It's Gonna Be Me
Meanwhile, the others had just discovered that Mai was missing.
"Where could she have gone?" Sango said, while Tristan and Miroku were yelling into the forest.
"We'll just have to search for her," Yugi/Yami said. But then, Shippo came running from the Miroku's cart.
"I sniffed around for her, but the best I could do was go to the water flasks," the kitsune said, holding the limp bottles. "And I noticed something weird."
"What?" asked Sango.
"They're all ripped. At least, Yugi's and his friends' are." He held them up, and both Sango and Yugi/Yami examined them.
"These aren't rips," Sango announced. "These were slashed."
"And there's residue on the tears," Yugi/Yami said. "And I think now, we know what happened to Mai," he added, going to her pack. He unzipped one of the compartments, then after he rummaged around, he found Mai's sharp, metal nail file. "This has the filings from Mai's nails. It resembles chalk, and can leave a chalklike residue from acrylic nails." he said, holding it up to the slashes. He put it through one single hole in the bottle, and said, "It matches."
"Then Mai shred our bottles on purpose. But why?" Sango said.
"To get Joey alone. And wasn't it convenient that Inu-yasha found a place near a river for us to camp?"
"You mean you think they-?"
"Yes! They've both objected to Kagome and Joey's relationship from the start. But I still don't know how they could commit such terrible acts? It could not be just jealousy."
"It must be Naraku," Sango said.
"If he's around, we need to get everyone out of the woods," said Shippo. But then, they heard a sound. A sorrowful howl that made their blood run cold.
"What-?" Yugi/Yami started, but then, Joey and Mai came running out of the woods (from different sections, of course).
"Yugi! Have you seen Kagome?" Joey asked, looking around frantically, "Where is she?!"
"We just heard something howl hideously," Miroku said as he and Tristan came up to them.
"That was me," Inu-yasha said, coming from the woods.
"I SHOULD'VE KNOWN!" Joey shouted. "You and Mai planned this, DIDN'T YOU!?! I swear, if you hurt her-!!"
"I didn't do anything!" Inu-yasha growled back, "I admit, I tried to get her back from you, but she ran away! She chose you! OK?! That's why I howled!"
"Well now she hates me, too!" Joey cried, tears welling in his eyes, "Cause Mai came on to me, and she saw us! I tried to find her, but she ran away!"
"Mai, Inu-yasha," Yugi/Yami demanded, "What is this treachery you have done?!"
"It was my idea," Mai said, looking down, tears of true grief and remorse running down her cheeks. "It just popped in my head last night-. Then, when Joey left, Naraku-"
"What?!" Inu-yasha and Joey cried together. "You saw Naraku?!" Inu-yasha asked.
"No, but I heard him," Mai explained, "He said I was like the Harpies. That I ate men's hearts- I- I- "
"Of course," Miroku said, "We were all blinded! He must have planted the idea to break Joey and Kagome apart in her mind, then used hers and Inu-yasha's jealousy tp carry it out."
"But if he's here-?" Shippo started.
"Kagome's still in the woods!!!!" Joey and Inu-yasha cried together, both making a be-line for the trees.
But, before they were within the trees' shadows, they heard an ear piercing scream, followed by malicious, and triumphant laughter that surrounded them from all sides; it was deafening, it was made their hearts almost stop beating with the strain of fear.. They all looked up, to where the laughter was coming from, and saw- "NARAKU!"
'Fools," he called down, "You fall so easily into my traps. I believe you are looking for your dear Kagome?" he said, lifting her up from his arms.
"LET HER GO!" Inu-yasha shouted.
"OR YOU"LL BE IN FOR A WORLD OF HURTIN"!" Joey added, brandishing his Millennium Staff.
Naraku laughed, and replied, "Only if you give me something I want. I want your Millennium Puzzle, King Yami. This in exchange for Kagome's life. When you are ready, come to my palace." And he flew away, carried by the wind.
------------Scene Break------------
They raced to follow Naraku. Kirara carried Yugi and the other humans while Inu-yasha, with Shippo clinging to his shoulder, ran at lightening speed to keep up.
"All this because of a storm," Yugi/Yami remarked.
"Yami," Miroku said, "I must confess, I believe I know who caused that storm in your time."
"Who?"
"A demoness named Kagura. She's an incarnation of Naraku, but she has long since left his service. Not too long ago, as we did battle with the incarnation, Li Zhou, as Naraku left to take vengance on Kagura. Then, after Inu-yasha left to follow Kagome to her world, friends of ours gave us grave news: Naraku Kagura were still battling. We went to investigate, and we found the demons in bitter battle. To escape, she caused a dimensional storm, which nearly destroyed the forest. I was able to clear most of the debris with my Wind Tunnel, but the damage was done. And both demons escaped before Sango and I could face them."
"A dimensional storm?" Yugi/Yami asked. "If such a thing were possible, it could trigger events on both planes of time."
"Indeed," Miroku said.
"Then that's what caused the storm that destroyed our school," Yugi/Yami said, "A shift in time and space."
-------------Scene Break-------------
They stopped when Naraku's palace loomed over them on the hill. It was dark, ominous, and empty as a crypt. Tristan looked at the palace, then turned to Yugi/Yami and asked, "So Yugi, what's the plan?"
"I never said I had I plan," Yugi/Yami said.
"What? Yugi," Tea said, "You always have a plan!"
"Usually I do," Yugi/Yami said, 'But this time, short of giving up my Millennium Puzzle, there's nothing we can do to save Kagome."
"Yug," Joey said, "You're not thinkin what I think you're thinkin?"
Yugi/Yami turned to his friends, old and new, and said, "I am willing to give up my Puzzle to save Kagome."
"Come on, man," Tristan said, "You gotta have something up your sleeve? You always do!"
"There is one thing I can do, but it is dangerous. And I may not survive it."
"Whatever it is, I don't care," Joey said, "You can't give up your Puzzle to save Kagome, she wouldn't want that."
"He's right," Inu-yasha agreed, "She'd sacrifice herself, first, that stubborn girl."
"What's the plan, Yugi?" Tea asked.
"I must call Naraku to face me," Yugi/Yami said, "We'll finish this with a Shadow Game."
"Not a Shadow Game!" They all gasped. All of Yugi's friends knew of the dark powers he possessed. If Yugi lost, his body and soul would be broken. But if he actually won, then Naraku would be defeated forever. None could defeat the power of the Shadow Games.
"It's the only way!" Little Yugi declared inside of their shared mind.
"Then we agree, my friend," Yami said, nodding to the spirit beside him. "We do this together."
-----------Scene Break----------
"Prepare the balance beams, Tea!" Yugi/Yami said, as they all prepared the area for the Game. When all was ready, Yugi/Yami stood at the bottom of the hill, and called, "Naraku! I have come!"
The you-kai appeared, once again in his baboon skin shroud. "Have you come to surrender the Puzzle, King Yami?"
"Not quite," Yugi/Yami replied. "You have trespassed in the realm of my soul for the last time, beast of the Abyss. Now it is time for us to face each other and finish it. You have stated that you will not give up Kagome unless I give up my Millennium Puzzle. This I will not do willingly. I challenge you to a Shadow Game."
"Interesting. And why should I accept your challenge?"
"Because, I've uped the stakes. If you win, I'll be dead, and the Puzzle, the Shards, and Kagome will belong to you."
"And if you win?"
"Then you will die. And we will have Kagome, the Puzzle, and the Jewel completed, back in our hands."
"An interesting proposal, King Yami. But still not interesting enough. I want the half breed , Inu-yasha's, head delivered to me, along with everything else, if I win."
"Very well. Let the Shadow Game begin!"
-------------Scene Break----------
"Not so d----- tight!" Inu-yasha whispered, "Are you trying to strangle me?"
"Just keep your mouth shut, dog breath," Joey whispered back. He clung to Inu-yasha's back as the han-you climbed them both up the outer wall of Naraku's palace. "I ain't happy about this either, but it's Yugi's plan so we have no choice."
It was a good plan, too. Yugi would distract Naraku with a Shadow Game, while Joey and Inu-yasha infiltrated the palace, and rescued Kagome. If everything worked out, then Naraku would be dead, and everyone safe. But something could always go wrong. 'But Yugi's plans always work,' thought Joey, 'so I shouldn't worry.'
"Listen, Inu-yasha," Joey said, "For once, can we put aside our differences? We both want to save Kagome, but we need to do it together."
"Yeah, yeah. Just don't slow me down," Inu-yasha said.
They soon reached the top of the wall, and jumped down. They were in. They ran to the first entrance, and were able to get inside, no troubles.
"I don't like this," Inu-yasha said, "This was too easy."
"Hey, it saves us time," said Joey.
"DUCK!" Inu-yasha yelled, jumping on the boy and pushing him down as arrows whizzed by and went THWONK into the walls.
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" Joey demanded.
"They're firing again!" Inu-yasha cried, rolling them both aside. Joey looked up, and saw rows upon rows of arrows where they had been. Then he turned his head, and saw something like out of a horror movie.
"ZOMBIES!" Joey cried.
"Dead Samurai," Inu-yashsa cried, getting up, bounding towards the undead warriors. He extended his claws, and yelled, "IRON-REAVER, SOUL STEALER!" as he slashed the zombies into pieces.
"Talk about 'over kill'," Joey said as he walked around the piles of limbs.
"This isn't the time for jokes," Inu-yasha said. "These are Naraku's undead warriors. They'll be guarding Kagome very closely."
"Dang, they really don't make things easy in this era," Joey thought as they ran off to look for Kagome.
-------------Scene Break------------
Yugi stood at his end of the balance beams and Naraku stood at his. They faced each other finally for the first time. For the last time. The great King of Games and the Devil himself.
"This game is a simple one." Yugi/Yami said. "We walk by faith not by sight."
"By faith? Faith in what?" The wicked demon demanded.
"By faith in our own senses. Light the fires!" Yugi/Yami commanded and so Tristan set a huge bonfire between the two balance beams. "Now tie this rag around your face." He tossed him the rag and then tied one around his own face, obscuring his eyes.
"This is mad!" Naraku stated as he looked on. "You would risk destroying yourself to save this miko girl?"
"For any of my friends." Yugi/Yami replied. "Now let the Shadow Game begin." Naraku tied the rag around his eyes then the two duelists began to walk across the balancing beams high above the fire. One false move and either one of them could fall into the blazing inferno and to their deaths.
--------------Scene Break-----------
Tea watched as Yugi started this dangerous game. It was such a gamble. One misstep, and she would lose him forever.
His arms were outstretched to either side as he put one foot before the other. He hoped all the dance classes he'd watched her at had been of some help. All Tea could do now was pray, and wait for the end.
-----------Scene Break---------
Kagome awoke inside a dark room. She must be in Naraku's palace. She groaned. No doubt her friends would try to rescue her. But then millions of thoughts ran through her mind. First, Joey's betrayal that mirrored Inu-yasha's. And then, she remembered two other moments.
"'We don't need any more interference from the future'" Miroku had said. And, "'One change could alter the course of history'" Yami said. She thought about her own effect on history, having come through the well so many times. Having broken the barrier between time in the first place. If she had never come back in time, the Jewel wouldn't have been shattered- and maybe, Shippo wouldn't be an orphan, and Sango's village wouldn't have been destroyed. Maybe Naraku would have been killed by some stronger you-kai, and her friends wouldn't be in danger.
"It's all my fault," she said, as she cried fresh tears.
--------------Scene Break-------------
Naraku made his way to the middle of the balance beam. He could sense that Yugi was close to the middle of his own. This was insane. How was he supposed to put his faith in something he couldn't see? How? Then again, what would it matter if he just pushed him in? First to fall losses all; those were the terms. He never said it had to be fair.
Naraku turned swiftly on the beam and yanked off his blindfold. Simultaneously, Yugi removed his, and said, "You have removed your blindfold! You forfeit the Game! Now, you must play a Penalty Game, Naraku!" Yugi stretched forth his hand, and the balance beams broke beneath Naraku. He tried to fly up, but he could not! His powers! He had lost his powers!
-------------Scene Break------------
As Naraku fell, the boards beneath Yugi/Yami's feet broke, and he too began to fall. But, with a roar, Kirara flew in, sweeping The Game King away from the flames.
When they landed, Yugi/Yami called out to Miroku, "Look at your hand! Is it whole?"
Miroku unwrapped the prayer beads from around his right hand, and lifted the wrap. It immediately began sucking in air, leaves, and rocks. He quickly wrapped it up again and said, "It's still there! Naraku lives!" he cried in despair.
"That's impossible!" Mai said, "He fell into the fire!"
Then, a shriek of pain and rage rose from the flames, followed by a burning figure, it's arms flailing about. Then, it ran swiftly into the palace! Suddenly, a voice came from around them.
"FOOLS! You thought you could trap me so easily!?! Now you will pay with your friends' lives!"
"Oh no!" cried Tea, "Kagome, Joey, and Inu-yasha!"
"We have to save them," Sango cried, but as they turned, they saw the palace was already burning.
"He must have doused the whole palace with oil!" Miroku said, sniffing the air. The foul fumes were enough to gag them.
"What do we do now?!" Tea asked Yugi/Yami.
"This time, I truly don't know," Yugi/Yami said as he cried out Joey's name.
-------------Scene Break-------------
They ran through a maze or corridors for what seemed like hours, when they came to a fork. One went to the right, the other to the left.
"I'll go left, you go right," Inu-yasha said, darting off down his wing of the palace. Joey made no arguments. He raced down his corridor, hoping not to find any more undead samurai. They'd already faced enough to make Joey swear off 'Night of the Living Dead' and Zombie for life. He searched every room he came to, but found nothing. Until he came to the last door. He opened it, and saw her.
---------------Scene Break-------------
"Kagome!"
Kagome looked up, and saw Joey standing there, reliefon his face. But she looked down. "Go away!" she said.
"I'm here to save you," Joey said, coming to her. "I know you must hate me, but you have to believe me, I-"
"I don't care!" she said, backing away from him. "You're no better than Inu-yasha!"
"Kagome, listen. We can talk later. We need to get out of here, now!" Joey said, grabbing her arm ,leading her to the door, but then, she looked out to the corridor and saw a red light coming down quickly. She'd seen that before-!
"Joey, the palace is on fire!" she cried out!
-------------Scene Break-------------
"What?!" Joey exclaimed, looking out the door. She was right! Flames were barreling down the hallway, right at them. Joey shut the door, then grabbed Kagome and pushed her down. As flames started to engulf the room, smoke filling the air, Joey hugged Kagome close to him, and said, "You can believe whatever you want, but I wanna tell you this, Kagome: I've always loved you. I'll never stop."
Then, he felt her hug back, and say, "Joey, I'm sorry." But then, running trough the inferno came Inu-yasha, his head covered by his Fire-Rat cloak. He draped it over Joey and Kagome's heads, and ordered them out. Kagome sat there, looking at him for a minute.
"I said get going, you stupid girl!" he shouted. "You end up toasted?"
"But what about you?" she asked desperately.
"Forget me," he said.
"Dog breath, you're nuts," Joey said.
"Yeah," Inu-yasha said, his eyes looking at them seriously. "Nuts for her. NOW GO!" he pushed them out just as the doorway collapsed, blocking.
"Inu-yasha!" Kagome screamed.
"Come on," Joey said, picking her up, "We gotta out of here!"
"Not without Inu-yasha!" she yelled back.
"I don't wanna leave him either," he said, "But if we don';t leave now we'll all die, and that's the last thing either of us would want. You've got to live, Kagome; if not for me then for him!"
Her eyes were blank as he grabbed her arms, and rushed through the burning corridors, their bodies protected by the Fire Rat cloak. And as they neared the door, Joey knew in his heart that Kagome hald already made her choice. That there was no room for him. Ever.
--------------Authors' Note----------------
Sir Larry: "We hope you have enjoyed the extended chapters of the Chaos Effect.
Bluerain: We now what you're thinking. 'What about the last chapter? Well, the last chapter is as we always wanted it to be. We'll just repost it to go with these extended ones. For more Chaos, read our other stores in the now infamous 'Chaos Series'. Check out my bio for a complete list of them.