Disclaimer: No dice.

Never thought I'd be doing 3 fics at once, but then, you live and learn.

Anyway, this is a story created by Blue Eyes White Knight and tweaked by yours truly. We've each given our top OC's: BEWK his main hero, and myself, my ultimate villain.

Not much else to say save let's get started.

Chapter 1: Somewhere Along the Line

An apartment in San Francisco

"And in international news, the Battle City tournament has finally come to a close. This elite and massive event, orchestrated by none other than former World Champion duelist Seto Kaiba, is considered by many to have been the single greatest Duel Monsters event ever held. Duelists the world over were consigned to take part, but only one has emerged to take the championship crown. And that person is none other than Yugi Mouto, who has once again defended his Duelist Kingdom status."

All around the world, in many different languages and dialects, duelists were tuned into the results from the latest Duel Monsters tournament. It did not matter to them who had won, what cards they had used, or that they themselves were not deemed worthy of entrance; what did matter was the final result of it all. Many cried, cheered, laughed, and danced as bets were tallied and figured out. The whole of the dueling world was set afire.

However, a handful did nothing but flip past that part of the news, as a certain blonde-haired man did at that moment.

For Kevin Hunter, the events of Battle City did not really have much of an effect on his everyday life, seeing as he himself had not been invited to it, or any other prestigious tournament for that matter. But then, being related to Mai Valentine sort of played out like that. The case would have been the same with any famous duelist; they would soak up the glory whilst their relatives were left in the shade.

Still, cousin Mai is a good person, if a bit ego-crazed. She did let me stay with her, after all…

Sometimes he worried about her, but like her overshadowing of him that was a given. He knew quite a bit about her life as a cruise casino girl and a prize duelist, and he was also aware that she had had problems with men in the past. But in the end she was tough enough to outlast it.

Hopefully she would come home from the finals soon.

Cold tin and the fizz of carbonated sweetness filled his mind, and as he started to make lunch all thoughts of Mai were pushed out of his head. She would be ok; hell, Joey had called only an hour ago to confirm that. Luckily for Kevin's sanity, he had carefully avoided the topic of her incarceration in the Shadow Realm.

A much darker contemplation was now beginning to emerge in Mai's stead: why he had not been able to enter the Battle City tournament.

He had proven himself time and time again; why, then, had the orphaned bastard not allowed him to enter? It wasn't even a question of skill, for the son of a bitch and his snot-nosed pissant of a brother had refused to even look at his application.

"Damn him…damn that son of a bitch…"

His anger mounted as he began to see red. For whatever reason he could hear his voice, sense his presence. Every nerve tensed like a superheated coil as his wrath festered, a wrath which manifested itself in a vein throbbing near his temple. Heartrate and brain activity, had they been monitered, would have shot through the roof.

But he did not notice. All he could see was his face, that smug and arrogant face, laughing at him forever.

You'll never amount to anything, Hunter. You're like Joey Wheeler. Correction, you're lower than him; even he was able to enter and survive Duelist Kingdom, even if it was luck that allowed it. But you, you can't even last one round against the most basic of duelists. And you have the nerve to ask for permission to enter MY tournament? Sorry, but I only allow the best of the best, and it's safe to say that you don't fit that category.

Kaiba, I've more than proven myself worthy of entering! If my cousin can enter, then so can I!

Don't make me laugh. You're nowhere near as skilled as Mai is, and even if she gave me a personal letter of recommendation, I still would not let you enter. You would be nothing but target practice.

Kaiba, let me enter! I know I'm ready!

Sorry, but I've made my decision.

Ok then. Perhaps you'd like to duel for the decision…

Something snapped. He was not sure whether the catalyst was the sudden slam of a door or the sound of the television that was still on, but he did know what happened next.

"KAIBA!"

The table flipped upwards and onto the floor, its contents spilling all over the kitchen as he picked up a chair and began smashing it against the refrigerator. Blood began to seep from between his fingernails as he vented his anger upon the place.

He still saw the memories…

Before his very eyes the grandiose dragon let fly a roar of unspeakable power, one that unveiled its true lineage of the gods.

"Did you really think that you could defeat me, Hunter? You are nothing but a mouse, a disgusting vermin that has no right to be in my ultimate dragon's presence!"

The leg snapped off in his hands, and although Kevin did not notice, the rest of the chair flew into the cupboard. In a mad frenzy he rushed into the living room, eyes wild in anger.

"This is the end of your career! Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, attack his life points directly!"

Three orbs of raw destructive power formed in the jaws of the wyrm, each full ready to demolish the youth their master had targetted.

"No! This isn't happening!"

Kevin locked eyes with the dragons, begging, screaming for mercy before the attack fell.

And when all was over, Kevin had collapsed to the ground, able to continue no longer. (Kevin: 0/Kaiba/3500)

The name Kaiba was often mentioned on the news networks of America, and as fortune would have it that same name was listed on the channel that Kevin had left on. So in his frenzied state, it should come as now surprise that he began to bash the television screen with the chair leg.

"You couldn't have beaten me. I want a rematch."

Kaiba's face indicated no such fortune as he deactivated his Duel Disk.

"Sorry, but a deal's a deal. Now, I have a tournament to run, and I don't need to listen to you blubbering all day. Roland, send this loser home."

Kevin did not even attempt to fight back as he was lead away by Kaiba's liason. All he could think about was his loss…until he shrieked out one final declaration.

"I'LL BEAT YOU SOME DAY, KAIBA, EVEN IF I HAVE TO DIE IN THE PROCESS!" His violent streak continued on and on as the apartment felt the wrath of Kevin. Lamps, sofas, chairs, all were either shattered or overturned in his wake, and he did not even notice any of it…

A few hours would pass before Mai Valentine returned from her flight.

"Kevin, are you here? I'm back from…HOLY SHIT!"

The violet-clad heartthrob of the dueling world opened her door that night, only to find her apartment in shambles. Now, normally she would have thought it a break in, but she only needed to look at the floor to see the true culprit.

For there, in the midst of all the wreckage, was her cousin Kevin, hand bleeding from when he had punched through the window and face drenched in the tears of restless sleep.

"Oh, Kevin. It's not going to be easy, not for a while…"

There was nothing Mai could do except sit next to his broken form and stroke his face. His pride was all he had, and she knew that the defeat he had suffered at Kaiba's hand would not be overcome for a long time.

But he would overcome it eventually, and if the rumors she had heard where true, then it would be sooner than he thought…

To Be Continued

Ok, as always my openings suck. But I'm on sort of a deadline here.

Anyway, next chapter we learn of a whole new Battle City tournament, and this time there won't be any crazed tomb keepers. However, that is not to say that there won't be another dark presence…

Ok then. See ya next update!