Shatterpoint

Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh! and all the characters herein belong to whomever and I am making no monies whatsoever. The plotline belongs to me and me alone, and all the original characters (meaning those you have never seen before) belong to me.

Author’s Note: This is purely fiction. I hated the way they ended the series and if the series had been mine it would have been chocked full of slashy goodness. But alas, it is not. Anyway, this takes place after Atemu has traveled to the Afterlife. I have also used the Yin-Yang symbol and its meanings for the sake of story with some tweaks. Oh, the other thing, the Egyptian Gods and Goddesses make cameo appearances.

Beta’d by the most wonderful friend I have ever had in my life. God knows where I would be without her input, late night giggle sessions, and vanilla coffee! Thank you, my Darkwatch.

Normally the Yin is the light side and the Yang the dark; I have switched them for sake of the story. The different meanings of the Yin and Yang apply to each of the characters, but I had to switch them.

Yin- (the Dark Side of the symbol) Yami
Yang- (the Light Side of the symbol) Yugi

Italics – thoughts.
. . . italics – flashback
Speech – bold speech is the speech of a spirit.

Author’s Thanks: Thank you to those who read and reviewed, it warms my little fangirl heart to hear your thoughts. The story is presently finished and I’m waiting for my beta to recover from a small injury before I post the rest of the chapters. But it is finished. No, I will not tell you what happens. But I will answer a few questions for you now.

To usmorgan: Thank you for reading and responding for both. I’m wondering who you think Yuugi should end up with, but I think you already know.

To Yaminisu: The most unlikely person sent the package to Yuugi and for the record, it is no one already mentioned in the anime, but one of the Egyptian Gods. You’ll see. And yes, Yuugi has lost his little mind, and is in a semi-catatonic state, so you were right, he is seeing things and hearing things that aren’t there. Fixing it, is going to be fun.

To Whipblade: WHIP! I know you’re not a Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan but thank you for reading my stuff, girlfriend!

To Senna Fuuma: Stay reading, it gets very very interesting.

To Blaze Lupin: It’s going to be an emotional rollercoaster that’s for sure. Hope you stick around. Thank you for commenting.

Summary – The Nameless Pharaoh, Atemu has passed into the Afterlife where he belongs, but what he has left behind is something no one could have seen coming. Yugi, alone and missing a piece of himself has returned to Domino City a mere shell of who he was...will his friends be able to pull him out or will he reach the shatterpoint?


Shatterpoint
by TheDarkSynfulLegend

Chapter Two – Shared Pain


Standing alone, the semi-transparent figure stood quietly, watching the pool of the Afterlife, where the Pharaoh Atemu had finally come home after five thousand years of being trapped in the Millennium Puzzle. Dressed in a linen top that showed off the golden skin of his arms, circlets of obsidian stone encircled his biceps, an obsidian belt engraved with symbols was around his waist and he wore white linen pants to complete the look. With sandals on his feet, a hooded cloak concealed his features though if anyone could see beneath it, the eyes were glowing gold. The mist over the pool parted, showing the images within.

. . . “you must say your name to enter the gates of the afterlife, my Pharaoh.” One of the women in the group was speaking. The one she called Pharaoh stepped forwards and stood before the great eye of wdjat which was pulsating with an inner power.

“I am the son of King Aknamkanon and my name is Atemu.” The great doors of the afterlife groaned then the sound of scraping stone echoed through the chamber as they parted …

Another shape shimmered in, and walked over. Clad in a beautiful gown of azure linen, and an ornate headdress decorated with gems, she had a sad look in her luminous orbs and he wondered why. He held out his hand to her, “Ba-pef.” He acknowledged her presence.

The one he called Ba-pef joined him at the pool and gazed into it. “Osiris.” She replied with great respect. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, Soul Goddess.” he intoned, before continuing. “The Pharaoh has returned to his place in the afterlife. I was…watching how he managed to achieve this.”

Ba-Pef smiled sadly, “Yes, but at what cost to those he left behind.” She inquired, gazing deeper into the pool. “He is leaving his soul behind.”

Osiris looked confused, “what do you mean?”

“Look, Osiris.” She said softly as she waved her hand over the pool once more.

. . . The doors parted, stone scraping as figures appeared in the mist, one of them was waving happily and the Pharaoh Atemu walked through. Yuugi watched him as he walked through the light, watching his clothes change from those he wore everyday into those of his station as Pharaoh it made Yuugi’s heart skip a beat in his chest . . .

“What am I looking for, Ba-pef?” the lord of the dead inquired as he watched the scene that laid out before him. “I do not see anything out of the ordinary.”

“Watch the young man who looked like the Pharaoh, Osiris.” Ba-Pef replied.

. . . It was too late, he was too late. It was hard enough letting the best half of himself go, but harder still that he had never told him how he felt. Yuugi turned away from the door as the stone scraped again, the doors closing slowly. A single tear traced its way over his cheek; a lone diamond on his skin in the illumination from the door as it sealed shut . . .

“The boy?”

“Is the soul the Pharaoh was destined to be with for all of eternity.” She said softly, “Because it was Yuugi who finally solved the Millennium Puzzle, it was his soul that was bound to the Pharaoh Atemu. It bound them in ways neither one was prepared for, they share each others emotions. This is the way it should be for soul-mates. In every lifetime, they find each other again, but in this one…The Pharaoh’s leaving has left Yuugi in a state where he does not know who he is anymore.”

Osiris tilted his head a bit to the left, “share their emotions?” He inquired.

“come, let me show you of what I speak, Osiris.” Ba-pef said softly as he led the other God to her chambers. When he reached her chambers, he paused. “My chambers do not bite, Osiris and nor do I. Come.” She continued, pulling a curtain aside that led to her inner sanctum. Osiris walked in and looked around, noticing the warm colors and the tablets that covered the walls.

“Are these?”

“Soul-Mate tablets.” She said joining him, and smiling gently. She passed by several, each tablet had a figure or two engraved in them. There were couples of all sexes and some of the tablets had one full figure and one that was half in. “Those with the half figure means they have discovered their soul-mate and are either in fluctuation or resistant because they do not believe.”

~*~*~*~

Atemu walked through his palace, servants and even his priests stayed out of his way as they sensed that he did not wish to be disturbed. He traveled through the various rooms until he came to a room that he had not seen before; it was guarded by two sphinxes. “May I enter?” he asked one of the sphinxes whose head turned towards him, gazing at him for a few moments. Atemu was wearing a blood red cloak around his shoulders which was attached to a wesekh; golden circles were around his biceps, and his wrists. His hips were covered and graced by white linen pants and his feet were encased in slippers.

The sphinxes rose and yawned before returning to their unwoken state and allowed Atemu to pass. The door before him was engraved in strange hieroglyphs, and he reached out with a tanned hand and fingered the symbols. Passing his hand over a peculiar set of symbols, they glowed briefly and the door opened before him. The chamber had a golden floor and pale gold walls, but the floor was littered with puzzle pieces and other games. “Yuugi…” Atemu whispered venturing deeper into the chamber before he was struck with a painful blow to his heart.

Clutching his bare chest right over his heart, Atemu stumbled and fell to his knees; his entire form trembling like a leaf in the wind. There was no one in the room, no threat and Atemu wondered where the feeling had come from. As the pain subsided a bit, Atemu climbed back to his feet and gazed around, and suddenly images flashed before him as though pulled from his own thoughts.

. . . He felt hands on his back, shoving him out of the way of the green seal that was closing in on him. He stumbled forwards and turned around coming face to face with Yuugi. “I won’t let this happen to you!”

“Yuugi, no. What are you doing?”

“It only needs one of us, so I’m letting the seal take me.” . . .

Atemu remembered the innocent pain in Yuugi’s eyes, as he let the Seal of Orichalcos take him. And it took everything Atemu had to take another look at the images that swam before him.

. . . He could hear Yuugi’s friends calling his name and he struggled to hold back the tears in his eyes as they all asked if he was alright. Climbing to his feet, he could feel the tears streaming out of those crimson orbs. “No, its far from alright. I didn’t outsmart him and he succeeded. Yuugi is gone.” He said, not bothering to wipe the tears from his gaze as he opened his crimson eyes wide and stared up at the skies above.

“How are you talking to us, if he took your soul?” Jounouchi inquired as he was confused.

Atemu shook his head, as the rage began to boil in his very soul. “not mine, he took Yuugi’s. and its all my fault.” With tears streaming down his face, he collapsed to the mesa and pounded the ground with his fists, “It’s not fair, Yuugi come back!” . . .

A lone tear traced its way down his cheek as he wiped it away angrily. I gave into the darkness in my soul and it cost me, Yuugi. I was so selfish. Yuugi sacrificed himself for me but I do not understand why. He pushed me out of the way, giving his soul to the seal instead of mine.

Mahado approached quietly, “My Pharaoh?”

Glancing over his shoulder he looked to the priest that was his friend for so long since they had been small children, “yes, I am here.” He replied, clearing his throat and getting to his feet.

“What is this chamber?”

The faintest smile slipped over Atemu’s features, “This was my Aibou’s room.” He said, blinking at the look of confusion on Mahado’s face. “when I was locked in the Puzzle, it was a young man who solved it and released my spirit. Within the puzzle when I rested, there were two rooms, this one is his. Though, I’m not sure why it is here.”

Mahado nodded slightly, “Perhaps you cannot let him go.”

“I did, my friend, I came into the afterlife and took my place where my spirit could finally be at peace.”

~*~*~*~

Ba-pef sighed as she walked through the tablets searching for one in particular. Upon finding the one she wanted, she placed her hand on it and sighed softly. “He must hurry, if he does not, one will be lost forever.”

The soft sound of footsteps behind her, she turned, “Ba-pef I have come to speak with you.”

“What can I do for you, Isis?” she asked, bowing her head to the Queen of the Egyptian Gods. She waved her delicate hand over the tablet clearing it from the one that she had presently been observing.

The Queen of the Egyptian Gods smiled tenderly, “I came to see how you were doing.” She started to speak but paused at the almost knowing look in the Goddess of Soul’s eyes, “what?” Ba-pef narrowed her shimmering gaze, tilting her head to the side. “oh fine.” Isis said, throwing up her hands, “I spoke with Osiris.”

“Ah.” Ba-pef replied with a knowing grin. “Did you wish to see the state of the two souls in question then, my Queen?” She waved her hand and a portal appeared before them, showing them Atemu who was still in Yuugi’s soul chamber.

~*~*~*~

“Perhaps, your spirit is here, but you don’t want to be here…do you my Pharaoh?”

Atemu looked up, his crimson eyes liquid with unshed tears, “I . . . I do not know.” He replied, as pain ripped through his very soul.

“My Pharaoh?” Mahado inquired as he moved towards his fallen comrade and placed a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “what is wrong?”

“I pain, and I cannot for the life of me figure out why.”

“I do not know, my Pharaoh. Perhaps you should speak to the Gods.” Atemu was about to shake his head when more images swam through his thoughts. A vortex opened, white lightning crackled around the perimeter as the dark swirling hole grew lighter and the images began to shine.

. . . After Yuugi’s soul had been taken by the seal of Orichalcos, Atemu returned to Rebecca and Anzu, his eyes downcast and shaded. When the two girls were told that Yuugi’s soul was gone, Atemu broke down his entire form shuddering in revulsion. But what was he repulsed by? . . .

“You look very despondent, my Pharaoh.” Mahado spoke softly. “I do not think I have ever seen you in such a manner before.”

. . . “This whole thing is my fault. I was the one who unleashed the magic that took Yuugi. Yuugi warned me not to play the Seal of Orichalcos and I did not listen to him.”

Rebecca started to cry and pounded on Atemu’s chest in the vision, saying that if he knew that the card was evil and played it anyway then he was not a brave Pharaoh. “you knew!” she accused him, “It should have been you!”

Atemu couldn’t bring himself to comfort her, and watched as she turned to Anzu for comfort. He spoke, “I’m afraid she’s right. I let everyone down, especially my partner. My rage blinded me, taking control and all I could think of was winning and he paid for my mistake.” He paused for a moment, “he’s gone and its my fault.” . . .

“I had lost something very special to me, Mahado. My aibou paid the ultimate price.” Atemu began to realize that he could always sense Yuugi’s thoughts and feelings but something had always managed to elude him. How had he missed that? That feeling of purity and light, the only thing that eventually saved him from the seal of Orichalcos. His soul was missing a large piece, it was the lightness in his very soul that only Yuugi could bring him.

“My Pharaoh?”

“I could not control my anger, and because of it, I lost my best friend.”

“What will you do now?”

“Petition the Gods.”

~*~*~*~

“It appears that he will be coming to us sooner than we thought.” Isis said as she glanced over at Ba-pef, watching as the Goddess of Souls dispelled the images before them and brought up the Soul Tablet belonging to the Pharaoh himself. The stone tablet’s image was one of Atemu in the garments of the Pharaoh, next to his doppelganger who was only half visible in the stone etchings.

“Yes, my Queen. He will come.” She said softly, “we should prepare for him. You know who we will need.”

“Yes, we shall gather in the temple.” She said and with a swish of her linen gown departed from the Goddess of Soul’s chambers.

~*~*~*~

“I must go alone, Mahado, I cannot ask you to go where I must.”

“Until the next life, my Pharaoh.” He said, and the two of them embraced with the warmth of brothers. “I shall miss you.”

“I will return, someday.” Atemu replied as he headed out of his palace to the stables, where he asked for his horse to be brought to him. The stable boy saddled the horse and held it so that Atemu could leap onto its back. Handing the reins up to the Pharaoh, who took them with a smile, and nodded, “you have my thanks.” He said before turning the horse, who whinnied and reared only to bolt out of the pillars of stone and into the desert sands.

They rode hard and fast through the burning sands of the desert, the horse making up the distance of miles in the long strides of his legs. The city of Heliopolis, the city of the Sun God, Ra, awaited him. Atemu could see it in the distance, glittering like a diamond in the light of the setting sun. Upon his arrival, he dismounted from the stallion and glanced upwards at the large temple that loomed before him. There were six obsidian sphinxes lined along the way, and six pairs of eyes came to life, glowing a deep red color.

There were two steps between each of the sphinxes, each inlaid with gold and engraved with a name, and as he made his way slowly up the steps, he spoke the name of the step he crossed, “Ptah, The Creator.” The stone beneath his sandal warmed beneath his foot. He took another step, “Osiris, God of the Dead.” As that one warmed, the two sphinxes he past, their eyes stopped glowing and returned to the normal stone.

“Ba-pef? The Goddess of Souls.” He said, his steps drawing him closer to the temple entrance. Why is she here, I wonder, she is not normally of the Ennead. There are not even nine steps to the front of the temple…how odd. He thought to himself, continuing on his way up the steps, “Isis, the Great Queen of the Gods.”

He paused for a moment as he stared at the last two names, the last two steps that would lead him to the temple of his destiny. “Amun, King of the Gods and Ra, The Sun God.” He said reverently as the last two steps were now behind him. Atemu crossed between two obelisks, each of them engraved with hieroglyphics that gave advice and named the previous Pharaoh’s before him. His crimson eyes gazed upon the names for a moment, focusing on one in particular; placing his hand reverently on the name he whispered, “Father.”

Believe in yourself my son, I am always with you.

Glancing upwards, he smiled and continued on his journey, passing two colossal statues of Pharaoh’s that came before him. A small narrow hallway that glistened with the light of the sconces, the soft glow illuminating the murals of the Gods of Egypt as he made his way past. The light was growing brighter as he maneuvered down the stone hallway and he paused upon the entrance to a grand courtyard, where six figures stood waiting for him. “By the Gods.” Was the sharp exclamation that passed his lips; his crimson eyes widening.

“You have come before us, young Pharaoh, Atemu. And we have been waiting.”

~*~*~*~

Author note: As always, please read and review.