"I see. I wish you good luck with that" Max replied, sitting down, "I heard what happened to Ashleigh. Is she really gone?"
"Nah, she's alright, for now. Kaimiri nearly killed her though, but other than that" Aka replied.

"Why have I been so blind to this all alone? If I knew that Ashleigh was a vessal, I would've sent her somewhere else that Kaimiri wouldn't find her" Max said.
"But they still would hunt her down" Aka said, "What do you think Sakura?"

"I know. There are others among our group who are also vessels" Max said, "And I know who they're all are. I had the magic department to scan any newcomers, but I never thought to do one on my neice."

"Jun, Aki, Sho, Mokuba, Edo, and Mai Valentine. Though Miss Valentine isn't a part of the Federation" Max said.
"With Ashleigh, that's seven vessals of the group" Aka said, Yana getting up to leave for the concert. She tapped Selena on the sholder.
"Kasanagi's on stage, you better get down there" she said.

Sakura nodded and quickly made her way down to the ready area, so that she was ready when Kasanagi was done. Her seat was taken a few minutes later by none other than Yusei.

"Good to see you're well, Akatenchi." He said. His eyes narrowed at Max. "I thought you'd been killed."

---

Kasanagi stepped out on stage, wearing a red-and-black layered skirt, a red corset with black ribbons, heavy black boots with silver fastenings, black sleeves with silver lace at the ends, black fishnet stockings with holes (purposely) in them, and a black strapless top. Her makup was black lipstick (almost like an oil slick), black eyeliner, mascara with silver shimmer-powder mixed in, and a light dusting of crimson eyeshadow. She raised her mic to her lips to do another song cover; Dears, by none other than Gackt.

Quote:

furitsuzuku ame no naka de utsuroge ni sora o miageteita kagirinaku hirogaru hate ni jiyuu o motomeru tori no mure ga naiteita ushinatta egao no kazu dake kesshite uragiru koto wa dekinai no da to nandomo sou kokoro de tsubuyaita tatoe donna ni kizutsuite mo dore dake kizutsuku koto ni natte mo dareni mo boku wa tomerarenai wazuka na hikari o mitsukereba ii ima no taiyou ga agaranakute mo "furidashita ame wa itsuka yamu n da ne..." arukitsukareteita kimi wa te no naka de kieteyuku yume o daiteita kono inochi ga tsukita to shite mo wasurerarenai taisetsuna koto ga aru onaji jidai o tomo ni tatakatta koto tatoe kono koe ga todokanakute mo nido to ano koro ni modorenakute mo sakebitsuzukeru boku ga iru dore dake jidai ga nagarete mo karada o yusaburu omoi no mama ni... tatakaitsuzuketa akashi wa nokoru kara daremo ga umaretekita imi o sagashitsuzuketeiru tatoe donna ni kizutsuite mo dore dake kizutsuku koto ni natte mo dare ni mo boku wa tomerarenai wazuka na hikari o mitsukereba ii ima wa taiyou ga agarenakute mo "furidashita ame wa itsuka yamu n da ne..." "sou sa, kono ame wa itsuka yamu n da ne..."

As the last notes of the song faded out, a shot rang out through the stadium. Kasasnagi felt a bullet tear through her side, and she collapsed to the ground in pain and shock. Shit! What the fucking hell...?!

"I hope Yana's not that distracted as I was when she's on stage" Aka said as when she spotted Yusei sitting down, "Invested Termite coming for the landing" she sighed.
******
Ya

---

na quickly ran on stage and saw the bullet in her side.
"Hang on Kasanagi, just hang on" she said, then yelled out.
"We need a doctor here" she cried.

Kasanagi bit her lip in an attempt to stay concious. She didn't want to leave her twin brother alone. She heard fast and hard footsteps on the ground, and a pair of white-clad legs came into view, followed by a pair in black. Edo and Jun. "Great, just what I needed," She managed out. "My ass of a brother."

"Shut up you idiot!" Jun replied sharply. "You've just been shot." Like Yana, he called for a doctor.

"Ow. My ears are ringing already you moron." Kasanagi growled at her brother. "Besides, Yana already called for one." As she spoke Edo's hand gently closed around her own. She squeezed back.

---

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that." Yusei replied. "Looks like your little friend's been shot. Don't worry; I'm not the one who planned it."

"If it wasn't, who planned it?" Aka demaned.

---

Then a doctor and a team ran to Kasanagi's aid.
"We have to get her to surgery straight away" he said, after Yana explained what happened, "We need to take the bullet out asap!" The team transfured the girl to the streacher and wisked her away to hospital, with both boys following.
"She will be back by the end of the match, before the final concert" he said before he also followed the crew.
I just hope there isn't another bomb she thought, then spotted somebody with the same gun, aming it at her. Luckly she jumped into the crowd before the shot happened.
Oh mum, where are you? she thought.

Yusei shrugged. "I'm trying to puzzle it out, myself." He replied. And I've got a suspicion who, too. he thought.

---

Once Kasanagi was in the ambulance (neither Jun nor Edo had been allowed on with her), Jun glared at Edo. "I've just got one question, Pheonix." He said. "What is with you and my sister?"

"I hope it's not that witch! She caused enough damage than it is already" Aka growled.

---

"I love her ok? And you have to deal with it, like it or not" Edo replied, leaving Jun speechless for a while.

"Which is totally impossible. No one can do that. It takes a long time to learn something that dangerous" Aka replied, quite enjoying the chat.

Yusei nodded without replying. He was still wondering about who'd shot Kasanagi though...he had an inkling as to who it was, but he didn't want to voice his thoughts too early.

---

It took Jun a few moments to regain use of his vocal chords. When he did, his face was red with anger, though he didn't let it seep into his voice. "And when did these feelings come to the surface? Because if you touch her, I swear I will end you Pheonix."

"Don't you get it? She loves me too. Love goes both ways? When did you fell in love with somebody and they loved you back?" Edo snapped back.

---

"Hey look! The duel is about to start!" Somebody yelled. Yana ran into the dressing room.
Now, where is that temp. tattoo? she thought, as she pulled out her first outfit.

Jun kept his mouth shut. He was still nursing that crush he'd had on Asuka Tenjoin since their Academy days, and it was quite clear that she wasn't returning those feelings. After all, it was obvious that she had the hots for Judai. "She's older than you," he said lamely.

---

Selena stepped onto the dueling platform, along with Yugi. "You two know the drill," The referee said. Both duelists nodded. They handed their decks to each other and shuffled. Yugi, I'm gonna go all-out on you. Nor will I lose. She thought. She knew without a doubt that Yugi was thinking the same thing.

"So? I love her and she loves me. End of story" Edo said.

---

Yana looked at the screen.
Good luck dad, you need it she thought as she watched her father and Sakura heading to Battle position.

Jun sighed. He turned and walked off. "I still don't like it." He said.

---

The countdown began. When it reached zero, Yugi and Selena shouted "DUEL!" in unison. Selena took the first turn. She placed White Magician Pikeru in defense position and a face-down before handing it off to Yugi.

Yana, now wearing two bath towels, sat on the chair, holding her stomich.
"This is going to be an interesting duel" she said as Jonouchi entered.

"What's wrong with you?" Jonouchi asked, seeing Yana holding her stomach. To him, she looked like she was about to throw up.

---

Yugi drew. "I summon the Feral Imp in attack mode! Attack her White Magician Pikeru!" He said. The green imp lunged at Selena's monster and destroyed it. Strange, she didn't activate her face-down. He thought. "I play a face-down of my own and end."

"Oh, nothing's wrong" she said as she lifted up her hands to show a big piece of paper. She carefully pulled the paper off and it revealed a black heart.
"You see what this is for. And why are you doing here anyway? I'm about to go and get changed" she asked.

"Oh." Jonouchi replied. "I was grabbing something to eat before I headed to the VIP box to watch Sakura and Yugi go at it."

---

Selena drew. She played Ebon Magician Curran in defense mode, and motioned that it was Yugi's turn. Attack her, Yugi. She thought. You'll help me bring out one of my powerhouses if you do...