Chapter 1 - Pieces of the Past
You most probably will remember me. Let me refresh your memory first.
I am the soul that resides in Yugi Muto's Millennium Puzzle. I am the young Egyptian Pharaoh that sealed away the Shadow Games. I am Yami Yugi, known as Yugi's dark side and also known as Yami Muto, Yugi's 'older brother' to keep my cover from being blown.
I knew you'd remember me. Or should I say.us.
/Stop being so serious, Yami./
//Okay, okay.//
Let me tell you a little something with Yugi's help. I trust he'll help me tell you everything we know about it...
/You bet I will. Especially when I was in your dream when you were in Egypt and./
//Not that, Yugi! The other thing. Oh, whatever. //
/Fine by me. I am getting really good at annoying you./
//..//
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"Man, that test was hard." Joey said.
"Not exactly, Joey. Not if you studied hard enough." Tristan joked.
Joey turned to face Tristan. "You saying I'm stupid??"
"Basically.yes. If the person who I'm talking to made his English book stand straight up and pretended to be reading it and turned out to be dozing off in the Library during lunch today."
"Ya wanna make something about it, Tristan??"
"Okay, if that's what you want."
Téa and Bakura ran in front of the two guys to keep them apart while Yami refrained Tristan and Yugi held on to Joey's collar.
"Okay, guys, there's no reason to fight about a silly test." Yugi said.
"But Yugi..he asked for it. He's been a dimwit ever since today when we got back from the Duelist Kingdom. He ran around through the halls in our high school this morning with your Millennium Puzzle this morning, remember?" Tristan said.
"It was only a joke, Yugi. and you know it." Joey responded.
"Ha! Joke."
"OK. I get it already. But I still think you shouldn't be stealing something that valuable. Just drop it." Yugi said.
"You guys are weird." Yami said. "Why don't we go to the Game Shop and have a nice bunch of duels to keep your minds off arguing again?"
"Okay!" They all walked in the direction of the game shop and found Grandpa dealing with a customer.who turned out to be none other than Seto Kaiba.
"Hey, Kaiba, what are you doing here?" Yugi asked.
"I was just saying sorry for what I did. I also came here to thank you, Yugi, Yami. If it weren't for you two, I wouldn't be here now." Kaiba shook both Yugi and Yami's hands. "As always, you will be compensated for all of your trouble. Thank you on behalf of me and my brother. He wanted to come but he's at school. Thank you for your bargains, Mr. Muto. I know Mokuba will like these cards." Kaiba then bowed and left.
Everyone just stood there speechless. Téa broke the silence by speaking for all of them and saying "Ummm..okay. What just happened here a second ago??"
"Young Kaiba had come to purchase some cards for his brother." Grandpa said. "I have to do a lot now, so why don't you kids go upstairs?"
"Um, Grandpa, are you sure you don't need any help? If you do I." Yami said.
"No, it's okay, Yami. I'll be fine." He noticed his grandson's suspicious look and added, "I have a conference to go to today that's why I'm in a hurry. But, can you and Yugi watch the shop while I'm gone?"
Yami was about to protest but Yugi covered his mouth and said, "Sure, Grandpa. Yami and I will be more than happy to watch the shop. Right, Yami?" Yami nodded.
"Okay, then I'll see you kids later." Grandpa then left the shop.
"All right! Now, who wants to duel me? I'll crush everyone who dares to try me!" Joey said.
"Unless anyone else crushes you first." Téa commented. Everyone laughed and proceeded to go upstairs.
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Someone was watching them duel through a pair of binoculars. He focused on Yami (who was dueling Joey), then Yugi (who was laughing at Joey), then Bakura (who was just commenting on Joey's move and watching the whole thing). He wanted revenge on these three. "Enjoy your fun while it lasts. I will get my revenge on you all. After my defeat in the Shadow Realm, you will be the ones who won't survive.
(Flashback)
"The Change of Heart!"
"Change of Heart? Isn't that Bakura's favorite card?" Yugi asked.
"Yes, it's a very magical card indeed. The Change of Heart allows me to control one monster. And I choose you, little Yugi!"
"No! I refuse!" Yugi said.
"You don't have a choice in the matter. I can now turn you against you comrades. The very friends you sought to protect you will now destroy!"
"Leave the young one out of this!" Yami yelled. "Why should I? By simply defeating him, I defeat you as well. You're here to guide and protect him?! Then protect him against this!" (Yami Bakura lays down the card.)
"Yugi!" everyone yelled.
"Ahhh.huh? Bakura! So your soul was sealed into your favorite card as well." Yugi exclaimed.
"Mmm." Bakura sighed and nodded. "I want to help so we must act quickly. I'll control one of his cards instead of one of yours." He flew up to control the Lady of Faith. "I control her while you attack me. You can still defeat the evil Bakura."
"I can't. Then I'd be destroying you, sending you to the Graveyard."
"I don't care! It's better than being enslaved by an evil spirit. Do it!" Bakura shouted.
"Be quiet!" Yami Bakura yelled.
"I have a better idea! If the evil power of Bakura's Millennium Ring can pull souls away, then perhaps the power of my Millennium Puzzle can put them back!" Yami said. He made Yami Bakura and Bakura switch places.
"Huh? What.." Bakura said.
"Yeah! Our Bakura's back where he belongs!" Joey the Flame Swordsman said.
"Yeah, but where's the evil dude?" Tristan asked. (The image of Yami Bakura in the Lady of Faith appears.)
"Grrr.this can't be!" Yami Bakura said.
"Listen closely, Yugi. Use the power of the Dark Magician! Send him to the Graveyard! Now!" Yami shouted.
"You got it! DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" Yugi exclaimed.
(Yami Bakura stepped back and got destroyed...)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- "Grrrr..." Yami Bakura thought. "I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL!!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------
"And now.Dark Magician..DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" Yami said. "And that, Joey, takes your life points down to zero." Joey scowled.
"I told you so! I knew you couldn't beat Yami!" Tristan said.
"Cut him some slack, Tristan. It was a long duel and Joey lasted the whole game. Even though you lost to my brother, I'm still proud of you, Joey." Yugi said.
"Why don't we go out to eat?" Téa said. "Joey needs to take his mind off the whole losing thing."
"Yeah." Everyone walked out of the Game Shop and to the restaurant across the street. The stalker followed and said to himself, "I will kill them. Now is the perfect time." He pulled out a dagger and a gun. "Which will I use..of course..the weapon that almost killed the Pharaoh long ago..the deadly dagger." He followed them into the restaurant. It was an hour after they left the Game Shop. The gang finished what they had left over and exited the restaurant.
"Um, guys? Don't you feel like someone is following us?" Joey asked.
"No." everyone said.
"I'm going ahead." Joey said and ran off. Tristan and Téa followed him, leaving Yami, Yugi, and Bakura by themselves. They walked towards the shop, discussing the Millennium Items. The stalker stepped out from behind the tree where he was hiding. Yugi and Bakura gasped when they saw who it was. Yami just stared at him with cold eyes.
"Ahhh.so we meet again. My, my, my. Yami Yugi, for a former pharaoh, I thought you should be doing something more important than to baby-sit these foolish mortals."
"Can it! Yugi is the most important thing on my list. At least I guide and protect my light." Yami stepped in front of Yugi. "If you want to kill him, you'll have to get through me first!"
"A pleasure that I would love to do the honors!" Yami Bakura lunged at Yami and knocked him down onto the sidewalk. Yami kicked him off and yelled out a spell that threw Yami Bakura down, too. Yami Bakura slowly got up and said, "So? You want to fight with ancient magic? Fine. So be it, Pharaoh!" He threw a fireball he conjured by magic at Yami Yugi, but missed.
The fight continued, while Yugi and Bakura watched in horror. Yami was knocked down by an explosion that Yami Bakura created and was worn out. Yami Bakura glanced at Yami and said, "You have lost." He started to walk towards Yugi and Bakura.
"Yugi! Bakura.." Yami faltered slowly. He started to try to get up, but Yami Bakura's spell was still too strong for him to withstand. He was too tired to get up.
"Yugi.run!" Bakura whispered to him. Yugi looked up at him and said, "I can't leave you and Yami alone with him!"
"Now, who's next? I pick you, little Yugi!" Yami Bakura said happily.
"Yugi.run.now!" Bakura said. "I'll seal him into the Shadow Realm while you get away. Don't worry about Yami and me. Go!" Yugi nodded and stated to run further away from Yami Bakura.
"Not so fast!" Yami Bakura yelled. He chanted a levitation spell and cast it on the dagger and made it zoom towards Yugi. Yugi was too terrified to move, and the knife was coming closer. Yami Yugi jumped in front of the knife and got slashed on his chest to save Yugi. He fell to the ground while Yugi ran towards him. Yami Bakura got sealed away in the Shadow Realm by Bakura and was laughing when he vanished, thinking that he finally killed his mortal enemy. Bakura collapsed, tired from losing all the energy he used to seal away his Yami. Joey, Tristan, and Téa ran out of the Game Shop to find out what the noise outside was all about. The three of them ran to the unconscious Bakura, then to Yami and Yugi. Yami was losing consciousness and asked, "Yugi..are you okay?"
Yugi was crying and replied, "Don't worry about me, Yami. I promise you'll be fine.." Yami nodded and closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Téa pulled out her cell phone and called for an ambulance while Tristan and Joey cared for Bakura, Yami, and Yugi.
//Yugi, I'm not going to die.//
/Yami?/ //I'll be fine. Gain control of yourself. I will only have a scar from my wound. Instead of being stabbed like Yami Bakura planned, the Millennium Puzzle's power changed it to a small slash. Painful, but small.//
/Small?? You think what you have is.small?/
//I think.//
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The ambulance arrived and Yami and Bakura were taken to Domino General Hospital. Bakura had a minor headache and wrist injury and loss of a major amount of energy and body heat from what he did to send his Yami back to the Shadow Realm and was sitting in a chair with a bandage around his head and wrist with the others in the waiting room. Joey was walking in circles while Tristan was getting coffee and water. Téa was trying to comfort Yugi, who wouldn't stop saying "I should have been the one. I should have not run away to leave Yami and Bakura alone with that lunatic" over and over again, and tried to assure him that her uncle, who was the attending doctor, would do his best. Mai had arrived with Grandpa and were getting filled in on what happened by Bakura. The doctor then came in to meet them. Everyone got up. The doctor said, "Yugi Muto? Sugoroku Muto?" Yugi and his grandfather stepped forward and the doctor said, "The surgery was successful and the patient is in critical condition. I'm Dr. Mazaki, Téa's uncle, I'm sure she told you that already when you saw the patient report, and he will awaken in the next 2 hours. You're allowed to visit him, but let him rest. Mr. Muto, please come with me. We have some papers for you to sign." Grandpa followed Dr. Mazaki to his office while Yugi and the others headed to where Yami was. When they got there, they saw Yami sleeping in the bed in the room, hooked up to more than 5 machines. Joey, Tristan, Bakura, and Téa flinched when they saw him and asked to be excused because they wanted Yugi to have time alone with Yami, so they said they would visit him tomorrow when he was awake and went back to the waiting room. When everyone had left, Yugi sat down next to Yami and held his hand and cried.
"I'm sorry I put your life in jeopardy again. I know you have to protect me, but who will protect you while you are protecting me??"
//Yugi..//
/Yami, why don't you rest? We'll talk later./
//But you are right. Who will protect me while I'm protecting you?//
/Of course, ME./
//Yugi..//
/Shhh. You need to rest./
//All right. Thank you, Yugi.//
/You're welcome. Thank you for saving my life. I'm sorry it had to turn out this way./
//Don't worry. What Yami Bakura did to me while I was Pharaoh was far more worse than this. I was in a coma for a month and 5 days. High Priests Bakura and P. Seto ruled for me at that time. //
/Oh. OK. Goodnight./
Yugi fell asleep next to Yami and stayed with his 'older brother'. When Yami woke up in after 2 hours and found Yugi sleeping next to him, he stroked his hair and whispered "Thank you, Yugi, for being here for me." When Yugi woke up in the morning, he saw Yami looking through the open window and wiping away some tears. 'He's probably thinking about his wife and son in his past life.' Yugi thought. Just then, Téa entered the room to visit Yami.
"Hi guys. Yami, how are you feeling? What are you lookin' at?" Téa asked, noticing Yami.
"I.just wanted to have some fresh air.that's all. I feel just fine, thanks." Yami responded.
"Well, I brought some food for you.."Téa announced.
"Oh! Thank you." Yami replied. Téa nodded and said, "I have to go to a dance lesson now, so I'll see you later." She gave a kiss to both Yami and Yugi and left. Yami turned and saw that Yugi was blushing due to the embarrassment of being kissed by his girlfriend in front of Yami. He laughed.
"So, ummm..how was your rest?" Yugi asked him, trying to change the subject.
"It was okay. Come here, Yugi." Yami said. Yugi came to him and sat down on the bed. Yami sat up and said, "This will be important, so listen closely. Yugi, do you remember anyone when you were younger that looked like me?"
Yugi thought hard, trying to remember. "Now that you mention it, I do remember two people that looked like you. I think one of them was Grandpa when he was younger because that was around 13 years ago, the way I remember it, that is. I don't know who the other person was, but he always was talking with Grandpa and he looked so much like you that if he was here right now and I compared him to you, there couldn't be a mistake that it might have been you. I remember asking Grandpa who he was many times, but he always said that that man was my uncle. Wait, do you know who it was?"
Yami nodded. "You're looking right at him."
"You?"
"Yes. I was there when you were younger. I found out that Grandpa had solved the puzzle when you were still young and brought me here and told me about you. I remember you were always looking at me when I was there and accidentally mistaking me for your grandfather because we looked almost the same. You were still little then, so you couldn't tell the difference. You were young, but curious about what your grandpa was always doing with that gold box. He told me he was planning to break the finished product into pieces again and dare you to solve it on your 12th birthday. I agreed to what he would do and to what my job would be when you finally solved the Millennium Puzzle. It took you a while, though, but I understand what Joey did to the other missing piece. When I finally met you in person, you were already 15, so it took you almost 3 years to solve the puzzle. Not bad, everyone else who tried to bring me back to life took over 10 years to try and finish, but they always gave up. You were the only one who really believed that you could do it and I sensed your courage. Especially after all the games you've mastered." Yugi blushed a little after Yami's comment and just sat there speechless and while trying remember more. Yami noticed Yugi and added, "Yugi, do you believe me?"
"Yami, I believe you. There's too much proof that you were there. But, how old were you?"
"I was 16. Every time I am brought out of the Millennium Puzzle, I start aging again. It's been a year since you solved the puzzle, and I'm now 17. I was 15 when I was sealed in the Millennium Puzzle a long time ago and when your grandfather solved the puzzle before you did, I started to age again and I eventually at that time turned 16. I was sealed back into the puzzle again, and when you solved it I started aging again. You get my point."
Yugi nodded and suddenly remembered the time when he first met Yami.
(Flashback)
"There. The last piece. Finally." Yugi put the last piece of the Millennium Puzzle in its place. The Millennium Puzzle started to levitate and rise out of Yugi's hands. Someone then said to him, "At last. I finally get to see you, Yugi Muto. I've waited so long."
"Who's there?"
"Me." Yugi felt a hand go on his shoulder. He turned around and saw someone who looked like him standing beside him.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are."
"That's all right. I am part of you. I am Yami Yugi, but you can just call me Yami. I hope I didn't scare you, but since you solved the ancient Millennium Puzzle, I am now your personal guardian. I will be here to guide and protect you in any case. When I'm not here, just call on me in your mind. I am there, too."
"Okay. I've been waiting for you, too, I guess." Yami nodded to him and vanished.
(End flashback)
"I remember something else. I remember that man telling me when I saw him for the last time, 'Goodbye for now, little Yugi. You'll see me again sooner than you think.' and he left. That's the last time I saw him then."
Yami nodded and said, "I was true to my word. I saw you sooner than you thought you would."
"But why are you telling me this?"
"Because I know you want to know more about your past and my past. Put all of the pieces of the puzzle together and you'll figure it out."
"When will that be?"
"Soon enough, Yugi. Soon enough."
You most probably will remember me. Let me refresh your memory first.
I am the soul that resides in Yugi Muto's Millennium Puzzle. I am the young Egyptian Pharaoh that sealed away the Shadow Games. I am Yami Yugi, known as Yugi's dark side and also known as Yami Muto, Yugi's 'older brother' to keep my cover from being blown.
I knew you'd remember me. Or should I say.us.
/Stop being so serious, Yami./
//Okay, okay.//
Let me tell you a little something with Yugi's help. I trust he'll help me tell you everything we know about it...
/You bet I will. Especially when I was in your dream when you were in Egypt and./
//Not that, Yugi! The other thing. Oh, whatever. //
/Fine by me. I am getting really good at annoying you./
//..//
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"Man, that test was hard." Joey said.
"Not exactly, Joey. Not if you studied hard enough." Tristan joked.
Joey turned to face Tristan. "You saying I'm stupid??"
"Basically.yes. If the person who I'm talking to made his English book stand straight up and pretended to be reading it and turned out to be dozing off in the Library during lunch today."
"Ya wanna make something about it, Tristan??"
"Okay, if that's what you want."
Téa and Bakura ran in front of the two guys to keep them apart while Yami refrained Tristan and Yugi held on to Joey's collar.
"Okay, guys, there's no reason to fight about a silly test." Yugi said.
"But Yugi..he asked for it. He's been a dimwit ever since today when we got back from the Duelist Kingdom. He ran around through the halls in our high school this morning with your Millennium Puzzle this morning, remember?" Tristan said.
"It was only a joke, Yugi. and you know it." Joey responded.
"Ha! Joke."
"OK. I get it already. But I still think you shouldn't be stealing something that valuable. Just drop it." Yugi said.
"You guys are weird." Yami said. "Why don't we go to the Game Shop and have a nice bunch of duels to keep your minds off arguing again?"
"Okay!" They all walked in the direction of the game shop and found Grandpa dealing with a customer.who turned out to be none other than Seto Kaiba.
"Hey, Kaiba, what are you doing here?" Yugi asked.
"I was just saying sorry for what I did. I also came here to thank you, Yugi, Yami. If it weren't for you two, I wouldn't be here now." Kaiba shook both Yugi and Yami's hands. "As always, you will be compensated for all of your trouble. Thank you on behalf of me and my brother. He wanted to come but he's at school. Thank you for your bargains, Mr. Muto. I know Mokuba will like these cards." Kaiba then bowed and left.
Everyone just stood there speechless. Téa broke the silence by speaking for all of them and saying "Ummm..okay. What just happened here a second ago??"
"Young Kaiba had come to purchase some cards for his brother." Grandpa said. "I have to do a lot now, so why don't you kids go upstairs?"
"Um, Grandpa, are you sure you don't need any help? If you do I." Yami said.
"No, it's okay, Yami. I'll be fine." He noticed his grandson's suspicious look and added, "I have a conference to go to today that's why I'm in a hurry. But, can you and Yugi watch the shop while I'm gone?"
Yami was about to protest but Yugi covered his mouth and said, "Sure, Grandpa. Yami and I will be more than happy to watch the shop. Right, Yami?" Yami nodded.
"Okay, then I'll see you kids later." Grandpa then left the shop.
"All right! Now, who wants to duel me? I'll crush everyone who dares to try me!" Joey said.
"Unless anyone else crushes you first." Téa commented. Everyone laughed and proceeded to go upstairs.
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Someone was watching them duel through a pair of binoculars. He focused on Yami (who was dueling Joey), then Yugi (who was laughing at Joey), then Bakura (who was just commenting on Joey's move and watching the whole thing). He wanted revenge on these three. "Enjoy your fun while it lasts. I will get my revenge on you all. After my defeat in the Shadow Realm, you will be the ones who won't survive.
(Flashback)
"The Change of Heart!"
"Change of Heart? Isn't that Bakura's favorite card?" Yugi asked.
"Yes, it's a very magical card indeed. The Change of Heart allows me to control one monster. And I choose you, little Yugi!"
"No! I refuse!" Yugi said.
"You don't have a choice in the matter. I can now turn you against you comrades. The very friends you sought to protect you will now destroy!"
"Leave the young one out of this!" Yami yelled. "Why should I? By simply defeating him, I defeat you as well. You're here to guide and protect him?! Then protect him against this!" (Yami Bakura lays down the card.)
"Yugi!" everyone yelled.
"Ahhh.huh? Bakura! So your soul was sealed into your favorite card as well." Yugi exclaimed.
"Mmm." Bakura sighed and nodded. "I want to help so we must act quickly. I'll control one of his cards instead of one of yours." He flew up to control the Lady of Faith. "I control her while you attack me. You can still defeat the evil Bakura."
"I can't. Then I'd be destroying you, sending you to the Graveyard."
"I don't care! It's better than being enslaved by an evil spirit. Do it!" Bakura shouted.
"Be quiet!" Yami Bakura yelled.
"I have a better idea! If the evil power of Bakura's Millennium Ring can pull souls away, then perhaps the power of my Millennium Puzzle can put them back!" Yami said. He made Yami Bakura and Bakura switch places.
"Huh? What.." Bakura said.
"Yeah! Our Bakura's back where he belongs!" Joey the Flame Swordsman said.
"Yeah, but where's the evil dude?" Tristan asked. (The image of Yami Bakura in the Lady of Faith appears.)
"Grrr.this can't be!" Yami Bakura said.
"Listen closely, Yugi. Use the power of the Dark Magician! Send him to the Graveyard! Now!" Yami shouted.
"You got it! DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" Yugi exclaimed.
(Yami Bakura stepped back and got destroyed...)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------- "Grrrr..." Yami Bakura thought. "I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL!!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------------------
"And now.Dark Magician..DARK MAGIC ATTACK!" Yami said. "And that, Joey, takes your life points down to zero." Joey scowled.
"I told you so! I knew you couldn't beat Yami!" Tristan said.
"Cut him some slack, Tristan. It was a long duel and Joey lasted the whole game. Even though you lost to my brother, I'm still proud of you, Joey." Yugi said.
"Why don't we go out to eat?" Téa said. "Joey needs to take his mind off the whole losing thing."
"Yeah." Everyone walked out of the Game Shop and to the restaurant across the street. The stalker followed and said to himself, "I will kill them. Now is the perfect time." He pulled out a dagger and a gun. "Which will I use..of course..the weapon that almost killed the Pharaoh long ago..the deadly dagger." He followed them into the restaurant. It was an hour after they left the Game Shop. The gang finished what they had left over and exited the restaurant.
"Um, guys? Don't you feel like someone is following us?" Joey asked.
"No." everyone said.
"I'm going ahead." Joey said and ran off. Tristan and Téa followed him, leaving Yami, Yugi, and Bakura by themselves. They walked towards the shop, discussing the Millennium Items. The stalker stepped out from behind the tree where he was hiding. Yugi and Bakura gasped when they saw who it was. Yami just stared at him with cold eyes.
"Ahhh.so we meet again. My, my, my. Yami Yugi, for a former pharaoh, I thought you should be doing something more important than to baby-sit these foolish mortals."
"Can it! Yugi is the most important thing on my list. At least I guide and protect my light." Yami stepped in front of Yugi. "If you want to kill him, you'll have to get through me first!"
"A pleasure that I would love to do the honors!" Yami Bakura lunged at Yami and knocked him down onto the sidewalk. Yami kicked him off and yelled out a spell that threw Yami Bakura down, too. Yami Bakura slowly got up and said, "So? You want to fight with ancient magic? Fine. So be it, Pharaoh!" He threw a fireball he conjured by magic at Yami Yugi, but missed.
The fight continued, while Yugi and Bakura watched in horror. Yami was knocked down by an explosion that Yami Bakura created and was worn out. Yami Bakura glanced at Yami and said, "You have lost." He started to walk towards Yugi and Bakura.
"Yugi! Bakura.." Yami faltered slowly. He started to try to get up, but Yami Bakura's spell was still too strong for him to withstand. He was too tired to get up.
"Yugi.run!" Bakura whispered to him. Yugi looked up at him and said, "I can't leave you and Yami alone with him!"
"Now, who's next? I pick you, little Yugi!" Yami Bakura said happily.
"Yugi.run.now!" Bakura said. "I'll seal him into the Shadow Realm while you get away. Don't worry about Yami and me. Go!" Yugi nodded and stated to run further away from Yami Bakura.
"Not so fast!" Yami Bakura yelled. He chanted a levitation spell and cast it on the dagger and made it zoom towards Yugi. Yugi was too terrified to move, and the knife was coming closer. Yami Yugi jumped in front of the knife and got slashed on his chest to save Yugi. He fell to the ground while Yugi ran towards him. Yami Bakura got sealed away in the Shadow Realm by Bakura and was laughing when he vanished, thinking that he finally killed his mortal enemy. Bakura collapsed, tired from losing all the energy he used to seal away his Yami. Joey, Tristan, and Téa ran out of the Game Shop to find out what the noise outside was all about. The three of them ran to the unconscious Bakura, then to Yami and Yugi. Yami was losing consciousness and asked, "Yugi..are you okay?"
Yugi was crying and replied, "Don't worry about me, Yami. I promise you'll be fine.." Yami nodded and closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Téa pulled out her cell phone and called for an ambulance while Tristan and Joey cared for Bakura, Yami, and Yugi.
//Yugi, I'm not going to die.//
/Yami?/ //I'll be fine. Gain control of yourself. I will only have a scar from my wound. Instead of being stabbed like Yami Bakura planned, the Millennium Puzzle's power changed it to a small slash. Painful, but small.//
/Small?? You think what you have is.small?/
//I think.//
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The ambulance arrived and Yami and Bakura were taken to Domino General Hospital. Bakura had a minor headache and wrist injury and loss of a major amount of energy and body heat from what he did to send his Yami back to the Shadow Realm and was sitting in a chair with a bandage around his head and wrist with the others in the waiting room. Joey was walking in circles while Tristan was getting coffee and water. Téa was trying to comfort Yugi, who wouldn't stop saying "I should have been the one. I should have not run away to leave Yami and Bakura alone with that lunatic" over and over again, and tried to assure him that her uncle, who was the attending doctor, would do his best. Mai had arrived with Grandpa and were getting filled in on what happened by Bakura. The doctor then came in to meet them. Everyone got up. The doctor said, "Yugi Muto? Sugoroku Muto?" Yugi and his grandfather stepped forward and the doctor said, "The surgery was successful and the patient is in critical condition. I'm Dr. Mazaki, Téa's uncle, I'm sure she told you that already when you saw the patient report, and he will awaken in the next 2 hours. You're allowed to visit him, but let him rest. Mr. Muto, please come with me. We have some papers for you to sign." Grandpa followed Dr. Mazaki to his office while Yugi and the others headed to where Yami was. When they got there, they saw Yami sleeping in the bed in the room, hooked up to more than 5 machines. Joey, Tristan, Bakura, and Téa flinched when they saw him and asked to be excused because they wanted Yugi to have time alone with Yami, so they said they would visit him tomorrow when he was awake and went back to the waiting room. When everyone had left, Yugi sat down next to Yami and held his hand and cried.
"I'm sorry I put your life in jeopardy again. I know you have to protect me, but who will protect you while you are protecting me??"
//Yugi..//
/Yami, why don't you rest? We'll talk later./
//But you are right. Who will protect me while I'm protecting you?//
/Of course, ME./
//Yugi..//
/Shhh. You need to rest./
//All right. Thank you, Yugi.//
/You're welcome. Thank you for saving my life. I'm sorry it had to turn out this way./
//Don't worry. What Yami Bakura did to me while I was Pharaoh was far more worse than this. I was in a coma for a month and 5 days. High Priests Bakura and P. Seto ruled for me at that time. //
/Oh. OK. Goodnight./
Yugi fell asleep next to Yami and stayed with his 'older brother'. When Yami woke up in after 2 hours and found Yugi sleeping next to him, he stroked his hair and whispered "Thank you, Yugi, for being here for me." When Yugi woke up in the morning, he saw Yami looking through the open window and wiping away some tears. 'He's probably thinking about his wife and son in his past life.' Yugi thought. Just then, Téa entered the room to visit Yami.
"Hi guys. Yami, how are you feeling? What are you lookin' at?" Téa asked, noticing Yami.
"I.just wanted to have some fresh air.that's all. I feel just fine, thanks." Yami responded.
"Well, I brought some food for you.."Téa announced.
"Oh! Thank you." Yami replied. Téa nodded and said, "I have to go to a dance lesson now, so I'll see you later." She gave a kiss to both Yami and Yugi and left. Yami turned and saw that Yugi was blushing due to the embarrassment of being kissed by his girlfriend in front of Yami. He laughed.
"So, ummm..how was your rest?" Yugi asked him, trying to change the subject.
"It was okay. Come here, Yugi." Yami said. Yugi came to him and sat down on the bed. Yami sat up and said, "This will be important, so listen closely. Yugi, do you remember anyone when you were younger that looked like me?"
Yugi thought hard, trying to remember. "Now that you mention it, I do remember two people that looked like you. I think one of them was Grandpa when he was younger because that was around 13 years ago, the way I remember it, that is. I don't know who the other person was, but he always was talking with Grandpa and he looked so much like you that if he was here right now and I compared him to you, there couldn't be a mistake that it might have been you. I remember asking Grandpa who he was many times, but he always said that that man was my uncle. Wait, do you know who it was?"
Yami nodded. "You're looking right at him."
"You?"
"Yes. I was there when you were younger. I found out that Grandpa had solved the puzzle when you were still young and brought me here and told me about you. I remember you were always looking at me when I was there and accidentally mistaking me for your grandfather because we looked almost the same. You were still little then, so you couldn't tell the difference. You were young, but curious about what your grandpa was always doing with that gold box. He told me he was planning to break the finished product into pieces again and dare you to solve it on your 12th birthday. I agreed to what he would do and to what my job would be when you finally solved the Millennium Puzzle. It took you a while, though, but I understand what Joey did to the other missing piece. When I finally met you in person, you were already 15, so it took you almost 3 years to solve the puzzle. Not bad, everyone else who tried to bring me back to life took over 10 years to try and finish, but they always gave up. You were the only one who really believed that you could do it and I sensed your courage. Especially after all the games you've mastered." Yugi blushed a little after Yami's comment and just sat there speechless and while trying remember more. Yami noticed Yugi and added, "Yugi, do you believe me?"
"Yami, I believe you. There's too much proof that you were there. But, how old were you?"
"I was 16. Every time I am brought out of the Millennium Puzzle, I start aging again. It's been a year since you solved the puzzle, and I'm now 17. I was 15 when I was sealed in the Millennium Puzzle a long time ago and when your grandfather solved the puzzle before you did, I started to age again and I eventually at that time turned 16. I was sealed back into the puzzle again, and when you solved it I started aging again. You get my point."
Yugi nodded and suddenly remembered the time when he first met Yami.
(Flashback)
"There. The last piece. Finally." Yugi put the last piece of the Millennium Puzzle in its place. The Millennium Puzzle started to levitate and rise out of Yugi's hands. Someone then said to him, "At last. I finally get to see you, Yugi Muto. I've waited so long."
"Who's there?"
"Me." Yugi felt a hand go on his shoulder. He turned around and saw someone who looked like him standing beside him.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know who you are."
"That's all right. I am part of you. I am Yami Yugi, but you can just call me Yami. I hope I didn't scare you, but since you solved the ancient Millennium Puzzle, I am now your personal guardian. I will be here to guide and protect you in any case. When I'm not here, just call on me in your mind. I am there, too."
"Okay. I've been waiting for you, too, I guess." Yami nodded to him and vanished.
(End flashback)
"I remember something else. I remember that man telling me when I saw him for the last time, 'Goodbye for now, little Yugi. You'll see me again sooner than you think.' and he left. That's the last time I saw him then."
Yami nodded and said, "I was true to my word. I saw you sooner than you thought you would."
"But why are you telling me this?"
"Because I know you want to know more about your past and my past. Put all of the pieces of the puzzle together and you'll figure it out."
"When will that be?"
"Soon enough, Yugi. Soon enough."