Kei

[color=royalblue]If you say Wizards announced it, okay. We'll just leave it at that. Since no one can come up with my answer, I'll just tell you. I was refering to Dark Rapidash. I'll come up with an easier, less argumentative question. What's the one thing that will cure the fever and paralysis caused by inhaling Stun Spore?[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by The Trainer [/i] [B]No, it is NOT a secret rare..it is a normal rare....unless...oh! [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]*ahem* Dark Raichu [i]is[/i] a secret rare, as like someone said before, the card number is 83/82, meaning that it is a special rare card that no one knew was in the set, and therefore can be called a secret rare. ^_~ And your answer's still not right. CS, I think that her name is Delia, but I'm not exactly sure. Not something you here often in the animé. More in the movies.[/color]

[color=royalblue][center]Chapter 4[/center] Joey awoke in a dark, dank room. His head was throbbing, and the cut on his face was slightly burning, but he couldn't rub either of them, as his hands were manacled to a wall. That was when Joey realized exactly what was going on. He remembered about the strange guy who grabbed him, and then used some wicked power to bring him here. Fear and panic quickly took over, and Joey began kicking wildly and yelling colorfully worded curses left and right. "Hey! Let me go! Get me outta here! I want out!" he yelled frantically. "No one?can hear you?boy?" came that familiar voice Joey recognized as the one belonging to his kidnapper. "You! Where are ya?! I want out now! If you don't let me go, you're gonna be in a world a hurt when I get outta this?" "You?are in?no position?to be?making threats?" the voice replied. "Why you?Let me outta here now! Why don'tcha show ya stinkin' face, ya coward! "In?due time," it replied. "For now?you?can stay?in my?little dungeon?and wait?for the Pharaoh?to arrive?" "Pharaoh? What the hell are you talkin' about?" "You?will?see?" came the cryptic reply. "Everyone shall?soon see?" And with that, the voice remained silent. Joey called for it to come back and explain itself, but it never hailed him. He was left all alone with nothing but his thoughts and the rats of the dungeon to comfort him. "Man, how did this happen? Why am I here? And who's the 'Pharaoh'?" he thought. "This is stupid! I hope Yuge and the others are lookin' for me. I need to get outta here." He then sighed heavily "Whoever that guy is, he's nuts. Who knows what he'll pull." Joey said aloud. He struggled fruitlessly against the manacles that bound him and slipped dejectedly downward so that he was simply hanging by his arms. "Find me soon, guys," Joey thought, "Or this guy could really go off the deep end?" [center]***[/center] Rayne, Yami, and Bakura sat outside the Kaiba Corp. building. It was still a bit early in the afternoon, and school hadn't let out yet, so they wouldn't expect Kaiba for a while. Rayne, being the impatient hothead she was, started pacing angrily as they waited. "Geez? This is ridiculous! We've just got to sit here and wait until he gets here?" "Well, we just can't go in and look around without permission." Bakura told her. "He's right, Rayne." Yami said. "The security would probably stop us before we got too far." "Screw the security!" Rayne yelled at him. "Joey's who the hell knows where, having who the hell knows what done to him, and we're just sitting here twiddling our thumbs!" "Trust me, Rayne, I know how you feel, but dashing headlong into something we know nothing about is no way to go about anything." Rayne simply scoffed and sat down on a wall that lined the entrance to the Kaiba Corp building. She was thinking how one call to her superiors would get her in quicker than you could say "government agent." Then she really thought about it and a smile slowly spread across her face. "Excuse me for a second, guys. I'll be right back," she said rising. "Where are you going?" Yami asked. "To make a phone call. Uh, have to make sure my parents don't worry. I doubt we'll be home at regular times, ya know?" "Oh. I see your point." Yami replied, barely able to catch himself from starting the suspicious look he was about to give her. "Right." Rayne said over her shoulder as she walked over to a tree a good distance away so they couldn't hear her conversation. Once she was over there, Bakura came closer to Yami and spoke in a hushed tone. "I think she's up to more than what she just told us." "I'm thinking the same thing, Bakura, but we can trust her. I know we can." Yami replied. [center]***[/center] Rayne took out her cell phone and hit one of the speed dial buttons. Instantly, she was connected to a secure government line so her call couldn't be traced outside Interpol. A secretary answered the line relatively quickly, and talked with an even tone. "Agent name and ID password," she said in her calm tone. "Agent Rayne Misaro, password Tekken." Some typing was heard in the background and the secretary replied in a more relaxed tone. "ID verified. What can I for you, Agent Misaro?" "I need to speak with the Chief. Now." "Right away. I'll direct connect you." "Thanks." Instantly, the connection with the secretary was broken and ringing began on the phone. Two seconds later, a middle-aged man with a gruff voice answered. "This is Chief Grimalk. What is it?" "Chief. It's Misaro." "Ah. Misaro. What's happened? A new lead?" "Yes, sir. I'm currently at Kaiba Corporation in Domino City. The suspect has kidnapped a local boy, and I believe that we can get another clue to his and our perp's whereabouts inside. The thing is, the CEO isn't there right now, and the civilians assisting me say we can't get in without him being there." As soon as the words passed her lips, Rayne regretted saying them. "You've got civilians in on this case?! Have you completely lost it, Misaro?!" "No, sir. It's just that-" "It's just that nothing! You know how dangerous this guy can be! You remember that slaying back near Giza?" "Yes, sir. I do. But it's that they can be of great use. The suspect sent one of them a letter setting stipulations about him having to find him, or he'll kill the boy." "What? Why didn't you say so?" "You really didn't give me a chance, sir." There was a heavy sigh at the other end of the phone. "All right, I admit that. But that's only one. You said 'civilians.' Who are the others?" "There's only one other, sir. The letter said two people had to help. The boy picked another and myself. He's simply here to help decipher these riddles about where the clues are." "Hm. You make sure they don't get into anything too dangerous, Misaro, or that's your *** in a sling." "Yes, sir." "Well, what do you want from me?" "I need you to make a call to Kaiba Corp. Tell them that an agent is coming in to do an important search. That way, there's no problem." "If I do that, you're cover'll be blown with the civilians." "No. I plan to go in before, and motion them in after everything is cleared." After a silence for about ten seconds, Grimalk finally answered. "All right. I'll make the call. Just be careful, and protect those civilians. You got me, Misaro?" "Yes, sir. Thanks." "And Misaro?" "Yes?" "Try not to hurt the guy too bad when you catch up with him." "No promises." "Mi-" But the Chief never got to finish his sentence, as Rayne turned off her phone and turned to go back to Yami and Bakura. [center]***[/center] Upon her return, Rayne looked to Yami and Bakura in a sort of happy-go-lucky way. "Okay, you guys. I'm just going to go in there and see something, okay? Who knows? Maybe they'll let us in." "Well, we'll come with you." Bakura said rising. "NO!" Rayne said quickly. "Uh, no. Just stay here," she said nervously and walked away relatively quickly. Yami and Bakura looked after her strangely, and then looked at each other. "So you're sure we can trust her?" Bakura asked. Yami simply looked him and shrugged, completely taken aback by Rayne's suddenly bizarre behavior. He looked after her again, and didn't notice when YaBakura took over Bakura's conscious. "That girl is definitely hiding something," he thought. "But what could it be?" [center]***[/center] Rayne walked boldly into Kaiba Corp. much less nervous than she had been a few minutes earlier. She didn't know how else to protect her cover, but she knew that they would find her sudden need to do things in privacy would come off as suspicious. She only hoped that they trusted her enough to play along for now and ask questions later. Rayne strode up to the main desk just as the secretary was getting off the phone. She looked quite rattled, as if she'd just gotten some startling news. The secretary looked up at Rayne and her look changed to one of slight shock. "Can I help you?" she asked in a sort of flat tone. "I take it from the look on your face a couple of seconds ago that you got the call from my superior." "Excuse me? Is this some joke?" she asked, a bit ruffled. "No, miss. I assure you, it's not." Rayne then reached into her breast pocket and pulled out a wallet-like pouch. She opened it to reveal her badge and ID card. The secretary looked at it stupidly. "You're?the agent they sent?" she asked dumbly. "Yes, I am. I assure you that my age doesn't affect my work. I have two associates outside. Once I go to get them, I'll be back to start my search. That 's all right, I trust?" "Uh, yes," she replied quickly. "That'll be fine?Agent Misaro." "Good." And with that, Rayne replaced her badge and walked out, leaving the poor confused secretary looking stupidly after her. "I swear, this is like something out of 'Spy Kids'?" she mumbled. "Isn't it, though?" Rayne said over her shoulder, as she'd heard the secretary's comment. Rayne walked outside and waved to get Yami and YaBakura's attention. They looked up and noticed her waving wildly. She motioned them to come on, and went back inside, sitting in a chair to wait until they got there. Yami and YaBakura looked to one another, blinked, then got up and walked to the entrance. [center]***[/center] A few minutes after flagging them over, Yami and YaBakura walked into the main lobby of Kaiba Corp. Rayne got up and walked over to them grinning slightly. "Took you two long enough," she said in a sort of triumphant tone. "We're in." "What? How'd you do it?" YaBakura asked in an awed sort of voice. "I have my ways." Rayne replied winking at him. "Let's just get started looking for this clue." "Where should we start?" Yami asked her. "Well, I doubt there would be a safe or something of the like down here in the lobby, so I guess we should start on some of the upper levels." "How will we know where to look?" YaBakura said, asking the obvious question. "Hm? Perhaps my new friend can be of assistance?" Rayne said walking over to the secretary's desk. "What's she talking about?" YaBakura said to no one in particular. "Hard to tell." Yami replied. YaBakura gave him a sidelong glance, then returned his gaze to Rayne who was conversing with the secretary in a hushed voice. He tilted his head to the side slightly and gazed smiling slightly at her legs. Thoughts raced through his mind and his smile widened, and then she spun around and started walking towards the two. YaBakura quickly came out of his suggestive thoughts and returned to his nonchalant state. "I got these from the secretary." Rayne said handing Yami a long, rolled up piece of paper. "What is it?" he asked her staring at the paper a bit confused. "They're blueprints of the top floor, where Kaiba's office is," she replied. "That's where we're headed." "Oh. Well, let's get going then. We can look these over when we get up there." YaBakura and Rayne nodded in agreement, and started walking over to the elevators, Yami quickly following. They let him take the lead, and upon reaching the elevators, YaBakura pulled Rayne to the side slightly. "How did you manage to get these? The blueprints, I mean." "I'm a government agent." Rayne replied smiling playfully. "Heh. Right." YaBakura replied sarcastically. "Seriously. How'd you do it?" "Well, I guess I'm just a persuasive person," she said nonchalantly. "That and the secretary's not too hard to trick." "I see?" YaBakura gave her an odd look as the elevator finally reached the bottom floor and she got on. Yami caught the look and gave him a quizzical glance, but YaBakura gave him a dismissive gesture, and walked after her. Yami sighed, as he knew that now both of them were hiding something now, but he dare not ask about it. Not yet, anyway. [center]***[/center] Seto Kaiba sat in the backseat of his customized Lexus looking out the back window. He'd noticed that Yugi and a few others had skipped out of school during lunch, and wondered where they could have went. Not that he cared, really. It wasn't as if they were his friends. He had no friends, only business associates, and he learned he had to watch them just as closely, if not even more so. It was just that basic curiosity that ate at him. What exactly was Yugi up to that made him have to leave school? He was about to get his answer. Kaiba's cell phone rang as the car just got on the freeway ramp. He quickly reached to his breast pocket and pulled out his sleek, black phone. "Kaiba," he said in his even tone. It was the secretary that had let Rayne, Yami, and YaBakura gain access to Kaiba's company. She sounded a bit panicked, and spoke in sort of a hurried voice. "Sir, this is Stacy from the main lobby desk. I don't think you'll believe what's happened." Kaiba's expression changed from a calm one to one of a mix of curiosity and annoyance. "I'll be the judge of that. Tell me what's going on." "Well, sir?" she began, "Not too long ago, I got a call from Interpol." "Interpol? Why would they be calling me?" "It had nothing to do with us, sir. We've done nothing wrong. A 'Chief Grimalk' called saying that an agent would be coming in to do a search of the building regarding an important case, and any attempts to stop them would lead to action being taken." Kaiba simply made a noise that sounded like anger and anxiety mixed together and let the woman continue. "Well, not a minute later, a girl came in saying that she expected that I'd gotten a call to her superior. She said she was the agent they'd sent." "Was it some sort of prank?" Kaiba asked seriously. "No, sir. She showed me her badge and ID card, and they were both legit. She said she had two associates that she would have to go get and that she would be back shortly. She brought them in, and who one of them as is the reason why I'm calling you." Kaiba had a feeling he might know who it was, and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Let me guess. One of them was Yugi Muto." "Uh, yes, sir," the woman replied surprised. "How did you-" "Never mind that. Did you let them in?" "Yes. I figured that you would want them in, given Chief Grimalk saying what he did." "Hm. Well, tell me this. What was the name of the agent who started all this?" "Her name was Rayne Misaro, I believe." "What?!" "Sir?" "That's the name of the girl who just transferred here! Why would she even enroll in school? Better yet, why would she be here in Domino?" Stacy, trying to tell him something else, interrupted Kaiba's thoughts. "Sir?" "What is it?" "There's something else. Agent Misaro asked for blueprints to your office." "What? Why would she need blueprints for my office?" "She didn't say, but she was very nice about asking for them." "I'm on my way. Don't let them leave." "Uh, I'll do that, sir," she replied, taken aback. Kaiba hung up his phone rather quickly and replaced it to his pocket. He rolled down the blacked-out, soundproof partition that separated him from his driver and got up closer to make sure he heard every word he said. "Step on it. Something important has come up and I need to get to the office now." "Yes, sir, Mr. Kaiba," the driver replied, never taking his eyes off the road. Kaiba sat back with a slightly angry on his face. He would catch up with this Interpol agent and find out exactly what was going on. And he would find out how Yugi was involved. It might actually prove to be an interesting encounter. He didn't know how right he was?[/color]

[color=royalblue]I just so happened to come across this title in the library and checked it out. It was the second volume, so I was kind of lost, but from what I've seen, it's pretty good. I just wanted to see if anyone else here has seen it, and what they're thoughts are.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Ah, yes. 'Tis Jamesy's and Adam's birthday, isn't it? I think the banner looks really nice (partly 'cause it's blue ;p). I like how you put the girl from our logo in there as well. It's very cute. ^^ Makes me wish I had something to give them...[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by The Trainer [/i] [B]It was Dark Raichu. Technically it wasn't a missprint, though. In the Japanese tcg, it was in Neo 2, or 3. WotC added in last second, and most of the cards were made with Xx/82 on them. Therefor, Dark Raichu had to be 83/82. Q: What is Umbreon's version of recovery? [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]That's not the right answer. Like you said, Dark Raichu was a secret rare card. ^_~ Someone else wanna take a shot?[/color]

[color=royalblue]This one may be hard for some... In the Team Rocket expansion set of the TCG, what card was found to be a mass misprint?[/color]

[color=royalblue][b][u]No EGG Messages[/u][/b] (Pokémon) is brimming with energy. (Pokémon) shows no interest in (Pokémon) [b][u]EGG Messages[/u][/b] (Pokémon) shows interest in (Pokémon) (Pokémon) is friendly with (Pokémon) (Pokémon) appears to care for (Pokémon)[/color]

This topic is [i]extremely[/i] old (from way back in November of last year) and upon closer inspection, very spammy. Oo; Please don't bring back old topics, as ones that are usually more than four months old are dead and stay so after a posting. Thread Closed.[/color]

[color=royalblue]Real world[/color] [color=green]The World[/color] ------------------------------------------------- [color=royalblue][i]After she had throughly read the manual and situated herself to her liking, Nakeisha finally logged herself onto the World. As it asked for a username, she put down the first thing that came to her mind.[/i] "Raye Misaro sounds good to me." [i]She quickly inputed her info, selected her class, and set up her skin. It looked so pretty. How she had always wanted to look herself...[/i][/color] [b][size=1]| Welcome to the World- Azure Sea {TM}! Enjoy your stay! |[/size][/b] [color=green][i]The transition from the real world to the game was much smoother for her than she thought it would be. In no time, Raye felt herself lying in some soft grass with the sun beating down on her. She slowly opened her eyes to the clear blue sky above her. Shifting herself into a sitting position, she looked about her new surroundings. A large field spread around her, with many other people around.[/i] They must be newbies like me. I'll bet this is [b]Summer Grove[/b]. [i]Raye got up and dusted herself off lightly, slightly surprised by how real the clothes felt. Upon looking behind her, she noticed the traveling cloak she'd made a part of her skin lying folded up, apparently acting as a pillow. She quickly picked it up in a swift movement, surprising herself. Raye smiled slightly and donned the cloak. It was made of a light material, so it didn't bother her at all, despite the slight heat. Raye gazed around at all the other people in the field and then down at her jagged dirk stashed in her belt and felt around at her back touching the highly polished yew wood of her bow. She could ask around to see where good monster fighting was. She could do some long-range fighting, or some close-combat if need be. She was prepared to go over to a group chatting a little away, when she saw another person sitting on a rock. He looked as if he was in deep thought. [/i] I don't see any harm in just asking... [i]Raye shrugged, and began walking over to the guy, not knowing whether it would end up being a huge mistake or not....[/i][/color]

[color=royalblue][b]Category One: Your Online Character[/b] [b]Name:[/b] Raye Misaro [b]Character Base/Type:[/b] Sky Runner [b]Weapon/s:[/b] Bow & Arrows; Jagged Dirk [b]Appearance:[/b] Raye is around 5'10", with a slender build. She has very pale blue eyes and shoulder-length white hair. She can often be seen in a dark blue tunic and black leggings with lightweight brown boots, but this is often covered by a dark green hooded traveling cloak. She keeps her dirk stashed in the thin leather belt she wears and her bow and quiver slung over to the right. She would be a very intimidating sight if not for the trademark cat-eared headband she wears. [b]Sex:[/b] Female [b]Category Two: Your Real Life Character[/b] [b]Name:[/b] Nakeisha Rowe [b]Age:[/b] 16 [b]Occupation:[/b] 11th grade student; Library Aide [b]Location:[/b] Dayton, Ohio, USA [b]Biography:[/b] Nakeisha is a pretty good student in school, which is why she's shunned. Many people believe that she's stuck-up, but that's far from the truth. She's just depressed. That's why she doesn't talk to anyone. She can often be seen reading some random book while everyone else is off having fun. It's the only thing that makes her happy. That was why she got a job at the library. To be around them more often. Her parents loved that she was so good with her grades and that she'd gotten a job, so they chipped in and got her a computer for her birthday. And a game. Nakeisha was excited because she'd heard so much about the game and she couldn't wait to play. She'd saved up some money of her own, so she went out and bought the VR gear she needed. Now it was all set up and ready to go. Now she could start her own little story... [b]Personality:[/b] Nakeisha is kind of complicated. One moment, she can be very buddy-buddy with someone, and the next she could be yelling at them for some petty thing. The only time she's really happy is if she's reading, with a cat, or proving someone wrong. But even though she has those traits, she'll stick up for her friends (the few she has) no matter what. She often gives advice to her friends or makes light of the scenario if needed, but she does get confused about the situation at times. But once she's got it figured out, she can solve pretty much anything. [b]Interests:[/b] Cats, Fantasy and How-To books, drawing, writing, animé, RPGing.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by dr.septagon [/i] [B]Smallville started off great, but now has turned into a teenage version of Sunset Beach or The Bold and the Beautiful with Clark liking Lana and people getting suspicous about him...its just gonna slowly morph into a teenage soap. What do they do for fun in Smallville? Its supposed to be set in the past and they still have computers and Gamecubes, Lex has a new porsche WTF? Lana isnt that good looking! :mrt: [/B][/QUOTE] [color=royalblue]Actually, at first people were complaining about the fact that Clark was always going up against people with powers gained the meteor rocks, and even dubbed them "The Freak of the Week," and ratings plummeted. So, for the second season, they decided to focus more on the relationships going on between the characters, as per request from frazzled fans. I personally love this show. It fits into my WB week, as I dub it. Running with all the other major WB shows (i.e. Everwood, Charmed, Angel, Gilmore Girls, etc.) I like the fact they've focused more on the relationship parts, rather than fighting meteor mutants every week. I like the episode when Lex's brother showed up. It was pretty good. And I liked the ep LM was talking about. That was pretty cool when he made that jump, and the ending was powerful, in a way. All in all, I think it's a pretty good show.[/color]

[color=royalblue]BM, I merged your thread with this one since it was pretty much regarding the same thing. Next time, try to look more closely at existing topics before creating new ones. ^_~[/color]

[color=royalblue]I'm so sorry for your loss, hon. I can sort of relate to you, as my grandmother died about two years ago on Christmas. I was very close to her, and it hurt me deeply. All I can say is, do what you need to. If you want to cry, cry. If you want to scream, scream. Do what you have to do to feel better. The death of a friend or loved one is a hard thing to get through, and it doesn't take a short time to get over. I'm still sad that my grandma died. You just have to keep on keepin' on. Hold your head up high and smile. Talking about it helps too. I'm here for you, and so are a whole bunch of others if you need it. Just don't hesitate to ask. ^_~[/color]

[color=royalblue][b]If you could choose only one new BIG feature for OtakuBoards, what would it be?[/b] I honestly don't know what to say. I mean, everything I wanted has been added over the upgrades in the past. The only thing I can think of would be if you could just set your font color, size, and type from your UCP. [b]If you could only add one new forum to OtakuBoards, what would it be?[/b] I'll go with Shy on this one. Otaku History. [b]Would you like to see a closer link between OtakuBoards and sister site, theOtaku.com?[/b] Very much so. [b]Would you like to see OtakuBoards open an affiliation program with other message boards?[/b] No, I wouldn't. Like Shy said, that would bring in droves of new people, which in turn would break our lovely little semi-silence going on around here now. I honestly shudder at the thought of what could happen. [b]Do you feel that theOtaku.com's chat system should be linked to OtakuBoards?[/b] I really don't use the chat system, so I couldn't give you anything to really run on regarding that. [b]Are you satisfied with the level of spam control on OtakuBoards?[/b] I refuse to answer that question on the grounds it might incriminate me. lol No, seriously. I feel that we could be a little tougher in that department, but we're doing an okay job of it at the moment. Just something to work on. [b]If you could access OtakuBoards on a handlheld device (PDA, Generation 3 Mobile Phone, etc), would you access it regularly in this way?[/b] I would! That would help me out a lot, as it happens. I'd love it if we could do that. [b]Is it more important to have a large variety of skins, or smaller (and higher quality) range of skins?[/b] I believe it's better to have quality over quantity. I'd rather have a few nice, well laid-out skins than a bunch of run-of-the-mill ones. [b]Would you prefer to have anime/gaming-themed skins or completely original works?[/b] Normally, I would say animé, but I'm strongly leaning towards originals. Many themes for many animés have come out, and to me, their starting to become somewhat monotonous. I know the folks here at OB would more than likely blow all of them out of the water, but I'm more inclined to see what you all can come up with by yourselves. [b]Do you actively engage Moderators and Category Moderators if you are having problems on OB?[/b] I do. I know all the rules and such, (wouldn't make much sense if I didn't, now would it?) but it's better to be safe than sorry in an area you're not sure of. [b]Are you satisfied with OtakuBoards' child protection policies? [/b] I am. The language barriers and all the other things we use here are just fine in my opinion.[/color]

[color=royalblue]All I can say is "Wow." This looks like it's gonna be a great movie. It would have been great to have sound on these computers ( >_< ), but the visuals were enough. I see a lot of CGI animation involved in this one, much like P3. I haven't gotten to see P4 yet, but I'll bet it was heavy on it as well. The new-age wave racers look fun to ride, though. All in all, I think Pokéfans will appreciate this one. [size=1]By the way, ZA, when telling people about off-site trailers, make sure you click the Automatic URL button off before you post. Otherwise, it'll make a link, which is prohibited here. I fixed it in your post, but try to remember in the future. ^_~[/size][/color]

[color=royalblue]Being a former Kougra owner myself, that drawing is really good. I have to go with the flow on this one. Shading would make the drawing really pop. I do like the Light Faerie you put in there, though. 7/10[/color]

[color=royalblue]This looks like it would be a lot of fun, Altron. I would join, but I probably won't have enough spare time. ^^; I would like to make a card suggestion, though. Phoenix Dragon (Fire/Dragon/6/1850/1500) Effect: If this card is destroyed in battle by an opponent monster and sent to the Graveyard, you may pay 1000LP to Special Summon this monster onto the field.[/color]

[color=royalblue]"Love is a many splendored thing." lol To me, love is something that just can't be described. It's just a plateau of happiness that's pretty much beyond explanation. When you're with the person you love, it's just like you're in one of those floaty dream sequence thingies. Everything is just perfect. It doesn't matter what happens, just as long as you're with that person. And when you're apart, all you can think about is him or her (along with other important things, like your life ^_~). I've only had that happen to me once, but it didn't last long, and I was only five. Oo; Love might have changed, but that's how I remember it.[/color]

[color=royalblue]I've had an e-relationship in the past. It ended horribly. And I've never tried anything else like that. I've joked around about it a few times, but that's about as close as I've come. I personally like the internet for finding people I can really click with, and that's what's happened here with OB. I've made some really great friends (You know who you are. ^_~) and met a lot of people who have the same interests I do, which wouldn't have happened, had I not registered. I have other friends from other sites I visit, and that's all I really care about online right now. Well, that, and finding quick research for term papers... Oo;[/color]

[color=royalblue]Well, like Rick said, on/off relationships are really horrible and messy. A couple of my friends had some like that, and they all turned out for the worse. I wouldn't suggest getting back together with Zach, as probably you two will end up right back where you are now.[/color]

[color=royalblue]That has got to be the funniest thing I've seen in a while. It reminds me of that song "The Alternative Polka" by Weird Al... Very good. I give you a gold Heathcliff sticker.[/color]

[color=royalblue][center]Chapter 3[/center] Yami, Bakura, and Rayne had arrived at Domino Harbor. The large boardwalk-like area stretched pretty far and was just as wide. It would take a while for them to search the entire area, so they decided to recheck what they had already to try to narrow the search. ?Perhaps there?s something in the letter that we?re overlooking that could help.? Bakura said. ?Maybe.? Yami commented. ?We know he said that the ocean has a calming effect, so wherever he hid the clue, you can see the ocean from there.? ?Well, we can count this section out then,? Rayne said aloud. ?The view of the ocean is blocked from here by all the stores.? Yami nodded in agreement at Rayne?s observation. ?Yes. That?s true. Well, we know that much. Also, all the stores face in this direction, so he wouldn?t have hid the clue in one of them.? ?Right. Perhaps checking along the ocean-side walkway might help.? Bakura chimed in. ?That?s a good place to start, Bakura.? Rayne agreed. It was then that she looked to the letter still clutched in Yami?s hand and saw the envelope that it came in. ?Yugi, let me see that envelope,? she said reaching for it. He did so, and she looked inside it. There was a boat rental receipt inside. ?Check this out,? she said handing it to Yami. ?Hm. He might have thrown the clue into the Harbor. Perhaps to make the search harder.? ?I doubt it. He wants us to find him, so he probably put the clue, whatever it is, in an easy-to-find spot. I think this is just to throw us off. Obviously a fan of red herrings.? ?You?re probably right. Let?s do what Bakura suggested, and check the walkway. We?ll split up and meet up back here in a half hour.? Yami said. Rayne and Bakura nodded in agreement and headed off in different directions to check the walkway. Yami went his own way and scoured everything for a possible hint. [center]***[/center] As Bakura walked along his part of the walkway, he began to feel odd. He felt light-headed, and then he began to black out, but he wasn?t falling. The dark presence that inhabited his Millenium Ring brought himself out and took control of Bakura?s body. YaBakura looked at the ocean, which he was standing in front of, and thought hard about the present situation. ?Hm. So Joey?s gone missing, and little Yugi wants my help,? he thought. ?Whomever took him must know about the bond Yugi and the Spirit of the Puzzle share, as it was mentioned in the letter. It?s quite possible that the kidnapper is a thief like myself going after the Puzzle. I?d better go along with this little rescue mission for the time being, to make sure the Puzzle remains in little Yugi?s possession. That is, until I decide to take it for myself. Plus, I might be able to get to know that girl better. Bakura seems quite taken with her, and I can?t quite blame him?? With a final few thoughts and a last look at the ocean, YaBakura went to the task of scouring the boardwalk for anything that might lead to Joey?s whereabouts. [center]***[/center] Rayne was looking frantically about for the clue. She scoured the boardwalk, leaving no possible place unsearched. It was as if she was a professional at it. As it happened, she was. Rayne was actually an undercover agent that was investigating a recent string of murders and thefts, and the trail happened to lead her to Domino Town. She enrolled in the school system as to not raise suspicion about a child moving to the city near the beginning of the school year, but not going. Any digging the police might have done would probably blow her cover. True, she was a bit young for the job, but the fact was, Rayne was a genius. She?d graduated from a prestigious college when she was only 13 and joined the police force as a reference assistant a year after that. Her work was some of the best in the business, and eventually, Interpol noticed her. They hired her to do the same job she?d been doing, but eventually a case came up that needed a young agent to go undercover, and Rayne was the likely candidate. She turned out to be a natural in the field, and stayed there ever since. She?d collected an interesting track record over time, arresting nearly 40 wanted criminals, and getting promoted on a regular basis. She also had one of the highest criminal casualty records, as she had a very bad temper and often took it out of the people she arrested. Ever since was made an orphan by a purse-snatcher that decided he wanted to move onto bigger crimes and killed her parents, Rayne had had a lot of angst. She couldn?t stand those types of criminals, or ones that harmed children, so this case was fast becoming personal-like. ?If I were that lunatic, where would I hide a clue of substantial importance?? Rayne mumbled to herself. That wasn?t the only thought she had on her mind, though. She was thinking how the Yugi boy could be connected to her suspect. It was all very confusing to her. In the letter, the guy called Yugi a Pharaoh. She?d studied Ancient Egyptian history in college and knew the Pharaoh often gathered a vast amount of enemies over his reign. She figured the guy must be an Egyptian history lover and a duelist, so he would consider Yugi a ?King? in some aspect, as he was the Duel Monsters Champion. He?d won the Duelist Kingdom tournament as well and earned the title of ?King of Games?, which was mentioned in the letter. She also knew that Duel Monsters had a base in Egypt from a report that she had read by Professor Arthur Hawkings on some ruins he had discovered with another man that had hieroglyphics depicting many things that can be connected to Duel Monsters. His findings and theories were mocked and laughed at by his peers, but she thought they had a lot of reasoning. That?s how her fascination with Duel Monsters started. She was quite a good duelist, but often had no one to battle with. That?s why she jumped on the chance to take the case that would lead her to the hometown of the Champ. Now that she was deeply involved, however, dueling was the last thing on her mind. Many things in this case were disturbing, and she had spent many a night trying to connect the crimes this slippery criminal had so obviously committed. The first crime was the theft of some Ancient Egyptian relics from a museum in Cairo. They seemed to be just your regular artifacts excavated from one of the Great Pyramids. Bracelets, cups, precious jewels. Everything one would expect to find in a Pharaoh?s tomb. It wasn?t your regular smash and grab job, though. There wasn?t anything broken or damaged in the place, including the case where the relics were kept, and the security system wiring box on the roof. No prints were found at the scene and the security cameras showed no one entering or leaving the area where the items were kept except by the occasional patrolling security guard. That was the first of many mysteries this case would produce. The second crime was the homicide of a family who lived near Giza. It was one of the most gruesome things Rayne had ever seen. The entire family?s entrails had been pulled out through their mouths. Their brains were pulled out through their noses, just as the Ancient Egyptians had done to prepare a dead body for mummification. Even the pet cat hadn?t been able to escape the murderer. By this time, he?d decided to show his sense of humor and left a calling card behind. It was a Duel Monster card, ?The King of the Yamimakai.? Rayne knew that the word ?yamimakai? translated extremely loosely from Japanese would mean ?dark spirit world.? Whoever was doing this felt he was the King of Darkness. It made Rayne think why he would want to kill these people. By doing some digging, she found that the family was actually the overseers of a Pharaoh?s tomb. They made sure that archeologists didn?t deface the tomb to much, and often helped the guardians of the tomb. It was then a connection between the crimes arose. The items stolen from the museum had been excavated from the tomb of the same Pharaoh the murdered family had overseen. She figured the guy had some whacked-out obsession with this particular Pharaoh and wanted to wipe out everything that had a connection with it. She thought that he would go after the guardians of the tomb and was on the lookout for him around where they supposedly lived, but soon found out he?d made his way to Japan. The most recent theft was not too far away from where she was currently located. Some scrolls had been stolen from an Ancient Egypt exhibit at another museum, again connected to the same Pharaoh as before. They were said to be incantations of great power with which the Pharaoh had used to lock a great evil away. Rayne then connected more dots in this child?s puzzle. The Pharaoh was also mentioned in the findings of the report she had read about the ancient ruins. It was said that a game of great power called the Shadow Games, which Rayne had figured Duel Monsters was based on, was played between Pharaohs in that day and age. They used real monsters, however, and played this ?game? in a dark place called ?The Shadow Realm.? Unfortunately, the monsters soon became too hard to control, and ran rabid in the land of Egypt. They were locked away for some time, but then some sorcerers found a way to release the creatures from their tombs and start the games all over again. It was then that the Pharaoh decided to step in and locked the magic away forever in several different items, sacrificing himself in the process. The stolen scrolls were found outside the Pharaoh?s tomb in an archeological dig, and put on display in an Egyptian museum. These scrolls were then signed out to a museum as part of a special exhibit, and came to Japan, where they were stolen. Again, A King of the Yamimakai card was left behind, no prints were left and not a shard of broken glass or snipped wire was found. Whoever this clown was, he was beginning to piss Rayne off. Now she was in Domino, as she figured he would come to the Champ?s hometown, and she could now add kidnapping to his already long list of crimes. Rayne was determined to find Joey, no matter what it took. She?d seen a lot of kidnapping cases in her time as an Interpol agent, some with happy endings; others, not so lucky. All of them made her angry to some extent or another, and this was no exception. She?d find that clue if it was the last thing she did. And she would find the connection between her guy and Yugi. It was just that, unlike her current clue, she didn?t know where to start looking for it. [center]***[/center] Yami looked about in every place imaginable. The search was frantic, but to the average person, it looked as if he was just walking along the strip with something on his mind. Thoughts raced at all speeds in Yami?s complex conscious. Where would it be? Why did he take Joey? Can I find him in time? Yami shook himself. It was no time to be thinking like that. He would find Joey. And he would make his kidnapper pay dearly for what he put them both through. But another thought entered just then. How would he tell Joey?s family about what was going on? Perhaps Téa and Tristan had already solved this problem, but how were they taking it, if that was the case? How would they take it if he were the one that had to tell them? Yami envisioned the look on Joey?s sister Serenity?s face if had to tell her. He couldn?t bear it. No, he wouldn?t do it. He?d find Joey, or kill himself trying. Not just for Joey?s family?s sake, but for Yugi and everyone else?s as well. [center]***[/center] The three comrades returned to the rendezvous point empty-handed a half-hour later. None of them had had any luck in finding any trace of a clue. ?This is ridiculous,? Rayne said with a bit of anger in her voice. ?Three very intelligent people look for one clue, and they all come up with nothing.? ?I admit, that does seem out there,? Yami commented. ?Perhaps we did read the clue wrong.? ?I don?t believe so, Yugi,? the now normal Bakura said aloud. ?I just think we were looking in the wrong place. Perhaps that line meant something else.? ?Perhaps so, Bakura.? Rayne was fuming silently as her mind ran over different things the clue might have meant. Perhaps it meant that they should have went to the aquarium, or something else that has to do with water. ?No, that?s not it,? she thought. ?It has to be here, I know it. Bakura is right. We?re not looking in the right spot.? It was then she looked up and noticed a peculiar storefront a bit away from where she, Bakura and Yami stood. It was painted all blue, and had an array of ocean life painted on it. To one, it might look like you were seeing a picture from an underwater camera. Rayne saw the sign on it and figured out why. ?Uh, Bakura? Yugi? Remember when we said that the clue couldn?t be in one of the stores? I do believe we were mistaken,? she said pointing to the store. Yami and Bakura looked in the direction where she pointed and looked at the building with slight shock. It was named ?The Ocean.? ?You could be right, Rayne. Let?s go check it out,? Yami said decisively. They walked over to the store and entered. What was inside was nothing like one would expect from the choice of paint outside. It seemed sort of like a room straight out of the Woodstock era. Strong incense that smelled sort of like a variety of flowers and mint mixed together were burning and music sort of like what?s often associated with India played in the background. The bright orange walls made Rayne?s head hurt, but she still looked around. All over were different objects used for meditation. Artifacts used in Buddhism and other Eastern and Far Eastern religions filled the artful shelves and lined the walls. In the back was the checkout counter and a guy who looked pretty much like he was higher than a kite stood behind it. ?Welcome to my store, dudes and dudette,? he said in a sort of hippie-like voice. ?What can I do for you?? ?Umm?Well? We were wondering if any strange characters might have come in here recently.? Rayne told the guy. ?Aren?t we all strange characters?? he responded. ?Perhaps,? Rayne said with a bit of impatience in her voice, ?but I mean someone looking like they were up to no good. We?re looking for something he might have left here?? ?Oh, him! Yeah, yeah?. I know who you mean now. That dude had a wicked aura going on. Ruining the whole vibe of my store, ya know?? ?So he was here?? Bakura asked eagerly. ?Yeah. Didn?t get a good look at the guy, though. He always wore this hood that shadowed his face and all. Looked like that Sith dude from Star Wars?? ?Did he leave anything here?? Rayne asked, not at all hiding her growing anger with having to deal with this guy. ?Yeah. An envelope. He said some people were going to come looking for it. Guess that means it?s you guys. So, do you know him?? ?Not exactly,? Yami replied, ?but we will soon. You can count on it.? ?Well, here you go,? he said handing the envelope out to them. Rayne walked to the back and took it from him. ?Thanks,? she said flatly. ?Note to self:? she thought. ?Have this place checked for drug possession.? The three walked out of the place relatively quickly and opened the envelope. Inside there was another letter to Yami. Rayne handed it to him and he read it aloud. [b]Pharaoh, So you?ve figured out my first puzzle. Very good. But it?s only going to get harder. This next one is a blast from your past, or should I say, your vessel?s past. [i]Taller than the Sphinx Harder than stone This place of times past You well know[/i] Find the Pharaoh of this place. He will not be willing to give you the clue, for he does not know he possesses it. He would probably not help you even if he did know he had it. Of course, you do not know what to look for, so here is another little something for you to ponder [i]These walls, so hard Hide what you seek Try to find it quickly For your friend grows weak.[/i] Good luck to you, Your Highness. Your Old Friend P.S. I hope you have your mind[/b] set o[b]n reclaiming your little vessel?s lost friend. For my puzzles will be more difficult as you progress.[/b] Rayne and Bakura looked at one another with blank expressions, then at Yami. ?What the hell is that supposed to mean?? Rayne said in an annoyed voice. ?I don?t quite know?? Yami replied. ?I think I do,? Bakura said after pondering the riddle a bit. ?Allow me to see that letter.? Yami handed the letter over to Bakura and he read the riddle over. He seemed to think hard about what he thought might be the solution and finally nodded. ?I do believe we have to pay Kaiba a visit,? he told them. ?What? Kaiba?? Yami said incredulously. ?Why would we have to go to him?? ?Well, look at what the letter said. ?Taller than the Sphinx; Harder than stone; This place of times past; You well know.? That would probably mean the Kaiba Corporation building, where you and Kaiba had your first duel. Kaiba is the CEO, so he would be the Pharaoh, in a manner of speaking. It also said he wouldn?t help even if he knew he had the clue, which I don?t doubt that Kaiba wouldn?t. Then, look at this.? He showed the letter to Rayne and Yami, and pointed to the ?P.S.? at the bottom. ?Do you see where the letters are different? Thinner, I mean? It seems that the letters S, E, T and O are written like this, which would spell Seto, Kaiba?s first name.? ?Hmm. I guess you?re right, Bakura. It does seem like we?ll be paying Kaiba a visit.? ?I take it you all have had your share of history with him besides the first duel you had?? Rayne asked. ?You could say that.? Yami replied. ?All I know is, getting this next clue won?t be easy at all.? ?Well, I know one thing. If Kaiba?s anything like that last guy, I?m going postal on him.? Rayne commented. ?That would just about fulfill every wish all of us had about dealing with Kaiba.? Bakura told her. ?Good. Then I?d be doing you a favor.? Rayne said as she let Yami lead the way to the Kaiba Corp. building. ?You would?think that?Detective,? the hooded figure said from his perch in a nearby tree. ?But you?d be?dead wrong??[/color]

[color=royalblue]Yes, Team Magma do wear masks slightly similar to the Houndooms they use to cover the top halfs of thier faces and blood red cowls. As for Team Aqua, I have no idea, as they weren't part of the special. I don't think they dress like pirates, though. Probably more like aquarium employees or something. It's just a wild guess, so don't quote me on it.[/color]

[color=royalblue]ZA, next time you want to say something else, please use the Edit button. Double-posting is highly discouraged.[/color]