Yugi looked worried but Serena said “it will be alright Yugi. Go be with her, make sure she knows this wasn’t anything she caused.” Yugi nodded and ran after the others as Serena looked at Yami.

“How much you want to bet our duel is going to be a shadow one as well? Think they were warming up?”

Yugi sat down by Cora and looked at Marik, wondering what to say to help.

Cora was sitting between Marik and Yugi now, still trying to calm down from her breakdown. She seemed silent for a while herself, unsure what to ask, what could be answered. How to not seem crazy. Finally she decided to have the courage to speak. "Will they...be okay? Who we dueled? A-Are you okay Yugi?" She manages to ask.

"I think it will for sure." Yami sighs, feeling disappointed and angry. This was not how things were suppose to go. They all were suppose to have fun and enjoy this. Now it seemed there would be no break to this.

"Now everyone! Our next Duel! Team Serena, and Team Tsunade!" The Announcer shout to the crowd, the cheers ramp up for the final duel of the round before they went to the next tier.

Yugi smiled and nodded “yes they will be fine. And I’m good. I’m used to it by now so that short of a duel with not many points lost, I can handle it.” Tristen handed Cora the soda and asked “you hungry?”

Serena looked up and said “well then…let’s show them what we are made of shall we?” She moved to jump to the stage, her eyes firm.

(Is the woman blonde with a big chest? Coming in from the hidden leaf?)

(LMAO!!!! No sadly. Just going through random names I can think of.)

Cora took the soda when handed to her, "Thank you." She though shook her hand. She wasn't feeling hungry right. "Thank you though." Having head what Yugi said, she was surprised to hear how use to this he was. He looked to them all wondering if they had done this too. She looks back to Yugi. "You've...done this before? But...I always believed Duel Monsters was suppose to be fun. Why use it to hurt others?" She asks.

Yami looks toward Serena before nodding, a determined look on his as he too jumps to the stage.

(I laughed when I saw it cause I had just been watching clips from Naruto with her)

Yugi said “be used bad people know how to use the magic of the game to hurt people…we always try to stop it. No matter what. And we save though caught in the grips of those evil”

Serena turned on her duel disk and faced the pair before them. She had a bad feeling “Yami? You have both cards in your deck? Adams and the one you got this morning?”

"It's known as Shadow magic. There are people out there that use that magic for evil intentions. Like Yugi said we help people. We can use that Shadow magic to help them." Marik explains. Cora looks to them all. Joey nods. "Sure do. Yugi does too." Cora looks back to Yugi.

Yami nods. "I do. Haven't left my deck." With that he activates his duel disk.

"Duelists at the ready." The Announcer shouts. The coin flips the coin landing on tails, Team Serena going first. "Alright Folks! It's Time to Duel!"

Yugi nodded and said “ya, we have been dealing with this kind of thing for a while now. Yami and serena too, but that’s a longer story for later. Right now know that your okay and not going crazy”

Serena nodded and said “good…we might need them” she started the duel “I place two cards face down then summon Hound of the Gaurdian in defense mode” she ended her turn and waited.

Cora nodded, looking to the Duel that was starting. She just hoped that no one got hurt in this duel. She silently prayed to whomever would listen that her new friends would be alright.

Tsunade draws her card. "I'll place a monster face-down and place two cards face down and end my turn."

Yami draws his card and examines his hand. "I summon King's Knight(Atk:1600/Def:1400) in attack mode. I till then place a card face down and end my turn."

Her partner Genki draws a card. I summon Makyura the Distroyer(Atk:1600/Def:1200) in Attack mode." He says in a baritone voice almost sounding bored. "With that I end my turn."

Yugi turned to watch but felt something watching him. He turned behind him and felt like something was behind the crowd. Waiting for him.

Serena was watching the other team with wary eyes. She drew a card and said “I summon Sand Mage(1500/2000) in defense mode and play another card face down. Then end my turn” she had a trap set up now and had to wait for the trigger.

Tsunade drew her card and smirked. "First I'm going to play the Spell card Fissure. This let's me destroy one face up monster with the losest Attack. And that is your Sand Mage." Unless any of them had a counter to the spell, Serena's Mage was destroyed.

Cora was looking at the Duel when she noticed Yugi look behind them. She looked confused about what he maybe seeing. "Is everything okay Yugi?" She asks.

Serena smirked and said “thank you for that” when the mage was destroyed a huge wall of sand appeared and Serena said “you triggered my trap card. Sand wall. So now since its master is gone the sands of the desert will go wild and attack your side of the field once your turn is done. But it will either attack a monster, card, or your life points directly”

Yugi said “I feel…something is behind us…calling to me…”

Tsunade growled at what happened. But she had to work with what she was given. "I'll summon Plasma Eel(Atk:500/Def:1200) in attack mode. I will use it's effect equipping this monster to any face up monster my opponent controls. That monster can't be tributed and it loses 500 Atk each my opponent's end phase. I will attach Plasma Eel to Yami's King's Knight." With that the eel wrapped itself around the Knight. "With that I end my turn." With that she awaits the fate of their monsters or Life Points.

Cora seems to think about but decides to make her offer. "Maybe...I could go with you? If it's calling you, maybe it's a spirit that needs help?" She wonders.

Serena glared and drew a new card and tilted her head. “Well this will work…” she smirked at the woman and said “this is what happens when you target my beloved” she played a card and said “I summon the Gate Keeper (1600\1400) in attack mode, which his effect switches my Hound(1200/2000)into attack mode. When these two are together on the field they attack together and I target Destoryor across from me, their attack power together wiping out your beast. Then my turn ends amd my sand wipes out a something on the field…” suddenly the eel was blasted away in sand and she smirked. “What good luck I have…that ends my turn”

Yugi looked to Joey and said “keep an eye out during the duel. If shadow realm shows up, call me” he jumped up and took Cora’s hand and led her to the back of the room, finding a hallway that showed a set of stairs up to private seating. “Up there…”

Joey take his attention from the Duel to look toward Yugi and nods. "You got it pal!" When Yugi takes Cora's hand she manages to set her drink down before going with Yugi to investigate what Yugi was hearing. When they get close to the narrowed direction of the source calling him, she takes a deep breath steels herself. Still holding Yugi's hand, she slowly, and carefully starts sneaking up the stairs as she listens for anything she could possibly hear. Once upstairs, she crouches down and peeks over to figure out what is in the room.

Tsunade and Genki growl as their field is wiped clean. Yami smiled as he watched what Serena did. Though to be ruthless like this because of them messing with his monster, he didn't know how to feel about it. Flattered maybe?

Genki drew his card and sighed. "I place a card face down. Then summon Bowganian(ATK:1300/Def:1000) in attack mode. Then end my turn.

Yami draws his card. "I'll play the effect of the monster I just drew," revealing the card Palladium Oracle Mahad(ATK:2500/Def:2100). "With revealing this monster I can now special summon him to the field." Placing the monster on the field in Attack position. "With that I discard one card from my hand to special summon Apprentice Illusion Magician(Atk:2000/Def:1700) in attack position. Her effect comes into play that special summoning her I can add a Dark Magician from my deck to my hand." He does so and shuffles his deck before putting his deck back in its slot. "Next I'll attack Bowganian with my Apprentice Illusion Magician." The illusion Magician uses her magic to destroy Bowganian.

Taking their life points from 4000 to 3300. Feeling the pain of the damage taken.

Tsunade was clearly not happy about that she draws a card. "I'll summon Dark Jeroid(Atk:1200/Def:1500) and use his effect. I can pick a monster to where it loses 500 ATK. I choose Palladium Oracle Mahad." Dropping his atk of 2500 to 2000. With that I'll end my turn.

Yugi looked into the room and the pair saw a woman sitting alone. She had a sword leaning on the chair by her as she watched the duel. She said softly “come on…if you plan on winning you’ll have to be smarter then that…brotherhood bothers…”

Yugi blinked and said “Cora…do you see anything in the chair?”

Serena drew her card and paused, wondering what the other team was doing. What was the plan? The shadow realm was there she could sense it. Why wasn’t the brotherhood doing anything? This couldn’t be all they planned. Why weren’t they acting now?

Serena shook her head and looked at the card she drew then said “alright then…I play a card face down and summon Nile Rider (1700/1600) in attack mode. I can’t attack this turn for that’s the effect of my Gate keeper and Hound attacking together last turn so I end my turn. And my sands take another card” the sand wiped out of the face down cards on the other side of the field.

Cora could see the woman with the sword resting against the chair. She moves her head away from the entrance to keep herself hidden while her attention was on Yugi. She nods as her answer. "A woman with sword leaning against the chair....." She whispers. She leans further against the wall like she was trying to become one with it. What confused her was what was calling to Yugi? It couldn't have been her...could it? She peeks around again see if she can see anything but will pull away when the woman makes any movements.

Genki draws next. "I play the spell, Remove Trap. Letting me destroy any face-up trap on the field so I use it on the sand wall trap you have there. Ontop of that I will tribute Dark Jeroid to summon Helpoemer(ATK:2000/Def:1400) in attack position. With that I will have helpoemer attack your Oracle Mahad." The attacks the Oracle Mahad with both sides take more points of damage however just one monster each to the Graveyard.

Yami response to this. "Now that you've destroyed my Oracle, his effect comes into play, for once he is destroyed by battle, I can special summon a Dark Magician from my hand, deck or Graveyard. Which I will special summon from my hand." Dark Magician(Atk:2500/Def:2100) is placed on the field in Attack position. "With that I'll end my battle phase, place a card face-down and end my turn.

Yami draws his card wondering why they attacked with no plan to take lifepoints. There had to be a motive. He was about to find out. I place one face-down and play the card Pot of Greed allowing to draw 2 cards." Yami draws the 2 cards and re-examines his hand. I will summon Obnoxious Celtic Guard(ATK:1400/Def:1200) to the field in atk mode. Now I will have my Celtic Guard attack directly." The Celtic Guard slashes at the two which damages their life points having them cry out in pain.

Team Tsunade Life Points: 1900, Team Serena Life Points: 4000

Genki raises a finger. "Now with Helpoemer's ability from the graveyard. Since he had been destroyed by battle and once you end your battle phase please have a card randomly removed and place in the graveyard." Yami concedes. "With that I'll end my turn." Yami declares,shuffling his hand and randomly picks a card and places it in the graveyard.

Tsunade you could say was pissed. And with her draw to start her turn, she chuckles as she looked to the group. "Let's clear the board shall we? I'll the Spell Black hole! Which sends all cards from the field to the Graveyard!" The black hole swallowing up all their monsters and spell and trap cards. "Now! I'll place 2 card face down, then I'll play Dark Jeroid in defense mode. And I'll end my turn."

The woman leaned back and said “Yugi dear? You and your new friend can come in. I mean, I’m the one who invited you here…” Yugi got up and moved into the space and said “who are you?” The woman turned, her bright gold eyes warming seeing him. “Well that depends on the moment…if love is around I’m one…if there is a battle I’m another. Just like you”

Serena sighed, not understanding this route either. Why wipe the field now? She drew a card and said “alright then…I play two cards face down and I summon Priest of the afterlife (1900/300) to the field. And when he is summoned to the field, a monster from both our graveyards are brought back when I sacrifice him. Yami gets to pick. I pick Hound of the Guardian” she placed the card back and said “and since he was brought back, triggers the effect of a monster in my hand. I play Aubus the Keeper of the Dead(2200/2000) in attack mode. My death god is brought back when one of my monsters are revived. And he attacks your monster Jeroid! That ends my turn”

Yami chooses his Dark Magician.

Tsunade smiles. "I play the trap card Mirror Force. By declaring an attack, it destroys all your face-up monsters! Ontop of that you need to discard a random card due to Helpoemer's effect. He's still in the graveyard." Once they were destoyed and she discarded a random card from her hand. She moves onto her draw phase. "For this I will play the trap card known as Bad Reaction to Somochi. Any effect to increase your lifepoints will do the reverse effect and deal damage to you instead. While we are on this topic I will use the Spell card Rain of Mercy and increase our life points to 1000. But since I have my trap out, it will deal 1000 damage to your lifepoints!" A pain shot up through Yami.

Putting Team Tsunade: 2900 and Team Serena: 3000.

"I will then play the card Monster Reborn to bring back a monster from either Graveyard! And I'll choose Yami's Palladium Oracle Mahad and place him in attack mode!" Seeming please for what was in-store for the two. "Now. Let's have Palladium Oracle Mahad attack you directly." Yami having no cards to defend them, looked to Serena if she had any based on the two cards she had facedown.

Cora stiffened a little when she realized they had been caught. Comes out of her hiding place and stand beside Yugi. "Why did you call to Yugi?" She asks, wondering how this woman could be either or based on what was going on.

Serena cried out in pain but grinned darkly. “Anbus! Take that monster to the grave!” The god of the dead appeared and took the other monster before he could attack and they both exploded. Serena glared and said “when Anbus is destroyed in any way, he takes a monster with him. And I chose your monster that was once ours. You shouldn’t rush into things. Because since you triggered reflect like attack with a trap, triggers my trap card” the card flipped up and she said “your triggered Pray of a follower! Which gives us the miracle as seen on the battle field. Any monsters I have that are of the same class I can summon to the field, along with my partner. And look…” she held up her monster and said “I happen to have a spellcaster. Two in fact. I call on Magi Of the Moon(600/3000) in defense mode and Spell Keeper of Ra(1800/1200) attack mode.” She panted and felt the pull of the monsters she called. Crap. They were being linked to the monsters now. Why was the woman stalling?

Yugi blinked and said “your the goddess of love and war…Hoth?” The goddess smiled and stood up. “Yes I am. And it’s funny how fate would have it…two have two of my blessed before me”

"And I Palladium Oracle Mana(ATK:2000/Def:1700) summon to the field." He could feel the pull too.

Tsunade smiled wickedly. "That's okay! You also triggered my trap! Dark cure. For every monster you summon you life points based on half the attack of the monsters summoned. But you get damaged of course!"

Team Tsunade:2900, Team Serena:800

"I'll end my turn." Tsunade said. With this Yami noticed what was happening. Though the pain shot through them he looks to Serena. "We need to finish this. Their using a version of Yami Marik's deck!"

Marik noticed the card strategy they were using as he wrapped his arms around himself.

Cora looked to Yugi, then the woman calling herself Hoth, confused. Wait. The goddess Hoth? But how? She knew Duel monster spirits existed but for god to exist? Man, she was in for the ride of her life for this to happen. "Blessed? What do you mean?" She asks the goddess.