What if the entire show of Yu-Gi-Oh! was actually a game? Not just the card game but almost everything? Saving the world, penalty games, mind crushing, Yami being a nameless pharaoh, all of it is just a large game.
Keeping that concept, what if Yami and Yugi were brothers? Kids tend to see those a bit older then themselves as people to look up to. Yugi would look up to Yami and Yami would be a loving big brother who looks out for his kid brother and plays along with his games because that is what makes Yugi happy.
What if Seto and Mokuba were adopted still but Gozaburo Kaiba wasn’t a total dick? But him being an abusive asshole was something everyone else assumed because he was a stick in the mud with perfect grades who dressed differently from everyone else? Maybe Seto is pissed at him because Gozaburo did commit suicide and left him in charge of it, further causing him to lose while little of a childhood he had left so earily.
What if Blue-Eyes White Dragon was rare but not only four in existence? What if the gang just acted like it was that rare because they never seen more then that before? Seriously- would there only be one Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon card in the world since there are supposedly only four Blue-Eyes?
Kaiba probably is known for his though since he loves the card and won tournaments with that combo while most people just favor other cards.
What if Duelist Kingdom was a tournament in general? No soul stealing, magic, Shadow Games. All that is imagined to make it seem more fun for the gang.
Pegasus finds out and plays along because he loves games! The imagination is delightful and he wants in on their fun. Grandpa is safe, he’s just off in a side room waiting for it to be over because he was dragged along like an adult to an anime convention. Little interest but his grandson is excited, so why not? Mokuba isn’t kidnapped but he joined against Seto’s wishes and that is what brings Seto there.
Pegasus isn’t dead by the end but the gang pretends he is because they know they are most likely never going to see him again.
Mmm… Battle City!
Seto isn’t playing along at first.
Malik and Marik are twin exchange students but their sister and step-brother tagged along to keep an eye on them- or something similar.
They want to play with Yugi’s gang and there is Spring Break coming up. A tournament is happening during it and they are going to it but they don’t have a ‘villain’ to go against and Malik volunteers. Marik wants to after he hears Mali is going to but he wants to work on his backstory first. He’s critical on details while Malik just goes on the fly. Later they talk and Marik and Malik have a great idea but while Marik is ironing out details, Malik is off dueling other people and scheming with Bakura on their role and how to fit into the game.
Overprotective siblings go with as someone has to supervise so Malik makes up a story as to why Rishid is always at his side. Rishid later fills Ishizu in on the amusing game they are playing and she agrees to go along with it but they really want Seto to join them like he used to- back during Season Zero where he was the ‘bad guy’ and essentially the Game Master before he got pulled off to learn more about Business and how to better run the company he inherited.
Marik’s grand reveal of his character, which was nearly forgotten since he had been absent up until then, is when Malik is being dramatic and subtilly acting in pain off to the side. Marik then tells him he needs to amp it up and so Malik starts screaming before tagging Marik and he steps out next to them. The two of them had a script they worked on together and speak in unison which draws all their attention to them. Eventually Malik steps down and Marik is left talking in his brother’s place. Little is revealed, bit by bit over time… The game is fun but as Marik wins games and others end up dropping out, he does a side monolog of what he claims is happening to them for losing.
Marik’s descriptions are terrifying. They all secretly love it but have to keep playing the game.
Ugh- I have so much more to theorize on but I doubt anyone is actually interested.
Damn…
I am Terra 