Note: I don't know why I wrote this. Sue me. But not really, because I don't own Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh! and I'm certainly not making any money off of this fanfiction. I wrote it for the two and a half people who might read it and giggle a little. Spoilers for Yu-Gi-Oh! and probably Pokémon. Review if you want more shenanigans or if your eyes are burning from reading this story.
Bless your little heart for reading.
Chapter 1: Yugi Muto
To say that he was glad Duelist Kingdom was over would be an understatement. Yugi Muto was ecstatic to have his grandpa back and was even happy that the Kaibas had made it out of Pegasus's clutches relatively unscathed. He was proud of his friends and the way that they had supported each other throughout the ordeal. But even though they had won, he knew it would be a while before they had their picture perfect ideal ending.
Yugi sighed as he flopped down on his bed. Laying propped up on his elbow, he slowly traced the groves of the eye carefully etched in his Millennium Puzzle. His face scrunched into a frown as he thought about the other Millennium Items. There was so much he and his friends didn't know. Yugi blew out a puff of air in exasperation, throwing his head back onto the bed.
He tugged absently at the chain around his neck. Each day it seemed to grow heavier. The mystery surrounding the Spirit inhabiting the puzzle was definitely on his list of top priorities. At least the spirit's day out at the museum had helped a little. Still, it was hard to get used to the fact that a royal pharaoh guy 3000 years dead was now your semi-permanent mental roommate. By now, Yugi considered him a friend. A friend in need. But how do you begin helping out someone when you weren't even sure what their real name was?
"Do not worry, young Yugi," a deep voice resonated throughout his mind. Yugi smiled at the familiar sensation, "I am confident that we will discover the truth together."
"I know," Yugi replied, "Just be patient with me."
"Yugi…" the spirit began softly, "You've already been a great help, and your friends have as well. I won't forget the kindness you and Téa showed me by attempting to awaken my memories. I know it will take time to uncover everything about our shared destiny."
Yugi smiled, reassured. But even if the spirit's words were true, he could feel his other half getting more anxious by the day. He knew how lonely the spirit must feel, without a name or even a past. He knew this must be true, even if the proud pharaoh wouldn't admit it. It was like a sixth sense, and as their bond grew stronger more of their thoughts and emotions seeped through the boundaries of their shared mind.
"Speaking of friends…" the spirit mused. Yugi felt the pharaoh crack a smile and it made him nervous. "I wonder why you were so concerned about our appearance the day I met with Téa…?"
Crap.
Apparently he wasn't the only one who was catching on to the feelings of his other half.
"No reason," Yugi shrugged, but his heart was hammering loudly.
"I see," the pharaoh purred. "Yugi, I may assist you in duels, but that doesn't mean you aren't a great duelist on your own."
"I know that."
"But unlike in your duels, in the future, I would prefer it if you used your own expertise when pursuing the object of your affections."
Yugi sputtered, flailing his arms as he sat up suddenly.
"It wasn't like that!"
The pharaoh's laugh reverberated through his skull.
"Can you blame me for thinking it? I wondered if you were using me as an excuse to go on a "date" as they call it in this modern age."
Yugi continued into a long string of denials as the pharaoh laughed. He was still red-faced and mumbling when the spirit finally stopped his teasing.
"You never give yourself enough credit," the pharaoh sighed.
Yugi shifted uncomfortably, mildly overwhelmed by the truth in his other half's words.
"I know I'm capable on my own," Yugi reasoned, "but I duel with you because it makes it easier….especially when so much has been at stake lately."
"And with Téa?...You could have simply relayed the information to me after your…outing."
Yugi blushed fiercely.
"I just thought," he began, unsure how to put his feelings into words, "that since the trip was so personal…for you, I mean…finding out about your past and all that...that you would be more comfortable in charge. And also that Téa…would enjoy her evening more with someone like you."
"Like me?" The spirit mused.
"Yeah, you know," Yugi scratched the back of his head sheepishly, "You're really confident, not to mention tall and cool. You always know what to say and you're everything that I'm…"
The boy swallowed, realizing suddenly what he never wanted to admit, not even to himself.
"That's not true," the pharaoh said, catching on quickly to his young partner's train of thought. "You are more than you know."
Yugi laughed suddenly, bitterly amused at the pharaoh's words.
"So are you," he said.
"So I am," replied the spirit.
They sat in companionable silence for a moment, both lost in their thoughts, emotions occasionally crossing the barrier between them in flashes of incoherent feelings.
"Shall we meet with our friends?" Asked the spirit, breaking the silence.
"Oh crap! How could I forget?!"
Yugi flung himself out of bed, stumbling over to his closet to grab his jacket and deck. He was supposed to meet Joey and Tea in five minutes so they could meet up with Tristan downtown for lunch. Grabbing his backpack and house keys, he quickly stopped in front of the mirror to run a hand through his wild multicolored hair. As he straitened his jacket, for an instant he thought he saw the shadowy reflection of the pharaoh just behind him.
Does he frown at what he sees in the mirror? It must suck to share the body of someone like me…
"Enough," scolded the deep voice of the pharaoh. "Where is the confidence of the duelist who defeated Seto Kaiba?"
"That was both of us," Yugi reminded him as he carefully tucked away his precious deck, "and why are you reading my thoughts?"
"There's not a lot else to do up here," the spirit said dryly. Yugi rolled his eyes, closing the door to his room behind him and heading downstairs to his grandfather's shop.
"And for your information, I'm a very confident duelist and person, thank you very much."
"If only you had this much sass when dealing with that Raptor and Wheevil boy."
"Between you and me," Yugi whispered in a conspiratorial tone, "I think Joey and Tristan have enough of that for the both of us when it comes to those two."
The two shared a laugh, causing Yugi's grandfather to quirk and eyebrow when his grandson reached the bottom of the stairway.
"What's so funny?" Solomon chuckled. Yugi jumped, slightly startled.
"Um…sassy Egyptian pharaohs?" Yugi shrugged.
Solomon shook his head with a smile, watching as his grandson clutched at the Millennium puzzle dangling from the long chain around his neck.
"Are you heading out with your friends today?"
"Yeah," Yugi nodded. "If that's all right with you?"
Solomon sighed dramatically. "Ah well I suppose I'll have to clean the shop without you. You'll be missing all the fun."
"Yeah, I'm sure," Yugi laughed. "Save me some dust bunnies in the corner. I promise I'll get them when I come back." He turned with a smile and a wave. "See you, Grandpa."
"Have fun," Solomon yelled as he waved his grandson out of his shop. As the shop door closed with a slight whoosh, the old man sighed, prodding at a dirt stain with his broom. "This place is hopping with bigger things than dust bunnies."
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"How are you Yug?" Joey asked in his usually chipper tone.
"Good!" He replied cheerfully, easily keeping in step with his taller friend's strides as they headed down the street to meet with Téa. "It's great to finally have a bit of a break from all that Pegasus stuff."
"You're tellin' me," Joey said. "Don't tell Téa but at one point I thought we were goners for sure." Joey coughed suddenly, waving his hands expressively in front of Yugi. "Ah…not that I ever doubted you, pal. I knew you would pull through all along."
Yugi laughed. "Thanks Joey."
"You know, I kinda miss the dueling though," Joey hunched his shoulders, placing his hands in his pockets. "For fun, I mean. Not the whole battling-for-your soul deal."
"I know what you mean," Yugi nodded. "It's more fun to play the game when there's not so much riding on if you win or lose."
"You said it."
Joey elbowed Yugi playfully. "But don't think that means I'll go easy on ya next time we're up against each other, Mr. King of Games."
"I'll expect nothing but your best," Yugi said enthusiastically.
They rounded a corner together to find Téa waiting patiently. She quickly spotted them, raising a hand and waving them over happily.
"Yugi, Joey! I'm glad you guys made it," She beamed at both of them and Yugi mentally punched himself for blushing. She was one of his oldest friends. He shouldn't be feeling awkward.
"Hey Téa!" Joey raised his hand in greeting.
"Yeah, hey how are you?" Yugi said right after.
"Doing good, and how are the two greatest duelists in the world?"
"Ready for round two!" Joey declared, looping an arm around Yugi's shoulders. "No duelist can measure up to me and Yugi here!"
"Are you sure you're giant ego won't beat you in your next duel?" Téa giggled. "I hear its measurements are off the charts."
"Hey!"
Yugi laughed as Téa and Joey trade barbs back and forth. The little group continued walking side by side as they headed through town.
It was a beautiful evening. Warm enough to go sleeveless or in a light jacket but not too hot to be sweltering. The sun was high in the cloudless sky and he was happy to have the chatter of his friends surrounding him. He couldn't remember the last time they went anywhere just to spend time together. No duels where someone's soul hung in the balance. No shady billionaire manipulating their every move. No ancient past life to figure out.
"Not that I'm complaining," thought Yugi quickly, attempting to reassure his millenniums old partner.
"I take no offense," chuckled the spirit. "You deserve some time off."
"Hey Earth to Yugi?" Téa's light voice startled him out of his thoughts. He found her and Joey staring at him quizzically.
"What? What's up?"
"We were wondering where you'd like to eat?" Tea asked.
"Yeah, I'm starving and we're gonna need a place where we can get lots of food," Joey said, practically foaming at the mouth, "'cause I don't want Tristan stealing any of my leftovers again."
Just as Yugi opened his mouth to answer, the ground seemed to shift beneath their feet. The three cried out, Téa toppling into Yugi to catch her balance. They both ended up on the ground and Joey soon followed as he fell across them on his stomach. Yugi's breath got knocked out of him as his friend landed on top of him hard. Téa didn't fare much better, struggling as Joey's shoe almost caught her in the face.
"What. Was. That?" Joey scrambled to his feet, tripping slightly as another smaller tremor shook the earth.
"I don't know," Téa said worriedly, rising into a sitting position. Yugi crouched near her, instinctively reaching for the deck inside his jacket pocket while scanning the still-quaking section of road and sidewalk.
He gasp as a dark mist began to filter up from a crack in the center of the road directly in front of them. Dust-like particles seemed to materialize out of thin air, swirling ominously until they solidified into a single tall, cloaked figure.
The individual was shrouded in dark blue robes, its face obscured. Joey and Téa looked on with determined faces as Yugi pulled out his deck, ready to duel.
But no sooner had it appeared, the figure distorted again into mist, swirling around the disoriented group as they coughed and sputtered.
"Téa! Joey!" Yugi shouted, groping around in the darkness to find them.
"Over here!" yelled Téa.
Yugi dove toward the sound of her voice, flailing his arms as he struggled through the mist.
"Quickly!" The pharaoh shouted within his mind. "Change places Yugi, we must….!"
In a flash, everything disappeared. The space in the street where the three friends met the dark stranger was gone, a large dirt and dust filled crater in thier place.
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Yugi woke up to a splitting headache and eerie silence.
Joey! Téa!
He remembered suddenly, bolting upright. The sudden action made his head spin, and he almost fell over again. He rested a hand on his forehead, dark spots clouding his vision.
"Yugi, are you alright?" asked the pharaoh.
"Yeah, but what about…?"
His vision was still blurred, but he could make out the shapes of three figures that lay close by.
"Joey, Téa?" Yugi called out, coughing slightly. "Are you guys here? Are you alright?"
One of the figures groaned loudly, turning over before attempting to rise from the ground.
"Yugi, is that you?" asked a hoarse sounding Joey.
"Yeah it's me, Joey," Yugi sighed with relief, crawling toward his friend. "How are you?"
"I've been better," Joey wheezed, "But I've had worse."
Yugi chuckled slightly. His eyesight was beginning to return and Joey now sat in front of him rubbing his backside.
He glanced around him to find Téa pushing herself up from the floor.
"Téa! Are you ok?" Yugi closed the distance between them, offering her his hand. She took it gratefully, standing up and brushing herself off.
"Yeah, how about you and Joey?"
""A" okay, I guess," answered Joey.
"Where are we…?" Yugi glanced around the cavernous space in which they had found themselves. At first, he wondered if this was a part of the shadow realm. But other than the shock of a hard landing, he found that it was pretty easy to breathe.
The area seemed to be dome-shaped, yet at the same time, endless. The "ceiling" was as light as snow, fading into far-reaching walls that grew into ever darker shades of blue.
Yugi shuffled his feet. The floor seemed solid enough, but had an almost transparent quality to it, sometimes visible and sometimes not, depending on his viewpoint.
"Is this the shadow realm, Yugi?" Téa asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"No, I don't think so," Yugi assured her, taking a few tentative steps on the ever-shifting and empty plane.
"Phew, well that's a relief," Joey said, slumping forward.
"Wherever this is, I think we're going to be late meeting up with Tristan," Yugi said, reaching for the cards in his pocket. He froze, his eyes widening when his fingers grazed over empty space and cotton fabric. "My cards…"
"What's that, Yug?" Joey turned to face him.
"My cards!" Yugi spun around, dropping to his knees and feeling around desperately. "I can't find my deck!"
"Oh no!" Téa's hand flew to her mouth while Joey's hand flew to his own pocket, which he found empty.
"Me too!" Joey shouted. "Not a single card!"
"Tea! Did you have your deck on you when you met up with us?" Yugi asked with an urgent expression in his wide eyes.
"Yes but I..." Tea gasp as she found that her cards were also nowhere to be seen.
"That lousy freak must have stolen our cards!" cried Joey. He swore under his breath, kicking at the air in frustration and digging his fingers into his mess of blonde hair.
A small sound echoed throughout the chamber, interrupting the group's collective crisis. They grew suddenly silent. Yugi glanced around Téa toward the noise. He froze as he spotted a small yellow shape curled a few feet away.
"What's that?"
Téa and Joey followed his gaze to the strange object.
The trio jumped when it moved, rolling over onto four legs, its pointed ears twitching back and forth.
"Pika…chu."
The little sound echoed once more in the quiet, empty space and seemed to come from the little creature whose eyes had just settled on the small group.
"What. In the world…is that?"
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Note: I figured the pharaoh is better at comebacks and general sass than Yugi, even though that kid has a mouth on him when he does decide to use it. And I figured the pharaoh would hold more of a grudge over Wheevil after what happened to their Exodia cards, thus Atem's comment about sassing Wheevil and Raptor, who always seem to be attached at the hip for some reason.
Ok and don't get too excited or mad about Yugi having a crush on Téa, because romance is not the main focus in this story. I just feel like it does play a part in Yugi's self-image, which is important.
I feel like there's something wrong with my characterization. But then again, I ask that you don't take this story too seriously because it is literally so random and weird.
Let me know what you think. Ask me questions. Yell at me. Send me little drawings of poops with frowny faces, I don't care. I'm just happy you read. Thanks for that.