((They're getting the third out now. Thank whatever gods there are that the miners they've got are all right and pray that the rest get out fine.))

Selena stepped out of the shadows to see Yugi down on one knee, part of his right leg missing. She heard Marcia gasp beside her. "What the hell's going on?" Yusei asked quietly.

Selena didn't reply. Yugi looked to them. "What the hell're you doing back here? I told you to get out of here!"

'Shut it.' Selena replied. 'You'll need all the strength you can get.'

Yugi was about to reply when Selena heard a soft thump beside her. She turned, and saw Yusei on his knees, gripping his upper arms, looking down and gasping for air. His face was covered in sweat.

'Yusei!' She linked frantically. No reply. 'YUSEI!'

((They survived the two months so...I'm sure that they're fine))
"I deal with Yusei. YOu support with Yugi" she said then crouched down.
From the darkness comes the light. In this darkest power, please return Yusei's power. Marcia chanted. She chanted this many times till the crimson dragon's power lit up. Yusei started to breath normaly.
"Yusei."

Careful Selena Marcia thought.
"Yugi, we decided to come back. You think we leave you alone here? Listen. If you're going down, we're going down with you" she yelled.

((I'm holding a party in my room on TinierMe. The password to get in is "rose". Just search my username in Chat Town under General Chat and you'll find it.))

Yugi looked like he was going to say something for a moment before smiling and nodding. Grimacing, he pushed himself back up. "You hear that?" He asked the puppet.

The puppet had an ugly look on its face. "Go to hell." It said sourly, taking another shot at Selena and the others. Just like before, it didn't go through, but was flattened by an invisible shield that shimmered violet when the bullet hit it. As with the first, it fell to the ground as a little lead pancake.

"Kuro-san, what are you doing?" Yusei asked.

Selena looked to him over her shoulder. There was no doubt in her mind that seeing her Demon Eye from this angle was probably a little freaky. 'It's a shield. I've solidified my aura with my psi powers of my Demon Eye to block the bullets.' She replied.

((Ok, what is the room's name?))
"Finish the duel Yugi, we, got your back" Marcia said and transformed. Her fairy form was different that Ashleigh's but it suited the fairy.
"I got your back Selena" she mindlinked to Selena, "Just focus on the sheild"
((Marcia's Enchantix V2))

((It's empty and I need to get to bed...))

I'll do my best.' Selena replied. 'Yusei, will you be able to put up a shield if you have to?'

'Doubt it. I'm using most of my strength to keep from passing out.' Yusei replied.

Not good. Selena thought. Yugi, you'd better finish this soon. I'm not sure how long I'll be able to keep this up.

Yugi smiled and nodded. "My turn." He said, drawing his next card. "The defense position monster you defeated last turn was something called Poison Needle. Now that it's in the graveyard, it takes one card in your hand out of play each round."

On cue, a bright green needle impaled one of the puppet's cards and pinned it to the ground. "I'll summon Marshmellon in defense mode and place another card face-down. I end."

"Mashmellon??? What's.....CUTE!!!" Marcia fell in love with the interesting mashmellow creature.
********
During all what is happening, something was happening at HQ. Melhana was outside, talking to Joey. Mahad stayed with Ashleigh.
"Melhana! MELHANA!!! Ashleigh's waking up" Mahad cried. Sure enough, the girl slowly opened her eyes and letting them ajust to the light. The doctor who heard Mahad's cry quickly dashed and start doing tests on Ashleigh....for safety percausions of course.

((Wow...we now know Marcia's weakness: cute things.))

Selena stared at Marcia, slackjawed. We now know her weakness. Cute things. She thought.

Yugi blinked at the shriek. "Um, okay..." He said.


Melhana immedeatly followed the doctor as he rushed into the room to check on Ashleigh, Jonouchi following. "Hey, you all right?" She asked.

((I'm adding that to her bio which I'm working on))
"What's wrong with that? I heard from Ashleigh which in one epsoide, you were cute as the Dark Magican" Marcia resorted, making Yugi embarrssed.

---

"Look" Mahad said. The doctor was still fussing over Ashleigh, who may I add that her tempature was back to normal, was totaly confused.
This isn't Joey's place? Where am I? she thought.

Yugi turned beet red. This is the last thing I need right now... he thought.


Melhana exhaled in relief. "Well, that tension's gone." She said.

Marcia knew she was going to get it but that's what you get if when you mess with Marcia.

---

Ashleigh sneezed into her hand. Mahad walked to the bed.
"Are you ok Ashleigh?" he asked. She didn't respond.
Sadly for now, the curse robed her of her voice but lucky, her voice will return in a few ways, maybe weeks. But for now, it's best to write things down Aka replied.
"Guys, there is good and bad news. The bad news is, Ashleigh's voice is robbed from her. The good news is, well, it's not permanent and will return to her" Mahad said.

"At least she'll get it back." Melhana replied.


"If you're done with your chatter," the puppet said, drawing its card, "I'll go ahead and make my move."

"I'll play a monster of my own in face-down defense mode, and I'll attack your Marshmellon with slot machine." It directed. The attack went through, but the little marshmellow-like creature wasn't destroyed. "What?"

"Marshmellon's special effect." Yugi said. "It can't be destroyed as a result of battle."

The puppet didn't react to this setback. "No matter," It said. "I'll just activate another face-down; Hinotama!"

"Activate face-down: Magic Jammer!" Yugi countered, knowing he'd be giving up 300 life points and more of his own life force. "Your Hinotama's negated!"

"No it's not," the puppet replied. "Activate second face-down: Purge. It negates and destroys all counter Traps and Spells for during my turn. In addition, it stays on the field and prevents all counter Spells and Traps from being activated during the Battle Phase."

Defenseless, the spell went through, hitting Yugi right-on. He threw his arms up to sheild his face, but the couldn't block the pain as another section of his body was taken by the shadows. Looking down, he saw that part of his torso was now gone. Damn, he thought.

"I end my turn," the puppet said.

With a final examination, the doctor left to deturman the results. The other two came close to the bed.
"Ashliegh, I know you can hear me. You have to aknowege them. They care about you" said an all to familiar voice. Everyone turned around and saw Trudge standing in the doorway.
"This federation took me here. What's going on with her?" he asked. He had a feeling that this magic stuff is behind all this and by now, he was used to it.

((Manga/series or DM?))
"You know that I forgot all about that incident but never what Yugi did! Anyway, it was Ashleigh who kept an eye out for me when she arrived. I want to know about the girl. It's about time I payed her back for what she did" Trudge replied.

(Manga)

"Then how's about I remind you?" Melhana asked, still smiling and cracking her knuckles.

"You want to be locked up for good?" Trudge resorted.
And this used to be the bully that Master had to deal with? Great Mahad thought.

"You were about to assult me, the asisstant cheif of investigation" Ushio yelled, but the, both stop talking. Ashleigh used a zip mouth technique without even looking. She wrote something down on a peice of paper and passed it on to Mahad.
"Shut up the whole lot of you. You're giving me a headace" he read. Ashleigh unzipped their mouths.
"She also wrote, if she could speak, she would've yelled at you and knocked your heads together" Mahad continued, "in my terms, she would've hurt you if she tried."

Ashliegh redo the spell to Melhana and again wrote something down.
"Melhana, cut it out or I will send you to the coldest place I know" Mahad read out.

'You're not the only mage here.' Melhana linked to Ashleigh.


Yugi drew. I have to end this duel. He thought. He glanced down to where Selena was sheilding Yusei. And it had better be soon by the looks of it. Yusei looks like he's about to pass out from the stress in here.

Yugi took a look at the cards in his hand. Damn, nothing useful. He thought.

'What's wrong?' Selena linked. 'You're scowling.'

'I can't do anything with the cards in my hand.' Yugi replied sourly. 'Can you channel any of your energy into Yusei to help him survive in here?'

'I am.' Selena answered. 'It's barely enough though. Both Marcia and I are giving him power so he doesn't collapse from the strain. The problem is that we've got to sustain ourselves as well.'

'Damn.' Yugi said. 'How long will you be able to keep that shield up?'

'No idea.' Selena replied. 'Just end this so we can get out of here.'

Yugi nodded. 'Will do.' He replied, then added to himself, That is, when I get something that lets me place more than just face-downs.

Ashleigh blocked out any mind linked. She was in a state of shock.
"She an't moving" Mahad said.

((What's Marcia up to in all this?))

Melhana snapped her fingers, undoing the spell. She strode over to Ashleigh's bed and sat down next to the woman. She placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hey, if this is about what I did to you, I...wansn't myself." She admitted. "Of everyone in my family, I'm the only one who can't fully control my power. The dark half took over and...well...overwhelmed me."

Not that I tried to stop it, she thought to herself.


'Yusei, can you stand?' Selena linked.

'I think so.' Yusei replied after a moment's hesitation. 'How do you guys deal with the strain in this place? It's suffocating.'

'I know. I often wonder how people like Yugi, Marcia and myself handle it.' Selena replied. 'But if you think this is bad, be glad you're not dueling; not only do you have to sustain yourself, but your monsters and card effects leech off your life force as well, adding to the strain. The first time he played a Shadow Game without Atem's help, Yugi nearly died.'

Yusei's eyes widened. He was now standing strait, though still pale and a bit shaky. 'You're joking?' He asked in hesitant disbelief.

Selena shook her head. 'I'm dead serious.' She replied. 'I felt it happen. The whole gang did.'