NovaScorpio: New or Old cards. They'll have random cards.

Yuji happened to have the cards she needs

??? - is the intruder

(Yuji's POV)

"My turn! Draw" 'Let's see, hehe...if I play this card, this would destroy her monster in instance' I overheard his thoughts. After I entered this soul room, I realized that everyone here can read whatever they're thinking, but I still think there's an exception since my opponent seems that he can't. 'Still, I don't want to hear his thoughts..this sounds like cheating, I don't want to be the second Maximillion Pegasus creep'"

"Please...I don't want this kind of power" I muttered as I tried clearing those thoughts away. Unexpectedly, seeing how ??? is still lost in thought making his strategies, I can't read his thoughts anymore.

I sighed in relief.

Or maybe I shouldn't just relax yet...

"I play my Continuous Spell—Burden of the Mighty! this is the opposite of Bound Wand, each of your monsters loses 100 ATK by its level" He let out a laugh.

"No.."

Maha Vailo 2450 - 2050

"Then I summon Level 7! Mikazukinoyaiba!" I'm assuming all his monsters are dark attributes and this time it's a dragon-type monster, Hmm... I haven't seen or heard a lot about this card.

Mikazukinoyaiba Lvl. 7 (2200/2350)

"Now Mikazukinoyaiba attacks Maha Vailo!"

Yuji's LP: 1850

"Bound Wand's other ability activates! When the equipped monster was sent to the graveyard, I can special summon Maha Vailo back to the field in defense position"

Maha Vailo Lvl. 4 (1150/1400)

Due to the 'Burden of the Mighty'seffect, Maha Vailo still loses 400 ATK points.

"That monster won't protect you for long. I end my turn!"

"My turn" 'Come on...' "Draw!" I stared at the cards I have in my hand, all I need to do is to choose the right ones: De-spell, Magician's Valkyria, Witch of the Black Forest, and Monster Reborn.'Witch of the Black Forest..it'll give me the chance to draw the card I need'

'I can't activate any spell cards yet'"I summon Witch of the Black Forest in Defense mode"

Witch of the Black Forest Lvl. 4 (1100/1200) 1100 - 700.

"You think summoning any kind of monsters in defense mode will make you win! Hah! You're only showing cowardice"

"Turn end" I ignored his remark.

"Mikazukinoyaiba! Attack Witch of the Black Forest!"

I smiled. 'Perfect!' "When Witch of the Black Forest is sent from the field to the graveyard, I can add a monster with 1500 DEF points or less to my hand, and I choose Pixie Knight"

??? starts to cackle. "Seriously? You choose to sacrifice your weak monster to another weakling?!"

"You still haven't figured out my plan"

"Whatever. I can't wait for this duel to be over soon and to finally get my hands on this soul room"

"As if that'll happen. Draw!" Dark Magician Girl...this is another perfect chance. "I summon Pixie Knight in DEF mode"

Pixie Knight Lvl. 2 (1300/200) 1300- 1100

"I end my turn.."

"Fool! Do you think I didn't know Pixie Knight's effect? I activate my spell! Stop Defense! And I choose your Maha Vailo! Now I also attack him with Mikazukinoyaiba!" The reason why he attacked Maha Vailo was so I can't use it again.

"Aughh..!" The impact of the battle damage had put me down on my knees.

Yuji's LP: 1850 - 800

Magician's Valkyria glowed. "You can do it...I believe in you!"I nodded.

I didn't play my next turn and ended it.

"You just made a terrible mistake! You planned to bring back your spell card, Bound Wand, and equip it to Maha Vailo once again. What a cheap trick. I could've destroyed it anyway with Burden of the Mighty on the field. Now, attack her monster!"

Pixie Knight was destroyed. ??? smirked and walk towards me, placing Bound Wand on the top of my deck. I smiled once again. When her effect activates, my opponent gets to select 1 Spell Card from the cemetery, since Bound Wand is the only spell in the options, I might bring this duel to victory. "You're right, I did plan on bringing back Bound Wand from the graveyard...but I don't intend on using it with Maha Vailo"

"I draw" I confidently showed him my card. "Meet my ace...Dark Magician Girl! And equip Bound Wand with her"

Dark Magician Girl Lvl. 6 (2000/1700) 2000 - 2600 - 2000

"But that's not it...I play this spell card— De-spell to destroy your spell card"

Dark Magician Girl Lvl. 6 2000 - 2600

'I could use Monster Reborn to revive a monster from my graveyard and end this duel but from the looks of it, there will be no direct attacks in this game and only one monster can attack per turn'

"Now...Dark Magician Girl attacks Mikazukinoyaiba...Dark Burning Attack!"

??? LP: 1550 - 1150

??? growls. "Ha! You think you're so smart! Compared to your Life Points...I have more! My turn! Draw! I set this card face-down defense position, and this card face-down... I end my turn..."

"Draw. Don't think you're the only one with this card, I activate Stop Defense..." The monster is revealed to be Curtain of the Dark Ones, a level 2 dark spellcaster-type monster.

Curtain of the Dark Ones Lvl. 2 (600/500)

'Now, Dark Magician Girl overpowers his monster and life points'

"Go! Dark Magician Girl! Dark Burning Attack!" Phrasing Dark Magician Girl's signature attack sounds satisfying although I felt like a kid.

"Activate Trap! Quaking Mirror Force! This card put all your monsters face down and you won't be able to use it until the end of this duel!"

'Crap. I forgot about his face down

"Turn end"

"Draw!" He frowns at the card he draws. Must be a bad one. "I change my monster in defense mode and I end my turn"

"My turn. I draw" The card I drew was Big Bang Shot. An equip spell, that makes your monster gain 400 ATK points and can inflict piercing battle damage. 'Magician's Valkyria, it's your time to shine' "Here comes Magician's Valkyria! then I play my equip-spell Big Bang Shot"

Magician's Valkyria Lvl. 4 (1600/1800) 1600 - 2000

"No! This can't be! That card can make any monster inflict battle damage even when a monster is in defense position!"

"As I told you, I'll be the one to end this! Let's go! Magician's Valkyria! Mystic Scepter Blast!"

"Gaaahhhhhhh...!!! I'll be back and I'll make you pay for this...!!!!!"

??? LP: 1150 - 0

After his life points hit zero, he was banished along with the dueling arena and our cards. "Get a life, Heck-an—Oops, I forgot that you're a ghost that's why you couldn't 'get a life' now, I know the wonderful reason why you're doing this"

"It's called 'Hekan' not Heck-an" My spellcaster companion corrected making me shrugged. "Whatever, what are those anyway? And as you know, I have tons of questions to ask"

"Hekans are ancient beings that live long ago somewhere in a nameless kingdom, they are half sorcerers and half warriors who serve the King, Hek. He is known as a power-hungry and manipulative ruler, he also had a stepdaughter who was also the princess, Wereth" I listened to every detail she said.

I rested my finger under my chin, scarcely intrigued. "Why don't I recall seeing this in any episode of the show?" I asked, this doesn't feel like an answer to all of these absurdities. It doesn't make any sense.

"Listen, I know you're confused. But it's not just about the Pharaoh, this is about you and the hairpin as well"

"And how is Tea Gardner involved with it?"

"For your spirit to survive, I need to find someone who has a pure heart. It is the only way for you to complete your destiny" I can tell by the way she looks, she is telling the truth.

"The only way to survive..." I rephrased. Closing my eyes, a memory strikes my mind. 'It's the only way you can survive!' My eyes shot back open."I remember, you're the one who brought me here..."

She nods. "I won't lie to that"

I frowned, now knowing the 'person' who's the whole responsibility for this ruckus. I might unintentionally build up some of my irritation at her for bringing me to a place I don't even belong to. I accept the fact that cards can come to life, that's all. This is cool, but I never wished for this. 'This is not the right time to be in this place...I need to go back"I just don't understand...what do you mean by destiny?"

She looks at me straight in the eye. "You're the chosen spirit of the hairpin..the one who's destined to free the Princess' sealed will. A long time ago, the king himself controlled her using that hairpin and you'll be the one to break that seal"

"The hairpin contains good and evil. As long as the evil resides in, there's no way to vanquish the darkness within the millennium items as well"

'This hairpin has some connection with the items, huh' "If I am the chosen soul, how can other souls just enter in without breaking a sweat? As for me, who had to go through all that puzzle to just enter"

She let out a low frustrated sigh. "Many souls attempted to claim this soul room made by the power of the hairpin and all of them need to solve a puzzle to get in except for Hekans, they have expertise in magic and manipulation that's why they can manipulate a person, and animals, even inanimate objects..."

"...Once a soul enters the hairpin, they'll encounter two rooms. The first room is their real soul room, while the other is the room made by the hairpin. I made puzzles for this room. In that way, they'll keep themselves busy solving it...and they won't even bother trying to get in their real room..." She continues.

"And once they enter, I'd use my scepter and banish them so they won't control another living. A great opportunity, when that living person is holding it...they get to use that person as their host and easily learn of the power this jewelry holds..."

"The reason why they can enter the item even if they're not the chosen soul...as I said earlier, the hairpin contains both good and evil, it can get attached to any evil souls"

"For that, I'm grateful that you're finally here to protect this item and now, no other souls can claim this soul room as their own anymore.." She finished.

"That clears the suspense, but only some of it.." I spoke.

"Maybe.. you'll find the answers to your worries on this journey, you'll get to learn of the power of the hairpin as well. As for now, I'm sure you're safe as long as this soul room made by the hairpin is here, it'll protect your real soul room especially if it contains who you are..."

'We don't want Pegasus snooping around my mind, not even Shadi' "So this soul room acts as the replica of my own" I finally caught on.

She hmm'd.

"..."

"My time ends here," I noticed that she is starting to fade. "Til' we meet again, Spirit of the Hairpin...and remember, once you find the answers..' the real you' will show. For now, fight alongside the Pharaoh..."

"Using card games?" I joked.

Despite knowing she's a card, she chuckled. "If that's how you refer to it... your journey begins here" And she completely disappeared out of sight.

Hesitation came across my mind. 'If I want to go back then how am I supposed to have my answers?'

I looked around, realizing I was alone. "Uh...I can't stay here forever.." With that, the bright light from earlier appeared and I'm surrounded by it again. The next thing I knew, I'm brought to a different room, and a normal one.

I thought I can finally have my peace when suddenly a screeching sound was heard from behind, I jumped from my spot or more like floated. "G-g-ghost..." I blinked twice. 'Call it a day'

...

(Third Person's POV)

"I got my invitation with the gloves and star chips too!" Tea exclaimed, showing them to her friends. "Pegasus is not joking!" She panicked.

Yugi stared at the gloves and star chips on her hands, narrowly. "Whatever plans Pegasus has, we have to find that out together!"

"Right!" Joey agreed, placing the videotape that was delivered to him inside the video player. 'That jerk Pegasus! Trying to make me into my friends' rival' He thought angrily. "Here goes.." They waited patiently for the video to play.

A lovely young woman with long auburn hair, her bangs covering the middle of her forehead, gazed through the screen with her greenish-brown eyes. "Hi there, Joey!" She waved making him look at her with wide eyes as they were about to burst into tears. "How's my big brother doing?"

"Joey! Did she just say "Big Brother"?

"How could Joey have a sister this cute?!!"

"It's been a long time! Hee Hee...I'm sending you a video so you won't forget what I look like! But I wish I could see your face too! Actually, I really wanted to see you in person instead of sending a video...but you're so busy and we live so far apart...I wanted to see your face.. for one last time"

'...Serenity!'

'One last time?' Yugi thought.

"Joey, please don't tell Dad about this video.." She reminded. "Well, that's all..take care of yourself.. goodbye, big brother.." The video ended leaving the blond in an emotional state. "My parents...split up around six years ago. My sister went with my mom. They live pretty far away...My sister has had problems with her eyes since she was born. The doctors said that she would go blind eventually.." Joey's bangs covered his eyes while looking down.

'Blind?!' The tri-colored-haired teen seem shocked hearing this.

He continued. "When she said 'one last time'...that means the doc's told her that time has finally come.."

"But that's awful!"

"Isn't there anything they can do?"

"They say with the most advanced treatments out there, she has about a 50% chance of a successful operation to cure her...but where can I get that kind of money...?" He said, losing a piece of his hope.

"I'm her big brother..but I can't do anything to help her! Not one thing!! I'm useless!" He cried.

'Poor chap' The other brunette thought 'I wish I could cheer him up...' She sighed. 'Something like a situation like this happened between me and my older brother and we promised to each other if ever we have problems, we mustn't blame each other or ourselves' Yuji stayed and watched the scene play, unable to reveal herself any further. Her presence already affected the show, and she might result in getting herself in trouble even more. She decided that she'll only come out if her host is in trouble similar to the star head duo.

Speaking of the other tri-colored-haired, he came out of the puzzle to reassure the Brooklyn blond and even gave him some of his star chips. "Let's go to the Duelist Kingdom as Duelists! To save Grandpa..and your sister!"

Yuji felt left out, and now that she must participate as a Duelist, there are chances that she has to fight Joey and Yugi, however, whether she wins or lose, she'll never lose anything at all, so what's the purpose of participating?

This only means Pegasus might really know something... something she has to seek from him, that is why Pegasus invited her in the first place. Who knows? Taking part in their adventure might solve some of the doubts she has in mind.

"Hey, Tea.." The said girl looked up at the blond who called her. "I know this is hard for you seeing as you don't plan to be a duelist...that bastard of a creator, Pegasus... what's his hidden agenda?" He huffed.

The blond was in deep thought, and an idea pop out of his head. "Also, seeing that you have nothing to lose...You could just back out!"

"I..." Tea trailed off.

'Back out..? But...' Yuji stood up from her soul room. Although she's inside the hairpin, she could see and hear their conversation. 'No..she mustn't back out...I have to do something

"I won't!" She determinedly replied making them look at her in surprise. "I was the one invited, and...I want to show off my dueling skills too...so if I'm there to duel then I'm ready to go!"

"But...are you so sure that you can do this..?"

"Are you doubting my skills, Joey? Besides, didn't I beat you like five times?" She smirked.

The blond irks n response. "Did you have to remind me that?!"

Yuji was too stunned to speak, but she gave a half-smile. 'I don't know what's going through that head of hers but this time, I need to relax' She sat back down but then felt the amethyst eyes on her, glistening cautiously.

*To be continued.*