Chapter 3: "What goes up"

Joey was nearly run over by Yugi as he entered the waiting room in his scrubs. The short boy was hugging his friends tightly sobbing. "What can you say"

"Well the doctors said I could tell you what's happening" Joey said. "I admit getting dragged out of bed was scary considering it was the same doctor that worked on Serenity…look, it's okay. Bakura's in a coma though the same type as Pegasus put Solomon in…"

Yugi stepped backwards. "What?"

"He was attacked or something and all the signs are identical to what happened to your gramps way back when" Joey said. "He's not waking up…Yugi there's more"

"What?" Yugi mumbled. "I amn't sure I can take much more…"

"Did you know Yami got brain fried like Bakura two weeks ago?" Yugi stared at Joey, his legs going weak as he tried to find a seat. "I guess not…apparently one of the doctors here was transferred over here by the Embassies to work on neurological injuries and illnesses and…he worked on Yami… same thing…I wondered why you hadn't mentioned it…you didn't know."

"What's going on?" mumbled Yugi.

"No clue"

"Who'd do this?"

"Well you vanquished all the evil personalities back into their soul rooms when you let the original minds tame them so Bakura's clear, Pegasus is still in India so its not him…I couldn't tell you" Joey said.

"Tristan and Duke are on their way" Yugi said. "I can't lose hiM Joey.. he means so much to me… I love him…I just haven't told him yet…"

"A year and a half of bunny-like action and you've not said anything?" gaped Joey. "And they said I was emotionally retarded". He sighed and hugged his little friend. "It's gonna be just fine" he said reassuringly. "Bakura's been through worse."

Tea was much better at positive outlooks. She always had been even if she took it over the top. Way OTT. Yugi sobbed into Joeys shoulder.

"Listen Yug I'll try get them to let you see him now. They should have finished all the tests by now. Everything should be fine with him. They're flying Yami over…"

"This happened to Yami, Bakura…who's next? Who else could be a victim? Merik? Ishizu? Anyone else with a Millennium Artefact?" he shuddered.

Joey held his friend close. The trembling boy was crying so hard it seemed he would never stop. Tristan and Duke arrived, then Serenity…

Kaiba Mansion

"Rebecca Please!" groaned Mokuba. The blonde was laughing so hard he was surprised she hadn't passed out from lack of oxygen. "Seto was having a joke at my expense he really does have a sense of humour!"

"Okay I'm calm" Rebecca said trying to compose herself. "PRINCESS" she fell into a fit of giggles and Mokuba huffed glaring daggers at the VR pods he'd been playing with her. It'd been unfortunate they'd needed to pause the game in order for Rebecca to control her laughter after the princesses first address.

"I can't get the image of you in a dress and tiara out of my head" admitted Rebecca.

"Hey wanna duel?" Mokuba said. "I'll go easy on you!" Rebecca narrowed her eyes at him and sat up. Mokuba smiled at her as she glared at him.

"Go. EASY. On. ME" she whispered. "Bring it on afro boy!"

"ITS NOT AN AFRO" he exclaimed as they climbed into the pods and went to versus mode. This automatically generated costumes. Mokuba found his athletic teenage body was now clad in a Ronin Samurai armour. He looked over at Rebecca… and his jaw dropped. She was stunning in her black leather corset, high glittering collar and black thorn crown with flowing dark purple sleeves and gowns…evil witch look definitely.

"Let's hit it Mokie" Rebecca said. "First cards up…" she drew the card. "Sago the Dark Clown in attack position and two cards face down!" she smiled at him. "Well?"

Mokuba checked his cards. He had a Curse of Dragons, A Celtic Guardian, a Pot of Greed, The Magical Lamp and A De-Spell. "I use Pot of Greed to draw two cards…" he drew the cards and smiled. "Then I play this card face down and put Curse of Dragons on the field in Attack mode"

They were battling in the dark fortress… it was unnerving seeing such cards as The Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams and The Earl of Demise acting as spectators. But he hoped it had the edge over Rebecca.

"You're toast" Rebbeca said. "Watch and learn Mokie"

Mokuba could forget how beautiful and deadly she was on the playing field, her eyes filled with fire and ice and she was totally ruthless NOTHING got in her way. He was going to make her take notice this time though. He'd win…besides she didn't have her teddy with her, that was when things really got dangerous…

In the screen room Seto watched his little brother.

Mokuba was quite a talented duellist. On of the Top 10 in the world… Unfortunately so was Rebecca. And she was higher ranked too. He sipped his tea and turned back to the websearch. The tumour caused an illness called Chuntz-Kaufman Syndrome. CKS was rare because only a hereditary tumour could cause it. Joey was unlucky… he'd been one of the rare cases that had the long lasting especially painful kind… then again maybe he was lucky he'd lived so long.

Seto frowned. Joey was foolish (no he was taking up a career that had no room for foolishness), hot-tempered (no disputing that but he had a reason), brash( but split second decisions in surgery were always an occurence) and foolish (yet he had what it took to become a brain surgeon). Then why was it Seto couldn't imagine not seeing him again?

"Seto!" Juno was in the doorway tapping her pointed-toed high-heeled shoe temperamentally. "Noah's flown in…are you EVER going to go and talk to him? He IS your biggest venture into medical electronics so far…and don't tell me that you're well aware you're an under-sexed and very horny 23 year old CEO who's in denial about wanting a certain blonde. You've achieved much being able to even walk properly!"

She walked out of the monitor room into his study in her white business suit that showed just enough cleavage to be acceptable and was a flawlessly tailored cote de jour piece that was all set for the day with perfect pressed material and the ideal accessories. A Pear choker and white lipstick and nail polish plus dangly diamond earrings. "Noah is the perfect example of what your cybernetic and virtual reality materials can do! If you forget that and also the fact he's now taken a controlling interest in the buildings he'd floor you with a novelty mallet"

Seto sighed. Anyone other then Juno would be looking for a new job.

"I remember. Noah's been particulary helpful his VR improvements have done a great deal for the company and he's replaced 2 of the six on my board of directors" nodded Seto. "Mokuba took another 2 and that leaves Messrs Humboldt and Agoro to cause trouble."

"You've been through 8 sets of 6 since the whole plot with Noah" Juno sighed. "Could you please refrain from making them want to kill you? I can see their point but it's really up to you!"

Just then a helicopter lowered itself to the level of the window, it was silent…somehow. The gattling gun on the front whirled and opened fire. Juno grabbed Seto and the run by and dragged him back intot he monitor room.

"Ugh you're so lucky I grew up in a military family" she snapped. She smashed the glass with the small hammer and took out the long cylinder. "EM -EM" she said simply and fired the pulse. The helicopter sputtered and fell straight into the grounds of the mansion as the crackling blue light surrounded them. "I'll fire Rumbholdt and Agoro" she said as she handed Seto the launcher.

They descended the stairs having called the police. Rebecca and Mokuba were unaware of the goings on as they were currently still in VR world.

Someone burst in the doors as Seto reached for them. The man swung a switch blade at the CEO and scored a slash along his side. His comrade from the chopper was there… until Juno hit him with a vase. Distracted the other man was easily given a deft punch by seto and Judo tossed just as the police arrived.

"Impeccable timing" muttered Seto.

"This is serious Seto" Juno warned. "You have to learn how to trust people this attack was at your home what if they'd hit Mokuba or Rebecca? You have to find people you trust for the Board. You can't just pick the best if they're scum".

"Get the bandages," he said gruffly.

"No, you're going to the hospital, maybe they can make you see sense. Yvonne has looked after you since you were tiny she'll look after you now" Juno said as she took his hand in hers and led him towards the officers.