Note: Yugi lost the Ceremonial Duel and this story takes place just after he lost. Enjoy.
Chapter One:
Atem stood firm as he defeated Yugi in what he thought would be his Final Duel in the modern world.
"Yugi, there's no need for crying. You dueled with honor. It's a shame that at the end of this duel that I emerged victorious. It appears that I'm not destined to leave this world just yet." Yugi wiped his eyes and looked at Atem in disappointment.
"But Atem, if I won I would have set you free. You could have gone back to the spirit world and been at peace." Atem then shook his head.
"Yugi, before this duel even started I knew that if I won it was because I was not ready to leave just yet and by doing so you have helped me realise that there is something of pure evil that is coming next and I need you by my side so we can defeat this new evil together."
Yugi looked up at Atem. "Your right Atem, I need to get used to calling you that now. Well everyone, I lost and the pharaoh, I mean Atem will be staying."
Yugi goes to the millennium stone and picks his millennium puzzle back from it.
Joey saw Ishizu and Marik in shock. "Hey Marik and Ishizu, thanks for helping these two know what to do now but is there anything to eat I'm starving here!" Everyone laughed.
"Well I don't know about you fools, but the duel is over, I'm heading back to go and run my business!" Kaiba stormed out.
"If you guys want a free ride home you better hurry before my brother decides to leave you here!" Mokuba went running after Kaiba.
Everyone begins walking back up the stairs and Yugi goes and puts his millennium puzzle back around his neck and Atem's spirit goes back inside the puzzle. Yugi begins picking up the millennium items out of the stone and putting them back in to his bag. He figured they would be safer with him.
"Millennium Eye, Millennium Necklace, Millennium Rod, Millennium Scales, Millennium Key, my Millennium Puzzle of course and last but not least the Millennium Ring... Ah!" Bakura snatched the ring away from Yugi and ran off.
"The Millennium Ring!" Realizing that the spirit of the ring just snatched the ring back and ran off, Yugi transformed into Atem and chased after Bakura up the stairs.
"Come back Bakura!" Joey and the others looked back to see what's going on.
Joey looked around, "Hey wait a minute, where's Bakura? He was right here a minute ago."
Bakura comes running up behind them. "Power of the Millennium Ring, freeze these fools while I escape with the ring!"
Everyone was frozen and Bakura escaped. Atem comes running up the stairs to find everyone just becoming unfrozen.
"Where's Bakura?" Tea said to Atem "He got away. He froze us all so none of us could do anything."
Mokuba shouted over at everyone "Hey are you guys coming or not? We leave soon."
Everyone started saying their goodbyes to Ishizu and Marik and Odion as they began to depart. Atem then said his goodbyes and wished them well.
"My Pharaoh, wait." Ishizu stopped Atem.
"Whatever this new evil is, please stop it. Once you do you are welcome to come back here and repeat the Ceremonial Duel. Then you may rest in the spirit world." Atem nodded at Ishizu and ran off after everyone.
"All aboard for the town of Domino!" Mokuba said to them all.
Duke turned to everyone and said his goodbyes.
"I'm heading back home too. But don't worry I'll be back in your neighborhood in a few weeks. I run a game shop there too, remember?" Duke went home and the others boarded the plane home.
Tristan said to Joey, "Wait didn't Duke's game shop close before we left for a year for remodeling? Why's he coming to town in a few weeks?" Joey smirked and laughed.
"What's so funny!?" Tristan yelled at Joey.
Joey turned and said "You don't know? Duke has another date with my sister Serenity."
Joey continued smirking.
"HE WHAT!?" Tristan shouted as the plane took off.
Everyone laughed and Yugi said "It's time to go home guys so we can prepare for whatever danger and evil comes our way next!"
The following morning…
It was the day after the Ceremonial Duel and all Yugi could think about is how he lost and stopped Atem from finally being at peace. Yugi sighed. Atem's spirit awoke from the puzzle and said "Yugi, what's wrong?"
Yugi couldn't lie to Atem because he'd know so he just opened up. "It's just if I had won yesterday, you would have finally been free and gone to rest in the spirit world where you belong."
Atem smiled. "Yugi, you fought bravely and after all, that was the toughest duel I have ever had. You are a great opponent. But with time and practice you will get better and once we stop this new evil, we can duel once more and maybe next time I will finally get to be at peace in the spirit world."
Yugi stood up and said to Atem "Yeah you're right. I shouldn't be down about it. Besides we need to go and find out what this new evil is so we can prepare!" Atem nodded and they went out to meet Tea.
"Grandpa, I'm leaving."
Grandpa Moto waved and said "Take care, Yugi!"
Yugi left the game shop and went to meet Tea in Domino Square. Yugi tripped over and his deck exploded from his pocket flying everywhere all over the floor. Whilst trying to pick the cards up he heard a motorbike coming from afar and stopped right next to him. An arm reached down picked up the three Egyptian God Cards and drove off with them.
"HEY! Come back!" Yugi picked the rest of the cards up and chased after the motorbike.
Unfortunately, he was not fast enough to chase the thief and the thief got away.
Yugi ran to Domino Square to meet Tea. "Tea, I've got no time to explain. Some biker stole the three Egyptian God Cards and rode off with them!"
Tea was in shock. "How can someone do a thing like that?"
Yugi transformed in to Atem.
"Tea, get Joey and Tristan and tell them to be quick! We're looking for a green and black motorbike!"
Atem ran off looking for the motorbike the thief was on.
A few hours later...
Yugi, Tea, Joey and Tristan all met back at Domino Square before nightfall. "I can't find him anywhere. I guess the Egyptian God Cards are gone for now. I'm gonna go home and see if anything has happened. Why don't you guys come along?"
They all headed to the game shop and a letter was at home for Yugi. "Yugi, there's a letter that came for you." Grandpa Moto gave the letter to Yugi.
Yugi opened it and 3 cards were inside. "It's the Egyptian God Cards! They're back! But why would someone steal them only to return them?"
Joey looked at Yugi and said "Who cares Yugi, now they're back with you and we can forget all about this."
The television started a report on Duel Monsters.
"Next we look at the ancient history of the Duel Monsters card game and how it was played in ancient times. It began millenniums ago according to Maximilian Pegasus. There are three ancient monsters which in Egyptian times were said to be held by the nameless pharaoh. These cards today are held by the World Duel Monsters Champion, Yugi Moto. But earlier today, Maximilian Pegasus, the inventor of Duel Monsters made a new discovery. That the three ancient monsters which protected Egypt all those years ago, indeed have a dark side. We go to Maximilian Pegasus for the report himself.
"Greetings fellow duelists and everyone else, I have discovered that the three Egyptian God monsters which protected Egypt millenniums ago have a dark side. I am currently developing these monsters in to cards and will be releasing them shortly after but there will only be one of each card. So whoever gets them has them!"
Yugi looked worried.
"Yugi, what's wrong?" Tea said to Yugi.
"It's just that if the three Egyptian God Cards are too powerful for a normal duelist to handle then won't these cards be just the same?" Everyone looked concerned now.
"Well Yugi, look at it this way. If the cards are too powerful then Pegasus won't release them just like he didn't when he made the three Egyptian God Cards?" Yugi smiled.
"I suppose you're right Tea. Now I'm getting tired and going to head to bed. See you all at school tomorrow." Everyone left and Yugi went to his room.
Yugi got in to bed but just as he did, the Egyptian God Cards started to glow black. Atem sensed this and Yugi grabbed the cards.
Atem said to Yugi "I think the Egyptian Gods can feel their dark sides being made in to cards. I'm not sure but I think the dark side to the Egyptian Gods is the evil that stopped me going to the Spirit World."
Yugi looked out the window and it was pouring with rain.
"You think so Atem?"
Atem looked at the floor before saying "I expect it to be this. It seems too much of a coincidence that the three Egyptian God Cards were stolen just before Pegasus announced he was making the dark side versions of them. It's just too suspicious to me."
Yugi looked at Atem in concern. "Well, if this is the new evil that's approaching then we need to get ready for it. I suppose we should get some sleep and begin training first thing tomorrow."
Atem smiled at Yugi. "There's no stopping you is there. I agree, let's get some sleep and we can begin to figure out where to go about this now. Good night Yugi."
Atem faded back in to the Millennium Puzzle. "Good night Atem." Yugi shut the light off and went to sleep.