-Insert super, awesome, chocolately fudge coated theme song-
It had been a long, busy Saturday at the Game Shop. Yet, finally, the crowds shrunk and Solomon Motou stood behind the counter, dusting off games. Yugi was in his room, sulking dearly, like he had for the past year every Saturday... For his friend was gone, his closest friend, Atemu. He often thought back to that day when him and his 'other self' fought a duel that he would never forget and sometimes he thinks that maybe, just maybe, he should of let his partner win. Then, he wouldn't be lying on his bed, crying into the pillow that was covered in stains from his tears.
The saddest part of his loss... was he had nothing to remember Atemu by. The puzzle was gone. He didn't know where it was, where it went, who had it... nothing. All a lost memory. It's easy for him to remember what Atemu looked and sounded like. He just had to think of himself, except older. Atemu's hair was slightly different, his voice deeper, taller, more confident, practically everything Yugi wasn't.
After a few more minutes of remembering the duel, thinking over what was right and remembering old times when Atemu lived within his mind, he started to head downstairs. At that moment, something was happening that Yugi was unaware of. Actually, nobody knew. As Yugi walked downstairs, someone entered the Game Shop, someone quite familiar. Yugi walked into the store and both his grandfather and him look up at the same time. Yugi instantly screamed out "I'MSEEINGTHINGS!!" and rubbed his eyes as tears began to come forth. For a few more seconds Solomon just stared at the newcomer then finally began a greeting "Welcome, At..." he then grabbed at his chest and fell backwards "MY HEART!"
"Um... hello?" The stranger looked around at the wreck that had suddenly happened within the store because of his presence and as he turned towards the stairs Yugi came at him with a fork and began to stab his hair. "Are... are you real!?"
"Yes, I would believe so..."
"But, but you can't be! You went through that big door, you left us!"
"Excuse me..."
Yugi stopped pricking the multi-colored spiky hair standing before him,"Yes?" He smiled.
"Who are you?"
Yugi let out a slight laughter, but then realized that this man he had known for so long really had no idea who he was. His smile dropped as the tan face looked down at him with a puzzled look, "You... you really don't know who I am?"
"Of course," Yugi started to brighten up again, "I don't." Again a cloudiness formed around Yugi as his sadness swept over him (Zomg, soap opera!). "You have to remember me Atemu! You have to!"
"How... how do you know my name?" The never-forgotten Pharaoh stared shockingly at the younger version of himself at the fact that this boy knew his name, when he (as he thought) had never met him before. Why were these people throwing such a scene because of him? How did they know him? Who are they? He had so many questions now; it was like he was back in the Millennium Puzzle (although he knew nothing of that past).
Yugi then stepped back a few feet and held his arms outwards from his sides,"Am I familiar to you at all?" Atemu shook his head no. "Do I look like anyone you know?" The Pharaoh began to shake his head no again but then began to say something,"You, you look like me."
The younger boy nodded with glee that Atemu was catching onto something. Yes, I look like you. I am Yugi Motou and I use to own that Millennium Puzzle you wear around your neck," Yugi pointed at the large upside-down pyramid hanging from Atemu's neck.
"How could you have owned this, when I've had it all my life?"
"Because," Yugi sighed heavily. Was he even supposed to be telling this king this? What if he had come back for a reason and he had to figure this out on his own? No, Yugi didn't care about any prophecy; he was going to straight out and tell him about his past in the golden object. "You use to live inside it."
The taller man chuckled and pointed at his 'necklace', "This? You are saying I lived in this?"
"Well, not exactly. You lived in my mind... We shared my body."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I know you don't..." Yugi sighed again and put his face in his hands, mumbling to himself. How was he supposed to explain this mess? There were many confusing twists and turns about it all, it was hard to put into words. That's just it though; it's just like when he had to figure out his past as Pharaoh. The doorways, the traps... the onward searching for his lost memories.
"Atemu... how old are you?"
"I'm 18."
"Where were you born?" Yugi was trying to pry out as much information he needed to figure out what he needed to know.
"I was born in Egypt."
"Really, how old are you?" Yugi smiled as he asked this question again, it was silly to be asking this. Could the Pharaoh really remember his past as King of Egypt, or were Yugi's hopes a little too high?
"I'm 18!"
"No you're not!" He didn't know why, but as he yelled those three words he began crying. He didn't know if the Pharaoh was lying or telling the truth and if he was lying, it was a horrible feeling to be lied to by such a long-time friend. Atemu stood in silence as the younger version of him cried into his hands for reasons beyond his knowing and finally, Yugi softly spoke, "You're not 18. You're over 5000 years old! You were born in Egypt a long time ago and ruled as Pharaoh. You wiped your memory clean just to save Egypt and 5000 years later you lived in my mind, in the Puzzle and worked hard to return your memories to you. You. Are not. 18."
Atemu stood astonished at what this youth had said,"I don't know who you are, or how you know me so well," Yugi looked up at the tan face, "but I don't want to hear anymore of it." Then the Pharaoh turned on his heals and swept past Yugi and walked quickly out the door. Leaving Yugi to wonder why Atemu had showed up at the Game Shop in the first place. Is he dueling and looking into buying some cards?
The Pharaoh walked down the surprisingly empty street, his jacket flapping behind him in the wind. He walked slowly, thinking about what had just recently happened...
Yugi's grown over the year... he's different. He's still a sensitive kid, but he is more confident then before. I wouldn't think they would remember me, much less react in such a way as they did. Did they really care that much? Was it right for me to leave everyone like that? I couldn't help it... Yugi beat me, it had to be done. It was my destiny.
Atemu stopped and sat on a bench near by. He put his face in his hands as he continued thinking...
And I don't even know why I'm here.
"Yugi! Yuuugi!" Tea came running up to Atemu and sat down beside him on the bench. "Yugi, are you okay?"
Atemu replied in a rather sort of dazed way, "I'm not... Yugi." Tea looked confused as Atemu continued thinking without realizing that the annoying girl hadn't left yet. He was to busy wondering why people were still confusing him for the young boy. They looked alike, yes... but they had many characteristics that were easy to tell the difference. The Pharaoh then stood up and finally realized that the girl was still there, he then realized that it was Tea and she looked rather confused.
"My name isn't Yugi."
"Yugi, stop acting. There's only one guy in these parts that's short and has hair like you!" She smiled and slightly giggled at the joking comment.
"Well, I guess you would be wrong. My name isn't Yugi, it's Atemu." He then started to walk away, but at hearing the Pharaoh's name, Tea jumped up and followed behind. "So-so you're the Pharaoh?"
"Why is everyone talking to me about this 'Pharaoh' business? Please, leave me be."
Tea didn't understand. She stopped following Atemu and just stood, watching him walk away as she had many times before. As soon as she couldn't see the Pharaoh anymore, she stiffly turned and ran off towards the Game Shop, crying. (Gosh, so much crying. D: )
When she reached the Game Shop she ran inside to see Yugi sitting on the stairs with his grandfather. Solomon had a glass of water and an ice bag on his head. "Y-Yugi!" Yugi looked up at Tea, "Hello Tea." He let out a sigh.
"The Pharaoh. He-he's..."
"I know..."
Tea sat down beside Yugi on the stairs, which were starting to get a little crowded now. "Does he remember an-"
"No." Yugi replied without Tea finishing, he already knew what she was going to ask. Atemu knew nothing of his first time in Domino City. Duelist Kingdom, Battle City, the Orichalcous... nothing. He didn't even remember his friends.
-Insert super, awesome, chocolately fudge coated theme song-