Another inside joke chapter, enjoy!

Whispering Hope: o_O;;; Riiight. Oh, and Legend of Dragoon rocks. _

LunaticChaos: What personality things are you talking about? I like trying to keep my characters with unique personalities, so I'm glad someone thought they were different. I like moral situations as well, so expect more!

*Chapter 10: The Morons Are Back!*

Hope examined Max's Duel Disk. "Guys, I'm going back with Max. I'll have Claire begin to take care of him. I should be the only one to go; the less the better for Max. Let's meet back at the town, and then we can go on. In front of the hotel, how about?" She turned to Brandi. "Is that ok?"

Although Brandi wanted to make sure he would be alright, she didn't want him threatened by her. She got up and dejectedly walked away.

Larka stood. "I'm going to talk with her. See you later Hope, Max." She ran off after Brandi, who was at the other side of the ship now.

Hope pressed the button on Max's Duel Disk, teleporting him out. Then she followed.

The others went over to the front of the ship, to give Brandi and Larka some privacy. Most of the talk was about where their next location should be, and eventually it was decided that they would ask Hector if he had seen any mysterious people hanging around town.

Brandi was staring into the water, just thinking, barely noticing as Larka came up beside her, leaning her arms against the rail.

"It's a nice day, regardless of what has happened," Larka said.

Brandi sighed, looking over at her friend, and was shocked. The wind was blowing Larka's hair back, revealing, for the first time, her ears to Brandi. Like dog ears, they were slanted down, as though trying to keep out the wind that rushed by.

"What the…?!"

Larka looked over at her. "Oh, these? Well, you would have found out sooner or later anyway. After seeing Fell kill Rikku with his bare hands, you didn't think we were normal, did you?"

Brandi shook her head.

"Soon, the others will know as well. Just not yet." Larka looked over to her friend. "You feel guilty, don't you?"

"How could I not?"

"Killing is never a good thing. We do not solve anything through murder. Mindless slaughter should never have to occur. But what you did is something that you cannot be blamed for. Max would have surely died if you had not killed Madura. And Madura would have only killed many, many more people. So technically, you saved more lives than were lost." She looked into the sea. "We all have times where we must do things we dislike. One day, although I despise the idea, I will probably be forced to kill. Fell has already had to do it too many times. Our unnatural talents attract unwanted attention, unfortunately." She turned to leave. "Brandi, you will still feel guilty after this. I can sense that. And I know you are worried about Max. But this is something I cannot help with. It is between you and your brother. It might take a while, but the rift between you can be mended. To build that bridge is up to you though. Oh, one last thing." She paused. "You will never get over how you killed Madura. Do not even try to forget it. You must remember, for it teaches an important lesson." Then she walked to the front of the ship, where her other friends were.

Brandi stayed where she was, thinking over what she had been told.

*****

Hope looked over at Max immediately, detaching the Envoyant Machine, and then his as well. He was too weak to even do that simple act.

She went to the guest room, and found Claire replacing some bandages on Fell's arm.

"Oh, you're back!" she exclaimed, rising. "Hi! What's new?"

"We have an urgent problem." Hope hastily explained what had happened to Max.

"That sounds severe," Claire said, getting her first aid kit together as she spoke. "I'd best see him right away."

"Right."

They entered Hope's room, where she led Claire to Max. He looked at her nervously, as Hope stepped over to him.

"It's ok Max. You're in serious pain, but Claire can heal you. She will never intentionally harm you. If you are hurt, it is because you will be healed quicker. You must put your trust into her, and do everything she asks, ok? I promise that if you do this, you will be better much faster. Please trust her, for me."

Max slightly nodded.

"I'll go to work right away," Claire assured. "Are you going back to Teknisk Wereld?"

"Soon. I want to get some cards from the nearby store though. Madura showed us that the Commanders of Heaven will go to any level to get what they want."

"Wise. Well, I'll see you soon!" Claire began to pull out some medications from her bag. "Max, try to relax please. I must apply some of these before doing anything else…"

Hope closed the door and walked downstairs. She had grown used to being without food for a few days, but she took the time to eat something before leaving the house.

It was when she saw the card shop in the distance when it happened. Two men walked over to the front of her, wearing the black suit that all officials of Teknisk Wereld had.

"Greetings," Hope said politely. "Excuse me, but you are blocking the way I want to go."

"I'm afraid that is the point," the official to the left said. "You are Hope Gales, correct?"

"Yes, why?"

The one to the right brought forth a pair of handcuffs. "Hope Gales, you are under arrest for massacre and destruction of safeguards."

*****

The ship vanished as the last person onboard, Draken, left it. Brandi pocketed the card, and they began to walk towards the town.

"Do you think Hope will already be there?" Gaston asked. He was naturally worried, since he only felt comfortable when the one he was to protect was nearby.

"She was probably there hours ago," Darche assured. "She had much more time to get there then us."

"True…"

When they entered the town, they went immediately towards the hotel. But when they arrived there, Hope was nowhere to be found, not even inside it.

"That's odd," Draken frowned. "She should have been here a long time ago."

"Maybe she went to Hector's?" Neo suggested.

With no better ideas, they made their way over, entering the card shop.

"Hi guys! Whoa, looks like you picked up another new friend," Hector noticed as he saw Zack. "Hey, where's Hope?"

"That's what we were hoping you would know." Rue proceeded to explain that Hope should have been at the hotel hours ago, but wasn't.

"I don't like this," Hector said when Rue was done. "I'm sorry, but all I can really suggest is to search around the town. If I see her, I'll tell her to go to the hotel, ok?"

"Thanks Hector," Rue replied as they left. "See you later."

They searched the rest of the town with no luck whatsoever. Gaston was hiding his emotions well, but inside he was frantic with worry.

"How about the mountains?" Larka suggested. "I don't know why Hope would have gone there, but it's better to keep looking than do nothing."

"Yeah, I don't like the idea of just sitting around," Miles agreed. "So let's move on out."

"This reminds me of the time we met Zenith," Rue murmured to Will. "Do you think…?"

"It's possible. All the more reason to search at full speed."

*****

At the foot of the mountains, they were having very little success.

"Nothing so far," Gen said. "Maybe we should move on to a new area?"

"Not yet," Brandi disagreed. The loss of her friend had made her put aside her worries for the time being. "Let's just look a little bit longer."

Suddenly, a crash sounded behind them. They turned, to see a teen tripping over a rock, with two others tripping over him.

Rue groaned. "Oh no… not them again!"

One of them was still wearing his pink shirt and purple flowered pants. The other recognizable figure was wearing his orange shirt and red pants.

This time, there was another with them. He wore a light purple shirt, and dark purple pants. He had short, brown hair, and brown eyes as well.

"Caleb and Ifrit! What are they doing here?" Neo wondered.

Caleb rose slowly. "For revenge ! We were beaten horribly before, but we can win this time !"

Draken looked at them in distaste. "Who are these clowns?"

"I recognize two of them as n00bs we had a *cough* EPIC *cough* battle with," Rue explained.

"Spic? That's racist as hell !" Caleb exclaimed.

Ruecian shook his head Fell raised an eyebrow, and Zack had a hard time keeping a straight face. Everyone else outright laughed at the stupidity of it.

"So who's your new pal?" Rue asked.

"I'm called Buster Blader, for my ownage Buster Blader deck!" the boy announced.

"The word ownage and Buster Blader deck do not deserve to be in the same sentence," Brandi informed him.

"So we'll have to duel to get rid of you morons?" Darche asked.

Their opponent's Soul Monsters appeared then. They recalled the Skull Servant and Dissolverock, but the Flame Ghost was a new one.

"A Flame Ghost? I thought you had a 'splendid' Buster Blader deck," Rue snickered.

"I do! There must have been a mistake at registration!"

The Flame Ghost looked hurt at that.

"So, a three way duel? I'm game!" Miles said.

"I'll join as well," Draken stated.

"I saw these idiots duel before, and was wishing I could have dueled them. Now's my chance," Will finished.

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: 8000

Ifrit: 8000

Buster Blader: 8000

"May I go first?" Will drew. "I lay one monster in defense mode, and end."

"It's my turn ! I summon Gearfried! (1800/1600) He's the ultimate monster ! Now I equip him with Legendary Sword, to raise his attack by 300 !"

The Gearfreed took the sword and snapped it in half.

"What ?!"

"You don't even know what your own cards do? That's really pathetic," Larka said. "Gearfreed destroys any equip magic that he is equipped with."

"Oh yeah ?! I use my Skull Servant's effect to fuse Flame Ghost with the help of Ifrit's Dissolverock !"

"Didn't you have to pay 3000 Life Points to do that last time?" Rue asked.

"Buster Blader's Flame Ghost makes it so that I don't have to pay !"

"Figures," Miles muttered.

"I'll summon Kaiser Seahorse, (1750/1550)" Draken said. "Then I lay one card down."

"I've got the ultimate combo!" Ifrit exclaimed. "I summon Lord of Dragons, (1100/1200) and play fifteen Flute of Summoning Dragons to summon thirty Blue Eyes White Dragons! (3000/2500)"

"…That's allowed?" Brandi said in disbelief.

Draken calmly flipped over one of his cards. "I activate Tidal Wave, destroying all of the monsters on the field."

"Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! My Blue Eyes!" Ifrit fell to the ground, crying.

Caleb was more furious then sad. "My Gearfried ! And the Flame Ghost ! You'll pay for this !"

"Sorry, I don't carry cash," Miles joked. "Now it's my turn. I summon Falcon Knight, (1000/700) and lay one card down. My turn's over."

"I play The Cheerful Coffin!" Buster Blader said. "Now I discard three monsters from my hand, all of them Buster Bladers! Then I play Monster Reborn, Premature Burial, and Call of the Haunted on them!"
"You can't activate a trap without setting it for one turn," Darche pointed out.

"I'm too awesome for the rules!" Buster Blader argued. "Now my three Buster Blader's attack!"

"I activate Holy Barrier-Mirror Force," Miles countered.

"NO!"

"My turn?" Will inquired. "I sacrifice my facedown Holy Elf (800/2000) to summon Magical Marionette! (2000/1000) Then I play Clarity of Mind, to get another. And that adds a magic counter to my Marionette, raising its attack. (2200/1000) Then I equip it with Power of Magicians! (2900/1500) Then I play Jar of Greed, and Angel's Gift, discarding two other Clarity of Minds. (3300/1500) After that, I play Raise Dead on a Blue Eyes White Dragon. (3000/2500) (3500/1500) Then I play Sealing Swords of Light. (3700/1500) Then I play Trial By Fire, sacrificing my Turner of the Dead: Kaiku (1800/700) and Royal Magical Library (0/2000) to special summon The Legendary Flame Lord! (2400/2000) (3900/1500)" Will turned to his partners. "Who should I kill?"

"Get Caleb out of the way," Draken suggested. "I want to kill Ifrit! Miles can have Buster Blader."

"Hey! He's boring!" Miles complained.

"Too bad for you," Neo replied.

"All of my monsters attack Caleb!" Will declared. Caleb was hit by three mighty attacks, and fell unconscious instantly.

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: -1300

Ifrit: 8000

Buster Blader: 8000

"I go next!" Ifrit stated.

"It's my turn," Draken told him.

"Too bad! I draw!" He raised his hand to his Duel Disk, and pulled it away with a cry of shock. "I have no cards in my deck!"

Rue nearly died laughing.

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: -1300

Ifrit: Decked out

Buster Blader: 8000

"Well, I'll take my turn now. Sacrifice Kaiser Seahorse to summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon. Then I play Raise Dead on another one of Ifrit's Blue Eyes! (3000/2500) Now both of them attack Buster Blader!"

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: -1300

Ifrit: Decked out

Buster Blader: 2000

"My turn now!" Miles announced. "I equip my Falcon Knight with three Demon Axes, Power of Teamwork, and Power of Magicians. (11300/7200) Falcon Knight attacks Buster Blader twice!"

Buster Blade collapsed under the blows.

Will: 8000

Draken: 8000

Miles: 8000

Caleb: -1300

Ifrit: Decked out

Buster Blader: -20600

"What a bunch of losers," Draken commented.

"I'll beat you yet!" Ifrit declared.

Then another person came running, who Rue and Will recognized as Ifrit's brother.

"YOU STUPID LITTLE JERK! I HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE, AND I'LL TELL YOU AGAIN: LEARN. THE. RULES!"

"But brother…" Ifrit whined.

"Shut up! You're grounded for a month! So are your pals. Now follow me!"

Whimpering, Ifrit grabbed Caleb while his brother snatched up Buster Blader. Then they ran off.

The night rang with the companion's laughter.

*****

Olympion was disgusted with himself.

He was looking at a sign that said, "Welcome to Atlanta!" Somehow, he figured that Max wouldn't be in Georgia.

He did see an airport though. With a sigh of depression, he walked over to it to continue the long search.

To be continued…