Hey Everyone, First off, thanks for reading this. Chapter 2 of my first fanfic EVER, and I hope you guys really enjoy it.

I'm a pretty big Yu-Gi-Oh! nerd, so this story will make reference to a lot of the events in the anime (English version, sorry!) so hopefully you guys will enjoy the nods to the source material.

This story takes place right after (like a week or two) the events of the Yu-Gi-Oh! Movie, which is when this was written, and that takes place right after Battle City and before the crazy Doma Orikalkos arc. It's written with the lyrics of You're Not Me, from the movie's soundtrack in mind, and focuses on Yugi and Kaiba and how their lives may not be as glamorous as everyone thinks they are.

I wasn't sure if it was better to try to type out Joey's accent in this chapter or not...so I tried it typed out. Let me know in the reviews if its too hard to read and I'll stop typing it how it sounds for the rest of the story. But I think it's kind of fun to try to type the way a New Yawka talks.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, or You're Not Me, or any characters involved in this story. I do, however, own a deck of Yu-Gi-Oh! cards and I wanna duel somebody.


You're Not Me!

Chapter 2



"Please, take me as I am,

This isn't what I planned,

I guess I don't expect that

You could understand,

'Cuz You're Not Me."

YUGI

"Yo Yuge, ya spacin' out on me again?" Joey Wheeler called in his thick Brooklyn accent.

Yugi Mutou snapped awake. He had been deep in conversation with Yami, the Egyptian Pharaoh whose spirit resides in the Millennium Puzzle, an ancient artifact Yugi constantly wore on a chain around his neck. The boy served as a host for the wondering spirit of Yami, and together they were on a quest to unlock more mysteries about the Pharaoh's past. "Oh sorry Joey, this past month I've been completely exhausted."

"It's all right. I undastand. You've always got that crazy stuff goin' on in ya head with your puzzle and especially now that ya got the God Cards and all…"

"Yeah," Yugi reached for his card case on the side of his belt reassuringly. He wore his deck with him everywhere he went, so that nothing would be stolen while he was away from home. The two were sneaking carefully through their school building to find Tristan Taylor and Tea Gardner, two more of Yugi's friends.

A strong voice resounded inside Yugi's thoughts, "I was just reflecting, Yugi, on how much we've put Tea, Tristan, and Joey through over the years. From the madness of Duelist Kingdom to Marik's dark quest to destroy me…They've been by our side through thick and thin, even now doing all this for us."

Yugi smirked and responded, "Though this is really for my benefit Pharaoh, these last few weeks have been ridiculous."

"The price of fame I'm afraid."

Joey's voice punctuated Yugi's internal conversation, "Dis is such a pain to through everyday. These back hallways afta school lets out, and dressin' you all up," Joey laughed. "Though I must admit, it is funny, 'specially that hat."

Yugi frowned, "I feel really bad about putting you guys through this. Ever since Battle City, I haven't been able to go the mailbox without people wanting to challenge me in a duel for my God Cards, let alone go to school or the mall without being hassled."

"All wannabe chumps. They wouldn't be able to handle us."

Yugi smirked, "Us? I haven't seen anyone calling your house night and day, Joey."

Joey's nostrils flared as his face turned red, " Ey! Watch it! Bein' fourth in Battle City hasta count for somethin'. And runner up in Duelist Kingdom too! It's about time some of dese wannabes started showin' Joey Wheeler some respect!"

"Joey Wheeler? Never heard of that dork," came a voice from the end of the hall. A boy rounded the corner followed by a teenage girl with her arms full of bags.

"Tristan! Tea! I was wondering when you two would show," Yugi shouted.

"Pipe down would you?" Tristan shushed, looking behind the group. "I could hear you two a mile away. I value my life too much to be killed in a stampede over a card game."

"Oh give it a rest, we're here to help him," Tea replied angrily. Her face softened as she looked at Yugi. "This is like your some kind of celebrity hiding from the paparazzi! Oh, it's so exciting! Here's your disguise for today," She tossed the bags at Yugi, which nearly made the boy fall over.

"Gee, thanks Tea," Yugi grumbled trying to recover from the weight of the bags. He pulled out a large trench coat, fedora, and thick black sunglasses. "I feel like I'm some sort of vampire or something…"

"They're my Dad's!" Tea replied bubbling over playing dress-up with Yugi, "He obviously has no sense of style. I'm so glad I have my mother's taste in fashion."

"…says you," Tristan whispered to Joey under his breath.

After stuffing his wild spiky hair into the fedora, Yugi was incognito and led out of the building by his three friends, so he did not run into a wall with his dark sunglasses. The group made it out of the school without incident, though Tea's English teacher did shoot them a questioning look. "Science Experiment!" She shouted, as they shoved Yugi out the door.

"C'mon guys," Joey called. "Da quickest way to Yugi's is that shortcut through the woods." On his suggestion, the four began to make their way through Domino Woods to the Kame Game Shop, where Yugi's Grandfather, Solomon Mutou, lived and worked. Yugi lived with his Grandpa in the Game Shop, but the stress of his newfound fame has taken its toll on them both. Former patrons of the shop now demand duels with Yugi to continue doing business with Solomon. When they lose the match, they get so angry that they leave, refusing to buy anything from the store without a rematch. The cycle never ends, and Yugi's Grandpa's shop was suffering.

"Oh, this is so gross!" Tea whined over as she stepped in a puddle of mud in the underbrush. "I just hope there aren't any creepy bugs around."

A high pitched laugh echoed from the forest treetops. "You insult me, you ignorant twat!" A boy shouted as he jumped from a tree branch above the group, and landed on the forest floor below.

"Weevil Underwood!" Joey's face crinkled in disgust. "The Insect Duelist! Why don't you buzz off, ya little worm?"

The short blue-haired boy pushed his large glasses up his nose. "Very funny you brute, but I haven't waited in this forest all day for the likes of you for nothing. I knew you would take this shortcut, and I am not alone!" He pointed up to a tree branch behind them, as another boy jumped down toward the group.

This one had brown and white hair sticking out from under a red ski cap. He wore a green jacket with a yellow shirt underneath. This was Rex Raptor, the Dinosaur Duelist, and second runner-up to Weevil in the Duel Monsters Regional Championship.

"We should have known," Tristan grumbled. "It's just our luck. Of all the people we could possibly run into, it's the Geek and the Creep."

"Which one of us is the….no matter! Call us whatever you want, Chump," Rex replied, his voice as gravely as stone. "We're here for the Gods, so hand 'em over quietly or we'll take 'em by force!"

Weevil pointed at the clump of jacket that was Yugi and grinned. "That pathetic disguise can't fool us! We know Yugi would never go anywhere without his pack of cheerleaders! So let's go!" He pushed a button on a circular device strapped to his arm, and a large tray unfolded outward from the disk. The hallmark of the Kaiba Corporation, the Duel Disk allowed Duel Monsters players to project the monsters on their cards into holograms, permitting portable matches that could take place anywhere. It is the instant sign, a calling card highly visible on the wearer's arm, of a duelist looking for a challenge. "I officially challenge you, Yugi Mutou, in a duel for your God Cards!" Weevil shrieked.

Yugi stammered, backing up toward a clearing in the forest. "Not…uh….not today guys. Maybe another time. I really need to get home to finish my homework, and check-up on my Grandpa!"

Rex Raptor stepped closer, edging the gap between them and slapping his deck of cards into his own duel disk. "Awwww, is little Yugi petrified? You don't have much of a choice, I'm afraid. This is an official challenge! You don't understand how much we've lost since Battle City. People are calling us wash-outs! Endangered Champions! Extinct! With those God Cards, we'll be the Tyrannosaurs of the Duel Monsters World!"

Joey made a face, "Honestly, do you guys search the Internet for bad puns…or do dey just kinda happen?" He grit his teeth and stepped in front of Yugi. Tristan followed suit, giving a signal for Yugi and Tea to make a break for it when they had the chance. "This ain't Battle City. Yugi doesn't hafta take up every challenge no more. Plus, you'se guys ain't even in his league! I could beat yas with my eyes closed and my hands tied behind my back!" Joey's rant bought Yugi and Tea time to break off from the group and head deeper into the woods. He activated his own duel disk, which he started wearing at all times, to help detract attention from Yugi, and in an attempt to be taken more seriously. "Now, if you'se are lookin' for a real challenge…"

"Who, your Mom?" Tristan snorted.

"Watch it you…"

Weevil and Rex tried to push their way past Joey and Tristan, clearly not interested in Joey's counter-challenge. "He's getting away! Quick! Call Mako, Espa, Bones, and the others! Those God Cards will be ours!" Rex pulled out his cell phone on Weevil's orders. "Tell them the target is moving to coordinates X-22 heading north."

Tristan swore under his breath, "They've mapped out the entire city! These idiots are co-operating now! C'mon Joey, we'd better go find Yugi and Tea. I don't think they realize what they're in for."

They took off into the woods, as Weevil called after them, "Your little pal is about to be exterminated!"

Yugi and Tea had been running through the dense forest for ten minutes. Yugi had to bring his hands to his ears to block out Tea's incessant whining. "We're almost there, Tea! I promise!" He had ditched his hat, coat, and glasses in the brush, and winced as the heavy Millennium Puzzle necklace slammed into his chest as he ran. "We had to take a slightly longer route to try to get around Rex and Weevil, but Gramps' shop is right…up….ahead…" Yugi trailed off as he spotted Mako Tsunami, the Water Duelist, gathered with ten others, all wearing duel disks on their arms and waiting at the forests' edge. Yugi grabbed Tea's mouth as she started to gasp, and pulled her to the ground.

"Yami has a plan." He whispered quickly, as the pair huddled under a fern, trying to keep out of sight. He cradled his pyramid-shaped necklace, as it softly glowed, signaling the switch between Yugi's soul and the Pharaoh's. The two would often switch places during duels, Yami possessing the skill and confidence that Yugi sometimes lacked. Tea began to ask what he was going to do, when the Pharaoh pressed a finger to her lips. Using his free hand, he scooped up a pile of rocks and threw them deep into the forest away from their current position. The distraction worked perfectly, as Mako and the other duelists pointed in the direction of where the rocks landed and rushed off into the forest.

"That'll buy us some time," the deep voice of the Pharaoh reverberated from Yugi's lips. He helped Tea up to her feet, before brushing himself off. "Come on, let's see if Joey and Tristan beat us to Yugi's Grandfather's shop." The pair quickly exited the forest and entered downtown Domino.

Tea watched in awe as Yami gracefully slithered into a dark alley and beckoned for her to follow. "I can't believe you can go through this everyday, Pharaoh. Doesn't it get to you after a while? All these card battles…And school on top of all that…and then all this weird Egyptian stuff keeps happening…" She trailed off remembering that she was speaking to Yami, the ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, and not Yugi. Her cheeks turned bright red. "Oops! Oh, sorry. I didn't mean it like that…it's just… I mean duel after duel, challenge after challenge…is the game any fun anymore?"

Yami quietly looked down at the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck, and Tea could detect a hint of sadness on his face. The artifact began to glow, "I'll give Yugi the message, Tea." He replied grimly, as he swapped souls with Yugi again.

"No…no, I'm fine," Yugi lied. "I just feel really bad about dragging everyone else into this," In truth, it had bothered him that he had become a celebrity overnight. It really was getting boring playing match after match against kids who were not close to the caliber of duelist he was used to. Nowhere near the skill level of Seto Kaiba, Mai Valentine, or even Joey. Yugi sighed in relief as he looked up at the Kame Game Store's bright neon sign. They'd arrived at last.

He pushed open the door, expecting to see his Grandpa stationed in his usual post, behind the glass counter filled with Duel Monsters cards. However, Grandpa was nowhere to be seen and Yugi instantly feared the worst. Ever since the eccentric creator of Duel Monsters, Maximillion Pegasus, kidnapped his Grandfather's very soul in the Duelist Kingdom tournament, Yugi's been overly protective of the older man's well being. He even refused to go back to school after the tournament, until Joey, Tea, and Tristan forcefully dragged him.

"Grandpa?! Gramps? Where are you?!" Yugi shouted, jumping the counter and rushing into the backroom. Tea followed him inside, but Yugi paid no attention to her.

An older man called from the back of the store. "He's not here and you're probably not good enough to duel him anyway!" Waves of relief washed over Yugi as he heard his Grandpa's reply.

"No Gramps, it's me," Yugi replied, making his way to his Grandfather's side. Solomon was crouched over a stack of papers in his back office. His forehead was creased and documents from the State littered the tabletop. "Grandpa, what is all this!?"

The old man let out a heavy sigh. "It's…it's the bank. They say we've missed two months worth of mortgage payments on the Game Shop." His voice cracked as he slumped into his chair, "They're taking the store away from me, Yugi."

"What! They're foreclosing!?" Yugi shouted. "Grandpa, they can't do that! This is our home! Where will we live? I thought we made all the payments…how'd we get so far behind?"

Tea stood in the doorway of the office, tears welling in her eyes. Yugi had been doing his best to watch over everything in the household, and that included the bills and his Grandfather's health. He took it upon himself to manage everything, and still find time for school and dueling. What were the Mutou's going to do now?

Grandpa shifted in his chair. "I…I've been trying to do what I could to scrape up the money, really. I have. The truth is we just haven't been selling enough. With all the people who want to duel you leaving the store…I tried to talk to the bank Yugi, I just don't know what to do…" His breathing became strained as the words continued to break. "I'm so sorry, Yugi…so sorr…" Grandpa's eyes rolled back into his head as his breathing came in short bursts.

Yugi reached for his Grandpa, catching him by the shoulders, as his head hit the table, and his breathing stopped completely.