Welcome, one and all! So nice to see you again!

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As many of you know that most of my writings come from the crazy dreams that haunt me at night (some have come out rather nicely, others happen to fade away).

This one, however, has stuck around and is begging to be written! Unlike its predecessor this is not a speed writing challenge but a full blown work of writing which means that I can take my time and make sure that the story is as polished as possible!

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BEFORE READING I SUGGEST YOU HOP OVER TO MY OTHER WORK

"THE MUMMY GROOM"

SINCE IT IS THE PREDECESSOR TO THIS PIECE!

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As always, I do not own the rights to Yu-Gi-Oh! but I do hope you enjoy!

The Mummy Groom:

Return of the Shadow Games

Chapter 1

The young Mutou clasped Atem's hand, their greeting firm and sincere. Tea's words of how similar they were was uncanny, as if they were twins, with the only exceptions being their different skin colors and the way their blonde bangs were. He was slightly irked that the man opposite of him was slightly taller than himself. They were still a bit on the shorter side, when it comes to the male average for their age, but they still were taller than Tea herself. "It's nice to finally meet face to face. Last time we met you were borrowing my body to help Tea. I gotta say, that was pretty surprising." He waved away the man's apology as they turned their attention to Tea and she accepted luggage from one of the platform helpers. "I still can't believe that we made it out of all that in one piece."

"The outcome was worth the risk." Warmth filled his chest as Tea's gaze met his own, her glittering eyes and smile catching the attention of many passing by. He readily slipped the handles of their luggage from her grasp as she returned to his side, earning a soft pout along with words that she was more than capable. "There has never been any doubt of your strength or will, Tea, but it would be dishonorable for two men such as ourselves to allow a beauty like you to carry these unsightly bags." Her expression became flabbergasted as Yugi covered a chuckle with a cough while accepting one of the luggage bags from his look-alike. Atem's lips lifted into a smirk as her cheeks dusted with pink before she turned away with an embarrassed huff.

Yugi felt his own lips lift into a smile as they exited the train station. "When you get settled, you should come over and meet gramps. I'm sure he would love to meet the Nameless Pharaoh himself."

Tea's hand seemed to instinctively grasp Atem's as they made their way down the steps and past the rebuilt church. It was almost identical to the one that had been there previously, down to the same patterns in the stained glass windows, and the sight of it made her heart plummet. The memories of the battle came screaming back as her steps faltered for a split second, but the gentle squeeze of his warm fingers brought her attention back to the conversation in time to hear Yugi ask if she would like to stay for dinner as they continued walking. She deterred him, stating that she didn't want to be a bother, but he assured her that she would always be welcome no matter the hour. "Apologies, but I think that the pleasantries should wait until tomorrow." Atem offered an apologetic smile towards their companion as they came to a stop before the Gardner residence. Tea's wide eyes met his own and he gave a brief squeeze as she made to argue. "Try as you might to hide it, Tea, but you cannot deny that our travels combined with your recent performances have tired you. You were so excited to return here that your sleep has been minimal, few hours at most between yesterday and today."

"There's no rush," Yugi nodded in agreement. His brows, which had initially furrowed in worry at Atem's words, smoothed as he picked up on the sincere tone that had an underlying ring of affection. Her tour had completed but she had immediately headed back as soon as her performance in Cairo had finished. There would have been plenty of time for her to rest along the way but the deep shadows under her eyes told a different story. "It's not like any of us are going anywhere. Why don't I stop by later for a small visit that way you don't have to go anywhere for the rest of the day? It's a bit late for gramps anyway so waiting until tomorrow would actually be perfect." He handed the luggage he had been carrying to Atem in time to welcome her apologetic hug. His lilac hued eyes met amethyst as he returned her squeeze, finding them calm with the smallest hint of worry as they both took notice of how her figure trebled slightly in his hold. Yugi pulled away, patting the top of her head as he had when they were younger, and assured her that he would be back as he began to walk away but made sure to wave before disappearing from sight.

Atem's eyes widened as she swayed, her eyes slipping closed further confirming his suspicion of her exhaustion, quickly using his own body to catch her own as he managed to open the door. One arm kept her close as he entered the dwelling and ensured that the door was latched behind them as he explored. He was slightly surprised by the state of the home as they came upon the parlor. The image he had contoured from her minimal descriptions seemed to shatter as his gaze wandered about the room. It had a familiar feel to it, with the sandstone colored walls that were harmonious with the white chiffon drapery around the windows and the occasional aquatic hues in the paintings or artwork adorning the walls. He didn't recall her speaking about the Egyptian style furnishings and the elegant gold trinkets that tastefully decorated the space. Whispering her name and assuring her that he would not be far, he gently placed her within one of the elegantly furnished divans then turned his attention to the fireplace. Closing his eyes, he inhaled deeply through his nose as his fingers began to rub together as he envisioned the smallest wisps of flame. His hand fondly brushed against the simple yet intricate woodwork as the first few sparks came to life, the kindling within blazing within seconds, and bathed the room in a warm golden glow. His skin prickled slightly when a breath of the coming frost danced across his being as he shed his coat. It was much colder here than back in Egypt, almost making him miss the blistering sands, but he would not allow any force to come between them if he could help it. This fireplace was vastly different than the one that had brought them together but he would forever remember and be grateful for its existence. A soft sound brought his attention to her as she made to stand and he quickly moved to her side. "It is alright for you to rest now."

Her eyes drifted shut as one of his warm hand caressed her cheek, allowing herself to be rested back against the cushioned pillows by his gentle words. His deep voice soothed the jittering heart within her chest as the scent of sandalwood she had come to know filled her senses. She supposed it would be awhile yet before she would be able to put her worry and questions to rest but that didn't make her feel any better as Atem continued to soothe her with assurances and sweet words. The sound of the crackling fire pierced through the pleasant fog in her head, causing her eyes to flutter open, and felt her body stiffen when she caught sight of the room around them. One of his brows rose as she sat upright with wide eyes darting every which way. He gently called her name, her eyes met his and he found them panicked with confusion. "This isn't my house." A look of rage crossed her features as she pulled away and he had to stifle a chuckle as she began to run about the house. "This wasn't here…What even is this?!...Okay, this isn't too bad, maybe I can move it into my room…What am I even saying?!" He quickly covered his amusement with a serious expression when she reentered the room, her eyes blazing. "My house did not look like this when I left! Someone broke in and changed everything!"

"All of your belongings are accounted for so calm down. I would have torn it down and rebuilt it from scratch if I'd had my way." Their gazes shifted to the front doorway as a figure entered, their height and cold eyes unmistakable. Seto Kaiba huffed as she marched to stand before him, his lips lifted into a smirk when she demanded to know when and why he would intrude on her home, relishing in the obvious anger that sparked from her eyes that he had always found amusing. "I could have left it the ruin it was but your reputation called for something with more finesse."

"You had no right to enter my home and do as you please!" Tea expertly rose on her tip toes, her finger stabbing his chest as she narrowed her eyes. "I should call the authorities!"

A petite figure appeared from behind him, her platinum hair shinning brightly in the firelight as she reprimanded him for his behavior before bowing lowly before Tea. "Apologies, Seto had assured me that he would not cause too much trouble during our visit but I see now that he had made no promises. Please forgive us for intruding. I have followed your performances diligently and had to do something for you after everything that has happened." Her cornflower blue eyes widened as she caught sight of a figure sitting within the parlor and felt her knees begin to quake as she took notice of the immense power that was radiating from Atem as he observed their interaction.

It was not just her that had taken a notice to the newcomer, Kaiba had also felt a strange sense of familiarity fill him that was closely followed by what he dared to call "attachment" for the stranger that moved across the room to stand next to Tea as she made introductions. The unfamiliar feeling entwined itself with confusion as he noticed the likeliness the stranger had to an all too familiar acquaintance, but that made no sense. The Mutou house had only one heir that he knew of and that was Yugi but there was no denying the similarity. "Looks like you made an attempt to update your appearance. Not too much of an improvement, I gotta say, but the fake tan almost looks real." Kaiba's breath caught as the man opposite chuckled lowly, its deep baritone causing something within him to recoil slightly in surprise.

Kisara nudged him with her elbow slightly and flicked his ear gently as she pulled him down to her level so he could see the displeasure in her eyes. "That is no way to address your distant cousin, Seto, apologize now." She bowed her head in the Nameless Pharaoh's direction as Kaiba scoffed. She had seen many things after the battle with the despicable Bakura at the church, one of the visions were of when her bloodline had met Seto in their previous life. It not only revealed how her ancestor had grown attached to the high priest of the time but that they had also revealed his relation to the almighty pharaoh himself.

Atem had noticed the immediate change between the two visitors and protectively paced himself between them. His amethyst eyes flashed with recognition as he took in Kaiba's features, noting of what he had heard when in the underworld, and internally felt relieved to know that he was not without a familiar face. "You are welcome to come inside, though I must ask that you do not aggravate Tea during your visit."

"Mighty pharaoh, we couldn't think to impose." Kisara bowed her head as panic entered her eyes. "I simply wanted to stop by to make sure that everything was ready for Tea's return."

The dancer's shoulders slumped as a knock sounded. She honestly had no idea what was going on between the trio, her anger threatening to resurface when she noticed that even the carpet within the hallway had been replaced. "Good grief, I'm popular today." Tea slipped past the seemingly conflicted Kaiba and opened the door to find Yugi patiently waiting.

The platinum haired woman quickly ushered her counterpart through the doorway, earning a quick smile from Yugi as they passed, which evidently was the final straw for Kaiba. "There are two of them?!"

"Looks like Kisara will have her hands full for a while." Yugi smiled as Tea quickly ushered him inside. It was she was closing the door that a strange sensation shot down her spine, causing her skin to prickle with unease as she searched the quiet shadows. It was late enough that the sun had set not too long ago yet early enough for people to still wander about the town, yet there wasn't a person in sight. So why did it feel as though she was being watched? The soft call of her name snapped her from the daze and sheepishly smiled as she was pulled inside by Yugi's hand.

Atem's amethyst eyes glittering with curiosity as he watched the pair interact. Their smiles and words were warm though their body languages held respect of the other's personal space as they approached. The bond they shared felt somewhat familiar as the faintest of memories tickled his consciousness. It made his lips lift into a smile as she caught his gaze. "It is alright, Tea," he held up a hand as she made to deter Yugi's hand that still lingered with her own. "It is clear that you care deeply for each other, though I can understand why those in your modern society would think it wrong. I do not intend to sever the bond you have made with one another."

Yugi felt relief flood him. There had been so many people that deemed their peculiar relationship unnatural and that it was socially unacceptable. To hear that Atem not only approved but also supported their kinship all the more helped his view of the once pharaoh. Lilac met amethyst as they smiled in unison from overtop of Tea's head when she exhaled. "I'm guessing you don't have a last name, since Marik told me that you appeared in the desert as if made from the sand itself. The society here will probably be skeptical of you for a while but I have a possible solution." He extended his hand towards the as he released hers. "Why don't you come stay with my family for a while, become my brother, and gain the name Mutou?"

. . . .

A man dressed in pale sea foam colored robes knelt before the mouth of a great serpent statue, forks of lighting streaking across the dark sky outside causing the ruby eyes to glitter menacingly as he bent his head. "So, he has indeed returned to land of the living." His deep voice carried ill intent with a hint of intensity that made the flickering candles around him to flare momentarily as he took a deep breath to calm himself. Within the shadows of the serpent statue rose a single figure that appeared as though they had gone through the worst torture imaginable with pieces of their skin flaking and threatening to fall from their skeletal frame. The robed man's hands rose to cup the ornament around his neck that hung from a simple cord. He had found the relic while visiting the ancient pyramids of Egypt recently, instantly becoming attached to the strange golden relic. Much to his surprise, it too had established a sort of attachment to himself as it would occasionally disappear within his chest whenever someone threatened to steal it. A strangled bellow came from the deteriorated figure, its empty eye sockets spilling with scarabs as their withered hands attempted to fight off the shadows when they rose and attempted to swallow them. It snatched up the smaller trinket that had been placed within the serpent's maw, the eye upon the golden sphere catching the firelight briefly as it was absorbed. "Be patient, my master, all in due time." He raised his arms to the ceiling as he smirked. "Awaken, ancient magic, reanimate the items once used to harness your power during the times of old!"

. . . .

Ishizu bolted upright, her figure trembling and covered with a thin sheen of sweat as she desperately clung to the necklace around her neck. "What a horrible dream," her breathing stalled as anxiety caused her body to feel as though it was surrounded by ice. "Perhaps it was more than that. The women of our family have mentioned that this necklace once held the power to show the past and possibly the future." She'd had many nightmares but this one that had startled her felt more than real. A jolt of electricity shot though her being as a fork of lightning streaked across the sky and a sharp cry fell from her lips as the golden heirloom she had inherited exploded with light.

The door opened with a bang as Odion and Marik entered, their expression filled with worry when they found her eyes rolled back. "Sister!" A great force seized the youngest of the Ishtars when he drew close to her side, a second bolt of lightning forking across the dark sky as his own heirloom appeared within the hallway. It levitated several feet in the air, bringing the eye upon it level with his chest as he hesitantly reached for it. It had initially been sealed within his father's grave despite the family's tradition of passing the rod to the true male heir. He had never liked the item, with the seemingly dark energy it exhumed, and he stiffened when a force caused him to slide across the carpeted hallway until his fingers grasped the cold metal. Marik withdrew with a hiss as the rod burned his skin, rejection filling his features as blisters began to form, but he grasped it once again as it seemed to focus on his adopted brother. "There is no one else for you to obey, I am your master." His breath caught as the image of a man walking with a girl that had long platinum hair flashed before his eyes.

. . . .

"It is just as I feared," a robed figure whispered as the items before them began to emit a glow that resonated like a heartbeat. The scales to his right couldn't find balance, tipping from one side to the other as the eye in the center glistened. Meanwhile the key to his left had begun to release a low pitched hum that made the air ring ominously. He had been charged to watch over the two relics for as long as he could remember, tradition calling for him to remain entombed with them for so long that he had long since perished from the word. His spirit, however, strived to carry on the duty he had been charged and lingered long after his body had returned to dust. "The gate to the shadow realm has opened."

. . . .

The trio exclaimed in surprise as a light exploded from within Yugi's clothing. Before their eyes the little trinket grew in size until the upside down pyramid was close to the size of an ostrich egg. Atem's amethyst eyes widened as it levitated, effectively removing itself from the young man, and was filled with intense heat as it met his being and the cord settled around his neck. Images of Egypt swam before his rolled eyes as the light gathered into a single beam that met his forehead and formed the Eye of Horus upon his skin. A shiver shot down his spine as ice seeped into his chest and threatened to crush his pounding heart when a shadow rose from the sandstone palace. He could faintly see the figures of his subjects flee before the mighty clouds of shadows but they were swallowed within the darkness as their screams and wails pierced the air. The scene morphed to the streets of the town they resided in, the same shadows rising into a tidal wave that threatened to drown all in its mighty devastation, and his heart gave a heavy thump as he spotted Tea standing before the looming threat, tears staining her cheeks as she braced for the coming water. He startled violently as their cries unified and found himself gasping for breath as they came into view.

They had moved him to the parlor when he had become unresponsive and Tea had thought that her heart would explode with worry as his amethyst eyes met her own. Heat flushed her cheeks as he embraced her, his figure trembling as he clung to her as though she would disappear any second. Yugi's eyes were wide as he looked down at the once tiny trinket as the glow subsided, revealing an Eye of Horus upon the golden pendant that glistened. Her hands gently rubbed his back soothingly as his breathing began to slow, her worry growing as she caught sight of his deep frown. She softly called his name and pulled back so that she could see his face fully. He had grown pale, nearly matching Yugi's skin tone, and there was the ghost of fear within his darkened amethyst eyes. "Atem?"

It was as if her voice broke through the whirling questions that now filled his mind and he quickly took on a stoic mask as he saw the panic within her cobalt eyes. She was beyond exhaustion and he was not about to allow himself to add onto the already mighty emotional strain she was under. His lips lifted into what he hoped was an assuring smile as he cupped her cheek within the palm of his hand. "Are you alright?" He bent forward and brushed his lips against her forehead as he drew her against his chest when she nodded. His eyes met Yugi's, earning a nod that he too was unharmed, and felt his core tighten when she held up the golden pyramid hanging from around his neck. He had never thought that he would see it again, the item that once hung upon his own father's neck, and felt its weight increase slightly as his own fingers brushed the golden Millennium Puzzle.

What do you think? Be sure to let me know in the comments and I hope to see you again soon!