Disclaimers standards apply I don't own Sailor Moon and Yu-gi-oh. Kayla is mine….. as well as the plot. Please do not use, thanks much.

A/n: this is the long- awaited chapter 9 that Jenna-chan has been pushing me to write. Thanks sis, I couldn't have done it with out you. You really are an inspiration.

Side note: Most of my chapters are 4-5 pages in word, but since I didn't have enough to make a 10th chapter this one stands at close to 7 pages in word. A little longer, but well worth it in the end.

Warning: may get graphic, but other then that this is mild. Keep on the look out for anything and keep an open mind.

Chapter 9

The hairs on the back of her neck continued to stand on end as she watched

The storm clouds approaching. The turned to Kaiba, her gaze locked on his deep blue eyes. "A darkness is coming, a battle is about to break out." She stated simply. "You should go back to George and your brother, I have to help the others." As those words left her mouth, she took on a position for running.

Seto's hand flew out capturing Rei's elbow quickly, but softly. "Rei wait, you can't…" he said suddenly as he waited for her reaction. He half expected anger, but none came.

Rei froze slowly turning to take one last long look into Seto's face. "You…" she started to argue, but could not find the words that she desired. The way he spoke, the look in his eyes, and the way he reacted when she told him of her need to go into battle.

When Rei stopped talking, Seto continued, "You are in no shape to battle, and you are needed here. Mokuba, needs you, and I…."

"You what Seto?" Rei questioned, she wanted to shout at him, but when she had opened her mouth to speak, the words had come out a lot softer then either had expected.

"I care about your safety. Ami, Makoto, and the mutt can find your friends." Seto stated using Joey's nick name that he had given him. In the back of his mind he doubted the others, but knew that he couldn't let Rei out of his sights. He cared for her as a friend, or maybe, something more. This he couldn't think and convinced himself it was simply friendship he desired from her.

"You have never cared for anyone, why should I believe what you are saying?" Rei continued to question. She had a hard time believing he cared for anyone other then himself. Yet, she had seen for herself that at least, around Mokuba, Seto seemed almost human.

:Could I be falling for him?" Reis mind asked. :No, he is a guy they are evil and have their own form of magic they use on woman: it argued. She sighed not able to think of more to say.

"I know what you might be thinking, but… I do care about you Rei-chan. You I can honestly say, have been a good friend to me, and…. Like a big sister to Mokuba. Both I'm eternally grateful for." Seto admitted after considering his options. After all, all she would to him would be to tell him she hated him. He knew those words would hurt, but after all they were just only words… Right? He had to keep this in mind and not let words get to him.

Rei said nothing for several long moments. Her gaze had gone from looking directly into his eyes to counting cracks on the sidewalk. Aside from Usagi, her sister, and the friends she had made while being a senshi, she had never really made any friends. His words had shocked even her, and she had hopped he would have continued talking, if only to reassure herself that she hadn't imagined those words. She had wanted to hear them from him for quite some time, and now that he had said it, it seemed almost like a dream. She lifted her head taking a deep breath before she spoke. "Do you really mean it?" she had asked him, needing to hear this for herself.

"I would not lie to you, I believe in being as honest as possible." Seto explained his eyes and voice showing his words.

She had to blink several times to cover up the fact she had begun to cry. She never showed negative emotion to anyone and she wasn't about to start now. However, seto noticed before she could mask her feelings and enveloped her in a much needed embrace.

Rei melted into the warmth that his body gave off letting all guard down as her body shook with sobs. The tears spilled freely from her tightly clinched eyes instently soaking his shirt. He rubbed her back in small soft circles, speaking not a word. After all he didn't quite know what to say, or what had caused her to cry this freely. Finally, her tears subsided, her body becoming still once more. Finally he paused to ask, "are you alright?"

She nodded her eyes still downcast as she spoke. In truth she regretted showing such a weakness as crying out in public like that. Well, it really wasn't a "weakness," but she still considered it as such. "I'm fine…. It was nothing…" she lied not sure what to say. The reality of the situation was she didn't quite know what to think, or how she was really feeling. Never could she remember a time quite like this.

The sounds of the storm clouds and the pending battle grew stronger, but Rei didn't budge one inch from the strong arms that made her feel so safe, warm, and wanted. For the first time in her life, she had started to think that maybe the male gender had more to offer then the harm she had grown so accustomed too.

Elsewhere, the sounds of a battle about to get under way echoed for miles around. The different colored flashes of lightning served as an indication of how serious things had become in only a few short hours. Kayla had escaped the grasp of Tea and Juan, only by mere inches thanks to the help of her sister Usagi. Neither girl had much strength, and knew they had only bought themselves time. How much, they did not know, but it had proven to be somewhat of a start for them.

Usagi had to help her sister to walk being that between the two of them, she had maintained her strength. Yet, tea sure seemed determined to make sure neither girl made it out alive. She had recovered quickly, advancing on the unsuspecting senshi at a dangerously rapid rate. Usagi had only seconds in order to react.

Placing her sister down, at a place she deemed to be relatively safe, she transformed in order to give chase. "What do you think you are going to do little girl." Tea teased as she ran off, Usagi hot on her heals.

"I won't sit back while you mercerly attack my family!" Usagi shouted jumping over Tea and taking the upper hand in the battle.

"like you have a choice, I'm much stronger then you could ever hope to be…." Tea continued intending to cause Usagi's temper to spiral out of control. She had seen the effect it had and she would be damned if this little moon bunny would beat her. Yuugi would be hears, even it were by force.

"Everyone has a choice, its what you do with it that counts…" Usagi hissed a small object clutched tightly in her hands. The staff just fit in her gloved hands, but could easily be held in just one. In an instant alight admit from the top bathing in a soft pink glow. The cloud quickly changed from a soft light pink to a gold color then a bright white.

Upon feeling this light Kayla stood on wobbly legs, her transformation reformed and she found herself feeling a little stronger then she had just five minutes before. Holding her hands above her head, she drew them in a wide circle. A long staff materlized before the same hot white light admitted from it. The beam spread quickly through the entrapment dissolving any dark force that may be lingering in its very walls.

Yuugi opened his eyes at the feel of a strange pulling. The "pharah" also felt the force as if it were sending a message, but neither could see anything. A feeling washed over the pharaoh and he felt himself once again turning solid… almost as if he were becoming human once again. Yuugi stood right at his side, both finding themselves completely speechless.

"Come on, Kayla and Usagi may need us…" Yuugi finally relized once he regained his ability to speak.

The pharaoh mearly nodded as he led the way, the puzzle around his neck acting like their guide. Within seconds, the object lit of its own accord, pulling them towards another light sorce. Gold mixed with white once more creating a spiral effect. The pharaoh and Yuugi joined hands with Usagi and Kayla whom had shead their senshi fuku's for their princess forms. Two half spheres hovered above each girl's head casting their power throught the sky. As the light begun to spill from the darkness hovering over the planet, each senshi reacted in turn.

Suddenly Ami and Makoto stopped in their tracks as they felt a warm light cover their very being. Just as suddenly, their planetary symbols appeared and seemed to burn like a hot white fire. Each fell to their knees not quite knowing what to do about it. Their bodies started to admit the same color glow as their planet, before it too changed into the same hot white light breaking the massive storm clouds like a child's jigsaw puzzle.

Seto suddenly felt the need to hold onto Rei as if his life depended on it. Her body took on a mind of its own, much like Ami and Makoto's did. The fire that flowed through her veins seemed a welcome relief to the dark cold clammy feeling she had felt ever since the storm clouds appeared above the fair city. The symbol of mars shown brightly upon her forehead, but since she was so used to the fiery feeling, she didn't flinch when it had begun to burn into her skin. Seto on the other hand begun to stiffen in pain.

His body had begun to react to the power that flowed freely through the city. A gold glow admitted from his form as he felt a strange pull on his body. He didn't know weather to fight it or embrace it, yet at the same time, Rei's body felt so soothing and welcoming that he felt the need to cling to it.

Rei could feel his touch, and the tension in his body. If the pull of power had allowed her to talk, she would have been able to explain all of this , but the engery used to hold the power had started to consume Rei at a rapid rate so if Seto hadn't been holding her she would have fallen to her knees. Suddenly Rei fell limp her body sliding from Seto's grip. Carefully he lie her on the ground before he joined her completely exhausted from the serge of power that had just used him as a human conductor. He didn't understand anything except that now Rei lie beside him looking half dead.

Just as suddenly the light show vanished leaving no trace of its previous existence. Life slowly begun to return to those that had lost it during Tea's rampage, and the shadows dissolved returning back to their own realm. The stone that once hung around Tea's neck had seemingly vanished no signs of it breaking in any form or fashion. Tea herself had been tossed back several feet, her entire body turning limp, quickly resembling a rag doll. Her skin had been covered in blood from places that had reopened since her recent hospital stay, and the burns from the power that had been sent right through her.

Usagi and Kayla fell to their knees blacking out, the two half spheres returning to their chests. Their transformations disappeared leaving them in their street cloths. The pharaoh lost his stability source and once returned to a more translucent ghost-like form. Yuugi's face turned pale for a moment when he couldn't see his other half. "pharaoh!" he cried his eyes growing wide as fear set into them.

"I'll be alright…" the pharaoh responded a moment later, his form fading in and out. "I need to return to the puzzle to rest."

Yuugi nodded in understanding as the puzzle around his neck begun to glow. The pharaoh had once again vanished back into its confines. The two moon sisters begun to come too at this point, and Yuugi's fear had quickly turned to joy. He ran to each in turn hugging them tightly. However he paused upon seeing the look on Usagi's face. "HHe will be fine, he just needs to rest." Yuugi replied answering her question before she could ask it.

"come on, we need to get back to the others, I bet they are worried sick." Usagi suggested helping Kayla up.

"You go, I'll hang back." Yuugi said, his voice had sounded so far away and distant.

Usagi looked at him with an uncertain gaze, but she respected his wishes. "Just don't take to long, I'm sure the other senshi are searching for us." She called but didn't wait for a reply.

Yuugi did not give one, after everything that had just happened realization had dawned on him. He had to make everything up to Tea. He realized now that he did not love her, and could not, no, would not keep leading her on like this. His heart had been pulled to another, and he felt compelled to answer its call.

He searched for what felt like hours, when it only been a few minutes. Tea had started to come too and sat up holding her head in pain. Upon seeing her, Yuugi ran to her side.

"Tea, are you alright now?" he asked the moment he could hug her.

"A little sore, but I'll be fine I think. So what happened, and…. Where is everyone?" her face looked pale with a tinge of confusion on it.

"You don't remember anything do you?" Yuugi sighed as he looked at her. "Can you stand?"

"I think so… but as for remembering iie Gomen nasi." Tea stated as she struggled to stand. However, when she did manage to do so, she didn't appear to have any problem walking, let alone to stay standing much like Yuugi would have expected.

Joey, Ami, Makoto, and Tristan had given up on the search once Ami and Makoto came too from the recent battle that required their powers. Ami explained to Joey and Tristan that Usagi and Kayla, had just used a huge surge of power, and thanks to this, their fight seemed to be over. Now to return to the others no doubt that was where they would find their friends. As fate would have it, they did find Rei and Seto as well as Moukba and George.

George and Mokuba had gone to aid Seto and Rei when Mokuba felt their might have been something wrong with his brother. And, now the four of them set on the remains of some structure. Makouba, George, and Seto jumped back after helping Rei to her feet. Somehow, Rei's remaining power had aided in returning the structure back to its original unharmed state.

"Cool." Joey commented as he watched the world around him. Slowly the city started to repair itself after the destruction thrust upon it by Tea.

"Healing and repairing are a result of our powers." Usagi explained as Kayla ran to George.

"You guys made it back safe… I was almost starting to think…" George begun, but Kayla cut him off.

"Don't worry have faith my love. I think we need to get home. We have been away for too long." She reminded everyone.

"Kayla-chan does have a point, there some things we need to do back at home." Ami interjected.

Seto looked concerned. "If they are leaving, what does that mean for us?" he asked Rei not ready to let her go.

"I have to return too, Seto-kun I like you, and I relize now more then ever we can never be more then friends. And, even if we were lovers, I would still have to go. My friends need me." Rei explained. The truth was she loved him, but since he clearly didn't love her in return, she couldn't bring herself to say anything.

Suddenly seot felt anger welling up in him. "You know what Rei, I don't see how your worthless friends could mean more to you then me…" he hissed. He had suspected, her reason for leaving him had to do with her friends, and he couldn't see how they could be stronger then his love for her.

"Then that is why I'm leaving. If you were really my "friend.." you would see I need to go home…" she spat back tears stinging in the back of her eyes. Now she felt completely convinced that her previous feelings were more true then ever. She swung her hand back smacking him before she ran off. Makoto had fallowed her.

Usagi paused as she glanced around. Seto seemed still as a statue, most likely still in shock from Rei hitting him. Tristan seemed to be hit things off, or hitting on Ami, but Ami didn't seem to mind. Yet, she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. She hadn't seen Yuugi come back and she was starting to wonder if he ever would.

Suddenly a figure came from the dust as structures continued repairing themselves. At first no one could make out its features. But as the dust cleared they had clarified. A chill ran don both Kayla and Usagi's spines as the figure stopped. "Don't worry, she has been heeled thanks to you two…" came a second voice. This one being that of Yuugi.

"That is great, how is the pharaoh?" Usagi asked.

"He is still a little tired, but I'm sure he will be fine." Yuugi answered. He knew what Usagi wanted, "Would you like a few minutes to say good-bye?"

"Hai… onegai…" Usagi whispered.

Yuugi nodded as his body started to turn into gold. A light formed starting at the puzzle then engulfing the rest of his small frame. When it dissipated, the pharaoh Atemu, had taken the young teenager's place.

Usagi lunched herself into his chest sobbing softly. "I'm so glad you are ok, but I'm afraid I have to go…" she begun to explain. "I'm needed back at home, and I have some thing to do yet. I hope to return to you someday, if fate allows.

The pharaoh remained speechless for what seemed like the longest time. His heart ached for Usagi and yet he couldn't tell her how he felt, not now, not like this. How could he do this to her, after all he didn't have a body of his own any longer, and being who he had become, he doubted otherwise. It just didn't appear to be possible. He sighed, and instead of quickly responding with words, he kissed her softly. This in his mind would be the first, and only time he would be able to perform this task.

"Be well, study hard, and stay safe. Even though this departure leaves me completely heart broken, I respect it and pray that some day you will return to me. " came his reply. He couldn't say much more, nor did he dare. With those few words, he let go control returning Yuugi's body back to him.

Not able to say any more, Usagi and her friends and sister headed for the airport or train station in order to get home. This only left Yuugi and his friends to work their way home. "I'm glad everything is back to—" Joey began, but his breath caught in his throught as another figure emerged from seemingly no where. "Mai… is that you?"

"Yes it is me Joey, I did some thinking, and now I relize that I can't keep avoiding you. I love you…. And that is the most important thing." Came the soft spoken reply.

Joey found tears flooding his eyes as he hugged Mai back with a bone crunching hug. " so what happened, to make you change your mind?"

"Lets go home, and I'll explain the entire story…" Mai commented laughing. It had been true she missed his actions most importantly of all.