A Note From The Authors: Welcome to our first Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic! We hope you will all enjoy this story! These first two chapters are being put up at the same time because they really belong together as one chapter, but we didn't want the chapters to be too long. Updates will be frequent, as we have most of the story already typed up! BTW, Invader Shaun has helped me write this story, and no, you've never seen him before, mainly because he's never put anything up on fanfic.net before. He's actually my younger brother, but he's more of a Duel Monsters expert and an even bigger Yu-Gi-Oh fan than I am. We hope you enjoy our work! Drum roll, please! [bum da da dum da da dum dum dum!]

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Yu-Gi-Oh!

The Egyptian Tournament

By Invader Sam & Invader Shaun

Chapter 1

"Summer Vacation"

It was a warm summer day in mid-June. The school year had ended only two days ago (and the crew had all graduated from whatever grade they're in with passing grades ^_^). Yugi was enjoying the fact that he could sleep in mornings, which is exactly what he was doing that particular morning.

The Spirit of Yugi's Millennium Puzzle, was wide awake. Not wanting to wake his counterpart, Yami had remained in only his translucent spirit form. He sat on Yugi's windowsill, looking out at the peaceful morning. It seemed hard to believe that only a short month ago, the town of Domino had witnesses the most fearsome attempt at world domination since the days of the Ancient Egyptians!

Thankfully, it was all over now, but Yami still worried for the future. He had worried when the Battle City Tournament began, that once he saved the world, he would cease to exist in it. But that had not been the case, as he was clearly still in the realm. And he was glad of it. That meant that his only purpose had not been to stop Marik, the holder of the Millennium Rod. His true duty was to guard over his counterpart, to teach and guide him through the obstacles that life would through at him.

Yami cast an affectionate glance over at the sleeping boy, with the same proud smile that a father would have, looking at his son. Yugi had impressed him since the day their bond had begun. He was brave, very bright, and an excellent duelist. And he was slowly growing into a respectable young man. Yami found that this was the most rewarding part of their bond – being able to watch Yugi's transition from childhood into manhood. The Puzzle could not have chosen a more suitable host for the Ancient Pharaoh.

BANG! BANG! BANG! A violent explosion of noise from the lower level of the card shop interrupted the tranquility of the scene, and nearly caused Yami to lose his perch on the window sill. Yugi stirred quietly, and uncurled from his fetal position. Blinking several times, the young dueling prodigy sat up and yawned loudly. He noticed Yami still watching him, and quickly recovered himself, "Morning, Spirit! What's all the noise?"

"I'm not sure," Yami said, peering out the window. In his spirit form, his head went right through the glass. "It's you're Grandfather," he said, "He's hammering something in front of the store."

"Huh?" Yugi said, climbing out of his bed and hurrying over to the window. He opened it, and Yami was caught a bit off guard as the window went right through him with a rush. "Hey, Grandpa!" Yugi called down.

Solomon Moto looked up from his hammering, "Oh! Yugi! Good morning! I'm sorry if I woke you!" he called back.

"It's okay – I should've been getting up anyway," Yugi said, "What're you doing?"

"What? Oh, this!" Grandpa said, looking over at the sign he was hanging up. From Yugi's elevated spot, he couldn't make out what it said. "Come downstairs! I've got some exciting news!"

"Exciting news?!? I'll be right down!!!" Yugi slammed the window down, right through Yami's hand. Being the over excitable child that he is, Yugi rushed out of the room, still in his pajamas, bounded down the stairs (muttering to himself "Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy, Oh boy,") and skidded out the door.

Yami sighed. Apparently, Yugi wasn't grown up just yet. Wanting to test his abilities as a pure spirit, Yami jumped out of the window and landed behind Grandpa. Yugi had just come running up to his grandfather, trying to see what was behind the poster that the older man was hammering on. "What is it? Let me see it! Come on, Grandpa!"

"Now, now, Yugi – calm down," Grandpa said, holding up a hand, "I would never hide anything from you. Here, just take a look." He stepped aside, letting Yugi see the poster he'd been putting up.

Yugi stared at it, a wide grin spreading across his face. The words "DUEL MONSTERS TOURNAMENT…IN EGYPT!! Come Back To Where It All Started!!" were at the top, above a picture of a large pyramid. Along with that image, drawings on the Dark Magician and Blue-Eyes White Dragon were set in the bottom corners, their attacks enclosing a box of registration information. "Wow…" Yugi breathed. He leaned in to read the fine print and Grandpa put a hand on his shoulder.

"There's no need to do that, Yugi," he said, "I've got all the information inside."

"Oh, right!" Yugi said, and took off into the Shop, making Grandpa spin like a top in his wake. After a few seconds, he shook off his dizziness and hurried after his grandson.

Yami stayed outside a moment longer, staring at the poster. The pyramid on the poster looked different from any of the pyramids he'd ever seen in books, or could vaguely remember. It appeared unnaturally made, machine-like. He frowned. He wasn't sure why, but this image worried him…nothing good could have erected it. But maybe he was just being paranoid. Time of peace always made him uneasy.

He shook his head and turned back towards the game shop. Whatever was waiting in Egypt, he could be sure that he, Yugi and all their friends would be leaping willingly to meet it.

* * *

Inside, Yugi was seated at the stool behind the desk of the game shop, looking over the paperwork for the tournament, as Yami walked through the door (literally).

"Wow, Grandpa! This all looks really cool! Can we go to Egypt? Please!?!?!" Yugi gave Grandpa a very cute, pleading look, eyes wide.

Grandpa smiled gently down upon his impatient grandson, "You know very well that I have to stay here and take care of the shop. But if some of your friends were to go with you…"

Tears formed in the corners of Yugi's eyes. It wasn't often that a parental figure would allow a young teen to take a road trip to Egypt even during the summer. He squeezed Grandpa tightly around the middle in a spontaneous display of affection (perhaps a bit too tightly, as Grandpa began to gasp for air), "Thanks Grandpa! I'm gonna go see Joey right now!" Yugi ran out the door again and Grandpa sighed. 'Three… two… one…' Yugi came running back in the store, breathing heavily and slightly red. Yami slapped himself on the forehead.

Yugi grinned embarrassedly, "Heh heh… I should get changed first. I'll be um… right back," Yugi walked slowly up the stairs, still red in the cheeks.

* * *

In an apartment across town, Joey Wheeler was sleeping soundly, and snoring loudly. He was sprawled out on his bed, taking full advantage of the time off. But this adorable scene was doomed to end quickly.

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK! Joey jolted awake and tumbled out of his bed, getting tangled in the sheets as he fell. "Eh? Wha? Where's the fire?" he mumbled groggily, trying to crawl out from the jumble of sheets.

"Joey!" came Yugi's voice from outside the door, "C'mon! Let me in!"

"Yug?" Joey said, pulling himself out of the sheets, and nearly tripping over them as he made his way to the door. He opened the door, and found Yugi, breathless and all smiles.

"Um…" Yugi said, getting a good look at Joey, "Were you still sleeping??"

"Well, I was," Joey said, rubbing his eyes, "What're you doing up so early?"

"Early?" Yugi said, cocking an eyebrow, "It's already seven-thirty!"

"Uh…right…" Joey sighed, "C'mon in." He stepped aside and Yugi strode past him into the room.

The thirteen-year-old boy was dressed in a black T-Shirt with an image of the Dark Magician on it, and khaki shorts. The golden Millenium Puzzle hung around his neck on its chain as it always did.

"So what's up, Yug?" Joey asked, shutting the door, and crossing the room to pick up his sheets.

"Oh, lots!" Yugi said, "Grandpa just found out that there's gonna be another Duel Monsters Tournament – and it's all the way in Egypt! And he says I can participate if I get some of my friends to go with me! So, will you, Joey?? Please??"

Joey blinked several times and tried to clear his head, "Yug… do you have any idea how we'd even get to Egypt? The airfare alone would cost a fortune! Not to mention where we'd stay and-" The older boy looked down on his friend's disappointed face. The look of sadness was making Joey feel awful. So he continued his little rant, improvising, "But heck with all that! Sure I'll do it Yug! We'll figure somethin' out!"

Yugi smiled, "Alright! C'mon, let's go find Tristan and tell him!"

Joey's face broke into a grin as well, "Man, I can't wait to wake him up!" The two friends walked away, chatting happily.

* * *

Across town in a completely different side of town, the morning sun was pouring through the windows of Mai Valentine's apartment. The blonde twenty-one-year-old's beauty sleep was interrupted as a pile of envelopes were pushed through the mail-slot on her door. She moaned at the sound and propped herself up on her elbows. Catching site of the mail, she sat up, letting the sheets slip off of her. She was dressed in only her underthings, which were white and sparkly (courtesy of the photo-shoot she'd been working on the night before).

She crawled across to the edge of the bed, reached down, grabbed the pile of mail, and sat back up. She muttered to herself as she went through it, tossing away what she didn't need. "Junk…junk…crap…ooh! Paycheck!" She set the envelope aside. "Aww…bills. So much for the paycheck…" she placed the next envelope on top of the paycheck.

The next item in the pile was a folded piece of paper. "Hmm?" She unfolded the paper, and her face lit up. It was the poster for the Egyptian Tournament! Money symbols shone in her eyes as she read it over. "Whoo-hoo!!" she cried, leaping up from the bed, "No more low-paying photo-shoots for me!! This $5 million is just screaming my name!" She hugged the paper excitedly.

* * *

In the building across the street, a bunch of horny teenage guys scrambled for use of the binoculars – trying to get a glimpse of Mai through her open blinds.

* * *

Mai sat back down on the bed, rereading the poster again. "Hmmm…no provided transportation," she sighed, "Guess I'll have to scrape up the money for a plane ticket…" She picked up the newspaper out of the pile of mail and spread it out across the bed, open to the classified ads.

"Let's see what we've got on the market today," she said scanning over the ads, "Ah! Perfect," she put her finger down on an ad for Victoria's Secret, "Dennis always uses good taste. I think I'll give him a call."

* * *

In the building across the street, the horny guys were now watching (and drooling) as Mai paced around her room, talking on her phone.

* * *

"So what do you say, Denny?" Mai asked.

"You know I hate it when you call me that," said a young man's voice on the other end of the line. Even through the phone, Mai could tell that Dennis was blushing like a stop-light.

She grinned, "Sorry – I forgot. So, how 'bout it?"

"I don't see why not," Dennis said, "but you haven't offered your services to us in a long while. Why the sudden change of heart?"

"Well, you know…" Mai started, but her voice trailed off as she glanced out the window and caught sight of the peeping-toms across the street. She felt her cheeks go hot as she went over to the window. She gave the boys the universal signal for rudeness and then shut the blinds. "Perverted ass-holes," she muttered.

"Huh?" Dennis said.

"Oh! No, not you!" Mai said hurriedly, "Just having some…uh…neighbor troubles…"

* * *

In the building across the street, the teenagers had all spazzed and fallen to the floor when they realized they'd been caught.

* * *

"So I'll see you at three?" Dennis asked.

"I'll be there," Mai nodded, and then hung up. As she set the phone back down on her bedside table, she noticed herself in her full-length mirror. Being flustered never looked good on her, and she hated when it happened. She shook it off and went to get a shower before her appointment with Dennis.