Cards Against The Machine

Author: Mystic Dodo

Published: May 2017 (cross-posted on A03)

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or the movie this fic is loosely based on.

Notes: Have you ever seen the movie Mannequin? It's fantastically 80's and so cheesy. Well, the movie has inspired this fic! I started to write this years ago, got frustrated at it, left it alone for so long I forgot it existed and - after having an 80's movie night (Dirty Dancing, The Princess Bride, Die Hard, Labyrinth) - decided that a loosely based AU is most suited.

Expect awkward humour!

It had been the worst year of Yuugi's life.

It began with the unexpected death of his grandfather. Mutou Sugoroku, owner of Mutou Game Company, had been in the middle of a meeting when he had a violent heart attack. He was pronounced dead as soon as paramedics arrived. If that wasn't heart breaking enough, Yuugi's mother, Sugoroku's daughter, sold most of the company to their rival, Kaiba corporation, to help pay for the debts which Yuugi had no idea that they, as a company and as a family, were suffering. Amongst the 80% of the sales were most of Yuugi's concepts and ideas… not that he had been massively inspired in the months leading up to the totally unnecessary sales. Actually, the worst year of Yuugi's life began when his girlfriend, his high school sweetheart, had broken off their engagement, and motivation had been running low ever since. So his fiance (Rebecca) left him, his grandfather died and the company that his grandfather had built from rock bottom was sold, by his absent minded mother, to a rival company.

How could it get any worse?

Yuugi chuckled bitterly to himself. He had been hopping from job to job since he was "released" from his previous employment, under his grandfather. His "vision" didn't match that of Kaiba Corporation.. They were about the future; about consoles and virtual reality and realism. They had no interest in games for the family. So with nothing else except art and concept designs under his belt it was hard to find a job that would hire him with his complete lack of experiences in the more common jobs. Finances were suffering. His mother wanted to sell the rest of the company but it was under Yuugi's name (and the woman who had been using the company's money to travel around the world was definitely not in Yuugi's good books).

Yuugi tried to make ends meet. He lived in a flat and thankfully had some savings. But as it stood, he was a 26 year old male with no love life and very few friends, surviving on a mixture of his savings and minimum wage from a 16 hour cleaning job.

It wasn't like Yuugi had given up on his dream in creating a world famous game… it was just hard to find the motivation, inspiration and even the will power to create. His doodles and plans were aimless, childish scribbles with self depreciating thought bubbles from his make believe characters. When he wasn't working, Yuugi found himself flicking through netflix, avoiding his PC and telling himself he'll get serious about it again soon.

He had just returned home after having another meeting with lawyers regarding his grandfather's will. Yuugi had tried so hard to prevent his mother from selling nearly the entire company (Yuugi was meant to inherit it) but due to some legal mumbo jumbo and a loop hole and an incomplete Will and wishes of the next of kin, Mrs Mutou was able to do as she pleased with what her vision on what her father's desires would be. Well, at least everything wasn't lost. Yuugi got to keep his own handful of PC's, loaded with programs and editing software, and refused to let his mother throw out the original notebook that his grandfather had noted down his ideas all those years ago, and he also inherited an incomplete puzzle.

Yuugi had held some of the heavy gold plated pieces in his hands when he was a child and had managed to connect some of the pieces. His grandfather had found it when he was an archaeologist, and for some reason had never been able to complete it. When Yuugi was just a boy he wanted the puzzle so badly for himself but his grandfather just ruffled his hair and said something about… something.

In all honestly, in the past few months Yuugi wasn't sure if he was coming or going.

Seeing the box containing the puzzle his grandfather had been working on when he wasn't designing things, getting sponsors, doing the business side of things, brought a lump to Yuugi's throat. Setting down his bag, Yuugi set the kettle to boil for a cup of green tea and some instant noodles and took the box that contained the 3D puzzle. It was a heavy thing, lined with velvet. It was half complete, looking like it was taking on the structure of a pyramid. Guess it would make sense it would, seeing as his grandfather found it in Egypt…

An itch came to his fingers and Yuugi sat down on the floor, carefully arranging the puzzle pieces around him. The miserable grey weather outside grew darker and darker until a clouded moon weakly made its presence known. Yuugi's eyes were heavy with sleep, sweat collecting on his brow and his empty stomach protested to the lack of food. The sun was rising when Yuugi fell asleep, slumped against the sofa with the puzzle held in his hands.

Hours later, he awoke with a stiff back and feeling cold. It sounded like the street outside was in full swing and, rubbing his eyes, Yuugi dragged himself to his feet and rummaged around in his bag for his phone.

"What?!" He shrieked when he saw the time… and the number of missed calls he had. Shaking, Yuugi redialed the number, heart pounding. "Mr Hisoka? I'm so sorry, I oversl-… I know it's unprofessional… yes, sir, I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again… What? No, please, don't! I… oh. Okay. Fine…. No, I get it… oh fuck you, it was a stupid job with stupid pay anyway!"

Yep, he was unemployed again. Groaning in frustration at his behaviour - honestly, how could he oversleep?! -Yuugi set his phone down and slumped against the wall. Unless he got another job immediately there was no way he'd be able to pay his rent (and upcoming bills)… damn lawyers being so expensive…

Suddenly feeling overwhelmed and anxious, Yuugi held his head in his hands. "Oh gods… maybe Mother is right… maybe I should let her sell the rest of the company…"

To his shame, he began to cry. Things weren't supposed to be like this. Why hadn't his grandfather put more explicitly in his will that he wanted Yuugi to take over the company? He knew he could make it successful again… somehow. He could feel it. But those ideas, the inspiration, the passion he used to have for designing and creating felt impossible to access, like it was stuck in some sort of maze that couldn't be navigated…

Sniffing, feeling sorry for himself, Yuugi almost tripped over something in his way to the bathroom. "What the-?" he began, before pausing and picking up the puzzle. He… he had completed it. Somehow, during the unknown hours of the night, he had completed the puzzle. His grandfather had spent years and wasn't able to do it… and Yuugi managed in a night?

Blinking, dazed, Yuugi held the puzzle in his hands. It was an upside down pyramid, like he assumed. An eye was carved into the design and Yuugi's fingers ran over it absently. It was heavy. Woah. What would his grandfather say if he saw that Yuugi had done what he could not? Maybe some pride at the puzzle but disappointment at agreeing to sell the rest of the company…

"Sorry, Jii-chan," Yuugi whispered, as he placed the puzzle carefully down on a counter. Yuugi stood in a scolding hot shower longer than necessary, trying to figure out how to tell his mother that she should go ahead and sell the remaining 20% of Mutou Game Company… no doubt to Kaiba Corporation… they were determined to buy out any and all competition… that should give him another few weeks of being able to search for a job that was more satisfying than cleaning up toilets…

With a towel around his waist, Yuugi left the bathroom and opened the fridge, unable to ignore his hunger any further. Holding a pot of yogurt in his hand, the young male turned around…

And screamed.

"Who are you?!"

Sitting on his sofa, looking dark and dangerous, was a man. He was probably around the same age as Yuugi, with tanned skin. And his hair... It looked eerily like his own, but more blond and with a reddish tint rather than purple. It didn't look like he had any weapons on him… Yuugi's heart was about to beat out of his chest and his eyes quickly whipped to where he last saw his phone. If he could just get there….

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you," the man said. His voice was deep. Yuugi clutched his towel tighter a round his waist, his yogurt forgotten on the floor, when the man stood and took a step closer to Yuugi. He had the most intense red eyes Yuugi had ever seen. "Hello, Yuugi."

"H…how do you know my name? How did you get in?" Yuugi stammered. He quickly dared to look at his door but it was locked and chained. There was no draft to indicate a window was open either… "Get out before I call the police!"

"I'm not here to hurt you," the man said once again. "I'm here to help you."

"Help? I don't need help," Yuugi replied shrilly. Why hadn't he taken fresh clothes into the bathroom with him?! What if he dropped the towel in front of this stranger?! "Who are you?"

"Hmm… who am I?" the man asked himself, tapping his chin. He looked back at the puzzle. "I think the better question to ask is what am I, to be honest."

"Other than a burglar?!"

The man chuckled. "Relax. Like I said, I'm here to help you. As for a name, you can call me Atemu." The man, Atemu, was only a few inches taller than Yuugi. He knelt down and Yuugi yelped when a hand came towards his feet… only to feel like a fool when Atemu picked up the spilled yogurt pot. He clicked his fingers and the mess on the floor vanished. "I'm a spirit from the Millennium Puzzle."

"What?" Yuugi whimpered. Had he hit his head or something? No, definitely not… in that case he had to be hallucinating. That was it. The stress of the last few months had finally made Yuugi go insane! "Don't be absurd."

Atemu took a slow step back from Yuugi, cautious like he was the one near a dangerous animal. "It does sound hard to believe, doesn't it?" Atemu agreed, setting the half empty pot on the nearest surface available. "But I assure you, I am a spirit from the Millennium Puzzle. You freed me upon completing it and for that, you have my thanks and my gratitude… my servitude, if you please. It's the only way I can repay you." Atemu bowed low before straightening up. "Your emotions are turbulent, with a lot of stress and grief. How may I help?"

"How can I believe you?" Yuugi stuttered, back still pressed painfully against the wall he had plastered himself against in shock. "Have you any idea how insane this sounds?"

Atemu picked up the puzzle and held it out towards Yuugi. "Hold it," Atemu offered. "If you want me to go away, just will it and I'll be sent back in there. Before you do, though, may I just say I've waited nearly 5000 years for someone to release me? I admit to not liking the idea of being banished in there again so soon…" He stretched out further. "Go on, take it," he insisted.

Yuugi hesitantly reached out… and accidentally touched the warm fingers of the stranger next to him. Yelping in shock, the puzzle slipped from his hands. Yuugi expected it to break apart but it remained intact, landing with a heavy thud. Breathless, Yuugi glanced up at Atemu. "How can you be a spirit if you're warm?"

Atemu shrugged. "I'm not really sure. All I remember was that there was some sort of civil war going on and in order to keep me safe, my father sealed me away in the puzzle. I thought I'd never get out of there."

"You… were aware of things inside the puzzle?" Yuugi asked, curious despite himself.

Atemu smirked. "Starting to believe me?"

"What?! No, I… I just…" Yuugi began before stopping. "I'm… going to go get dressed…"

He was dreaming. That definitely was what it was. He was dreaming. Inside his bedroom, door firmly closed behind him, Yuugi tapped at his cheeks and rapidly dressed in some comfortable clothes. He went through the familiar, comforting routine of styling his hair and, feeling a lot calmer and more awake, opened his bedroom door. He was just frazzled, that was all it was.

"Yo," Atemu greeted him, holding a cup of something. "You like green tea, am I right? Sit down, you look like you've seen a ghost." Atemu chuckled to himself as though he had told some sort of joke and Yuugi responded shrilly with some garbled noises, taking the cup and sinking into his sofa, staring at the man.

He looked solid. He was warm. He was able to handle things. Yuugi had never heard of hallucinations able to do any of that… just what the heck was going on?!

Atemu stayed standing, looking curiously around the flat. "Things have definitely changed," he commented, more to himself than to Yuugi. He walked to a window and opened it with deft hands, taking in a deep breath. He did not appear to be bothered by the disgusting weather, the pelting rain and bone chilling wind assaulting his face. He actually smiled and turned back to Yuugi, looking delighted. "I'm glad I can experience these things now. You only get an echo in the puzzle."

"You… you're really from the puzzle, then?"

"It's more accurate to say I am from Ancient Egypt but yeah, I'm here right now because you completed the puzzle."

"Tell me," Yuugi demanded as Atemu closed the window, grabbing his phone and opening the Internet. A few minutes later and after a hasty history lesson from Atemu, his hands numb with shock, Yuugi looked back at Atemu's almost sad looking face. "You're… telling the truth. The body of the son of Pharaoh Aknamkanon has never been found."

Atemu sighed, finally allowing himself to sit down. Yuugi almost flinched away as the seat decompressed under the weight of the spirit-type-thing. "I knew that everyone I loved would be dead by the time I was finally released but…"

Yuugi swallowed. "My grandfather died a few months ago. O-of course it isn't the same as your situation, yours is much worse…"

"Guess all we have is each other, then," Atemu said with a slightly more upbeat tone of voice, looking at Yuugi. "Let me help you," he said. "You released me. Until that debt is paid I will assist you in any means necessary. I caught some of your thoughts as you were assembling the puzzle. Money worries? You don't have any creativity? I'll help."

Yuugi snorted softly. "How can you help?" he said, trying not to sound rude. "You're a figment of my imagination."

"Even though historical records show that I existed?" Atemu pointed out. "Figment of imagination or spirit of someone who was due to be Pharaoh, what does it matter? I will help you."

"You're persistent."

"Exactly. Let me help."

Now, to add to the worst year of Yuugi's life, he was having some sort of nervous breakdown! Why else would he agree to have help from his imaginary friend?!