" ": You talking

' ': You thinking

* *: Narrator/Voice-off

Your POV:

"... ... ... Just how long has professor Banner been missing for..."

Syrus: D- Don't worry about this, Aniki...

Chumley: That's right. Sheppard has an entire squad looking fro him as we speak. I'm sure they'll find soon.

"You mean, like they found the missing students ? i'm really starting to consider the fact he might not be on our side after all..."

Chumley: On the plus side, Alchemy class became a lot easier...

Crowler: O sole mio, O sole mio, O sole mio... Students, please sit down. I shall be the substitute for Signore banner's class today. We will now begin the alchemy lecture ! Even though it was supposed to be my day off... HMPH !

Crowler: This symbol here is known as the "Mark of Amnael". According to literature, it was a representative symbol of alchemy. The founding principles of alchemy are... Wait, let me see... "What is up, is like what is down. What is down, is like what is up"... Hm...

Crowler: Well, in short, alchemy was created in Ancient Egypt, allowing the transmutation of ordinary metals into gold and silver, to create a medicine that would prevent aging or even death, and a lot of other fraudulent activities !! That's it summed up !! Isn't it ?!

"I have a hunch you don't really like alchemy..."

Syrus: Dr.Crowler.. He doesn't believe in things like occult or magic forces ?

Crowler: Now, let's proceed with the experiments... We do this, and this, take that and put it here...

*SCHBOOOOOOOM*

Crowler: Gaaaah ! Hot hot hot !!

"The mark of Amnael..."

Crowler: That's precisely why I do not believe in alchemy !!

"Oh, nevermind, that's the mark of Velliamnael."

Crowler: Signore L/n ! When this is over, you are to go to the chancellor's office !

"O- Oh... Okay."

Crowler: It's the same for you two as well.

Chazz/Alexis: Huh ?

"Is it about Banner, Chancellor ?"

Sheppard: Yes. I'm afraid he has completely and utterly vanished... We simply have no idea as to where he could've gone...

Crowler: But there are no signs he went off the island !

Chazz: So that would mean Banner fell victim to a Shadow Rider, after all ?

Alexis: Chazz...

Sheppard: No, only two of the seven spirit gates have been opened so far... So Banner is still safe.

"Then he must still be somewhere waiting... We have to find him first, before the Shadow Riders !"

"I mean, that's what I said, but how are we supposed to if we don't even know where to look ?"

Syrus: Good question... The Chancellor already did everything he could to find him.

Chumley: It could be nice to find at least some kind of clues... But even so, we're just students...

"Even so, we're still Slifer Reds... Mostly. So maybe we'd find something someone else would overlook... Don't you think so ?"

Syrus: Huh ? HEEH ?! C- Chazz ?! When did you get here ?!

Chazz: Hehehe... You didn't forget about me, did you ? Me, the great detective Chazz Princeton ?

All: ... ... ... ...

Chazz: Stop ignoring me !!

"No offense, Chazz, but last time, you literally vacuumed all the evidences..."

Chazz: As you know, it always harder to notice what is right under your nose. So searching the room of the suspect is always the first step in a case !

Syrus: Suspect ? Don't mark him as culprit right away, he's the victim here...

Chazz: Idiot ! That's just an example ! And it's not important anyway. All we have to do is find some clue !

Syrus: Aniki, anything on your side ?

"Nothing... I hoped to find something like a note, but..."

Chumley: ... Here. I found something.

"... That looks like Banner's handwriting, but... 'Miss Dorothy, black forest', what's that about ?"

Chazz: is that all ? Give me that ! ... ... ... ... Heh. Everything's clear now. I'm gonna solve this case in no time, just you wait. I'll bet my name on it, this reveals everything.

Chumley: So did you find out ? Tell us already !

Chazz: This note is the key to understand this. I can hear it, the message Banner put in this note. It tells me to solve this mystery.

"Okay, that's nice and all, but the note, please..."

Chazz: Very well. Banner received an invitation via phone, from the enemy. He then wrote this note. In other words, Banner was called to the "Black Forest". The forest ! And the one who called him...

Syrus: Y- You don't mean...

Chazz: Yes ! Miss Dorothy was pretending to be the nice owner of the Academy's shop, but she actually is the last member of the Shadow Riders !!

"... ... ... ..."

*Beep*

Dorothy: Yes, it was about a delivery, I believe. Since professor banner loves the "Black Forest" cake. He asks for these all the time.

*Click*

Chazz: ... ... Well, I wasn't completely right, but I didn't miss by much either.

"Yeah, just half the size of this island. And since you bet your name on it, how are we going to solve this, Franck ?"

Franck: ... Let's resume searching.

"I found some muddy shoes..."

Franck: That doesn't prove anything.

Chumley: Spying equipment ?

Franck: Idiot ! Do you think something like that could be an evidence ?

Syrus: I found a diary !

Franck: Boring.

"A photo album..."

Franck: Uninteresting.

Chumley: I found a pile of letters !

Franck: Have you no respect for a person's privacy ?!

Syrus: What is that... GAH- !

Franck: So that's it !! All mysteries are solved ! Look ! This is the alchemy symbol we saw in class today !

"Okay, I can't deny this one..."

Franck: Wherever there is alchemy, is where Banner will be ! That's clearly a message from him !

Syrus: That's a bit too simple, isn't it...

"But it's our only lead right now... Let's try it, we've got nothing to lose, Franck."

Franck: Stop calling me that !!

"Alright, the 'Search and rescue Banner' team is ready to go !"

Chazz: Wait a second. If we are a team, we need a leader. If you don't leave me any choice, I'll accept that role.

"But then you'd need a codename... How about LittleOjama ?"

Chazz: That makes me want to drop you from the top of that cliff.

Syrus: Leader LittleOjama ! I would like to hear your plan, sir !

Chumley: Yeah, me too...

Chazz: My plan, huh ? My plan is flawless.

"Use the same old toy to lure Pharaoh out.."

Syrus: Sir ! Sir !

Chazz: What is it, inspector Truesdale ?

Syrus: I also thought of a plan to lure out Pharaoh ! A little of this, and that... There !

Syrus: I call it "The pretty girl cat" ! Now could you please give us a cute "Meow" ? Meow.

Chazz: Ghh... DON'T PLAY WITH A MAN'S FACE LIKE THAT !! Get back here, you lot !!

"Syrus, take responsibility, it's your fault !

"So not a single clue in the end, huh..."

Syrus: Don't get so gloomy already, Aniki, we just started searching.

"I know... It's just, I have that feeling like we're missing on something important... Without Banner, the Slifer dorm just isn't the same..."

Chumley: Professor Banner... I think he hated milk, didn't he ?

Syrus: yeah...

Syrus: I don't want it ! I can't drink milk !

Banner: Don't be like that, take it ! I want you to become a duelist with a strong bone structure.

Chumley: And he hated carrots too...

Chazz: Really ! I can't stand them !

Chazz: Stop that ! I hate carrots !

Banner: Don't hold back ! I want you to become a duelist with a lot of beta-caroten !

Chazz: He just did everything like he wanted !

Syrus: Once, he told me he'd teach me to swim... But he just wanted me to catch a fish for Pharaoh !

"... He was also kind of a coward... Like, really a coward."

Chazz: Yeah... He's woken me up every time he needed to use the bathroom at night.

Syrus: Thinking again, I don't really have any good memories of him...

Chazz: Well, enough rest. Let's go !

*Meooooooooooooww*

"That was... That's Pharaoh !"

Chumley: Where are you, Pharaoh !

Syrus: Pharaoh !

Chazz: Big cat !

*Meooow*

"That was closer !"

Chazz: i'm going that way. You lot search the other way.

"Don't you think we shouldn't split ? There could be danger around."

Chazz: Who do you take me for ? Now go !

Pharaoh: Meow. *Praah. Do you swine have any idea how long I've been waiting ?! Without my tuna or even a kitty litter box ?! Oh, the management of this academy will hear this ! Hiss ! Hiss, I say !*

"Well, we found Pharaoh... But still no trace of Banner... I've kinda got a bad feeling about this..."

Chazz: HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH !!

"Chazz ?!"

"Chazz !! Where are you ?! What happened ?!"

Chumley: H- Here ! Look !

Ojamas: Boss ! B- Boss... !!

"Those are... Chazz's cards... What happened..."

*BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR*

"What NOW ?!"

"Pillars of light... Six of them... What is happening here..."

Syrus: Six... Like the keys...

"You've got to be kidding me... Did four more spirit gates opened at once ?! So that seventh shadow rider... he beast Alexis, Chazz, Crowler and Banner ?! Then that means..."

Syrus: Everyone but you was beaten ?!

Chumley: Then Banner really was caught by them before we could find him...

Syrus: Aniki, we should get away... If you key gets stolen too, we don't know what could happen ! The Three Sacred Beasts would come back to life...

"Another reason why I won't run away ! I will not spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder, waiting for them to find me ! I will find them, and I will put an end to this ! Regardless of the outcome... the next duel will be the match point against the Shadow Riders !"

???: Then come to me. The strongest alchemist I ever met, Mokuba Kaiba !

*SCHBROOOOOOOOOOOM*

Chumley: GAAAH !! T- That was way too close...

"... hey, look ! On the stump..."

Syrus: The mark of Amnael...

Chumley: I think it wants us to follow...

"... Well, at the very least, I don't have to look for our guy. Let's go !"

"The abandoned dorm... Why am I not surprised... Let's just hope it... Doesn't go as bad as the first time... Now, where is that shadow rider hiding-"

*SCHBROOOOOOOOOOOOM*

Pharaoh: MIAAAAAAAAWW !!

Chumley: Pharaoh ! That way is...

"The basement where all of it happened..."

Chumley: Heeeey ! Pharaoh ! ... Hey, look at that...

"... That hole wasn't there last time..."

Chumley: And those are Pharaoh's paw prints.

Syrus: There's a door up ahead...

"Then no time to lose. Is this... Some kind of secret lab... ?"

Chumley: or maybe this is where they made liquors or something... ? That's a still, isn't it ?

Syrus: H- Hey... My curiosity is killing me on that subject, but... What is that ?

"... Sarcophagus ?"

Chumley: Don't tell me it's another vampire !

Syrus: Or a mummy !

"... Only one way to know. Hngh... !"

*SKRRRRRRRRR*

"... Aight, Syrus wins. It's a mummy... HOLY CRAP, IT'S A MUMMY !! ... hey, pass me a lamp... I don't know why, but this mummy... It seems almost familiar..."

"No way... That mummy... It's Banner !"

Chumley: What ?! It can't be ! I know Banner did disappear, but he can't have turned into... That, so quickly !

"Then how... ?"

Syrus: Y- You don't think he could've been changed into a mummy because of a Shadow Game... ?

*KLAK*

???: Welcome to my laboratory, Mokuba Kaiba.

"Okay, Seventh Rider, show yourself now !"

???: Fufufu. I am not going to run or hide. I am the Seventh Shadow Rider that you were looking for. Amnael.

"The mark of Amnael... So I take it you're the one who opened all of the Spirit Gates, huh ?"

Amnael: Indeed. And in the process, I also managed to capture your friends. They all posses exceptional dueling abilities, but they couldn't surpass my expectations.

"They are one thing. But what about Banner ? Are you the one who turned him into... That ?"

Amnael: I am sorry to say that, but no. This mummy was in this laboratory from the beginning. What is up, is like what is down. What is down, is like what is up. If you want to learn the truth, you have to face me in a shadow game before the emerald tablet, who knows all the truths of this world !

Chumley: What is up is down, what is down is up ?

Syrus: Emerald tablet ?

Amnael: This emerald tablet is the ultimate object, made to be held by the ultimate alchemist. Mokuba Kaiba, I am your final trial.

"Not a lot of people know that name. And you're an alchemist too... very well, I accept ! This is the final round between us and the Shadow Riders, Amnael !"

Both: DUEL !!