A team of archaeologists digging in Egypt uncover a mysterious stone buried in rubble, containing seven mysterious gold artefacts. However, shortly after this discovery hits newspapers around the world, these artefacts are mysteriously stolen. Yugi Moto is up for one final adventure to retrieve the seven Millennium Items. (Post storyline, in case you didn't guess...all characters the same as in the series, but Yugi and Bakura have no sexy alter-egos in their Millennium items anymore. Yes, I would forgive you all for running away screaming from this fanfic for that very fact.)

It had been two years since Yugi Moto had parted ways with the Pharaoh. He was still the undefeated King of Games, but nothing had really been the same since his Duel with Atem. Téa was studying dance in New York, Duke still lived nearby in his game shop, but the two of them rarely crossed paths, and he hadn't spoken to Bakura, Joey or Tristan in at least seven months. He hadn't even seen either of the Kaiba brothers since he had returned to Japan after his fateful trip to Egypt.

He had expected that he and his friends would go their separate ways after finishing high school, but it still hurt that it had happened so quickly, especially after everything that they had been through together.

He didn't even have the Millennium Puzzle anymore. Even now, after two years since he had left it in the Millennium Stone alone with the other six items, he missed its reassuring weight around his neck. It had been his treasure for eight years even before he had first learned of its powers, and although he had left it in the heat of the moment while running for his life, he still wished he had it, even as nothing more than a memento of Atem.

He still lived in the Game Shop with his Grandpa, and it was for that very reason that it was one of the most popular game shops in Japan. Every day, it was swamped with adoring fans, all wanting to meet the famous Yugi Moto, the King of Games. It was certainly a thriving business.

But there were still nights in which Yugi would simply sit in his room and reflect, remembering everything. that had happened. He and his friends had been through a lot, and even though it had turned out for the best, for everyone, it was hard to just move on to a regular life.

It was on one of these nights that his life would change again, for another adventure.

He had already been in bed for an hour, staring at the ceiling. The shop and the surrounding street were silent. He rolled onto his side restlessly. Nothing happened in his life anymore except working in the shop, winning Duel Monsters tournaments and being swamped by fans. He longed for the times he had spent with all of his friends, thinking with a sigh that as soon as the world saving was finished, they had been split up.

And on this passing thought, the phone rang.

Yugi sat up in bed. Who would be calling at this hour? he wondered, getting to his feet and making his way down the hallway.

"Hello, Game Shop," he said, yawning, as he held the phone to his ear.

"Yugi? Is that you? It's Bakura."

"Bakura?" Yugi was silent for a moment, not at all upset to be hearing from an old friend, but surprised at the circumstances in which it had happened. "What-"

"I'm sorry to have called you like this," Bakura went on, "but I couldn't wait until morning – have you got a copy of today's newspaper?"

Yugi's hand found the light switch, and he blinked several times to adjust to the change of brightness. He made his way to the paper bin and pulled out the paper that his Grandpa had finished with earlier that day.

"Yes, what is it?" He was already wide awake, brimming with curiosity as to what had been so important to Bakura that it had driven him to call in the middle of the night.

"Turn to page twelve and read the article on the bottom." The emotion in Bakura's voice was difficult to make out; somewhere between excitement and dread. Yugi flipped to page twelve.

The picture with the article alone was enough to strike him speechless for several seconds. "That's-"

"Read," Bakura urged.

"During an excavation of a collapsed cave in Egypt, a team of archaeologists stumbled upon what appears to be a large stone statue. Embedded in slots in different places around the stone are seven gold ancient Egyptian artefacts; an eye, a necklace, a set of scales..." Yugi didn't need to finish. The picture had been enough; the Millennium Stone and the seven Millennium Items.

"Someone found them," he breathed.

"It goes on to say that the artefacts will be placed on display in a museum in Cairo," Bakura continued. "Then the rest of the site will be excavated."

Yugi was silent. He knew that any further excavation of the site would only reveal the sealed door to the spirit world, which would be a cause for great excitement for the archaeologists, but would hold no real bearing on his life. No, it was the Millennium Items he was worried about; if anyone who knew about their power were to learn of their rediscovery, and their location in the museum...all of them, together in the one place...

"This is bad." He didn't know what else to say.

"Very bad," Bakura agreed. "If the wrong people got a hold of them, there would be disaster. Even without the spirits of the Pharaoh and the other me, the items on their own would..."

"And with news of it in newspapers everywhere..."

Neither of them said anything for another minute or so. Finally, Yugi spoke up. "Without Shadi, I would say that the best people to talk to about this would be Ishizu and Marik. They've doubtlessly already heard about it."

"We should contact them right away."

Yugi had a thought. "You know, Ishizu runs an ancient Egyptian artefact exhibition," he said. "For all we know, that's the one that's hosting the items and we have nothing to worry about." But if not...

"Yes, but we shouldn't take chances."

Yugi understood Bakura's concerns; he of all people knew how dangerous a Millennium Item could be.

Yugi looked at the clock. It was already quarter past eleven. That meant that it would be quarter past four in the afternoon in Egypt. "Then what are we waiting for?"

Since she had learned of the rediscovery of the Millennium Items twenty-fours hours beforehand, Ishizu Ishtar had been trying to make an offer on them that the archaeologists couldn't refuse.

And she had been unsuccessful. The fact that her exhibition was currently on its way to a museum in Europe didn't help, especially now that it had been announced to the world that the items would be displayed in the Cairo Museum.

The truth was, she knew that the chances of disaster arising from the items' discovery were slim; very few people knew of the power that they held, and those that did knew from experience that their power was not to be reckoned with lightly. Not to mention that any 'newly discovered' Ancient Egyptian artefacts would be under top security.

But the idea of their whereabouts being published in newspapers around the world unsettled her. To anyone determined enough, stealing them would be easy. And if that happened...

She wouldn't let it happen. She would make a deal with the archaeologists and have them for her exhibit. Then they would be mysteriously 'stolen', and she and her brothers would find them a safe resting place where there power would be out of anyone's reach. They would disappear from the public's memory.

Ishizu had barely left the phone all day, exchanging calls with archaeologists and the curator of the Cairo Museum. The call that arrived at half past four didn't seem out of the ordinary until she had already answered it.

"This is Ishizu Ishtar," she said, hoping that she would be able to sort out something soon; she hadn't slept at all the previous night.

"Hi, Ishizu." The voice that greeted her was Japanese, which instantly grabbed her attention. "This is Yugi Moto."

"Hello, Yugi." She already knew the reason for his call; she didn't need to be able to see the future to know that. "I presume that you've read about the rediscovery of the Millennium Items."

The brief phone delays seemed incredibly long at the moment, Ishizu decided.

"Yes, I have." There was a short pause before he continued; "Please tell me you've got them."

"Not yet, but trust me; I have everything under control. I'm organising to have the items bought for my own exhibition, and then Marik, Odion and I will find a place to hide them. Preferably separate, since it's obviously a bad idea to keep them all together."

Ishizu wasn't entirely convinced of her own words, and when Yugi spoke up next, it was obvious that he wasn't either. "Well, if you're sure." His voice was full of doubt.

"I am – don't worry, we'll take care of this. Don't get yourself and your friends involved; there's nothing you can do."

While Ishizu waited through the phone delay for Yugi's parting words, she found herself staring into space. I just hope that the same doesn't apply to me.

After saying his farewells to Ishizu, Yugi sat down for a minute, thinking. Bakura had made Yugi promise to call him as soon as he had finished talking to Ishizu, but it could wait a moment.

Yugi knew that the best way to completely remove any chances of this happening again would be to destroy the Millennium Items once they were found again, and if Ishizu hadn't already figured that out, then she was in denial.

Sighing, he went back to his room and took out the box that had held the Millennium Puzzle while in its incomplete form. Despite the fact that he no longer owned the Puzzle, it saddened him to think of it being melted down, or even simply disassembled, never to be completed again.

Suddenly it occurred to him that this could be his last opportunity to see it; he could go to Egypt and see it in the museum, unless Ishizu was able to get the items before they were displayed.

He shook his head and made his way back to the phone. He had already decided that he would never see his Puzzle again; this should never have happened, so it wasn't going to change that.

He gave another sigh and picked up the phone to call Bakura.