Yugi watched as the Sky Dragon curled around his building. It was not a dream. At night the God Cards could come alive if they sensed their own near; also they could not be seen or heard by anyone except the wielder of their card. It appeared that Osiris had thought to see what happened. The red beast tapped on the window, prompting Yugi to get up and open it, coming out on the roof where Osiris came to be eye level with the Half-Angel.

"You are my new master?" he questioned.

"Yes, but call me a friend. I'm Yugi."

Osiris' expression was odd with his two mouths, but to Yugi it was bewilderment. The dragon then roared a throaty laughter that caught the boy off guard. When it stopped, Yugi wondered if this was a dream. The streets were quiet and lights in homes remained untouched. Osiris sniffed Yugi with his snout and the bottom mouth smirked as the top mouth frowned.

"For my creator gave me to a child like you, he will pay when I am freed. It is insulting to have my new master be so naïve and….small, even for a regular person."

Yugi glared at the beast, "I'm small but I can hold my own. I've done so for most of my life, only recently have I had any real help. So, don't think because your big means I'm less than you."

"Why not?" said Osiris, in a bored tone. "I could crush you now, boy. I maybe still trapped in this world but my powers are good for two attacks. What could you possibly do to me?"

"Nothing. I don't want to hurt you, unless you give me a reason to and I need your help."

"Threatening your life is not good enough. And what "help" could a child require of me, a God Card?"

"No," Yugi headed back inside, "you are not the first to try and hurt me because you think I'm weak. And your help is to save a world and people who I love."

Osiris glared in his own way as the child closed the window, ignoring him. With one swipe of his claw he broke the boy's skylight, shattering the glass.

"YOU INSULENT LITTLE BRAT! HOW DARE YOU-"

He stopped when he saw that the boy-Yugi-did not flinch at the shattered glass or the dragon yelling at him. Yugi got up from under the covers, mindful of the shards. His eyes glowed with defiance at the Sky Dragon.

"So, to you because I'm small you can disrespect me, my home, and break my sky light. Osiris, you don't like me, I can tell, but when I free you, we will never see each other again, I hope. Now, get back in your card, I need to clean up."

Osiris did as told. Yugi collapsed in his desk chair, thankful that there were no shards. When he got up, he used his magic to fix the skylight. The shards danced as they reconnected to each other, forming the windows and the frames bend back into place. Handling Osiris was more taxing than he thought, but at least he got through the first encounter. The dragon made him think of all the bullies he had to deal with; when ignored they got violent. Osiris was no different. Yugi finished and felt drained. He crawled back into bed and let the night take him to sleep, tomorrow he had school.

The Next Morning

Yugi found his friends waiting outside of the gates for him. He ran and embraced them. Going to homeroom the group found the class in low spirits, the lack of luster from returning to school hours. Yugi sat at his desk and went through the day in normalcy, until lunch.

He kept his thoughts in the back of his mind, but as he came upon the tall man sitting alone with his lap top, he gulped. Kaiba had belittled him and treated him as an unworthy rival. But, what the man said back in the maze, "….just remember I like you and…I'm glad."

"Seto," he breathed. The man glanced at him and motioned for Yugi to follow. They walked up flights of stairs and reached the roof. Kaiba leaned on the gate fence.

"Haven't I've been punished enough," he said.

"What?"

Kaiba gave a heated glare to Yugi. "You took my title and ruined my life. Whenever you're around I want to scream at you," Kaiba left the fence and crossed his arms, looking away from Yugi, "You're so damn nice and try to be everyone's friend, even if they treat you like crap, don't you dare deny it," Yugi closed his mouth and Kaiba went on, "And now, of all the things you have done, you marry a freak and join this delusional world-"

"Seto, there are other things at stake here, please let me sp-"

"Don't call me that!"

It was quiet as Kaiba went to Yugi and kneeled in front of him with a blank expression.

"Don't pretend you care," he said softly, "Mokuba is why you tolerated my company and now you have friends, real friends. You have completely shattered all that my step father put in me. I…thank you for that. I know that man you married cares, but of all the people you could have, why him not me?"

"I love him, that's why," Yugi's eyes became misty.

Kaiba leaned in to Yugi. He saw that the man was going to kiss him and pushed him away. Kaiba was not dissuaded, he grabbed Yugi's wrists and held on as the boy tried to escape without hurting him. Kaiba took advantage of his height and strength, attempting to pin Yugi down. However, since his change, Yugi had grown stronger in physical attributes.

A tug of war went on as the two struggled in the hold, Kaiba going in close to Yugi's face as the boy wondered if he were to break his neck turning it too far. It came to a stop when the CEO embraced Yugi's waist, pinning him to the graveled roof. Kaiba put his weight on Yugi to keep him still.

"Seto,no."

Kaiba came close to Yugi's face; the boy felt the man's breathing on his neck.

"Please," Kaiba buried his face in the crook of Yugi's neck, "let me have this."

Yugi shut his eyes closed and summoned his tsurugi, he could use it to poke Kaiba in the side and run. Then the weight of the man came off and Yugi shot up from the ground to see Atem and Kaiba punching each other. Yugi was confused and then he saw Red in human form standing next to him.

"A wee bit awkward, eh, Angel."

Yugi did not respond. Atem threw powder at theKaiba and he went down.

"Sleeping powder, of course, not too much; it'll last five minutes then he'll awake, memory intact," Red explained.

Atem came over, embraced Yugi kissing him breathless. Yugi blushed puce. He let go and panted as Yugi took in air.

"Enough was enough. I cannot let that man think he could just take anything from you."

"Atem, what would you have me do? I won't do anything to hurt him, and I can't avoid him. I need to enter in that tournament."

"I know, Yugi, I know. Just, next time, don't be alone," Atem hugged his wife. Yugi clung to him trembling a little. His Angel side understood Kaiba's motives and he knew that the man did not give up. Would one kiss be so bad? Yes, it would.

Red coughed, "We need to leave."

Atem let go of Yugi, "The Shadow Realm is closed, all portals are sealed tight, and no one can get in or out. I can move a bit freely because I am king as can the others, but only for a few minutes. Yugi," he put his hands on either side of the boy's face, "stay wary. Pegasus informed us that the third card is missing. Those fiends will be looking for you and the guardians if they detect high levels of magic. Keep it down and don't fly in the city. Make sure Hiroto-"

"You need to leave," said Red as a portal appeared.

"and Shizuka fly only in the woods."

"I will. I love you."

"I love you too."

They kissed and Atem left. Red stood there and handed Yugi a large package.

"Thought you might want to have some of the Angel's old junk, his essence might remind you of what this is, and his room is starting to smell."

He was gone.

Yugi checked his watch. Not even ten minutes had passed. Lunch went for another fifteen. Yugi took out the bento box he had and started to eat. The roof had no snow, so it was not so bad. Kaiba was perched on the gate sitting up. He opened the package that Red had given him and inside were records. He saw the title of a few, all musicals. Kaiba came to, Yugi froze.

"What should I do?" he thought.

Kaiba got up and left. Not another word.

88888888

Under the sakura tree, Yugi and the guardians sat eating lunch. Spring had come early this year and March opened with blooms of all sorts. Rumors of the Kaiba Corp. tournament had spread in gossip magazines and news casts, duelists whispering about it and wondering if the King of Games would enter. However, the group had to concentrate on who they interacted with; one of Dartz's best spies, Hermos, had warned them that the fiends were probably stalking around Domino and stalking them since December after the maze appeared because of the large amounts of magic and attacks used. And as it stood, new students had joined Domino High along with teachers.

"So, when is the tournament to take place?" asked Shizuka to lighten the tension.

"I'm not sure," said Yugi quietly. He sat in the middle with his guardians encircling him. Shizuka and Ryou to his sides and the others on high alert like Marik who hid his dagger. "What I do know is that I got a note this morning saying to be in Domino Square tonight at nine. Ryou, did any of you get one?"

"Yes, me, Marik and Mana. We were also given directions to a shop that has something we need."

"What?"

"A Duel Disk, but you can just lend us yours for practice."

Yugi furrowed his brow, "Actually, I think you're going to need your own because Kaiba Corp. changed them. Here, I got one with the note," he reached into his bag and pulls out the device. To the guardians it is a large watch shaped thing with two mismatched wings. "I don't know how it works yet, I didn't look at the instructions, but I guess it's similar to the original."

"Let me see!" said Mana, grabbing the Duel Disk. She inspects it by twirling it in three directions and feeling the texture of the metal. "Well, it's a lot more complicated than the one you have."

"Yeah, I heard from the gossip that other duelists received the same note, except I'm the only one who got the disk. I…wonder why?"

"That jackass still holds a flame for you," signed Marik.

"Dude, take that back, Yugi's got enough problems without worrying about that-"

"Hiroto! Don't call him that, he's not so bad," argued Shizuka.

The three continued the discussion, Mana and Ryou putting their two bits in; Ishizu was quiet as Yugi looked around the yard and spotted the man in question.

He had not talked to Seto Kaiba since the roof incident. Yugi also noticed Mokuba did not ride in the same limo as his brother anymore; Kaiba was smirking in his direction. He held up his fingers in a v for victory. Ishizu noticed. Both grimaced at what that meant, Kaiba then left.

Three Days Earlier

Seto lost again to the computer simulating a duel. He had replicated a deck like Yugi's, without Exodia because that was thrown overboard before Duelist Kingdom, and punched the metallic wall not caring if it broke his fist.

"Dammit, why can't I beat this."

"Kaiba-sama."

"What!"

The men in the lab shivered, however, the head one continued, "Sir, there is a man here to see you. He's in the lobby and won't leave till you come out. He says he has something you need."

Seto growled, nonetheless went to meet the foolish mand. He had been on rages since the roof with Yugi. Mokuba even hid from him. It was also payback because Seto had forbid any contact with Yugi Motou. Letting off steam by yelling at a stranger was a good idea for the moment.

Kaiba came into the lobby and found him in a cloak sitting on the couch with a hooded young man.

"Listen you," the man nodded as the boy was unresponsive, "whatever it is your selling I can do without, so-"

"No, no, no, Mr. Kaiba," his accent suggested American and his speech was brutish, "I am here to give you a card. A powerful card."

"I speak English fluently," Seto snarled, "and your Japanese is terrible."

"Good, well this card could be the key you need to defeat Yugi Motou. Here."

Seto looked at the card, it was real as he could tell and by the description of it was indeed powerful. But, business men do not take handouts.

"What's in it for you?"

"Why nothing, except my associates and I gamble quite a bit and it would be good leverage to know the little King of Games were to lose."

Seto's eyes widened. He snarled again and grabbed the man's collar.

"Fixing the game you son of a bitch, why I ought to have security come down and get you. I don't like doing too much heavy lifting before tournaments."

He then felt a poke in his stomach. The hooded boy held a machete to Seto's right side.

"Remy, put it away. Now, you listen, Mr. Kaiba, Yugi possesses a card as powerful, if not more, in his deck. You have Obelisk the Tormentor, whereas Yugi has Osiris the Sky Dragon. So, either take this gift and try to win or we'll give it to another. I have heard good tales of Marik Ishtar."

That got Seto, he let go of the man's collar and shuffled the card in his deck.

88888888888

"He took the bait," said Grendy, one of the techs for the fiends.

"Quite easily, just look at him laughing. I'm not surprised if this makes him feel alive; just see the way he destroyed his most powerful beast, Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."

The three men watched from Kaiba Corp.'s camera as Seto used Obelisk for the first time. The youngest, Remy sighed bored. He did not like this plan one bit, although he had nothing else.

"Sweet Jesus, he keeps laughing," said Grendy, "That boy's psycho."

"Yes, this is why the higher ups are using him as a patsy. Oh, and Remy, you have Ra?"

"Yes."

"Alright, now remember we made copies for you to distribute to the semi-finalists. When you get there just give it to the one that fights the king's whore and then your duty to us is over."

Remy nodded. After this mission he was going to die.

88888888888888

Domino Square

Yugi sat in wait for…something. The square was filled with duelist from Japan to the Americas. Two Yugi had met personally and hated: Dino Ryuzaki and Insect Haga; there were some good ones, like Ryouta the Sea Faring Duelist. Also, there were others that had gained a reputation, like Esperoba the Psychic, and a man known as "The Mime." They gathered in the square anticipating for the arrival of Seto Kaiba.

"When will be here?" asked Mana.

"I don't know, but he better not be wasting our time." Marik signed agitated.

Ryou nodded while eating his ice cream. The four duelists sat in silence, then a low humming was heard and the wind picked up. Right above the crowd a helicopter hovered with their host in the door way. On the screens his face appeared with a smug expression.

"Greetings duelists, welcome to the town of Domino, and most importantly welcome to my tournament. You all received your note and instructions to Kaiba Corp.'s Battle City Tournament and that you had the guts to show up."

At this point the crowd started to shout at the screen and the man.

Kaiba continued, undeterred. "Being that you are all elite duelists, I've added special rules to my tournament. One: you must all have a new Kaiba Corp. issued Duel Disk. Two: you will receive a blank card with the disk. The card is part of a map, and you need to collect six to qualify. Three: losers give up their rarest card."

The crowd jeered again, Yugi squeezing his deck.

"This tournament will make Duelist Kingdom a joke. Don't forget to register, exactly one week from tomorrow Battle City begins."

The crowd cheered at this amped for the new challenge. Yugi and his friends looked up as the helicopter started to leave. Kaiba made eye contact with the Half-Angel. Yugi saw Kaiba's motives, want and jealousy. He also had a bad feeling.

"Master, my brother Obelisk is near," whispered Osiris.

"Guys," they turned to Yugi whose face was set in a scowl, which resembled a bad pout, "Kaiba has Obelisk the Tormentor."