Title: Chosen Lineage

Rating: PG-13 / T

Warnings: Mild language, violence of varying degree, probably OOC-ness (cause I've never written Yu-gi-oh before) and there will be a number of OC's, but the focus remains on the canon characters, although one OC in particular will be more prominent. Despite that, the focus remains as heavily as possible on Yugi and his friends.

I've have only watched the dubbed version of Yu-Gi-Oh, thus names and other things will be taken form the dubbed aka english version. I do know some of the Japanese names, but since I know the characters better in the english version, I'll stick to that to make writing this the tiniest bit easier.

Summary: They said goodbye. Yugi said goodbye. Atem said goodbye. But when Yugi starts acting weird, his friends start to wonder if it was enough. Yugi obviously misses Atem, but Yugi says it's not about Atem. Then why is Yugi acting so weird? But when Yugi gets kidnapped, things get a lot more complicated.

Disclaimer: This disclaimer goes for the entire story. I do not own Yu-gi-oh or any of its characters. I merely borrow them for my own imagination.

A/N: A very welcome to anyone reading this. I'm new to this fandom so please be nice. I do appreciate constructive criticism and encouragement. Please do not flame, it won't stop me anyhow XD

This first chapter starts a little weird as in just plain dialogue without any indications of the surroundings, the characters speaking or mannerism. Hope it won't scare you off XD

This story will hold some Japanese words. Translations will be above each chapter.

"Talking"

"Whispering"

"Thoughts"

...

Enjoy!

...

Chapter One

Restless and Desperate

"Where is he?"

"He is in his room."

"Again?"

"I don't get it!"

"What do you mean?"

"What do I mean? Have you seen him lately?"

"Oh you know I didn't mean it like that. I know he's not been himself. I meant what are referring about, specifically and don't give me that look!"

"I was referring to the fact that at first he was a bundle of energy, full on driving us crazy. Like jumping at corners, acting like he was being watched. Heck just in the third week he was standing in the middle of a storm because he thought he saw something!"

"Well maybe he did see something. What's so strange about that?"

"He stood there for two hours, Tea!"

"Alright, alright. I get your point, I think. Are you saying you're more worried now that he's not acting jumpy and supicious?"

"YES! Because he's not just stopped acting like that, he's doing a complete 360. He's the exact opposite right now. Silent, isolated and a constant dazed look on his face."

"Except for his jumpiness. He's more jumpy than ever now because he's so out of it. Just the other day I tapped his shoulder in class and he totally freaked out and punched me."

"HE DID WHAT?"

"Why didn't you tell us this?"

"I'm telling you now, aren't I? It wasn't a big deal, he missed although if I hadn't been as quick as I'd been he would have hit me. Hmm, that's pretty good now that I think about it. He never could defend himself to save his life before."

"This isn't funny, Joey! We have to do something!"

"Like what, Tea? We've tried to help him, every day of every week of every month. I'm not saying we should give up on him, I wouldn't ever. He's my friend, our friend, but maybe what he needs is space."

"I don't know, dude. This isolation stuff usually doesn't lead to good things. He'll just bottle everything up until he burst, so to speak."

"Well what great ideas do you have then? We've tried talking, we've tried patience, we've tried distracting him. Nothing worked before, why should it now?"

"I know it's hard for all of us and that it would be hardest on him, but I never imagined he would take it this hard though."

"Well what did you expect? He shared his body with the guy.. okay that came out wrong. You know what I mean, two souls and one body. They could freaking talk in their heads to each other, or head. This is confusing!"

"I know what you mean, Joey. They weren't just friends or the closest thing to brothers. They were two halves of the same soul. I guess one cannot understand it unless you've been there..."

...

"HEY!"

"Hey, what dude. Spit it out."

"Ryou! He's harbored a spirit in his body. Maybe he can snap him out of it?"

"That's a great idea, except that he harbored an evil spirit who was anything but kind, gentle or helpful in any way! You idiot!"

"Look, no need to insult me. I'm only trying to help here. And Ryou's case may be a lot different, but at least he understands what it feels like to suddenly be alone in your own mind."

"Alright, slow down guys. Listen, this is getting us nowhere and it's definitely not getting Yugi out of his room."

...

"Maybe...maybe we should leave him alone for today. Lets just see how he behaves at school tomorrow and then decide whether we should try something again. I can even stop by Ryou this afternoon to ask for his help, should we need it."

"Sounds like a plan. Okay, lets do that. See you all at school tomorrow then."

"Yeah okay. Bye guys!"

"Bye!"

/ ... /

Grandpa Muto hesitated before his grandson's bedroom door. He didn't wish to disturb him but how could he just ignore the silent cries for help. He had been the first to notice a difference in Yugi. It wasn't after a few days back home, when his friends started noticing the changes. No. Yugi's behaviour changed almost instantly, as soon as Yami, no Atem, stepped through that door.

Perhaps he had imagined it or maybe it was an aftereffect from crying, but he'd noticed his grandson tensing up as if his breath was cut off or as if something had grabbed him, took him by surprise. But before he could ask, the place started collapsing. It was when they got out of there and headed back to civilization and back home, that he could ask his grandson if he was alright.

But of course he wasn't alright. He had just lost his best friend, closest friend ever. A brother, not only in heart but in soul. Someone he relied on mroe than he ever relied on anyone else. How could Yugi possibly be alright after losing that most trusted person?

But Solomon could tell something was different. Yugi grieved for Atem, yes. Just like Tea, Joey, even Tristan had cried. But Yugi's behaviour involved mroe than regular grieving mannerisms. He couldn't sit still for more than five minutes and even that was a stretch. Standing still seemed equally as impossible. He needed to keep moving, pacing up and down no matter how small the space was and if he was forced sit he kept fidgeting.

then there was the constant looks over his shoulder, to his left and right as if he saw something or felt like he was being watched. His hesitance to touch as if afraid he'd get hurt or maybe he felt simply crowded.

The worst change was his fierce protectiveness taking on a much more hands-on approach. Whenever a stranger past by too close for his comfort, he either moved himself between the stranger and whomever was closest passing him by and at the airport Yugi had raised his voice against Solomon when he had wandered away form the group a little to check their flight.

Grandpa Muto sighed as he pulled himself out of his thoughts. Yes, he was worried. Yugi behaved nothing like a regular person in grieving. Rather than curling up somewhere, he grew restless. Sure he had cried, he had yelled, he had grown silent... but those were just moments. The rest of the time Yugi had acted like a caged animal getting ready for a fight and that was so far away from who Yugi was, that it worried everyone a great deal.

Finally, Solomon pulled up all his courage and knocked on his grandson's closed bedroom door. Silence followed his knock, as he had expected.

"Yugi?"

Nothing again. He sighed again, something he did a lot these few months since Egypt. Yugi didn't respond to anyone, not his friends, not Solomon, not even to Kaiba's insults. he didn't even show surprise that Kaiba had shown up. yugi has simply dismissed his presence and within seconds his eyes were roaming around the room and back looking out the window as if he was expecting something to appear.

"Yugi, please. Talk to me."

It had been only this week that his behaviour had changed again. He'd locked himself in his room whenever he possibly could and went silent for the duration of the day. He came out to eat, he left for school, helped out at the shop... but always with an underlying restlessness and suspicion and only spoke when asked a question. Most of the time he responded only with one-worded answers, unless more was required.

"I've made something to eat, if you're hungry. I'll leave it out here for you."

Solomon felt his heart constrict at the lasting silence. He wanted his grandson back, that smiling bubble of pure joy that always lighted the mood wherever he went. Did Yugi even realise how many people he was affecting, how many people were not themselves simply because Yugi wasn't himself?

Solomon turned away from the door wiping away a stray tear that had escaped his strong hold. Crying would not help Yugi right now. He needed to be strong for his grandson, in case he was ready to accept help, comfort and Solomon would grand it immediately. Looking back at the door, Grandpa Muto tried once last time.

"We all love you Yugi. I know the pain you're going through. I hope you'll let me help you, when you are ready to accept your loss."

Silence reigned throughout the entire gameshop as Solomon Muto went back downstairs, leaving his broken grandson alone.

Yugi sat on the ground, huddled in the darkest corner of his bedroom, his head on his knees and his hands holding his head as if in pain. A broken whisper broke the silence for the first time in days, except there was no one around to hear it.

"I'm sorry grandpa."

Yugi's body shook as he tried to keep still while his body and mind rebeleld against that order. He needed to move and keep moving. But Yugi didn't move. He gripped his hair tightly, trying to distract himself with physical pain.

"They're wrong. This isn't about Atem. Sure I miss him terribly, but who wouldn't after spending years with his consciousness in your head. We were more than partners in battle, I was more than a reincarnation. We were friends, best friends, soul friends. No that isn't right. We were more than that. We were brothers.

I cried when he left, but I managed to choke out a goodbye. Though it wasn't a normal death, he still died as soon as he entered the afterlife. And it hurts just like a real friend dying, like a brother dying. He's gone and he's not coming back and it's not fair! But I can't change it and it wouldn't be fair to bring him back or to never have let him go. He didn't belong in this world.

I wanted to cry more, to break things, to act childish and irrational, but I couldn't. Even separated as we were, he could still calm me. I could still feel him. So I may have choked out my goodbye, but my heart screamed out a farewell.

But this isn't about Atem. This is about me and my friends. They worry about me, heck I worry about me. I feel weird and it started when Atem left. This does not help my case, but it's not grieving I'm going through. Something else is going on. It feels almost like…a warning. Something is coming, something bad is going to happen and for some reason I'm aware of this.

I only wish I knew what was going to happen"

tbc

A/N: Just a notice to my readers of my other fandoms. I have not nor will I ever give up on my stories. I succeeded in updating my HP story, however am still struggling a bit with DBZ and Balto. It's probably not a good idea to start something new, but since nothing has worked so far, I thought starting something new in a completely different fandom was worth a shot. It could get me inspired to write again and maybe help me past my block which seems to be focussed mostly on the DBZ fandom. Don't give up hope, I will update, I'm trying and Februari might not cut it, but I'm hoping I can throw something out in March. Please don't hate me *sad puppy-dog eyes*

If anyone read this chapter, thank you very much. It's only the beginning so it's nothing exciting yet, and I'm very worried for reactions I'll get when the actual plot appears. Keep in mind people, I love angst and fantasy and animals, so don't expect a story about regular human issues XD

Next time on Chosen Lineage: Yugi baffles his friends in gym class, Joey and Tristan worry whether they've set the wrong example for Yugi, Tea doesn't know whether to be more worried or relieved and Grandpa Muto's punishment for Yugi ends up in a scare.

Stay Tuned for Chapter two - Awareness!