A/N: Thank you for all the support on the last chapter! 3

Chapter Ten: There is a Scream in Him

"Art is whether or not there is a scream in him wanting to get out in a special way." ― Chaim Potok

For the few he'd had at Domino High, Atem had decided that Thursday was his least favourite day of the week. He had a very simple reason for this decision – it was when he had the least number of classes with Yugi.

By contrast, when final period rolled around, he was sitting in his usual seat in art, wishing that he wasn't. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling, due to the lack of experience he had he felt rather overwhelmed, and Matsuo's obsession with him and his cousins didn't exactly put him at ease. Yugi made it bearable. He laughed at their jokes and helped them with their work. He gave them tips and pointers and spent more time going over their plans for their assignments than his own.

Atem had known Yugi for just under a month, and yet somehow it felt odd to try and imagine what life had been like without him. He'd been there for every lesson they shared, met them for lunch everyday - save for counselling sessions on Tuesdays and the time he'd been away sick - and fit them into his circle of friends, something that he wasn't forced to do. He'd let Atem stay the night in his home with only a rushed explanation to go on, bought him breakfast the next day, and laughed if off as if it were normal simply because they were friends.

He felt honoured to call Yugi Mutou his friend. He felt blessed that he could see someone who was so bright and cheerful every day. He was grateful for everything Yugi had done since Atem's arrival to Domino High.

That was why finding out Yugi possessed the Millennium Puzzle, of all the Items there were, hurt more than anything. It had Atem's stomach locked in free fall, his thoughts racing from one extreme to the next.

One thought continued to drag itself from the others and reaffirm itself at the centre of his panic. The Pendant, no, the Puzzle has chosen Yugi. It was a reality he had to accept. No Item would allow itself to be held by a person it hadn't deemed worthy as its bearer. And, as he'd seen it settled so comfortably around his neck, he knew there was no mistaking it. The current bearer of the Millennium Puzzle wasn't the past Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen, or his successor, Pharaoh Atem.

In the present, it was Yugi Mutou, a Japanese boy who loved games and puzzles and hadn't realised what he'd been dragged into until it was too late.

Atem didn't understand why someone so bright would be chosen by that thing. He doubted there was a darker side to Yugi that the Item had been entranced by, no, it must have been the opposite. It was attracted to his light and survived off of it. Just as the shadows needed the sun, the Puzzle seemed to need Yugi thrive. Such an idea was all the more unsettling.

"This feels like a break-up." Malik quipped abruptly, and Atem couldn't help but laugh at his words. At times, Malik's dry humour didn't fail to make him smile. "We haven't come to class without Yugi or Téa before. It feels unnatural."

"The entire course of our lives has been nothing but unnatural." Bakura replied bluntly. "What do you expect?"

"You have a point, dear cousin." Atem said. "Both of you do. Which is rare, seeing how I'm often inclined to disagree with one of you."

"That's fair." Malik allowed. "It'd be odd if we agreed with each other all the time."

"Ain't that the truth." Bakura said, sighing quietly. "Well...it looks like those two aren't skipping as I thought they were."

Atem gave him a quizzical look, following his gaze. He felt his shoulders slump as he noticed Yugi and Téa entering the classroom, heading to their usual seats across from the cousins, eyes averted.

Yugi looked paler than usual, and Téa appeared to be holding back some type of anger, if her tense posture was anything to go by. The duo dropped their books and belongings onto the desk in dull, synchronised movements, taking their seats without so much as a word. Then, Yugi seemed to shudder, dropping his face into his hands, releasing a slow, shaky breath. Téa started rubbing circles into his back, her free hand wound into a fist.

Atem leaned forward slightly, concerned. "Is he-"

"I'm alright." Yugi's words were muffled into his palms. "Just...gimme a second."

"We saw Ushio in the hall." Téa offered as an explanation, barely able to keep her voice steady. "Just being his usual asshole self."

"Did he do something?" Atem asked, but she shot him a look, telling him to drop the subject. He did so by closing his mouth, leaning back in his chair.

Another minute or two passed, Yugi raising his head just as Ms Matsuo entered the room, the teacher eager to start a lesson Atem knew he wouldn't be paying much attention to.

"You okay?" Téa asked in a hushed voice. Yugi nodded and offered a weak smile.

"I'm okay." He assured. "It's just...you know."

Téa inclined her head in understanding. "I know." She turned, looking to each of the Sennens in turn. "...We have to talk, don't we?"

"Do we?" Bakura asked sardonically. "Or do you just want something?"

"What I want is for us to talk this through," Téa hissed, "without you running off mid-conversation like some bratty child."

"Téa..." Yugi's tone was mildly scolding, but Atem could tell by the look her gave her, he was secretly proud of her.

"Shit," was all Malik said, unable to hide his smile. "Well with that, 'Kura, you could at least listen to her."

"What-fucking-ever." Bakura sneered, and Atem raised a brow at the weak comeback, as if Bakura of all people didn't know how to respond. "Just get on with it."

"Thank you." Pleased with herself, Téa began her piece. "As it happens, all of us seem like we're on edge around the whole...Millennium Item topic." She glanced around at Atem and Malik's stiffening forms, Bakura leaning forward to show his attention was on her, and Yugi fidgeting anxiously. "But if we just talk about it, it might fix things."

"I can tell you what I know, if it'll make you less freaked out." Yugi offered, his voice small. "Because, well, you all looked at me like I'd killed someone in front of you when you saw me with the Puzzle."

"That's putting it lightly." Malik said, somehow finding it in himself to laugh. Yugi seemed to appreciate the attempt at humour, appearing more at ease.

"We'd be happy to listen." Atem added gently, and Yugi smiled back at him.

"Grandpa brought it back for me from one of his archaeology trips." He started, Téa's fingers lacing with his own for support. "That was just a little over eight years ago. I tried solving it for years, because I knew I'd get a wish from it if I finished it." His smile grew softer, fonder. "And it's how I got to know Joey and Tristan. They didn't think much of me, then. They threw pieces of it away without me realising, just so I couldn't finish it."

"And these guys are your best friends now?" Bakura scoffed, half to himself.

"Ushio got wind of them bullying me," Yugi continued as if he hadn't spoken, "back then, he was pretending to be a good role model so teachers wouldn't hear about what he really got up to. So, he beat Joey and Tristan up and brought me to see, so I'd thank him." His voice was shaking ever so slightly, but he pressed on. "I was...I was so upset. They'd thought I asked him to do it, but I'd never...I'd never do such a thing..."

"It's okay, Yugi." Téa hushed, squeezing his hand. He took a moment to collect himself, Téa picking up where he'd left off. "Ushio thought he was 'ungrateful'," she spat the word as if it were acid on her tongue, "so he, to put it bluntly, beat the crap out of Yugi too. Yugi stood over Joey and Tristan, defending them, even though they told him to run."

"Shit..." Bakura breathed, the smile long gone from his face.

"After I got home, I started constructing the Puzzle." Yugi said with a trembling smile. "I don't know why, but I was suddenly compelled to finish it. Somehow, finally, everything was sliding into place, and I got there. When I needed the final piece, Grandpa came upstairs and gave it to me, saying Joey dove into the river and fished it out for me."

Téa started again when he gave her an almost pleading look. "When he finished the Puzzle, this...thing took over Yugi. It went through his memories and managed to challenge Ushio to a game, like it was avenging Yugi. In reality it was a punishment game..." she made a face, "and Ushio ended up in the psych ward for a few days."

"So that's why he holds such a grudge against you." Atem said thoughtfully. "But...I've never heard of an Item being protective of its bearer other than to keep it as a vessel. A tool."

"Not the Puzzle." Téa replied coolly. "Since he finished it, it fought against anyone who tried to hurt or threaten Yugi..." she glanced to Yugi, who was fidgeting with his chain, "or us, by extension."

"With punishment games." Atem filled in the blanks himself. "This may sound like a strange question, but did you require it on Duellist Kingdom?"

Yugi lifted his head, meeting his gaze. "Yes." He replied. "Maximillion Pegasus stole my grandfather's soul. I only went to Duellist Kingdom to get it back."

Malik's eyes went wide. "S-Sorry, what?"

Yugi's attention shifted to him. "Pegasus has the Millennium Eye. That's how he did it."

"He has the what now-"

"I did have my suspicions, especially after he seemed to know Bandit Keith's moves at that televised event..." Atem mused, half to himself.

"Well, that solves it." Bakura remarked. "Those are the only two Items we didn't have."

Both Téa and Yugi shot him quizzical looks. "Huh?"

"My father, our father," Atem said, glancing briefly to Malik and Bakura, "he's been on a crusade to collect all of the Millennium Items all his life. He's convinced himself that it's his duty, that it's our family's duty."

"Why would he think that?" Téa asked almost warily.

"Because," Atem said, smiling thinly, "he was once the bearer of the Millennium Puzzle, back when it was known as the Pendant."

"Granted," Malik added, "that was over three thousand years ago."

"Okay," Yugi was shaking his head in disbelief, "we definitely have a lot more to talk about, because I am understanding nothing."

The group shared a laugh, and Atem was just relieved to see that they were back to normal.

Well, as normal as they could be.

The conversation had gone far more smoothly than expected, that was for sure. At the day's end, Yugi asked Atem, Malik, and Bakura if they wanted to join him and his friends to their usual Game Shop visit, to which they accepted.

After recounting the conversation to the others along the way, Joey laughed in disbelief. "I can't believe Kaiba went and got his soul taken and you guys never knew about it until now."

"We might be blood related, but Seto isn't exactly a talkative person. We're no exception." Atem remarked with a soft sigh. "In fact, he didn't even know any of us existed up until two years ago."

"After the accident that took his parents, things apparently got very messy." Malik explained. "Father said distant relatives came swooping in for the cash from all over. He was told that one of them had taken Seto and Mokuba in, which we now know was a complete fabrication."

"Yeah, I've been wondering about that." Téa said thoughtfully. "I thought the story was that he and Mokuba were sent to an orphanage after their relatives ate up all the inheritance."

"Our parents were told otherwise." Bakura snapped. "So they believed otherwise."

Téa raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. "I didn't mean anything against you guys, I was just saying."

"He knows," Atem assured with a gentle punch to his cousin's shoulder, "don't worry."

Bakura returned the gesture just a little harder. "Anyway," he said, "whichever relative it was, I'm not sure who, ended up letting slip what really went down at some gathering-"

"Where all the family secrets always spill out." Malik interjected with a laugh.

"-and our folks went crazy trying to track Seto and Mokuba down." Bakura finished, sending a smirk Malik's way, amused at his comment. "Seto's 'celebrity status' made things a hell lot easier."

"I ain't sure if Kaiba's the kind of guy to take something like that well, though." Joey mused. "What was money bag's reaction like?"

"Cold." Atem replied almost immediately. "Angry. Definitely disbelieving, which was understandable. He thought we were attempting to fabricate our relationship for money. In fact, if I remember correctly, he didn't believe us until Mother privately went and saw him and provided documentation."

"Whatever she said, we'll never know, but she got through to him." Malik shrugged his shoulders. "He seems to like our parents more than us, though."

"That's because he thinks we're 'immature'." Atem smirked. "Remember?"

"That sounds like Kaiba." Yugi said, chuckling. "He isn't the easiest person to talk to."

"You're telling us." Malik huffed. "He never tells us anything that's going on. It would've been nice to have a heads up on what happened at Duellist Kingdom."

"You mean about the Millennium Eye?" Tristan asked. "Shit, I would've loved to know about that ages in advance." He slung an arm around Yugi, the smaller boy smiling softly at the contact. "Yugi and Pegasus' duel was fucked up."

"I don't even like thinking about it." Téa sighed woefully. "Honestly. Even if Pegasus paid for the hospital bills-"

"Hospital bills?" Atem cut in, a brow raised. "You didn't mention that it ended with Yugi going to the hospital-"

"Long story short, Pegasus' Eye was battlin' against Yugi's Puzzle to win by cheating, and it put the Puzzle under a lotta pressure." Joey recapped dismissively. "After it ended, these shadowy things attacked them, and to protect Yugi, the Puzzle kicked into overdrive and broke into a million pieces. Yugi was out cold on the ground, like, a second later."

"Well that's one way to put it." Téa said, rolling her eyes. "But yeah, that's the gist of it. Yugi was having this insane physical reaction, like a heart attack or something. Freaked the hell out of us."

"Pegasus got him a chopper to the nearest hospital." Tristan added, pulling Yugi closer to his side to gently rub his knuckles into his head, which the latter laughed at, playfully batting his hands away. "Paid for whatever expense there was. But Yugi ended up being fine after we got all the Puzzle pieces together in a box and set them by his bedside."

"I still feel bad about that." Yugi said softly, ducking out from under Tristan's arm to shoot the three apologetic looks. "You guys burned your hands trying to collect it."

He noticed the cousins discretely exchange glances at his comment.

As Yugi's friends waved and laughed off his worries, Atem found himself watching Yugi closely. "Yugi," he said, bringing the boy's attention to him, "the fact that you had such an intense reaction to the Puzzle falling apart is extremely worrying. Not to mention dangerous." He tilted his head, glancing down at the Item in question. "The more I hear about your relationship to it, the more concerned I am that it remains in your care."

"What," Joey said, incredulous, "you sayin' you got someone else whose up to adoptin' the thing?"

Bakura snorted. "I guess you could say that." As the group slowed to a stop following Bakura's own pause, he stared Yugi down. "Atem told you before, but our old man's been collecting the Items all his life. It's kind of his deal." He tapped his chest, and his Ring materialised over his shirt. "He knows where all of them are so other people are safe from them."

"You're saying..." Yugi frowned, "you want him to look after it for me?"

Bakura wrinkled his nose. "Listen, short stuff." He hissed, practically growling his words out. "Whatever you know about the Puzzle is nothing compared to what he knows." He stalked closer, Yugi immediately, instinctively stepping back. "We're all better off if that thing is in more experienced hands, you hear me?!"

"Yo, back off." Joey moved to step in front of Yugi, but Yugi lightly pushed him back.

"It's okay, Joey." He assured, lifting his head to meet Bakura's gaze. "Look, you're right that I don't know a lot about the Puzzle, and-"

He stopped mid sentence, grimacing, a hand going to his forehead.

"Yugi?" Joey stepped closer, gripping his shoulder, a touch Yugi didn't feel outside the heat his skin produced. All he could feel with the pulsing in his head, blood pumping and pounding in his ears. His chest felt cold, he felt everything going cold. "You alright, lil' buddy?"

"Hck-" the pained gasping that sounded from Yugi's throat brought them all to attention, Joey dropping to a knee to catch his best friend as Yugi's legs gave out beneath him.

"Yugi?!"

Whatever noise he'd just heard from the group registered as nothing more than muffled nonsense to his ears. Yugi clasped both hands over his head, his breathing growing heavier. His shoulders heaved with his gasps, and he faintly registered Téa grasp hold of one as if to steady him, her free hand rubbing his back soothingly. She was coaching him on his breathing, he was sure, but this wasn't one of his anxiety attacks.

This was the Puzzle and the rippling static it was sending through him. When it tried to abruptly take over, without the usual routine of gently pulling Yugi into a trance, the outcome was always complete agony. And, with Yugi fighting to retain possession of his own body, it only hurt all the more.

Pain flared in one of his eyes, and he clamped a shaking hand over it instinctively, wondering if its colour was shifting to the same haze of red and violet that the lookalike of him from his Soul Room possessed.

Images - memories - raced through his head quicker than he could process, the Puzzle's anger swelling in his chest, his throat, and his lips formed words without his consent. "No," The Puzzle spat at Atem through his lips, baring his teeth, almost snarling, "Akhenamkhanen will not have me in this lifetime."

And as he took in Atem's horrified expression, he momentarily saw gold materialise upon him, luxurious jewellery Yugi had never seen. A crown with an Eye upon his forehead, his ears covered in more jewels than he could count, his fingers sparkling with rings made of gems and gold. Purple cloth surrounded his shoulders, a cape fit for a Pharaoh. As quickly as the image appeared, however, it vanished, and he was staring at the reincarnation of his Item's last owner, not the Pharaoh he'd once been.

He is not worthy of me, a voice hissed in his head, and Yugi squeezed his eyes shut as the words echoed with each painful thump of his heartbeat, only you are, and I will not be separated from you so easily.

"Okay." Yugi said breathlessly, lifting a hand from his head to grasp the chain that held his Puzzle. "Okay. I understand."

"Yugi?" Atem questioned in concern. "Is it speaking to you? Are you with us?"

He couldn't see him. He could only see the blood and the bodies left in the Pharaoh's wake. He closed his eyes again, and the illusion vanished, just as the pain in his skull started to recede. The Puzzle, seeing as their continuing struggle for possession was harming its bearer, was lightening its hold on him. Instead, it was reverting back to its usual pulses and sensations, knowing Yugi had become adept to interpreting what they meant.

Warmth touched his temples, as if the gentle impressions of fingertips massaging the pain away. He was acutely aware of a presence in front of him, but didn't open his eyes, merely leaning into the touch he knew was of his Item's projection.

Everything had gone somewhat quiet, and he dropped the remaining hand from his forehead, moving both to clasp hold of the Puzzle. Comfort washed over him like a wave of tingling, a sense of security that was somehow making him sleepy. It was a side effect of the Puzzle's influence that he was quite familiar with, as much as he knew what its other meaning was -sorry. The Puzzle was erasing his pain and replacing it with warmth to apologise for causing it in the first place.

Yugi murmured a mental message of reassurance, and with that, the phantom touch faded away. He opened his eyes, finding himself leaning back against Joey's chest, a little dazed, but good as new.

He blinked a few times, and Téa swam into focus, Atem at her side. They were wearing matching concerned expressions, but it was the former who prompted him first. "You okay, Yugi?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." He nodded, shrugging off the last of the tingling in his bones. He smiled gratefully when she offered a hand, taking it, allowing her to pull him to his feet. "Sorry about that."

"What was that?" Malik exclaimed. "I've seen Items possess bearers before, but..."

"Not like that." Bakura finished, seeming just as on edge. "what the hell?"

"I think you know what that was." Téa muttered, her arm settling around his shoulder in what Yugi saw as a protective stance. Still a little dazed, he leaned against her, and her other arm folded over him, holding him steady. Her gaze fell back on him. "Do you need a minute?"

"Yeah." He massaged his forehead, blinking a few times to wake himself more.

"Still," Atem tried, seeming no less worried, "I feel like that reaction in itself is a testimony to the fact Yugi shouldn't be in possession of the Puzzle."

"Listen man," Tristan said, attempting to placate, "none of us are real fond of Yugi having it, but we can't really argue with the fact its chosen him."

"We don't like it." Joey affirmed. "Most days, I hate seeing the thing around his neck, remembering what its done to him up here." He tapped his temple for emphasis. "But if you've got an Item," his gaze shifted to Bakura, who scowled, "you know better than we do what its like being stuck with it. To me it seems like a contract you can't just tear up."

"So you want us to just leave it with him?" Bakura said in disbelief. "Are you hearing yourself?"

"I'm still here, you know." Yugi remarked, standing up a little straighter, Téa's arms sliding off his shoulders as he did. He knew she was watching him as he spoke, a hand hovering over his upper arm. "And, no offence, but I can understand why it doesn't want to go back to your father."

"And why is that?" Atem asked, not unkindly.

"It pins the creation and sacrifice of the Items upon him." Yugi answered, and what little colour was still in Atem's cheeks faded at his words. "The massacres, the destruction. I don't know how true that all is, but it wants me to remain as its bearer as a result."

"Wait, massacres?" Tristan asked. "The hell you talking about?"

"Story for another day." Yugi assured, waving it off. His eyes were steeled when they met Atem's. "Regardless, I've been chosen by the Puzzle, so its my burden to bear now." He softened a little. "I don't think we can do anything to change that."

"It shouldn't be you, though." the words left Atem's lips before he could stop them, and concern graced Yugi's features at the sound of the emotion in his voice. "I've seen the pain the Items bring firsthand, the burden each bearer has to carry, and I wouldn't wish it upon anyone. I wish they didn't make my family suffer." He took a shaky breath. "I wish they didn't make you suffer."

A certain fondness passed over Yugi's face at his declaration. Then, very slowly, he stepped forward and pulled Atem against him, settling his arms around his torso. Atem froze at the contact, but muscle memory allowed him to return the gesture while his mind was still processing it.

Yugi made a face when he glanced down. "Why are you saying it like that?" He asked. "Why are you saying it like you're just a bystander?"

Atem laughed breathlessly. "I do absolutely nothing in comparison to an Item bearer. I don't know the same pain."

"No," Yugi insisted, "I think you do." He stepped away, tugging at the chain around his neck. "The Puzzle was once your father's, it was once yours. Even if it isn't in this lifetime, it doesn't mean you haven't gone through this." He frowned. "It doesn't mean you don't help those around you carry that same burden."

"I-" Atem looked up when Bakura slung an arm around his shoulder.

"Short stuff's right," Bakura said, ignoring Yugi's mutter of irritation at the name, "you let these things weigh on you more than the rest of us, sometimes."

"And, if I remember correctly," Malik grinned, "family's all about sharing this kind of thing, isn't it?"

Atem couldn't help but smile at that. "Yes. Yes, it is."

Malik nudged his side. "So let us be here for you, like you are for us."

"No one's alone in this." Yugi's smile grew when he glanced his way. "Téa, Joey, and Tristan have always been there for me, no matter how crazy things get. And you three," he glanced to each of the Sennens in turn, "you're stuck with us now."

"Like a Millennium Item support network." Tristan quipped, causing a few laughs.

"Oh Ra," Bakura groaned, "is this the part where we start talking about our feelings?"

"Bitch, it might be," Joey replied immediately, "but you know, whenever it gets mushy, there's only one thing to do!"

"Oh no," Bakura said in a terrified whisper.

"Oh yes." Téa said mischievously, just as Yugi, Joey, and Tristan joined in to cry, "group hug!"

Whatever complaints the three boys tried to make were drowned out by the shouts and cheer's of Yugi and his friends as they surrounded them. Atem found himself in the centre of a tangled bunch of limbs, laughter filling his ears, and he threw his head back, joining in.

Not just Yugi's friends, some part of him reminded, they're your friends too.

And, as he glanced around at their smiling faces, Atem couldn't find it in himself to argue.

Even after the sun had set and his friends shuffled out of the Kame Game one by one, Yugi couldn't keep the smile from his face, as tired as he was.

After dinner, he threw himself back onto his bed with a satisfied oomph, wincing a little as the Puzzle bounced against his stomach. As he settled against the warmth of his blankets and the cushiony mattress, for that moment, everything was perfect. He and his friends had talked everything out and openly expressed their support for each other, even with however reluctant Bakura might have been. They had gathered in the shop and just acted like normal teenagers for a few hours, joking around and laughing.

For that afternoon, Yugi had forgotten all about the Items, focusing instead on the way Atem's eyes crinkled when he smiled, how Malik would laugh so hard it'd get to a point where he was breathlessly, silently wheezing, and how brightly Bakura's features could light up when he gave a genuine smile.

Yugi felt closer to the three than ever. It was like an invisible barrier had been torn down, and they'd officially become a part of his group of friends. He smiled a little, watching the stars through his skylight, feeling a damp warmth touch his eyes. His laughter came out a little shaky as he blinked back his tears - he was so happy. Two years ago, he'd only known Téa, and even with how close they'd been, he still felt lonely. Before that, he had no one but himself, his Grandpa, and the games he played to pass time.

He'd come so far, and it was still such a great shock.

Yugi's fingers settled against his Puzzle.

"I guess you granted my wish, after all." He whispered, for it had done that and more. It had gifted him with friends that he treasured and saved their lives and his own countless times over. He couldn't ignore the consequences of those actions, of course, but the intention, the protection...

Yugi could never exactly place how he felt about his Puzzle. He could never find a simple definition on the attachment between Item and bearer. There was good, and there was bad, and that was the closest he would get to a final answer.

For now, he would deal with that. He would cope with that.

His phone buzzed at his side, and he moved a hand off of the Puzzle to reach for it, the other remaining closed over the eye at the Item's front. Once his fingers closed around his cell, he raised it above his head, hoping it wouldn't slide from his hand and connect with his face in the process.

He squinted at the screen's brightness, turning it down on the slider so his eyes could adjust. Once they had, his focus was drawn to his text notifications, which apparently contained four unread messages. Opening the application, Yugi realised the messages were from an unknown number, and raised his eyebrows.

/

Direct Message: Unknown Number, 8:21pm, Thursday

Unknown: Hey, Yugi Mutou, was it? Like, King of Games Yugi Mutou?

Unknown: We bumped into each other this morning. Idk if you remember, but I'm Mana! (Atem's lil sis) :)

Unknown: Anyway, I found your number on his phone (pls don't let him know I know his passcode) and I just wanted to say thank you.

Unknown: For letting him stay at yours and everything. It was really cool of you to do that. :)

/

Yugi smiled at the messages, making sure to save her number as a contact before replying.

/

Direct Message: Mana Sennen, 8:21pm, Thursday

Yugi: Haha, it was no problem, seriously. I was just happy to help him out.

Mana: Still, thank you. :)

/

A part of him wanted to ask her about what had occurred today. Was her knowledge and expertise of the Millennium Items as extensive as Atem's? Did she also possess an Item? Bakura had said their family was in possession of every Item, save the Puzzle and Eye, so beside the Ring, there was obviously more. Maybe he could ask Atem how many there were. Unless...unless he just asked his Puzzle.

Hearing his thoughts, his Item flared with light, its gentle glow pushing back the shadows cast in the darkness of his bedroom. He couldn't help the instinctive reaction to recoil, just slightly, at the abrupt shine.

Truth be told, the Puzzle still terrified him. There was so much it could do that he probably wasn't even aware of, and it had far more strength than him. He was more than aware that if the Puzzle had truly wished it, it could have entirely taken over earlier that afternoon. It had only held off because it was harming Yugi, and because it could still force out the words it wanted Atem to hear without complete control.

He didn't like thinking about what would have happened if it had managed to completely take over. He was certain the Puzzle wouldn't harm any of his friends, its actions in the past had proved that, but...the Puzzle was something peculiar. It was one soul made of many, a mess of pieces thrown together that was slathered in blood in place of glue.

Yugi knew what its true nature was like, how the resentment and hatred and death dominated what it was. How it loved its punishment and shadow games, adored taunting opponents and sending them into a spiral of insanity. He vividly remembered regaining partial consciousness to watch himself - no, not himself, but the Puzzle wearing his skin - drag his fingers down the side of one of his victim's faces, watching the digits become coated in their blood with some morbid fascination.

He remembered gagging as the Puzzle tasted the blood on his fingers, remembered waking up the next day back in control of his own body and spending most of that morning retching in the bathroom. When he wasn't vomiting, he was scrubbing his hands raw over and over and over-

Yugi forced himself to take a deep breath and relax. The Puzzle was thankfully silent, compliant as he attempted to gather his thoughts.

We've been over this, he gently chided himself, there's no point in stressing over the past. We...we just have to focus on the future.

He refocused on his phone as a means of doing just that, tapping on his contacts list, scrolling down the page. He stopped when he found Pegasus' number, shot him a quick text, and waited. His phone rang not even a minute later.

"Yugi-boy!" Pegasus cheered when he picked up. "My, my, that eager to hear from me already?"

Yugi rolled his eyes, wondering if Pegasus could tell he was doing so even at his distance. "Something like that."

The creator hummed. "You're curious about my absence, aren't you? Forgive me for not contacting you earlier, but I didn't want to call without any progress."

That made sense. Yugi was certain if the situations were reversed, he would have been doing the same. "All I know is that you're in Egypt," He said quietly, "nothing else. I just...I wish I had someone to talk to about all of this."

"Oh?" Pegasus sounded amused. "I'm flattered, really, but you are aware you have quite a passionate group of friends that love you dearly."

"I know..." A light, fluttery feeling unravelled in his chest as he thought of Téa, Joey, and Tristan cheering him on at Duellist Kingdom. "But you're the only person that knows exactly what I'm going through right now. You went through that Duel, you had those...things attack you, and had your Millennium Item damaged. I don't really know how they'd be able to give me advice when it comes to those things, and they're all worried enough as it is."

"I understand." Yugi appreciated the fact Pegasus made an effort to sound more serious. "If it will help put your mind at ease, I've been investigating the creatures that appeared during our little Shadow Game..."

Yugi's fingernails scratched over the central piece of his Item. "Creatures?"

"Mhmm." Pegasus murmured in confirmation. "The ancient tablets and tomes here contain a wealth of information. Apparently the shadows that we encountered were from the very depths of despair."

"And that means...?"

"Over the countless millenniums of Shadow Games and the like, the souls of the defeated were often sent to the Shadow Realm, or to die. According to the tablets I've found, the souls have spent their years becoming that very same darkness they are lost in until they are nothing else. It's a result of mutation through dark magic and time."

"That's awful..." Yugi breathed, his shoulders slumping. "So, they just waste away until they're not human anymore? And this has been happening for thousands of years?!"

"It's why you were struggling during our Shadow Game." Pegasus remarked. "Because your very soul was exposed to that darkness...and it wanted to tear you apart."

"Wow." Yugi said flatly. "Thanks for putting me in that situation, by the way."

"The past is in the past!" Pegasus replied cheerfully. "Anyway, returning to what I was saying... The texts refer to them as 'shadows', and they only ever appear from their little corners of evil to oversee the very same Shadow Games that created them in order to steal power from the players."

"And we were attacked because they wanted the power from our Items?"

"You always were quick to catch on." Pegasus said. "But from what I can tell, the shadows didn't only desire the Items, but hosts as well. To return to the real world with. Fortunately, regular duellists won't have to deal with those issues, since there's no magic to attract anything with. Both playing a Shadow Game and bearing Millennium Items made us prime targets, and I assure you we won't be doing the same again."

"But that doesn't make any sense!" Yugi cut in, sitting up abruptly. "If that's the case, then why did Rex and Weevil..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "I doubt you've been keeping up to date with any Japanese news while you've been gone."

"That assumption is correct, I haven't been." He heard shuffling, and the scratching of pencil against paper. "What's happened, Yugi-boy?"

"Rex and Weevil were having something like their own unofficial 'Duellist Kingdom'," Yugi said with a sigh. "From what I've heard on the forums, they put up some advertisements to bait people into duelling them, offering rewards if they were defeated."

"Are they that persistent to increase their worldwide ranking so soon after Duellist Kingdom?"

Somehow, Yugi managed to laugh at that. "I guess so." He pulled the phone away from his ear, placed Pegasus on speaker, and opened his internet application, searching through the very forums he spoke of. "But during one of their Duels, some of those 'shadows' burst out of the sewers and attacked the crowd. Apparently everyone there fell into comas, and haven't woken up yet." His teeth worried his bottom lip. "Is this...is this because of us?"

"No." Pegasus's reply was immediate. "Listen, Yugi-boy. We may have attracted some of these creatures, but we didn't release any into our world. If there are some on the loose, it is not our fault."

"Then..." Yugi closed his eyes, feeling as if he knew the answer he was about to receive, dreading it all the more. "If someone released them...who did?"

"I don't know, but I am going to find out. We are going to find out." Pegasus took a breath. "Another thing, Yugi-boy. How is your Puzzle?"

Yugi straightened up, "That's something I wanted to talk to you about, too." He glanced down at his Item. "I've put the Puzzle back together."

"Just like that?"

"It was kind of a struggle." His fingers tangled in the chain, winding and unwinding again. "It wouldn't let me, at first. I had to let it know I accepted it and what it had done to my life, first. Then I had to keep offering some of my own strength to it until it was back to its original power."

"That's...troubling to hear." It was surprising to hear the unease in such a confident man's voice. "I'm not sure if that's the best way to go about things, Yugi-boy. From what I know of the Items, allowing such an attachment can lead to grave danger. Offering something like your very own life force, that is no better than a blood oath. And a blood oath to something like a Millennium Item, of all things-"

"Blood oath?!" Yugi scoffed. "I haven't done anything that crazy-"

"That is what you think. Things appear differently to cursed, ancient artefacts."

Yugi huffed, frowning. "What about your Eye? Is it still cracked?"

"No, actually. The damage to my Eye was not as extensive as the damage to your Puzzle, so with its magic, it was able to correct the cracks." Pegasus said. "Regardless-"

More shuffling sounded on the other line, the sound of a male voice speaking in Arabic, and then Pegasus continued. "Forgive me, but some new texts have arrived and I must start the wondrous process of translation. It will take me some time, but I'll let you know what I find." A pause. "Is there anything else you wish to ask before we part?"

"One more thing."

"Yes?"

Yugi knew his smirk was evident in his voice. "How much is this overseas call going to cost me?"

That got him a rich laugh. "You always know where you priorities are, don't you?"

"Haha, I might."

A chuckle. "Goodbye, Yugi-boy. Till we speak again."

"Bye, Pegasus."

Yugi glanced down at his phone and made a face.

He never answered me, though...

If there was one thing Seto Kaiba could not get over, it was the tabloids. The news, the press, all of it. Everything that was released and deemed creditworthy was always the opposite. Having been the centre of countless, idiotic articles over the years had given him plenty of time and experience to cement his opinion.

It led him to where he currently was, scrolling through whatever he could find on the Osaka incident. The video was slowly gaining more views by the day, and a few click bait-like articles had been written on the event, but all it did was leave him with no more information than he'd started with. In short, there was nothing as of yet.

The video wasn't going viral yet, - as far as he knew, it hadn't even been shared outside of Japan, yet - but there was definitely some unease stirring the more it spread.

From his research, and the few, well-paid agents he'd sent over to gather intel, there hadn't been any change in the conditions of the crowd present that day. Over fifteen people were in comatose states with zero explanation. Apparently the current hypothesis was that the cause was a strange autoimmune disease, but there wasn't much to the theory. The families of the victims were understandably emotional, but hadn't been able to gather much publicity on the matter.

It was a situation that officials were trying to keep under wraps to prevent moral panic. It was understandable because fear spread quickly, like a virus without a cure.

His office door quietly creaked open, and Seto checked the time. At 2:46am, all of his staff had been long clocked off for the night, and those who actually lived at the mansion alongside he and Mokuba would have been fast asleep.

That only left one person who would have been game enough to bother him without first announcing their presence with a knock or scheduling to see him in advance. Mokuba, who should have been well and truly asleep by now.

"Big bro?" He turned away from his screen, squinting in the darkened light to make out the outline of his little brother in the darkness of the room. Footsteps approached his desk, and the light of his computer screen highlighted Mokuba in a soft blue as the boy stopped in front of it.

"Mokuba," Seto said, frowning, "it's late...why are you up?"

Mokuba smiled cheekily at what he called Seto's 'parenting tone'. "I could ask you the same thing, couldn't I?"

Something akin to a snort sounded from Seto's throat. "You're not in charge of a multibillion-dollar corporation, little brother, so you don't have the excuse to be awake right now. You should be in bed."

"So should you." Mokuba countered with a soft huff. "We both have school tomorrow, and I doubt you're even doing stuff for KaibaCorp right now. In fact, I'd bet like...500 yen on it."

"You shouldn't be so quick to make pointless investments. And it doesn't matter what I'm doing, Mokuba." Seto fought the urge to roll his eyes. More times than not, Mokuba could be infuriatingly too smart for his own good. "My business is my own, and I'm currently in the middle of something important."

Mokuba made a face. "Important enough to tell me?"

"I'll tell you about it if the situation escalates." He motioned with his hand. "Bed, Mokuba."

"Grumpy old CEO." Mokuba grinned. He stepped around the desk, and before Seto could react, wound his arms around his neck. "G'night, big bro. Get some sleep, 'kay?"

"No promises." Seto grumbled back, his eyes still on the screen, but his hand shifted from his mouse to rest atop his little brother's head. He ruffled his hair gently. "Do me a favour, Mokuba?"

"Depends on the favour." The teasing reply was just like the little businessman to be his sibling would become. "Anything for you, Seto."

"Put your cards away for a bit, and stay away from any of the Duel Disks we're prototyping." His eyes steeled when Mokuba pulled back to stare at him in surprise. "I can't tell you why as of yet, but just...stay away from anything Duel Monsters-related."

Mokuba snickered. "Bro, we live in a mansion filled with Duel Monsters-related things and own a company built on the same game." His smile faltered a little at Seto's unwavering grim expression. "What's up?"

"It's for your own good." Seto dismissed, not exactly answering his question. "Now, go to sleep or I'll call one of the maids to put you to bed."

"Fine, fine." Mokuba said with a dramatic sigh. "See you tomorrow."

He was acknowledged with a nod. "Goodnight, Mokuba."

As the door shut behind Mokuba, Seto returned his attention to his screen, as if he were waiting for his answers to magically appear upon his feed. Nothing was ever that easy, though, and it didn't take being a CEO to figure that out.

A glimmer of light caught his eye in his peripheral vision, and he glanced to the side. Once he noticed the source, he was unable to help the quiet sigh that sounded as if it were a mixture of fondness and exasperation as it left his lips.

Mokuba's speciality was bringing him coffee when Seto was working late, and it seemed that tonight was no exception, as late as it was. He reached for the mug, bringing it to his lips, murmuring his gratitude as he took a sip.

Seto only hoped he could find something worthwhile before he clocked off for the night.

.

..

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