Hey guys, here's the newest addition. Sorry for the LATENESS, but I was conflicted with ideas, and still sick, so yeah, it's a steady progress. I'm trying very hard to get back up to my normal page length of at least 7 pages and the maximum of 22 (because of my story perpetual misdemeanors which had 32 pages, 22 with actual txt) so that my new required length.

Before I forget, some one asked me about Sesshomaru bungee jumping off the Eiffel Tower. My thing is this, Sesshomaru is a retired demon, with nothing else better to do, and had no other sense of adrenalin since the Sengoku Jidai so now he does extreme things to make up for it.

Also, I am changing time a bit. Each duel that happens is a span of a day so Kagome is out now and that's one day, then Mai is day two, finally by Kaiba, day three.

And finally, I am so glad that everyone that had reviewed came to the same conclusion that I did. Souta is a mega/uber little bastard/douche!

Enjoy.

Happy V-day!

Chapter 9: Wake up Kagome.

Mokuba sat in the control room, glancing at the pale face of his brother. It had been two days since Kagome collapsed, and each minute that went by he could feel Seto slipping away. It was as if, he was disappearing. The normal aura of contempt and arrogance was replaced with just a deep guilty one. Kaiba looked blankly at the screen as Mai and Marik dueled. His blank eyes studied the face of man he was going to kill. Marik will be defeated, one way or another. Even if he has to throw him from the ship.

'Oh that's smart, kill the person who knows how to wake Kagome up.' a voice in his head whispered.

The duel with Mai and Marik was coming to a close. Mai had the Winged Dragon of Ra in her hand and was going to summon it but had difficulty doing so because of the hieroglyphic text on the card.

Kaiba turned towards Mokuba an told him to copy the card and left the room with instructions to start translating the card. Mokuba watched his sullen brother slink out of the room.

'Stupid Souta. I hate him so much right now.' Mokuba thought gritting his teeth in annoyance. He was hiding in his room, and locked the door since Mai tried to attack him again, and on the way out Mokuba tripped him.

'After all Kagome did for him…She worked hard to please him and raise him in a home with love. He was lucky…I wish we got to live like that. Even if we were poor, I would be happy because I had a guardian who love us.' Mokuba thought while squashing down memories of Gozuburo that was trying to form.

'I have Seto now and that's all I need.' Mokuba though with a small smile and started translating the text.

Ishizu was in her room, preparing for her duel. She had seen her victorious fate thanks to the Millennium Necklace, and was confident that she would be able to save her brother from the evil inside of him. He was the only flesh and blood she had left. Odion, whom she loves dearly, couldn't replace her little brother in her heart should something happen to him. The guilt in her heart would never let her put such a tragedy behind her in order to move on.

Adoring herself in her jewelry, Ishizu looked in the mirror and saw the reflection of a more mature looking woman. 'it's always the same. I look in the mirror and see her instead of my own reflection.' she thought with a sigh.

'Is there a problem Ishizu?' a soft, yet strong voice asked her.

"Nothing Isis. Just thinking about those girls that are in the shadow realm." she said out loud.

'Shameful. Their entire essence could be lost forever in such a place, especially the youngest girl.'

"Kagome? Why would she be in danger in the shadow realm. The shadow realm is merely and plane of non existence. Somewhere in between a conscious and unconscious state."

'Indeed, that may be so, but you forget that the shadow realm can be manipulated by a millennium item holder. Since your brother used the power of two millennium items in order to seal her mind away, it would be harder to recover her.'

Ishizu. Who was about to stand froze completely. She hadn't thought about that.

'Everyone on this ship…they remind me so much of what was.'

"You have told me about that before, but what of Kagome?"

'She reminds me of the royal dancer…Zahara-Masika. She was the most skilled dancer in all of Egypt. She danced at every occasion, and was a frequent visitor to the palace and had caught the eye of our Pharaoh. I loved her dearly…' and just like that the voice of Isis faded away.

Ishizu stood, and made her way to the door. 'That is the most she ever talked to me.'

Kaiba went to see Kagome before his duel with Ishizu began. She hadn't moved a single inch since she collapsed, and it barely looked like she was breathing. Someone must have been there before him, he noted, since her bangs were in her eyes.

Brushing her bangs to the left of her face, Kaiba frowned at how cold she was, then felt boiling rage pour through his body. Two days have gone by and yet it felt like she had been gone for so much longer. The entire environment of the blimp shifted from serious completion to murderous domination just from her collapse.

"Trouble seems to follow you everywhere." he muttered and felt a smirk form on his face. She was an enigma. She tried hard to please everyone without asking for anything in return, and always forced him to try something different. Kaiba snorted at his lost thought. Kagome had tried to make him eat oden once and he still remembered her reaction to his response:

Kagome and Kaiba was walking to his home so he could tutor her in Math.

"How do you plan to take over a company when you get 25's on a open book math quiz."

Kagome pouted and poked Kaiba's cheek. "So sorry that I don't get 105's on all of my test. How are you even able to do that anyway?"

"Errors on the test that no one picked up. That could possibly be why you keep failing Higurashi." Kaiba said with a smug smirk when he managed to set Kagome off and tuned out her ranting.

"Oh! Look, a oden stand, lets grab some!" Kagome cried dragging the disgusted looking Kaiba towards it.

"What makes you think that I want to eat oden. I do not like oden, it is disgusting." Kagome turned and looked at him with a horrified expression on her face. "BLASPHAMEY!" she cried while grabbing his shoulders and shaking him. "I can't believe you just said that. Oden is NOT disgusting."

"I take it that you like oden then." Kaiba said pulling her hands from off his shoulders.

"Like is not a strong enough word for it. I am as obsessive for oden as you are for your blue eyes." she said rolling her eyes. "What do you like then?"

"Beef filet."

Kagome smiled. "I know a fantastic place for Mongolian beef. Come on!" she said grabbing him again. "It's kind of expensive but that's why your treating me."

Kaiba felt the smile fall off his face as he recalled the last thing Kagome said to him before her duel:

"Stay with me." Kaiba asked her hugging her to him.

"Everything happens for a reason. If something did happen to me, just know that I...I love you Seto." Kagome said, her cheeks turning a vibrant red.

Kaiba just hugged her harder. "I won't let anything happen to you." he vowed.

Kagome chuckled. "No Seto. I won't let anything happen to YOU. If anything happens, I want you to promise me to be careful."

He felt like a complete liar. He wasn't able to protect her like he promised and then he froze. Wait…she loved him? She said that she loved him…

Kaiba felt his heart speed up and a warmth wash over him. No sooner had that happened, the jewel he had around his neck flashed and he could see her. She was laying in a pool of blood, a dagger in her chest. Jumping up in surprise the image distorted and showed another image of Kagome. She was resting in the arms of her angel.

'You do not need to worry about Kagome, young one. I will let no harm come to my mistress while she is here.' a soft voice said, but he could her it as if it was in his head.

"Who are you?"

'I am her guardian spirit. I have protected her then, and I will protect her now.'

"What do you mean then?"

But the voice said nothing.

"Then tell me, why was Kagome lying dead in pool of blood."

'…that was not Kagome…' and just like that, the voice faded away.

Kaiba looked back down at Kagome and realized that it was time for his duel.

Kagome was lost…well not exactly. She knew where she was, but she didn't know WHEN she was. When she woke up, she was in a lavish room decorated in silks and pillows. As she laid there she noticed a mirror on the wall, and was shocked to see that the person looking back at her wasn't her.

'Well, she has darker skin then I do, and her bangs aren't frayed but they weren't straight either. They had a slight curl to them and was pulled to the left side of her face with a golden clip holding it in place. Her lips weren't the same either. Kagome's was a pale peach color, while in the mirror, the girls lips were a soft salmon pink color.

"This can't be the shadow realm…" she said while getting up from the bed. She stood in front of the mirror to finish her inspection. Her hair was much longer, reaching down to her calves. Her breast was a size larger than her modest low C cup (1) and her stomach was tighter and even flatter then normal. Touching her butt, she felt that it was firm and more rounded, and sliding them down further her legs were more toned and her thighs were a little thicker.

'Hm…' was the only thing Kagome could think As she twirled to see her hair fly with her perfectly. 'Even my hair is more tame then before, the only time my hair did this was if it was in a ponytail.

Walking towards the door she opened it and peered out of it.

There was no one there, so she tipped toed out of the room, and started to walk around.

Long corridor after long corridor, Kagome started to feel more and more confused. For some reason, this place seemed familiar to her but she couldn't understand it.

"Zahra-Masika?" Kagome turned sharply to see someone standing behind couldn't make the person out. "What are you doing out her at this hour. You know the Pharaoh hates when you wander around on your own. Kagome opened her mouth but when she spoke she heard someone else's voice.

"Ah! Good priest, you seem to have caught me at a great time. I was just about to come find you and ask if you wanted to come with me to the village in the morning. I have to return some jewelry to Nathifa. She let me borrow them for last nights performance."

"You could have worn the various jewelry you own from all of your suitors."

"Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?" she heard the voice tease, and yet it had a slight hopeful tone to it.

"Why would I be jealous of you? At least I will get to continue to have my own life and live it as I see fit, unlike you and your future wedding to the Pharaoh coming up."

Kagome and Zahra-Masika gasped at his audacity and Kagome felt herself raise an arm and slap him. Kagome could feel tears running down her face and anger bubbling in her gut.

"That was to cruel Seto. Even for you." Kagome felt the shock run through her as she felt her body walking away from him. Kagome felt herself separate from the body and turned back to look at the man Zahra identified. The moon had shinned through from the clouds, lighting the corridor and Kagome gasped.

Tan skin, royal robes, and the millennium rod in hand, Seto was watching the figure of Zahra walk away before he sighed and walked away.

'Seto…? Zahra-Masika? Could I be a reincarnate of her? But how can that be when I am already the reincarnation of Kikyo?' and the image faded completely and morphed into something else completely

"Did you think he could ever love you? Pitiful." Kagome turned to see Marik standing behind her. A cruel grin stretched on his face.

"Why are you here?" Kagome asked as the palace slowly became a forest. Looking down at her hands, she saw that they returned to their normal ivory complexion. Grabbing her hair, she saw that it was back to its hip length from when she was in the past.

"All of those who claim to love you cared nothing for you. You were just the gate way to better things, and once they got it, they caste you off. Isn't that right?"

Kagome threw a punch at him but her hand went right through him.

Marik then grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her back.

Grunting in pain, Kagome could not understand how he could hurt her but she could not do the same. Then, the area around them showed Kagome wishing on the jewel. Her pure wish was for everyone who had suffered at the hands of Naraku or because of his evil, be able to have a second chance. This even included Onigumo himself, and the prince who's body Naraku had been using.

Sango got her entire family back, and Miroku was able to reunite with his father and grandfather. Shippo's parents were brought back, and Inuyasha was hugging both his mother and Kikyo. Everyone basked in the joy of there returned loved ones, but no one turned to jug Kagome or thank her.

Kagome could feel the tears in her eyes as she remembered that day. It was as if she ceased to exist at that moment. Late that evening at dinner, no one had talked to her, except Kaede who tried to pull her into a conversation she was has having with Kikyo. It was weird talking with Kaede since she was back to her 12 year old self. With her wish, Kaede was reverted back to the age when she became the village priestess, and she could now live her life as she wanted too.

Tired of being ignored, Kagome left the hut and headed to the well.

When she got their she jumped down the well, never to return again. She was more alone than ever. No one even noticed she left.

"And what about your family? Your own brother screamed of his hate for you. He doesn't even care that you were banished here."

"That's not true! I know that Souta is angry at me, but I know he feels guilty about what happens. He knows I love him." Kagome said trying to break from Marik's grip on her arm.

"Oh really? Are you sure that he is not simply basking in the riches your connections has brought to him? Or what about your new friends. That girl is not your friend."

"Shes is too!" she felt like a five year old arguing with him, but Tea was her friend. Yeah, they got off to a rocky start but that's how she met most of her friends.

"Let me ask you this then, did you become friends before or after you offered her free dancing lessons?" Marik then created the image of the two of them dancing and Tea beaming at their instructor who praised her natural talent.

"And the short one, he doesn't even trust you."

"The other two are merely being friendly, but could careless about you. "

"Do you think Kaiba loves you? He is only tolerating your presence for a future company merger, right after that, he plans to buy you out." Marik said creating another image of Kagome being dragged out by security from her office.

"When you were drowning, did you know that they hesitated for nearly 10 minutes trying to debate who would go save you?"

"They weren't even looking for you, they were out enjoying themselves." Marik showed her another image of the gang eating and talking with out her. The grip on her arms lessened and the images did as well. Falling to her knees she turned to see that along with the images, Marik was gone as well.

Kagome didn't say anything, because she knew deep down it wasn't true.

So why did her heart hurt so much.

"She is a stubborn one." Marik whispered. After Kaiba left the room to duel his "sister" Marik came in and noticed that the darkness that was blocking her mind was fading bit by bit.

Leaning down her cupped her cheek and pressed his lips against hers in a rough kiss. Sitting up, Marik held the rod over her and entered her mind to see her standing there looking at something, but he couldn't tell what it was.

'A little change of scenery wouldn't hurt.' And as he tormented her he couldn't help but savory her agony. It was delicious and holding her against him made it better.

'She is so easy to bring down. She may has strong mental barriers, but her heart is so easy to break…'

Before Marik could continue any further, he felt a pulse from his side and could tell that it was the rod reacting from something. As for what it was , he would have to find out. Strengthening the barrier on her mind, Marik left her mind, and then left the room.

The duel was over, but Kaiba's mind was blank. While dueling Ishizu, he saw someone, that looked like him, holding a female body in front of a tablet…but what bothered him the most was that he could see another female body on the ground with a dagger in her chest.

And she looked like Kagome.

Entering the room, Kaiba sat in his normal seat and took the jewel from under his shirt and was surprised. The baby blue/periwinkle color was slowly turning into a pinkish/lavender color. At that moment Kaiba remembered two things about the jewel that Kagome told him:

"This jewel now harbors a small piece of my essence. You can use this to contact me. Where ever I am, and where ever I go. You have to protect this though. If this lands into the wrong hands, and gets more than halfway tainted, I can be corrupted and a lot of bad things COULD happen. but I have faith in you."

Kaiba griped the jewel tightly in his hands and placed it to his chest. Kagome's soul was being tainted from inside of the shadow realm…

"Kagome." he whispered…suddenly the jewel flashed.

'Seto.' he heard. It was Kagome's voice. She sounded weak and tired.

"Kagome, where are you?"

'I'm so tire Seto…everyone is leaving me behind…everyone hates me…'

"What are you talking about? No one has left you."

'Everyone is using me for their own personal gain…I'm tired…'

Kaiba could feel his heart clenching at the weariness in her voice. Looking at the jewel in his hand, he couldn't help the anger that was rising in his chest. The Jewel was almost halfway purple.

' No one loves me…'

Kaiba reached over and grabbed her hand. He had been fighting the urge to tell her, unsure of his own feelings but he wasn't going to lose her to her own mind. Looking at her pale, sleeping face Kaiba leaned over to her ear and whispered.

"Aishite Imasu, Kagome. Please, listen to me."

Kagome was lying back in the bed, in the elaborate room she woke up in. 'Not again…no more. I don't want to see anymore people turn away from me and leave me behind…' Once again, she could feel her body move its self and run down the long corridor, but this time, she was in the arms of Seto and kissing him. Looking at the loving scene, Kagome sighed and clasped her hands together and that when she felt it. Someone wrapped there arms around her waist and pulled her close. The scent of cardamon, sandalwood, cedar wood and ylang ylang wafted around her.

the expensive smell of Clive Christian No. 1 made her realize just who it was that was holding her. "Seto…"

"Aishite Imasu, Kagome…please listen to me."

Kagome's heart sped up at his words and any lingering self doubt lifted.

"The jewel is slowly tainting…I don't know what is happening to you but fight it. I…can't lose you, even if you feel that no one is hear for you…I won't abandon you."

Kagome felt tears running down her face and could feel a pull on her mind. Something inside of her was shifting, as if she was waking up.

Kaiba sighed and left the room, not hearing a reply from Kagome he assumed that the link had been shut off, and if the link was shut off then that meant that the jewel was completely corrupted. The jewel was no longer the blue color that it took on when merging with her soul, but it was back to its original lilac color.

'the only way to wake her up now will be the defeat of Marik.' he thought as he left the room.

Several minute later, Souta entered the room and sat next to his resting sister.

Her face was as pale as the day she returned from the Sengoku Jidai. She smile as she announced that she was home for good, but he could tell that a lot more had happen. She never voiced the pain she was going through and tried to return to her normal life but everyday she would look at the well as if she expected someone to come out and get her.

Souta could feel tears fill his eyes as he continued to look at her.

"Onee-chan, I am so sorry for all the trouble I have caused you. I didn't mean to say all those things I said. I don't even know what came over me. Yes I was mad about our mother but not to the point that I would intentionally hurt you or blame you for something that could have happened at any time or at any moment. All you wanted to do was protect me and I only put you in danger.

"Please wake up." at this point he was blubbering but he couldn't stop the burning tears that was running down his face. "Please wake up and yell at me. Tell me that I am a jerk, and that you hate me for being a selfish brat. Call me a gaki or a burden. Send me to Catholic school in Quebec, but please just wake up. Everyone…every one missed you and needs you. Everyone is mad at me because of the things I said. Just wake up!" Souta said turning away from her and began to walk away but something stopped him.

Thinking that he caught himself on the bed frame, Souta turned to a pair of vermillion blue and grey eyes staring back at him. "S..Sou..Souta. Your En..g-g-glish and f…French is t-t-terrible." she croaked

"Ane-ue!" Souta cried and leaped onto the bed and hugged her. Kagome was mildly surprised at the amount of affection her was showing her. He never called her Ane before. Patting him on the head, Kagome asked him to get her some water and how long was she out.

"You have been unconscious for nearly 4 days and Mai she…" he explained after giving her the water. As she drank, Souta explained what had happened to the group since she was sleeping, while excluding every ones treatment towards him.

Kagome told him that she was going to change so he left the room to go get her some more water. Sliding off the bed, Kagome walked toward the dresser in her room and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked pale as hell, but other than that she looked okay. 'Hmph, Marik thought he could keep me hunh? If it didn't work with Akago, it wasn't going to work now.' Digging out fresh clothes and underwear, she was going to start changing when she felt a presence in her room.

'Okay Kagome, maybe this is a side effect of being in the shadow realm for so long…' she thought. Closing her draw, she looked at the mirror and gasped. In the reflection was that woman…

"Zahra-Masika…" Kagome said, the name tumbling from her lips. The woman smile at her and bowed her head. The background in the mirror turned into the palace she was in and people, familiar people, started to appear. There was a man that looked like Yugi's grandpa, and another that looked like Joey and Tristan. There was a woman that looked like Tea and Ishizu as well.

"Something tells me this has all has to do with Yugi and his puzzle. I told people he was a magnet for trouble." Kagome sighed. The view changed and Zahra was dancing in a aqua blue gown in front of a man that looked like Yugi. As she danced, Kagome could see that his eyes never left her, same goes for Seto, who was frowning down at the Pharaoh.

"So how am I tied to Yugi and his Egyptian Adventure. I'm the reincarnation of Kikyo, not some Egyptian dancer stuck in a love triangle." Kagome mumbled. Turning away from the mirror, Kagome got dressed and when she turned back there was only her own reflection.

Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.

"I'm not telling anyone about this until I am certain of whats going on."

I'm stopping here since I reached 11 pages, and look ma no lyrics! :D more coming soon

!

And don't worry the background for the mysterious Zahra-Masika will be revealed in the next chapter! ^_^

Translation- Zahra-Masika: Flower that was born in the rain. Proper name for a dancer of grace and beauty :P