Disclaimer: I love reviewers, They love me, Let's go yell to everybody, That I definitely do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! (Sing this to the Barney theme song. shivers That's something I never thought I'd write.)

A/N: Hi. Erm, I'm sorry I waited so long to update... but, anyway, I wrote in my bio that it may take longer than normal to update, so don't be mad at me for waiting so long. I'm not so sure that this chapter is good, but it's no worse than the other chapters, so, well, uh, okay...

Chapter Twelve

"Everything," Tea stated. "That puzzle was the thing that first started all of this, the thing that made it possible.

"That puzzle was the thing that got Yugi killed." Kida looked at her in shock. "Well," Tea said, "not exactly killed, but it's as close as being sent to the Shadow Realm gets."

Now Kida was thoroughly confused. "Shadow Realm?" she questioned, "What's that?"

"It's a horrible place," Yami said. Everyone turned towards him, and he continued. "The Shadow Realm is a dark plane where stolen souls are sent, and where evil spirits dwell. In the Shadow Realm one has to face their darkest fears, and are tormented until insane, and still more afterwards."

Rirsi rolled his eyes, "And you expect us all to believe you? And besides, who exactly are you for us to have any reason to trust you?"

Yami turned his crimson gaze on him, glaring. "If you do not believe me, ask you brother or the Tomb Robber." Yami paused for a moment before a small smile found its way to his lips, "Then again, maybe you shouldn't. Bakura can be very protective of the Shadows."

"Damn straight," a voice came from the shadows.

There were a few things Seto Kaiba never thought he would do in his life. And now he had managed to do basically all of them. First he had intentionally helped his rival: Yami Yugi. And now he was in the middle of numbers two and three.

"Kaiba, why da 'ell are we 'ere?" Question one agitated Joey Wheeler.

He put on his traditional 'I'm-the-lucky-bastard-who-thinks-the-lottery-is-like-a-crappy-allowance' smirk. "Oh, come on, Wheeler, don't you want to know why I would ever want to talk to someone like you- who isn't even smart enough to be a cashier?"

"Why I oughta---!" Joey shook his fist menacingly at Kaiba and took a step forward. He was held back by Tristen and Duke, who had also been called to meet with Kaiba.

Besides them Mai, Serenity, and Marik also stood: listening, but doing their own thing. Mai was admiring all of the fancy crap lying around Seto's office, almost as if she was in a mall, hoping to find something that she could buy that was in her budget. Serenity was just standing off in the corner of the room, blushing as she watched her brother and Seto fight. Marik was being, well, Marik-ish. He was playing with his gold earrings with his right hand, and absently tracing the Millenium Rob with the other.

"Calm down, man!" Tristen yelled. He hadn't changed much over the years. He was still best friends with Joey, and still pining after Serenity along with Duke.

"Yeah, you don't want us to get kicked out cause you're acting like a retarded monkey, do you?" Duke yelled, trying- and yet failing miserably- to make Joey settle down.

All Duke succeeded in doing was getting Joey pissed at him instead of Kaiba. "What da 'ell, man! Who're ya callin' a damn retarded monkey! Ya bastard!" Oh, yeah. Joey had lost it.

"Um, not you?" Duke's hands were raised up defensively in front of him, and he looked slightly freaked out (and slightly wimpy).

For some reason, Joey actually bought that. "Oh, 'kay, man." He turned back to Kaiba and said seriously, "Okay, Kaiba, will ya just tell us why we're 'ere?"

Seto decided that teasing Joey would be very fun right then. "Well, I don't know. After that I'm not sure that I even remember why I called you all here," he said, smirking.

Joey was steaming all over again, and now his voice had reached new levels of Loud. Yeah, Loud, with a capital L. "YOU FRIGIN' BASTARD! I OUGHTA KICK YOUR FUCKIN' ASS RIGHT NOW, YOU DAMN ASSHOLE!"

Kaiba smirk widened, "Just kidding, Wheeler."

Joey hadn't really calmed down much, but he managed to keep his voice down. "Well you, Asshole, you betta jus' tell 's righ' now."

"I found your old friend Tea. You know: the cheerleader who ran off after Battle City? The one who made the Pharaoh go into Depressing La-La Land?" Seto knew they knew exactly whom he was talking about. The only thing he wasn't sure of right then was why he was telling them.

When he didn't get a response right away, he continued: "So, do you want to know where she lives, or are you all just going to stand there until I finally kick you out?"

Joey stuttered, "Y-y-yeah, k-kay K-K-Kaiba. Erm, ah, thanks." He paused, then asked. "Wait a sec, if ya call'd 's 'ere ta tell 's that, then why'd ya call Marik?"

"Because, if you find her then you'll find the Pharaoh, and I know that he's been dying to talk to him for a while, so I decided 'What the hell? I've already destroyed my pride for the day, why not keep killing it?'" A strange response, by Joey excepted it.

"All right then," Tristen said. "Give us the address and we'll be on our way."

"Actually," Seto said, "I think I'll come."

Twenty Minutes Ago

Hikari, Bakura began, we should most likely go and find our brother.

Ryou sighed mentally. You're right. We don't know what kind of trouble he could possibly get himself into. And if he gets in trouble, it's us that'll be paying the consequences. He paused for a moment. Man, that sucks.

You said it, hikari. You said it.

There was silence for a moment before Ryou began, I guess that we should get going. It's a ten-minute drive to Tea's house, and Rirsi's been gone for half an hour. He's probably been there for a while now if we wait any longer I don't wanna think about what Tea'll do to us.

Then we'll ride the shadows.

What? I'm sorry, luv, but I don't get it.

Just let me take over for a while. I promise that we'll be there in no time.

Ryou wasn't sure why he trusted his dark side. It probably had to do with the fact that he was in love with Kura, but Ryou wasn't sure. All right, but make sure that I can still see what's happening, okay?

Right. There was a flash and they switched places: Ryou looking out of the Ring, and Bakura inhabiting the body.

Then everything felt cold. Ryou couldn't see. For a minute Ryou thought that Bakura had gone back on his word and blocked him out. Suddenly, though, he could see and hear again, and it felt warm.

Ryou saw many familiar faces: Tea, his brother, Kida, and Yami Yugi!

"If you do not believe me, ask you brother or the Tomb Robber." Ryou heard Yami say to Rirsi, "Then again, maybe you shouldn't. Bakura can be very protective of the Shadows."

"Damn straight," Ryou heard to voice come from inside him: Bakura.

A/N: Okay, it's August and I'm not even in school. What excuse do I have for not updating? Absolutely none. The only excuse I have is: I'm lazy, and I don't care. Well, the I don't care part is kinda untrue, I mean, sometimes I do care that most people think I'm a lazy creep... but only sometimes. Right now the only thing I care about is that you REVIEW! REAVIEW! and REVIEW A WHOLE LOT!