Hello, everybody! It's been so long! So sorry I haven't posted a chapter in a long time. Don't worry, I'm not dead!

I have been busy finishing up my first book of my ongoing series and hoping to get it done by May 29th. Although I will be busy with my careers, I will still finish my current fanfictions and write more in the future when I find the time.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

PEACE

Slowly, the yellow background faded away. After the turbulent voyage to a another dimension, the gang took the time to recuperate themselves. Yugi groaned and collapsed on his bottom.

"That was a blast," Joey muttered as he rubbed his shaggy hair. "I'm gonna feel light-headed for a week."

"Remind me to thank Pegasus for that fantastic voyage," Tristan blurted. "If our body parts had switched during the transport, I will sue his red frilly pants off."

"I'm just thankful that we made it here safely. I mean, nobody got dematerialized in the process." added Téa as she felt her entire body to check if she's still solid. "At least I think."

Yugi groaned as he gingerly stood on his shaking legs and lifted his tender head up. He attempted to pry his eyes open once the stinginess in his closed eyelids.

Slowly and very carefully, the gang peeked their eyes ajar, blinking several times in order for the spots to diminish from their eyeballs. When their retinas restored and their vision cleared, they saw they are no longer in Maximilian Pegasus' lair. Instead, they noticed severals wooden houses and small buildings. The quadrant examined more of their new surrounding. They also spotted a mob of new people dressed in odd old-fashioned clothing. "Call me crazy, but I don't think we're in Japan anymore," Joey guessed.

"Heck, I don't think we're in Earth anymore," Tristan added.

Yugi's eyes widened as he realized the truth. They have arrived at the hub village of the so-called "game" world described by Pegasus. They have been transported into a new world, the opposite world comparing to Planet Earth. "This is it, guys. We made it. We traveled to the Old World." He stated.

The friends looked in awe. Several of the natives continued to stare while the others carried on. "So dis is the Old World, huh?" Joey said. "Gotta say, it's not too shabby. Reminds me of a role-playing online game I usta play. "

Téa cracked the book open and turn a few pages. "According to the magic guide book, we're located in a town called Humble Hamlet. It's village hub where travelers and venders come here to rest, stock up, and eat. It's also our starting point."

"The starting point of the game." Tristan added.

"Tristan, we're not really a game world. This world is the alternate universe that we transported in." Yugi explained. "This is almost like the real world, only it's filled with magic and real live monsters. Although it does feel like we're in a role playing board game."

"Yeah, it feels too real to be some kind of game." Téa said. "Kind of spooky if you ask me."

"So we have to be very careful," Yugi said. "We can't afford to lose our lives here. Grandpa is counting on me."

"Okay then. Now let's go find this Snow Pharaoh's Icy Pyramid so we can save your grandpa." Tristan was eager to get this show on the road.

"Just a minute, Tristan. Didn't Pegasus said that we need to gather some supplies and stuff?" Téa said, looking through the pages. "He did warn us that the journey we are planning to will be difficult and I quote, 'a rather perilous journey'."

"So we have to stock up good and equip ourselves with heavy armor and weapons." Joey said.

"One little problem with that, Joey." Téa interposed. "We need money to buy those things and all we got are yen from Earth which would probably be unusable in this world."

"We won't have to worry about that. Already we gotten 4,000 gold pieces, which in this world we call it 'pelves'." Yugi said, scoping up a hand full of gold coins.

"Great, so now we can buy whatever we want." Joey said.

"There are just so many shops here," Téa said. "Don't know what to choose, where to start..."

"How about this one?" Yugi pointed to a shop that has a large mermaid painted over the sign.

"'The Mermaid Dresser'?" Tristan read. "You're kidding, right? That sounds like a girly store to me."

"I wouldn't be caught dead in that mermaid outfit." Joey added.

"This looks more like a regular store," Téa peeked through the windows. "They have guy clothes too. I'd say let's go in."

So Yugi and the gang opened the door and went inside. A teenage girl with long purple hair tied in a ponytail stood from behind a counter and approached the customers. "Welcome to the Mermaid Dresser." She greeted warmly in a high pitched voice. "My name is Miho, what can do I for you?"

"Well, Miho, we need some traveling clothes and some armor." Yugi requested. "What do you have?"

"We have a full selection of clothing to your size." Miho said. "Please feel free to look around."

Yugi, Tristan, Téa, and Joey browsed the store, trying on various clothing.

Yugi held a large Viking helmet in his hands and examined it. "Hmm...do you think I should wear this?"

"That's up to you, Yug." Tristan shrugged as he was putting in a blue trench coat. "Hmmm...not so bad looking." He said in a stud-like tone.

Yugi put on the helmet and it was too large for his size. "I don't know. I can barely see and it weighs a ton on my head."

"There are plenty of other smaller clothes for about your size, dear," Miho addressed to him. "We have a great deal on children's clothing just for you."

Yugi felt a tab insulted and blushed when the nice dresser shopkeeper mistaken him for a small kid because of his height. "Thanks, but despite my height, I'm not a kid. I'm actually a high school teenager."

Joey and Tristan snickered at that from the selection of warrior attire and armor. "Funny. He acts like a kid most of da time when it comes to games and toys." The tall blond whispered to his friend.

"He once cried that the Creator's Edition Capsule Monsters was sold out in a game stop," Tristan secretly replied back.

Miho came up to the pointy-haired teen with a flirtatious look on her face. "I got some armor that suits your character, huncho man." She batted her long eyelashes at Tristan who blushed and looked at her nervously.

Téa looked at herself in the mirror, trying out a 14th century dress with puffy sleeves. "Hmm...You got anything that doesn't have any frills?" She requested.

Miho smiled as she loves having customers who possess good taste.

Time to time, the gang tried on various costumes, changing from clothing-to-clothing, tossing and grabbing accessories they could find. Miho's employees had to try and keep up with them, picking up the discarded clothing and bringing them the required items to the dressing rooms.

One by one, the four emerged from the curtained boxes in their new attire. Yugi was dressed in a long cerulean long-sleeved shirt with a gold and tan armor, a purple belt, blue pants, an red cape, and matching red boots and gloves. "Well, how do I look?" He asked.

Miho gave him a thumbs-up. "Like a brave and handsome traveler." She said with a blush. "You know, you remind of a brave hero that I once read in a romance book."

Yugi chuckled and blushed.

"What about me?" Tristan came out next, dressed in a brown trench coat, long-sleeved black shirt, dark Canim pants, large belt buckle, combat boots, and fingerless gloves.

Yugi and Miho took a gander at him and smiled. "You look good too, Tristan." The shortest teen complimented.

The purple-haired shopkeeper beamed at him admiringly. "I agree!"

"Wait 'til you see me!" Joey's voice blurted out from the third changing room.

Yugi and Tristan turned around to see their friend come out dressed third, only to gawk and stare. Joey was dressed in a Neanderthal loincloth, elephant skin boots, a dinosaur skull head on his blond hair, and carrying a heavy club. "Well, whaddaya think of my new costume?" He grinned. "Do I look tough or what?"

Yugi and Tristan ogled at their friend weirdly and tried to hold back their snickering. "Dude, what the heck are you wearing?" The pointy haired teen asked.

"Do I detect some jealously in ya, Tristan?" The bigheaded blonde smirked.

"More like mockery in Tristan," Yugi secretly whispered.

"You guys got weird sense of fashion," Téa's voice interposed. "I already found my new wardrobe."

The boys turned to take a look at their female friend. But this time, their eyes widened in awe and admiration. Téa was dressed in a slender purple and yellow dress robe that reached to her ankles and revealed part of her legs. Her waist was belted in a silky black sash. She had on matching purple boots with black stockings and a beautiful golden medallion with a crescent moon. "What do you boys think of my new attire? I figure This robe doesn't make me look too fat, does it?"

The boys continued to stare at her. "I'd always knew she had a full feminine body, but DA-ANG!" Joey spat out. A bit of drool oozed from the corner of his mouth.

"You look different, Téa." Tristan managed to say.

"All I could say is; 'wow!'" Yugi gasped.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Téa said cheerfully.

Joey changed out of his goofy caveman costume and into a cooler swordsman uniform. Colors of blue and orange, bronze breastplate, purple belt, red cape, and matching orange gloves and boots. "I think I like dis one better."

As the group went to pay for the clothes, Tristan added "We'll need weapons now."

"You'll find them in the neighboring store, in Ruffian Rafael's Arsenal." Miho pointed to another store across the street.

A minute later, the gang swung by at Ruffian Rafael's Arsenal, a weapon store that was loaded with all kinds, clubs, swords, lances, katanas, boomerangs, they name it. A bulky muscular man with sharp blond hair, small azure eyes, and sideburns was working out when he noticed some customers. "Hey, there, small fries. Welcome to my weaponry shop, name's Rafael." He greeted in a dark husky voice and largely came up to the gang. "Half of the merchandise here are on sale. Buy eight daggers, get the ninth free. I also got a bottle of Eatos lotion, made it myself from my faithful friend Guardian Eatos"

The kids looked up at the large man and smiled lightly. "Uh, great, Rafael. Do you know any good weapons that could suit us?" Yugi asked.

Rafael smugged. "I got a bunch of tools designed especially for someone your size." He said gruffly as he rubbed under his stout nose.

The kids browsed through a whole selection of weapons. Tristan spotted a crossbow and picked it up by the tail to examine it. "Hey, check it out. I've always wanted to try out these bad boys!" He pretended to aim the slotted arrows at an invisible target. "Lookout, foes! Tristan Taylor's armed and ready for shootin'! SPWANG!" He mimicked the noise of a released arrow. Momently, his finger tapping the trigger slipped and mistakenly released the arrow from the slot for real! It bounced off the ceiling and shelves, and it strike Joey in the bottom and he howled in pain.

"YEEEEOOOW!"

Tristan winced at that and dropped the crossbow. Joey growled in rage and seized his clumsy friend around the neck and held him tightly in a throttling hold. "Why'd ya do it?! Why'd ya do it?!" He shouted. "What is wrong with ya? Is dere a screw in ya brain or somethin'?!"

Tristan choked and tried to wrangle himself loose.

Téa looked at a large box full of odd magical items. She spotted an odd-looking gold ring with sharp prongs and a triangle shape with a carved eye in the middle. "Hmm." She put it back and checked out another item.

She found a purple and cerise bow with a light pink string. "Whoa! Check this out!" She lightly plucked with the string and found a blue arrow to go with bow. "Artemis would get a kick out this one." She pretended to be aiming at an invisible target. She chuckled as she put the archery set down to look through the box.

Finally she picked up a long purple stick that had a golden orb at the end adorned with a crescent moon behind it. "Awesome! That staff looks like the one from my favorite card." She said.

"I see you saw something that you like. It's called the Staff of Faith, it'll allow you to produce white magic and healing spells," Rafael described.

"Sweet! We could use a healer on our team!" Tristan said.

"Téa can act as a nurse for our wounds and injuries while da warriors battle monsters during our journey," Joey added, referring to himself, Tristan, and Yugi.

"Hey, I can fight too, you know." Téa returned. "This isn't like the Renaissance Age."

"You can also use the Staff of Faith to cast white mana that can vaporize enemies into dust." Rafael added. "No foe would stand a chance against wave of holy magic, especially dark-typed fiends."

"No kidding." Téa smiled as she held the Staff of Faith in her hands. "I know what I like."

Yugi picked up a long whip. "What's this?"

"That would be a monster tamer's whip," Rafael answered. "You can use it to convince monsters to join your team when you encountered them on your journey."

"You mean I get to befriend wild monsters?" Yugi asked. "

"You can do whatever you want with your 'captured' monsters," Rafael said. "You can train 'em, release 'em, make them your friend or your servant."

"I don't know if I want to have monsters on my team," Joey said. "I hear they're kind of messy and I don't want to be cleaning up after them!"

"Well, I'd like to see those cute monsters up close." Téa said.

"Did I mention that the weapons you equip will help boost up your strengths and manas?" Rafael said.

"Really? That could be useful," Joey said.

"How much is all this going to cost?" Tristan asked.

Rafael got out an old-fashioned counting board to add up the costs of the quadrant's weapons. When he finished calculating, he pointed it to his customers who looked at the total and gaped in awe.

"DAT MUCH?!" Joey screamed.

"Plus tax," Rafael added. "And if you want, I will even throw in a free trip to a health sauna that will help build up your strength and stamina." He hinted to the back door of his shop which leads to the sauna area. "Hi family!" He smiled and waved to the door.

"Hi, Rafael!" The weapon shop owner's mother, father, and younger brother and sister appeared from the door window and waved back.

Téa smiled and gave her greeting to the shop owner's family while Joey and Tristan stared. They didn't know that such a large man with a callous attitude can have a nice, sweet, family.

Yugi looked inside the bag and dug out a bunch of coins. "Well, even when it's going to be expensive, we should be able to afford it."

"We'll just have to finder the cheapest, yet powerful weapons we can get our hands on." Triatan said as he found a long black blunderbuss with golden and picked it up to examine it. "Nice. Didn't know this world would contain guns. I thought the Otherworld only had ancient weapons such as spears and clubs." He peeked through the barrels and clicked the trigger.

"That one is one of the most powerful magic firearms a gunman could possess." Rafael explained. "I like to to call it Big Black Boomer. With a pull of the trigger, she'll fire out a helluva load of powerful explosive magic ."

"Sounds great! I'll take it!" Tristan ecstatically decided and twirled the selected weapon in the air like a baton. As he placed the blunderbuss on its rear on the floor, POP! Some artificial gunpowder unexpectedly popped out from barrels without warning. Tristan and co. yelped in alarm as charcoal smog emerged from the tubes, causing the quadrant to cough and soiled in black specks.

"Dude!" The stunned Joey blurted and coughed out smoke.

"Whoops! Guess I forgot to mention that the Big Black Boomer is trigger-sensitive." Rafael chortled. "I reckon you make sure that the safety is on whenever you use it. Hey, one day it'll become very handy when you're outnumbered by enemies or cornered by a enormous ugly monster."

"Terrific." Tristan displayed his pearly whites as he dusted himself clean.

Joey checked out a large sword which blade was carved a torching flame with a Chinese calligraphy symbol translating fire. "Whoa! Nice craftsmanship. Looks a flame or somethin'."

Yugi appeared right next to his tall friend and glanced at the item Joey was holding. "Oh nice. Reminds me of the Duel Monster Flame Swordsman."

Joey examined at the weapon with like and grinned. "Oh yeah! Dis is my kind of weapon!" He laughed and played with it, swiping it at every direction around the store.

Tristan and Téa hastily ducked as their klutzy friend nearly cut their heads off.

"Dude, watch it!" The brown-haired teen exclaimed as the tip of his pointy hair was sliced off.

"I don't need another haircut, thank you!" Téa added.

"I'm definetely takin' dis baby!" Joey smirked as he placed the sword back in the scabbard.

"I think that's a good choice, young squire." Rafael said. "Did you know that the Flaming Sword, the one you picked out once belonged to a great warrior lost in a great civil war that happened nearly ten years ago?"

Joey and co. looked up in interest. "Oh really? Who was it?" Yugi asked.

"Hmmm...not really sure. Though I heard his name was Raih something or whatever." Rafael replied bluntly.

Yugi and Joey cocked their heads in question and looked at each other.

"This may be a weird question, Rafael," Téa spoke up to him. "But do you know which way is to the Snow Pharaoh's Icy Pyramid?"

The weapon owner looked in suspicion. "Why do you wanna know?" His small eyes narrowed. "I know you're not thinking about going to a place like that, right?"

Yugi looked skeptical. "Yes, we are as a matter of fact. Why?"

"You should be aware that the Snow Pharaoh doesn't take too kindly to visitors," Rafael said. "The only thing he would offer you is a chance to duel him. From what I heard, he hasn't lost a single duel. His victims never had a chance and had to serves as servants to the Snow Pharaoh for all eternity."

Yugi swallowed lightly while Joey and Tristan held on to each other, shuddering at the thought being the Snow Pharaoh's servant. "Yeah, I've heard."

"I wish you luck, small fry. If I was a betting man, I'd say this would be the last time I'd ever see you again." Rafael added one last thing when Yugi and the gang went to pay to for their weapons. "Ha ha ha ha!"

It was high noon in afternoon when the four friends emerged from the shop with their new equipments. "Do you think what Rafael said is true?" Téa asked.

"That our weapons will help boost our attributes?" Joey responded. "I'm sure he's telling da truth. At least, he better be tellin' da truth."

"Not that. I'm talking the Snow Pharaoh being invincible," Téa said. "I mean, does he really turn people into Ice Cube Monster pawns? That sounds totally scary." She turned to Yugi with a concern look on her face. "I'm totally worried about what will happen to you once we meet the Snow Pharaoh?"

Tristan shared his concern for his small friend. "You know, come to think of, I do have a curdling thought of becoming the Snow Pharaoh's servant." He then shook his head. "I don't want to think about that."

Yugi looked up at his friends. "I wouldn't worry about that, you guys."

"Dat's right. I ain't turning into some mindless game pawn without a fight," Joey said. "We're gonna find Yugi's grandfather and make sure he comes home with us, whether ol' King Cold Feet likes it or not."

"I just hope that when we do get to the Snow Pharaoh's pyramid, you guys won't do anything reckless." Téa said.

"We can discuss our plans over lunch," Joey said, licking his lips and rubbing his stomach. "All dat shopping is making me hungry."

"You know what? I'm hungry too!" Tristan said.

Téa rolled her eyes. "Good grief, guys! You guys are always hungry!"

"I guess some things never change." Yugi chuckled. "Let's see if there's a decent restaurant in this town."

The quadrant found a simple cafe called the Fortress Whale. It was a seafood restaurant that was literally shaped and designed as an oversized blue whale with a castle tower on its back and a long spiral horn on its nose. The place was adorned with sea-theme decorations, including statues that strongly resembled water creatures, familiar from a certain famous board game.

A young man with copper brown skin, a scar on his right cheek, and long dark blue hair tied in a ponytail approached the friends at the table and greeted them with a broad grin. "Ahoy there! Welcome to the Fortress Whale. My name is Mako Tsunami, the proud owner of the restaurant. What can we get for you today?"

Joey and Tristan scanned the whole menu very carefully. "Dude, everything looks so good." The hungry pointed-haired teen said.

"I'll just have a glass of water and a bowl of creamy clam chowder." Téa ordered.

"I'll have the fishburger with some chips," Yugi added.

"We'll take everything on the menu!" Joey delightfully requested.

Mako stared at the boys like they were crazy. "Are you serious? You're really going to eat all that?"

"They do that at home all the time," Téa informed. "They're not afraid to try anything. Anything that's edible, they will eat it."

Mako put on a gracious smile. "We'll just start you off with the seafood platter." He turned to the window of the kitchen. "Yo, Becky! We need a saucer of crawling crustaceans and squirming squiggly squids!"

When the female chef behind the window received all that, she nodded and got started on the entree, carrying a sharp shining slicer and a wiggly eel in her hands.

While they for their food to arrive, Mako started up a conversation. "Never seen you guys before. Are you new?"

"We just arrived." Yugi answered. "We're on a mission to rescue my grandfather."

"Really? What happened?" Mako asked.

"He was taken by the Snow Pharaoh," Yugi answered.

"Say what? The Snow Pharaoh?" Mako blurted out in surprise.

When the cafe owner blurted out the name, everybody in the restaurant looked up from their food and stared at the friends on the table.

"Oh man. So sorry to hear that." Mako said with consolation.

"We're a on a mission to rescue my grandfather." Yugi said.

"And when we find him, we're gonna teach the Snow Pharaoh a lesson he won't forget." Joey added.

Mako's eyes widened in awe. "You must be crazy going to the Snow Pharaoh's Icy Pyramid," Mako said. "Why in the name of Moby Dick would you go there?"

Yugi shrugged. "My grandpa is there. I couldn't just sit here while the Snow Pharaoh keeps him hostage. Someone has

"If I didn't know better, I'd say the Snow Pharaoh is luring you to a trap." Mako pointed out the obvious. "I'd be careful if I were you."

"Thanks, Mako, I will." Yugi said. His eyes wondered the sea-themed eatery's background and spotted the impressive mural painting on the wall. He saw an army of spirit monsters marching up against a tremendously large shadow demon that is threatening the entire world. As Yugi looked closer at the antagonist in the painting, he saw that it looked familiar from a certain fairy tale that his grandfather used to tell him.

A ring from the kitchen window snapped him out of a trance as an alert that their food is ready. "Pickup for table 41!"

Not a minute later, a waitress approached the friends' table with a six-course meal. As she set down each plate on the table, Yugi and Téa stared at the portions with bulging eyeballs. The seafood on the dishes actually moved! They were still alive and squirming! But Joey and Tristan didn't seem to care. They dove right in and began masticating the seafood like hungry cats.

Yugi and Téa gawked and yelped at the feeding frenzy. Joey grabbed a round pot pie and chomped it down. Tristan stole a slice and gulped it like a sandwich.

Mako grinned and displayed his pearly whites. "It's amazing! Not many people are brave enough to try our live sea ant pot pie! And my Legendary Fisherman eats anything."

The boys' eyes widened when they learned about the truth of the pot pie. "Did you say 'live ants'" Tristan choked out.

Joey gulped and felt something squirm in his stomach. "Come to think of it, I feel a little itchy on the inside!"

Yugi laughed as he watched his goofy friends leaped from their seats and "danced" in front of the restaurant, scratching themselves and jiggling their bodies.

"I wonder what's for dessert?" Téa, amused thought out loud.

After an interesting lunch at the Fortress Whale and a few visits to the shops, Yugi and the gang were fully equiped their garbs, weapons, armor, and accessories. Joey changed out of his caveman uniform to red-orange armor with a blue cape, dark blue pants and sleeves, and purple boots.

They were nearly all set for their journey, not before checking things on the list to the last minute.

"Think we got everything?" Téa asked.

"We should." Tristan said. "I'm all set to go."

"Hang on, guys, we're down to one last item," Yugi said, reading the checklist. "All we need now are provisions."

"Right. So den let's go get dem," Joey said. He then put on a clueless face. "Eh...what are 'probations'?"

"Provisions." Tristan corrected. "They're consumable items used for when you're traveling on long miles." Joey still looked confused. "You know, food? Snacks, medicine, stuff to keep our strength up. Duh!"

Joey rolled his eyes. "You could have just said 'food and medicine'. I'm not a brainiac, you know."

"Got that right." Tristan muttered.

"Where to shop for supplies and medicine?" Téa asked.

"What about over there?" Yugi pointed to a peculiar-looking shop with a creepily colored clown panel holding the store title sign.

Téa looked up and read. "'The Black Clown.' Huh, peculiar name for a store."

"And creepy." Tristan frowned at the store sign's design.

"Looks can be deceiving. Let's go inside." Yugi and his friends entered the store where it was nearly packed inside.

They looked around in the store, finding that it was filled with all kinds of commodities, products, and consumable morsels such as healing herbs, vials of antidotes, elixirs, everything they could use for their long trek. The store also carried accessories, including bracelets, rings, and ribbons.

A cute girl in a adorable pink and white outfit approached the new customers and handed them fliers. "Welcome. Today is the grand opening of the Black Clown." She greeted them with a cheery smile. "Feel free to look around. We got a 'Buy Two, Get One Free' deal."

"Terrific." Téa said.

"'The Black Clown." Joey commented and scoffed. "What kind of person thought of a stupid name like that?"

"That would be my dad." A young male responded from nowhere.

"Huh?" The kids turned their heads to the left.

A young man with a long raven hair tied in a ponytail and leering green eyes sat behind the counter. He wore a red vest over a black shirt, black pants, armlets, and a golden wristband. To Téa, he looked rather handsome, if it weren't for that black scar-like marking underneath his right eye.

"Welcome to the Black Clown." He said in a warm friendly tone. "My name is Duke Devlin, the store owner."

"Hi, Duke." Yugi greeted. "So you really own this store? That's a big responsibility."

Duke chuckled. "Actually, it was my old man who started this shop. He passed it down to me before he left on his journey."

"Really? So you're in charge of da store 'til he gets back?" Joey said.

"Something like that. But enough about that. Let's talk business." Duke changed the subject. "Are you four looking for something in particular?"

"Well, we are looking for provisions for our trip." Yugi required. "You see, we got a very long trip ahead of us. We're gonna need food, medicine, healing herbs, and some magic potion that will restore our mans and strength whenever we get tired from battle. You know what I'm talking about?"

"Yep. Whatever you need, you've come to the right place." Duke smirked. "We got a heck of a stock load of replenishing drinks in different flavors, jars of hyper beans, remedies, anything you need right here on the shelf."

"Alright." Téa scanned the items on the shelf. She found a jar of greenish and pink-looking pickled fruit. "I didn't know this place carries olives."

"Actually those are pink-eyed frog eyes," Duke pointed out. "A special and perfectly good ingredient for when you making the perfect weapon."

"Ew!" Téa expressed in disgust and placed the jar back on the shelf.

"Can you really make your own weapons?" Tristan asked.

"Of course." Duke answered. "You can make rare weapons, shields, or even delectable morsels that you can't find in stores."

"Nice. Can you tell us more about this store, Duke?" Yugi said.

"No problem." While Duke was showing the group more selection of items, Joey walked around and noticed a female employee giving out free samples.

"Hey, whatcha selling dere?" He asked.

"Try our delicious organic chicken feet," the girl in an adorable shop apron presented a platter of golden brown three-toed limbs.

Joey looked at them with interest. "Okay. Don't mind if I do." He plopped one into his and crunched "Tastes like chicken," he commented densely.

"Well, yeah, it is chicken." The sampler girl replied, looking at the blond boy.

"Oh yeah. Right." Joey fully understood as his cheeks puffed up with tasty fowl limbs. "Got anymore?"

The sampler girl chuckled in amusement.

"So is this 'alchemy pot' for sale?" Téa asked, rubbing the black rims of a small black cauldron.

"Sure. My girlfriend has been nagging me to get rid of it." Duke said. "We barely even use it."

"Well, we'd be more than happy to take it off your hands, Duke." Yugi said. "It'll be very useful in our journey."

"Let's hurry up and buy stuff so we can go and save your grandpa," Tristan suggested.

"Oh, right. Of course!" Yugi retrieved the memory of his mission in the Old World. "I almost forgot. Let's pick up what we need for our trip."

"Right!" His pals agreed and scattered at the shop, grabbing almost everything they can get their hands on.

"Think we need those, what do you call them-rose roselle leaves." Téa picked up a stem full of ruby red petals. "I hear that they make very good herbal tea."

"Sure, we can take them along, too." Yugi concurred.

"I wanna take dese also," Joey said, holding an armful of cabbage. "I hear they're good for takin' care of rashes and poison ivies."

Tristan who was carrying bottles of water peered at his dimwitted friend. "That would aloe. What you're carrying in your arms is cabbage."

Joey dumbfounded, looked at the merchandise in his arms and ogled back at his pointy-haired comrade. "Oh, I knew dat."

After the group gathered all the essentials they need and piled them on Duke's counter, who gaped and winced backwards as if the items at the top were going to tumble over him.

"We're ready, Duke." Yugi informed.

"Let's see..." He began summing up the merchandise on the counter. "That's twenty five bottles of pure water, fifteen bags of ingredients, bread, medicine, herbs, the alchemy pot you wanted to take..." He added, pointing to the alchemy pot on the counter.

Yugi and co. stood around patiently as the black-haired store owner finished calculating the price of the quantity.

"The total of these 25 items will come up to...eleven thousand coins." He concluded.

"Eleven hundred coins?!" The gang exclaimed in shock.

"Tha-tha-that's in gold coins?" Yugi asked

"No, in pebbles. What do you think?" Duke replied

"But why this many money?" Téa complained.

Duke just shrugged. "Supply and demand. It's the busiest time of the year when random travelers had to stock up to their ears with herbs and bread."

"Dis place is robbery!" Joey commented.

Yugi looked inside the bag and pulled out last of one thousand coins. "That's hardly enough to cover it."

"Hey, man, how are you trying to play a buddy?" Tristan demanded. "How can you charge us over one thousand coins for a few stinkin' items?"

Duke shook his head. "A sale's a sale, brother. Take it or leave it." He put it firmly.

The group groaned in dismay.

"Aw, come on!" Joey whined.

"Look, I'm a unreasonable person. I'm be happy to compromise," Duke reasoned. He divided the lesser items and the alchemy pot. "One thousand coins will give you this and no more." He took Téa's hand and looked at her flirtatiously. "For you, pretty lady, I can give you a discount."

Téa chuckled sheepishly.

"No, thanks." Joey refused. "I think we'll manage without your stupid items."

"You said you got a very long journey, didn't you?" Duke pointed it.

Joey and Tristan groaned. "Do they have always to be right?"

"Come on, guys. Let's just take those items that we can afford so we can be on our way to save my grandpa." Yugi said. "Don't forget he's counting on us. We can't waste any more time."

"Yugi's right, guys." Téa added. "This is way more important than the alchemy pot."

But those two boys wouldn't just throw in the towel.

"Oh no. You see, that's what he's tryin' ta do, you guys," Tristan speculated. "He's testing us to see if we would actually 'throw away' one thousand and hundred coins on a bunch of dumb items." He made quote marks with his fingers as he explained. "He's playing tough salesman. Well, we're not buying his pitch at all. We're not suckers!"

Téa and Yugi looked at each other with doubt.

"But don't you worry, guys. We don't give up dat easily!" Joey said. "We'll get what we need, once we take on with dis con artist here."

The store fell into silence. The employees and customers gasped in fear as if the blond stranger had call the store owner a very bad name.

"What?" Joey asked in confusion.

Provoked from that word, Duke stood up from the counter, yanked the two tall boys by the collars, and glared at them straight in the faces with those fuming emerald eyes. Joey and Tristan felt very afraid and choked. "Uh-oh!" Tèa uttered.

"What did you just call me?" The black- shop owner asked in a low cold tone.

"Nothing?" Joey whimpered in response.

"I think you got him mad, dude!" Tristan squeaked to his dimwitted friend.

"Nobody calls me a 'sleazy con artist' and walks away with it!" Duke growled. Still clinging on to their collars, he dragged the two incompetent boys across the shop with their feet dragging across the floor. Téa and Yugi watched in awe. Three young girls who were shopping were cheering for the handsome shopkeeper when the two lunkhead visitors called him a con artist.

"Can't we talk about this?" Tristan asked as Duke was at the entrance.

Duke didn't listen. He pushed the doors open and tossed the boys outside like they were garbage. "And stay out!"

"Hey, you could have just called security!" Joey wavered his fist.

Duke dusted off his hands and returned inside.

"Great guy!" Tristan muttered, rubbing his bottom.

Yugi and Téa caught up to them outside. "Are you guys okay?" The only girl in the hero group asked.

"What happened?" Yugi asked.

"You saw what happened. Dat jerk kicked us out of his dumb shop." Joey replied.

"So much for gathering supplies," Tristan muttered as he got up and dusted his cowboy pants.

"It's okay, guys. We don't need some weird-looking pot for our journey." Yugi said. "We'll manage without one."

"Yeah, but without any provisions and medicine, we won't be able to stand a chance in this unfamiliar world," Téa pointed out. "We might not even make it halfway across the world."

Yugi groaned. She did have a point.

"Sorry, Yug. It was my fault." Joey apologized. "Shoulda kept my mouth shut."

"If Joey hadn't screw things up like usual, we would have been on our way right now halfway to the Snow Pharaoh's pyramid." Tristan added. Joey groaned and glared.

"It's okay, Joey." Yugi assured. "We'll figure something out." He then ran back into the shop.

"Yugi!" Téa called after him.

"Let him go, Téa." Tristan advised. "Let's see what he does."

Yugi returned to the counter, facing Duke, the Black Clown owner. "Please, Duke, I must apologize of what my friends said to you." He bowed in apology. "They didn't mean it. They're just not used to the economy in this world."

"Apology accepted, kid. But the price is still one thousand and hundred coins." The shopkeeper replied.

"Isn't there any way that you can lower the price? We just want the supplies, not the whole store."

"I would, but I can't do that."

"We're on very serious journey, Duke.

"I realize that, but-"

"I don't think you understand, Duke." The tri-colored haired boy persisted. "This is a matter of life and death."

"What are you talking about?" Duke frowned.

"You see, my grandfather is in trouble. He

"Sorry to hear about your grandfather, Yugi." Duke said, looking a tad bit concerned. "But-"

"You see, he was kidnapped by the Snow Pharaoh and he's taking him hostage in his Icy Pyramid. If my friends and I don't get there, he could die."

Duke blinked rapidly and widened his eyes as if the short boy said something crazy. "Wait a second! Hold up, hold up, kid! Back it up!" He waved his hand to silence the tricolored-haired kid. "Did you say 'Snow Pharaoh'?"

"Yes, that's what I said." Yugi said.

"You're talking about THE Snow Pharaoh? The one that lives in the Icy Pyramid far far away from here?" Duke enunciated.

"The same one," Yugi replied. "You heard of the

"Everybody has heard of the Snow Pharaoh. My old man, went out to challenge the Snow Pharaoh himself," the black-haired boy explained. "Hadn't heard from him since. Don't know if he made it or if he lost in a game and got turned into a pawn by the Snow Pharaoh."

Yugi looked amazed.

"I have to tell you, kid, that Snow Pharaoh means business. He's no amateur when it cones to Ice Cube Monsters. Unless you want to become a servant for the invincible ruler, I'd suggest you stay away from his pyramid."

"I wouldn't let that worry. I'm not going there for a game. I'm going to bring my grandfather home."

Duke then let out a huge laugh. "You got a lot of guts for a small guy. You really think you're gonna take on the Snow Pharaoh head on?"

Yugi looked determined. "If it's for my grandpa's sake, I'd have to. The Snow Pharaoh may have very powerful ice magic beyond the gods, but I got something that is more powerful than anything he can throw at me. My warm will protect me. I will not rest until my grandfather is safe at home."

Several people in the shop who were listening in were awed and inspired by the boy's bold speech.

Duke was so impressed by the boy's bravery and determination that something inside him clicked, like a change of heart. He lowered himself to Yugi's height to say something to him.

"Tell you what I'm going to do, Yugi." He made sure no one was listening and whispered to the small boy's ear. "I'll drop the price down to one thousand coins."

Yugi's eyes expanded . "Really?"

"Absolutely. But don't tell anyone that I did that. Otherwise, they're going to try what you do and convince me to give me a discount.

"What about the alchemy pot?" Yugi asked.

"This alchemy pot is on the house." Duke gradually put the alchemy pot in Yugi's bottomless bag. "Don't worry about the price tag. That will be taken care of. The rest you can pay with one thousand coins." He smiled and winked in approval.

Yugi broke out into a grateful smile. "Ha, ha, ha! Thank you!" His violet eyes sparkled.

Téa, Joey, and Tristan saw through the shop window and were ecstatic that their friend's reasonable magic has once again worked.

Yugi paid the last of one thousand coins and finally got everything they need on their journey.