and flowers covered the area.
"It is beautiful," agreed Yu-Gi as he enjoyed the shrubbery. "But look at all of the bugs!" exclaimed Shayla as a swarm of Petite Moths covered them.
"Kaiba has been playing too many video games to come up with something like this," complained Joe.
"Yeah, but you were the one who tried to set the Guinness Book of World Record's for the longest time in front of a Playstation ©," teased Yu-Gi.
"Hey!" protested Joe.
"Let's get out of here," suggested Mai. Everyone nodded and began to run again.
"Look at the size of that tree!" exclaimed Shayla as they almost made it to the end.
"What is that in it?" asked Mai. It looked like several head of enormous Q- tips had been pasted to the tree.
"Cocoons of Evolution!" cried Yu-Gi. Inside of each one was a powerful Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth ready to emerge. First one cocoon opened, then another.
"Oh, no!" cried Joe. The first moth spread its poison yellow wings, preparing to fly.
"We need to do something, and fast!" insisted Mai.
"I know, Catapult Turtle!" exclaimed Yu-Gi. His new monster was as big as a small room. It looked exactly like a common turtle, except it had a huge catapult strapped to its back.
"Is that it?" asked Shayla.
"No, I add Kuriboh," said Yu-Gi. His next monster was a weakling. It looked like something a cat had hacked up. "Kuriboh, get on the Catapult Turtle. Catapult Turtle, fire the Kuriboh at the moths. Now, I add Multiply to create hundreds or Kuribohs!" The air was filled with hundreds of hairballs, all on a collision course with the moths and cocoons.
"Kuribohs self-destruct on contact!" cheered Mai as the entire tree started to smolder. Perfectly Ultimate Great Moths cried in pain as they burned. The are was filled with smoke.
"Let's not wait around for them to get angry," said Joe. Everyone began to race through the end of the forest. They entered a narrow cave.
"I am glad we are through that," said Shayla.
"I agree," said Mai. Just the roof of the cavern began to give away. Something was digging through the roof.
"EEK!" Mai shrieked as she grabbed Joe's arm again.
"What is it?" demanded Yu-Gi. A large snout with several big teeth was the first thing they all saw.
"Oh, shoot," moaned Shayla when she saw it. Then the head pulled back. A second later two figures slid down the hole.
"Mokuba! Kaiba!" exclaimed Yu-Gi.
"What happened?" asked Joe as he tried to break Mai's death grip. Kaiba ignored him.
"I found him!" declare Mokuba proudly.
"Return, Blue-Eyes," ordered Kaiba.
"Now can we get out of here?" asked Mai.
"HaHaHaHaHaHaHa!" evil laughter filled the air. The group turned to look around.
"What is it?!" demanded Kaiba.
"You have not won yet. Now you have to face the greatest obstacle," laughed the computer voice.
"What do you mean? You can't summon the legendary dragon, I escaped. The ritual cannot be performed. Therefore, we win," protested Kaiba.
"System over ridden," said another computer voice, this one feminine. "Creating ritual. Summoning legendary dragon." (AN/ Name and stats would be very much appreciated.)
The air in front of them began to swirl as the terrifying dragon was summoned. It had five heads, each one representing a different element. It was so big it dwarfed the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It glared at the group, ready to obliterate them. It didn't matter what monster they summoned, if they lost a monster they would lose all of their life points.
"You actually put this monster in the game?!" exclaimed Shayla in shock. This monster was even stronger than the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
"I never thought I'd be risking my life against it," snapped Kaiba. Shayla gave him a look that shut him up, though.
"If we have to fight, then we fight," said Mai. "Harpy Lady."
"It doesn't stand a chance!" cried Mokuba. But the minute the harpy was summoned it collapsed in pain.
"What happened?" demanded Yu-Gi.
"This area has been magically sealed," said the computer. "Only dragon types can be played here."
"If it is dragons you want, then it is dragons you get," sneered Seto Kaiba. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
"Red-Eyes Black Dragon," said Joe. His skeleton like dragon was pure black with coal red eyes. It had stick like wings that were no less impressive than its counter-part, the Blue-Eyes.
"Harpy's Pet Dragon," declared Mai. Her dragon was orange. It had several feathers on its face that resembled a Mardi Gras mask. It had impressive wings, but they weren't so impressive with the other dragons around it. A chain dangled off of its neck.
"Curse of Dragon," summoned Yu-Gi. His dragon was a skeleton. It had no arms or legs, just wings. It had a deadly snout filled with razor sharp teeth. The rest of its body was like a snake. Shayla and Mokuba backed up, giving space for the battle.
The legendary dragon attacked. The other dragons retaliated with simultaneous attacks. All five attacks filled the air. They exploded, but no one was hurt. As long as the dragons stood, the defense could not be broken.
"You think you have outsmarted us," sneered the first computer voice. "Not all of you have dragons!" The legendary dragon turned and aimed at Mokuba.
"No, Mokuba!" cried Seto as the dragon attacked.
"Block it, Red-Eyes!" ordered Joe. His dragon took the hit full on. It disappeared into dust. Joe clutched his chest and collapsed.
"No, Joe!" wailed Mai.
"It is up to you know," he moaned. His holo-disk read 0. He disappeared from the game.
"No!" cried Yu-Gi.
"How dare you?!" demanded Mai, tears coming down her face. "Harpy's Pet Dragon, Blazing Fire Blast!" Her monster attacked the legendary dragon. The beast countered, disintegrating her monster. She fell to the ground in pain as she lost every single life point.
"Mai!" cried Shayla, racing to her roommate.
"I am sorry, that was stupid of me," she muttered as she faded from Shayla's arms.
"This is too easy," taunted the computer. "All I have to do is pick you off one by one." The legendary dragon turned to attack again.
"Defend yourself Blue-Eyes!" demanded Kaiba.
"It isn't after your dragon, it is after you!" cried Mokuba. He tackled his brother, sending him out of harm's way. But in the process Mokuba took the blast. His holo-disk beeped as his life points reached 0.
"No! Mokuba!" cried Seto as he cradled his brothers fading form.
"Beat him, Seto," said Mokuba as he was eliminated from the game. Shayla saw all of this. She knew she would be next, so she was quietly slipping towards the exit.
"Where do you think you are going?" demanded the computer as it attacked her.
"AGH!" she screamed as she fell to the ground. The blast knocked her to Kaiba's feet.
"NO!" cried Yu-Gi and Kaiba together. Kaiba tried to help her up, but she was vanishing in his arms, just like his brother had.
"This stinks," she complained. "I can't move. Ugh, I'll see you back in reality. Well, you know what I mean....." She was eliminated as well.
The next thing Shayla realized was that she was laying on her back. People were cheering. She still had her vision and her robe, she assumed she was still in the virtual world. Mokuba, Mai, Joe, and Eros were also laying down near her. Slowly they all stood up.
"What happened?" asked Joe.
"We beat it," smiled Yu-Gi.
"A Mystical Elf!" exclaimed Shayla as she approached the nearest Duel Monster. She had greenish blue skin and a green robe. Her long blonde hair went down to her waist. A white tiara enhanced her features.
"That is Adina, she brought all of you back," explained Yu-Gi.
"The princess was a Duel Monster?" asked Mai. "Talk about RPG plot twists." Eros darted back and forth, greeting everyone. The people of the virtual world continued to cheer. The tyrannical beast had been defeated.
"A Key Mace (#2)," smiled Shayla as she identified the Duel Monster that Eros was. The Mystical Elf Adina chanted and a portal opened, the way back to reality.
"Come on, Mokuba," ordered Seto as he walked to it.
"What, is that is? After all we did for you and not even a thank you?" demanded Joe.
"I don't remember you doing anything," snapped Kaiba. He took a few steps forward, then stopped. "Perhaps I do owe you some thanks, Yu-Gi."
"It was an honor to duel with you," said Yu-Gi. "Perhaps now you will not see us as rivals, but as friends." Kaiba said nothing, but the look on his face was not the look of harsh indifference that one might expect. He exited the virtual world, glancing once over his shoulder and catching sight of Shayla.
"I think we should head back, too," said Mai.
"I agree," said Joe and the four entered the portal.
Shayla woke up as the pod opened up. She felt like she had taken a nap. She yawned and rubbed her eyes, realizing she was blind again.
"You OK, kid?" asked Mai as she walked over, yawning.
"I think so," said Shayla, walking down. She made sure she had everything, her backpack and deck.
"Let's find the others," suggested Mai. They walked a few doors down and found Yu-Gi, Tea, Tristan, Mokuba, Bakura, and Joe.
"Mai, you are here," said Joe with a smile.
"Yeah," yawned Mai. "That was insane."
"I am going to find my brother," said Mokuba, racing off.
"We'd better get going too," said Tea.
"Yeah, both Kaiba's and Pegasus's goons were really mad at us," added Tristan.
"Pegasus was here?" asked Shayla.
"Just his toadies," answered Bakura.
"Probably left over from his failed take over of Kaiba Corp.," muttered Mai. The group said their good-byes and the two girls headed back to Mai's apartment.