Flower Petals:Heya! How is everybody? Well, this is the chapter that will tell ALL! Yes, you heard it (or read it....--')......This is the chapter that will explain a lot, so be prepared to be confused! Bwahahahahahahahaha!

Mina: Okay, this is the first time I've used the "quickedit" feature, but I was just about to upload this chapter when I received your reviews, so I hope this works! crosses fingers But thank you soooo much for reviewing! Sounds like you've been pretty busy. Softball pratice eh? I sure miss playing softball...sniff, sniff And cool, I didn't know you played the clarinet! Are you in a band? And hey, don't EVER doubt yourself! You're a FANTASTIC writer, and you have TONS of loyal fans who luv your work just as much as I do so don't beat yourself up!

Mixed-Matched: Yeah, I made a mistake following the duel between Kaiba and Yugi so carefully. A few other people complained about the boringness as well. sniff But ah, well. I'm glad you're still enjoying reading this fic! And if it gets boring or dull again, let me know so I can change it around! Any advice is certainly welcome! And thanks tons of fudge and caramel chunks for reviewing! -

Mamono: I LUV doing "power struggles". They're what really brings out the personalities in characters, you know? And, putting characters in really difficult scenarios where there's like, no hope of escape or like, no chance of them surviving or coming out unscathed and/or losing somebody they care about and, and.....okay, so I'm a bit twisted when it comes to writing stories. sheepish grin But it's fun doing evil things to characters! Um, thank you for reviewing!

Sakurelle: Thank you for watching out for everybody! Taleah wanted me to tell you (or type to you, jeez, I keep gettin' confused....) that she's grateful! grin Good plan!

Tamara Raymond: Thanks for the high five! blushes You really think Taleah's the best oc character you've read? faints and dies then comes back to life Thank you sooooo much! You're one of the most supportive (not to mention, helpful! grin) people ever!!!! I always look forward to reading your reviews. - And hopefully, I'm deserving of them! laughs Sounds like you have a cute kitten. What's his name?

Alright, so here it is.......Any final guesses???

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh. La, la, la, la, la....I get so bored of saying that.....

Flower Petals

Power of Three

Part 6

Tristen claimed he had heard something. He was clammy with sweat and kept peering over his shoulder as if expecting someone or something to jump out at him. At first no one else believed him. After all, he was the same person who feared his own shadow. But after the last sound, everyone was aware of the danger they were in. They knew they were doomed.

All four Eliminators stepped out of the woods and encircled them. Each one was taller and more hideous than the next. Panic was the tallest, and his malicious grin was by the far the most unsettling. And evil. The other three flexed their massive arms and cracked their knuckles.

Yugi and Bakura felt hopeless. They no longer had their Millennium Items to protect them and their friends. Without Them, there was nothing they could do. Their fate was entirely up to the Eliminators.

Complacently, the four giants grinned. They all took a gigantic step forward, looming over their victims. "Lets duel."

"Leave now and you will reach them in time," Pegasus informed. "But would you dare leave your boyfriend and his brother in my hands?"

"I'm taking them with me," Taleah growled. Anger and intense revulsion coursed through her. This had been a trap all along! Pegasus just wanted Kaiba and Mo so he could have her and the Items she bore. She shook with hatred towards the man. Now, he must go. She would make him pay for all that he had done.

Using the power of Kury's Millennium Ring, she focused her anger and channeled it into the Item. Then, in a dazzling emanation of emotion, a powerful energy surged forward towards Pegasus. But it was neutralized by an equally powerful force from the target's own Item.

He through his head back and laughed. The peals of his content laughter rang in their ears long after he was finished. "Attempting to take my soul? Oooooooohahahahahahahahahaha!"

Kaiba pushed his brother behind him protectively and put a hand on Taleah's shoulder. But it provided her no comfort.

"My dear, that was a pathetic attempt indeed. Whatever else is your feeble mind concocting? Well no matter what it is, it's going to take much more than you could ever give. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

Yugi and his friends stood back to back in a tight circle. They continued to press up against each other as the four monsters approached. Another step or two, and they'd be upon them. Even being as small as he was, Yugi couldn't get passed them. They left him and his friends no other alternative but to fight. Even without the help from the voice and his Puzzle.

"We can take them on," Tristen claimed. His voice was shaky but it did not break, and his uncharacteristic audacity lent hope and courage to his friends. He stepped forth from the protective circle and clenched his fists. "I got the big guy!"

The others did not know what brought about the sudden change in Tristen. They were just glad he would fight also. Yugi was proud of his friend. He hadn't been sure Tristen was up to this. But now, they'd all go down fighting together.

The Eliminators attacked. They fought like savages; clawing and tearing. Occasionally they'd try a punch or two, but their deadly fists never reached their targets for Yugi and his friends were too quick. They sprang, and whirled out of the way, narrowly avoiding each vicious assault to the head or stomach.

Joey was good at brawls having the rough street background he did. Barely missing one attempt to his skull, he spun on the heel of his left foot and drove the ball of his right into an Eliminator. The attack knocked the wind from the giant, but stalled him only for a moment before he was back to the offense.

Mai and Tea were working as a team; first providing a distraction, then surreptitiously landing painful blows.

Tristen had long since pounced on the "big guy" and was pulling at his hair.

In all the confusion, Yugi quickly lost track of his friends. Everything was happening so fast, it was difficult to make out anything or anybody clearly. Noises were coming from every direction, reverberating in his ears and he could feel the wind from all the blows and action around him. He was afraid to do anything lest he should hurt one of his friends. He really didn't want to fight. He despised fighting! It was never the answer, and in the end everyone wound up getting hurt. And yet, here and now, he had to fight. He wouldn't see his friends get hurt.

An idea came into his head. But there was no longer a voice to criticize it. The presence was gone with Taleah; it couldn't help him now. He was by himself. Alone and weak. It was an odd feeling to be alone. The Puzzle had always been with him. Now he felt empty and abandoned. And so very helpless.

A scream, seemingly from Tea brought him out of his thoughts. His heart turned cold as he desperately searched for her. But there was so much activity about him he couldn't make out distinct shapes. His mind was overcome with blind terror.

Then everything went black.

"Your friends should be on their way now," Pegasus told Taleah. "My faithful servants are quite efficient in their duties." He paused to neutralize another attempt from the young girl. He laughed. "My dear, you do amuse me. Ha, ha!"

Taleah was growing frustrated. Nothing was working and Pegasus kept toying with her. Were her friends really in danger? She had left them without any protection. She'd die if anything happened to them. But she couldn't reach them if she didn't get past Pegasus. And no matter how hard she tried, it seemed like an impossible feat.

The Millennium Ring glowed briefly, then raised all Its pointers straight up at the ceiling. Taleah didn't have a chance to even think about the cause of such a happening before she heard the blades of the helicopter practically on top of them. The noise increased as the chopper descended and then landed on a designated spot above the dungeons with a loud tap. It was evident to her now-Pegasus had another Item.

The distraction bought her the time she needed. She took Kaiba and Mo and ran.

Yugi's vision slowly came back. Within the next few blinks shapes became clearer. There were many of them. All dark and tall. Way too tall. But then he realized he was laying down. Someone stirred beside him. His friends must be laying too. In front of those guards. Pegasus's guards no doubt.

Once again, they were at the top of the staircase before the grand doors. And surrounded by men in dark sunglasses and suits. Kemo was amongst them. But besides the guards, no one else remained. The Eliminators were gone.

The young duelist sat up and rubbed his aching head. It was dark, he saw. Very dark. The darkest night he had ever witnessed. But it had an eerie red hue to it as if it was tainted with blood. Even the clouds were black and foreboding, save for the dark crimson ones. What the bizarre coloring meant, Yugi dd not know. He just knew it was spooky.

"Is dis heaven?" Joey asked, his voice rough. "Cause if it dis, I'd much rather be din Hell. Oh, looky, der's Kemo. Guess I was wrong."

"Stand up runt," the guard ordered. "All of you."

But before any of them could attempt to stand, three people came bolting out of the castle doors. When they reached the stairs, they spun to face whoever had obviously been chasing them.

Pegasus followed not too far behind. He looked at the three, then at Yugi and the rest on the ground. A wicked smile appeared across his mouth. "Ah! I have all of you together now. Just where I want you."

Yugi held his breath. What was Pegasus going to do with them? Or worse, Taleah? She still had the three sacred Items. She was the one in the most dire peril. And there was nothing he could do to help her.

A buzzing sound made itself heard. It was from a hidden radio. Then a man's voice met their ears. A voice, that sounded very much like that of Croquet's.

"The. . .bsssshhhh. . .guest from across. . . .bssshhhh. . .the water. . . .bssshhh. . .is here, sir. . .bbssshhh."

Pegasus looked disappointed as if he were a child and his favorite toy had been taken away. "Very well. Guards? Kemo? Watch our guests. Keep a close eye on them."

"Yes, sir."

"Until we meet again, my dear," Pegasus told Taleah as he left.

"What are you planning on doing?" Mokuba asked. He was holding Taleah's hand and looking up at her with his big purple eyes.

"Something I'll regret in a minute or less," Taleah answered. "But it must be done."

The guards, unable to defend themselves against her magic, slowly transformed into cards. Duel Monster cards. They floated in the air, then daintily fluttered to the ground where they lay in place of what once was.

"I'll return you all back to your original shapes," Taleah vowed. "I'm sorry I had to do this."

"Forget them," Mai advised. "Trust me, they're better off that way."

"We need to think," Taleah declared. "We have to solve the riddle. Because it seems we're officially out of time."

Everyone in agreement, they began sprinting down the stairs never once looking behind them in fear that they might see something they'd rather never lay eyes on again. About half way down, Taleah got an idea.

"Four were close together in the very end. Maybe we should think up all the things we have in common. Because if we're as close as the rhyme says, then the fourth person will have to have something to do with ourselves."

"But what if Pegasus already has the fourth person?" Tea questioned. "How can we be sure we're looking for somebody that isn't already found?"

"Because Pegasus has the other Three," Taleah replied. "When we were down in the dungeon, a helicopter flew in and just not too long ago Croquet said something about a guest from across the water. That sounds far away to me."

"Then we've fallen into a trap," Kury concluded. "Once we figure out who it is, we'd lead Pegasus right to him or her. We're in bad shape which ever way you look at it."

"Not if we get the Item first," Yugi contradicted.

"An' wha' are we gonna do wit' dem once we find 'em?" Joey asked. "Sleep on 'em?"

"We'll decide that after we solve the first problem," Bakura said. "Now, what do we all have in common?"

"We all like pizza."

Everyone glared at Joey.

"We all live in the same town," Yugi offered. It was the only thing he could come up with at the moment.

"That's good," Taleah commented. "But there are so many people in the town, we wouldn't know where to look first. We have to break it down. Narrow the search."

Kury had an idea. "Do you all go the same gym?"

Yugi felt a tinge of regret. He was embarrassed to admit it, but the only exercise he got was from Gym Class at school. "I don't work out."

"That's okay," Taleah assured. "Hmm, same neighborhood, same school. . .Same school! Think of something strange that has happened to someone we know from school."

They were all silent in deep thought. They could all think up weird coincidences, but did that count? Some were afraid to voice their opinions. Others had no idea. But they didn't have to think for very long for Taleah soon figured out the answer.

"It's Simmick!" she cried. "Remember how he saved that elderly lady from the burning car? He wears that strange earing of which he equally loves to brag about. He must have the Millennium Earing!"

"Wow," Tea admitted. "I never thought that kid would ever be someone special."

"So what now?" Mokuba inquired. When no one answered, he pressed on. "Should we go over to Simmick's house? I betcha Pegasus is going to send somebody pretty soon to go and get him. We should probably get there first before that happens. But how do we get off this island?"

Once again, no answer.

"I guess we could swim across. No, no, that's not good. I can't swim! I'd most likely drown. Um, well if we had one of my brother's device gadget thingies we could fly out of here."

Kaiba clapped his hands. "That's it! We'll fly out of here on my helicopter. Although with all of you we might exceed the maximum weight restriction, but I can compromise. Follow me, I believe I landed my helicopter just over the ridge.

"God spare us all," Yugi murmured under his breath as he followed the Champion, the Item Bearers, and all those unfortunate enough to be caught in everything in their climb up the dark path.

Flower Petals: Well, did any of you guess correctly? And in case you're all clueless, Simmick is mentioned in chapter 1# and I think chapter 3# (or whenever the school dance was....) So if you're curious, please go back! I left some subtle hints but so far, everyone who has read, didn't get them. sighs So if anybody did or even knows what I'm talking about, please let me know! It'll make me sooooo happy!

Please review! I'll be more inclined to update sooner! grin

Ja ne!