Alverna: IT'S HERE! The long awaited and anticipated sequel to 'How did it come to this?', Why did it come to this?

Yugi: Yea!

Atemu: Finally! I get to be with my Hikari again.

Alverna: Yeah, but you don't remember him or your past.

Bakura: Sucks to be you pharaoh!

Ryou: Be nice or you're on the couch.

Alverna: The chapters for this story will have content from the 'Yugioh Manga', 'Season 0 Anime', and bits from 'How did it come to this?'.

Atemu: Chapter 1 has content from Yugioh! Manga Chapter/Duel 1, Season 0 Ep. 1, 'How did it come to this?' chapter 3, and a small piece from the 'Yugioh! Pyramid of Light' movie.

Yugi: Alverna doesn't own Yugioh! Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 1: The Puzzle of the Gods

5,000 years ago, ancient magic swirled across the land. A pharaoh and his love lived together, but were torn apart by an evil darkness. One was sealed away, the other was reborn.

The one reborn was given a gift from his grandfather, hoping that the one sealed away would be able to rejoin his love. But with the gift, came dreams. Strange dreams that would make him stop working on the gift. But he had to keep going.

This is their story.

A bell rang in the Domino High School, signaling it was time to start recess.

"Recess!" one guy exclaimed as he grabbed a basketball. "Let's go! And make sure to let the girls play!"

All of the Domino High Juniors quickly ran outside as fast as they could.

Except one.

"Hey Yugi."

A sixteen year old boy with pale skin, star shaped styled tri-colored hair, (black base, blond bangs, and amethyst trimming), amethyst eyes, and stood at 5' tall when standing, looked up from the card castle he had been building.

"Don't play by yourself." the guy with the basketball said as he twirled it on one finger. "Come play some basketball with us sometime."

"Uh…" Yugi ducked down slightly embarrassed. "No thanks. The team I'd join would just loose."

"That's true." the guy agreed as he left the room, remembering how good Yugi was with sports by watching in gym, and let's just say it wasn't pretty. "Alright everyone, let's go!"

"I wish I could play with everyone sometimes." Yugi sighed as he gathered the fallen cards back into a card deck. "But I'm too short. And my hand eye coordination is way to near zero to play any sports. Besides, I bring lots of games from home."

Placing the cards back into his back pack, which was sitting next to his desk, Yugi's hand bumped a golden box that was hidden under a spare uniform jacket.

"That's right!" Yugi exclaimed as he put the box on his desk. "What if I finish this today?"

The box was made completely made out of gold, and hieroglyphs were written on all of the side. On the long sides of the box was an eye. Yugi's grandfather said it was the 'The Eye of Anubis', or the 'Millennium Symbol'.

"I've always got it with me!" Yugi exclaimed excitedly as he ran his hand over the gold. "It's my treasure. Inside this box, my treasure is a complete secret. And here's the quiz. The treasure in the box is something you can see, but you've never seen before."

Picking it up, Yugi held it in his hands as he began to open the lid.

"So, what is it?" Yugi smiled as he began to view the contents. "The answer is…"

A different hand snatched the box out of Yugi's, making him exclaim in shock, and turned to see Joseph 'Joey' Wheeler and Tristan Taylor, the trouble making two that had been friends since middle school.

Joey had hazel colored eyes and dirty blond hair that was in a mop on his head. Tristan had brown eyes and brown hair that pointed up, and was holding the box.

"Yugi, what are you doing in here?" Tristan teased as he kept the box out of short little Yugi's reach. "It's so dark and gloomy. And what's this about a treasure?"

"Tristan, give that back!" Yugi shouted as he jumped up. "Give it back, please!"

"And he passes to Joey!" Tristan grinned as he tossed the box to his friend, who lazily caught the box.

"Timidly treasuring this box." Joey mused. "Since you're acting like a girl about this, it must be pretty valuable. Just quit being a wuss Yugi! I'll teach you how to act like a man!"

"What?" Yugi asked numbly.

"I'll give you back this box." Joey smirked. "If you come at me full force."

"But I hate fighting and violence!" Yugi yelled, making the two bullies back up as they rubbed their ears.

"No guts, but a loud voice." Tristan commented.

"Please just give me the box back." Yugi asked as he held up his hand.

"Not a chance." Tristan grinned evilly.

"What's in the box anyway?" Joey lazily asked as he studied the object.

"You can look, just don't lose it." Yugi replied to Joey's inquiry nervously. "It's extremely important to me."

Lifting the lid, Joey took a peak before sighing and putting the lid back down.

"That's extremely boring and dumb." Joey rolled his eye and tossed the box back into the air again. "Here Tristan."

But before Tristan caught it, another hand reached out and grabbed it.

"If it's so boring and dumb, give it back right away." Tea Gardner said while she glared at the two.

Tea had shoulder length brown hug and blue eyes, and had been a good friend of Yugi's since elementary school. A bit hard headed at times, but a wonderful person.

"Tea!" Yugi cheered. "Nice catch!"

"Thanks Yugi." Tea nodded before turning her attention to Joey and Tristan. "If you pick on people weaker than you, you're the dumb ones."

"I'm not bullying Yugi!" Joey protested. "I'm helping him become a man!"

"Shut up!" Tea snapped. "Now beat it!"

"Nosy girl!" Tristan growled as he dashed out of the room.

"This isn't over." Joey vowed as he followed.

"Well, here it is." Tea said as she set Yugi's box on his desk. "You're item."

"Thanks Tea." Yugi smiled as he ran his hand over the gold again. "You were so amazing. One word from you and they ran. They're pretty scared of you."

"It I act soft, they'll mess with me." Tea replied. "There are times you just need to have guts. Besides, I didn't want them tossing your treasure around, jerks that they are."

"But Joey and Tristan aren't that bad…" Yugi mumbled softly.

"Saying stuff like about people like them is why you're made fun of you." Tea replied firmly. "All the guys in this school are like them. Just now the girls were invited to play basketball just so the guys could look up their skirts while they shot baskets."

"That's not nice." Yugi frowned, not finding the idea of peaking up skirts appealing; his hormones really hadn't kicked in yet, despite his age.

"By the way, what's this?" Tea asked, changing the topic. "And what's in it?"

"Oh!" Yugi gasped as he giggled. "You haven't seen this yet, right? I guess I can let you see, but you have to keep it a secret."

"Okay." Tea nodded as Yugi pulled of the top, reveling the glittering inside. "It's so pretty, and they glitter like gold."

"That's because they are gold." Yugi giggled as he pulled out some of it.

"Are they parts of something?" Tea asked as he held some too. "It's scattered."

"That's because it's a puzzle!" Yugi exclaimed excitedly. "I've never finished it before, so I don't know what its final shape will be yet. It's 'something you can see, but you've never seen before'. Get it?"

"I see." Tea nodded.

"My house is a game store, but you already know that." Yugi grinned as he tried to connect a couple pieces together. "There are lots of rare and exotic games from many countries there. Old and new.

"My grandpa found this in an Egyptian ruin, but was unable to solve it. So he gave it to me when I turned eight."

"Egypt?" Tea asked.

"Well, look at the carvings on the box." Yugi replied as he held it up to eye level. "And I'm guessing what it says, since grandpa used to be an archeologist and taught me some hieroglyphs. 'The one who solves this puzzle will have their wish granted'."

"Really?" Tea asked quietly.

"Yeah." Yugi nodded. "But that sounds too good to be true. You must think I'm dumb now. I see it in your eyes."

"No way." Tea laughed lightly. "So, what's your wish?"

"Oh no." Yugi winked. "I'm not telling. That's an absolutely confidential secret."

On the other side of the school, Joey and Tristan were grumbling about what had happened back in the classroom.

"She ticks me off." Joey growled. "Stupid Tea."

"And why was she defending that nerd?" Tristan added.

"Who's picking on weaker people?" Joey hissed.

"That would be us Joey." Tristan sighed.

"That was rhetorical Tristan." Joey glared.

Since the two were looking over their shoulders, they didn't see the 6' 9" male step in front of them until the bumped into him. He had this 'mess with me and you're dead' aura about him, and a red armband that said 'Public Moral'.

"What do you mean 'picking on'?" the guy asked.

"I might have meant you." Joey replied snarkily. "Move it you-"

"We didn't mean anything!" Tristan said loudly as he covered Joey's mouth.

"Bullying is wrong." the guy replied.

"That's very true!" Tristan exclaimed, not noticing Joey turning red from lack of oxygen. "I understand."

"And make sure your student uniform is buttoned properly." the guy added as he walked further down the hallway.

"Whew." Tristan sighed as he finally let go of Joey. "That was close."

"Hey!" Joey yelled at his friend. "I couldn't breathe."

"Idiot." Tristan growled back. "Don't you know who that was?"

"No." Joey responded simply.

"That was Moral Enforcer Ushio." Tristan replied seriously. "He enforces the school rules. Don't bad mouth off at him unless you really want to end up in the school dumpster with a whole bunch of bruises."

"Curse him." Joey replied as he flipped his middle finger at Ushio's retreating backside. "Guy needs to loosen up."

"Now there nothing to do." Tristan complained as he kicked a locker.

"Maybe." Joey replied with a smirk as he opened his hand.

"What is it?" Tristan asked as he took a look.

In Joey's hand was a large golden puzzle piece with the same eye that was on Yugi's puzzle box.

"When I was looking in Yugi's treasure box, I secretly took this just now." Joey replied with an evil look. "I only got a glance but I'm sure it's a puzzle. He didn't notice, but without this one piece, his puzzle ceases to be one."

"That's slick." Tristan snickered.

"And as for this… take that!" Joey whined back his arm and tossed the puzzle piece out of an open window and into the nearby swimming pool that was used when the weather was nice. "That felt good! This treasure stuff makes me sick."

"Then let's go." Tristan grinned as the two walked away.

The puzzle piece sank to the bottom of the pool, the eye flashing, as if it knew it had been separated from the set, and its owner.

Leaving the school building, Yugi went as fast as his short legs would carry him, glancing briefly at the Public Moral Committee practicing karate in the school courtyard.

"I'll leave them alone." Yugi muttered to himself. "I've got to hurry home and get to work on the puzzle."

"Wait a moment." a voice said behind Yugi, making him turn to see a very tall person. "You're Yugi Mouto right?"

"Yes." Yugi replied nervously.

"I'm Ushio of the Public Moral Committee." Ushio said. "No need to be scared. I just want to ask you some questions. Have any of the students in class been bullying you?"

"Nothing likes that's happened to me." Yugi replied as he started to edge away.

"Wait a moment." Ushio said. "A person like you would say that."

"A person like me?" Yugi repeated.

"Yes." Ushio nodded. "I personally must investigate this. Just relax Yugi. From now on, I will be your bodyguard."

"But I don't need one!" Yugi protested as he turned and ran out the school gates. "What was that? He's a weird guy."

Behind him, Ushio smirked as he watched the boy run away.

Half an hour later, Yugi had reached him home, the Kame Game Shop.

"I'm home!" Yugi called as he opened the door, and stopped short seeing a person in the entryway. "Tea!"

"Hi Yugi." Tea greeted with a wave. "It's been a while since I came over."

"You're late Yugi." Solomon Mouto said as he came out from behind the counter.

"Sorry grandpa." Yugi grinned sheepishly. "A student wanted to talk with me after school, but I'm home now."

"And it's good to see you to Tea." Solomon nodded to the girl. "It has been a while since you were here last. You've really grown."

"Thanks." Tea nodded with a small blush.

"And Yugi," Solomon turned his attention to his grandson, "I've heard from Tea that you're still working on the puzzle. I'm surprised you haven't given up yet, it's been eight years."

"Yep, still going." Yugi nodded. "And who said anything about giving up?"

"I didn't." Solomon replied. "It just proves that you're my grandson. But that puzzle is beyond human knowledge. You may never solve it. Especially if you consider its history."

"History?" Tea asked.

"Yes." Solomon nodded. "I found the puzzle in a tomb with many traps. The two guides I had hired both ended up dying, both saying the same thing. 'The Shadow Game'."

"Uh, Yugi?" Tea asked as Yugi began to fiddle with his backpack. "That puzzle sounds dangerous. Maybe you should leave it."

"What's a 'Shadow Game'?" Yugi asked as he took the box out. "I'm curious."

"Look at the symbols carved into the box." Solomon said. "The one who solves me will receive my dark knowledge and power."

"I knew it!" Yugi exclaimed as he stared jumping up and down in place. "My wish will come true! Now I'm defiantly going to complete it."

"Well, if it's too hard," Solomon said, "let me know and I'll see if I can sell it."

"What?" Yugi exclaimed. "Never!"

"I'm teasing!" Solomon raised his hands in mock surrender as Tea rolled her eyes at the family 'squabble'.

Around 10pm, Yugi was working on the puzzle at his desk. Tea had gone home before dinner, thanking Yugi for the nice time she had.

Fiddling with a couple pieces, Yugi tried to get them to fit together, but they just didn't connect. Despite looking like they would, they wouldn't.

"I think that's blocking it." Yugi muttered. "Does it go here..?"

After more fiddling, Yugi's eyes started to droop, not noticing it was after midnight. With a sigh, his head rested on his desk, and Yugi fell asleep, one hand touching the puzzle.

Dream

Yugi watched as four people that he didn't know, in their late teens, stop in front of what appeared to be a prison cell. One of them had tripped.

A young man with gravity deifying star-shaped tri-color hair that was black, blonde, and tipped in crimson, along with lightning bolts streaks that went up his hair, tanned skin, an elaborately decorated tunic, gold cuffs on his wrist and arms, and gold earrings turned to the fallen one, who looked like the CEO of Kaiba Corp, Seto Kaiba.

"Cousin!" he said. "Are you okay?"

Two taller teens were snickering.

"You tripped over a bucket." said a spiky, wild, white-blond haired speaker with lavender colored eyes. He wore a simple tan tunic, a black belt, a decorated dark purple robe, elaborate sandals, and simple gold cuffs.

The one called cousin glared at the one who had just spoken.

"You would have to if you were walking in front of me and behind him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" the stalk white, semi-spiky haired man said. He had dark brown eyes, and was wearing a black tunic, a dark grey belt, a sleeveless blood red robe, sandals, and no jewelry.

"Your hair is the only thing we can see down here." cousin explained. "I was focusing on it so I wouldn't trip."

"No offense cuz," the tri-colored hair teen said, looking like he was trying not to laugh, "But I don't think it did much good."

"Thanks for pointing that out." cousin said sarcastically.

"No problem."

"I don't know if I should take that as a compliment or be offended and give a sarcastic comment back." White haired guy said, staring at cousin.

"Don't start." tri-colored hair glared first at white hair, and then at cousin. "We came down here to do something, so let's get it done."

Yugi looked around and saw four other people in the cell with him. One of them looked like Joey, the other two he didn't know; one had grimy white-blond haired and light lilac colored eyes, and the other had albino hair that looked more grayish black due to dirt and chocolate brown colored eyes.

Yugi could tell the same thought was running through their heads.

What in Ra's name where the four elegantly dressed people going to do?

Yugi turned his gaze back to the front of the cell just as tri-colored hair was helping cousin back to his feet. When tri-colored lifted his head, Yugi sucked in his breath.

The man had locked eyes with him.

Yugi had never before seen a more stunning shade of crimson.

End Dream

Yugi woke with a jerk, panting.

'It's that dream again.' Yugi thought as he looked at the puzzle, and picked it up, placing it and the remaining pieces in the box. 'At least I didn't shatter my progress in fear like I did last time I had one of those dreams.'

Standing, Yugi stretched his limbs and looked at his clock, which read 3:38 AM.

'How long was I asleep?' Yugi wondered and shrugged his shoulders as he tugged on his pajamas. 'Oh well. But falling asleep at my desk was a terrible idea.'

Making sure the pieces were in the box, Yugi crawled into his bed, and fell asleep.

There were no more dreams for the rest of the night.

At school the next day, Yugi yawned at his desk as he held his puzzle box at lunch time.

"Maybe I shouldn't have stayed up so late working on the puzzle." Yugi mumbled as he rubbed his eyes.

"Yugi." Ushio said from the doorway. "Would you come with me for a minute?"

Yugi nodded and followed the tall teen outside.

"Why do you want to see me Ushio?" Yugi asked as they rounded the corner which led to the back of the school.

"Just come with me Yugi." Ushio replied with a chuckle. "I'm sure you'll like this."

Yugi stopped and gasped at the sight of two people beaten and slightly bloodied leaning against the school, panting and groaning in pain.

"Joey! Tristan!" Yugi yelled as he rushed forward, getting stopped by Ushio's hand.

"What do you think Yugi?" Ushio asked.

"What is this?" Yugi asked softly.

"I told you Yugi." Ushio replied. "I will be your bodyguard. It's my duty to punish these bullies for what they do.

"No, it's just too cruel and horrible." Yugi shook his head and went to Joey and Tristan. "Are you okay Joey, Tristan?"

"Yugi, you brat." Joey grunted out. "I knew you were behind this. Are you satisfied?"

"I'm not." Yugi gasped at the accusation. "Why would I ask for something like this?"

"Move Yugi." Ushio said as he pushed Yugi aside. "I'm not done punishing them."

Raising his foot, Ushio kicked Joey in the gut, making him grunt in pain.

"STOP IT!" Yugi shouted and jumped in front of the two injured, arms spread out.

"Really Yugi?" Ushio questioned. "Why are you covering these jerks? You're a strange guy. Now's your chance to dispel any resentment and anger you have. Get your revenge. Hit them, kick them!"

"I can't do that to my friends!" Yugi protested.

"Friends?" Joey whispered weakly, not believing that's what Yugi believed him and Tristan to be.

"You're a rare guy." Ushio chuckled. "Most people hate those who bully them, but you call them your friends."

"They weren't bulling me." Yugi whispered, making Joey lift his head a little bit as he listened. "Joey and Tristan just wanted me to be a man. This punishment you gave is no good."

"Well, alright." Ushio conceded. "But you're a complete weirdo. By the way Yugi, it's time for my payment. Your total costs for my bodyguard fee is 200,000 yen*."

"200,000 yen?" Yugi repeated, not believing his ears.

"Well?" Ushio questioned as he chuckled again. "For 200,000 yen, you can hit them as much as you like. But who said it would be cheap?"

"…" Yugi panted softly as reality set in.

"Maybe you're unsatisfied because I didn't hit them enough." Ushio suggested.

"NO!" Yugi shouted. "You've done enough of that! If anyone is beating them up more, it's me!"

"Fine, have it your way." Ushio replied as he picked Yugi up by the front of his jacket. "But I'll leave you a bodily reminder to pay me. It's in my nature to hate bullying, but this isn't 'bullying'. It a 'warning'."

Ushio punched Yugi in the face before kneeing him in the stomach.

'Wha… what the…' Joey thought as he watched Yugi get hurt. 'He's always so quiet, never resisting, even when Tristan and I ganged up on him. Yugi… are you protecting us?'

"Well, I guess that's enough." Ushio said, staring down at Yugi's bruised and bloodied body. "Until tomorrow, when you bring my money. Remember, its 200,000 yen."

Yugi groaned and coughed. Who knew just breathing could hurt when you felt like you had been trampled by a herd of elephants.

"Believe me, this pain is nothing." Ushio continued as he pulled out a knife. "I could teach you the real meaning of pain with this."

'Ushio keeps getting more vicious.' Yugi thought as he watched the hall monitor walk away, laughing his head off. 'But what can I do? I'll never be able to beat him. The only thing I can do is pay him.'

Back at the game shop, Yugi counted out the money he had on hand, wincing as he moved his bruised body.

"1,656 yen**." Yugi sighed as he finished counting out what was left of his allowance. "What can I do? I knew I didn't have that big of an allowance, and I can't ask grandpa for the money either. What should I do? If I don't pay, he'll beat me again."

A faint clicking brought Yugi out of his musings, and he saw his hands working on the puzzle on their own accord.

"What is with me?" Yugi asked as he kept going. "How could I possibly be working on the puzzle at a time like this?"

But when a solution failed to come to mind, and as he kept working on the puzzle, Yugi found his mind becoming clearer.

"And if I do that, this piece will fit to." Yugi whispered as another piece fit into place. "It's a miracle. Suddenly I'm easily solving it. Even though I feel terrible, I feel like I'm going to solve this puzzle today."

A final click made Yugi stop talking, and he held the puzzle up at eye level. All that was missing was one piece.

"I did it!" Yugi gasped. "One more piece and it's done!"

Yugi reached into the box for the last piece, and paused when his hand met nothing but air and the golden sides and bottom of the box.

"It's not here!" Yugi exclaimed as he pushed aside the papers on his desk in an effort to find the last part. "No! The last piece is gone! I must have dropped it. But where?"

"I take back what I said." Tristan spoke to Joey as they walked around on the school grounds. "About Yugi having 'a loud voice, but no guts'. You can't tell what he's secretly thinking about."

But Joey didn't reply, he was looking down into the pool, where he had tossed Yugi's final puzzle piece the day before.

"I can't do that to my friends!" Yugi's voice protested in Joey's head as he looked at the water ripple gently.

"Joey are you listening?" Tristan asked as he turned around in time to see Joey dive into the pool. "What are you doing?"

'Without that part, the puzzle in incomplete.' Yugi thought as he ran as fast as his injured body would allow, the puzzle in its box in his backpack, and the sun setting. 'My wish won't come true. Please, be at school.'

"Hello Yugi." Ushio said once Yugi ran inside the school gates.

"Ushio." Yugi whimpered.

"You brought the body guard fee, right?" Ushio asked as he held out his hand. "That's a good boy."

"No." Yugi shook his head as he whimpered. "I just forgot something at school and came to pick it up. Anyways, I can't pay you…"

"Then I guess you need another lesson." Ushio replied with a mad grin.

"I did it!" Joey exclaimed as he resurfaced, holding the last piece, and swam to the edge of the pool where he pulled himself out. "I found it!"

"Why does it matter?" Tristan asked.

"I can't really explain it." Joey replied as he shook himself to relive some excess water. "It just does."

"Hey." Tristan said as he looked over the top of Joey's head. "Look. It's Ushio. And Yugi is with him."

"What?" Joey asked in shock. "We'd better go check it out."

"Ah!" Yugi exclaimed as Ushio hit him in the back, knocking him down for the last time.

"That's enough for today." Ushio said as he pulled out his knife again. "Tomorrow, I'd better see the fruits of this 'lesson', or you'll hurt a lot more."

Yugi could only whimper as Ushio walked away. He couldn't walk, much less even get home. How was he supposed to pay the fee he didn't have?

"Yugi!"

Yugi flinched as someone called his name. His ears were ringing so much, so he couldn't tell who was talking to him.

"Oh man." Joey said as he knelt next to Yugi. "Ushio really did a number on him."

"We'd better get him home." Tristan sighed. "We're no match for Ushio."

"Yeah." Joey nodded as he picked Yugi up, placing the last puzzle piece in his hand. "I'm sorry I took your final piece."

"I… I made a wish the puzzle… I asked for some true friends." Yugi whispered, his eyes closed and unaware that he was talking out loud. "Friends who would never betray me… whom I would never betray. Someone who would care about me, no matter what."

"You can't get any more innocent than that." Tristan sighed with a soft look in his eyes as he watched Joey carry Yugi.

"Let's get him home." Joey nodded, and they began the trek back to Yugi's house.

When Yugi opened his eyes, it was dark. He was also aware it was warm and soft, so he wasn't at the school anymore.

"Yugi." Solomon said as he saw his grandson awaken.

"Grandpa?" Yugi questioned as the old man helped his grandson sit up and eat some chicken noodle soup. "What happened?"

"A couple of your friends came and brought you home." Solomon replied. "They also said you were having some bully troubles."

"Oh?" Yugi questioned as he sipped the soup. "Who were they?"

"They asked for me not to tell." Solomon replied, noticing the change in subject, but let it go. "But they also brought something else they said was missing."

"What?" Yugi asked as his grandfather opened his hand to revel the last piece of the puzzle. "Where did they get that?"

"They said they found it in the pool area." Solomon replied as he gave Yugi the part.

"Thank you." Yugi whispered as he looked out the window. "Whoever you are."

Solomon left the room, slipping an envelope with 200,000 yen in it in the side pocket of Yugi's backpack.

After his grandpa was gone, Yugi stood up, grabbed his backpack, and pulled out the puzzle, not noticing what his grandpa had done.

"At last," Yugi whispered as he held the two final pieces, "the Millennium Puzzle will be completed. My wish will come true."

Sliding the last piece into place with a click, Yugi smiled as the puzzle lit up and slipped the rope attached to the ring on the puzzle around his neck. A small beam of light entered his body, his shadow lengthening, a mysterious eye lighting up where the forehead would be.

Yugi however was watching the puzzle itself. Its glow got brighter and brighter, until dark bolts of energy sprang from the eye, forming shapes of monsters around him, each one of them looking ready to kill.

Except one.

A small ball of fur brushed against Yugi's hand, making him turn to see a purple eyed monster with brown fur and green feet. Something inside Yugi clicked, and he knew what, or rather who, that monster was.

"Kuriboh?" Yugi asked, receiving a soft coo in reply.

With a roar, a dragon shaped monster lunged at the sixteen year old, making him scream as Kuriboh jumped in front of him, multiplying into many, and stopping the attack. But doing so left the faithful little monster unable to do it again.

As a ghost lunged at Yugi, who was holding Kuriboh, Yugi felt a strong pull on every fiber in his body, and his vision faded to darkness as another bright light filled the room.

YU-GI-OH!

When the light faded, someone else stood holding the Kuriboh. A young man with slightly tanned skin, tri-colored hair, (black base, crimson edging, and yellow bangs with three lightning bolt streaks), and crimson eyes surveyed his surroundings.

The monsters roared at him, but he just glared at them.

"Shadow Creatures!" the man said in a deep baritone voice as one hand grabbed the magic pulsing puzzle with one hand and held Kuriboh in the other. "Be gone, I command you! Return to the dark realm from wince you came!"

The Millennium Puzzle pulsed with magic, and then released it on the shadow creature, forcing them to retreat, and leaving the room empty again.

With a sigh, the man released his hold on Kuriboh, who cooed in delight.

"Nice to see you to Kuriboh." the man smiled.

"Woo?" Kuriboh cocked his head at the young man.

"You may call me Yami young monster." Yami replied, understanding what Kuriboh was asking him.

With a nod, Kuriboh went back to the realm of shadows, where it remained until its master called from him.

Smiling, Yami looked into the mind of the person who solved the Millennium Puzzle. A sixteen year old male named Yugi. Yugi looked like him, but apparently lacked some of the more masculine qualities that would prevent people from thinking of him as a child.

"Heh, heh, heh." Yami chuckled as he explored further. "So, some delinquent named Ushio has been causing trouble for you, eh? Well, I'll have to take care of that."

Yami pulled out Yugi cell phone and called someone who wasn't expecting a call so late at night while snagging the envelope with the 200,000 yen in it.

At midnight, a tall teenage walked into the schoolyard with a pissed off look.

"I can't believe Yugi called me and told me to come here." Ushio grumbled. "It's midnight, but I don't see him."

"Heh, heh, heh."

Ushio whirled around to see 'Yugi' sitting on one of the benches. Except, it was Yami, but Ushio didn't know that.

"Yugi!" Ushio snapped.

"Good of you to come Ushio." Yami smirked evilly.

"You'd better have a good reason for this Yugi." Ushio snarled.

"Don't worry." Yami snickered as he pulled a wad of cash out of his pocket. "I have your money right here. In fact, I have doubled the original amount."

"400,000 yen***!" Ushio exclaimed in excitement

"But since handing it over would be so boring," Yami continued as he snapped a rubber band around the wad, "we're going to play a game."

"A game?" Ushio growled.

"Yes." Yami replied. "But it's no ordinary game. It's a 'Shadow Game'. If you win, you get the 400,000 yen. How about it?"

"I have never lost a game!" Ushio boasted. "I accept."

"Very well." Yami nodded. "It's game time."

A flash of light later, Ushio found himself hanging off the side of the school; a rope was the only thing keeping him from falling into the pool. Yami was standing on the roof next to the bell stand.

"The prize is right here." Yami said, tapping a taped packet on the bell stand. "Here we go Ushio."

Yami jumped towards Ushio, the rope around his waist wrapped around the back of the bell stand and connected to Ushio, raising the bully up a few feet. As he slid down, Yami slid a pack of cards along the wall, one after the other in a straight line.

"The rules are simple." Yami said after he finished the small task. "We take turns flipping over these cards. The one person goes up by the value on the card, while the other goes down. The first one to the top wins the prize."

"I got it." Ushio smirked.

"I should add that a Jack is 11, a Queen in a 12, and King is a 13, and a Joker is a miss." Yami smirked back. "So choose carefully."

GAME START!

"I'll start." Ushio relied and reached for the line. "10 of Diamonds. Well Yugi, better prepare yourself."

Yami just kept smirking as Ushio counted 10 paces up the side of the building, and then reached for a card himself.

"I got an eleven." Yami said as he reveled the Jack of Diamonds.

"What!" Ushio gasped as Yami walked up eleven paces, and then drew. "Two of Spades. I'm catching up!"

"We can't have that now." Yami smirked as he drew again. "Queen of Spades."

"What?" Ushio asked as he slid down further, and quickly drew. "3 of Diamonds."

"9 of Hearts." Yami shot back.

"6 of Clubs." Ushio said, starting to panic.

"Jack of Spades." Yami replied, still smirking as the card put him one pace from the top. "What's the matter Ushio? Got nothing left?"

"Shut up!" Ushio snapped as he drew again. "This next card will turn things around! J-Joker? No!"

"Too bad Ushio." Yami snickered. "Joker is a miss. My turn."

"What?" Ushio roared in anger. "Don't mess with me. You fixed this game from the beginning, you pipsqueak!"

"Ace of Diamonds." Yami replied as he picked up his last card. "Victory is mine."

"Shut up!" Ushio shouted as he began to climb the walls.

"Breaking the rules?" Yami questioned. "If you do that, you'll face something terrible."

"Quiet!" Ushio snapped as he threw a punch at the shorter teen, who turned and avoided the blow.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to follow the rules." Yami said as he fell, not panicking.

"Fall!" Ushio roared as he ripped the rope with his bare hands, and turned to grab the 400,000 yen. "I did it! What?"

In his hands was not 400,000 yen, but a pack of cards.

"What is this?" Ushio asked in angry confusion. "This is not money!"

"Bab ul-zulumat futeh.****" Yami proclaimed in Arabic as the Eye of Anubis appeared on his forehead.

"What?" Ushio exclaimed as the bell stand broke tossing him into the pool.

Surfacing, Ushio swan to the side and pulled himself out. After looking around, he saw Yami hanging onto the roof with one of his hands.

"A Shadow Game shows a person's true character." Yami explained. "This eye can see nothing but what is 'in your heart', and your heart is filled with nothing but greed and the pleasure of hurting others. Penalty Game! Illusion of Greed!"

"Ah!" Ushio gasped in horror as the eye on Yami's forehead engulfed him, and then delight and money swirled around him. "It's money! Money everywhere! I'm so happy!"

"Let me tell you something." Yami said before he walked away. "If all you care about is money, than the object of your greed will be all that your eyes can see."

"It's money!" Ushio exclaimed as he began to jump up and down like a kid who just got a puppy. "Money! Yahoo!"

"Indeed." Yami nodded as he exited the school yard, knowing what was about to come. "If money is all you see, then this must be a happy ending."

"AAHHHH!" Ushio's happy screams morphed into ones of terror.

The money had changed into tube like worm monsters that swallowed Ushio whole.

GAME OVER!

The next day, Yugi yawned as he walked into the school yard, and saw Ushio curled up on the ground, whimpering before an ambulance took him away.

"Wonder what happened." Yugi muttered as he walked into the school building.

When he reached his locker, Yugi heard a group of girls gossiping about what happened to the bully.

"Did you hear what happened?"

"About Ushio?"

"He was in such shock he had to be hospitalized!"

"I heard that he could end up in a mental asylum if he doesn't snap out of it."

Shaking his head, Yugi headed towards first period. Pushing Ushio out of his mind, Yugi gently held the complete Millennium Puzzle in his hands, having no memory of what happened after he completed it the previous night.

"My treasure." Yugi whispered as he ran his hand over the smooth golden surface.

"Yo Yugi." Joey said from behind a corner.

"Good morning Joey." Yugi greeted.

"How are your injuries?" Joey asked briefly.

"Fine." Yugi replied, slightly confused to why Joey wasn't teasing him yet. "How about you and Tristan?"

"I feel fine and so did Tristan when I spoke with him earlier." Joey replied. "Yugi, I'm following your example. I also brought a treasure today. Want to see it?"

"Yeah!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Sorry." Joey shook his head with a mild chuckle. "My treasure… 'is in plain view, but you can't see it', so I can't show it to you."

'It's in plain sight, but invisible.' Yugi mulled over Joey's riddle. 'What's that mean?'

"It's 'friendship'." Joey said to Yugi's confused look.

"What?" Yugi asked quietly, not believing he heard right.

"Yugi and Joey are visible," Joey explained, "but our friendship, and courage itself, is completely invisible."

"Yeah!" Yugi agreed as a few tears came to his eyes.

'Why am I saying such embarrassing things today?' Joey moaned in his head, but kept his complaints to himself.

At that moment, the warning bell rang.

"Ah!" Joey exclaimed as he took off running. "We've got to get to class or we're going to be late!"

"Ah, Joey!" Yugi shouted as he took off after his new friend. "You dropped your shoe."

Watching from Yugi's shadow, Yami watched as his new light, his Hikari in the boys native tongue, chase after Joey.

'Well done little one.' Yami thought as he watched the two reach the classroom, where Yugi proceeded to give Joey his shoe back. 'Your courage when you stood up to Ushio the other day is what gave you your new friend. But I will never abandon you. Even if the world comes to an end, I will be there for you.'

*As of July 29, 2012, 200,000 yen is about $2,550

** As of July 29, 2012, 1,656 yen is about $21.10

*** As of July 29, 2012, 400,000 yen is about $5,095

**** Bab ul-zulumat futeh- The Door of Darkness has been opened. Thanks MissVipera for telling me the proper way it's said

Alverna: End of Chapter 1! My longest written chapter by far. 13 pages of Microsoft Word.

Joey: I've never read that shadow game before.

Seto: It's the Season 0 version, not the manga version.

Malik: Just remember, Alverna has content from the 'Yugioh Manga', 'Season 0 Anime', and a bit 'How did it come to this?' Chapter 3.

Marik: Chapter 1 has content from Yugioh! Manga Chapter/Duel 1, Season 0 Ep. 1, 'How did it come to this?' chapter 3, and a small piece from the 'Yugioh! Pyramid of Light' movie

Mokuba: Please Review!