DISCLAIMER: If you recognise it from somewhere else, it isn't mine.

Rage of the Egyptian Gods

Sharee's cell phone rang in her pocket. She flicked it open and answered. 'Hello? Oh, hi, Shauna.' She stopped, and all her friends stopped around her. 'Really? Okay, I guess that's the best we can ask for. See you.'

'What was that about?' Serenity asked.

'It seems Kaiba already has a doctor on board.' Sharee hung up. 'I doubt Kaiba will land this bird anyway, so I'm gonna go talk to him.' She turned and headed off.

'Okay,' Joey said. 'While she's doing that, let's go get Kaiba to land this bird!'

Didn't listen to a word she said. Sharee shook her head. She just hoped Kaiba didn't kill Joey. She glanced over her shoulder. Tristan and Duke were walking at the back, on either side of Serenity and both attempting to sweet-talk her. As long as those two don't kill each other too, I'm happy.

After her chat to the doctor, she was going to be speaking to that ref…with her knuckles.

YGO

Yugi sat in his room, his duel card spread out on the table in front of him. 'Well, I won the first duel of the Battle City Finals.' He began gathering them up. 'Thanks to my Egyptian God Card, Slifer the Sky Dragon.' I still need to be careful with it. It seems like it has real powers, beyond this game.

Yugi looked out the window. He was startled when he saw that his reflection was not the only one. There, standing at his door behind him, was Shadi. Yugi spun around. 'I remember you.' Before he could say much more, though, there was a knock on his door.

Shadi stepped aside and Sharee stepped in. 'Shadi.' She walked past him and over to Yugi. She flicked her fingers, signalling him to stand. Yugi quickly did so. Had Shamee sensed him here, or had she just come and been expecting him at some point?

'I suppose you came here to explain this whole mess?' Sharee said.

'Yes.' Shadi turned his attention to him. 'You've learned much since we first met in Duellist Kingdom, Yugi. You're beginning to understand your fate and its relation to the past. A fate that intertwines with the spirit who dwells within your Millennium Puzzle.'

'Well,' Yugi said, 'I know a little bit. Like he was an ancient Pharaoh.'

'That is correct, and together you must save the earth.'

'From an ancient evil, I know. But are you here to explain how cause I'm still confused.'

Shadi lifted his Millennium Key. 'I am but the Guardian of the Seven Millennium Items. I am here because I sensed a disturbance in the Mystic Alignment once again.'

Yugi gasped.

'All seven Items, plus the Bandanna, are on board this vessel,' Shadi said. 'As well as the three Egyptian God Cards. Which means all of the objects capable of saving and destroying the world are right here.'

'Really?' Yugi asked.

Shadi nodded. 'And the earth's safety rests with you, Yugi.' He narrowed his eyes. 'Heed my words: if the wrong individuals were to gain control of any of the Millennium Items, or one of the Egyptian God Cards, the results could be catastrophic. It nearly happened once before when Pegasus created Duel Monsters.'

'It did?' Yugi asked. 'But how?'

'Well, it all began when Maximillion Pegasus first arrived in Egypt,' Shadi said. 'He was searching for a method of reuniting with his lost love. His quest brought him to me, and I presented him with the Millennium Eye. For he was destined to possess it. Soon after, he discovered the origins of the Ancient Egyptian Shadow Games. Pegasus became obsessed with these games, and decided to dedicate his life to recreating them. He sought to resurrect the ancient mystical powers he discovered. But, much to his surprise, it almost destroyed him.'

Yugi gasped again.

Shadi went on. 'Pegasus didn't know his limits, but he would come to discover he'd unleashed a power far beyond his control.'

'Tell me more,' Yugi said.

'Sharee has the beginning of the story.' Shadi made the statement her cue.

Yugi looked at her.

'The first thing Pegasus wanted was an archaeologist who knew something of the Nameless Pharaoh, as our friend in the Millennium Puzzle has become known to history,' Sharee said. 'My father was the only one known to have actually entered his actual tomb. It's how I got this Bandanna,' she pointed to her head, 'and met Shamee. So Pegasus visited him in his office a few months after we returned home. He had a lot of money and an expedition for dad.'

2 Years Ago, Yale University, New Haven, USA

'You want me to what?' Dennis Pertinicle demanded.

'You obviously heard me.' Pegasus gestured to the briefcase of money that Croquet held open on his desk. 'Help me find these monsters and this is yours.'

Dennis stared at the money for a moment. Then he curled his lips, leaned back in his chair, and kicked his feet up on his desk. 'Sorry. I like life too much.'

Croquet started. He'd obviously never seen someone turn down so much money.

'What?' Pegasus demanded.

'You heard me.' Dennis picked up a paper and started marking it. 'I'd pack it in and go home if I were you. No one who wasn't the Nameless Pharaoh, or one of his immediate blood relatives, has been known to even touch the Egyptian God monsters, never mind controlling them. Anyone who tried, died. Unless you have some kind of obscure blood relation to him, I'd suggest leaving it alone.'

Present Day, Kaiba's Blimp, Japan

'Dennis Pertinicle was wise,' Shadi said. 'He knew he was not powerful enough to control these monsters. Pegasus did not even consider this though, and he got another archaeologist to chase after them. When Dr. Pertinicle discovered this, he contacted myself and the Sacred Guardians. I went to Pegasus's excavation site immediately.'

Two Years Ago, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Pegasus slammed his hand down onto the map with an aggravated growl. 'They must be here somewhere! And I won't rest until I find them. These three monsters are an essential part of my game!'

'Maximillion Pegasus.'

'Huh?' Pegasus turned. He was shocked to see the Egyptian that had first given him his Millennium Eye. 'It's you! What do you want?'

'If you are searching for the three Egyptian God monsters, you'll never find them alone. They've been sealed away in a Pharaoh's tomb that no mortal can penetrate.'

Pegasus straightened up. 'Please go on.'

'All right. I possess the power to uncover the power of these ancient beasts, Maximillion Pegasus.'

Pegasus rushed over, nearly tripping on a crate as he did so. 'I must see them! Please, you have to take me there immediately!'

Shadi led Pegasus and a small crew away from the site and to a man-made structure with what appeared to be a well. A rope was cast down and Pegasus became excited. 'This is it! The secrets of the most powerful shadow monsters are at my fingertips.'

Shadi was quick to say, 'No. Our journey is not over yet.'

When they got to the bottom, Pegasus looked around, wide-eyed. 'Astonishing! An entire underground city!' They continued through the city. 'Make sure you're getting all of this on tape,' he told the men with him.

'Let us proceed, gentlemen,' Shadi said. 'What you seek lies this way.'

'This seems simpler than you described, Shadi.' It took less them a minute for Pegasus to see how wrong he was. There were shadows up ahead. 'Someone else is here!' Guards of some kind? 'How will we get past these men?'

Shadi lifted his hands to his Millennium Key. 'Observe.' The Item glowed and Pegasus felt the magic spreading. 'The power of my Millennium Key will protect us.' They proceeded. 'Now, then, if you gentlemen will follow me.'

Pegasus was startled that they walked right past the guards and the men didn't seem to see them. He ran right in front of one. 'Why aren't they stopping us?'

'We're invisible,' Shadi said, 'cloaked in the magic of my Item.'

'Really? This is incredible!' Pegasus lifted his arms and laughed in delight.

They continued on, walking for hours. Finally, Shadi led them to a large stone door. 'Stop,' he said. 'We're here. The creatures you seek lie inside this chamber. Shadi then opened the door, using his shadow powers to rise the heavy slab of ancient stone. As he did so, he continued. 'Please, proceed with caution. You can take as many photographs as you'd like, but you mustn't remove anything you find within.'

Pegasus was the first to walk into the chamber. 'This one moment will make my entire trip worthwhile!' He looked around as his men walked in after him. Then, he spotted it. He gasped as he saw it. 'Ah! The Winged Dragon of Ra! Obelisk the Tormentor! Slifer the Sky Dragon!' He rushed forward and ran to the massive stone tablet. 'Hello, my ancient friends! It's a pleasure to meet you!'

The men behind him gasped.

'At last! I can unlock the secret powers of the three Egyptian God monsters! Once I immortalise these beautiful creatures in print, my Duel Monsters card game will be complete!'

It never occurred to him to look at the human figures on the tablet.

Present Day, Kaiba's Blimp, Japan

'Triumphant, Pegasus returned to America to design his cards based upon the images he found on the stones,' Shadi explained. 'Whether he could control their incredible power, I did not yet know. You see, he was destined to awaken the Egyptian Gods monsters. But at a great cost, as Pegasus was about to find out.'

Yugi looked at Sharee. 'So if your dad wouldn't unearth them…?'

'The Egyptian God monsters are needed to save the world,' Sharee said. 'Somebody would have to be the sacrificial lamb, so to speak. The cards had to be made, but the creators would be stuck by the rage of the beasts.' She folded her hands behind her head. 'New Haven and New York aren't that far away. Just a small body of water between us. I saw when Slifer attacked the cameraman-slash-decipherer. Of course, we were looking out for it. He coiled around the building and squeezed like a cobra.'

'What happened?' asked Yugi.

'The same thing that any cobra does to its prey,' Sharee said. 'It crushed the whole top of the building and killed Pegasus's man.'

'Pegasus was not pleased when he heard about these deaths,' Shadi stated.

Two Years Ago, New York, USA

'So let's see if I understand you correctly.' Pegasus turned in his chair. 'You say everyone involved in my Egyptian God Card Project has met with an untimely end?'

'Um…' Croquet hesitated. 'Yes, sir.' He seemed to compose himself before he launched into a vocal report. 'Each one was found dead in an utterly destroyed building, sir, often surrounded by their work for you. I can only think of one solution. You must stop production of these monster cards.'

Pegasus slammed his fist onto his desk. 'Never!' He stood up. 'The production of the three Egyptian God Cards is integral to the game of Duel Monsters, and to my entire corporation! We can't let these little incidents stop us. We're on the verge of making history here, Croquet! I don't care if the cards are cursed. I'll do it myself, under the protection of my Millennium Eye.'

YGO

And he did so, taking it back to his countryside mansion and painting the faces of the cards in question by his own hand. 'Yes, my amazing creatures,' he cooed at them. 'I am honoured to bring you back to life after all these years. I'll spare no detail in your re-creation. There we go.' He finished the last one and chuckled. 'I don't seem to be meeting with an untimely end at the hands of these three creatures, now do I, huh?' Pegasus leaned back in his chair, exhausted, and closed his remaining eye. 'They're almost complete.'

Though he hadn't meant to fall asleep, the next thing he knew was blistering heat. He heard roaring and screaming. 'Huh?' Pegasus's eye snapped open and he jerked upright. He seemed to be floating in the air. He looked down and watched in horror. There were pyramids below him. Around them, towns were burning. He cried out in alarm. 'What's going on?' Or, for that matter… 'And where am I?' He looked around, seeking sense. All he saw was the three Egyptian God monsters. Slifer coiled and crushed the buildings, Obelisk smashed everything in sight, and Ra burned everything he could see, creating the inferno all around.

'Hear me, Pegasus.' Shadi's voice from above made him twist around. He hovered a few feet up. 'By attempting to recreate the images of the Egyptian God monsters, you've unleashed a dangerous force far beyond your comprehension, and put the world at risk. This was exactly what Dennis Pertinicle was warning you about.'

'But how could Dr. Pertinicle possible have knowledge of this?' Pegasus demanded.

Shadi did not answer. Instead, he said, 'These beasts wrecked havoc upon the world 5000 years ago, as you see here, until the mighty Pharaoh contained their power.'

'Even if it is true, I'll accept the burden of these cards as my own and I'll contain their great powers,' Pegasus insisted. His Millennium Eye glinted. 'But I must bring the legacy of Duel Monsters to a new Millennium!'

The three beasts roared as they began to rise up.

'It is clear to me now that you were not meant to control these monsters,' Shadi said.

Pegasus looked at him in alarm. He didn't have enough power to? How much more power would it take then?

'Your only hope is to return them after them to their resting place.' With that, Shadi faded away, but his voice continued. 'If not,' Pegasus looked forward in alarm as the God monsters came level with him, 'their darkness will consume you, and the entire world!'

All three let loose blasts from their mouths, heading directly for Pegasus…

Pegasus woke suddenly with a horrified gasp. 'I've angered the Egyptian God monsters! And I felt their rage!' He lifted his shaking hands. 'That wasn't a dream! Dr. Pertinicle was right! Their powers are very real! Shadi's words were true! Now I must lock the cards away, or face destruction!'

YGO

Pegasus returned to Egypt with the cards. Shadi had told him that the Tomb Keepers did not allow their males to leave the tomb, so one of the females would be up to collect them from him. He'd called on Dr. Pertinicle again, this time for advice on how to best secure the cards.

The famous archaeologist was much more receptive now. First he'd given him the name of a sufficient hotel in the city of Girga. 'It's built right on top of the Nameless Pharaoh's old capital. That's where most of the Sacred Guardians are.' He'd then gone on to explain which of these Guardians to expect. 'Ishizu Ishtar has the Millennium Necklace, which lets her see through time. She'll probably arrive shortly after you do. Don't expect her to knock.'

So Pegasus arrived in his room. He kept the blinds closed and peered through them. He was suspicious that someone would come to steal these prototypes. There was no knock, as Dr. Pertinicle had expected. The door was just opened. 'Hm?' Pegasus turned. An Arab woman stood in the doorway. 'Oh!' He turned around fully.

'I've been awaiting your return to the Land of the Pharaohs,' the woman said. 'I am Ishizu Ishtar. Now come with me.'

Just as Dr. Pertinicle had said.

Present Day, Kaiba's Blimp, Japan

Shadi finished the story. 'And, with the help of Ishizu, Pegasus sealed away the cards.'

'Then Marik tried to steal them?' Yugi asked.

'Yes,' Shadi said. 'And if he were to get his hands on all three, the results would be devastating.'

Yugi felt the Pharaoh surging forth and stepped back.

YGO

'I can assure you,' the Pharaoh said. 'Marik will never hold all three Egyptian God Cards.'

Shadi dropped down to one knee. 'My Pharaoh! It is an honour for me to be in your presence once again, and I have great confidence in you. I know that you will restore order to the world and put an end to this chaos, just as you did 5000 years ago. My complete faith lies in you.'

The Pharaoh smiled at that.

A PA announcement suddenly drew his attention. 'All remaining finalists must now report to the main concourse.'

When the Pharaoh looked back to where Shadi had been, he was startled. 'Shadi? He's gone.'

There was a switch right next to him, and Shamee was there. 'He does that frequently.' She rubbed her chin. 'I wouldn't be surprised if he's a spirit as well.'

'Hm.'

The PA rang over the room again. 'The next two duellists will now be chosen.'

It's time, Yugi said. Let's go join the others.

The Pharaoh smiled again and nodded. 'All right, the future of mankind is depending on us.'

'This is your final warning,' the PA guy announced. 'All finalists must be on deck in two minutes.'

The two ancients stepped out of the room and headed towards the elevator. They found their friends next to it. Tristan was telling them all something interesting.

'No joke!' Tristan was insisting. 'There's this freaky guy in a white robe! He saved our lives. Just ask Duke.'

Duke, apparently, wasn't so sure. 'Well, I didn't actually see him but someone had to pull us up.'

Joey turned, affecting the air of amusement. 'Knock it off, you guys. If you're trying to distract me before my duel it's not gonna work.'

Serenity lifted a finger to her chin. 'Joey, what if there really was some kind of ghost?'

'Come on,' Joey said. 'Ghosts don't exist.'

He still nearly went out of his skin when the Pharaoh laid a hand on his shoulder and said, 'Are you ready for the next duel?'

Joey spun around. 'Don't sneak up on me like that?'

The Pharaoh and Shamee both smirked.

Tristan decided to tell his story again. 'Okay, here's what happened.'

YGO

Ishizu sat by the window in her room, watching the cloud bank. 'I'll save you, Marik,' she murmured. 'I know there's still good within you.'

She remembered a time, so long ago now, when Marik had been small. He'd been holding up a wreath of wildflowers he'd found, a bright and happy smile on his face. 'Sister, for you!' he'd proclaimed as he'd presented her with the wreath in one of the sweetest ways.

'Ishizu.' She was suddenly alerted to the presence of an old friend in her room. She looked over as he continued. 'It's happening.'

'Shadi. With so much at stake, I should have known you'd be here.'

'Yes. Evil once again walks the earth, bringing madness in its wake.'

Ishizu cast her eyes down. 'I just never thought my own brother would be the medium for this evil.' She closed her eyes. 'Oh, Marik. The world must be saved, but at what cost? I don't want to lose my brother.'

When she opened her eyes again, Shadi was gone.

YGO

Shadi stepped into the room, where the mind-controlled girl was. He walked up beside her and looked at her blank face. My Key shields me from her sight. He looked down at the boy, so often subjected to unwilling possession and Shadi noted precisely what was in the air around himself.

Wait. The mystic disturbance that brought me here is strongest in this room. I feel that the destinies of certain Millennium Items are being manipulated, and until harmony is restored the world will be in grave peril.

Shadi turned and walked out of the room again. He had to think on this.