Jupiter's_Magic: Here is the next chapter. Kok is still the most amazing person ever! Read her story Come Together. Link to her profile is on my profile.

Raphael: Jupiter does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or me, Alister or Valon...or the Orichalcos either.

Alister: Review, or I'll have to deal with Ember-

Ember: REVIEW! (tackles Alister)

Alister: GAH!


"This was a very bad idea," Joey said as they followed behind the monsters at an extremely slow pace. "Not to be rude or anything, but we could be walking into a trap."

"Stop whining," Raphael said flatly.

Alister glanced at his taller friend. "We'll get her back, Raphael," he said in an undertone, and Raphael looked down at him briefly before returning his gaze to the path.

About twenty minutes later the monsters began filing into a clearing and the small group stopped at the edge of the forest, peering uncertainly at the large and forbidding building in front of them.

Dartz scoffed. "At least our building looked better," he said. "This peon must have just acquired this building."

"Lovely, but this is not the time to compare architecture," Kaiba said irritably. "We need to get in there and get this over with; I've been away from KaibaCorp for too long."

"Glad to see you care about your cousin," Alister said sarcastically.

The other man looked at him with barely visible irritation. "You misunderstand me. Mokuba's the one in charge back at my company—I don't want anyone trying to kidnap him in my absence."

"Not to mention Skye's in there and Caden's doing who knows what to her," said Lola, and Raphael's expression darkened.

The group waited until the monsters had gone into the building before hurrying to its entrance, when they realized the door was locked.

"Leave it to me, Yug!" Joey declared, thumping his chest proudly. "I'll get that door open!"

"Joey, don't—"

"Charge!"

The blond teenager promptly rammed his body into the door; it gave away, but Joey ended up tumbling onto the floor and rolling into a wall.

Yugi hurried after him. "I was trying to tell you that you could pull the door open, but this works too."

"Talk faster next time, Yugi," replied Joey dazedly, his brown eyes crossing as he looked up at them.

"I thought Skye's roommates were morons, but I think I was just corrected," said an all-too-familiar voice nastily, making everyone look around the darkened room sharply. "Welcome, Nameless Pharaoh. I've been expecting you for some time. I'm also pleased to notice that you came to me, rather than I had to come for you."

"I knew it. All the weirdoes seem to gravitate around you," muttered Kaiba under his breath. "You have your own weirdo-attracting orbit."

Lola's eyes flashed. "Caden you little—where is she?" she half-snarled.

An evil laugh echoed in the room. "Now now. You just got here. Don't worry too much about her—she's just fine for now."

"If you've hurt one hair on her head I'll take it out on you a hundred fold," Raphael thundered, looking murderous.

"Ooh. Tough guy. I remember you, and I remember your little girlfriend over there too!" said Caden wickedly, making Alister bristle.

"I hope you weren't referring to me with that comment," he said.

"I was, but there's not much you can do about it," sneered Caden, and Raphael and Alister peered around in the shadows to try and find him. "I'll tell you what, though. You take out my accomplice, I might remember what I did with Skyler."

Raphael located him the same time the redhead did, and he took a furious step forward. Unfortunately, a trap door opened beneath the two bikers and with startled gasps they vanished from view. Yugi hurried over to the trap door and tried to pry it up with Joey's help, but when he couldn't get it up the Pharaoh took over and glared at the shadows around them.

"Release them," he said authoritatively, but Caden merely laughed.

"Don't worry, Pharaoh. If you beat me you can have them back—provided they don't get overwhelmed by their own opponent," cackled the other man as he stepped into the light.


Raphael squinted in the darkness uncertainly, stars in his vision. He and Alister had fallen quite a ways down and had landed fairly hard; his own landing had been somewhat cushioned by an unidentified source.

"Raphael, not to be rude or anything, but…Get. Off," grunted Alister, shoving at the blond. "You're crushing me."

"So that's what I landed on," replied the burly man as he rose to his feet, helping Alister up.

"Where are we? I'm assuming we're under the building somewhere."

At that moment spotlights flashed on and the bikers were forced to shield their eyes. As his eyes adjusted to the change in light, Raphael could make out a cloaked figure standing on the other side of the room; the figure was completely motionless and he could not tell who was under the hood. As he watched the cloaked figure activated their Duel Disk.

Realizing who it was, Raphael activated his own Duel Disk and stepped forward. "You're the one I'm supposed to beat?" he asked, and the other figure dipped their head in confirmation.

"Very well."

Alister frowned, studying their opponent intently. "Raphael, something's wrong," he said quietly, gray eyes never leaving the cloaked figure (now identified as a woman, based on what he could tell from the way the cloak was draped on their body).

"I'm going to have to fight, whether I like it or not," replied Raphael.

"I know you're worried about Skye, but this…I don't like this at all. Be careful," warned Alister grimly.

Raphael nodded and then turned his gaze back to his opponent, drawing a card. It had been a while since he had dueled for real, but since Doma had ended he had restructured his deck; he could not use the Orichalcos (nor did he wish to) and instead had substituted other magic cards to compensate.

"First, I activate Graceful Charity, which allows me to draw three cards as long as I discard two," he said, placing the magic card on the disk and drawing the appropriate cards. "I'll play one card face down and then summon Mystical Elf in defense mode."

The other figure drew a card from their deck. "I play Harpy Feather Duster, removing all magic cards on your side of the field. Next, I'll place one card face down and end my turn," said a female voice, establishing that his opponent was a woman.

"Nicely done," said Raphael bluntly, watching as his facedown card vanished. "But not good enough—Graceful Charity is a permanent magic card," he continued as he drew from his deck. "I equip Butterfly Dagger to Mystical Elf. This allows me special summon Guardian Elma from my deck; when she's on the field I can play the equip spell 'United We Stand', increasing her attack points. Finally, I play one card face down and end my turn."

As Guardian Elma appeared, the woman chuckled. "My my, you've changed your deck around. I wasn't expecting that, but don't think you can deter me from winning," she said, drawing a card from her deck. "Your entire strategy hinges on not having any monsters in the graveyard—and I fully intend to put an end to that strategy," she continued, summoning Man-Eater Bug to destroy Raphael's Mystical Elf.

"Don't expect me to make it easy. I play Swords of Revealing Light," boomed Raphael, watching in smug satisfaction as pillars of light blocked Man Eater Bug's attack. "Nice try."

His opponent smirked. "Oh Raphael, don't you know me at all?" she taunted. "I play Mystical Space Typhoon—meaning it's goodbye for your Swords!" she said, playing the card. "Now, my Man-Eater Bug! Go and destroy Mystical Elf!"

Raphael frowned, his mouth turning down as his Mystical Elf fragmented.

"I end my turn. Let's see if you're as predictable as I think you are," she said.

"I play Monster Reborn to recall Mystical Elf from the Graveyard," said Raphael. "Next I summon Backup Gardna to the field in defense mode. Finally, I'll have my Guardian Elma attack your Man-Eater Bug."

The woman gave no sign of distress at the loss of her monster, instead letting out a derisive laugh. "I knew it. You really are predictable. Does it physically hurt you to have one of your monsters in the grave?" she asked mockingly. "Tell you what. How about we up the ante a little?"

She had been drawing from her deck as she had been speaking, and Raphael recognized the tone of voice she had adopted—that was the same kind of voice that one used when they drew…

"Alister, get back!" he said sharply as his opponent let out a triumphant laugh. The redhead seemed to realize what had just happened, but he had no time to react.

"I play the Seal of Orichalcos!" she said triumphantly, activating the dreaded magic card.

Instantly, a green circle etched itself into the ground around her and expanded violently; the shock wave encompassed Raphael and he shuddered as the cold energy passed through him. Alister cried out as he was thrown back into the wall and slumped against it, dazed.

The power of the Orichalcos was having an effect on its caster—her cloak was whipping about and her hood slipped away from her face, freeing her brown hair to blow about wildly. Her hazel eyes gained a red glint to them and the Seal traced itself on her forehead.

Raphael felt as if his stomach had dropped out when he realized who his opponent was. When he next spoke, his voice came out as a hoarse and horrified whisper.

"Skyler."


Dun-Dun-DUUUUUUUUUUUUUN! A cliffy! What do you think will happen? Please Review?