SUMMARY: Atem is enjoying his new life as Yugi's younger brother. No more evil beings hellbent on destroying him and nothing but normal worries of a sixteen year old boy. But when a tournament brings them to Manhattan, Atem ends of a victim of Doctor Anton Sevarius.

Now a mutate, his life is irrevocably changed. Found by the Manhattan clan of Gargoyles, he finds himself swiftly pursued by Brooklyn. He feels something for the Gargoyle, but part of him wants to be cured, even if he knows deep down it isn't possible.

So much for a normal life!

Atem would never forget the moment he said goodbye to Yugi and the others. His heart breaking even as he saw his family and friends again. But then, the most wondrous thing happened, the Goddess Isis appeared before him and offered him a boon. One lifetime in return for all he had sacrificed and barely seconds after stepping through the barrier, Atem returned, in his own body and was welcomed with open arms and tears.

From there he returned to Japan and was adopted into the Motou family. His bronze skin was easily explained by claiming him to be a distant cousin with Egyptian roots and it took no time at all for people to get used to Yugi's new…funnily….little brother. Since he was returned as his sixteen year old self and Yugi had turned seventeen, the smaller boy was technically older.

He joined school alongside Yugi. Adapting wasn't hard thanks to so long together, Atem had retained what Yugi had learned over the years and surprisingly their link remained in tact even without being together or having the puzzle.

Separated from Yugi and with his memories returned, Atem was able to be himself again. Where Yugi liked all dark clothing, the former Pharaoh veered more toward a splash of colour with black leather or dark jeans. Even now as he lay sprawled on a hotel bed, he wore dark jeans with a red long sleeved tee and his favourite gold jewellery, feet snug in knee length boots decorated with gold chains, nose buried in a book, while Yugi grumbled about Seto Kaiba.

"Aibou…you could have said no," Atem pointed out cheerfully.

Yugi poked his tongue out. "Hilarious Atem. I get we got this trip to Manhattan…all expenses paid…but after everything we dealt with three months ago, you'd think Kaiba would wait a while before setting up another tournament. Plus, I can't say no…not so long as I am the reigning King of games."

Atem snorted, sitting up. "We are talking about the same Kaiba, right? If it's something he wants…that's it. I still can't see why I can't go with you. Kaiba has that bizarre notion we'll use our link to help you cheat. How insulting."

Chuckling, Yugi reached for his jacket. "I know. Joey already headed to the stadium and Tristan and Téa don't get here till tomorrow. You sure you'll be okay on your own?"

"Yes, Aibou…I'll just take a walk…do some sight seeing…I'll be fine. Stop being a fussy big brother."

Chuckling at his playfulness, Yugi said his last goodbyes and headed out. Atem figured he'd read for a bit longer, but five thousand years trapped inside a puzzle meant he tended to be a restless soul and barely ten minutes after Yugi left, he grabbed his coat and headed out.

The Manhattan streets were busy enough, but were beginning to wind down. People called for taxis, others headed for the subway, some on foot and all trying to get home. Laughter filtered out of windows, different languages mixing together. A busy hive of people and noise, reminding Atem of the market stalls from when he was a child in Egypt.

Passing an alley, he jolted to a stop when he heard a startled shout. Ruby red eyes narrowing, he tried to see anything in the darkening shadows. The sun dropping, his vision gradually adjusting, he ventured deeper.

"Hello? Anyone here?"

A whimper this time. Worried someone was hurt, Atem rushed forward and didn't see his attacker until it was too late. A damp cloth pressed over his mouth, fumes engulfing his senses until everything shut down. The last thing he saw was a man in a doctor's garb and a sinister sneer.

.*.*.

Atem woke to a pounding head, dry mouth and a cold cell, with one side made of glass. Eyes gritty, he sat up and winced when a throb went through his shoulder. Grunting, he grabbed it, waiting for the ache to settle.

"I've been told the injection site hurts most fiercely."

Startled, Atem turned toward the unfamiliar voice and frowned. It was the man from before. Lounging against a table and looking entirely too smug. "Who are you?"

"My name is Dr Anton Sevarius and you are Atem Mutou, yes? Cousin, turned adopted brother of one Yugi Mutou." Chuckling, Sevarius made his way closer to Atem's cell. "I had intended to just grab someone at random, but the fact I got you? Well…it makes it all the more delightful. You'll be my greatest creation yet."

Creation? What did he—A startled yelp escaped Atem when burning hot pain suddenly ripped through his extremities. His stomach rolled and his blood felt like it was boiling. The injection site…the crazed man had given him something!

"What did you do to me?!"

"I injected you with a mutagenic formula," Sevarius explained, grinning in delight. "One that will alter your body to so much more than you are!"

Mutagenic?! No! Pain increasing, Atem curled up, ignoring Sevarius' hysterical laughter. The Doctor muttered about improving the formula. Making the resulting creatures stronger and all the while paid no heed to the teenager who's bones were breaking and reshaping, skin tearing and knitting itself back to a new form. More than once Atem vomited, the agony too much and when it reached outrageous levels, he gave in and screamed.

Sevarius watched in fascination. Hours had passed and already his feet had elongated, retractable claws hard to miss in his new paw like toes. His skin sprouted fur a similar shade to his skin, with dark rosettes covering his shoulders, a nod to the Jaguar DNA used. Tri-coloured hair grew to his thighs and the start of wings had begun.

Screams were intermittent with grunting and words in Arabic, but for the most part the boy tried to be silent. A fact Sevarius found interesting. He had used this formula on four grown adults and they had screamed themselves hoarse. If anything, it was impressive. Grinning to himself, Sevarius sat back and waited.

.*.*.

"Man! Rich boy really knows how to crack the whip!" Joey complained, dragging a hand through his blonde hair as he followed Yugi to his hotel room.

Chuckling, Yugi reached for his key card. No doubt Atem was asleep. Seto had expected four duels before he finally called it a night and with it creeping close to two am, the Egyptian would have long passed out.

"Coming in Joey?"

"Might as well," Joey replied cheerfully, following him inside and wondering if he could sneak a cuddle with his gorgeous boyfriend without waking Atem.

"Huh…Atem?"

Stopping, Joey looked over Yugi's head and frowned. Atem's bed was unused and the bathroom door was wide open. "The heck…it's two am! Where could he be?!"

"I…I don't know, but his phone and keys are gone." Yugi said, worry gnawing at him. "I'll call the front desk." With dread filling his stomach, Yugi called the front desk and enquired about Atem's leaving. The sinking feeling only got worse when they informed him Atem had left around eight, but hadn't returned. Close enough to hear the conversation, Joey mumbled curses. Hanging up, Yugi closed his eyes and tried to access their link, only for everything in him to turn ice cold. "Oh God!"

"What…Jesus, Yug! You've turned grey…here, sit down." Guiding his boyfriend to the bed, Joey crouched and cupped Yugi's face. "Talk to me Yugi…What's wrong?"

Tears welling, Yugi could barely form the words. "My link to Atem…it's been severed."

Eyes widening, Joey shook his head. "No…No…That can't be right…You said… You both said only death would break it. Atem can't be dead!"

"Well I can't feel him Joey!" Yugi said frantically. "It's completely gone…like it never existed!"

They ended up calling Kaiba. After all, they were in an unfamiliar city and he was the only who knew the area. Meeting them outside the Hotel, the CEO rolled his eyes.

"How do you nerds lose one whole person?"

"Watch it rich boy," Joey snapped. "This isn't a time for your snark."

Straightening up from where he leant against his limo, Kaiba pulled out a state of the art phone, tapping away. "Lucky for you, I can track his phone. Of course, you could have just found him through that ridiculous mind link of yours."

"It's broken," Yugi replied miserably.

Kaiba's eyes widened a fraction. He mightened be best friends with the geek squad, but he was aware what that meant. Quickly accessing Kaiba corps' satellite, he did a search and frowned when it pinged Atem's phone in an alley barely around the corner. Together the three hurried to check it out, but all they found was the phone, screen cracked and no Atem.

.*.*.

Coming too wasn't pleasant. The vicious pain had ceased, but he still ached in places and much to Atem's disgust he was strapped to an exam table, his clothing gone. Of all things, his legs were in stirrups and his heart gave a jolt when he saw the new elongated, pawed feet and golden fur speckled in places with dark rosettes.

"Ah! Finally awake!" Head turning under protest, muscles stiff, Atem found a grinning Sevarius, snapping on a pair of surgical gloves. "You fell unconscious about three hours ago, but considering you stayed awake for twenty-two hours of a transformation…I think you earned it."

A full day? He had been in agony a full day and missing to boot. Yugi and Joey had to be out of their minds! Wordlessly, Atem watched him approach, tugging weakly at his trapped limbs, cringing when an appendage responded from his tail bone and back. Dear Ra, what did he even look like?

"Oh I know, you want to be lose," Sevarius continued cheerfully. "But I want to make sure everything went as I intended. You aren't my first, by the way. I have created four others…of course they weren't the only ones, just the ones that survived. One thing I've also learned through trial and error, women tend not to survive…in fact I have had only one woman survive and I had intended to breed her with one of my male creations…but alas…they all escaped before I could bring such desires to fruition. Since then, I have attempted to recreate another female…but one after another they died, until a thought occurred to me…"

The man certainly could talk. Atem was listening, but felt no desire to respond to his captor. That was until Sevarius reached between his thighs and prodded at something he shouldn't have! Yelping at the feel of something spreading him wide, Atem set startled eyes on the Doctor.

"W-What is that….What a-am I feeling?!"

Chuckling, Sevarius reached up to a monitor tapping the screen. "You are feeling your newly acquired female sex. Like I said…no other women survived the transformation…so I had to think outside the box. Oh! How rude of me, would you like to see your new form?"

Considering he was quite possibly having a heart attack, he couldn't form a response, but his attention was firmly caught when Sevarius activated something and he found himself surrounded by mirrors. Head to foot he was covered in fur, pretty much the same shade his skin had been. Dark rosette spots covered his shoulders, hips, thighs and Ra help him—tail! Flexing his padded toes, he realised he had retractable claws, same with his hands and his face had changed shape to match a jaguar's, ears larger and rounder, with his gold hoops still pierced through the flesh he could now move at will.

His hair had grown drastically, no longer the familiar spikes he was used to. Instead it fell in thick strands to his thighs, blonde framing his new face and though his eyes still remained a brilliant blood red, the pupils were now slitted and at his back, hanging off the exam table were a set of huge bat wings and glancing down another mirror revealed changes between his thighs.

His cock remained, though it had changed in ways, more feline and protected by a sheath of flesh. Beneath it, his sack was completely gone, replaced by a vaginal opening that Sevarius still had spread open.

"Oh dear sweet Ra! What have you done to me?" Atem croaked.

"I have made you into something greater than you could ever be! And now…I have confirmed your new organs are fully intact." Removing the speculum, Sevarius stood, eyes wild. "You will be a mother to my perfect creations!"

No! Bad enough he had been mutated into an oversized furball, no way would he be turned into a damn broodmare! Power surging beneath his skin, Atem tossed his head back and roared. Electricity ripped from his body, destroying his restraints.

"NO!" Sevarius howled, only to be knocked onto his backside, his new creation free. "No! You can't!" Desperate, Sevarius scrambled up and tried to stop him, but Atem had already lunged through the window and fled, his frantic roars filling the night.

Atem kept to the dank alleys and away from the streets that were still busy. A quick snatch at someone's laundry and clever use of his newly acquired claws and he was able to at least pull on a pair of dark cargo pants, covering up his genitals. A couple of stray cats bolted passed him, yowling in terror, rats scurrying over trash bags left to rot.

Every movement made him jump, every sound leaving him flinching and he was finding it hard to stay awake. He was so tired from everything Sevarius had done. A swooping noise above him drew his gaze and gasping Atem stumbled back when three creatures landed in front of him.

"Easy!" The tallest called out, clawed hands up. "We won't hurt you…I am Brooklyn. These are my companions Lexington and Broadway."

Gargoyles, Atem realised. They were Gargoyles! He hadn't seen one since his days as a Pharaoh and from what he remembered, they weren't violent. Vision spotting, he stumbled and dropped. The last thing he saw before the darkness took him, was the Gargoyle named Brooklyn rushing forward.

Brooklyn grunted when the mutate dropped into his arms, completely unconscious.

"Another mutate?" Broadway questioned, checking out the male in Brooklyn's arms. "Never seen him before."

"His muscles are twitching," Lexington pointed out. "His transformation can't have been long ago. Sevarius that brute! You'd think he'd have learned by now."

"Clearly not," Brooklyn ground out, getting a better grip on the boy. "We better get back to the clock tower. Goliath will know what to do."