AN-Yay! Here's the little chapter I had trouble with for awhile... :)
I have another story I wanna start ASAP and I think it'll be a successful! And this is a shorter chapter, I think it's the shortest one yet!
Enjoy! ^_^
Chapter Six – I Was Here
Seto crossed his arms, unsure on if he should say anything. Emily was still holding onto her shirt, being silent as well.
Damn it… Joey won't win! He should let me battle in his spot. He shouldn't risk her life!
"Mutt! Let me take your place!" Seto yelled across the field as Joey turned to face him, hiding his cards to his chest.
"Kaiba, I have to do this." He repeated to Seto as he walked a little closer to the lake's edge. "Trust me."
Seto sighed as Emily looked over at them, putting her hands down at her side.
"Lion!" Emily called out as the guys looked over at her,
Lion looked over to her, crossing his own arms. "What do you want?"
Emily gulped at the tone of his voice towards her. "…I'll make you a deal."
Joey looked up at Emily, then over to Seto, and over to Lion.
"What sort of deal?" Lion asked as Emily gulped.
"If you stop this duel, I'll go in Joey's place."
Lion pondered this as Joey shot his head up over towards Emily.
"What th' hell are you trying to do?" The blond proclaimed as Emily looked over to her.
"Trying to save you! You tried to save me, remember? So, I feel like it was time to return the favor."
"Wheeler, take up her offer!" Seto hollered as Joey closed his eyes and looked down at the water.
"Emily, about your deal…" Emily looked over at Lion, grinning. "I would take it in a heart beat, but-" He points to Joey. "-if he does lose, I'll take you anyways, and maybe a little friend of yours."
Emily glanced over at Seto and Lion just sighed.
"Well, before we begin, we each got to choose a deck master."
Joey looked over at Seto as he crossed his arms.
"Did ya make a copy of the Big Five, Seto?" Joey asked as he shook his head.
"No… I didn't."
"If you both will stop you're flirting, I'll choose my deck master to be Harpie's Brother." Lion's appearance changed into Harpie's Brother, and there was little trace of him as a ninja.
"Whatever…" Joey took his deck out from his duel disk and looked through his deck.
We wasn't flirting… Yet.
He shook his head and saw several cards he would use.
Hmm… The Flame Swordsman, Red Eyes… Oh! I got it! Guess I'll use this card.
"I will let the Dark Magician be my deck master!" Joey showed the card to everyone as the Dark Magician was behind him, in his purple mage getup.
"Fine by me. And we start out with 8000 LP." Lion uttered as he drew five cards, and Joey followed in suit.
"Weirdos go first."
"Ha. Go Joseph!" Joey rolled his eyes as Lion actually drew a card and looked at his hand.
"I play Kojikocy (ATK:1500/DEF:1200) face up in defense mode, then I'll lay this card down and end my turn."
Joey drew a card.
Hmm… I can play Gearfried… Then, I could lay down Skull Dice…
"Alright, I'll play this: Gearfried, the Iron Knight, in attack mode!"
Gearfried appeared on the field.
"Get 'im Joey!" Emily called out as he nodded.
"Gearfried, attack his Kojikocy!"
"Not so fast! Activate magic card!" Lion called out as his magic card appeared and was showed to the group. "The Reliable Guardian. It allows me to increase a monster's defense points by 700! So now, my Kojikocy has 1900 defense points!"
Gearfried went to attack the monster and was thrown back to Joey's side of the field. Joey was down 100 LP.
"Lucky save." Lion grinned as Joey sighed. "I lay this card down and end my turn."
"Good." Lion looked at his hand after he drew a card. "I offer my Kojikocy and lay this monster, face down, in defense mode. Then, I'll lay this handy card down and end my turn."
"About time. My clothes were going outta style." Joey uttered as he drew another card. Joey looked at his hand, trying to solve something out.
"Well, you're one to talk."
"Oooo just shut it! I'm thinkin'!"
"Don't worry, Joey! Take your time." Emily assured as Joey nodded.
"I'll lay this card down," Joey laid down his Graceful Dice he drew, "and I play Hayabusa Knight (ATK: 1000/DEF:700) in attack mode!"
"Play your deck master's ability."
Joey jumped at the sound of a different voice as he turned around to his Dark Magician. Ironically, Mahad was in the Dark Magician's outfit.
"Holy… Hi there?"
"Don't worry. This will always happen."
Joey nodded and gulped.
"So, you said play your ability?" Mahad nodded.
"Yes. When there are two monsters on the field that are the same, for example, your Hayabusa Knight and Gearfried are both WARRIOR monsters, they each receive 500 attack points."
Joey grinned, like on Christmas morning, and nodded.
"Well, I'll say that this is definitely going my way now! I'll use my deck master's ability and power up my two monsters!" Joey announced. "So, Gearfried: attack his face down monster!"
Gearfried took his sword and slung it over the card, splitting it in half, and Tyhone #2 was destroyed.
"And Hayabusa Knight, attack his Kojikocy!" The knight obeyed Joey and attacked. "Oh, and don't forget his special ability! He gets to attack, again, in the same turn! Say bye-bye to your Life Points!"
Lion cried out in pain as the knight slashed him and floated over to Joey's field.
"Alright Joey!" Emily cried out as Joey smiled.
(Lion's 6500/Joey's 7900)
"This is just the beginning!" Lion called out as he drew another card and thought for a moment.
Not good…
"I'll play Mystic Clown, in attack mode! Attack his Hayabusa Knight!"
"Don't you know that both of them will be destroyed?" Joey wondered as Lion nodded.
"What of it? It's one less monster on your field."
Joey shrugged.
"I'll end my turn."
"Awesome! I'll play Graceful Dice!" A little person came from the card, holding a die, and threw it on the field. "Let's go big!"
The die was rolling and it stopped on five.
"Oh yeah! That's what I'm talking about!"
Lion huffed and in a millisecond, it was changed to a two.
"WHAT? That couldn't happen!" Joey cried out as Seto watched Lion's every movement.
His eyes were closed, and he's smiling… He apparently did something…
"Well, it's fine. It's now 2000 attack points… So, attack his LP directly!"
Gearfried did as he was told and Lion's LP went down drastically, making Lion hold his chest in pain.
"Damn it!" He murmured under his breath.
"Oh, and I'll lay this card down and my turn's over."
Lion drew a card and smiled.
"I'll this monster, face down in defense mode, and lay this card down as well." A monster card and a magic, or trap, card appeared. "Turn's over."
"Well, this is going very smoothly, if I must point out." Joey grinned as he grew a card that he didn't need.
Polymerization… I don't need it now… Oh well, I'll let Gearfried attack anyways.
"Gearfried, attack his face down monster-"
"Too bad. I play Waboku. Seems that your monster can't attack this turn."
"That's fine with me! It's your turn."
Lion drew a card as he started to laugh.
"What th- Okay, what is it now?"
"I sacrifice this monster in order to play, Judge Man!"
"…Oh shit…" Joey whispered.
"Judge Man, attack his Gearfried!"
"Not so fast! I play Scapegoat!"
Judge Man destroyed one scapegoat as Lion sighed.
"It's obvious. You don't have any good cards in your hand and you're only building your defenses." Lion pointed out as Joey glared at him.
"No, I am not!"
Yes, I am… I have nothing to beat that Judge Man.
"Well, I end my turn."
Joey drew another card and shook his head.
"I'll lay this card, face down, and lay this card down as well."
"I guess I was correct after all…" Lion laughed as he drew another card. "I play Black Pendant!"
"WHAT?" Joey yelled as Emily gripped her shirt.
"I equipped it to my Judge Man, increasing his attack to 2700! Attack another scapegoat!"
Joey was down to two scapegoats, making him a little apprehensive.
"Your turn."
"I know, I know."
He drew a card and sighed.
Magic Arm Shield… Not really much help.
"I end my turn."
"Huh? Guess you can't figure out how to beat me, can ya?"
"Just draw!"
Lion drew a card, "Judge Man, attack another of his scapegoats." He muttered as Joey drew a card, knowing that he only has one scapegoat left.
Give me a good card, please, please, please!
It was Bottomless Trap Hole!
"Now it's gonna get good. I'll lay this bad boy down, and end my turn."
Joey's confidence was beaming as Lion rolled his eyes and he drew a card.
"I'll lay this card, face down, and attack his last scapegoat."
"No worries."
Lion's eyebrow went up as Joey drew another card.
"Mutt… I hope you have a plan!" Seto called out as Joey nodded.
"It takes time and patience, and ya don't have either." Seto crossed his arms as Joey thought for another second.
Baby Dragon? Well, if I get Time Wizard soon, this is gonna get good.
"Joey…" Emily uttered as he was taken out of his thoughts and looked over at her.
"Gearfried, attack his face down card!"
The card turned out to be a Island Turtle (ATK:1100/DEF:2000).
"Damn it."
"My turn." Lion said as he drew Light of Intervention. "I'll play this card."
"Light of Intervention?"
"Now, your face down is shown!"
Swordsman of Landstar was shown and was put in attack mode!
"No way!" Joey yelled as Lion called for his Judge Man to attack Swordsman of Landstar. Joey gripped his shirt as his LP dropped a bit.
(Lion's 4500/Joey's 5500)
"Your turn."
"I got it." He nodded and drew a card.
"Well then, I'll put Gearfried in defense mode, and end my turn."
He felt like he was being put into a corner as Lion drew another card.
Hmm… Dark Witch…
"Judge Man, attack his Gearfried!"
"Not so fast, loser! I play, Shield and Sword!"
Lion gulped as Joey grinned. His luck was coming back!
"Ya know how this works? Well, let's switch up the attack and defense points of all the monsters! Meaning, my monster's defense is now 1800, and your attack points are 1500!"
"Damn you." Lion's LP went down a little as Emily cheered.
"Alright Joey! You got this!"
Joey nodded as he crossed his arms.
"That's nothing." Lion uttered. "It's your move."
"Finally." Joey whispered as he drew Roll of Fate.
This seems a little too risky… But I love chance games! But, Emily's life is on the line… What am I suppose to do?
"Well, I'll play this little card called Roll of Fate!" He played the card as Lion crossed his arms. "What ever I roll, I draw cards equal to that result, and send an equal number of cards from the top of my deck to the graveyard."
The die was thrown on the field as he was hoping for a middle number.
Please a four, six would be too much!
After a couple seconds passed, the die stopped on the number 4.
"Hell yeah!"
But was changed to 6 as Lion's eyes opened up.
"What the hell!"
"Stop this duel."
Everyone looked around and saw a lady, around her early twenties, come from the sky, and was dressed as a goddess, of some sort.
"W-who are you?" Emily asked as she looked over at the fairy.
"My name's Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Lion…"
He gulped at his name and smiled nicely.
"A-athena! How are you-"
"You have been cheating!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I've been watching this duel since the beginning, and I saw that you've been altering Joey's dice."
"He HAS? Oh, let me alter his face!" Joey popped some knuckles as Athena shook her head.
"I thought that you and your group, Lion, were kind hearted people, so I let you in here. However, once I found out who you really were, I can't allow it anymore!"
"P-please! Give me another chance!" Lion pleaded as she shook her head, again.
"No. You've treated me with no respect, and you're letting yourself be controlled by my mother again! I will have to save your soul-"
"Athena."
She looked down at Joey as she smiled.
"What is it?"
"I still want to duel him."
"Why?"
"Because. I know it's not a good reasoning, but if he'll play fair, from here on out, I'll finish him up. It's my battle, and I have to be the one to end it."
Athena looked onward, transfixed by his soul, and smiled.
"Yes. I'll let you. But, if he doesn't abide to my rules, he'll be dealt with."
Joey nodded and she disappeared.
"Well, you heard your mother. You better play fair."
Lion huffed it off and they continued the duel. Joey drew six cards, smiling that he got the card he needed, and took six cards from his deck to the graveyard.
That's fine, I got the card I needed!
"What are you smiling about?" Lion pointed out as Seto looked over at Joey's face.
"Nothing at all. I'll just end my turn."
I'll wait until next turn to kick some ass!
"What ever." Lion drew his next card, an Ancient Elf, and sighed. "Judge Man, attack his weak ass Gearfried!"
Gearfried was destroyed and Joey put it in the graveyard.
"You know, I know what this is supposed to be like."
"Oh, you finally do?"
"Yes." Joey drew a card and crossed his arms. "This another program, that was made by Seto, and had sort of another Noah here. It's a repeat of what happened a few months or so ago."
Lion grinned. "You're on the right track…"
"I call my Dark Magician into the field."
Mahad moved in front of Joey as he turned to face him.
"You're going to do that, right?" Joey nodded and Mahad smiled. "Good combo."
"Here we go! I play Baby Dragon (ATK:1200/DEF:700) in attack mode! Then, I'll lay this card, face down, and then I'll play this card that's been in my hand since the beginning. Armored Glass!"
"No!"
"Yes! Armored Glass gets rid of that Black Pendant card on your Judge Man, bringing his attack down back to 2200! Dark Magician, attack Judge Man!"
Judge Man was off the field, making Joey smile, as he noticed his LP went down.
"The heck- Oh, that's right. I lose 500 LP when Black Pendant is sent to the graveyard."
"Smart boy. My turn."
He drew the card Giant Trunade, making him moan in anger.
"What's wrong? Didn't draw the card you wanted?"
"Ah, shut it! I end my turn anyways."
Joey drew another card, Raigeki, as he does need it, and grinned.
"My move! I play Raigeki! Say bye-bye to your Island Turtle!" Lion's face deadpanned as Joey moved ahead with his plan. "And, since you don't have any magic OR trap cards on th' field, I play Time Wizard!"
Time Wizard was summoned to the field as Seto's eyes grew cautious.
"Now, Time Roulette go!"
The spinner on Time Wizard started to spin as Emily gulped, silently.
So, if it lands on the skull, he loses… But, he usually has a heck of a lot of good luck, so he should be… okay… Please don't be a skull!
After what seemed like a good long minute, it started to slow down as the arrowed passed a skull and stopped on WIN!
"YES! Alright, now as time is moving towards the past, Baby Dragon AND Dark Magician are changing and becoming stronger!"
"Alrighty Joey!" Emily cried out as a bright light came and disappeared, revealing two new monsters on the field.
"I like to introduce Thousand Dragon (ATK:2400/DEF:2000) AND Dark Sage (ATK:2800/DEF:3200)."
"Well, your Dark Sage can't attack-"
"Unless I have Book of Secret Arts, huh?"
Lion nodded and gulped.
"YOU have it?"
"You know it! I activate Dark Sage's special ability, which allows me to take a magic, or trap, card from my deck, and use it. So, I choose Book of Secret Arts!" He pulled it from his deck, magically, and put it in the duel disk's slot to play it.
Well, I'll be damn… The puppy actually knows how to duel. I mean, this is one of his better duels.
"Dark Sage's attack and defense points increase by 300! And now, to finish this duel once and for all!"
"No, I b-beg of you!"
"Thousand Dragon, attack his life points directly!"
(Lion's 1500/Joey's 5000)
"And now, Dark Sage! Finish the rest of his LP!" Dark Sage attacked as Lion's life points went down to zero as he fell backwards and went into the pond this time.
"Go Joey! Alright!" Emily cheered as the monsters disappeared from the field and all returned to Joey's deck.
"Congrats… Mutt…" Seto murmured as Joey shrugged it off. They walked over to Emily, both becoming Jesus, as Emily sighed.
"Let's get me outta these chains!" Emily suggested as Joey nodded and bent down to pick the lock as a dark hole appeared underneath Emily as she fell through, almost taking Joey with her. Seto pulled him away from the hole as Emily's screams disappeared.
"He did it… Lion took her away…"
The guys turned to see Athena right behind them.
"I didn't lose! So, why take her away?" Joey asked, forcefully, as Athena crossed her arms and landed onto the water, softly.
"Because of that. He lost and wanted to take her away from you both. She's in more danger than before…"
"W-why?"
She looked over at Joey and Seto and sighed.
"They are taking her to my mother, the root of evil in this virtual world."
The guys looked at each other, and Seto decided to speak up.
"So, are you somehow related to me? Or to Noah? I'm confused." Seto held his head as Joey glanced over at him.
"I'll tell you that I am related to Noah… I am his older sister, to be honest."
"But, you're a greek goddess, aren't ya?" Joey thought outloud as she nodded.
"I gave myself this name so that no one would ever know my true name."
Joey nodded and they walked off to solid ground.
"So, are you able to help us get Emily?"
"Yes. However… It's not going to be an easy battle… It's a long story."
"We have time. So, why not?" Seto suggested as Athena nodded and landed on the ground, not floating anymore.
"Right. Let's get out of this forest." Athena uttered as they walked out of the forest. The guys were very anxious on how to get Emily back from the claws of evil.
Yami and Yugi finally found their way out of the forest, only to come to an open desert. They both looked at each other, confused on how there could be a desert next to a forest.
"Umm… Yami… Should we cross it?" Yugi asked as Yami stepped forward until to be thrown back towards Yugi. "I guess not…"
"Don't worry. We'll find something, or someway, to cross." Yami assured as Yugi nodded and they walked back into the forest. "We should find another way. There's really nothing around here."
"Right." Yugi walked ahead of Yami, seeing something in the distance. "Yami, what's that?" Yami caught up to Yugi as they saw something walking closer to them.
"I'm not sure." Yami's eyes squinted as Yugi waved to the person, or group.
"Hey!" He walked up to the group as he smiled.
"Yug'! How are ya?" Joey called out as Yami walked behind Yugi, seeing Seto and a young lady behind Joey. "Hey guys! It's just Yug' and Yami!"
"Whoopie." Seto trilled a finger as Athena walked behind Seto.
"I'm actually glad to find you guys! We just found this desert and we couldn't get passed it." Yugi explained as Athena walked in front of the group.
"I might be able to help."
"Who are you, might I ask?" Yami asked as she smiled.
"I'm Athena. I'm named after the goddess, but I'm not the goddess herself."
"Wait. Joey, Kaiba… Where's Emily?" Yugi asked as the guys looked at each other, unsure of they should say something.
"Emily was with us…" Joey began.
"-but she was taken away by Lion." Athena finished, her head down, as Yami glared at them.
"How could you guys let that happen?" Yami exclaimed as Seto looked down at him.
"Joey battled him, and since Lion lost, he decided to take Emily away, anyways! Don't go blaming any of us for no reason!" Seto almost yelled back as Yugi gripped his shirt, Athena getting in between them.
"Settle down, please. I can tell you everything."
Seto and Yami's glares at each other went towards Athena.
"Everything?" Yugi asked softly as Athena nodded.
"Yes. But, let's go to the desert and I'll clear the pathway for you all." Athena said calmly as the guys nodded. She walked calmly to the desert, chanted a little spell, and the area was clear to pass.
"Well, let's go." Joey uttered as Athena nodded and walked ahead of them. Yugi and Yami behind her, and Joey and Seto behind them, Athena about to break the silence.
"So, you said that you'd explain everything?" Yugi remembered as she nodded.
"Yes. It's a long, complicating story, but I hope it'll make some sense to you all." Athena murmured
"Well, begin." Seto told as she floated above the ground, a little, and turned to the small group behind her and started her story.
Well, there's chapter six! Summer's ending... And school's starting next month... And golf too... Fun. :p