From now on updates will hopefully happen every two weeks, sometimes more and sometimess less depending on how much real life decides to be an arse.

The description of the game is a bit long and can be tedious for anyone who isn't interested in it but I wanted for people to be able to learn how to play just by reading this so... sorry and you're welcome, I guess xD

That is Yugi's pov at the end, I will be mostly writing from Tesem's perspective since that is what I am more comfortable with but I'll sometimes jump to other characters for the sake of the plot~ I'll try my very best to keep everyone true to character but feedback in this regard is always helpful.

The rectangular box that was both a case for the game pieces and the board itself was tucked at the bottom of her suitcase. Neglecting to turn on the lights of her room Tesem blindly fished it out and promptly returned to the living room holding the item like it was the most precious thing in the world.

As she sat at the opposite side of the low table and began to arrange the game Anzu, Honda and Rebecca approached to have a closer look.

"That is really pretty." Said the brunette girl, casually perching herself on the arm of the same couch Tesem was sitting on.

She smiled in reply. Indeed it was a pretty thing, built of good sturdy wood and artesanal faience. The 30 squares that made up the board in three rows of ten were made of vibrant turquoise tiles, six of which possessed special symbols painted with the utmost care. The playing pieces were of a darker shade of blue, two sets of five which she placed alternating between the two in the top row, the taller cones and the shorter spools. There was also a set of four throwing sticks carved out of dense wood, clean on one side and painted black with a small golden scarab embellishment on the other.

"Do you know the rules?"

"Not really." Jonouchi admitted with a deep scowl.

"Vaguely." Yuggi added as he eyed the board. He looked engaged and serious and she was surprised by how much a focused expression aged him up. She had to admit that it suited him nicely even if she was unlikely to ever voice such a thought. They were after all little more than strangers and the nearly obsessive need to keep an eye on his artefact due to the outrageous notion of being watched, of it watching her, was overwriting every other notion about the boy, good-looking as he may be.

"Alright listen carefully. The board has three rows of 10 squares each. The point of the game is to get all of your pawns to the end and out of the game. To achieve this you must take turns to throw the sticks which you can see have a blank side and a painted side." She displayed the items in question. "They work very much like a dice. When you throw them the number of sticks that land painted side up equals the number of squares you will be able to move one of your pawns. If all sticks end up wood side up you can move five squares."

She leaned in closer and drew a zig-zag path on the board with her finger starting on the first square at the left of the top row and moving to the far right, then from right to left on the second row and once more from left to right in the last. "This is the direction all pawns must follow. Every turn you must move a pawn, forward or backward, if you are unable to do so your turn will be skipped until you can, only 1 pawn can occupy each square at any given time-"

"Wait, but this is basically a luck based race to the end, right? Why would you move backwards?"

"Jonouchi! let Tesem finish explaining, geez."

She chuckled lightly and shook her head, lifting a hand to stop their bickering from escalating. Watching them was both cute and amusing, she could really get used to it. "Even something largely luck based has room for strategy." Something in the blonde's eyes glinted at that remark but she pressed on leaving the need to satisfy her own curiosity for another time. "Sometimes to move forward you have to take a step back. This game has plenty of tricky rules to push players to follow unusual tactics."

She picked a cone and a spool and placed them in the middle row, one square away from each other. "If you threw a two here you would have the choice to change your pawn's place with your opponents'" And she did just that, exchanging the places of cone and spool on the board. "It wouldn't be possible to do that if there was another of the enemy's pawns next to it, an ally protecting it." She grabbed another cone and placed it next to the first one. "You would still be able to jump over one or two gathered enemy pawns if you rolled a high enough number, however if your opponent aligns three or more in a row this forms a blockade and blockades cannot be jumped."

She placed the pieces back where they had been and proceeded with the last rules. "Now about the special tiles..." She placed her finger in the only adorned one in the middle row, the number 15 from start to finish. "This one is called The House of Life. Even if your pawn stands alone here it cannot be switched by your opponent, it is a safe spot." Her finger slid down to the last row and hovered over square number 26. "This is the House of Happiness. From here your pawns can leave the board if you throw a 5 or they could move on to the next Houses, this is also a safe square." She moved on to the next square, number 27. "This is the House of Water and it is a trap." Her icy gaze flickered up to the purplish eyes that were startlingly focused on her instead of the board. Had their hue changed the slightest bit? She blinked and turned away. It couldn't be. "If you land on this House you are forced to return to the House of Life."

As for the last three… She moistened her lips and placed her index, middle and ring fingers in each of them. "These last ones are The House of three Judges, The House of two Judges and The House of Horus." She couldn't help but say the last name with some level of reverence. Although still uncertain about her own religious background she was pretty sure that the respect for the Old Gods of Egypt had been engraved into her being at some point. She swore by them and deep within her heart she hoped that they were listening. "Once landed here a pawn will not be able to move forward unless you throw the exact number required for it to leave the board. These tiles aren't protected, not even with allies next to them and if your opponent were to steal your place your pawn would instantly fall onto The House of Water and be sent back to The House of Life. If during your turn your only possible move is to send a pawn standing in these squares backward it would also fall in The House of Water by default and well, you get what happens next."

She leaned back, satisfied with her thorough explanation of the rules.

"Interesting…" Said the blonde with his eyes closed and a hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. He was trying to look like he had understood perfectly but not even Tesem was fooled. Even if she hardly knew the guy she could already tell that he was a 'fake it till you make it' sort of person.

"Yugi and Tesem should go first. I'd love to see an actually interesting match before the night ends." Honda interjected, effectively aggravating his friend who turned to give him a dirty look that would have surely been replaced by a fist had Yugi not been seated between them.

"Sounds good to me."

Anticipation settled in the pit of her stomach as she seized the bunch of throwing sticks and offered them with an open palm, inviting Yugi to grab them. "The youngest must throw the sticks first, then the other, whoever gets a higher number picks their pawns and starts the game… I am pretty sure that I am older." There was an amiable taunt hidden in her words, its purpose clear, coaxing out the boy's competitive side.

She succeeded in more ways than she could have predicted.

Every single hair in her body stood at the same time and a gold reflection blinded her for half a second, making her head tilt to the side and her eyes close to ward off the sudden assault.

A warm brush of skin upon her palm had them snapping open again only to widen in shock at an impossible image.

Yugi, but was it really Yugi? He grabbed the offered throwing sticks with a cocky smile upon his lips and an expression that screamed of overbearing confidence. Eyes like swirling merlot never left hers, not for a second. It took her a moment to adjust and be able to return that stare with equal intensity.

He threw and his mouth curled further in satisfaction. Four sticks fell painted side up. He was basically guaranteed an early advantage. Why did the angle of his smile make it look like such a thing wasn't just a lucky throw?

She stole wayward glances at their companions as she gathered the sticks for her turn and ended more than a little surprised upon seeing that they didn't seem to notice the change at all. Anzu did seem a little stiffer in her perch, mindful of her posture, and the adults had both ended their conversation to look at the game... but that was it. Nobody said anything much to her dismay.

How could they not see it? Yugi at face value was a sweet boy, timid and handsome in an almost cute way. The man sitting across from her may have worn the same clothes and shared many of the same features but he didn't feel the same. By the gods, his physique had changed drastically as well, he was taller if only by a couple inches, clearly fitter when he removed his uniform jacket and scooted to the edge of his seat... and those eyes, they had been round, innocent and of a pretty violet colour but now they appeared sharp, calculating and were unmistakably of a totally different shade.

She released the sticks and heard them clatter but did not need to look to know she had lost the roll for the first turn.

"Nice one Yug." Certainly Jonouchi didn't look like he noticed anything amiss. It could be a trick of the light or maybe she hadn't really looked well enough at Yugi to notice these things before- but oo, she had, so closely it was almost embarrassing. Now she possessed an inkling as to why, her gut feelings had never been wrong before. There had to be something else going on.

"You go first then. Cones or spools?"

"Cones." He smugly said and deftly threw the sticks for his first turn.

Tesem tried not to visibly jump at how different his voice was. It had a reminiscence to Yugi's boyish pitch but remarkably deeper and laced with such arrogance that if anyone had to blindly guess who that was they would likely never pick Yugi as the source. A small part of her brain suggested how alluring certain words in her birth language could sound spoken by that tongue but she instantly recoiled from the notion, startled by how alien it sounded in her own mind.

Focus. The game had begun and for some reason the outcome felt important, like they had more on the line than just their pride. Icy blue eyes narrowed and she followed up with her first turn.

.oOoOoOo.

It was an interesting match to say the least. After admitting to being an inexperienced player she expected her opponent to struggle to find his footing during the beginning of the match but no such thing happened. A strategy, staged intricately and definitively beyond the capabilities of a novice started to become evident after his first couple of moves.

He aimed to create the first blockade, a risky move but one that would greatly hinder her advances if he was successful. The hard set of her jaw was a dead giveaway of the fact that she would have favored such a strategy had she had the chance. He was good, too good.

He managed to advance two pawns and group them together, leaving her no other choice but to try and race ahead before he could entrap all of her pieces in the first row. With her pawns terribly scattered as a result she was forced into a hard offensive to level the field. Within minutes they were both sitting at the edge of their seats, brows furrowed and eyes locked on the board where a downright war broke out.

"It is uncanny how evenly matched they are."

Someone commented in the background. Although Tesem didn't quite catch who she had to admit that whoever had said it the statement rang true. For every pawn of his she sent back he was there to block the advances of one of hers.

For the longest time their echanges were even and it appeared that after all Jonouchi wouldn't get his turn that evening. There were historical records that told of Senet matches that lasted hours and even days at a time. Someone was bound to get the upper hand on the other eventually but even then the struggle to decide a winner could stretch indefinitely.

That someone happened to be the one supposed to be playing this for the first time ever.

A rushed exhale of air whistled through her teeth as he landed his first piece in the House of Happiness.

"Your strategy is impressive for someone who claims to have never played before." It was hard to keep the bite of an accusation off her words. He had just gained a major advantage over the game and although she was in general a level-headed player her mouth already tasted sour from the possibility of his deceit and not just his supposed ignorance of the game's rules. People were entitled to their secrets but his had the stench of destiny all over them.

"I guess you could say that I adapt quickly."

"That is the King of Games to you." She hummed, somewhat annoyed that she couldn't sense dishonesty in his speech right away. "Choosing one of the oldest games in existence to flaunt your skill."

He smirked amusedly at that. "I was merely curious."

"We do appear to share a fondness for things that belong to ancient times." She quirked an eyebrow at the golden pyramid and his expression became warded instantly, his smile dissolving to leave only his prevailing scowl. That minuscule chink in his armour was encouragement enough. A hidden truth felt finally within her reach and she wasn't about to back down on it.

The tips of her fingertips tingled as she gathered the sticks. When she threw them it felt like the weight of fate had fallen upon the motion. She glanced down and her mouth twisted into a perfect copy of his earlier smug smirk. All blanks, a five spot move.

Such a lucky number gave her ample options in a game such as theirs. The possibility to move ahead the piece that had fallen behind because of his expertly placed obstructions or the chance to strengthen her defence in a way that would effectively delay his game. Certainly those were the best choices to achieve her victory but an impulse of the moment had her hand reaching for the pawn in the 25th square and in a swift move placed it in The House of Horus, a step away from leaving the board but also an extremely vulnerable spot especially after he had just secured the House of Happiness.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise and he looked at her like she had lost her mind but the glare full of intent with which she regarded him pinned his smart tongue down.

"Senet represents the travesty of the Ka as it travels to the afterlife." Her eyes drifted across the board and her expression became almost tender. "Although the game is played by two people this isn't considered a battle between mortals but rather each individual's judgement from the Gods who shall in the end determine the victor."

She handed him the throw sticks and her digits hovered over his palm. "Your artefact displays the eye of wdjat, a symbol of judgement. Do you take it upon yourself to gauge the heart of all those you play against?" Do you intend to play the role of a God?

He seemed to consider this for a moment, taken aback by her forwardness before he regained his cool. His answer came level and measured. "Games can reveal a lot about a person, their light and their darkness. Their secrets." His vibrant gaze sparked with that last part. The sticks clattered, they both looked down watchful for a four, he got a 2 instead. Her eyes softened. Or are you merely curious like all mortals are?

"I do wonder what you could be hoping to find out about me. I know so little myself." Honesty, it burned on its way out but it felt necessary. "Just know that I'll take your prying as an invitation to do the same thing." Clatter and then silence. Her smile upon seeing a single painted face-up could make a cheshire cat blush. Horus' verdict was favorable and her first pawn was out.

She chuckled, feeling giddy from an early taste of victory. There was more she wanted to say but she was content with letting the symbolism of the moment carry the message for her. A statement, and more than that a warning. I will not be judged by you, no matter who you are. You aren't God.

Their gazes clashed, the fire in the violent shade of his eyes a more subdued version of hers. His was cold where hers flared passionately and untamed. She had gained progress that couldn't be undone but the game was far from over and already the path to victory was laid out before him.

Long slender fingers brushed the side of the pyramid. Should things be taken to the next level then?

"Children. I am loath to interrupt but it is high time we left if you are all to get home today."

It was as if a bubble burst and suddenly all those present were reminded that a reality existed beyond a simple game. Tesem and Yugi surprised each-other by sporting similarly disgruntled expressions before they noticed each-other's undignified faces and simultaneously turned away to regain their composure.

Nevermind the presence of magik and a blooming rivalry that carried the undertone of past misdeeds and a desperate quest for the truth. In the eyes of the elders they were mere adolescents, inexperienced and easily caught in the momentum of their own actions. Arthur and Sugoroku shared their understanding with a passing glance and rose to their feet together, urging everyone else to do the same with their movements alone. Such was the respect sages of this era and all that came before commanded, nobody argued.

Tesem sighed and stood, her motions mimicked by this older-looking version of Yugi.

"Too bad. I hope we get the chance to finish what we started soon." Spoken with his deep voice those words rang like a threat, one she wasn't about to leave unanswered.

"I am looking forward to it. You play a good game." People around were saying their good nights and goodbyes, gathering their belongings or helping tidy up quickly before leaving. Tesem inched closer, casually leaning forth to say something in a way that looked amiable but that only they could really hear. "Perhaps then I'll learn who you are, truly."

The widening of his eyes was barely there but it was enough to leave her satisfied for the night. She turned away for one last cheerful exchange with Anzu while the boy with spiky hair shrunk in on himself and regained that sweet and mildly shy disposition from before. Had she not been in a room full of people who may not appreciate the gesture she would have rolled her eyes at the obliviousness everyone showed. The change occurred in the blink of an eye but it was still evident, right in front of everyone.

She couldn't conceive the reach of human disbelief and didn't yet realize that she was aided greatly by a spare pair of unsubstantial eyes that keenly looked for the differences everyone else missed. Eyes that found them incredibly nostalgic and infuriating as they teased forth memories that weren't yet ready for disclosure.

Her cool gaze followed Yugi, the true Yugi, to the door and beyond where he eventually disappeared with his friends and his mysteries.

That was fine, she could wait for the world's honesty for as long as it took. She had finally found a thread to tug on and this realization brought her more happiness any gaming triumph could.

.oOoOoOo.

"You were strangely interested in Tesem-chan, mou hitori no boku."

Lit only by the moonlight that seeped in from the ceiling window the room was at large shrouded by the calming gloom, one which the young boy may have found eerie years before but not now, not with his friend and other-half lingering at the edge of his consciousness, reassuring in his familiar presence.

Yugi was lying face up in his bed, arms folded behind his head and eyes fixated thoughtfully in the ceiling, its blue hue appearing dark grey in the absence of light.

I am sorry aibou. There was something I had to find out. I hope I didn't ruin the evening too badly.

Yugi shook his head lightly, turning to look at the spirit who had materialized a transparent and intangible form by the foot of the bed. "Not at all. Everyone had fun as far as I noticed but I think they also found it weird how a casual game got so competitive in the end. I think Jii-chan noticed." That was probably why he had hurried their departure even if they were still within curfew for a get-together between friends.

He made a short pause, inviting the inhabitant of the puzzle to speak. When he didn't Yugi sat up and pressed the matter further. "What bothered you about her? I thought she was nice enough, a bit reserved but I believe we all hit it off in the end." He felt no need to add that he, much like Jonouchi, had found the girl particularly appealing to the eye, the mere thought brought a guilty blush to his cheeks. Luckily his mind partner was too distracted to really notice.

The spirit in question sighed and finally answered, his lips moving but his voice resonating only inside the vessel's mind. Do you remember when we duelled Bakura at Duelist Kingdom? He didn't need to look to know Yugi had nodded. I noticed something was wrong even before he summoned a shadow game but at the time I doubted myself and decided to wait… I- I sensed the evil in him but reacted too late and you and our friends were attacked and put at risk because of that.

It was hard to disguise the regret he felt through their shared bond and thus the projection didn't bother turning away when Yugi leaned forth to rest a reassuring palm on his shoulder (or rather let it hover over it) and took a better look at the man's face.

"What happened wasn't your fault and we made it out ok thanks to your and Ryo's determination."

The other Yugi closed his eyes and allowed himself a half-hearted smile. You are right. The problem now is that I sensed something very similar tonight. The choker Tesem was wearing emanated an energy almost identical to the ring's.

"Could it be another ancient artefact?" Yugi had his own suspicions from the start but he wasn't as quick a judge as his other half. The symbol wrought of gold that encircled the girl's neck was too similar to the imagery associated with the Sennen Puzzle and Ring for the resemblance to be just a coincidence, but he had figured that perhaps the eye of Anubis was a religious symbol that had survived into modern times and wasn't as rare a sighting as one could first assume.

His grandpa had rambled on and on about his excursions to Egypt since he was a little kid. Perhaps he should have enthused more about the cultural aspect of it all. He would feel less clueless about these signals then and perhaps he would be less dependent on his other self's cunning when spotting incoming trouble.

I am not sure but I cannot forget what that man said.

"Shadi…" Yugi remembered the warning perfectly. There were evils scheming to go after the puzzle, for power or for revenge. No matter the reason he wouldn't let them, no-one would take his friend away from him if he had anything to say about it. Fear and the prevailing worry for their loved-ones wellbeing weren't enough to sway his determination. "You really believe Tesem could be after the Puzzle?"

It is possible. A pause and then eyes of the deepest crimson met Yugi's gentle violet. She noticed me, she knows that you and I aren't the same.

Well that was a surprise indeed. So far no-one had given any hint of figuring out the existence of his second persona at first glance. Most usually assumed that Yugi was that much different when playing anything, readily accepting that his title as King of Games was enough to boost his confidence to the roof. They weren't exactly wrong but not even in his best day would he ever come close to showing the same swagger as the spirit when he possessed him. Jesus, he wished that he had the same ability to make a single-hand-on-hip pose look as manly and flawless as his other self did... Anyways, the fact that she figured it out was troubling because it made it more likely that she indeed had some form of link to the shadow magic of the Pyramid or some previous knowledge about the item which so far was a characteristic all their villainous opponents shared.

"That is…." He didn't find the words, Yugi was properly vexxed now.

Don't worry aibou. Just be careful. I'll take care of the rest.