I never in my life thought that I'd ever get around to writing a Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic. Arc-V, I fully blame this one on you.
Initial setting: Two and a half years before the start of the series, six months into the disappearance of Sakaki Yusho.
Last edited: June 17th 2018.
-V-
-V- The Future's Florida? -V-
-V-
Monday had passed ordinarily enough.
The same really couldn't be said about Tuesday.
And most people would probably have experienced some type of nervous breakdown upon getting thrust into the distant future or parallel dimensions. However, Yuki Judai ‒ a fun-loving and talented duellist and Duel Academia graduate ‒ was different, because to him, it counted as a normal Tuesday. Almost.
Getting transported to alternate dimensions of reality was hardly anything unusual in his case. It had kept on happening time and again during the course of his school years, and it had certainly left its mark.
As such, temporal displacement on top of the spatial one was probably to be considered the next stage of Yuki Judai's general displacement. He had already experienced it once, back when he had accompanied fellow duellist Fudo Yusei to the past, picking up the Muto Yugi ‒ the King of Games ‒ before engaging in a duel with Paradox, a time-travelling megalomaniac.
But that ‒ defeating Paradox and watching the restoration of a previously crumbling reality ‒ was all in the past, and Judai had returned to his own time and to his own drifting lifestyle and thought little more of it. But then, on this one regular Tuesday, Judai had once again ended up displaced ‒ nothing unusual, per se, disregarding the fact that this time around, he had apparently been thrown forwards in time rather than backwards. It proved a quite novel experience, to say the very least.
Thankfully, Judai isn't alone. Yubel is always with him, their souls fused together as they are. Besides, there's also Pharaoh, as well as the cat's former owner, the incorporeal Daitokuji who used to be Judai's teacher and dorm leader back at the academy.
Had Judai been completely on his own, then he might've been worried. Now however‒ "Alright, let's have a snack and then go see what's up."
There is no reason to panic after all. It is only Tuesday.
-V-
The distinct lack of D-Wheelers, or Duel Runners, pretty much rules out Fudo Yusei's world; his era at any rate, but not necessarily his dimension. Then again, since Judai has apparently landed in some place that looks and sounds very familiar to Miami, perhaps it is indeed too early to be passing judgements.
The lack of card games on modified motorcycles comes as something of a disappointment; the lack of Fudo Yusei as well. Frankly, Judai would have loved to just drop in and said hi to the guy; to freak him out if nothing else. Oh well, Judai supposed that he could look into the matter once he had figured out more about his current situation.
On the other hand, while Duel Running didn't seem to exist in this Maiami place, Synchro Summoning apparently did. Naturally, so did a bunch of other summoning methods; Judai's favoured Fusion included. There was also something called XYZ Summoning; he'd have to look into it later, but first, he had to figure out a few things for himself.
Duelling seemed to be a pretty big thing over here, even bigger than back home. Judai had become undeniably intrigued when he had first caught wind of these Action Duels, and when he had first seen one, he had been blown away ‒ figuratively speaking, of course. Converting solid mass into Solid Vision? Now, that was the kind of science fiction technology that Judai would like to experience first-hand, unlike those energy-stealing Dis-Belt things that Professor Cobra had brought along during his second year at the academy.
Ugh, just thinking about them leaves a bad aftertaste in his mouth; the incident had after all left a quite negative impact on his personal life for the months, even years, to come, and that was putting it mildly.
On the plus side of things though, Judai had been able to reunite and reconcile with Yubel as a result of Professor Cobra's interference.
On the minus side of things, said reunion had very nearly resulted in the destruction of the universe as he knew it as well as in the permanent death of his then thought-to-be-dead comrades.
This was not to say that Judai was blaming Yubel for her role in the whole ordeal. If anything, then he was just as much to blame, if not more. Besides, it was all in the past now ‒ even farther off into the past than usual, actually.
Oh well, it is only Wednesday. There is no need to panic if it's only Wednesday.
-V-
By Thursday morning, his provisions run out, meaning there is a need to worry but not to panic.
With Pharaoh and his other unseen companions by his side, Judai spends a few hours on a park bench contemplating his next move.
There seems to be a whole lot of duelling going on, so maybe he could investigate it further than he already had. If so, then he would most definitely have to update his Duel Disk; it is highly unlikely that it would be compatible with recent systems after all.
But, in order to attain a Duel Disk, he requires more funds and as far as money is concerned, securing provisions definitely outranks securing a new Duel Disk. It kind of sucks actually, being hungry and broke and all.
"Hungry…"
Yubel and Professor Daitokuji are spirits, so they are less hungry and more exasperated at how long it has taken Judai to properly consider his situation. Pharaoh however, like Judai himself, is a living being and one with quite an appetite at that.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," he readily agrees as the cat mewls discontentedly. "But we haven't tried fishing yet…"
In the end, they don't need to fish.
In the end, the combination of a pitifully mewling Pharaoh and Judai's own rumbling stomach has a pretty blonde lady pause in her steps.
The pretty lady turns out to be Sakaki Yoko, known to strangers for her recently missing husband and to others for her habit of picking up strays, a habit that has recently come to include human beings.
Judai doesn't mind though. Temporally and spatially displaced or not, he's getting pancakes.
There's really no need to panic after all. It's only Thursday.
-V-
It takes three days for him to start settling, three months for him to gain acceptance and just five minutes to screw it all up. He leaves then, leaving the Sakaki family and Maiami city altogether behind on his search for a way back home.
Then, after just about two and a half years and no proper leads, Judai makes a decision. Actually, it's more of him giving in to Yubel, Professor Daitokuji and Pharaoh's nagging that he head back and face the music. He gets a bit side-tracked though, unwittingly timing his arrival with Sakaki Yuya's real-time invention of Pendulum Summoning.
Thanks to monitors all around the city, Judai catches the end of the Duel. Strong Ishijima hadn't stood a chance.
If anything though, what strikes Judai the most is not the power surge he picks up from the summoning but rather the confusion displayed by Yuya in the post-Duel interview. It is subtle and swiftly covered up by a façade, but Judai knows it far too well. It is far subtler than the clownish demeanour Yuya tends to favour.
Judai opts against a direct confrontation with Yuya. Instead he returns to the park to think and discuss his next course of action with his companions.
As things have it, Sakaki Yoko is out walking her dogs, passing by that very same park.
Pharaoh recognises her.
Yoko recognises him.
His ears still ringing from the slap to his face, Judai wonders whether he ought to laugh or cry when she grabs him by the collar and effectively manhandles him back into the Sakaki household.
Apparently, he deserves it. Yubel and Professor Daitokuji are in rare agreement.
Sakaki Yoko is a strong woman, her physical and mental strength by no means diminished compared to earlier. Her pancakes are also as good as they were years prior, something that Judai brings up, albeit carefully. To his relief, she responds only with a smile and a second serving.
-V-
Sakaki Yuya is both surprised and unhappy at first glance, but like his mother, he holds onto few grudges for long. "You're back."
Judai resumes the task of repairing his jacket. "Apparently."
"Why?" Yuya asks, obviously suspicious.
Judai shrugs mildly at that. "I missed the pancakes."
"My pancakes."
"Cheapskate."
-V-
The next morning, at the breakfast table of the Sakakis, Yuya finally asks if Judai is there to stay.
Judai shrugs mildly, because he will be in town at the very least.
Yuya looks to his mother. "I thought we had agreed to draw the line at picking up humans."
Yoko smiles right back at him. "Yuya, rules have exceptions. Besides, Judai's your older brother."
Judai looks to Yuya. "Brother?"
"You're like an older brother to me," Yuya clarifies, poking at his pancakes. "Like Gongenzaka, only less reliable."
Within Judai's mind, Yubel snickers. Outside it, the incorporeal Daitokuji congratulates him on gaining yet another makeshift little brother. Judai himself quietly ponders how words can be so wonderfully nostalgic yet simultaneously chill-inducing. Ultimately, he opts for a compromise. "Don't call me aniki."
"Duel me," Yuya retorts. "Judai-aniki."
-V-