The Shingetsu Redemption

Summary: Vector "Rei" Shingetsu has one more chance at not screwing things up, but unfortunately for the former Barian Emperor, things are quite, quite different now. Can he redeem himself? Or is he doomed to live a life of failure?

Chapter Zero: Prologue

"Are you sure about this?"

"Totally. Absolutely. The poor guy's ripping himself to shreds just thinking about everything he's done."

"Ha. Might not be so sympathetic when you realize the guy betrayed his leader on a freaking point system."

"Oh, come on! He really is repentant…somewhat. Maybe."

"You don't even believe yourself. Well, just this one time, I'll overlook things. But if I get in trouble if he messes the worlds up again, you're taking the fall for me. I'm in enough trouble already…I need to be less kind."

"Okay. Just this once, I promise."

"Good. I'll tell him about it."

As the first figure left the room, the other gave a cunning smile, hidden by the hooded cloak they wore.

"But what's life without some…additions? Let's make things different…it will be boring making him relive something again."

And still with that grin, the figure withdrew an old, tattered notebook from their pocket and began to write something in it. The notebook was leather, fairly expensive, with a few words in white ink on its cover.

Shingetsu "Rei" Vector

His Fate's Tale

Chapter One: Real-Life Time Tyrant

Vector Shingetsu doesn't sleep, and he doubts he ever will.

This reason is also why he's wide awake and alert when the being suddenly appears in his room-Yuma's room, he supposes he should be calling it, since Yuma had allowed him to stay in his house. It's white and blinding to look at, and Vector considers the idea that it's from the Astral World because everyone looks like that in there. However, as they haven't challenged him to a duel yet, he abandons that train of thought.

"What do you want?" He asks, barely looking fazed. "Look, if you're the Angel of Death, please leave me alone. I'm too young to die. Again."

"I'm not going to claim your soul." The being snaps. "Look, we've seen your very obvious guilt over the fact that you tried to drag Yuma down with you into Don Thousand."

"Uh. Who told you that? Because that is totally not true. Nope. Totally false."

"And I totally believe that. Anyways, you're going to be given one chance to fix things, but if you mess them up, you'll deal with the consequences yourself. Your life will reset at this moment, and you'll return to the past when you met Yuma."

And before Vector can protest, he feels some tugging in his stomach, and the world dissolves into a mix of colors.

As Vector falls, all he can think of is:

This is exactly like Mizael's Time Tyrant, only real life.

"AHHH!"

Vector awoke in the past, tumbling to the foot of a staircase as a force slammed into him from the back.

"Hey, are you…are you OK?" A puzzled voice worried from behind. Yuma Tsukumo dashed into view.

"Yuma, calm down, he's fine. You don't need to check his pulse or whatever. I told you this would happen if you kept on being so reckless. At least say sorry to Rei-kun!" Behind Yuma, a girl Vector recognized as Kotori Mizuki snapped, irritation evident in her voice.

So I'm still Rei Shingetsu, huh? Vector thought. Seems like nothing much has changed.

"I'm so sorry, Rei-kun!" Yuma apologized, reaching over to help the orange-haired male up. Vector took his hand and got into a sitting position.

"I'm sorry too…I didn't mean it, honest!" Yes, better to keep up the 'clumsy average Duelist' façade…he'd figure things out and track the other Barians down. Well, Nasch was in this school, and Merag was either in the hospital or in the school. Mizael was possibly still in the Barian World, and so were Alito and Girag. Durbe? Probably still in the Barian World as well. However, Vector wasn't looking forwards to meeting with an emperor he once tried to murder in the past, or his sister.

"What did you do to him?" The girl demanded, hands on her hips. The male only laughed. "I only made things more interesting. Variety is the spice of life, after all. And don't tell me it'll be easier if he was a Barian. He will be utterly broken if the same old gang was back."

The female glared, but didn't say anything. She knew he was right, even though her pride prevented her from saying a thing. But still! The poor boy was probably quite lost now, and a twinge of pity awoke in her chest-wait, was she actually feeling sympathy for Vector freaking SHINGETSU?!

"No. I can't. I shouldn't be," She whispered to herself. The other person didn't make a move to help her, not even noticing her plight. "H-He took everything I hold dear from me. I should be hating him so much. And yet…"

She had unconsciously sunken to her knees while immersed in grief, and she rose, standing behind the cloaked figure.

"Why do I feel so sympathetic? No. No. No. I should be mad. But he…"

The girl breathed in and out, trying to calm herself down.

"He's just a lost, normal boy." The male suddenly said. "He's absolutely average. No powers, no nothing. It's understandable to feel pity for him-although, to be honest, you're actually feeling sorry for a megalomaniac with serious mental health issues. Which, of course, bring your own under-YEOWWWW!"

The girl punched him directly in the arm, a very pissed off look upon her features. "Really! You're tactless," She huffed, before getting ready to leave. Behind her, the man only smiled-a true, kind smile this time, so unlike his usual sneers and smirks. Yes, she hit hard, he thought, absently rubbing his aching shoulder, but making her mad was okay if it took her mind off her melancholy. He sighed, glancing at the images displayed on the thousands of flickering holo-screens before him, focusing on one in particular; that of the boy he had given a second clean slate to. He watched intently, nodding his head occasionally.

"Ah…Vector, Vector, Vector. Whatever shall you do? Only time will tell, I guess."

"Oh! Yuma-kun! There you are, I need to discuss a certain project with you."

Mizael? And Durbe? This is making no sense, they're not in Barian form, nor is this a Sphere Field…

"D-Durbe-kun!" Vector blurted out, raising a hand. "Could I…could I talk to you later after school?"

The glasses-wearing boy looks mystified by why Vector would want to do so, but nodded nevertheless. "Sure. Why not?"

To Vector, it seemed as if the school day was eternally stretching on. When the final bell rang, he was quite sure he was one of the first people to bolt out of the classroom. The carrot-top male debated yelling "Sayonara, suckers!" back, but Merag and Nasch would kill him if he did so.

"Ah…there you are, Vector-kun." Durbe nodded, leaning against the wall. "You're awfully early-which is out of character for you."

"Ha-ha-ha." Vector replied grumpily.

"Now what was it you were going to talk to me about? I have a ton of work, y'know. The teacher decided to be mean today."

"Ah yes…that. Durbe…how are you able to maintain your human form on Earth? The school isn't near Number ruins."

Durbe's brow furrowed in confusion.
"What?"

Vector was already feeling impatient, but he had to bide his time if he wanted information out of the Barians' White Shield.

"I said, Durbe: How do you maintain a human form? There aren't any Number ruins around. And I don't think your Baria Lapis is broken…"

"Huh? What's a Baria Lapis?"

He really didn't remember? Either the idiot was playing a trick on him or he was brainwashed.

"You're a freaking Barian, Durbe." Vector hissed. "So am I. I'm Vector. You're either going to tell me where the other Barians are, and why I can't sense them, or I'm going to drag you to the Barian World myself."

At this moment, Durbe responded with something that caused Vector's jaw to almost drop.

"You're Shingetsu-kun, not this "Vector" and…what on earth is a "Barian"?"