Disclaimer: I don't own YuGiOh. I'm not making any money. Nuff said.

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HIKARI STRONG

Chapter Six

The men that had abducted Yugi and Ryou were no longer men. They were now hideous beasts with bat like wings and hairy bodies. They flew high up, keeping a tight grip on the struggling boys. Above them all was a giant snake creature, a woman with a purple bob and large breasts riding its back.

"Oh dear, it appears you escaped," she said in a mocking tone. "I suppose I can't show up without you. My employer has become quite fond of you."

"Put my friends done ya psychotic bitch!" Joey ordered, stepping forward.

"What do you think you're doing, Wheeler?!" Seto shouted at her.

"You really don't want to do that, dearie," the woman said. "If they fall from this height, they'll at least get a broken spine. I'm sure you don't want that."

Joey growled, clenching her fists. Someone suddenly pushed her backward.

"Let me handle this," Seto told her, a duel disk suddenly on his arm.

The woman laughed. "Tough luck, there, big boy. In case you haven't noticed, these aren't holograms." Her eyes fell on Joey again. "Now my dear you can come along quietly or you can clean your friends off the pavement."

Joey made to move but Seto blocked her way. "You're staying right where you are, Wheeler."

"This isn't a normal duel, you idiot!" Bakura shouted at Seto. "This is Shadow Magic! Only magic can fight against magic!"

"What?" Tea gasped. She'd heard Ishizu and the Pharaoh speak about the Shadow Games, and how they would try to return.

"I'm afraid so, Tea," Yami said, his eyes never leaving Yugi. "Magic was involved in defeating Dartz, whether Kaiba admits it or not. And Bakura and I have been stripped of our Shadow Magic, we can't fight them. And neither can you, Kaiba!"

Joey swallowed. What could they do? She didn't want Yugi and Ryou to get hurt, but going with this woman would do nothing to solve that. She clutched the Millenium Scale at her chest.

Suddenly, something on Joey's wrist felt warm. She looked to find the symbol on her skin glowing a bright gold. A power began to surge through her, like nothing she had ever felt before. The closest thing she could compare it to was the rush that came with drawing her Red Eyes Black Dragon in a duel.

At thinking about her dragon, a gold circle surrounded her on the ground. She blinked, but something flashed through her mind. A dream? A memory? But that wasn't right. She'd never done this before.

"Back up, Kaiba," Joey told the brunet in an authoritative voice, a new determination coursing through her.

"What?!" Seto roared.

"Ya can't win this fight now back da hell up!" Joey shouted. Seto finally looked at her, seeing the glow around her. His eyes widened.

"Wheeler," he said blinking, "what the-,"

"Are ya deaf, Moneybags?! Get outta da way!"

"Listen to her, Kaiba!" Yami yelled.

"Are you quite finished with your lovers' spat?" the woman on the floating snake chimed. "Not that you don't make an adorable couple but my employer is rather impatient."

Joey looked at Seto desperately. "Look, Kaiba ya can distrust me the rest o' yer life afta' dis but for today ya need ta trust me!"

Seto made a discontented noise but stepped aside. "Fine, Wheeler! But don't you come crying to me when you lose!"

"I won't," Joey told him firmly. I can't, she thought.

She took a breath, feeling like she knew what she needed to do, but actually doing it sounded stupid. Well, here goes nothin', she thought. "I summon the Red Eyes Black Dragon!"

Tea and Mai both gasped. Seto stared in disbelief. Mokuba gaped at the sight. Bakura looked almost smug and Yami almost proud.

A real life Red Eyes Black Dragon emerged from the golden circle, roaring as it flew into the sky, spreading its wings and curling its tail, before landing beside Joey. It roared again. Joey couldn't believe her eyes. A real Red Eyes at her side, yet it felt so familiar and so right.

The woman sighed. "I did warn you," she said, her hand on her hip. "Drop them."

The bat-beasts let go of Yugi and Ryou, sending them hurtling to the ground.

"Shit!" Joey shouted. "Come on, Red Eyes!" The dragon bowed its head, allowing Joey to jump on his back. They flew forward, Joey gritting her teeth. She managed to catch Ryou who had been closer, but she feared she wouldn't be able to get Yugi in time.

"I summon Curse of Dragon!" Yugi yelled, his wrist glowing from the symbol on his wrist. Curse of Dragon appeared in the same manner as Red Eyes, flying up and catching Yugi on it's back, screeching through the sky.

"It appears I underestimated you, dears," the woman said through gritted teeth. "No matter. Attack, my beasts!"

"Not so fast!" Ryou hollered from behind Joey. "I summon Change of Heart!" Change of Heart appeared in all her glory. Ryou pointed to the snake. "Take control of that creature and take out the other two!"

"Alright, Ryou!" Joey commended him as Change of Heart disappeared into the snake. Immediately it attacked the other two creatures, tearing them shreds, throwing the woman off it's back. At the lower altitude, she landed on her feet, looking angry.

Change of Heart reappeared, and the snake gave a horrible hiss as it charged at the three hikaris.

"Let's go!" Yugi yelled, patting Curse of Dragon. The gold dragon shot forward, biting and slashing at the snake. The snake lunged, taking hold of the dragon's tail and throwing it and Yugi away.

"Yugi!" Ryou and Joey both yelled. Joey directed Red Eyes toward the spiraling dragon. The black dragon caught them just in time, Yugi holding of for dear life.

"Ya a'right, Yug'?" Joey hollered.

"I'm good," he replied. Joey glared at the snake, feeling words form in her mouth that were unfamiliar, yet held a strength behind them she could swear she'd felt before.

"Next time, don' mess wit' a dragon," she said. "Attack Red Eyes!" Red Eyes roared, before shooting his Inferno Fire Blast at the snake. It hit directly, the snake hissing and spitting in rage. "Again!" Joey shouted. The second hit was harder than the first and the snake came crashing to the ground. Joey and Yugi landed their dragons and climbing off of them, facing the purple haired woman dead on. She, however, appeared unimpressed.

"Well, it appears you've killed my ride," the woman said.

Ryou stepped forward. "Who are you?! Who do you work for?!"

The woman eyed Ryou with amusement before waving her hand about. Ryou was suddenly lifted off the ground and thrown backward, falling on the pavement with a snapping noise.

"You bitch!" Bakura hollered, seeming to echo Joey's thoughts. Joey glared at the woman. More foreign words came to her. Words from long ago. Words she felt like she had said before.

"Burn her to a crisp, Red Eyes," she told the black dragon. Red Eyes obliged, shooting its attack right at the woman. The woman clapped her hands, a shroud of smoke engulfing her. The fire blast entered the smoke, creating a loud explosion. Everyone looked on in anticipation. When the smoke cleared the woman was gone.

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Well that escalated quickly.