The winds howl through the wastelands of Satellite. The clouds churn in purple up in the dark sky, hiding away the actual day light to shine through. The faint hum of the Wheel of Fortune is the only sound that is alive.
"Jack," the weak, tired girl calls out as she raises her hands up towards her champion. Tears burn her beautiful dark eyes, squinting through her broken glasses.
Jack Atlas looks down at Carly, unwilling to accept that he is holding someone so pure and good in this world that transformed into a Dark Signer. Worst of all, he could not swallow the fact that she is a living corpse.
Jack responds with a husky voice, "Carly."
He refused to let her go; Jack Atlas never lets go of what is his!
He slowly lifts her body up and pulls her into an embrace. The movement was awkward since Jack has never done this before in his life. A tired smile appears on her face as she returns the gesture, holding him as close as she can. Jack's arms tighten around the girl, feeling her suddenly become cold, freezing even. He desperately tries to warm her up in his hold.
Sadly knowing its her time, the young woman closes her eyes, resting the side of her head against Jack's. All strength was slipping away...
Little by little. As tears slowly dripped down the girl's cheeks, soaking the side of Jack's neck, her grip on her beloved man was starting to loosen as a sense of tiredness engulfs her.
With the very last of her strength, she summoned up the words she's been wishing to say to her champion.
"I love you, Jack."
Her body went ice cold. Then suddenly, Jack felt like her body wasn't even there in his arms. He opens his violet eyes, his fear realized: he couldn't save her. Despite all the strength he has, no matter how much he knew not even death can take away what is his, he failed.
He looks down at his hands, complete shock. They were shaking. His brain lurched as he stayed there, breathing very quietly.
He wouldn't disagree that he has always felt sadness the majority of his life. His parents were gone, he was stuck in Satellite where he knew he deserved more, and knowing that he left his friends for dead back on that industrial island.
The lone former King, so mighty and proud, finally breaks.
"CARLY!" he screams at the top of his lungs as he falls over onto the ground.
His hand immediately covers over mouth, rough sobbing nearly choking him. Tears were endlessly stabbing his eyes in pain as they constantly fall to the ground. He was sobbing so hard he was near gagging. So much despair was filing his heart up. He wished Carly didn't stop him from using his Majestic Red Dragon's card effect. They would have both lost and both have die, but together. And yet, she didn't allow it. She couldn't. What she wanted was for him to be a true King one day, and bring hope to everyone.
He gags again into his palm, this time hard enough where it hurt his throat.
Carly, he thinks to himself, finally closing his eyes.
I...I...
Jack's POV
I walk down the busy streets of Neo Domino. I look around.
I guess the repairs were indeed fixed. Just last night, hell was broken loose. And yet these people are living their lives like nothing happened at all. The Crimson Dragon must have 'fixed' it all, wiping away their memories of the accident.
And it feels less tension in the air. Are they also enjoying life and being more acceptable to it?
The Daedalus Bridge was being built again. I was just with Yusei and Crow not too long ago after we found ourselves near by the pier. People were suddenly on construction nearby. Yusei quickly went to find out what was going on.
They were from the Public Security Sector. They were given orders to reconstruct the bridge and reach it to Satellite.
I couldn't believe it myself. Even Crow was jumping for joy. Crow, always jumping at the smallest of things.
Don't get me wrong, this is good news. We achieved what Satellite always dreamed of and be one with the City.
I stop at a crosswalk, waiting for the green light.
Yusei told us that the Godwin brothers appeared to him in some kind of vision after we defeated Rex. He said that the lost souls of the Dark Signers would return to earth.
Damn, the lump came back in my throat.
Would that mean Carly is back?
The light signaled green. I walked with the group of people behind me. I figure they were keeping their distance from their ex-King.
As if I care about that. I'm no ex-King, no title fits me whatsoever.
I'm Jack Atlas, a name I'm born with. And this is the path of him, not a King lost like a lone wolf. No, not anymore. Not ever since I met Carly Nagisa.
Why is she so different? She treated me like a normal man. True, she admired me. Fans always do that. But, she didn't see me as some idol. She saw someone who was alone.
I was alone. I threw it all away just so i can be something greater. How hard that bit me in the ass. After Yusei defeated me at the Fortune Cup, I just wanted to rot away, be truly alone as I walk this planet. But then, Carly took me in.
Why-Why did such a soul have to become a Dark Signer? She was the very purest of them all!
I turned at the next street, watching my way, hoping my memory isn't failing me.
Maybe that is why she was turned into a Dark Signer. It was all for me, just to be with me. Am I to be held responsible for her demise? if I hadn't turn her away when she wished to fight along side me, she'd be alive? She wouldn't have become a casualty in this war. Goddamn it, out of the hope of protecting her and keeping her away from this fight, did I sign her death warrant?
No, dammit! Don't you dare give in like that, Jack Atlas! This isn't my fault and neither was it hers. It was this bloody Signer war, all of it!
But, now the war has been won. No longer will the ever-lasting cycle continue on.
I stopped in my tracks and look at my clenched fist.
Without realizing it, I was digging my nails into my palm out of anger. Tch, brilliant.
I let out an exhale and continue on my way.
Godwin told me that they will return to the living. We really haven't lost anyone!
Didn't we? I don't think I'll continue on with that image in my head. There she was, in my own arms, her breath was so shallow and her skin was so cold. She was dying in my arms. And what she told me..She loved me? She faded away into nothing. Gone.
The woman I loved was gone.
That image just may as well be stuck in my head for all my life. Why couldn't the Crimson Dragon wipe that off my mind then? Not so powerful then, if you ask me.
Chills hit my body hard as I came to a halt.
There's that yellow building. How long did I stay in that apartment? A month? Two months? I didn't keep count. Couldn't have been bothered.
I look at the street. I don't see that ridiculous car of hers.
Heh, what could have I expected? Nothing ends so happily just like that. What am I, daft?
She's either dead or her existence just disappeared. Or worse-maybe she ran away, couldn't dare face me. Carly couldn't hold all that guilt she has on her shoulders the fact that she became an emissary of the King of the Underworld.
If that's the case, I'll find her. I WILL find her. I'll drag my bleeding feet all over the world to get this girl back, even if it's the last thing I-
The door to the apartments opened. My entire frame freezes.
There she was, in her regular attire and those signature glasses.
She seemed tense and bothered.
"Gyahhh," she screamed in frustration, ruffling her hands into her hair. She seemed to be holding a small paper in her hand.
"I can't remember a single thing! Why was my car taken away? What the heck, was I, like, out for months or something? My paycheck is gonna go out on getting my car back!" I hear her whine.
Her back is towards me;she hasn't seen me yet. Would she even remember me?
I watched her body limp forward as she sighed in defeat. Just quickly, she straightened up.
"Ohhhh-kay! Time for today's fortune then~! Ohh, I do hope its a good sign," she prays as she reaches to her fanny pack.
How long am I going to stand here? After I begin to feel strength come back into my legs, I sprint across the sidewalk towards the woman as if I was in a marathon. The woman that I...
"Aaaand today's fortune is-!"
I threw my arms around her, holding her tight and closely to me just like yesterday but from behind. She merely yelps in surprise after doing so.
She wasn't cold. She was warm.
I heard cards fall down into the pavement. My eyes were closed, too busy to even care for a look. More than ever, this lump in my throat grew and grew and I couldn't swallow it. The one soul of this plane that saved mine and motivated me to shine as my own person is back, right here in my arms again. I have her back again. If she didn't regain her memories, I could not be bothered; I'll make new ones! Bright ones! I'm sure I sound like Yusei right about now, but I don't give a single damn.
She's alive. Carly is alive, and that's all I cared about.
She didn't say anything. From behind her, I can feel that she was nervous as I felt her heart beat hard. She is certainly alive.
"Jack?" she calls out silently.
Don't cry. Do not cry, Atlas!
"Jack..Are you okay? I feel something wet at the back of my neck?"
