Author's Note: Ummm... I can't think of anything really. OH YEAH! I've got a new story up called The Brotherhood of the Traveling Pants. Yeah, you've read it correctly. I'm posting it up today, so why not go check it out?

DISCLAIMER: I don't own YGO... Yeah... :(

Chapter 9 – Never Alone

Seto had put his head down, sadden that he lost two of his friends, and that Joey's father had won, AGAIN! He didn't know what to do or what to say.

"Well… It seems that I've gotten another worthless soul-"

"They are not worthless!" Seto called out as Michael flinched.

"Kaiba…" Yami murmured as Seto gripped Emily tighter. "You're not in the right mind-"

"Listen, pharaoh. They took my friends! I can't let him take anyone else!"

"Seto, leave this battle with us." Yugi nodded as Sakura glanced down at the smaller one.

"But…"

"They're our friends too. Don't forget that. Just take Joey and Emily and try to get out of here." Yami suggested as Seto glanced down-since they were around Joey-at his crush and nodded. "If what they said is true, then we need to leave Joey to find Emily. And leave Michael to Yugi and I."

"Sakura, help Seto out of here until Emily and Joey find each other." Yugi told as Sakura nodded and went to pick Joey up when Seto, somehow, put Joey on his back, and Emily was in his shoulders. Sakura closed her eyes, nodding at his decision.

Do you think this is supposed to show Seto's grudges? He has too many things on his shoulders and he's making himself feel… regret.

"Alright Michael! It's time to bring you down!" Yami called out as Joey's father smiled, cunningly.

"Fine with me."

"And I am going to help!"

"Yugi! Stay out of this. I don't want you to lose-"

"But, I want to help. I don't want you to lose your soul."

Yami smiled as Yugi blushed, again.

"Alright. I'll let you." Yugi smiled as they stepped on the side that Joey was just on.

"Well, two for the price of one! It's time to duel." Michael called out as they popped out their duel disks.

"Seto, let's go." Sakura said as Seto stay in his spot, motionless. "Seto?"

"I can't… I don't want to go anywhere until these two are back."

Sakura sighed as she-somehow-pushed Seto off to the woods. He could still see the duel, but would have no idea what they were all saying.

"At least sit down."

Seto didn't comply as Sakura shook her head, sitting down for herself.

Joey… Please, for Seto's sake… Find Emily, and fast.

Emily opened her eyes, slowly, as she was in a meadow filled with wildflowers. She got up on her knees, seeing that this area goes on forever!

"W-where am I?" She asked as she got up. She glanced down at herself as she was covered in a white dress, white as the clouds above her.

She shook grass off of her dress. "Is this a dream, or reality?"

Emily didn't know what to think. She walked a few feet as she made it to a magical lake, that was, somehow, in the middle of this field. She sat down and put her feet into the lake and closed her eyes.

"This is relaxing…"

As she opened her eyes, the lake disappeared and it became cloudy, and began to rain. She jumped up as she saw nothing for miles. She did a 360 a few times as rain was pouring harder and harder by the second.

"Wh-what's goin' on?" She cried out as she fell to her knees, putting her hands up onto her arms and fell to the ground. She was confused and falling asleep would probably take the nightmare away.

Please, I hate being alone!

She opened her eyes, after a long minute, and it was dark. Nothing but silence and darkness.

"I don't… understand…"

"Emily!"

She turned around, seeing no one. "Who's there?"

"Where are you?"

"That voice…" Emily got up on her knees, looking around the darkness. "Is that you Joey?"

"Emily! I can't find you!"

"I can't find you either!"

Emily closed her eyes, praying that Joey would find her in the darkness.

"Emily… Think of somethin'!"

She nodded as she could only think: Find me Joey! I hate being alone! It's scary… I don't want to be alone… I miss you, and Seto, and Yugi, and Yami!

Joey closed his eyes, opening them, and saw her in front of him. He ran over to her, making no noise, and put his hands on her shoulders.

"Emily."

Emily's eyes opened as Joey was in front of her. They embraced as Emily's eyes filled with tears.

"I hate being alone! It is scary! And… I didn't want Seto to be an emotional mess!"

Joey nodded as he looked at her.

"Are you okay now?" She nodded as Joey smiled. "Good… But, this might be a problem…" He got up and turned away.

"W-what? Why?"

"Well, one: getting here was easy, but getting out is hard. And two:" Joey crossed his arms as Emily glanced down at herself. "You're naked."

"When did this become like Adam and Eve?" She cried out as she covered one arm with her breasts and the other with her privates. "And you even hugged me! You… pervert!" She got and was going to slap him but he turned and grabbed her hand.

"Listen, I know this might be… bad… But we need to get outta here and get back to the others." Emily nodded as she turned away.

"This is even more scary than being alone here… They don't even have Sex Ed at my school! Well that's probably 'cause no one ever does it… We're a small school…" Emily explained as Joey shook his head.

"Well, how th' hell do you think we should do this?" Joey asked as Emily sighed.

"This is gonna be harder that I though it was gonna be…"

Mokuba, along with police, made it to Kaiba Corporation. The front doors were unlocked, thank God, as the police surrounded the area.

"If I remember correctly, my brother said that they would be in the Pod Room…"

"That shouldn't be too hard, right?" One officer asked as Mokuba laughed.

"Well… There's ten pod rooms…"

The officers sighed, and other moaned, as Mokuba closed his eyes and moved to the registration desk.

"We can split the force up into groups."

"That's not bad. But, I'll tap into the security cams. Give me about five minutes."

"You're really smart for you age, you know that?" Mokuba smiled as he nodded.

"My brother said that a while back. But I decided to stay with people my age. I know knowledge is one thing, but friends were another and I hate to lose my friends…"

The phone ringed, unexpectedly, as Mokuba answered it.

"Kaiba Corporation front desk. Who is calling-"

"It's Mokuba! I got Mokuba Marik!"

"Ishizu? Why are you calling here? And how did you know I was here?"

"Well, the Millennium necklace had gain its power back and I saw you there. And Marik's going to explain everything."

"But- Ishizu-"

"Mokuba! My favorite Kaiba! Where's you pain in the ass brother?"

"Well… There are these people here that have been trying to get after my brother and our friends-"

"I know that."

"Seto is… Well, he's been kidnapped-" IS that the right word? "-and so have Emily, Joey, Yugi and Yami!"

Marik and Ishizu were talking off the phone, but you can still hear them, as Mokuba's patience was fading.

"We will be over there in fifteen minutes."

"Alright. Besides, if you don't get here in time, the police is gonna barge in the room where they are and save them."

"Yeah, I know! Bye!"

Mokuba hanged the phone up as the computer came up with the security cams.

"I got into the cameras!"

"Now, where are they?" The police chief asked as Mokuba looked.

"Give me a moment…"

My brother had to make ten pod rooms…

Mokuba looked in all the even pod rooms-nothing, and then he looked at the odd pod rooms, and nothing either.

"I can't find them-Wait! I remember that Seto said he made an extra pod room, for his own testing! I know where they are!"

The police chief smiled and got up from the spare chair.

"Where are they?"

"We need to go downstairs. Follow me!" Mokuba called out as a handful of officers followed behind Mokuba. The computer monitor showed pod room 25-the same day that Seto was born (October 25th), and was also Joey's day of birth (January 25th).

Mokuba was relieved that he remember Seto's crush's birthday and made an inner laugh.

Back in the spirit world, Emily was walking ahead of Joey, as he was lagging behind.

"Don't look at me Joey!"

"I won't, I won't!" Joey assured as Emily still covered her breasts with her arms.

Why does all the bad stuff happen to me? I didn't want to fall in love… I didn't want an Egyptian spirit in my body- WAIT! Where's Mana?

Emily stopped as she looked down at her ring.

"Emily? What's wrong?" Joey asked as she held her hand out-with the ring on it-and Joey observed.

"The ring… It's a different color… It's not shining, it's dull."

The ring was indeed black, but Joey didn't know how to explain it.

"Do you think Mana's in this world too?"

Emily shot her head up and looked at Joey.

"I don't know… I'm scared… I don't want to lose her-But, where's Mahad? He's in the same situation as her!"

"He's not."

"Huh?" Joey walked ahead of Emily, sighing.

"I threw my ring to Yugi before I lost my soul. He's protecting Mahad now."

Emily frowned, covering her face.

"If I had some damn sense in my mind, then I would have done the… same thing…" Joey turned to face her, stopping as she fell to her knees, again.

"Emily. You can't blame yourself. We'll find Mana and make sure her soul rests in peace, along with Mahad, Atem, and even Seto!"

Emily nodded silently as Joey bent down to her height.

"Joey, there's nothing here to give us a clue on to where she is! All I know is that she can be million of miles away from here!" Emily cried out as Joey put his head down and hugged her.

"We will find her. We are humans, and we make mistakes. This won't be hard, as long as you are with me, everything will be okay. Alright, Emily?"

Emily put her head up and nodded, silently hugging Joey back, not even caring if they were both naked.

It's my fault Mana is here… She just wanted to be with her friends… Even in an afterlife…

"Joey…" He looked up at her. "Can you carry me? Like a piggyback ride."

"Sure." Joey smiled as Emily jumped on his back and began their long walk to God knows where.

Seto just stared up at the duel, far away, not knowing if more lives could be lost. Sakura managed to get Seto to sit down-but she had to put Joey and Emily's bodies off to the side but they were still close to each other-and looked at Seto.

"Seto. Please talk to me. Being a mime isn't gonna look good…" Sakura assured as Seto nodded and drew his knees up, laying his back upon a tree.

"I know… I lost Emily, and it's my fault… And then I lose my Puppy…"

"Seto… They will be fine. When Yami and Yugi defeat Michael, they will be here even sooner! It's the light that will guide them. You're their light, so lead them away from the darkness."

Seto looked up at Sakura, then down at his friends.

I want them back… I'm a mess and it's my entire fault…

"I'll be right back. Stay here and be good." Sakura flew over to the duel, observing Seto's movements in her peripheral vision.

She stopped as she noticed the field was split. Yugi and Yami each had a monster on the field, and Joey's father had only one in defense mode.

"Guys! What's going on?"

Yugi looked over and smiled. "I have 2400 life points, Yami has 3000, and Joey's dad has 1500 life points!"

"Good job you guys! Finish him off!"

"It's your turn Yugi." Yami said as Yugi nodded and drew a card.

Hmm… Beta, the Magnet Warrior… I can play this, destroy his face down monster, and let Yami finish him off!

"This is the end! I play Beta, the Magnet Warrior (ATK:1600/DEF:1700), in attack mode! Attack his face down!"

The card flipped over to be Morphing Jar (ATK:700/DEF:700), making Yugi sigh.

"Put your cards in the graveyard-"

"Yeah we know what to do!" Yugi called out as Michael had a snug face.

"Alright… Thanks for the sacrifice Yugi!" Yami called out as Michael's eyes grew.

"There's no monsters on my side! Oh, shit!"

"That's right, Michael! Now, I offer Gamma, the Magnet Warrior, and summon the Dark Magician Girl!" Yami placed the card down as she appeared from the ground. "And, since we have two Dark Magicians in our graveyards, she gains 600 attack points, making her total attack points to be 2600!"

"That's it! Finish him off!" Sakura cried out as she flew back to Seto, to tell him the good news.

"Dark Magician Girl! Finish off the rest of his life points!"

"No! I beg of you! I'll return their souls!"

(Michael's LP-0000 / Yugi's LP-2400 / Yami's LP-3000)

"Seto! They won! They defeated Joey's father!" Sakura cried out as Seto's eyes looked up at her and he smiled. He actually smiled!

If only they could see him…

Sakura thought as she touched the ground. "Now, let's see if that light will help them."

"Emily… Puppy… Come on! I need you to wake… up… Please…" Seto crawled over to them, holding each of their hands.

Ishizu and Marik, along with Odion, came rushing through Kaiba Corporation's doors; Ishizu's Millennium Necklace was even glowing. Odion was holding the Millennium Ring and it was leading them towards the Millennium Puzzle.

"Is this leading us towards Yugi's puzzle?" Marik asked as Ishizu nodded. Odion and them turned around a corner, coming to some stairs.

"Yes, Marik. I see them, via my necklace, in a pod room. And that there are… four different people there… other than our friends…" Ishizu assumed as they ran down the stairs, almost running into Mokuba.

"Mokuba!"

He put his finger up to his lips.

"What's going on?" Ishizu whispered as Mokuba walked back to the small group as the police entered the room, yells coming everywhere.

"My brother and his friends were taken-captured-against their will."

They walked in the room as Feather and Bear woke up from the pods, along with Lion and Michael, as taken away faster than you can say 'Holy Ra'. Mokuba and the others saw Seto, Joey, Yugi, Yami, and Emily, sleeping in their pods.

Marik moved over to the control area. "Here's the switch!"

"Don't touch it!" Mokuba yelled as Marik jumped in the air.

"Why not?"

"Because they need to find the portal out of that world! If you touch that button, the power will shut off and they would be dead!"

Marik gulped as Ishizu walked over towards Emily's pod.

"She-Who is she, Mokuba?"

"That's Emily Johnson. She's staying with me and my brother, along with Joey."

Ishizu closes her eyes, her necklace stopped glowing, as she re-opened them.

"Joey, Seto, Emily… And even Yami… They each have a spirit within them all, right?"

"I don't know a lot. Seto hasn't said a lot to me."

Ishizu nodded as Mokuba moved over to the control panel and found a microphone.

"Odion… Let's play a prank on the pharaoh!" Marik called out as Odion shook his head.

"Marik, how old are you, again?" Odion asked as Marik smiled.

"Oh, come on! Let's steal his leather pants!"

"Why me? Do it yourself." Odion leaned onto the wall as Marik sighed.

"Alright… Let's see if it works." Mokuba pressed some buttons as a green light turned on.

"What are you doing, Mokuba, anyways?" Ishizu asked as she walked over to the younger Kaiba.

"If this works, we'll be able to led them back to this world. Let's hope!" Mokuba turned the microphone on. "Seto! Anyone! Can you hear me?"

Seto stopped shaking the two as he stood up. Yami and Yugi ran over to the small group, slowing into a halt.

"Seto! Anyone! Can you hear me?"

"M-mokuba!" Seto yelled.

"Seto! You're fine! What about the others?"

Seto looked down at Joey and Emily as Yugi sighed.

"Mokuba! It's me! Yugi! We are all fine! That is… except…"

"I figured. I noticed the monitors… Joey and Emily's are in the lower red, while everyone's in the upper green… What the heck has been going on in there Seto?"

Seto shook his head, unsure of what to say.

"…Mokuba. Give us a few minutes, will you?" Yami asked as Mokuba nodded-though they couldn't see it.

"You got it. I will give you five minutes, but then I'm opening the portal back to this world."

"That's fine."

Sakura, along with Yugi, looked down at them-Joey and Emily-as he bent down to Joey.

"Here. I don't need it now." Yugi smiled as he gave Joey's ring back to him.

Emily and Joey shielded the eyes as the brightest light pierced the darkness.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"Yes Joey. Why wouldn't I be?" Joey rolled his eyes as Mana and Mahad was in front of them, Mana on the ground and Mahad next to her.

"Mana!" Emily jumped off of Joey's back and ran to Mana, getting down on the ground.

"What happened to her?" Joey asked as Mahad looked up at him. "How are you here? Didn't I give Yug' my ring?"

"Yes, but he gave it back to you. You are able to leave right now."

Joey looked over to Emily as she looked at him.

"Go Joey."

"But… What about you, Emily?"

She looked down at Mana, looking asleep, as she looked down at the ground.

"… Don't worried about me…"

Joey closed his eyes and turned to Mahad.

"Will Emily be able to get out of here too?" Mahad nodded. Joey smiled as Emily looked down at Mana's ring.

"Mahad… I know this might sound weird… But please take Joey. I need time… alone… with Mana… It's my fault we're in this, and I need her… to see if she'll apologize to me…"

Mahad nodded as Joey glanced over at Emily.

"B-but what if the portal closes and you're still here?" He walked over to her and held her up by her arm, gripping it tightly. "Damn it Emily! Mana will be back in your body when we leave this world!"

"J-joey… Stop it. Let me go." Joey closed his eyes and held her tightly-making Emily blush with the closeness of… well, you know…

"Emily. I don't want to lose you…" Emily's eyes filled with tears as Joey grabbed her face, with his hands, and looked down at her-into her eyes-as he wiped her tears away.

"Joey… I just want what's best for you… Trust Mahad, and I'll be back with you, soon." Emily assured as Joey leaned down closer to Emily's face-preferably closer to her lips-as her tears still continued to fall.

"Joey, listen to her. Mana will wake up soon and they will be back with you and the others." Mahad promised as Joey nodded, but turned his body away from Mahad.

"J-joey?"

He leaned down towards her lips, taking away her first kiss, even if they were spirits. After a couple seconds of French kissing, Emily pushed Joey away as he had a shocked look on his face. Mahad moved closer to Joey and grabbed his arm.

"Let's go. They need to talk." Mahad said as Joey closed his eyes and walked ahead of Mahad, and Mahad stopped at the portal. "Do what you need to do. Then come on." Emily nodded as Mahad walked through the portal, Mana's eyes flicker open.

"Joey!" Yugi called out as Seto held his hand tighter, noticing that Joey was gripping his hand back.

"Puppy?" Seto whispered as Joey's eyes opened up, slowly-taking in the scenery-as everyone sighed and smiled.

"Joey! You're back!"

"What a relieve!" Yami added as Sakura nodded behind him.

"W-what? I'm back?" Joey murmured as he looked down at his hands, noticing that Seto has his hand, but let go in a heartbeat.

Oooo… Kaiba held my hand! Welcome blackmailing time!

Joey laughed as he got up, wiping the dirt off his butt.

"Where's Emily? She was with you, right?" Sakura asked as Joey turned to her.

He nodded. "Yes. But, she's back there, waiting for Mana to wake up."

"What? Why the hell did she not come back with you?" Seto exclaimed as he turned towards Joey.

"Because Emily wants to apologize to Mana… She needed her time with her." Joey said as Seto nodded and looked down at Emily, still asleep.

Well, there's two things that Emily and I will know until the day we die: One, we kissed, and two, we were both naked… If I told this to someone, they would laugh or think that we did it! When we didn't!

Joey blushed as he touched his lips, unsure if he really did kiss Emily, and looked down at her sleeping body.

"Mana… I want to say that… I'm sorry for putting you through this."

"Emily…"

"I tried to use your powers, but I… I failed horribly!" Emily exclaimed as Mana got up, onto her knees, and sighed.

"But that's because I didn't get to train you. Well, to be honest… I wasn't the best at magic at all. I was great, but I would always have to look into a special spell book and well…"

Emily smiled. "You're just like me."

Mana nodded as they got up, slowly. "Well, before we go, this might sound weird…"

"What is it?"

"Mahad and I, along with Seto and Atem's spirits… We need to be sent back into the Millennium items."

Emily scratched her head. "I'm very… confused."

"I know you will, but someone-in the outside world-will be able to explain it to you all."

Emily nodded and Mana smiled.

"Will you accept my apology… for being such an ass? If I didn't get captured, then… It's my fault for everything that's been happening."

Mana frowned and shook her head. "Those people are horrible, but I bet that they were taken care of, so don't worry. Talk to the others. They share the same problems with you."

"Yeah… You're right."

"And, I do accept your apology, Emily…" Emily smiled as they walked through the portal, waiting to be waked up by her friends.

Seto and Joey, each holding Emily's hand, as Emily gripped them both, shocking both of the young guys.

"Emily! You're here!" Joey cried out as Seto smiled.

"O-of course…" Emily murmured as they helped her up.

"Emily! How are you?" Yami asked as Emily nodded, looking up at him and Yugi.

"Seto, get your brother." Joey pointed out as he picked Emily up by her hand as Seto let go, looking up to the sky.

"Hey, Mokuba! Are you there?" Seto called out to the sky.

Emily touched her lips among Joey's clothing, jumping away from Joey completely.

"Seto! Are you all ready?"

"Hell yeah! Come on Mokuba!" Joey yelled out as Yugi hugged Emily.

"You are okay, right Emily?"

"Yes, Yugi. I'm fine. Just ready to get out of this hell hole."

"Alright. Fall the dirt path that was by the lake."

Seto and the others followed the line that was being traced out as Sakura flew ahead of them all.

"Mokuba! Send me the directions and I'll help them."

"Whoever you are, I believe you are a good person. Give me a moment."

After a couple seconds passed, Sakura smiled.

"I got it! Thanks!"

"Seto, everyone, we'll see you back here!"

"What the hell did he meant when he said we?" Joey asked as everyone shrugged their shoulders, stopping at the lake.

"Where do we go?" Yugi asked as Sakura pointed across the lake.

"Thataway! Go across the lake, and keep going straight. You'll see the portal in front of you."

Everyone listened and crossed the lake-surprised that they were able to cross it-nonetheless it was a virtual world, as they continued to run forward.

Approaching a field, Emily, Seto, and Joey stopped.

"This is where we began in this world." Joey pointed out as Seto looked around.

"Yugi, Yami, go on ahead." Emily assured as the guys nodded, and walked towards the portal.

"Wait." Yugi stopped as he turned around to the others. "We should all leave, together." Yami nodded.

"I have to agree with my aibou."

Yugi totally blushed as Seto and Joey nodded.

"Sakura," Joey turned to face her, "are you sure about staying here forever on?"

Sakura landed on the ground, nodding.

"Yes. I have to."

Emily glanced up at Seto, hoping he could do something for her, at least.

"Well… I'll make a new game for you to test, so that when others try it, it'll have been tested out and be good for the public." Sakura smiled at Seto's proposition.

"I love it. Take care Seto." He nodded and walked up to Yugi and Yami. "You too, Emily. I'm sorry about… What's his name?"

"Who even cares? I know that what happened is pass, but now…" She moved away from them and walked towards Yugi's little group. "…I've been able to move on with the help of my friends."

Sakura smiled as Joey turned to Sakura and waved back at her.

"Now, be good with Kaiba! Hope he doesn't make life hard for ya here!" Joey laughed as Seto hit him on the head. "OW! That hurts ya jerk!"

"Well, you better go before the portal's gone! Take care, and remember that all wounds take time to heal!"

Sakura smiled as she waved bye as Yugi, followed by Yami, followed by Emily, Joey, then Seto, exit this hellhole and landed back into their world. And in one piece!

As everyone woke up in their pods, everyone grabbed their decks and saw that the Ishtar's were there, making all of them confused-but Emily wasn't.

The only thing that broke the silence was:

"Where the hell are my leather pants?"

Yami's pants were taken, and by none other than Marik. Yeah, things were back to normal-more or less.

Author's Note: I just HAD to add something from the abridged series! I was listening to Leather Pants a couple days ago, and it got stuck in my head... lol

Also, don't forget to check out my new story, and REVIEW! :)

OH! I just thought of something! Before you exit out of this window, go to my profile and please vote! The poll will close on the 16th of August, and I've already got two votes! I like doing voting thingys because I love to get my readers a chance to ALTER THIS STORY! Why not? It'll take a couple seconds out of your time! :)