"Gah, not again!" Joey yelled, ruffling his hair in a fit.
"Sorry, Joey. I win again," Yugi said with a grin as he collected his earnings.
"How is it I'm lucky when it comes to dueling, but I stink when it comes to BlackJack?" Joey muttered.
Yugi started laughing, but was interrupted when the the sound of clatter was heard. "You hear that?" He asked.
Joey nodded. "Sounded like it came from outside."
They both got to their feet, walked down the stairs from Yugi's room, went through the game shop, and out the front door. It was dark outside, the streets abandoned and the street lights cast a pale illumination, casting shadows that seemed to move with the flickering lightbulbs. Dark clouds were starting to form, blocking out the stars and crescent moon.
There was another noise that sounded like a moan, causing Yugi to turn his head towards it. "It's coming from behind the shop!"
The two friends rushed behind the shop, but what they found stopped them dead in their tracks. Next to a few overturned trash cans was Morgan, lying unconscious on the ground. Her arms were sprawled forward like she had tripped and had tried to soften her landing. They both hurried to her side, Joey kneeling beside her to check her pulse.
"She's out cold," he explained.
"Let's get her inside." Yugi looked up and added, "It looks like it's gonna rain soon."
Joey scooped Morgan up into his arms bridal-style and they hurried back into Yugi's house, just as it started to pour raining Kuribohs.
They walked into the living room and Joey carefully placed Morgan onto the couch, causing her to moan moan a little but remain unconscious.
"What do we do?" Joey asked. "Should we call someone?"
"I don't know, Joey," Yugi replied as he placed a blanket over Morgan. Standing up straight, he crossed his arms over his chest and added "She told us she was eighteen back at the hospital, so she's at the legal age to check herself out. But judging by her condition, I don't think they would let her go so easily."
As the boys continued talking to one another, Morgan's eyes slowly opened, neither of the boys aware.
"Should we call Mokuba?" Joey offered.
"No, it's too late at night to call him. I think we should just wait until she wakes up and ask her what happened then," Yugi concluded.
"You can ask me now."
Joey and Tristan turned to see Morgan sitting up, clutching the blanket at her lap.
"That was quick," Joey commented.
Morgan smiled weakly. "Sorry to have worried you two. I didn't intend on collapsing, taking a few of your trash cans with me."
"It's no big deal," Yugi explained. "But if you don't mind me asking; why were you walking around the city in the middle of the night?"
"Yeah. Shouldn't you be at the hospital resting?" Joey put in.
Morgan's smile disappeared and she looked down. "The answer to Joey's question is that I didn't want to endanger anyone there."
"What do you mean?" Yugi inquired.
Morgan looked at the smaller boy with a sad expression. "There is a man that is after me and he'll do anything to see me dead, even if it means hurting innocent people."
Yugi and Joey gasped and flinched, their eyes wide with shock.
"Someone's trying to kill you!?" Joey exclaimed.
"But why!?" Yugi seemed terrified of the answer.
Morgan sighed, then looked around. "Are you two the only ones here?"
When the boys nodded, Morgan was silent for a moment, then closed her eyes and held out her left hand in front of her. An amber-red sphere of light suddenly appeared in her palm, gaining gasps from Yugi and Joey. The energy it gave off was warm, the glow growing brighter and dimmer in sync with Morgan's breathing. When the light faded, a Duel Monsters deck was left in its place.
Joey rubbed his eyes just to make sure he wasn't seeing things, while Yugi just blinked in shock. Neither of them said a word.
"With me gone, this deck won't be guarded from that man's hands and he would be free to use its powers for his evil reasons," Morgan explained. She looked up at Yugi and added, "The reason as to why I was out in the city this late was because I was looking for you."
"M-Me?" Yugi stammered.
Morgan nodded. "I didn't want to mention it early at the hospital because I was worried your friends would get upset."
"Mention what?" Yugi asked.
Morgan glanced at Joey, seemed to debate her options, then sighed. "I know what happened in Egypt, Yugi. I know about the Pharaoh, and how you two once shared the same body through the connection of the Millennium Puzzle. I know that you helped him reach his final resting place, even if you didn't wish for him to go."
Yugi could have sworn his heart stopped right then. It had been nearly two years since Atem had returned to his final resting place. Yugi hadn't thought about his lost friend in quite a while, and hearing someone mention the Pharaoh's name created a giant pit in his stomach. It took all his will-power not to cry as he replied, "How… how do you know all this?"
Morgan placed her left hand on her chest. "Throughout the course of time that I have been on this planet, I have traveled many places. Along my travels, I have met friends of yours, such as Maximillion Pegasus, Professor Hawkins, and the three Ishtar's Marik, Ishizu, and Odion. You see, I also have a past connection with Ancient Egypt, and when I met these people, I told them this and they more often then not spoke of you. I knew then that I had to meet you myself."
Yugi was speechless for several moments. When this new info managed to sink in, he asked, "Why are you telling me all this?"
Morgan looked down at her deck and flipped over the top card. "Tell me something; Can you speak to Duel Spirits?"
Before Yugi could answer, Joey blurted out, "Are you nuts!? Only psychics can do that! How could Yugi possibly know how?"
"Actually."
Joey turned to his friend with surprise.
"I can," Yugi finished. "But what's that got to do with anything you've told me?"
Morgan smiled. "Would you like to see him?"
Yugi flinched. See Atem again, after all this time? Was that possible?
"It's urgent that I speak with him, and I know you miss him, so I'm giving you the opportunity to have a chance to see him. Also, I kinda need to have you as a medium since you share the strongest bond with him." Morgan tilted her head. "Please?"
"You honestly think you can bring Atem back!?" Joey barked. "You must be crazy! Even if it is possible, there's no way you're gonna have Yugi be used as a host"
"Joey," Yugi said with a worried voice.
Morgan laughed. "Why does everyone think the moment someone mentions bringing back spirits they think it involves one being possessed? Honestly, that whole ghosts-possessing-your-friends thing is nothing but sci-fi. You need to get out more."
Joey was about to argue more, but Yugi cut him off. "I'll do it, if it means seeing Atem again." A sad yet hopeful look was on his face as he said this.
Morgan nodded. "Alright. Let's get started."
XXXXX
Yugi took Morgan to his room, since that was where the slightest presence of Atem was strongest in the household. Joey was forced to wait downstairs, despite his objections.
Yugi became more and more nervous as he watched Morgan place her Duel Monsters cards around him in a circle. She never said a single word, but when she sensed that Yugi was uneasy, she stopped what she was doing and looked at him with a reassuring smile.
When Morgan was down to her last card, she sat directly in front of Yugi. She took a deep breath and said, "Embarr, we're ready."
The card in her hand glowed with the same amber light and suddenly, a transparent spirit that looked much like an large fox appeared at Morgan's side. The fox was the size of a miniature pony, with soft amber-red eyes and at least four separate tails swishing and curling behind it. Unsurprisingly though, Yugi only slightly flinched at the sight of the beautiful creature.
"It is an honor to finally meet you, Yugi Mutou," the fox greeted with a feminine voice, though her mouth did not move. "I am Guardian of Embarr, Royal Protector, but you can simply call me Embarr."
Yugi nodded his head. "It's nice to meet you. Um… So, how exactly are we gonna be able to see the Pharaoh?"
Embarr giggled like a mother would at her child's cuteness. "Like Morgan explained earlier, the cards that surround you now each hold a unique gift that makes them part of the Guardians of Embarr deck. By combining their powers into one source, we should be able to contact those that are no longer in this world," she explained.
"Should?" Yugi questioned.
Embarr sighed and bowed her head. "As of late, we have been unable to maintain contact with The Spirit World. I believe this is partly Corridor's doing, the man that is after Morgan and the deck that is under her protection. However," she looked back up with hopeful eyes and added, "I am confident that it will work with you here. I must warn you though, young one; summoning spirits requires a great deal of energy and you may experience great pain."
"But don't worry, Yugi. I'll try to take as much of the recoil as possible, so the worst thing that would happen to you would be having a pretty bad headache afterwards," Morgan put in reassuringly.
Embarr nodded. "With all of this said; Do you still wish to proceed with the ceremony?"
"Yes," Yugi replied confidently. "This isn't just for my sake, but you two as well. Right?"
Embarr seemed to grin. "Very true, young one. Well put." She turned to Morgan and added. "Morgan, give him the charm."
"Right." Morgan stood up, reached into her jeans pocket, and pulled out an Egyptian-style golden anklet. She walked over to Yugi and placed the anklet around his left wrist. It dangled loosely for a moment before glowing slightly and tightening around Yugi's wrist. "This bracelet will protect you from the worst of the pain and any possible influence of Corridor's that you may run into later on."
Yugi only nodded slightly and studied his gift. Ancient hieroglyphics were carved all around, a few characters he recognized but could not remember their meaning at the moment.
With preparations done, Morgan returned to her spot in front of the teen. She closed her eyes, took several deep breaths, and then suddenly began to glow a familiar amber-red light. Together, she and Embarr prayed out loud, "To protect the way of the Guardians, the daughter of Adom and Dendera, and sister of Meskhnet, Agymah, and Chenzira, requests the powers of those that are no longer of this world, so she may connect with The Spirit World. Please grant her this power so she may keep The Shadows out of The World of Light!"
Yugi could have sworn he heard the name Morgan had murmured back at the hospital, but he had no time to question said girl when Embarr and all of the cards around him began to glow the same as Morgan. Yugi's heart began to race, but he stayed calm none the less.
Morgan opened her eyes and smiled at Yugi. She continued on as she asked. "Yugi Mutou; Are you willing to connect to The Spirit World so your request may be fulfilled?"
"Yes," Yugi replied. "Let me see Atem."
As if those words were the key, the light coming from the cards swiftly increased in brightness. Morgan had closed her eyes again and her red-brown hair started to float above her head like she was in water. Yugi immediately felt a strange sensation across his body that made him feel numb, but a majority of it quickly vanished when the hieroglyphs on his bracelet glowed with a golden light.
The lights came together and started to form something in front of Morgan and Yugi. At first, it was nothing more than a tall object, but as the light shifted and grew brighter, the form seemed to materialize into something more recognizable, with arms, legs and a head. Soon, clothes came into the picture. Yugi held his breath as the light faded from the figure and the transparent spirit of an old friend was left in its place.
Atem, who was in his royal attire and head was bowed, opened his eyes to see someone he did not expect to. "Yugi? Is that you?"
Tears leaked from Yugi's eyes and he smiled. "Hi, Atem."