Phew! Okay, so this is a self-indulgent series, which I'll most likely update every Sunday. I'm saying self-indulgent, because a lot of it is more to do with my tastes. At some points, there will be shipping, or hints thereof. There will even be some crossover shipping! Characters will be listed as I go along, as well as ships. I'm sorry if you don't like ship, but I'm not here to cater to everyone's peculiar needs. Monster World has been edited to be more like Dungeons and Dragons, however, for the most part, they are all the same race. If I go OOC, give me a nudge. Also - I'll be using Japanese names for the benefit of inside the world, just to separate reality and game. God damn, this is more complex than I thought!

But, for now, here's a list of ships which'll be updated as time goes on:
Puzzleshipping- you all saw it coming.

I think that's about it. I hope you all enjoy!

Atem had always been the one for shadow games. He had challenged everyone he could, strengthening his power. He had loved the idea of minds collapsing and being sent to the realm everyone had dreaded. He loved the screams, and the shouts of agony, the pleas to stop. It was fine for him, though. It always had been. He wasn't the one having the shadows unleashed upon his mind. He enjoyed it.

Yugi, however, did not share his sentiment. He didn't fear the shadows, but only what lurked inside. He disagreed with the usage of shadow magic, and what they hid in their shade. He always thought someone he cared about could get hurt. It was just a feeling. But, he feared it was correct.

When Atem made the choice to challenge Bakura, Yugi had warned him. It was a terrible idea, someone could get hurt, what if he lost? He tried to assure him, it would be fine. Yugi wasn't so sure.

The pair had decided the game would take place in Bakura's home. The home was eerie, with artefacts and mythical items dotted around the somewhat dark home. It would be abandoned for the most part, other than his twin brother being upstairs. Yugi didn't know what the game would be, it wasn't his business. That's what Atem had said. But, even so, his mind was restless.

The game was in the living room. There must have been silence for five minutes. Yugi waited in the hallway, listening out for any sounds. There was nothing. Not a single groan or even instructions on the game. Just plain silence echoed throughout the silent home. Seconds ticked away at the clock behind him, the only source of sound Yugi had, and began to count each second. When he had counted around five minutes, the living room door swung open, revealing Bakura, and only him.

"Where is he?" Yugi asked. Bakura only had a smile of his face, a sinister grin, which deeply unsettled the smaller one.
"I think you can guess. But, why don't you look for yourself?" he opened the door slightly. Yugi pushed it the rest of the way.

In the centre of the room sat a rather large table, with papers, pencils, figurines, maps and dice. One of the figurines, with rather spiky hair, was knocked over. On the floor by the table, lay Atem on his side. His eyes were closed, and he almost looked asleep and peaceful. But he wasn't, and Yugi knew. The moment he had registered what was going on, he rushed to the fallen male's body. He tried gently shaking him, despite knowing its futility.

"It's no use. You, of all people, should know the penalty of a shadow game," Bakura said from the doorframe. Yes, of course he knew. But, even so, he knew a way to reverse it. And, he would. He rose to his feet and turned back to the figure by the doorframe.
"I want his soul back!" he shouted. "I challenge you to a shadow game!" the bright purple eyes shined with determination.
"Are you sure? Then again, I wouldn't blame you. You wouldn't have to live without him. You could both spend an eternity together in the shadow realm," he mocked. Yugi's stance did not budge.
"I mean it, Bakura. I'll do whatever it takes."
"Alright," he sauntered over to the table. "Fine. But, we play by my rules."
Yugi nodded. "Fine."

The game wasn't new to Yugi. He had played this game with Ryou beforehand. But, this game was with the other Bakura brother. He wasn't the same person. He was much more dangerous, Yugi noted. Despite the fact they were twins, Bakura never harboured the sympathy his brother carried, or any of his kindness. He was trouble, but Yugi was used to trouble after everything that had happened.

Bakura was the one to sit at the table first. He folded his arms on the table, casting a glance at Yugi, a silent coax to sit down. Nerves suddenly staring to weigh heavily on him, and gulped as he sat down. But, even still, he was determined to rescue his friend from the most dreaded place in existence. He looked down at his fallen friend, a final reminder of what he had to do. And, he swore, he would do whatever it takes.

"Monster World," Bakura started. "You've played it, haven't you? Not with me as dungeon master, you haven't. It'll be a little different to the games you've played with my brother. I've altered the game to my tastes, and it won't be the same game you recognise. They're my rules, but, you'll figure them out eventually."
"But the rules of the game have already been set. You can't suddenly change them," Yugi protested.
"Too late. Though, I have to mention, you'll be discarding your monster tamer for this game. You will create a whole new character based on my conditions."
"Then, what are the conditions?" he asked. He was desperate at this point. He needed to play this game, and fast, before the shadows completely engulfed Atem.
"It's quite simple. The character, Yugi, is you."

Before he had a chance to respond, his entire body stopped. His muscles, joints and organs felt like stone. He could not breathe, nor think clearly. His mind panicked, sending multiple messages to his body to just move. But it didn't respond. The entire process lasted a second, but it had felt like an eternity to him.

Yugi could feel himself lifting. He caught a glimpse of himself, knocked out on the table, before being taken in by the surprisingly careful hand of the shadows. His body felt like it was drifting down, a cloud slightly too heavy to fly. He closed his eyes as he felt parts of him seemingly disappeared, pieces of his heart leaving him.

His mind started to slip, the shadows eroding his memories. The thought of a Brooklyn blonde vanished, a brown-haired beauty disappeared. A male with forward-protruding hair's memory left him, as well as a brown-haired billionaire with his little brother. All the people seemed to leave him. Finally, the one memory he had to keep, the one that encouraged him to fight. He drifted away from Yugi. His body became drowsy, too exhausted to do much. He let the forced sleep carry him away, with a final thought in mind:

My name is Yugi Muto, but who am I?