Chapter Thirteen: Gyorg Crisis
"Hurry up guys! We're going to be late for dinner!" Saria urged as the group ran down the hall. They had spent the rest of the afternoon resting up. Now, after changing into some more formal clothes, they were running to the restaurant where the teens were to meet the Floyd parents and Austin.
"I knew we shouldn't have waited for Tristan to get out of the bathroom," Joey grunted.
"Less talking more running," Serenity panted as the restaurant came into view.
"There it is," Yugi gasped. Rush yipped happily in response as he ran past them all and into Mrs. Floyd's waiting arms.
"It's about time you showed up," Mrs. Floyd greeted as the group arrived.
"Sorry Mom. There was a..." Saria began.
"Never mind explaining now. Your father is waiting for us. Come along," Mrs. Floyd interrupted and the group followed her into the spacious room. The room was candlelit and waiters were busy taking orders at various tablecloth covered tables. Across the room was Mr. Floyd and Austin waiting at large oak doors. The group walked across the room and met them.
"We began to worry," Mr. Floyd greeted as the group arrived.
"Sorry. Got held up," Teran apologized.
"It's no big deal. Lets go inside," Mr. Floyd suggested. Austin opened the double doors and a sight awaited them. Inside was a large round table with enough chairs for the group. Everyone took a seat with Mr. Floyd and Austin sitting at the head of the table.
"Well why don't we get some food?" Mr. Floyd suggested as a waiter came up to them. It wasn't long before the group was happily eating a fine seafood dinner. But Yugi was the only one who wasn't hungry. He had been fine at first, but after eating some of the shrimp, he wasn't feeling so hot.
"Yugi, you haven't eaten yet. Are you unwell?" Mrs. Floyd asked. Yugi shook his head.
"No, it's just been a long day that's all," Yugi replied. The truth was that his head felt like it was cracked open and his stomach hurt like crazy.
Yugi! Yami suddenly said.
What is it Yami? Yugi asked.
Yugi! My powers are weakening! Something is draining our magical power! Yami warned. It was then Yugi was hit with a spasm of pain. He staggered from his chair to the nearest trash can and vomited.
"Yugi! Are you OK man?" Joey asked as he joined his friend.
"I feel so weak," Yugi groaned as he coughed up more of the dinner. It was then Saria groaned.
"Me too," Saria added and she quickly joined Yugi by the trash can.
"Is everyone else feeling sick?" Mr. Floyd asked. Mrs. Floyd raised her hand.
"I'm not feeling so well either," Mrs. Floyd admitted, clutching her stomach. The others seemed okay. But Yugi wasn't so fortunate. It was then he collapsed on the floor and passed out.
"Yugi!" Joey cried as he caught the duelist.
"Call a doctor!" Was the last thing Yugi heard. But Yugi would quickly awaken, still feeling nauseous. He was laying in a room of stone littered with toys and games. There was no windows, only a door of steel. Yugi realized he was inside his mind. Yugi wearily stood up and headed for the door.
"It's good to be back inside my mind, but Yami might still be in trouble," Yugi thought aloud as he clutched the metal door handle. He opened it and stepped into a dark hallway. Across from Yugi's door was another metal door with the Millennium Puzzle engraved in it. Yugi knew this door led to the Millennium Puzzle and Yami's mind. Yugi stepped inside the familiar chamber and gasped at the sight before him. Yami was laying on the floor unconscious.
"Yami," Yugi groaned as he staggered to the spirit. Yugi turned him over to see him gasping and groaning.
"Yugi! I'm not feeling so good," Yami replied wearily.
"Must've been something we ate," Yugi joked as he sat Yami up.
"It was. There was something in the shrimp. Whatever was in it is making us both sick," Yami informed him, "Tell Mr. Floyd that some kind of poison was in the food." It was then both Yugi and Yami blacked out in a spasm of pain. This time however, Yugi woke up in his hotel bedroom, Rush sitting next to him. Rush yipped and licked the boy's face.
"Yugi! You're OK!" Came Joey's friendly voice. Yugi turned to his left to see the non-sick teens sitting at his bedside.
"Yeah, but just barely," Yugi groaned as he struggled to sit up. Joey quickly forced him down again.
"The doctor says you need to rest," Tristan informed.
"Did Mr. Floyd find out what happened with the food?" Yugi asked.
"Yeah, there were traces of some weird mineral called phoenixite in your shrimp. According to the doctor, it's got a nasty effect on people, especially on people who use magic. But the doctor did say that because you didn't eat a lot, you will recover fully by morning," Teran explained.
"What about Saria? And Mrs. Floyd? Are they going to be OK?"
"Yeah, Mrs. Floyd has a strong resistance so she's not dangerously sick," Tristan said.
"Yeah, but Saria's not so lucky. She had started her second order when the phoenixite took effect. The doctors had to pump her stomach. Serenity's with her right now," Joey explained.
"So they don't have any idea how the stuff got in the food?" Joey shook his head.
"It's weird. Austin said the shrimp is raised in the caves below the island where enemies can't get them. How anyone could poison them is beyond me," Joey admitted.
"Don't worry though, Mr. Floyd is looking into the situation," Teran added. Yugi let out a sigh of relief.
"I don't know about you guys, but I would sure like to know how this happened," Tristan declared.
"So lets go see Mr. Floyd and find out!" Teran urged. The group nodded their heads except for Joey.
"You guys go. I'll stay and hold down the fort with Serenity," Joey said.
"Got ya. Later," Tristan replied and the two boys left. Joey reached into his pocket for a deck of cards.
"Feel like playing some go fish?" Joey joked. Rush wined at the joke as Yugi laughed. Upstairs however, there was no such happy occasion. Serenity was sitting at Saria's bedside. Saria was pale and unconscious in her bed.
"Sounds like Yugi is awake," Serenity mumbled as she stood up to go downstairs. The two friends were playing cards while Rush slept on the couch.
"Hey sis," Joey greeted as he studied his hand, "Got any threes?" Yugi shook his head as Joey drew from the deck.
"How is Saria?" Yugi asked.
"Not good. She's still not awake. I don't know what to do," Serenity admitted as she sat down next to Rush.
"I just hope Mr. Floyd can find out what happened," Yugi replied as he restudied his hand.
And I hope Yami will be OK too. Yugi thought hopefully.

MEANWHILE...
"You sure about that?" Mr. Floyd asked. He and several employees were interviewing the guests for any clues to what happened with the poisoning. It turned out that the Floyds and their guests were not the only ones affected. Many guests were feeling sick because they had ordered the shrimp special. So far, no one had noticed anything suspicious other than the Labrador-napping thugs, but they were safely locked up. Mr. Floyd was currently talking to a surfer with bright blond hair, tanned skin, swim trunks and a large yellow surfboard at the beach. Though it was nearly sunset, the waters were safely lit for nighttime surfing and parties.
"Yeah, I am sure old dude," The surfer replied in a heavy Hawaiian accent, "Can I go now? I want to catch the swell while it's still up." Patrick jerked a thumb behind him and the surfer left to meet three girls in bikinis. Patrick studied his notes as Teran and Tristan ran up to him.
"Yo! Dr. Floyd! Over here!" Teran shouted. Tristan gave Teran a weird look.
"Doctor?" Tristan asked.
"Mr. Floyd's also got a PhD in Weapons Development, Oceanology and Psychology," Teran acknowledged as they met the elder Floyd.
"Is there anything he can't do?" Tristan asked.
"No not really," Mr. Floyd replied.
"Find anything doc?" Teran asked. Mr. Floyd gave him a 'shut up' look then studied his notes.
"Yeah, a surfer named Cail saw a boat in the western reefs. Somebody in a blue metallic suit was jumping ship," Mr. Floyd reported.
"Why's that a big deal?"
"Because that's a no dive area. Near there are underwater caves that link to the Crystal Caves. It wouldn't take long for someone to find the shrimp pens and poison them with phoenixite." Tristan and Teran gasped.
"Anything else?"
"According to Cail, that boat is still out there and is being dragged away by the current," Mr. Floyd added.
"That's weird," Teran simply said.
"So this guy goes out, puts on a diving suit, jumps ship without anchoring his boat, and poisons the shrimp by going into the caves. That makes no sense at all," Tristan reviewed. Mr. Floyd read through his notes again.
"There was one more thing. The guy had a large pack with him. It was supposedly as big as he was," Mr. Floyd noted.
"I wish we had a way of checking this," Teran wished.
"We do. Austin may run a hotel but he has his own sophisticated radar, sonar, and optical camera system. It shouldn't be hard to check out Cail's tale," Mr. Floyd replied.
"So lets..." Teran began when a cry from the beach aroused the group's attention. The three men turned to see a woman crying hysterically.
"What's up with her?" Teran wondered. Patrick looked ahead of her and gasped. Out in the water, there was a six-year old in a life jacket crying for help. Tristan was already ripping off his shirt.
"Hang on!" Tristan shouted as he dove into the water. Teran watched in shock as a fish jumped out of the water at the girl's head. The fish was as about two feet in size and had rough crimson skin and easily visible fangs about six inches in length and it was going for a killing blow when Tristan knocked it back with his rod. He wrapped an arm around the little one's waist and began paddling back to shore when more of the fish appeared, surrounding him.
"Mr. Floyd! What are we gonna do? Tristan doesn't stand a chance of surviving a Gyorg attack!" Teran exclaimed. Patrick reached for his watch and pressed a few buttons. Teran watched as the watch turned into a strange controller like device with multiple buttons, control stick and a screen. Mr. Floyd pressed a button and took the joystick into his right hand. He pressed a button on the control stick and Teran heard a massive explosion from the Courage IX. Teran saw a missile get fired from a port on the front of the ship.
"What is that?" Teran asked. Mr. Floyd didn't reply. He had been moving the joystick and staring at the screen which now showed the ocean and the sky, but the screen was moving towards the water.
"This is a guided rescue missile. I'm going to send it to Tristan for backup," Mr. Floyd explained as the missile neared Tristan. Patrick then pressed a button on the controls and Teran watched as the missile exploded in a flash of white light that scared off the Gyorgs while a yellow life raft with a motor attached dropped into the water near Tristan. Tristan pushed the little girl into the raft as the Gyorgs were coming back.
"Tristan! Hurry up!" Teran warned as Tristan climbed into the raft. As soon as Tristan's body hit the inside of the raft, Patrick pushed another button on his control unit. Teran watched as the raft's motor turned on and pulled the boat towards shore at rapid speed.
"They made it," Teran sighed as Tristan hopped out, little girl in his arms. The little girl appeared unharmed except for a slashed up leg. Tristan gave the girl to the mother and rejoined the two.
"Good work Tristan," Patrick said when his watch beeped. Mr. Floyd pressed a button on the watch and put it towards his mouth.
"Yes?" Patrick asked.
"Patrick! We've studied the security tapes and found a boat out at sea, unanchored and unmanned," Austin responded over the watch communicator.
"A witness saw that too. Anything else?"
"Yes, a high-pitched signal is attracting Gyorgs to the waters around the island. My employees are clearing the beach but someone is obviously looking to make trouble for everyone here."
"I didn't know that. We just had a Gyorg attack here at the northern shore. Do you have any idea where the signal is coming from?"
"Yes! Right here at the hotel. It's coming from the roof but that's not all! A second signal is heading our way. I think someone is luring the Gyorgs here to scare off my guests."
"Any idea who?"
"Yes! I'm getting a bio-signal that belongs to a known criminal named Carl Malone AKA 'Fish Face'. He was wanted for the illegal owning and training of Gyorgs."
"Looks like he's at it again."
"Right. His signal is weak, but there. He's probably wearing a cyber suit of some type."
"I'll get him."
"Just make sure you grab a cyber suit too. I have one in my office."
"Thanks." Patrick then cut off the transmission.
"We have to stop this guy before someone else gets hurt!" Teran declared.
"Then come help me get in the suit." The three quickly ran towards the hotel, only to jump back as missiles exploded ahead of them. The trio then watched as the main doors were sealed by a blast shield as were most of the lower floor windows.
"What do we do now?" Tristan shouted as more missiles exploded down on the beach.
"Tristan! Get as many guests as you can away from here! Teran! Find a place to hide and contact Joey! Tell him to get the suit out of Austin's office!" Patrick commanded.
"What about you?" Teran asked. Mr. Floyd replied by pressing a few buttons on his watch. The watch turned into an arm-mounted cannon. Mr. Floyd aimed it towards the hotel.
"I'll draw his fire! Go!" Patrick fired a few yellow beams upward towards the roof. His reply was several missiles aiming for him! Mr. Floyd leaped out of the way as Teran and Tristan split up, Tristan running to the beach and Teran aiming for the safety of some nearby palm trees. Teran immediately reached for his watch.
"Teran for Joey! Joey! Are you there?" Teran called.
"Loud and clear. What's going on? What were those explosions just now?" Joey asked. Teran quickly told him what was going down.
"That's not good. What am I supposed to do?"
"Listen carefully. You need to go to Austin's office on the main floor and get a cyber suit. You'll need it to battle Malone."
"What? I'm no soldier man."
"You're our only hope! Mr. Floyd can't distract him forever and we can't get inside to get help."
"Why doesn't Austin just go?"
"Something must be up if he can't leave. Maybe the security system is affecting the doors inside too? Try our door." Inside, Joey tried to open the door, but it wouldn't budge.
"Sounds like you're right. The door is locked from the outside! I can't open it!"
"We have to stop Malone! Joey! Break the door down! Hurry!" It was then Teran noticed a missile heading towards him. Teran leaped out of the way as the missile exploded and sent sand and bark everywhere in a thick cloud.

MEANWHILE, INSIDE THE ROOM...
"Damn! This door is strong!" Joey complained as he rammed his shoulder into it. Serenity came to his side.
"Lets rush it together!" She suggested. Joey nodded and the two gave a war cry as they banged into it, only to do nothing. Yugi wearily climbed out of bed and put on the Millennium Puzzle.
"Let me try!" Yugi declared as Yami came into control. Yami activated the duel disk and pulled a card from his deck.
"Here we go! I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior!" Yami declared as he placed the card on the duel disk. The monster had a pink body with an S on it. It had spring-like limbs with pink feet and silver fists.
"Knock the door down with magnetic fist!" Yami commanded. The magnet warrior shot his fist out and snapped the door into pieces.
"Thanks Yami!" Joey called back as he ran down the hall, Serenity and Yugi at his heels.
"Feeling better?" Serenity asked as they ran.
"Much, thank you," Yami replied as they stopped at the elevator. It too was blocked by a blast door.
"Aw man! Now what?" Joey wondered. They turned towards the staircase when an explosion blew them back. When the smoke cleared, the staircase was destroyed and the rubble blocked up the bottom stairwell.
"I'm filing this under the category of not good," Joey said as he looked down the destroyed staircase.
"I have an idea!" Yami declared and he drew from his deck.
"I summon the Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress!" Yami declared, a blue dragon appearing before them. Everybody hopped on and were soon rushing towards the office. It was sealed by yet another blast door.
"I can handle this! Winged Dragon, fireball attack!" Yami commanded and the dragon fired a fireball right at the door and melted it. Joey quickly ran in and opened a nearby closet and pulled out a yellow armored suit and helmet with a green visor. Mounted on the right arm was a mini-cannon. With the other's help, Joey was inside and listening to Austin's instructions on how to operate the complex system.
"Joey, the gun has three triggers. One fires my standard shock beam, one fires missiles and the last one fires a CCU (Criminal Containment Unit). Short out his system with shock beams and missiles then when I tell you to, fire the CCU at him. That should be enough to bring Malone down," Austin explained.
"Got it, but just one thing. How do I get up to him? The stairs and elevator are out," Joey asked.
"I can get you a ride," Yami replied, pointing at the newly summoned Red Eyes Black Dragon. Joey quickly mounted the dragon and rode it through the skylight, sending glass shards everywhere. Joey leaped off and scanned the roof for his foe. His eyes lay on a man clad in blue, cybernetic armor, with a cannon mounted on his left arm. Joey wasted no time firing several missiles. The man, Carl, as hit by all four projectiles. But while the smoke was clearing, several missiles flew out from the veil and aimed for Joey. Joey shot them out of the air or jumped over them, thanks to the suit's ability to enhance Joey's natural strength. Joey let loose with several beams of infrared bolts of electricity. Carl jumped them and returned fire with more of his missiles. Joey frantically shot at them, but was unable to stop one from hitting him. It knocked Joey towards the edge of the roof but he rolled away before he fell over. He began dashing around and firing more shock beams while Malone let loose with more of his dangerous missiles. Joey quickly dodged or shot the missiles out until several missiles combined together and formed one big one. Joey shot at this one until he was forced to run away. Unfortunately, the giant missile had homing capabilities and it wasn't long before Joey was caught in a massive explosion. Joey fell down fifty stories to the lobby fountain below.
"Joey!" Serenity and Yugi cried out. Amazingly, Joey jumped up to his feet with ease. Serenity and Yugi ran over and embraced their friend.
"You're OK!" Yugi said. Joey sighed.
"Yeah, I guess the suit was strong enough to protect me from the fall. But I gotta go back and catch him," Joey replied when Yugi's watch beeper went off, the signal that he was being contacted.
"Yugi here," Yugi said into the watch.
"Yugi! What's up with Joey? Did he stop Malone?" Mr. Floyd replied.
"No, he's right here with us. He just fell from the roof."
"Well, Malone stopped firing missiles. I think he may have run out. Now's your chance! If you can get Joey back up there, he can snag Malone! But you have to hurry! That unidentified plane is in view. It could be Malone's escape route! Hurry!" Yugi cut off the transmission.
"You heard him Joey! You have to get up there and stop him now!" Yugi said urgently when Yami came back into control.
"And I'll get your ride back! Go Red Eyes!" Yami added as he resummoned the dragon. Joey hopped on and quickly burst back onto the roof. It turned out that Malone was running for a nearby black chopper. Joey reached for the communicator on his wrist.
"Yami! Command Red Eyes to attack the chopper!" Joey commanded.
"Go Red Eyes! Attack the chopper with your inferno fire blast!" Yami commanded through the watch. Red Eyes followed with a ball of intense heat and dark lightning with Joey following up with a barrage of missiles. Malone was sent sprawling as the chopper was engulfed in flames by the attacks.
"Good work Joey! Now fire the CCU at Malone!" Austin commanded through the communicator. Joey aimed his cannon at the criminal on the ground.
"Here goes!" Joey mumbled as he pulled the trigger. Joey watched as a ball of white light fired towards Malone. It engulfed him until he vanished into a black sphere with a keypad on it. The sphere was moving but it quickly stopped. Joey picked it up and clutched it as he and Red Eyes landed in the lobby square. As they landed, the blast doors lifted from the doors and windows of the building. Mr. Floyd, Tristan, Teran, Austin, Yugi and Serenity joined him as Red Eyes vanished. Joey handed Austin the CCU.
"There he is inside there," Joey said as he pulled off the helmet and put a hand through his sweaty hair.
"Boy, did you cut it close! But I knew you could do it Joey!" Mr. Floyd congratulated. The rest of the evening was spent cleaning up the mess from the battle while the rest of the team gathered in their room, glad to not have to help. They all went to bed and woke up the next morning to see Saria awake and feeling much better. Over a breakfast in the café, the group retold the harrowing battle. At about ten o'clock though, they would meet at the ship landing bay to continue their tournament adventure. There Austin presented them with a present: a large sailboat that was named the Sea Wheeler.
"You didn't have to get this!" Joey exclaimed. Austin laughed.
"Joey, you captured a dangerous criminal that was wanted in over sixteen countries for terrorism. This is the least we could do to repay you and your brave friends. Now, if I recall, you guys have a long way to go if you're to make it to the GSIT finals. If you'll hop in, I'll give you a tour of your boat and then you'll be on your way!" Austin explained. It didn't take long for Joey and the rest of the gang to learn the boat's controls. The sails and boom could be run manually or by computer. But if worse came to worse, they could bring the sails down and bunk in the spacious rooms below while the auxiliary engines took them where they needed to go.
"Guys, from here, head south to Forest Haven. There you shall meet Florensia and her older sister, Saria," Mr. Floyd advised.
"Saria?" The group wondered.
"My father's friend and my namesake. She's a wonderful Sage. The Sage of the Forest to be exact. She's a guardian of the forests of the Great Sea and Hyrule," Saria explained.
"That's right. Anyhow, head to her and she should have Farore's Pearl for my research. And Saria, you also have an important task of your own to do," Mr. Floyd continued as he reached into his pocket. When his hand came out, he was holding a rusted, triangular amulet on a silver chain. He handed it over to Saria.
"Take that amulet to the life force shrine at Forest Haven. Hold it under the waterfall at the center area and that should restore that to normal. Please don't forget," Mr. Floyd warned. Saria nodded and she pocketed it. The group went onto the boat and bid farewell.