alright people I am back with another chapter, its going to be a long one, or I am doing 2 chapters. I will be gone for a few weeks, so I have been trying to get this chapter as long as possible for you guys. Hope you enjoy it!

-I do not own anything-

Chapter 9

Everyone looked for Mokuba for nearly 2 hours, but there had been no sign, not even a footprint, of where he was. They could only hope he was in the castle where grandpa was and get 2 birds with 1 stone.

"So he has both your grandpa and Mokuba" Tea said out loud, they all looked to the large castle towering above the forest.

"Just gives us one more reason to get the ten star chips and get in there" Yugi reassured everyone with confidence. It was quiet for a moment, everyone with their own thoughts, then Joey suddenly shouted.

"Cool its my lucky day!" he was looking to the ground where several duel monsters cards were on the ground. Tristan suddenly jumped in, stopping Joey from grabbing them.

"Hands off, those are mine" Kagome didn't realize that he played as well, she thought he was just a friend being their for a friend.

"I didn't know you were training to be duelist, Tristan" Yugi stated, actually happy at the new information. Tristans cheek got a little blush from the attention.

"I figured if a dofous like Joey can hold his own in this game, then hey I probably will be an expert at it." the slight insult went over Joey's head, but Kagome giggled. Joey was distracted by one of the cards he saw.

"Woah, I recognize that monster." the blonde picked up the card, the face of it as a purple but fierce muscled monster with claws and a spiked club. Kagome thought it looked like some of the ogres she had seen in the feudal era.

"Joey, don't you have a card like that in you deck?" Yugi asked.

"No not this one, but I have one just like it" he pulled out his deck and shuffled through it and pulled out a green version of the other card. "Bingo, Swamp battle guard." Tristan's eyes got big. "Well would you look at this, they look like 2 long lost brothers. Of course that doesn't mean yours packs the same kind of wallop mine does." Joey got a big teasing grin, and Tristan got a bit defensive.

"My guy packs plenty of wallop. My Lava Battle monster has never let me down, try him out, you'll see" he challenged, but it was all friendly. Joey smiled sincerely at his good friend.

"Thanks, it does say they work best together." he commented.

"Sometimes cards like that, like harpies ladies, come with special abilities when they are played a certain way together. Maybe you will find out what that is if you duel with them" Kagome pipped in, also notting the cards really did look like they could be brothers.

"You know what?" Tea said, a teasing look coming onto her face. "I think I kinda see a resemblance between you to and those muscle heads." this had both Yugi and Kaogme chuckling behind their hands.

"Laugh it up! I take that as a compliment" Joey exclaimed.

A bit later, after getting their breath back, they walked along to try and find other duelists to try and get the final stars they needed. However, what they came upon was only a hand full of people milling around in few area's.

"After running into the crazy duelists that we have, its nice to see some normal kids for a change." tea commented. Kagome nodded in agreement. She would be thankful to anyone if she never had see a ghoul like the one they had just seen.

"So how bout it Joey?" Tristan nudged his friend. "Any of these guys puny enough for you to take on? Or do you wanna go looking for some three year olds" Kagome hit him on the back of the head.

"Don't be mean" she reprimanded. "You know Joey is actually a decent duelist" he sighed, but gave a reluctant nod.

"He is just bidding his time till he finds a dueling monkey to challenge. A snicker escaped from Yugi and Kagome at the mental picture in their heads. It made Joey snap.

"Who wants some!" he exclaimed. "If I hear one more word about dueling monkey's-" everyones face was looking but suddenly frowned when Joey was interrupted by a unfortunately familiar high pitched laugh from behind Joey. Mai Valentine.

"Oh tell me that is not who I think it is" begged Joey to Kagome, she could only give a little nod.

"How are you Joseph, glad to see me?" The perky blonde asked teasingly.

"Ecstatic" Joey said flatly.

"So Joey, is Yugi and Kagome still fighting all your battles for you" she goaded at Joey, intentionally trying to get him angry. Kagome could just see it in her eyes. But why would she try and do something like that? "Everyone knows that if those two weren't there to hold your hand, you wouldn't have beaten me, isn't that right? Kagome, Yugi?" Kagome frowned at the female blond, and Yugi looked a little worried, but spoke none the less.

"That is not true," he said confidently, Kagome nodded in affirmation.

"Oh really?" she asked, almost glad that they had said what they did. "Then I propose that he steps out of your shadows, here and now. If Joey thinks he's so tough, lets see him play for himself." She pointed a finger at him and everyones eyes widened, but Kagme ha a smirk on her lips.

"You really think it will make a difference?" Kagome spoke up and looked Mai in the eyes. "I want to know why it bugs you so much that he has friends that help him?" Mai seemed to flinch at her words.

"Shut up." She ground out. "I am waiting Joey, think you got the guts to step up and face the duelist I have arranged for you?" this had everyone confused.

"It's not you?" Joey asked, also confused. Mai chuckled darkly. Suddenly some kid, with a red hat, bad hair cut, and terrible sense of fashion, came out from behind a tree, also smirking.

"I'm dueling on Mai's behalf." the boy said, his voice an annoyingly over cocky sound. Like Jaken when he was trying to 'righteous'. "Recognize me?" Kagome did, but had no clue who this guys was, though apparently Yugi did.

"Thats Rex Raptor," he answered Kagomes questioning look.

"This guy supposed to scare me or something?" asked Joey, disbelievingly. "I bet cha he ain't so tough." Suddenly Tea butted in.

"Don't you remember Joey? Rex Placed second in the regionals" she exclaimed. Second to Weevil Underwood.

"Well Joey, need to ask mommies permission or what?" Mai goaded again. Joey got a grin on his face, a confident look in his face.

"NO way, this is my fight" he proclaimed. Tristan and Tea started to protest while Kagome and Yugi stayed silent.

"Oh and by the way, If Kagome or Yugi do any of their backseat dueling, then Joey is disqualified, and the match automatically goes to Rex." she had set the rules. she ws just trying to get back at Joey, trying to tear him down, but this was not going to work, Kagome thought. She may not have known them for very long, but Joey was actually pretty clever when he had his head on strait. "Wadda ya say Joey? This is your big chance to prove yourself, or are you gonna back out." Tea spoke up before Joey could answer.

"Of course he i-"

"No" Joey butted in. "Thats the way I want it. Just me and him." everyone was shocked, even Kagome slightly. "It may loose me all my star chips, but I don't deserve to keep them if the only reason I am winning is cause of Yugi's, and Kagomes, smarts." Kagome smiled slightly. He was coming into himself. "All my life people are trying to help me cause they think I can't help my self. Well I don't need to be babied this time."

"You have lost it" Tristan said, upset. "You can believe what ever you want, but I won't just stand here and watch you throw your chips away" He turned to Mai and Rex. I hope you guys don't mind, but little Joey won't be coming out to duel today." Joey started shaking and anger, and Kagome could only wonder why his friend didn't have more faith in him. "Maybe once he grows up we can arrange a play date."

"Dat's it." Joey snapped, and turned around and shoved Tristan to the ground.

"Hey, what did you shove me for?" Tristan exclaimed, wiping his face of dirt from the ground he was now sitting on.

"Didn't you hear what I just said you wise guy?" Joey replied. "I am tired of everyone thinking they gotta come to my rescue. Yugi suddenly spoke up.

"But thats not how it is." he said. "Friends look out for each other.

"Keep out of this Yug. Just let me do what I gotta do." Tristan stood up, glaring at Joey.

"Great idea" he said, "Do what ya gotta do, eve nit it means losing the chance to help your sister" Joey stiffened and stared at the ground for a moment. That was a low blow, but it was true. Kagome couldn't help but think his friends needed a little more confidence in him. Sure, from what the other's had said, he hadn't been dueling for very long, but Kagome had the feeling he could be great and had a chance of beating Rex, no mater if he was a regional competitor.

"Listen, lets just cool off a sec and-"Tea tried to help, but Tristan cut her off as walked away from the ragtag group.

"Forget it. If Mr. Macho wants to lose, he can do it by himself." Yugi and Tea tried to call Tristan back, but he just ignored them and kept walking.

"So, what't it gonna be? You gonna run off with your friend or start acting like a real duelist?" Mai taunted. Joey smirked.

"I'm still here ain't I?" Joey replied. "Yugi, no offense, but I want you to stay outta this one. Same to you Kagome." Yugi looked conflicted but he nodded anyways, respecting his friends wish's. Kagome skilled and then ruffled up Joey's hair.

"Aww, They grow so fast" she teased. Joey threw her hand of with a friendly glare. "Go get him and win. I have a feeling you are gonna do just fine." He nodded and a stadium appeared behind them.

"Lets duel!"

Not twenty minutes later Joey won his match and came away with a few things extra. During the duel Rex decided to up the game a bit with a gamble. One that cause him to lose his rare Red Eyes Black Dragon. With help of time wizard and and the Battle Guard card Tristan lent him, Joey came out victorious. Kagome couldn't help but smile brightly and gave Joey a well deserved high five when he came down from the stadium. However, Tristan and Joey got into another little tussle.

"Come on guys, there's no need to fight over this." Yugi tried to to break them up, but Tea but a hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe we ought to stay out of this one. I think in some bizarre way, its the way they show they care." she said. Kagome couldn't help but giggle as the tall boys started shoving each others faces from one another.

"Oh. Ok" yugi conceded, though it kinda confused him. "I just hope they don't care about me that much.'

"Nah, you're on you own level of care Yugi, Kagome teased. Yugi flushed a little and the two girls laughed.

As Kagome thought it would, the sun went down under the horizon and cast the forest in to darkness, only the light of the full moon illuminating the way. Which for Kagome was pretty normal, but for the others kinda unnerved them.

"Why don't we set up camp for the night? No use wandering around in the dark." Tea suggested.

"What are you scared? Don't worry, you got us big guys to protect you." Tristan teased.

"Yeah and who is going to protect you?"

"... Good point, lets set up camp."

"Relax guys!" Joey spoke up. "There's nothing in this forest but crickets and squirrels."

Eventually they stopped in a small clearing and they all took a rest. someone decided they should tell scary stories. Tristans, to say the least, was an epic failure. He was just hungry. Now Kagome had some scary stories, more like horror stories that left scars, but scary none the less.

"How about this, since I can hear Joeys beast of a stomach from here, we will eat what I have in my pack, after sorta setting up camp, and then I will tell you guys a small scary story." every one seemed to be in an agreement. Except, Joey seemed to be too hungry and when he saw a wild mushroom, he friend to eat it.

"No joey, wild mushrooms are poisonous!" Kagome reprimanded as Tristan tried to restrain him.

"Then do us all a favor and let him it" every looked at the new voice to find Mai standing not a few feet away.

"Now what do you want, Mai?" Joey questioned, exasperated. She just munched on an energy bar and suddenly every one but Kagome started sniffing the air like dogs, and funnily enough it reminded Kagome of Inuyasha smelling cooking ramen.

"Thats it you can duel me, you can insult me, but you are not eating in front of me" Joey huffed. Mai waved it around in his face.

"You're that hungry, are you?" she teased. "Ok, give me your star ships, and I'll give you some food." Kagome could tell she wasn't serious and it was funny how his druiling antics reminded her so much of Inuyasha.

"NO way!" Joey declined.

"You're right, I was just kidding. However, I am more that happy to share, Joseph, if you can ask like a gentleman?" Joey's face scrunched up in suspicion.

"Right. So then you can go make fun of for that, too?"

"Look." She suddenly became more serious. "By tomorrow, I'll have won entrance to the castle, so there's no point in me keeping an entire knapsack full of food." she reasoned. Kagome agreed with that, plus, she wouldn't have to use all her supply, just in case they needed the extra day. Though in truth, they most likely would already have the chips needed tomorrow.

"It would be nice not to have to use my supplies, just in case of emergencies. "Kagome spoke up, gestering to her trusty, and deceivingly sized, backpack. "Though, I don't want to use all of your supplies, so we can split it for what we cook tonight." Mai nodded in agreement and so did the others.

"How do we know this isn't another trick? Give me just one good reason to trust you." Joey was staying adamant.

"Because I am trying to be nice, and its either me or that poisonous mushroom, though now that I know Kagome has supplies, I'm just trying to be nice." she replied. Kagome smiled and walked up to the girl.

"Well, even if you did try something, like poison us, with me here there is nothing to worry about." Every one gained confusion at Kagome's statement, but didn't ask for her to elaborate.

Kagome and Mai coordinated on what they should cook, how ever Joey surprisingly stepped up to the plate while everyone else did their assigned chores to set up camp. Tristan and Joey got water while Yugi went to go get firewood. Kagome tagged along to help, since Joey took over cooking. She was stopped my Mai when she made her way back with wood.

"Kagome, if you want to freshen up, there is a make-shift shower just over there. Just cause you hang with guys, doesn't mean you have to smell like them." Kagome skilled happily and thanked her.

"All this brings back a lot of memories, but there was never showered, just cold lakes." Kagome jumped into the shower and Mai stood guard. Tea had already taken her shower and joined the boys by the fire.

"Joey, I don't think we should cook the candy bars" Yugi tried to protest,

"Back off, I know what I'm doing." and somehow he really did. "

"Look at you go Joey, the only think missing is a chef's hat." Mai complimented, and Joey got a goofy smile on his face. "And a cute apron" she just had to tease.

"Jeez. all right, already." Joey Complained,

"Now keep cooking!"

"You are tough Mai" Kagome commented as she started undressing for her shower.

"Us gals have got to look out for each other. Especially with a bunch of bozos like them around." she replied. "I don't see why you even bother hanging out with them. You are Kagome Taisho, heir to the Taisho corporation, how did you end up with these guys?" Kagome gave a small frown, as she finished undressing.

"Well thats easy. They are my friends. Maybe not best friends, but they remind me a lot of friends that I use to have, though there are definitely differences with them all." 'especially Yugi' Kagome thought to herself as she looked down at her egyptian eye bracelet. "And I was not always a Taisho. I was simply a girl who lived on a shrine with her small family in the city. I didn't even know Sessh till I was 15."

"In my experience, their type is only good for moving furniture or fixing cars, Tea being the obvious exception." Kagome could only sigh.

"The experience I have would shock most people, and then probably call me crazy. Almost everyone I befriended, when I first met them, tried to kill me. Mostly miss understanding, but they became my closest friends, my second family away from my home. No matter what you think Mai, everyone needs a friend." Before Mai could respond gave out a small squeak when she heard a rustling behind the shower, too big to be squirrel. She quickly wrapped her towel around her and jumped out, being mostly modestly covered. All three of the guys quickly looked away, embarrassed, and the spirit blushed as well, but he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Whats the matter?" Mai asked.

"There was something behind the shower, too big to be squirrel." Mai checked out the bushes and the ground behind the curtain, only to find nothing.

"What every it was is gone now. I don't think you have to worry about peeping toms." Mai stood guard outside again and Kagome took her quick shower.

The spirit of the puzzle watched over the little group, his mind thinking of the raven haired girl not too far away. He new her some how, like a long forgotten memory, but every time he tried to remember anything of his past, it came up blank, just moving shadows, no color, except sometimes ocean blue eyes, but that was it. Every time he saw Kagome's eyes, something in him stirred, but he could never identify it. Maybe someday he could figure out what it was.

Not too long later they all were eating happily, Joey being a better cook than expected. Kagome finished early and took walk on her own, wanting to get a small breather before bed. Today had been exhausting beyond belief, but less dangerous that her past adventures through forests.

Kagome sighed to herself and looked over the edge of the cliff into the night waters of the ocean. In the feudal era she didn't get to see the ocean very much, even with all the distances they traveled, it was usually small lakes or onsens, never the full on ocean. It was calming, if a little bit cold.

Thinking over the day, she realized they had accomplished a lot on one day. Joey and Yugi both had almost tripled what they originally started with, and more, she herself just needed a few more battles and she would have access to the castle. She wasn't one for major competitions, especially ones with high risk. But this was more than that. Originally this was just because she was humoring Sesho, he seemed confident that she had needed to be there for some reason, and now she new why.

Mokuba. Kaiba.

Somehow he found out about the take over and sent her here to have it stopped. He must have hacked into the database, being the supreme concerur that he was, he didn't like when people used other family as leverage, especially little children. He must have known that Yugi would be coming to this tournament, as it was the only way for Pegasus to take over Kaiba's corporation.

Then why would he say it would bring back long lost memories? As far as she new she had all her memories but that one week she had supposedly fell down the well. She didn't remember falling, coming back or being in the strange clothes they said they found her in. Just flashes of sand, a palace, and Amethyst eyes. Maybe Yugi has something to do with it. Or more specifically the puzzle and spirit tied to it around his neck. For such a small kid he sure seemed like there was something very important that he needed to, and it would probably only be done with the help of that spirit in the puzzle.

Kagome pulled out a couple cards from her deck. Jewel of four souls, the image of a pink jewel, with a swirling light inside, looked up at her, taunting her. She never new why she found the card, but it seemed she would never actually be rid of the accursed thing, seeing as how her body was now housing it again, though this time fused with her very soul and could never taken again. She was its true guardian now.

The other cards ware Absorption Barrier and Healers Blessing, they were nifty cards, both having a slight resemblance to herself and Rin was she was a teenager. It was probably one of her favorite cards, but she loved all of them. They all had a special place in her heart. She smiled fondly at the card as she made her way back to the camp.

When Kagome arrived at camp she found the same number of people, but instead of Mai, there was a boy about everyone else's age with messy white hair and kind dark eyes. It took a moment for her to realize that it was Bakura from the boat, the one she had ran into after speaking with her guardian.

"Hey, its nice to see you again." Kagome spoke up as she sat next to Yugi. Everyone looked at her curiously and Bakura smiled at her.

"Yes, I didn't expect to see you with these guys" he replied happily, a bit of a dreamy tone to his voice. He seemed like a gentle and happy guy.

"How do you two know each other?" Tristan asked, looking back and forth between the two.

"We met on the boat before we got here. Literally ran into each other before I had headed off to bed." Kagome replied. "How do you guys know each other?"

"We're all in the same class together at Domino high." Tea replied, she was clutching a card to her chest and so was Joey. Kagome nodded in understanding. "Joey, you've been staring at that card for, like, an hour. Whats up?"

"Ill tell you. Just don't laugh" he replied. He help up his deck and one specific card on top. Sometimes, when I;m in a duel, I pretend that it's me out there on the field swapping blows with whatever card my opponent has out. Isn't that dumb?" He got bashful and grinned like an idiot, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, if you were, which card would you want to be, Joey?" Bakura asked curiously, he brought out his own cards, as did everyone else.

"Uh.. this one" he said and held up a red and blue swords man with a sword almost as big as Inuyasha's Tetsaiga. "the Flame Swordsman kicks everybody's butt." He stood up and pretended to swing a sword in an arc above the fire.

"Not mine, guys" Tristan said, also standing up. "The Cyber Commander." Kagome and Tea gave a chuckled laugh and smiled.

"You boys and your cards are hilarious." Tea teased. Yugi spoke up.

"I think everyone has a card they can identify with." he said. "You should see if you can pick one for yourself, Tea. You too Kagome." Tea and Kagome agreed.

"Ok. I pick this one, Magician of Faith." Tea stated.

"What?! you gotta be kidding me?" tristan said disbelievingly.

"More like the Magician of Freaks if you ask me." spoke Joey. Kagome could only frown a little at that.

"Shut up!" Tea barked.

"Every card is different, just like people."Kagome spoke up. "Sometimes its not about how they look, but what they can do." Yugi nodded in agreement.

"tell me which one you identify with, Yugi." Bakura asked. Yugi pulled out a card emidiatly, not having a hard choice at all.

"Oh, that's easy. Dark Magician, hands down." he replied happily. "What about you Kagome?"

"In my case there are about 2 or three in my deck that actually look like me." she replied. She held up three cards, Absorption Barrier, as girl in blue mike garbs holding prayer beads. Healers Blessing, another miko girl in blue garbs holding a bow and a stock of leaf herb. and last but not least, Four Soul Miko, a strong looking woman in leather armor, a strong decorated long bow drawing a single silver arrow covered in a blue power.

"Wow, those cards are amazing." Yugi stated and Joey seemed to get a little confused.

"They do kinda look like you." he commented. "Which one to you identify the most?" Kagome thought about it for a second.

"Probably Healers Blessing." she said, and put the other two away.

"Doesn't this seem a little silly?" Tea stated, though she was still smiling. "Ya know to be comparing ourselves to playing cards?" Kagome laughed inside. If only she knew.

"Maybe a little," Yugi said. "But isn't like grandpa says: its not about the playing cards. it's about putting a little bit of your heart into anything that you care about." Kagome smiled at those words and their meaning. "So which card do you care about most, Bakura?" He smiled fondly at his card before showing it to the group.

"This one is my favorite." he said. He held up a beautiful half angel half devil looking girl holding a heart. Everyone gasped a little bit.

"Isn't that the Change of Heart card?" Kagome spoke up, having seen the card once before. Bakura nodded.

"Kind of a weird looking' picture, don't ya think?" Joey said. Tristan nodded in agreement.

"If you wanna see how it works we can have a duel right now." Bakura suggested. "Not for star chips, just for a little fun."

"Sure. I'm down this that." said Joey. "After all this star chip stuff, it'll be nice to have a duel with no strings attached." For some reason Joey's words gave chill down her spine.

"I agree." said Yugi, smiling happily. "I think just a regular old duel soundalike a great idea."

"Why don't you guys each put your favorite card in Yugi's, that way its like we all are playing." Bakura suggested again. That would work. Everyone agreed and put their card into Yugi's deck and they set up a small game board on a old tree stump.

"Alright I'm all shuffled." said Yugi.

"Now you're sure you don't mid playing alone?" asked tea, as they all sat around the stump, mostly being on Yugi's side. Kagome sat right next to Yugi. Yugi nodded in affirmation.

"Lets get this duel on the road!" Hollered Joey. Kagome noticed a chilling presence suddenly. and looked around for the source.

"Before we get started, There's a little something i'd like to share with you all." said Bakura, his voice seemed to get darker and deeper as his voice continued and Kagome's eyes widened as she saw the golden ring around his neck start to move a little on its own. "Especially with you, Yugi. Kagome." There was a dark hum and then suddenly it was as if everyone else was just seeing the ring on his chest as well.

They were. Kagome could see the ring because she had always been able to see things that were usually hidden.

"No it can't be, a millennium item?" Yugi gasped in shock.

"Yes, and the magic of my Millennium Ring will take us to the shadow realm." at this point Bakura's voice turned dark as did the forest around them. The very air got a little heavier for everyone.

"Why are you doing this, Bakura?" Yugi questioned in disbelief. Bakura didn't respond but a light shown from the eye in the Rings middle triangle. Suddenly Kagome felt herself being ripped from her body, though not all of it. A little more force was exerted and she was split in half, soul wise. not enough to kill her, but it put her body unconscious, falling onto Yugi, who also collapsed with her and the others. All except Bakura. Her other half felt itself falling into darkness and then nothing.

"That was a little more difficult that expected." Bakura spoke aloud to himself. "Kagome's soul was the hardest to pull, and even then, not all of it is left, and locked away with the others. Now, after waiting for countless centuries, the legendary Millennium Puzzle, and the mysterious Millennium bracelet, is mine." he reached of the puzzle on Yugi's neck.

A strong light shown from the puzzle, forcing the evil Bakura back and shield his eyes. When he looked up Yugi was awake, though it wasn't Yugi. He was different, stronger than than the others, like Kagome's spirit.

"It can't be."

"you want my Millennium puzzle?" the spirit growled out. "Then you're going to have to duel me for it." He sat up, gently laying Kagome by his side, and stood up, angrily. "But if I win, you'll release my friends and send us all back.

"Ha ha. I agree to your ridiculous terms, Yugi. But I promise, there is more at stake here than you comprehend." he threatened. They both sat back down at the makeshift table and drew their cards.

"Lets duel!"

Sorry it took so long. I couldn't figure out how I wanted this chapter to go. I am going to try and put a little more romance in the chapters between Yami(Atem) and Kagome, but I have 5 seasons to play with here, and maybe a little bit more.

Thank you faithful followers who are still reading this story, and thank you knew comers just starting this series. Your reviews and alerts about my story encourage me to write more. Its a passion that I have had for a while, and its encouraging that people out there do like the stories that I write.

For those who read any of my other works, I have finally found my rough drafts for A Shinobi Tale, so I will be posting chapters on that again here soon.

Thanks again, and please review.

Ja nae!