AN: Prepare for some feels guys…this gets deep quickly. Only a few more chapters left! There is a bit of a time skip for a duel in this chapter… If I wrote out the entire duel it'd be a chapter to itself and at this point I think it might be a secret special chapter at the end or something. I don't want to make the focus of this story on the dueling back and forth as I find that doesn't…flow as nicely? I hope you guys don't mind and try and picture it in your head 3

Chapter 11: A Bold Decision

Atem stared out the guest bedroom window at the street below. The sun was shining and the city swarmed with duelists. Sugoroku had to open up the shop early just to meet the demand of so many duelists wanting to perfect their decks. Atem wished he could be excited like everyone else.

He tried all morning to call Ishizu and the one time he needed her most, she was not reachable. He sighed deeply. What if Pegasus was right and something may have happened to her? He cringed at the thought.

He looked down at the table where his dueling deck laid, newly constructed and reconfigured to match his new strategy. He picked it up and stared longingly at it; hoping deep down it may have the answer. His entire life was centered around these mythical monsters, now in card form, and their legacy. Sucked into that world and tasked with the role to protect it. He clenched the cards in his hands tightly as he remembered his entire life up until this point.

"Is this really my destiny? Is this all I can do..?" he asked the cards, again praying they'd have an answer for him. He had his chance to be with his family in the afterlife but he chose to come back feeling a longing he can't describe as anything but feeling there was more he had left to do. As he continued in present time his feelings grew for the people here, and even grudgingly started to miss the thought of not working at the museum anymore.

He looked over at a portrait on the desk of Yugi and his grandfather beside another portrait of Yugi and his friends. He didn't recognize either picture and figured they must've been taken after he had gone. Yugi…as he stared at the image of him he thought of Yugi deeply.

"They were taken at the start of this school semester…" came Yugi's voice from behind Atem causing him to turn in his direction, "…you didn't recognize them, right?"

Atem smiled at Yugi and his ability to always know what he was thinking. Well, majority of the time.

"You all…look so happy, it's nice" Atem nodded as Yugi shook his head.

"Yea…well…not really…" Yugi struggled to say walking up beside Atem and picking the picture up.

Atem stared at Yugi not understanding what he meant. He was with his friends, his grandfather…and a start of a new semester. These were things he cherished most yet Yugi's expression of the event as he looked at the picture told a different story. 'Just ask me.'

Yugi told him if he wasn't sure to just come right out and ask him as if it was an easy task to do. One thing he definitely struggled with since being back was figuring out what Yugi was thinking. Maybe he should just try and ask?

As he opened his mouth to speak Pegasus's words rang back through his mind and the warning he gave. His inability to confirm its truth dug at him and his concern blocked his sentence. If there was even a shroud of truth to his words, pulling Yugi in closer would only risk his life further.

"I should get ready." Atem stated turning away from Yugi and progressing into the bathroom, not looking back but knowing full well Yugi was probably giving him a sad look. Atem leaned up against the bathroom door on the other side and frustratingly put his head in his hands. As he slid against the door to a sitting position on the floor he felt his feelings stronger. They were becoming more clear and visible for him which made pulling away that much harder. "I'm sorry partner…"

Atem walked down the street towards downtown for the start of the tournament, alone. Breakfast was awkward and he tried to keep conversations with Yugi to a minimum. Yugi asked if Atem wanted to come meet up with Jounouchi with him but told him he had forgotten something at work and would meet him there. He hated lying to Yugi almost as much as he hated pulling away.

But he had too. Pegasus asked him to forfeit the tournament and meet him at Domino peer that evening if he was going to help him. Atem had everything packed just in case but his decision was still unclear. In the back of his mind he remembered Pegasus's history and found it hard to completely trust him.

"Yugi Motou"

Atem stopped and turned to the left in the direction of the name. He didn't recognize the voice and immediately went on his guard.

"As I figured."

Atem hesitated to correct the individual standing in the middle of the alleyway, not until he knew exactly who he was.

"Who are you?" Atem asked as he walked up to the man with green spikey hair wearing similar attire to Kaiba.

"It's good I found you before the tournament," The man began grinning, "It'd be nice to knock you out before you even start!"

Atem sighed in relief. The individual definitely felt like another rival or duelist just looking for their five seconds of fame.

"You have me confused with someone else," Atem corrected, "I am not who you seek, but I assure you that you will not be able to find him before the tournament starts…so you will just have to compete like everyone else and get your opportunity if you can."

Atem nodded and turned back in the direction he came from. If there were people out for those who had millennium items, this tournament and in the shadows would be a good place to hunt from. Similar to Marik's henchmen during battle city. Maybe Pegasus was lying…would forfeiting the duel really be the right move?

Atem felt a strong grip on his right arm stopping him from continuing forward. He turned towards the individual grabbing him and it was the same man he had encountered.

"You WILL duel me Yugi!" He spat as Atem narrowed his eyes into a dark glare.

"I'm not Yugi..!" Atem snapped yanking his arm away from the guy as he looked shocked, "The skin colour alone should be a giveaway if you bothered to do your research on the champion himself"

The man chuckled, "Well…I can sense you were connected to the millennium items…and your skin colour could have been easily altered to avoid detection…Yugi…"

Atem felt his stomach turn as the man continued, "Either way…you aren't leaving until you duel me…and when you lose, which you will…I'll make sure you're sacrificed promptly"

An overwhelming sense of anger, confusion and nausea struck Atem like a truck. This man was out for blood, sneaking in the shadows just like Pegasus warned. Had this been Yugi, his life could've been risked which made Atem shake with anger. He narrowed his eyes at the man, a dark feeling coming over him. He was thankful that it was him and not Yugi who encountered this individual but he needed answers, now.

"Who are you?! Why are you targeting us?!" Atem snapped, trying inwardly to keep the man thinking he was Yugi so that he wouldn't leave.

"…Now where would be the fun in telling you that?" The man chuckled, "Our scout found where you lived the other day…so I knew full well you'd be coming this way from your house for the tournament…it was easy"

Atem felt a lump form in his throat. The man that attacked Yugi the other night was linked to these cult members and it made him relive what he felt would've happened if he had not been there to save Yugi. Yugi had gone off to Jounouchi's first…which meant Atem is who he ran into first but Yugi wouldn't be long behind him.

"Are you the only one in the city?" Atem asked desperately.

"For now…" He chuckled. "Not that it'll matter, since you are not leaving this alleyway anyway!"

Atem gritted his teeth, "If I beat you, you and the rest of your members, will never return to Domino"

"And why on Earth would I make that kind of deal?" He chuckled again.

"Because I…will be coming directly to you" Atem glared, "So there would be no need for you to continue to search for me"

"Are you suicidal?! Even IF you managed to beat me…there are hundreds of us, even the king of games could not take on an army single handedly…" The man looked shocked.

"Then it should be easy for you to make such a deal" Atem grinned as the man burst out laughing.

"Fine! You really are crazy…" He laughed, "If you manage to beat me, I'll let you…come to us"

"Good." Atem said activating his duel disk, "Then let's get this started!"

The man cackled and took a few steps back, also activating his duel disk taking Atem's bait easily.

"I…I lost…" the man said as he fell to his knees extremely weak from the duel that just took place. "I had made the perfect strategy against you…"

"You honestly think the king of games would use the same strategy twice?" Atem questioned, "You really are a fool"

The man gritted his teeth, "Damn you..!"

"Our deal…"Atem stated as he walked up to the man.

"…you are seriously wanting to come after us?" He chuckled, "You really are insane"

"The conditions WILL be kept…" Atem said kneeling down and looking at the man directly, "Or do you not remember the rules of the millennium items?"

"…I remember…" He glared, "…We need to beat you…fairly…"

"Good. Now get out of my city" Atem said standing up, "And prepare yourselves because I will wipe you all out"

"We'll see…! This isn't over Motou!" He snapped as he limped away. As soon as he was no longer visible Atem collapsed to his knees with his face in his free hand. The fear returning from the night Yugi was attacked only this time it was more intense.

"If I was…if I wasn't the one who came first…" Atem choked out, "Yugi may have…! Why?! Why can I never get away from this?! Why are the people I love the ones targeted and in danger..!"

Atem slammed his fist into the ground, "If I fail…they could die…Yugi could…die…"

He continued to shake with fear and anger as the reality sank in further, "I just took on an entire cult…alone…I have no one this time…"

He lifted his hand back up and stared at it for a moment before once again resting it against his face, "W-what if…what if I fail…? Then because of me…because of these items…Yugi…"

He thought about all the times he watched over Yugi when they were joined, the conversations they had, the laughs, the tears, and many times Atem watched Yugi as he slept, praying that the next duel they'd win so no harm would come to Yugi because of his sake. His feelings welled up inside so much he couldn't take it anymore and tears streamed down his face.

It was then he realized what his heart was trying to tell him. He removed his hand and shockingly stared at nothing in particular. Since his awakening into this time and as the moments grew together, the purpose became clear. He slowly stood up from the ground finally realizing what took years to figure out.

It wasn't his legacy he was fighting for…it wasn't his memories either. It was always right there through the laughter, tears and fear. He was fighting to save the world…for Yugi. It has always been for him. So that he can live his life to the fullest. Without realizing it, his intensions were truly there for a long time slowly building up.

"I…can't lose…" Atem said as he tightened his hands into a fist. Rather than turning around to the street he came from he began to walk forward in the direction the cult member left too. He was going to take Pegasus's offer to help and rid the world of this cult that threatens Yugi and everyone else he cares for. As he continued forward on his decision he just rounded the corner as Yugi, Jounouchi and Mai walked down the street he came from. There was no turning back now, his purpose was finally clear.

Chapter 11 end.