Chapter 10: Star Chips here, Star Chips there

The sun was setting over Duelist Kingdom as our group of nine walked around in search of other duelists who would duel, Yugi, Joey, Sehrazat and Kihana.

Currently, their Star Chip count is like this:

Yugi and Kihana had 6 each.

Joey had 5.

And Sehrazat was in the lead with 8 Star Chips.

In total, they needed 15 Star Chips to enter Pegasus Castle.

The group discussed what they should do.

Soon it would be night, surely no one would duel at this time and they had a day left to collect the necessary Star Chips, however, they had noted how fewer duelists were around.

In the end, they decide to split up again.

It was faster this way to collect the missing Star Chips, they would meet again later.

Thank god, they had the Walkie-Talkies to keep track of the other group.

Mokuba stayed with Sehrazat group because he felt safer with Kihana and Sehrazat around.

The two had saved him from getting kidnapped again by Pegasus Lackey, no offence to Yugi and his friends, but yeah Sehra and Hana were badass.

Currently, Mokuba and Sadiye are sitting together on the ground and watching the duel before them.

Maja and Sehrazat were cheering on Kihana, who had found an opponent, the price being 4 Star Chips.

If she won, she would be the first with 10 Star Chips.

"Your sister has a lot of dragons in her deck.", noted Mokuba to Sadiye.

"She isn't called Lady of the Dragons for nothing.", answered Sadiye proudly. "The only ones who ever beat her were Sehrazat and Afya."

Oh yeah, this magical mambo-jumbo they had told him about.

"Again, explain to me how Sehrazat's amulet has the spirit of her ancestor, a queen of Ancient Egpyt inside?"

Sadiye laughed pretty and Mokuba felt a soft blush on his cheeks. He always thought his classmate was a cute girl, but they never interacted with each other till now.

Yet, it felt like he had known her for ages.

Strange.

"It goes like this.", begins Sadiye. "There are 8 Milliunim items, powerful magical tools created in the times of the great pharaohs and queens. One day an unspoken evil threatened the whole world but a courageous pharaoh and his queen faced it. The pharaoh lost his life in the fight, but the evil was defeated. The strong queen married his successor, leading Egypt into a time of prosperity. Then came the day she was on death's doorstep, but she knew the soul of her first husband, her great love, was forever in prison in the Millennium Puzzle. The queen couldn't accept it and prayed to goddess Isis, who not only promised her she would be reunited with her first husband, but that they would need to face the ancient evil again one day. So her soul was banned into the Millennium Fragment, and as a price, she lost all her memories. The founder of the Faizan bloodline, one of the daughters of the queen, swore an aid that the family would protect it, till it was time the queen awoke again. The founder of my family, the Schariq, has always served the house of Faizan and helped them to keep the bloodline and the Millennium Fragment safe. Then when Sehra put the Fragment on the first time she awoke the spirit of the queen. Since she can't remember her name, so Sehra-Nee, named her Afya."

Mokuba nodded and rubbed his neck.

"This sounds too fantasy-like to me...and in Yugi Puzzle is the pharaoh right? That's why he is so different when he duels."

"Right."

"My brother would declare us all mad for this story, he doesn't believe in magic and all this."

Sadiye crossed her arms and hummed.

"I always half believed it, Sehra-Nee didn't believe one bit, but once you encounter a Milliunim Item you start to believe that there is more."

"Well, Sehra and Afya ARE different from each other, I mean she is taller when Afya has control over her body, so you can't mistaken."

"Yugi too when Yami takes control.", added Sadiye.

"And his blond locks go up! Strange I never realized it."

"My mommy says people see what they want to see, so you didn't see the difference till you really looked.", said Sadiye, sounding wise.

"Your mom sounds cool.", told her Mokuba and got a bittersweet look on his face. "I can't remember my Kaa-San well...Seto and I were really young when we lost our parents."

He felt how Sadiye put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed. The boy understood she wanted to offer him comfort, but didn't want to use the same old words anybody said to him when he told this.

Mokuba was thankful for this.

Then the two youngest heard how Maja and Sehrazat cheered loudly and saw how Kihana Seiyaryu destroyed the remaining life points of her opponent.

The oldest Schariq won and now has 10 Star Chips!

(*)

"What's wrong with Sadiye-Chan?", asked Anzu Maja worried.

It was night now and our friends were back together.

All congratulated Joey and Kihana to have won more Star Chips today.

Now Kihana was in the lead with 10.

Joey had 7.

Yugi 6 and Sehra 8.

Tomorrow the remaining three had to give their all to reach Kihana and then enter Pegasus Castle.

But this had to wait till the next day since it was night.

Yugi and his friends were so glad, that Sehrazat's group had not only brought food with them to the island but also two tents.

Sure in the tents could only sleep max three-person pro tent, yet it was better than nothing.

At least they had enough food.

Currently, Kihana was cooking for all curry with rice over the campfire Joey and Honda made.

Joey and Honda put up the tents, while Sehrazat and Yugi brought back two buckets of water.

Anzu and Maja had helped Kihana prepare the food and now could sit down since the white-haired beauty shooed them away.

When she cooked, she didn't like to get looked over the shoulders.

So Anzu took the time to ask Maja what little Sadiye had.

She was pouting since she had seen Joey battling and then winning the Red Eyes Black Dragon card.

Not even Mokuba could make his friend laugh.

Maja was shaking her head amused and whispered in Anzu's ear: "Don't say it aloud, but the Red Eyes Black Dragon is not only Sadiye's favourite card but she also has it in her deck. She feels offended when someone other than her has it. But I think she will accept Joey."

"What? She has such a powerful and rare card in her deck?!"

"Oh Anzu-Chan you have seen nothing, Kihana has one of the rarest cards too, but never uses it and in Sehrazat deck hides a card that is as powerful as a god."

Suprised to hear this Anzu blinked.

What did Maja mean by that?

"Oh, what a surprise...your group got bigger.", a female voice greeted them.

It was Mai Kujaku!

"You again?", shouted Joey surprised.

"Hello Mai-San.", greeted Sehrazat, having manners. "How are you?"

"Sehrazat-San, Kihana-San, nice to see you again and you hang out with Yugi's little group? And who are spiky haired girl and the two little ones?", wondered Mai.

"I'm Maja. Sehra and Hana's friend, the little girl is Sadiye, Kihana's sister and the boy is Mokuba."

"Nice to meet you.", said the three together.

Mai had a small smile on her face.

"I see you have a nice campsite, so I won't disturb you."

Finally, Kihana looked up from the pot and said to Mai: "You are not disturbing us, why don't you eat with us?"

This made Joey, Honda and Anzu look at her in disbelief and Joey even whispered what Kihana was thinking inviting Miss Arrogant.

For this Kihana sent him such a cold look with her blue eyes, that Jonouchi thought he was staring down Kaiba Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

Scary.

In the end, Mai took the invitation and even shared her food and her tent with the others.

She even had a portable shower!

The boys, Sehra, Maja and Sadiye sat around the campfire, as Kihana finished cooking, while Mai stood guard before the shower, as Anzu took the first turn.

Anzu and Mai had a nice chat, getting a better understanding of each other, as suddenly Anzu gasped.

Mai stepped into the shower asking what was wrong and Anzu told her she heard something, but when Mai checked there was nothing.

Strange.

After Anzu, Sadiye and Kihana showered together, Sehrazat took over the cooking, then Maja and then Sehrazat. Mai already had taken a shower.

No more strange noises were heard.

The food was finally ready and all dug in happy.

Jonouchi and Honda shovel the curry and rice down like it was their last meal.

Yugi said loud how delicious it was and Anzu added what a great cook Kihana was.

The girl in question blushed and thanked them.

"Mai-San, you already have 8 Star Chips.", noted Yugi. "You might be the first one into the castle tomorrow."

"Yeah. But I want to battle you someday, Yugi.", she told him.

Surprised Yugi blinked.

"Let's forget about duelling for now.", proposed Anzu.

"Yeah. That kind of talk will spoil our dinner.", agreed Joey.

"We're sitting together for now.", began Mai. "But you're my enemies tomorrow. That's what duelling is all about."

All looked at her surprised.

The oldest girl declared she had finished eating and would take a walk.

Joey mumbled something about how she was not charming at all.

"Mmh, mmh, that's why you stare at her cleavage.", sassed Sadiye.

This made Jonouchi turn bright red, trying to find an excuse, while the others started to laugh, Honda even playfully ruffled his hair.

After all finished eating Sadiye and Mokuba started to yawn.

"Okay, you two, time for bed.", said Kihana to them.

She took both sleepy kids by the hand and led them to one of the tents.

"Wait!", called Maja. "I'm tired too, good night guys!"

"Night Maja.", chorused the remaining ones around the campfire.

Kihana joined them back a few minutes later, as they all heard soft snores coming from one of the tents.

Seems like Maja and the kids were already asleep.

Cute.

The others talked for a bit more, till Joey declared that they should probably go to bed too.

"Where did Mai go?", wonder Anzu.

"She does whatever she pleases.", reminds Jonouchi her. "Leave her be."

Out of nowhere behind Anzu, the bushes moved.

Joey and Honda stood up, ready to face whatever there was!

"Who's there? Come on out!", demanded Joey.

Sehrazat got ready to switch places with Afya if the person was dangerous, but a nice-looking and friendly boy with long white hair and brown eyes stepped out of the bushes.

Huh?

Who was this?

Apparently a friend of Yugi and the others, named Ryou Bakura.

After they introduced Sehrazat and Kihana to him, they all sat down beside the campfire.

To Honda's surprise, anyone pulled out a deck of duel monsters.

"What? Everyone brought their cards?"

"What did you expect?", asked Joey rhetoric. "This is a kingdom for duelists, after all."

"Yeah."

"Everyone on this island is putting their hearts into their cards. That was corny!", laughed Jonouchi.

"What's your favourite card, Jonouchi?", asked Bakura.

"This one of course. Call me Flame Swordsman from now on!"

"My favourite is Cyber Commander!", told Honda.

"You guys act like little kids.", said Anzu amused.

"But Jonouchi's right.", said Yugi. "Anzu you must have a favourite card."

"Well, this is my favourite card."

"What? Magician of Faith?", read Honda aloud the card's name.

"She looks suspicious.", added Joey.

"You idiot!", yelled Anzu at them.

Both boys embrace each other in fright.

"What's your favourite card, Yugi?", wonders Bakura.

"Dark Magician, of course."

This made Kihana giggle, while Sehrazat got bashful.

"Fits with Sehrazat's one.", told the white-haired beauty.

"Oh do tell!", said Anzu eager.

Shy Sehrazat raised The Dark Magician girl.

"Oh, is there not a legend about these two cards...who has them are soulmates?", remembers Joey, what they had heard from the Egyptian girls.

Yugi blushed, and Sehrazat's ears formally burned while all gave them knowing looks.

Bakura laughed softly and turned to Kihana: "What is your favourite card, Kihana-San?"

"You have to promise not to tell anyone.", she asked the ones who didn't know it.

Of course, they agreed and from her deck, she pulled...

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon?!", shouted nearly anyone.

"So the last card is in your hands Kihana-San.", summorized Yugi astonish.

"Yes, but I don't use it, I keep it as a Lucky Charm."

"But with such a strong card, you could win easily.", said Joey.

"Truth, but I will only use it, when it's a really dire situation, till now, I never needed it."

Anzu hummed and said: "I'm starting to understand how it feels to believe in your favourite cards and duel."

"Grandpa always talked about the heart of the cards.", added Yugi. "You can't truly duel until you play with cards that have your heart."

All nodded in agreement.

"What's your favourite card, Bakura?", wanted Yugi to know.

"This one."

"Change of Heart?"

"A spell card, interesting.", said Sehrazat.

All had picked monsters cards, besides Bakura.

"That's a weird card to like.", shared Joey his opinion.

Bakura just narrowed his eyes and asked Yugi if he wanted to duel him, just for fun, no Star Chips.

All were in favour of it.

A nice friendly duel was what they needed after all these competitive ones.

"What if you put your favourite cards into Yugi's deck?", suggested Bakura.

Well, no one had a problem with that, even Kihana was all right with it. It was just a friendly duel, not a competitive one.

So they got out a Duelling Map and put their cards in Yugi's deck.

"Okay, we are ready!", said Yugi to Bakura.

Anzu wished them both good luck.

Joey didn't think Bakura could beat Yugi, but he should give it's best.

"Just have fun.", said Kihana smiling.

Suddenly they all heard something that sounded like windchimnies.

"Sehrazat! Look out!", screamed Afya in their minds, but it was already too late.

A Millenium Item appeared around Bakura's neck, the Milliunim Ring!

The atmosphere changed around them, they were now in a dark shadowy place.

"What's that?!", shouted Jonouchi.

"This is a Shadow Game!", yelled Yugi.

The Millennium Ring started to shine and our friends knew no more.

They all fainted.

(*)

Yami Bakura laughed as he saw the pathetic soulless humans on the ground.

"This was too easy.", he laughed in triumph. He walked first over to Yugi. "The Millennium Puzzle is mine."

He reached out for it, but at the same time, both Puzzle and Fragment started to glow.

Yami and Afya took control of their Hikari's body and stood up.

"What?!"

"I'll face you in this Shadow Game.", declared Yami, while Afya stared Yami Bakura down with a burning look.

"So the pharaoh and queen have shown up.", giggled Yami Bakura creepily. "I've been waiting for you."

Afya took a step forward, gripped her Millliunim Fragment and turned it into a beautiful golden sword.

She pointed it at him.

"What did you do to the children?!"

Yami felt how Afya was ready to just straight up slice the person before them into nice pieces, but they needed him to get the souls of Yugi, Sehrazat and the others back.

So he gripped her free hand and whispered in her ear.

"Calm down, my queen. Right now, he has the upper hand. Starting to murder him, will not bring back the children."

From Afya came a little growl, but she nodded.

Her husband was right.

She turned the sword back into the Fragment form.

"Still so disgustingly in love mmh.", mocked Yami Bakura.

"Bakura, I didn't know you were a Shadow Game duelist.", stated Yami.

"Bakura? I'm not Bakura."

"Then what do you want?!", shouted Afya, only Yami's tight grip on her hand stopping her from punching the white-haired boy in the face.

"You should know, little queen. Whoever collects all the Millenium Items will have the power to rule the world. If the pharaoh wins, I'll return everyone's souls. But if I win, I get the Puzzle and Fragment."

"Kick his ass, Yami!", said Afya, as both males got ready to duel.