Chapter 1 - A New Game

Seto Kaiba fell to his knees, the blue light of his duel disk fading.

Defeat. Again.

"That was the best duel I've had for a long time, Kaiba. Thank-you."

The same rich, condescending voice that had clawed at his brain for years. Kaiba stared at the red marble tiles in disbelief. He was so close. So close again. How had it happened again after all he'd done and sacrificed!

"Kaiba, please, get up. A man like you doesn't belong on his knees." Atem spoke over him. Kaiba reared up suddenly and stepped back.

I will not be patronised! Not by him, not by anyone!

"How?" he ground out, seeing his rival through a sea of mist. "How did you do it? I had you, I had you for sure, and again you managed to wriggle free!"

Atem laughed, the light catching off his gold ornaments. "It was close, we're more equal than you think."

"Equal?" Kaiba spat, the familiar rage curdling in his stomach, burning away his shock. "How is an unbroken string of defeats equal?"

Atem pursed his lips. "…There was Duelist Kingdom…"

"You know as well as I do if I hadn't threatened suicide your Celtic Guardian would have taken out my Ultimate Dragon!" Kaiba said, as the memory flashed up just as raw as the day it had happened.

"You did that for Mokuba."

"I know why I did it!" Kaiba retorted. "It doesn't change the fact that I've never been able to beat you in a fair duel! Do you know what I've done to get here, Yugi?" he said, reverting to the old name unconsciously. "The months I've spent to create this tech?" he gestured to his suit and duel disk, "the sacrifices I've made?"

Atem sighed. "I do know, Kaiba…Know enough that you've risked your life by coming here. Even now I can see that existence fading away. You must return soon."

"Return?" Kaiba sneered. "I'm not going back empty-handed."

"Only you could defy the very laws of the Universe to continue our rivalry and think you've gained nothing," Atem replied. "I appreciate what you've done, more than you can imagine, but I can't have you kill yourself for real this time just to defeat me."

Kaiba charged up his duel disk. "Think again, Pharaoh. I don't know what trick you used, but I will beat you and reclaim my title."

Atem sighed in disgust and turned away, his purple cloak flowing behind him.

"Is the great king running?" Kaiba called to his back. The guards glared at him but relaxed their spears at a glance from Atem.

"I can't believe after everything we've both been through, you have learnt nothing," the Pharaoh said.

"Tell me how you do it," Kaiba said softly, the seething bitterness returning, "how you manage to thwart me every time?"

Don't say it's because you're just better…he thought with anguish as Gozaburo's ghost stirred in his psyche. I can't…I won't accept that!

Atem shook his head as he turned back. A foot shorter but he still managed to look down at Kaiba. The effect was even stronger now that he was every inch a king.

The King of Games. That's what he was destined to be. Kaiba ground his teeth. But I make my own destiny!

"As a duelist I understand your frustration," Atem finally replied, his purple eyes fixing on his rival's. "I acknowledge our bond is fuelled by this dynamic. It's spurred us both on to great things. But you don't have to win at everything to be worthy. Look at what you have, what you're risking, just to be here. I'm dead, Kaiba. You must learn to let this obsession with victory go."

"As soon as I grind you into the sand of your kingdom, I will," Kaiba said, then lurched as he felt the pull of the Dimensional Domain Emulator. The world spun and Atem's worried face, framed by that ridiculous hair, phased in and out of view.

Kaiba forced himself stable by sheer will and batted away the Pharaoh's outstretched hand. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Atem snapped. "You're barely holding on. I can't believe you managed to make it this far to begin with, let alone duel."

"That's enough." Kaiba refocused his waning energy on his duel disk. "We play again."

"No," Atem said, and strode away towards the far balcony. "I will not fuel this idiocy. Thank you for the duel, you now have my permission to leave."

"Your permission?" Kaiba sneered as he followed him out.

The sensation of heat returned as an arid wind rose up, although cushioned in his suit, Kaiba felt it only distantly. The scientist in him longed to study that effect and all the questions it posed, not to mention the fantastical realm around him, but everything paled in comparison to his need for supremacy. An odd sense of déjà vu crept over him as he glanced out across the stunning vista. The city sprawled below them, thronging with people and beyond the sandy walls the desert loomed, bordered by distant mountains.

Was it true? Had he ruled this kingdom all those centuries ago?

Ruled for Atem, in Atem's shadow. Just like now.

His vision flickered again as the purple particles of his essence dissolved faster.

"You need to go." Atem glanced back at him. "Please. Whatever lingering feelings of enmity you have for me, Kaiba, I still consider you a friend."

"Touching," Kaiba replied, "we'll see if you still think that after I wipe the palace floor with you."

"And Mokuba?" Atem said, "what about him? Do you realise that time flows differently in the Afterlife? You've lost months in the material world and he's spent them wondering if you'll ever return."

"He'll survive," Kaiba said, crushing the guilt welling up in him.

"Brother, make sure you come back!"

"But will you?" Atem retorted. "You're the one that told me to stop living in the past. Yet here you are threatening that bright future you used to brag about at Battle City."

Kaiba snarled, forcing his emotions back in check as he summoned his first five cards. What's the use of dreams if I can't move on, he thought. Can't you see why I have to defeat you? "Draw, Pharaoh!"

"No," Atem repeated and grasped the stone ledge, gazing out over his kingdom. "You asked me the reason why I always win against you despite the fact that we are equal. Or in your case, superior," he added dryly.

"If you say it's some Heart of the Cards crap or destiny-" Kaiba cut in.

"It was that at the time," Atem overrode him. "Our level is the same, but my reasons for duelling have always been deeper than yours. Despite everything, you're still duelling with hatred and jealousy in your heart."

"I let my adopted father go at Battle City," Kaiba said, "I helped you then and after. I helped Yugi call you to defeat that fool Aigami."

"And yet you still can't let go of the need for some paltry win over me," Atem smiled sadly. "You think some title means anything? You have someone that loves you, vast wealth, and abilities that can transcend space and time themselves!"

"You have all that and more." Kaiba gestured at the palace around them and the court that peeked through veiled colonnades.

"I wonder about that…" Atem's challenging smirk was back but a hint of sorrow remained. "You're luckier than you know. Enjoy life while you can, it's over faster than you can imagine."

The heat shimmered next to them and manifested into a figure. Kaiba stepped back, raising his first card in anticipation.

Is he summoning a monster at last?

But Atem hadn't activated his primitive duelling gauntlet, he didn't even seem aware of the figure resolving beside him. An all too familiar figure.

Gardner! Kaiba thought, his eyes widening. Whether by the Duel Links system or more likely some magic trick of Atem's, Yugi's Number 1 cheerleader solidified, wearing the garnish pink and blue of Domino High. She smiled, blue eyes shining in an even more sickly adoring expression than usual, before the image rippled. Her skin became darker, her outfit a royal purple robe that clung to every curve, attenuated by golden jewellery that would have made Ishizu Ishtar blush.

A crown too, Kaiba noted, his eagle eyes taking in every detail. His lips curved into a smirk as he glanced back at the morose Pharaoh still staring out over his domain, toying with a simple silver necklace.

Gardner? Kaiba's smirk threatened to become a laugh. Téa Gardner's your one regret?

His blood quickened, thoughts racing, as he let his duel disk power down, prized cards winking out of existence.

Perhaps it's time for a new game…

"What's that expression for?" Atem looked back at him with suspicion.

"Nothing." Kaiba crossed his arms. "Maybe you're right. Perhaps I should take your advice."

"…Good," Atem murmured, not quite hiding his surprise.

"After all, there are things I've been neglecting in my life," Kaiba said, turning away as his smirk grew.

"What do you mean?" Atem stepped after him, then jerked, noticing the image of Téa just before it melted away.

"Oh you know…" Kaiba strode away from him through the airy audience chamber, "…the fairer sex for example… Speaking of which I see no queen to grace your court, Atem." He glanced over his shoulder at the Pharaoh who was now following him in irritation. "Couldn't find anyone good enough in the Afterlife?"

"I don't know what you thought you saw, Kaiba, but let me tell you-" Atem began, all surety, before Kaiba gleefully interrupted him.

"I should go. By the way, I'll be sure to give your regards to your friends, especially Gardner. Although I'm not sure how grateful she'd be, since according to all reports you abandoned her and the rest of them without a backward glance."

"That's not true!" Atem said as he pushed in front of Kaiba. "I'm not sure what scheme you're planning, but leave Téa out of it! She's been through enough without being dragged into some petty contest for you to prove yourself."

"'Been through enough?'" Kaiba replied, triumphant. "Everything Gardner and the rest of your little crew have been subjected to has been because of you. And then you left them. You preach to me about friendship and love, and yet all you did was use them to get your memories back before ditching them. So much for your precious bonds."

Atem's eyes widened, his face anguished. "…No," he whispered and Kaiba savoured the quiver in his voice, "that's not how it was!"

"Really?" Kaiba grinned. "Did you dare yourself to see her face, Pharaoh? Because knowing her, I bet she was crying, heartbroken that the man she'd sacrificed everything for left her."

That look of pain and guilt was glorious. Yes, this game was much better than Duel Monsters.

"Well don't worry," Kaiba said as he pushed past the forlorn king to the towering double doors, "I'll take good care of her. She'll forget you soon enough."

"Don't you dare!" Atem cried, grasping his arm and spinning him around.

Kaiba instantly broke his grip, throwing his arm to the side as Atem brandished his Dia Dhank with the other.

"So now you want to duel?" Kaiba said, his eyes alight. "Too late, Pharaoh. Like you said, I really should be going."

"This is beneath you, Kaiba," Atem replied. "Call yourself a true duellist! You can't defeat me with cards so you've going to take it out on Téa."

"But I'm only taking your advice," Kaiba smiled innocently. "Now I think about it, she really is quite attractive and Mokuba already likes her." He shrugged and resisted another urge to laugh as Atem's dark face grew red with fury.

"Leave her alone! I'm warning you, Kaiba!"

"Or what? You've left the mortal realm, haven't you, Atem? he said as he activated the Dimensional Domain Emulator with a thought.

Kaiba felt the electric chill of power race through his body as the Emulator began to summon him back.

"Tell me, can you see everything that happens in my dimension?" Kaiba continued as he began to dissolve into shimmering atoms. "Or will I have to get Gardner to scream my name even louder so you can hear?"

His last sight of the so-called Afterlife was a fuming Atem reaching towards him with impotent rage.

Author's Note: I've had this idea in my head on and off for the last few years since seeing the Dark Side of Dimensions movie and Tron Legacy one after the other. Plus I really wanted to see if I could work in canon Azureshipping in a post-DSOD verse. Rating will go up ;)

It's a broad mix of the manga and anime, and although stays within the Dub world, takes a lot of characterisation from the Sub. But because it's inspired by primarily from DSOD which is a continuation of the manga, Kaiba was NOT there at the Ceremonial Duel because this has a direct effect on his characterisation in DSOD.

I haven't decided where Domino is so I've kept it vague. TBH this time I didn't want to mess with Japanese honorifics etc despite having used them in previous fics. I also don't think Death T happened in this verse because I find it really hard to reconcile the gang accepting Kaiba after he tried to torture and kill them multiple times lol!

For those that have seen Tron Legacy (I recommend it, esp if you are a Kaiba fan because he would be so into that world/tech) the Games scene where CLU watches the Sam/Rinzler fight is something I can very much imagine Kaiba doing as he controls Téa's virtual experience. Search for the scene on Youtube if you want just that moment.

Reviews give me life :)