So...the gist of this is "let's write a Satellite!Yuma AU lol"

But then it turns out I can't seem to write Yuma without Astral. *shrugs*

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or Zexal.

I Told You So

By Bilbo-sama

At first it bothered Jack that nobody else could see the strange white being hanging around the Yuma boy Martha recently took in.

He watched as the being (who was referred to as Astral by Yuma) would watch the children learn how to duel and give out pointers to Yuma even when the boy would yell at him to shut up because he totally got this when in reality his six year old opponent is kicking his ass.

And since Yuma would always appear to be talking to thin air, the older children in the orphanage traded theories that Astral was either a ghost (even in death he is stuck in this hell hole), an imaginary friend (but...this kid is nine), or a sign that Yuma was slowly cracking from living in Satellite (who wouldn't?).

All Jack knew that being in proximity of Astral made his birthmark itch.

One night, Jack found the two alone. With this opportunity, he asked Astral, "What are you?"

The being and Yuma stared at him in shock. "You can see him?" said Yuma as he looked at the older boy with suspicion, as if he wasn't sure if Jack was really teasing him.

"Yeah and I don't know why," the 15-year-old rubbed his arm unconsciously, "So, what is he?"

"An alien," Yuma hesitantly answered before Astral could.

Jack scoffed. Yeah sure, an alien. "Why is he here?"

"I…don't know," said Astral, frowning, "I lost most of my memories when I came to this world."

"They've been scattered," Yuma added.

Before Yuma could continue, Rally ran up to Jack to tell him that Crow just got out of the detention center. While the older teen was distracted, Yuma slipped away.

"I heard from Rally that you were talking to Yuma," Yusei said on a slow day where Team Satisfaction had only dueled two gangs and won their territory, "you weren't making fun of him about his 'friend', were you?"

"No," Jack grumbled, "and by the way, Astral is real."

"Really?" Yusei's expression didn't change but Jack could tell by the tone of his voice that he was curious.

"He's an invisible alien."

Yusei stared at him with an annoyed expression until Jack changed the subject.

One day Yuma started calling Jack 'nii-san'.

Jack's response was to frown at the boy. Yuma kept smiling undeterred.

The next time Yuma said it, Jack patted him on the head while glaring at anyone who may be watching.

Astral was the only one who didn't look away.

Jack most definitely did not later give Yuma (and by extension, Astral) the privilege to enter his newly acquired territory unimpeded.

"We found a piece of Astral's memory, nii-san," Yuma held up a card. Jack tried not to wince as his arm throbbed.

"It looks like a Duel Monsters card."

Yuma gave him a 'no duh' look, "It is."

"May I look at it?" Jack asked. Yuma and Astral looked at each other in concern.

"Um..." Yuma began, "they tend to possess people."

"I'm not going to steal it, Yuma. I just want to look at it." Possession? Really?

Yuma reluctantly handed Jack the card. The birthmark on Jack's arm responded by glowing brightly.

The pain in his arm spiked and Jack dropped the card with a curse.

The three of them stared at Jack's arm in surprised silence.

And then Yuma broke it with an awed, "Cool."

"Alas, you can't take Yusei or the Yuma boy with you," Jaeger shrugged, "the Director only wants you."

"I'm going to be gone for a while," Jack announced when Yuma entered his throne room.

Yuma stared at him shock, "What did you do?"

"I'm not going to prison," Jack reassurred him.

"So where-?"

"...To the mainland," Jack reluctantly revealed, "don't tell anyone."

Two years later, Yusei told Yuma, "I'm going to find Jack to get Stardust Dragon back."

Yuma looked at the empty space next to him, nodded and said "Alright." He turned back to Yusei's gaze, "Can you ask him if he found any Number cards?"

"...Sure."

Several weeks later, Yusei came back to Martha's orphanage with a Criminal Mark etched on his cheek, several people from Neo Domino, Officer Ushio of Sector Security, and the former King of Riding Duels Jack Atlas.

Yuma and Astral peeked out of the front door to see what their foster siblings were making a racket about.

The boy stared at Jack in shock, "You came back."

"Yeah. I did," Jack said gruffly before handing him several cards, "I found these."

And for the first time since the boy came to the orphanage, Yuma was rendered speechless at the sight of the Number Cards in his hands.

"What is that white being next to Yuma?" Yusei asked Jack before dinner.

"That's Astral."

"The invisible alien?"

"Yeah," Jack said smugly, "I told you he was real."