Dez: Hi everyone... I'm back. I just wanted to thank everyone for their support through this. I was actually thinking about discontinuing my stories and putting them up for adoption or something but I love writing too much and it actually clams me a bit so I will keep writing. Your words of encouragement actually helped a lot. My friend would actually read them to me and it helped a lot to know that people out there understand and don't see depression as some made up excuse to be emo or grump y all the time. I'm really happy to know that you guys wernt mad about the hiatus and as thanks here's a chapter for the New Year. Happy New Years everyone!

Disclaimer: I own none of these fandoms. If I did, Puppyshipping would be canon.

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The ride to the mansion was silent as the siblings were each absorbed in their own thoughts. Mokuba tapped silently away on his tablet as he made final adjustments on the holo-screens around Kaiba Land. Satisfied with his adjustments, he activated the camera feature and pointed it at his elder brother.

"Smile Seto!" He said as he counted down to one on his fingers. All around Kaiba Land, holograms of Seto appeared.

"Contestants of my tournament, I am pleased to announce that the battle for #1 is soon to end. In celebration, the Top Ten Ranked Duelists are invited to Kaiba Corps anniversary gala tonight. You will find a digital invitation in your duel disk tonight for those who made the cut. You have until noon to cement your place in the rankings before all others are eliminated." Seto paused, his infamous smirk in place. "It's time to prove your worth as a duelist. Don't disappoint."

With that, the connection was cut. Duelists took note of the giant clock tower that suddenly chimed eleven times.

They had only one hour left.

Seto continued to smirk as pandemonium spread through the park as Duelists scrambled to raise their rank. They didn't even realize there was no point. It wouldn't matter as only the best could even reach the list. Sitting back in his seat, Sero crossed his legs as the helicopter zoomed to his private property.

He would have his crown again. Soon.

A buzz from his pocket drew him from his thoughts. Checking his phone, he raised a brow before pocketing the device. Interesting.

"I suggest you two rest once we arrive. The gala is at 9 and I doubt our shareholders will allow us to leave at a reasonable time." He said to his younger siblings. "Kagome, your dress arrived while we were gone. Dez has been assigned as your personal maid and will assist you in getting ready."

Kagome nodded, barely feeling the light thump as the helicopter landed. They were home. The three of them walked across the courtyard at a leisurely pace and went inside. Saying their goodbyes, they each made their way to their rooms.

Kagome yawned, having forgotten how tired her previous night of restless had left her.

"How does Seto do it?"

Kagome made her way to her room, opting for a quick shower before she went to bed. Stripping off her clothes, she stepped under the warm jets, her silhouette moving across the frosted glass. The heat easing her muscles and sending her into a more relaxed state, Kagome slipped on an overly large dress shirt she "borrowed" from Seto, the material easily reaching her knees and covering her hands. The young miko climbed under her sheets, allowing her dreams to take her.


The lights of the well were all wrong.

The comforting blue glow she'd grown to love was replaced with harsh, burning gold. That was the first sign the well was broken. The second sign was that when she arrived at her destination, whenever that was, she was submerged in water. Panicked, she immediately began to kick upwards. The weight of her bag was dragging her down but she didn't dare drop it. Her precious memories were in it. Kagome kicked as hard as possible, her lungs burning from the lack of oxygen. The freezing temperature shocked the air out of her and she hadn't thought to hold her breath when she jumped in, the well was always dry.

Her limbs started to feel heavy as black creeped into the edges of her vision. Her head pounded as she struggled to continue on, the sound of her heart beat thundering in her ears. The surface was so close. Just a...little… further…

She blacked out just as her fingers broke the surface, startling a young girl with some sort of staff and a man who was ranting at her.


Yugi was worried about Yami. His partner was spending more and more time in the puzzle. Was he getting clues to his past in there? Did something dealing with that ring show? He was left with to many questions and not enough answers. Yugi laughed at the irony before looking down at the puzzle again.

What was he doing in there?

Yugi started his walk towards the game shop as the clock tower bonged a twelfth time. Looking at his duel disk, he was unsuprised to see a holographic wax sealed envelope with a silver KC. Opening it, he read the time and location of the gala before sighing.

"I need to dig out my prom tux. I hope it still fits."


Yami, shielded his eyes as he and the woman walked through the doors, the light blinding. Once the light died down, he found himself once again alone. He was back in the garden but there were no plants. The whole area was barren and dry. Yami moved towards the well cautiously and slightly annoyed as he was abandoned by the only person who seemed to have answers. Sand sifted quietly under his feet as he made his way to the well, the air scorching under the blazing "sun". Yami carefully touched the lip of the well before peering inside. Dipping a hand into the well, he was pleasantly surprised to feel cool water on his skin. He cupped a handful and tossed it on his face, feeling the cold droplets for himself for the first time in forever. He let out a chuckle, whether it was amused or something else? He wasn't sure.

The sun dimmed, allowing him to see below the water's surface more easily now without the glare to blind him. His brows furrowed as he spotted a large, yellow object at the bottom. He struggled to figure what the object was, the slight ripples and glare of the "sun" distorting its appearance.

"You shouldn't lean in so far. You might fall in."

Yami jumped backwards, just barely catching himself as he slipped on the sand. The girl had appeared in front of him on the well's rim, her legs hanging casually in the water. Yami glared without much heat as he stepped back towards the well.

"Where did you go?" He asked, watching as pale legs shifted in the water but not affecting its movements.

"Nowhere. I just got... stuck." She said, her pause punctuated by the sudden tension in her shoulders.

"Stuck?" Yami repeated.

The girl smiled sadly as she patted the spot next to her, just like the first time they met. Yami stood firm and repeated himself again.

"Stuck?"

The girl's shoulders slumped as she swung her legs out of the water, the limbs perfectly dry. Yami watched a bare foot touched the sand…

and disappeared.

Her skin seemed to dissipate as she released the well, floating away like grains of sand. Yami, alarmed, jerked her back onto the well. He sighed in relief as the skin slowly pulled itself back together.

"I can't exist outside of room and this well. They're the only solid memories, as little as you do remember even with them, that you have of me."

Yami looked at her in confusion. She could only exist in those areas. Yami felt slight pity for her and decided to sit next to her on the well. The two sat in silence as the girl's leg finished regenerating.

"Who are you?" Yami asked.

"I can't tell you that. You have to find out for yourself."

"What's at the bottom of the well?"

"The start of a chapter and the end of the story."

"Could you be anymore cryptic?"

The girl only smiled as she gently grasped his shoulder and pushed him backwards into the well. His breath was forced out of him by the freezing water, face frozen in shock. His body sank like a stone into the depths of the well as the girl disappeared from sight. His vision grew blurry then suddenly…

black.


"M'lady, it's time to wake up."

Kagome woke with a start and swung her arm out, feeling her fingers graze something. Looking to her right, she saw Dez leaned backwards at an awkward angle. Calming down, Kagome dropped her face. Embarrassed, she mumbled "Sorry" to the maid.

Dez straightened up and waved good naturedly as she moved to the giant walk-in closet for a garment bag. Turning back towards Kagome, she asked, "Would you like a shower or a bath M'lady?"

Kagome huffed as she crawled out of bed and towards her bathroom.

"I'll take a shower. And please call me Kagome." She said exasperated.

"Of course, hime." Dez said with a gentle smile.

"I said Kagome."

"I believe I said that, princessa."

"Stop it."

"Whatever do you mean, principessa?" Dez said with a smirk. Kagome gave a long suffering sigh as she closed the bathroom door on the smirking maid.

Ten minutes later, Kagome emerged from the bathroom to find her entire outfit set out on her bed. Dez was setting out a selection of jewelry to choose from as Kagome dried off. Grabbing a brush, Kagome brushed out her damp hair, the raven locks falling into waves of inky black. Her hand moved mechanically as she watched her reflection in the mirror, tracing scars that existed only in her memories. She only stopped when Dez gently plucked the brush from her hands and led her towards the dress laid out on her bed. The dress was a long sleeve mermaid style gown that trailed a few inches behind her. Kagome couldn't tell if the dress was white or a very pale shade of blue as Dez zipped her into the dress. Stepping back, Dez motioned for Kagome to give her a spin, the material light and airy on her frame. The maid watched Kagome critically, the ears of her headband practically twitching with her stare. Wordlessly, the maid snatched up a pair of snowdrop earrings off the bureau. After putting them in, Kagome was reseated in front of the mirror as her hair was styled into side ponytail and her makeup done.

Dez clasped her hands happily as she finished preparing her charge. She was so beautiful. The maid mentally patted herself on the back for resisting the urge to glomp the shorter female.

"All finished, madame." Dez purred as Kagome stood and inspected her reflection in the mirror. Dez watched as she smiled at her reflection, absently touching her ring finger as she slowly turned in the dress. Flashes of happier times skipped through her head as she took in the pale material. Tearing herself from those memories, she grabbed her clutch and moved to leave.

"Will you ever call me by my name,Dez?" Kagome smiled at her maid as she walked out of her room.

"Will you ever look happy, Kagome?" The maid whispered as the door clicked shut.


Seto sat patiently next to Mokuba in the limo , his black dress pants contrasting nicely with the white of jacket. His face was set in a scowl that could freeze hell as he read through a merger proposal from another gaming company. On his right was Mokuba, who wore an all black tux. His hair still untamed and the provided ribbon left ignored by his feet. He was tapping away at his tablet as he reviewed last minute details of the gala. The two were so absorbed in their tasks that they didn't notice the arrival of their sister until their devices were plucked from their grasps. Both watched the middle sibling with slack jaws as she fully settled in her seat and placed the tablets beside her. Mokuba was the first to recover.

"Wow, Gome! You look really pretty." Mokuba said as he kicked the ribbon under the bar before Kagome could notice. Kagome pretended not to notice as she smiled at Mokuba. Seto said nothing as he internally plotted on how to keep every unworthy (read all) male out of her space. Mokuba reached over to grab his tablet when Kagome gently smacked his hand with her clutch.

"You need to stop worrying Mokuba. Everything is going to be perfect. You work just as hard as Seto to keep this company running. You just relax and for once just enjoy the fruits of your labor. It's not wrong to stop and smell the roses. You have to enjoy the peace you can get before it's all gone." Kagome whispered as her hand closed protectively around her clutch.

Mokuba stared at her quizzically before nodding and relaxing into his seat. He pulled a PSP out of his pocket and started played a random game, carefully watching his siblings from his peripherals. Seto was watching Kagome wordlessly, his sister now watching as street lights went past as the limo made its way to the gala. He may not be a genius like Seto but he was smart enough to know this. Changes were coming.

And they were coming fast.