I consider the last chapter to be the "true" ending, this is just for fun. Don't take it too seriously. (P.S For those that haven't read the re-edits, Yugi's daughter's name was changed to Chell)

"But you're our family too, you just said so! I just got to know you! I just started liking my real name because of you!" AJ sobbed as he pushed his head into Yami's chest. Yami could only hug the little child as Yugi started floating closer.

"Should I take over?"

'No, I am the one leaving. I should be the one to explain.' Yami thought, then said out loud.

"By doing this I get a great many things that I've always sought. Peace and family being the biggest. I know I have family here and am loved… thanks to this last day I know that really well." He said as he looked around at everyone, He wanted to say more but found his words dying in his throat. He could only help wipe away the boy's tears. "But even if I wanted to stay, we need to lock the Immortals away. I'm required back in the afterlife."

"You are fine with being locked in the afterlife these coming years?" The dragon asked.

"Yes." Saying that one word was somehow the hardest thing Yami had done this last crazy year. His voice shook as he said the word. The dragon noticed and raised an eyebrow.

"Listen to my next words carefully Pharaoh, you cut me off last time I tried to speak them. I do not mind renegotiating where your soul will be. I am happy to change things around if you do not want to be in the afterlife. I can just as easily lock you in this dimension."

Everyone became dead silent. Even the humming of the reactor seemed to dim.

"…What?" Yami asked. As he stood, he couldn't help but rub his arm. Under his coat, he could still feel the scars from the yo-yo wire all those weeks ago.

"For this ceremony to work I need to banish your soul somewhere, it does not have to be in the afterlife, however." the dragon said as he gestured to Yami. "That body of yours will age and get sick. Much like normal human bodies do, so I understand if you don't want to be this fragile anymore-"

Yugi then stepped forward to speak the words Yami found he couldn't. "Crimson Dragon, sir, what do you mean he can be banished here?"

"You may spend the seventeen years of the spell here in the mortal world. Of course, when it is over you will have 'saved the world' so you will still go back to your paradise-"

"He can what?!" Joey's voice broke the silence. The Dragon seemed a bit perturbed at being continually cut off. Mahad and Mana flinched and seemed ready to run but the dragon let out a breath, mumbling something about mortals under his breath.

"He can stay!" The dragon yelled. "I did not bring up this alternative before because it involves his soul being locked in the Millennium Puzzle again."

Yami immediately took a step back at those words. He glanced to the others. A mixture of hope and confusion filled their faces, AJ's and Yugi's expressions being the ones that really cut to his core. Could he stay? Could he take being in the Millennium Puzzle again? Yami couldn't suppress a shiver as he remembered the winding passages of the puzzle. His train of thought was then cut off by Seto striding forward.

"Well, get on with it then. I don't want to be by this reactor any longer than necessary. Put the Pharaoh in the body and let's go." Seto said.

"That is up for Yami to decide!" Yugi's voice seemed to cut across the reactor. Only the magicians, Yami, and the dragon were supposed to be able to hear him in his spectral form, yet everyone reacted. It suddenly felt like everyone's eyes were on Yami. While this wouldn't usually bother him, here their eyes felt like they were boring right into him.

Ignoring Seto's glare, Yugi turned back to Atem. "I understand how much you want to be in the afterlife again. I also understand how your time trapped the puzzle has affected you. These guys will understand too given enough time. Don't make a rash decision just for us."

Yami could only stare at Yugi for a moment. Then he closed his eyes and kept his head pointed towards the ground. "How will locking me here work, if I did choose to do it?" He asked the dragon.

"Your soul would be locked in the Millennium Puzzle, much like how it was done five-thousand-years ago. In this case, however, the magic that I would have used to lock your soul away in the large afterlife will instead connect this body to you. You will be a normal human for seventeen years. You would not notice much of a difference compared to if your soul was in your body." The dragon explained. Everyone around gasped.

"You could finally grow up with your modern friends!" Mana cheered. Mahad kept her from hopping in place and instead looked to his pharaoh.

Yami kept his gaze down, not looking to anyone. "Wouldn't that threaten the spell? As you said human bodies are fragile and this world is unpredictable. What would happen if my body was destroyed or the puzzle broke?"

"If your body was hurt to the point of dying or traveled too far from the puzzle, then it would fade with your soul reappearing in the puzzle. Do not fear however, this would not break the ceremony and the body would regenerate the coming months. Allowing your soul to return to it when it was ready. Until then you would be trapped in the puzzle unless someone wore it and allowed you to share their body." The dragon said as he glanced to Yugi. "For the puzzle itself. As you found out, I rebuilt it much stronger. It can only be broken apart by the last person to reconstruct it, and even then, it would take all this person's strength to do so. Unless Yugi is suddenly set on freeing the Immortals, I doubt that would happen."

Yugi found himself weak as the dragon spoke, losing all the courage he had been building up for the parting. He saw Yami glancing at him, most likely looking for guidance. Yugi didn't dare speak one way or the other.

'Yugi, speak honestly with me.' Yami asked in their mental connection. 'What was your wish when you reconnected the puzzle?'

"What do you mean?"

'We both know the puzzle can only be pieced together when you have a wish in your heart. What was yours?'

Yugi found his own gaze going to the ground. "I wished… I wished I had more time with you. To be by your side a little longer… And I've gotten that! When I rebuilt the thing, I thought you were being dragged to the netherworld to never be seen again." Yugi quickly added.

Yami lifted his head and looked to Mana and Mahad. They were smiling, tear rimming Mana's eyes.

Mahad nodded to Yami. "We will be by your side. No matter where you are. All of us." This was the permission Yami needed.

"Crimson Dragon, I cannot thank you enough for your kindness so far and this opportunity. Please, I would like to stay." Yami said the words he sometimes wished he had said nineteen years ago at the first ceremonially duel.

The dragon smiled and nodded. "It will be done."

Everyone cheered and just about swarmed Yami. As they all cheered at the same time, Joey slunk out of the crowd and stood in front of the Crimson Dragon. He was clearly uncomfortable, keeping his head down and tapping his foot. He didn't know if he should bow or just talk straight.

"You wish to ask something, Joseph?" The dragon asked, a comforting smile on his face.

"Uh, yes your greatness. If… if you could let Atem stay… Your godliness is it possible for you to let others…?" Joey trailed off when he saw the dragon's smile disappear. The dragon shook his head as he looked to the group going back with him.

"I am sorry Joseph. I truly am. Atem can stay because his soul has been in a state of undeath for most of his existence. If I tried a similar thing on your family, for one I do not have the power left for such a mass spell, and two, it would destroy them."

"Oh, I get it," Joey mumbled as he looked away, embarrassed.

"You do not need to feel shame for asking such a question. I only wish I could make it up to you and the rest of your kind. In many ways, the Zero Reverse is my fault. I can never take back the damage that was done, but I can make sure the Immortals never do it again." The dragon said with a toothy grin. Even in his human form, his teeth were sharp to a point. Joey, stiffen when he saw the teeth, then nodded. He as went back to the group and was met with a big hug from his sister and a pat on the back from his brother-in-law.

"I'll miss you, big brother. You don't have to worry about us though. As lifelong heroes, we are well taken care of." Serenity said.

"Heh, dat's a little reassurin'. I can almost let you go." Joey chuckled.

"May we do the ceremony? You may say goodbye afterward." The dragon asked.

"Wait, if the snow started because of evil demons… Does that mean I made evil snowmen?!" AJ yelped. This caused the others to break out laughing. It was less because he had said anything hilarious and more because all their emotions were heightened to the point of breaking.

As everyone said their goodbyes Yami felt strangely numb. The last time he had such a goodbye everything felt like it had more of a punch to it. Here the black sky seemed to combine with the light of the reactor and grey everything.

"We'll see you soon Atem." Mana's voice shook Yami out of his disconnection. He looked up to see her still smiling face, even if she was hiding tears. "You didn't think you were getting away without a goodbye, did you?"

"Of course not." Yami smiled as he hugged his childhood friend. As he did, he couldn't help but feel prickles of guilt. Mana somehow recognized it without even seeing the Pharaoh's face.

"Don't you dare." She said, still pulling Yami into a hug.

"What-?"

"Don't you dare start feeling guilty. This is what you want and we want it for you." She said as she pulled away, letting her hands lay in his. "While we will miss you, if it ever gets too bad we can just remind ourselves that's it's only seventeen years. We've waited much longer to have you with us." She smiled.

"Yes, seventeen years…" It was about that moment Yami realized how many years he would have. In afterlife terms, it wouldn't be that long but for mortals he would be thirty-three when he returned.

Mana giggled at Yami's wide eyes as he realized how long he had. "Don't go backing out now! You can do this." She said before quickly kissing him on his cheek and running to the group heading back to the afterlife. Mahad patted Mana and gave a kind smile back to his pharaoh. Yami was frozen in place and it was only Joey coming up and roughly slapping his back that awoke him.

Everyone then turned to the reactor as the last goodbyes were said. The Crimson Dragon led the others to the reactor's light but didn't go through himself. He instead waited for them to disappear and then walked up to Yami. He lifted up the Millennium Puzzle and placed his hand over the center eye. A red aura surrounded the puzzle and to Yami, it almost felt like his soul clicked into place, like its own puzzle piece. The Crimson Dragon gave one last bow and disappeared along with the reactors light. It was just them in a broken and cold ruin.

"It doesn't feel real." Yugi managed to say. Everyone then turned to Yami, he was still standing tall with the golden puzzle around his neck. Then he pitched forward and fell unconscious before Yugi caught him. He needed rest, and now was going to finally get it.

The next few days were… odd. The gang had this problem every time they saved the world, what do you do after? Here that feeling was multiplied by ten. Every morning was like it had been before the tournament. Atem woke first (this time with no nightmares) and made breakfast for everyone with the 3D printer. As they ate, AJ would hastily do the homework he had been putting off. The other family members would talk over their meal (Yugi still calling his brother Yami, as he was the only one Atem felt comfortable enough to allow such a nickname). Then the adults would go to work, AJ to school, Chell to daycare, and Atem would remain home. It was almost too normal. It was about a week before it really set in for everyone. Atem was here to stay.

Once that hurdle was passed, talks of Atem's future became the point of discussion for everyone. Atem was going to be with them for a whole seventeen years, that's a good chunk of a lifetime to suddenly have to plan for.

It was decided for him to not go to public school right off the bat. Even though he was very smart, he wouldn't know enough to pass as a modern high schooler. The next two years he did online school provided by Seto's Duel Academy with the goal of eventually going to Academy Island to finish out his high school years. During that time, he started dueling in local Duel Monster tournaments and Pokémon championships. Winning every one and quickly making a name for himself with his no-lose record (and his last name).

While becoming a pro-duelist was his future career goal, Atem didn't want to just do that. He found himself still interested in programming and while Yugi and Rebecca loved to teach him, they often didn't have enough time for Atem's liking. He soon found a video game programming club nearby and thought to take a chance. What was strange was when he got there, only one boy about his age was present. Which was even more bizarre to Atem since he was used to his recent fame making every public place cramped. The only boy there was named Kei. He had apparently run everyone else out because as the club president, he outlawed duel monsters from being anywhere near his club. He vehemently hated the game and swore it off, only focusing on the "true art" of virtual reality games. He enthusiastically shared this and many other opinions with Atem. While this made Atem back off a bit initially, he couldn't help but be drawn back to the club by Kei's enthusiasm, intelligence for the computer arts, and what was quickly becoming most important to Atem, Kei only liked him for him, not for his dueling record.

With Kei as Atem's first friend outside the gang, he found himself going out often and meeting more and more people "his age". It took a while to get used to no responsibilities to the world or to a kingdom. Atem even found himself feeling guilty for having fun, but after much encouragement from Yugi and the others, Atem embraced it. He soon had his own group of friends and a line of admirers (He thankfully had Bakura to teach him what to do about all the boys and girls stalking him and showering him with gifts).

Atem did eventually go to Duel Academy as an Obelisk Blue, but for only the last two years. While there he was joined by surprisingly, Kei. Kei grumbled and gripped, but Duel Academy did have the best virtual reality high school and college program in the world. The two kept each other sane as Atem's popularity only grew as well as his record.

Once Atem graduated he jumped headlong into pro-dueling, both classic and turbo. Just as in his school days, his fame grew. Many thought he would go for the King of Games title. Jaden was even pumped for such a duel, but Atem never challenged for it. He also never kept one sponsor, never remained romantically attached with any person, or even remained in one house for long. Instead, he traveled the world, trying to experience all there was to see and feel. While he kept his regal calm and rational in every situation, Yugi and the others could tell he was determined to get every ounce out of life he could. Even with his constant moving though, he never stopped visiting the gang, especially the Mutos. He even brought them along on some of his adventures. While never as dangerous as their childhoods, it was just as thrilling

Of course, Atem's loose attachment to his body became a problem at points. He found it hard to take the Millennium Puzzle off for long. If he did, he quickly became lethargic. It became a real annoyance during times like tests since teachers would often have him take it off so he couldn't hide answers in it. What was worse was if the puzzle got a mile away from his body. He found this out when traveling through South America. While exploring the Andes mountains a condor grabbed it right off his neck and flew away. His body outright disappeared in the middle of chasing after the bird. Thankfully Yugi was able to recollect the puzzle and the two had to once again share a body for three months. This made Atem more careful and also made him hate condors, just a little more.

There were a few other times Atem had to share bodies with someone, the most notable was when he was flying with Seto and their plane crashed. When KaibaCorp found the island the two crashed on weeks later, there was only Seto. He was wearing the puzzle and acting a great deal differently than his old employees remembered. Once the puzzle was returned to Yugi neither Seto or Atem spoke of the experience again. Only Yugi, who saw the memories, knew what happened. When asked about it, he would only laugh.

Atem was at every major family and friend event. Even if he was coughing up blood or ready to collapse, he was there for every graduation, every marriage, every great achievement. He was going to be a part of their lives even if it killed him again. He was truly happy for most of his second life, then that looming seventeen-year deadline came.

Months before the Immortals were truly released, Atem felt the change in his body. He could never explain it in words but he knew the end was coming. He packed up his belongings one more time, won one last championship tournament, and headed back to Yugi's house. There he was able to see Chell get married and hang out one more time with his oldest friends.

Before Atem left this world, some Immortals broke free. With every free beast, the strain on Atem grew worse. He knew that at any moment he could let go and he will have done his job, but he refused. He held the ceremony together longer then even the Higher Ups had predicted. Making sure the Signers had more time and that Wiraqocha Rasca was the last Immortal to get out. It literally pulled his soul in a million directions and left him bedridden, but he didn't care. He had been through much worse.

Then an unofficial duel between the Turbo Dueling Champion and a nobody from the Satellite broke the news in New Domino. Their fight somehow caused a city-wide blackout. The strangest event during this blackout was that no one could explain the weird crimson lights in the sky. Some said they even looked like a large dragon. At that point, Atem knew it was time. He called Yugi to his side and had him pull out the puzzle's central piece. The Immortals were already free so there wasn't any reason to keep it together. He gave the piece to Yugi and promised to see him again. With that, he closed his eyes and his body disappeared one last time into crimson light.

Atem was free.

Question and Answer

Some of these I got through direct PM and some were thoughts and question picked out of reviews and comments. I may have already answered some of these through PM or they weren't actually questions directed at me. I just thought you guys would be interested in the answers. If I took your question wrong, sorry! I'm not calling anyone out with these, this is all meant in good fun.

What got you into Yugioh?

I didn't grow up with the original Yugioh, my Saturday mornings had Yugioh 5D's playing. I wasn't even very interested in that series and instead threw myself into Pokémon. In the winter of 2017, I decided I wanted to watch Yugioh GX but felt I couldn't do it without at least knowing what happened in the first series. My original plan was to only watch what people considered to be the best episodes…. Then, like any sane person, I ended up watching all 500+ episodes in one winter break. After that, I looked up everything I could about the first two series. I was hooked.

What made you think of this story?

After I watched the original and GX series, I remembered the Yugioh I grew up with and the Zero Reverse it used to connect it with Duel Monsters. I realized how many characters must have died in that and that got my writer brain going. I combined that thought with a story idea I had kicking around (Yugi losing the ceremonial duel) and started typing it up. I still don't know to this day where I got the courage to post it on the internet

Why are there are people from all different eras and countries in Atem's Ancient Egyptian afterlife?

The Story reason: The non-Egyptians are probably people traveling on their journey and this just happens to be one of their stopping points.

The real reason: I wanted to show that this was the afterlife and that Yugi did not time travel.

Why did you decide to put this fic in Friendship/Hurt/Comfort categories? Wouldn't be better in_?

I really thought about adding this to the humor or the adventure list. In the end, I left it where it was because, in essence, this is a Duel Monsters fic about the original characters reacting to death and comforting each other through friendship.

Why did you have Yugi marry Rebecca?

Oh, that's a long answer so buckle up.

First off, I don't hate Téa/Yugi or Yami/Yugi, in fact, I rather like both (If I were to rewrite this fic from the ground up, I probably would have Yugi marry Téa). But in my original draft, Téa died in the Zero Reverse. In that version Yugi's spouse was going to be left vague (Thus why the kids were adopted). Then I actually started writing and found it hard to have a mysterious spouse in a story about all the characters coming together again. So, I wrote in the next closest ship, Rebecca. As drafts changed and Téa was kept alive, I had already planned (and kind of fallen in love with) Yugi/Rebecca.

I did actually make a small reference to Peachshipping though, in my original edit Yugi and Rebecca's daughter was named Anzu. Then I finished the series and realized having a character named like that was confusing to readers that were used to her Japanese names. So, her name was changed to Chell in the re-edits.

And for Yugi/Yami, Atem's a teenager in this while Yugi's an adult. Puzzleshipping was definitely not going to happen here. Again, that doesn't mean I don't like the pairings, it just wasn't what this story was about.

Why write in the English dub world? Wasn't the Japanese better story wise?

Yes, the original is much better story and character-wise, I will never deny that. The reason I wrote this in the English dub was honestly so I wouldn't have to constantly look up how to spell the character names.

Wait did Yugi fricking make Pokémon?

While this really isn't a question I'd answer here, this was my first review ever. So, shout out to ThatOneRyou for being with me since literally the very beginning. When I got the email for your review it gave me a heart attack and then a laugh. It was the beginning of amazing things to come.

Why would Yugi make a Pokemon game?

The story reason: He liked the idea of connecting with creatures, thanks to duel spirits, and wanted to make a game that even those that couldn't see spirits got the same connection. In this universe, he invented the entirety of Pokémon and his company's first game in the series would have been a Fire Red like game with the first four generations of Pokémon. The game he released at the end of the story had Pokémon all the way up to generation eight.

The real reason: When I was first drafting this out, I knew Yugi would be playing a shadow game with Atem similar to their ceremonial battle. I didn't feel like just having another duel would be enough, then I remembered that Yugi wanted to be a game maker. It would make so much thematic sense for this last duel to be a game of Yugi's creation. The problem is, I'm horrible at coming up with original game ideas. Pokémon has been my longest running passion so…

Also, shout out to angiembabe. You were there this whole ride, giving a review on almost every chapter. I can't thank you enough for taking the time to do that. It was one of the few things that kept me on schedule.