— Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to the legendary and iconic Kazuki Takahashi. May his soul rest in paradise—

Atem runs as fast as his legs will take him while Yugi does his best to keep up. The more he runs down the wet pavement as the rain beats over his head, the more frustrated he becomes. With his visibility being low, he doesn't know where he's going. He's simply hoping that wherever his feet guides him, will lead him to Cairo.

"Cairo!" he calls out, running down the sidewalk, squinting his eyes down every alleyway and intersection they come across.

"Hopefully she hasn't gotten far!" Yugi says, trying to shield his face from the rain as best he can. "What's gotten into her?"

"I'm not sure. But she mentioned Magus earlier today."

"Magus?"

"He had a significant role in turning Cairo into who she is today, along with Zorc."

Yugi gasps. "Whoa…so is he one of the escaped souls?"

"It's hard to tell. I didn't see him with my own eyes, even while standing next to her. I am not able to sense souls like she can. So it's a possibility he is here. Or, it could be all in her head."

"I just wish we knew where she is."

Cairo falls on the wet pavement, curling into a ball and clenching both sides of her face as she leans up against a boarded up door. The building the door belongs to offers her little to no shelter from the rain, but that is the least of her concern. Why is this happening all of a sudden? Is this real? Or is this all just a bad dream?

She peeks over her hunched shoulder just as a car goes past, seeing Magus standing in the middle of the street with his hand aimed out at her. Gritting her teeth and not wanting to be his victim again, she narrows her eyes and lets out a battle cry, shooting a magical blast without moving from her spot.

Just as Atem and Yugi cut a corner, they see the purple blast hit a mailbox, sending papers flying everywhere.

"Over there!" Yugi points out, motioning directly across the damaged mailbox where the blast came from.

Atem dashes ahead until he sees a small figure huddled up against the door, holding her arms with her forehead pressed up against the concrete wall next to her. Her hair drapes over, completely concealing her face. As he gets closer, he can see her shoulders trembling and he can hear her breathing heavily.

Feeling someone's presence close by, her head shoots up and she immediately goes on the defensive, making another magical ball form at the palm of her hand, panting hard and her eyes in a state of panic.

"It's alright. It's just us," Yugi assures her.

She drops her hand and goes back to clenching the sides of her face as her father kneels down to her. "Cairo…"

"Well this is just perfect," a familiar voice says as the rain begins to slow down. He cracks his knuckles as Atem and Yugi turn around, seeing none other than Panik. Their old foe grins when he notices Atem narrowing his eyes, seemingly annoyed by his presence. "I'm sorry, is this a bad time?" He cackles loudly.

Atem glances down at his daughter, who is not in any condition to be going toe to toe with anyone. He then looks to his diadhank. To his dismay, the image of the Dark Magician Girl is still there, leaving him out of options.

He turns to Yugi. "Take her home," he says to Yugi's surprise.

"Are you serious? I'm not leaving you here by yourself!" he protests.

"It's Cairo he's after. And I need you to get her away from here."

"You don't think he wants to pulverize you too? It's too dangerous!"

"I'm aware. But I have no choice," he says standing up to his feet with his back turned toward Yugi.

"But Atem…!"

"I'll be fine. Now go!" Atem commands, keeping his focus on Panik.

Yugi looks to Atem with concern and then to Cairo who has completely shut down at this point. Her eyes are dull and seem to stare through the ground rather than directly at it. He manages to get her on his back, despite his small stature, and he walks in a fast pace to get her to safety.

Panik watches them leave with a scowl, his body turning to pursue them.

"Don't you dare," Atem warns him with his fists balled at his sides. "Your fight is with me."

"Heh…you really think you're any match for me?" Panik says, walking up to him. "This'll be over before it even starts."

'The odds of me beating him are slim to none,' Atem thinks to himself. 'But I have to try. Or at least allow enough time for Yugi to get home so I can retreat.'

Without warning, Panik throws a punch, nearly catching Atem off guard as he ducks out of the way. Another punch makes Atem jump back, then he moves his head to the side to avoid yet another one The force from the punch alone is enough to scrape Atem on the cheek, causing blood to trickle down.

Gritting his teeth, Atem throws a punch of his own, hitting Panik square in the face. But to his horror, Panik doesn't flinch at all. Unlike the Rare Hunter he faced recently, Panik is without a doubt, a lot stronger. And it's becoming clear to Atem that he is in danger. With his own punch not being effective, what will he do now?

Atem grunts when Panik lifts him up by the wrist, jabbing him right in the stomach. Gagging for air, Atem's eyes nearly pop out of its sockets from the immense pain.

"I told you this would be over soon," Panik says, dropping Atem to the ground.

Atem holds onto his stomach, hunched over on his hands and knees, trying to catch his breath. It feels like minutes have gone by, but he's certain the blows he's taken have only happened in within seconds. He cries out when Panik's large, muscular leg slams into his ribs. He can practically hear them cracking as his body goes flying several feet back, hitting the sidewalk several times before coming to a complete stop.

With blood pouring out of his mouth, Atem's attempts in sitting up end in failure. A small puddle of blood forms around his face that rests on the sidewalk. He can hear the footsteps of Panik slowly approaching as he stares at his inactive diadhank. How is he supposed to help Cairo now? He promised Mana that he would protect their daughter and bring her back to the Afterlife. But with no way to defeat Panik in sight, is all hope lost?

"M-Mana…" he says weakly as Panik's silhouette towers over him. "I…" His vision goes completely black and his body goes limp.

"Serves you right," Panik says, placing his foot onto his back and pressing into it. "You stole my life away from me. And now, it's my turn to return the favor!"

He kicks Atem's motionless body a few more feet away and begins to crack his knuckles, preparing to land the final blow. "Once I'm done with you, I'll finish that little brat off for good. And the rest of your friends while I'm at it!"

After walking a few more steps, he finds himself merely inches away from Atem, who still lies facedown into the gray pavement. "Say your prayers…" He lifts Atem up by the back of his jacket and aims his fist at him. But a gold, blinding light suddenly emits from the object on Atem's wrist, making Panik shield his eyes with his free arm.

"What the hell?" he growls. The light becomes too much to the point where he drops Atem and turns around completely to hide from the bright light. He isn't sure what the cause of the phenomena is, but nevertheless, he has every intention to stop the barriers that come his way. With Cairo in her current state, she will be easy to beat. He just needs to get to her.

He peeks one eye open, seeing a feminine silhouette standing in front of Atem, holding a wand in her hand. Her aquamarine eyes glare directly at him as she levitates several inches off the floor.

"Now what?!" Panik exclaims, taking a step back. His question is soon answered when the mysterious figure points her wand at him, charging a powerful attack that even he can feel before she actually launches it.

Watching from above with his arms crossed in front of his chest, Marik observes as a maiden woman appears protectively in front of Atem, shooting off a powerful attack and seemingly incinerating Panik. "Who's this now…?" he asks himself, growing irritated. If not for her, Atem would be done for and out of the way, leaving Cairo wide open in her vulnerable state.

Atem's eyes slowly flutter open after hearing the sound of Panik crying out, followed by a loud impact that shakes the ground beneath him. His cries of pain slowly fade out until he can hear him no longer, as if Panik suddenly disappeared off the face of the Earth.

Initially he cannot see who is the cause. Is it Cairo? Has she come back to help him and finish Panik for good? He shuts his eyes, still feeling the pain shooting through his body. Although it seems like his face-off with Panik is over, who's to say whoever defeated his foe won't be after him too?

It isn't until he feels his upper body slowly being raised and placed on someone's lap that he feels a familiar presence and warmness that almost immediately puts him at ease. HIs eyes slowly open, seeing a blurred figured hovering over him. As his sight becomes clearer, he can see the concern and slight relief in her eyes after he wakes up fully. At first he doesn't recognize whose arms he's currently in. Her hair is flared out slightly with straight ends in the back while the two thick strands of hair resting on both sides of her cheeks have a spiked tip, as well as the bang that rests in the middle of her forehead.

The shape of her eyes are slightly narrowed. But there is something about the aquamarine color of her eyes that bear a resemblance to a person he does know.

"Mana?" he utters weakly.

A smile of relief appears on her lips.

"What are you doing here? How are you here?"

"I felt this tugging sensation deep inside, like someone else was trying to summon my ka," Mana explains. "And then at some point, I felt like I was the one being summoned. Almost as if you were calling for me."

He gasps lightly, looking down to his wrist. Instead of the Dark Magician Girl being engraved there, an image of Mana's current form is in its place. "I'm sorry," he apologizes. "I am so used to summoning the Dark Magician Girl in this world, I had forgotten you and her are connected in our world. I didn't mean to put you in harm's way."

Marik raises an eyebrow as he listens on to their conversation. "Someone from his past?" He notices how she gently moves the bangs from Atem's face, her eyes staring deep into his. Even Atem's demeanor has changed a little, appearing more relaxed in her arms, despite trying to put on a tough exterior.

"Interesting…" Marik comments, turning around and walking away as he smirks mischievously.

Atem tries to sit up, but pain shoots through his body, causing him to fall back onto her lap, grimacing.

"Easy," she says. "You're in really bad shape."

"Is he…?"

"Yes. Whoever that was, is no more. I might have gotten carried away after seeing you like this," she replies. "Who was that guy?"

Atem grunts, stubbornly trying to move once more before giving up completely. "He was after Cairo."

Mana's eyes go wide. "What?" She then looks somewhat frantically from left to right. "Where is she now?"

"She's safe…" he assures her.

She sighs with relief before closing her eyes, bringing the palms of her hands to cup the sides of his face as she begins to chant a spell. Slowly, he feels the energy returning to him and the pain subsiding until he is almost as good as new. And yet, he remains laying on her lap. He still feels a bit drained from everything that has occurred so far since he and Cairo got there.

"This world is different," Mana observes, taking note of the tall buildings and parked cars. "You two were transported here from the Afterlife?"

"Yes. This is also where I was prior to returning to the Afterlife. And where I first reunited with Cairo."

"I see…"

"The gods practically dragged her back to her soul keeping duties and now she's having to recapture souls, such as the one you just fought, after someone else purposely let them loose."

"But I thought she was free for good!" Mana exclaims as he sits up, becoming upset.

"I know. So did I."

"Who is responsible for intentionally letting the souls go free?"

"An old and powerful foe of mine from this time period," Atem says, averting his gaze and narrowing his eyes. "He took up the role of soul keeper after Cairo was set free and now she's being forced to work with him until all the souls have been returned."

"What?"

"He's extremely dangerous." And probably the cause of Cairo's recent hysterical episode. But he decides not to disclose that to Mana. He can tell she is already worried as it is.

"Atem…" Mana frowns.

Sensing her growing concern, he turns his head, pressing it onto hers. "It's going to be alright."

But in doing that motion, Mana can sense that he is stressed as well. "You're anxious too," she says softly and he raises his head to look at her with surprise. Has he really made it that obvious even though he's trying to hide it?

Then he closes his eyes, a smirk appearing on his lips. "I should have known I can't hide anything from you."

Mana chuckles a little. "Well…as I've told you plenty of times before, you're not alone." She looks to his diadhank. "And now that we know that you can summon me in this world, if you need me, just call."

"Mana…"

She smiles. "I mean it."

He stares at her briefly before nodding his head. "Alright…But we should be cautious. We're not sure how your presence will affect you here and in the afterlife."

"Right," Mana nods.

As they both stand up, he observes her clothing, noticing she is wearing a black tank with a long skirt that has higher slits on both sides, exposing her legs and hips. A pink garment is wrapped around her waist and tied into a cute bow and she wears a golden head piece on her head.

Mana notices his gaze and she looks over to a window, noting her appearance as well for the first time. She blinks with her eyes wide while her cheeks turn red. "Whoa! Is that…m-me?!" Her hands go up to her shortened hair, earning a whine. "Where'd the rest of my hair go?!"

A drop of sweat goes down Atem's face as she freaks out. "I don't quite have an explanation for this either."

"What's going on?!" she continues to whine as she observes herself until her eyes land on her butt, noticing how the dress rests perfectly on her curves. She blinks again and places her hand on it, giving it a rub. "Well that's nice."

Atem glances over before his own face turns red and he quickly tries to hide it by turning his head, earning a giggle from Mana.

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

Joey's stomach growls loudly as he, Tristan and Téa walk down the hallway at school the following morning. The blonde haired teen begins to trail after his two friends, feeling weaker and weaker by the second until he drops on his knees with a loud groan. Téa rolls her eyes, slapping her forehead.

"Get a hold of yourself," Téa says.

"How can I when I'm so hungry?!" Joey yells.

"Maybe you should go to bed earlier so you can wake up with enough time to get something to eat?" Téa suggests with a shrug. "That might help."

"Who says I go to bed late?!"

"We share a Flick account, dude," Tristan points out. "That new series just came out a day ago and you've already binged it all."

Joey side eyes his friend. "Whose side are you on?!"

"Oh hello you guys," a soft spoken voice greets nearby. "It's a pleasant morning today isn't, it?"

Tristan and Téa simultaneously turn around to face a classmate of theirs while Joey face plants the floor, groaning about food. A guy their age wearing the same navy blue uniform all the other guys are wearing smiles and gives a friendly wave. His white spiky hair reaches just past his shoulders and his brown eyes glimmer, happy to see his friends.

"Oh hey!" Téa greets back. "What's up Bakura? Ready for another long day of class?"

"Of course!" he says before looking around. "Say, where is Yugi? He's typically not late."

"Rough night last night," Joey replies, finally raising to his feet.

Téa looks at him questionably along with the others. "What do you mean?"

"He text me and said the pharaoh and Cairo got into some trouble last night. They're okay, but he's staying home to be sure."

"Oh, that's awful!"

Bakura blinks with confusion. "I'm sorry, but did you say pharaoh?" he asks. He and the pharaoh had a unique history in the past. In fact, just like Yugi, he too owned a Millennium Item that had the spirit of someone within in it. But in contrast, the spirit living within Bakura's Millennium Ring belonged to a darker being, who would take control of his body without permission and played a huge role in the pharaoh's past.

Tristan rubs the back of his head. "It's sort of a long story…but hey, maybe you'll be able to see him and meet Cairo too."

"Hm? Who's Cairo?"

"Guess we got a lot of catching up to do," Téa says. "We'll fill you in and we should check up on them after school lets out."

Joey nods. "Good idea."

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

Atem and Yugi stand in the kitchen with the island counter in between them. Both are deep in thought, replaying the events from last night in their head repeatedly. Cairo still sleeps upstairs in Yugi's bedroom. She was in no talking mood last night and so, Atem let her rest. She appeared to be afraid and exhausted. Even emotional.

Knowing Cairo, it takes a lot for her to get to that point. But with her claiming to see Magus, it's no wonder she reacted the way she did.

"Are you doing okay?" Yugi asks, lifting his eyes to look at Atem.

Atem returns his gaze. "I'm fine," he replies, lifting his diadhank slightly. "If it weren't for Mana I might not be here."

"Yeah, you told me briefly last night. I didn't know you could even summon her."

"Neither did I. But I'm using her as a last resort. I still don't know how me summoning her will affect her."

"Or even you," Yugi brings up. "If I remember correctly, if whatever you summon takes a hit, so do you."

"You're right. So I need to be careful."

Yugi looks toward the staircase, his mind on Cairo now. "What do you think could have caused her to spiral like that?"

Atem ponders in his head about the conversation he had with Cairo earlier yesterday. He searches for any clues that would lead him to some sort of answer. He gasps lightly, remembering her mentioning several souls that were in attendance for the parade. But he only saw one. "That's it…" he says with realization.

"What?"

"Cairo said there were three souls yesterday. But she only felt two of the three."

"Well that's more than me. I only saw one."

Atem nods in agreement, closing his eyes with thought. "She doesn't know what became of the third soul, but the second soul had brief contact with her after the explosion. She wasn't sure what happened but said she felt…different."

"Hmm…" Yugi hums briefly. "So you're thinking whoever that soul was…"

"Caused her strange episode last night," Atem concludes. "It's almost as if she saw something that caused her great fear…"

"But we didn't see anything at all."

"Right. It might have been some sort of illusion…"

"Another thing I'm confused about…"

Atem opens his eyes. "Go on."

"The bad Marik was out there fighting with Cairo. So is he really the enemy?"

"Don't let that fool you…" another voice says and they turn to the doorway of the kitchen, both gasping when they see the good Marik standing there wearing his normal get up featuring a purple cropped hoodie and black pants.

Yugi blinks, surprised to see him there. "Marik?"

"Your grandfather let me in," Mariks tell him, motioning his thumb to the front door in the other room. He then looks over to the pharaoh, placing a hand on the left side of his chest and bowing. "When I watched you walk through to the afterlife, I didn't believe we would see each other again."

"Likewise," Atem replies. "I take it you've run into your evil self?"

Marik lifts his eyes. "You have no idea."

YGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGOYGO

AN: That was definitely a close call for Cairo and Atem! For those confused about Mana's new appearance, if you saw Dark Side of Dimensions, you'd know Atem summoned Palladium Oracle Mahad. So I felt it would be a nice touch for him (and unexpected for readers) to be able to summon Palladium Oracle Mana.

Yami Marik's plan will soon become clear in the coming chapters. But I hope you guys enjoyed the surprises that came along with this one!

Until next time!

P.S. - I'm sure some have already heard the news of Kazuki Takahashi so I just wanted to say, I would not be writing these fanfics if it weren't for him. I actually took an interest in writing because of Yu-Gi-Oh! and it helped shaped the creative that I am today. Yu-Gi-Oh! was a huge part of my childhood. It's how I got into anime and manga. I know without a doubt that he has made such a huge impact on all of us and he will never be forgotten.