Dimensional Warrior Girl: The Winter Tournament
Author: Chaos Valkyrie
First Conceptualized: October, 2003
Posted Chapter 13: April 16, 2004
Updated: December 22, 2005

Disclaimer: Nada, zip, zilch, zero. You get it.

Author Notes: Here come some of the Answers, people!

Chapter Thirteen: Dealing with Dragons

Jenni rubbed her forehead with one hand as she walked back to her dinner. She had hated kicking poor Mokuba out of the apartment, but if the others weren't going to tell her what was going on, she saw no point in letting them stay. She was too tired from the stress of her duel to put up with this harassment, especially since she had only dueled to save Mai!

Jenni poked at her dinner. She was sick of this world. She had just qualified for the finals of a tournament she knew nothing about, and she was now nervous, wondering who else might get hurt trying to get Slifer from her. She had no idea how the guy had known about the card, and that made her even more anxious. What else did they know about her that she herself was not aware of?

Jenni sighed and walked to her bedroom. Picking up the sword and card, she studied them. She felt a certain jolt in her arm, pulling her upwards. Jenni looked up at her ceiling, and felt the tug again. She walked back into her kitchen, and after telling Fenris to behave, walked out into the hallway with the sword still in her hand. Locking her door, she looked at the ladder next to it. She climbed up and pushed hard against the trap door that led onto the roof. Snow fell on her as she made her way outside.

Jenni shivered as she walked out onto the roof with the sword and card under her arm. Then she nearly screamed as something reached from the darkness and gently picked her up.

Jenni awoke in the temple courtyard. "Where am I?" she asked the leaves around her.

:You are outside of time and space: a deep voice answered within her mind. She froze, feeling a tremendous presence behind her, and, clutching the sword tightly, she slowly turned to face...

The largest dragon she had ever seen. Yellow eyes glowed at her. Not knowing what to do, Jenni knelt before it.

Slifer chuckled, amused. :Oh, get up. I haven't dealt with such formality in a very long time: it told her. Jenni stood up, nervously eyeing the massive dragon.

"Why am I here?" she asked hoarsely.

:This tale starts 5000 years ago: Slifer stated calmly.

Jenni looked at him with disbelief. "5000 years ago?"

:Yes. 5000 years ago, an Egyptian pharaoh sealed away the magic powers of a place call the Shadow Realm in order to save this world. Yugi Mutou is that pharaoh's reincarnation: the dragon told her. He continued.

:His sacrifice sealed away not only the Shadow Realm, but some of my powers, and the powers of two other god-like creatures. However, our powers were so great that they could not be entirely contained by the power of the Pharaoh's items. A Tomb Keeper's clan had been appointed to await the pharaoh's return; however, as our powers grew to be a threat, the clan leaders created three magical weapons that, when held by one specially suited to the weapon, could direct the excess power of myself and the others. The weapons were originally given to individuals devoted to clan.:

:With this much power at their command, however, a rivalry between the holders grew, and fighting broke out. The weapons were eventually lost or hidden away. My sword was carried here, to await the day when one suited to carrying its powers came to reclaim it.: Slifer told her.

"So I'm the one meant to carry your sword," she asked Slifer, awed.

:Yes. My powers are outside of time and space, given to myself and the others by the beings that created all existence. You were summoned to the pharaoh's plane as the only creature capable of claiming that power. I assume the same has happened with the other items.: His face was impassive, but Jenni swore she detected a hint of sympathy.

"Let me guess," Jenni sighed. "By claiming this power, I can never go back home."

:Correct. In claiming it, you agree to serve where you are needed, which for now, is in this plane. The same fate is destined for the other weapon-bearers as well.: Slifer watched as Jenni fell to her knees. He waited as she looked up, tears flowing down her face.

:It is a heavy burden to bear, child, but Fate chose you, and none other may carry this burden for you: he told her.

Jenni sniffed, then hugged his neck (or tried to, at least), surprising him. "Its not your fault," she told him, giving him a watery smile. "It's the Tomb Keepers."

He chuckled. :So it is.: He looked at her. She had the Dragon's spirit, there was no question there. His voice grew serious, however, as he warned: :The people who summoned you to this plane will try to take the sword and my card from you. They have already tried using one tactic – they will try again. This tournament was set up to lure the three weapon-bearers out into the open, in hopes of taking the items from them. While they can not master the full powers of the weapons, what little power they could gain would be more than enough to destroy this world.:

Jenni's eyes were wide. "Who are they?" she asked.

:I'm not sure. Deep magic covers the purposes behind the tournament. Even I cannot see past the veil.: Slifer eyed Jenni as she sighed again. :Now: he told her, :I must teach you how to use your Powers.:

End Notes: I tried to make Slifer a little less… er, cuddly than I originally had him. But ooo, answers! And I told you they weren't Millennium Items! Speaking of which, I think the animation company that does Yu-Gi-Oh must be getting ideas from fan fiction – I read on TV Tome the summary for the YGO Movie that is due out this fall, and its claims its about an Eighth Millennium Item and a curse from Anubis! Like I haven't seen that before! Anywho, I'm going to read around and see if that's real or just someone pulling our chains.