A/N: I OWN NO PART YU GI OH 5DS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!
Chapter 1: Return and Answers
It had been a total of six months since the Dark Signers were defeated and Futen had returned to the Divine Realm. Luna had been able to get quite a few people in the city to believe in the gods and goddesses again. And it helped when she discovered her bracelet's ability to show people the deities and let them feel a god's or goddess' presence by touching the emblem gem.
At the moment, Luna was sitting in the living room of her apartment in the Tops. Leo was beside her watching duels on the television. She looked at Leo and noticed something on his wrist. "Leo, what's that on your wrist?" she asked her twin.
He looked at a bracelet. "Oh, this? I'm not sure. I woke up with it on this morning," he answered. The bracelet had a golden, six pointed star shaped gem with a white string holding it in place.
"That's the sign for the God Envoy chosen by God Izanagi himself," came a familiar voice to Luna. She turned with Leo to see a familiar god sitting on a chair by the table.
Luna stood up and walked to Yusei. "Am I just able to see your true form because I believe in gods like usual or because you're actually here?" she asked slowly.
"God Izanagi, the other gods, and I sense a powerful darkness and danger coming to this world again," Yusei answered worrying both twins. "Being the only god who truly knows this world, he gave me the power to be here as I was before I returned to the Divine Realm. However, my identity of Yusei Fudo still does not truly exist. All records of me are still non-existent."
"So, you're really, actually here?" Leo asked.
"And everyone can see me," Yusei answered. "I am proud of you, Luna." She gave him a confused look. "You've been able to remind people that the gods are out there. You're making our power grow."
"I was only doing as I should and what was right," Luna responded. "I'm just happy I've been able to succeed. But you said God Izanagi chose Leo to be a second envoy?"
Leo walked up and asked, "Are you serious?"
"I am," Yusei answered. "God Izanagi has been watching you carefully. After seeing how well Luna has done and seeing that you've been helping her quite a bit, he thought you were worthy to help."
"Is he able to change it if he feels I'm not in reality?" Leo asked.
"No," Yusei answered. "A god or goddess can only choose one envoy in a lifetime. In other words, you two are going to be the envoys until you die. Once you die, we may choose again. But the likelihood of that is very slim. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to find a mortal being capable of becoming an envoy for the gods. I heard Amaterasu was thinking about Akiza. Though she was arguing with Kagutsuchi about which one of them should pick her. Kagutsuchi was obviously extremely reluctant of thinking as to who he wanted his envoy."
"Was he thinking of someone else?" Luna asked.
"He was thinking of Jack as well," Yusei answered. "Tsukiyomi was thinking of Crow. Of course, I don't think he'll pick that option."
"Why?" Leo asked.
"Tsukiyomi is God of the Moon and ruler of the Underworld," Yusei explained. "Signers represent the light and heavens. It isn't a match that I would see him picking."
"Hey, Yusei, why don't you come see the others again?" Luna suggested. "And meet Jayla. You know, the one who took your place."
"I'm… not sure," Yusei replied.
"Why?" Leo asked.
"It's one thing for you two to see me and listen to what I've been saying, being the envoys of the gods. But for people, even if they believe and were once my friends, to see me as my true self without needing to believe in gods, it could be hard for them," Yusei explained. "I don't want to put stress on them like that."
"Please, Yusei," Luna begged. "It doesn't feel right to just have me and Leo know that you're back."
Yusei sighed. "Alright," he agreed. He changed his outfit to the one recognized as what he wore before he left, without his marker, and returned to being a full god. They smiled and nodded.
They walked out of the Tops and began to walk down the street. "Hey, Yusei, I never got to ask," Luna began and he looked at her, "why am I the only one who remembers the things and you from before you returned to being a god?"
"The world wasn't really reset to Yusei Fudo not existing for a few days after I left. Izanagi and Izanami decided, after Amaterasu and I explained to them everything about you after what we saw, felt, and talked about, that you would be allowed to keep those memories. So if either Amaterasu or I decided to make you an envoy of the gods, you wouldn't be completely lost about the gods and be able to explain it to the others easier," Yusei explained.
"What about me? Will I ever get those memories back?" Leo asked.
"I don't think so. As far as I'm aware, the only time that a mortal could keep memories of a past timeline of a world is during the change of timelines," Yusei explained. "And since you weren't capable or allowed to keep those memories during the change, you probably won't get them back."
"Awww…" Leo sighed in sadness.
"It's alright, Leo," Luna responded. "At least, you're an envoy, too, now. Right?" He gave a small smile and nodded.
"I really hope I can live up to God Izanagi's expectations," Leo commented.
"I'm sure you will. Izanagi can actually see the future, so he would be able to tell if you could or couldn't," Yusei responded. "And if he chose you as an envoy, he thinks you can. You have to keep in mind, gods and goddesses don't take their choosing of an envoy lightly. That's why you don't find many around or hear of the gods picking many people."
"Huh," was all Leo responded with.
They stopped at the garage entrance and Luna noticed Yusei's hesitance. "I'm sure it'll be alright," she reassured.
"I know, Luna," Yusei responded with a soft grin.
She pushed the door open and Leo walked in followed by Luna. "Hey, guys," greeted Crow.
"Hey, Crow," Luna greeted back.
"What brings you here all of a sudden?" Jayla asked.
"Uh, we kind of wanted to show you someone we found," Luna answered.
"Who?" Jack asked. Yusei slowly stepped in and they looked at him shocked. "You're that god that chose Luna to be the envoy of the gods! Futen, right?" Yusei nodded.
"How are you here?" Jayla asked.
"Or better yet, why?" Jack added.
"God Izanagi, the other gods, and I sense a powerful darkness and danger coming to this world again," Yusei began shocking and worrying the three. "Being the only god who truly knows this world and how to interact with it, Izanagi gave me the power to be here as I was before I returned to the Divine Realm. However, my old identity still does not truly exist and all records of that identity are still non-existent."
"What was your old identity as a mortal again?" Jayla asked.
"Yusei Fudo," Futen answered.
Crow looked at Leo for a moment and noticed his bracelet. "Hey, Leo, what's the bracelet?" he asked the boy.
"Oh, I got this before I woke up this morning," he answered.
"Izanagi chose Leo to be his chosen envoy of the gods," Yusei answered shocking them.
"You're kidding, right?" Jayla responded.
"Not in the slightest," Yusei replied.
"How many envoys are out there? Have others gods and goddesses chosen envoys?" Jack asked.
"There are very few envoys. Suijin, the god of water, chosen a person in America. Sarutahiko, the kami of the Earth, chose one is the plains of Africa. Other than those two, there is only Leo and Luna. It may seem a little number of envoys as it is, but there are just under 800 gods and goddesses total. So just four envoys seems like a grain of sand in all reality," Yusei explained.
"Why do most gods and goddesses not have envoys?" Jack asked. "Wouldn't it be important to have one?"
"We can only choose one envoy per lifetime," Yusei explained. "And we cannot take back who we choose. In other words, until Luna and Leo die, they will be envoys and Izanagi and I cannot take back our choices."
"Isn't that a lot of responsibility to put on kids their age?" Crow asked.
"Perhaps," Yusei answered. "But we wouldn't have chosen them if we didn't think they were ready."
"Can we back up a second?" Jayla called. "You mentioned that you and the other deities sensed a darkness and danger coming to this world again that made Izanagi send you back here. What are you talking about?"
"I'm not sure what this darkness is going to be formed as or what danger it'll bring. Even Izanagi doesn't. His future sight is blocked to this darkness which is very unusual," Futen explained. "If the darkness is strong enough to block Izanagi's sight, it is too powerful to let mortals deal with alone. It is too risky."
"What? You don't trust us or mortals to take care of our own problems?" Jack asked.
"It's not that. I'm not here to interfere with how you will stop it. I am only here to help you stop it. If you could actually sense this darkness like I can that is growing by the second, you would probably would want some help," Yusei replied. "How you stop this darkness is up to you. But my job is to make sure none of you get seriously hurt along the way."
"Why do you think we'll need help?" Crow asked seeming tense and annoyed.
"It wasn't my initial idea to come and help you, nor was it Izanagi's," Yusei answered shocking. "Gods don't interfere with matters dealt with mortals unless absolutely necessary. The one who asked for me to help keep you safe wasn't Izanagi, Amaterasu, or any of the deities that have a typically human form."
"Are you saying…?" Crow trailed off in realization.
Yusei nodded. "The Crimson Dragon asked me to help you," he stated shocking all them.
"What about the Crimson Dragon?" came Akiza's voice. She walked in and immediately noticed Yusei. "You're Futen, right?" He nodded. "What's going on?" Yusei immediately filled her in on everything and she seemed shocked. "Speaking of gods and goddesses, this suddenly appeared and attached to my wrist this morning when the sun rose. I can't get it off either." She showed a bracelet on her wrist with a sun charm.
"Looks like Amaterasu won that argument," Yusei commented with an amused grin while looking down.
"Huh?" Akiza questioned.
"Just as Leo and Luna have bracelets with a symbolized gem, that's what that is. Leo's is God Izanagi's symbol. Luna's is mine. The sun is Goddess Amaterasu's symbol. She is the Goddess of the Sun, after all," Yusei explained. "She and Kagutsuchi, the god of fire, were both wanting to choose you as their envoy." He gave a soft, amused scoff. "They argued about it for some time. Looks like they finally settled it."
"Think we're going to get chosen to be an envoy?" Crow asked.
"I'm not sure about Jayla. I know Kagutsuchi was also thinking of Jack. And though I doubt he'll actually pick you, Crow, Tsukiyomi was thinking of you," Yusei answered.
"Why wouldn't he pick Crow?" Jayla asked.
"Tsukiyomi is the god of the moon and ruler of the Underworld," Yusei explained. "The Signers represent the light and heavens. I'm not sure Tsukiyomi would actually choose a Signer because of what they represent. After all, Amaterasu stands by the light and heavens."
"Do they not get along?" Leo asked.
"No, not by a long shot," Yusei answered. "Long before people first came about living through agriculture and herding, the sun and the moon would rise and fall at the same time, they shared the sky." They went wide eyed. "However, at one point, Tsukiyomi was eating with another goddess as she made food for him. When he found out exactly how she made the food, he became outraged and killed her."
"Are you serious?!" Leo asked.
Yusei nodded. "That violent act severely offended Amaterasu, who is his sister. She ordered Tsukiyomi to remove himself from her sight. As such, the sun and moon rose and set separately, keeping each other far apart," he continued. "They don't talk at all and every time they cross paths, if they ever do, well, just stay clear of them."
"And considering Crow represents the heavens as a Signer, it would make sense that Tsukiyomi would stay clear of him," Jayla commented.
"Exactly. It's the reason I doubt Tsukiyomi would choose him," Yusei responded.
"When would they choose?" Jack asked.
"Each deity have their own way of placing the bracelet on the envoy's wrist. Leo's was during the night when he was sleeping. Luna's, I gave her by using the wind. Amaterasu gives it when the sun rises and on the first wrist that touches the sun's light. If you were chosen by Kagutsuchi, Jack, you would probably get a burn since, being the god of fire, he uses fire and wraps it around your wrist before the fire dissipates to leave the bracelet. Tsukiyomi would set his mark on the first wrist that hits moonlight," Yusei explained. "Suijin, the first wrist that touches water on the day or night he chooses to put his mark on that person. Sarutahiko, the kami of the Earth, does so by launching rocks at the wrist and the dust from the rocks then form the bracelet."
"Uh, are the other gods and goddesses as painful as Kagutsuchi or Sarutahiko?" Crow asked.
"No," Yusei answered. "There are a few that are yes. But not all. If Raijin, the god of thunder and lightning, chooses you, when you walk by something electrical, it will send a lightning bolt at your wrist and imprint the bracelet there. The imprint would then transfer into an actual bracelet. But Kukunochi-No-Kami, the god of trees, will mark the ones he chooses by using a tree and grabbing them by the wrist with a branch. He makes sure the branch has a lot of leaves so it doesn't hurt the mortal. We are careful with our envoys. We don't like hurting them, especially when we first choose them. That's why we try to make sure, if they do or would get a bit hurt, it's just a small burn or scratch."
"God stuff is so weird," Leo muttered.
Yusei grinned. "It would be to many. It's just not to those who are deities because we were born and raised as gods," he stated.
"How are gods created?" Akiza asked.
"You mean how were gods created. There aren't any more being made since we have enough as it is," Yusei replied. "But we became reality by other gods and goddesses, starting out with Izanagi and Izanami. They were our first creators and brought Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, Suijin, Susano-O, and I up as one of the first and as the eldest. After that and this world, our final and most recent world to be given life to, was created, Izanagi and Izanami went to creating more gods and goddesses. However, one day Kagutsuchi burned Izanami during childbirth and killed her. She went to Yomi, or the Underworld, and, as she was a goddess still, because the goddess of creation and death. In fact, it wasn't until after Izanami died from the heavens and went to the Underworld that Amasterasu, Tsukiyomi, and Susano-O were born."
"Huh?" Luna questioned. "How's that?"
"When Izanami died, Izanagi went to find her and retrieve her. Despite her wishes when he got to Yomi, he lit a torch and looked at her. She didn't look…" he paused as if seeming for a better way to put it, "alive as when he last saw her. He ran in fear, shock, and horror. In her rage that Izanagi didn't respect her wishes, she sent hideous female spirits, eight thunder gods, and an army of fierce warriors to chase him. Izanagi managed to escape and blocked the pass between Yomi and the land of the living with a huge boulder. Izanami met him there, and they broke off their marriage. Izanagi felt unclean because of his contact with the dead, and he took a bath to purify himself. A number of gods and goddesses, both good and evil, emerged from his discarded clothing as Izanagi bathed. Amaterasu appeared from his left eye, Tsukiyomi appeared from his right eye, and Susano-O came from his nose. With all the deities, including myself, we created the universe to harbor life. But after the incident between Izanagi and Izanami, the other gods and goddesses had to use their gifts to create the gods and goddesses there are today. But almost every bit of life is covered by each deity now, so there's no reason to make anymore."
"Did you help create gods, Yusei- Or Futen or whatever you call yourself?" Crow asked.
"You can call me Yusei or whatever you want. As for your question, not in the way humans do. For instance, a long time ago, Susano-O and Amaterasu got into a massive fight. It resulted in Amaterasu hiding in a cave blocked off by a boulder. Due to her hiding, the sun disappeared and for many, many years the sun did not shine," Yusei explained. "Before the final move that made Amaterasu hide, though, Susano-O came to Amaterasu looking for her wisdom and warmth to prepare him for going to the Underworld in search of Izanami. When she questioned Susano-O intentions, he suggested they create gods from their power. Amaterasu used Susano-O sword and split it into three pieces and chewed on those pieces for days and nights until they were only powder. She then spit the powder to the wind and three goddesses appeared from those remnants. Susano-O had taken five jewels from Amaterasu and made five gods by doing a similar ritual. The way a god or goddess creates another from their power varies between the two god and goddess."
"If Izanami and Izanagi had been married for thousands of years, are other gods together with other gods?" Jayla asked.
"Not many. And those who are are typically from arranged marriages," Yusei answered. "Amaterasu and I one of them."
"You're married to the goddess of the sun?!" Crow exclaimed.
"Isn't that what I just said?" Yusei replied with a bored tone.
"Still, it's a bit shocking," Crow responded.
Yusei sighed. "It would be to some," he stated. "Especially if you don't understand the customs of the gods." He then noticed a ruined duel runner behind the group of three Signers. "I see you were trying to make a new duel runner."
"What do you know about duel runners?" Jack asked.
"Before I returned to the Divine Realm and Jayla took my place as a Signer and your childhood friend, I was in the same placement as you and I had made my own duel runner while I was trapped in the mortal world," Yusei explained. "I basically did the events similar to Jayla only as Yusei Fudo."
"Did you have the same deck as her?" Akiza asked.
"Yep," Yusei answered. Jayla gave a shocked look. "But I don't need it anymore. It's your deck now. Those cards will respond to you and you alone."
"If you did the exact same thing as Jayla, why don't you have a marker?" Crow asked.
"When I became a god again, my marker was taken off of me," Yusei explained. "Don't ask how or why, it just happened." He sighed.
"Are you sure you don't know what this darkness is?" Jayla asked.
"I don't. Even if I did, there would be some things that can and cannot be said," Yusei responded. "But no, I do not know what the darkness is."
"I'm not too convinced," Jack stated. Yusei rolled his eyes in boredom. "What? Expected me to say that."
"Just seemed like something you would say," Yusei responded. "Even after timelines switched to where Yusei Fudo never survived Zero Reverse, you're still the same as ever."
"Have any of us changed a bit since the other timeline?" Luna asked.
"Not really," Yusei answered. "Mainly just Luna, but then again, she became an envoy before all of you."
They were about to continued when Trudge and Mina walked in. "Hey, Trudge, Mina," Jayla greeted.
"See that one god finally showed his face for once since we first saw him," Trudge commented looking at Yusei.
"This is Yusei, or better known as God Futen," Luna introduced.
"So you're really the guy who was in place of Jayla from the previous timeline," Trudge responded. "Did I hate you back before the Dark Signers like I did Jayla too, or…?"
"Until the Dark Signers, you didn't really have much respect for me as the identity of Yusei Fudo. It really wasn't until after Jack told you that Yusei Fudo wasn't a Satellite native that you actually began to respect me," Yusei replied.
"Who was the real Yusei Fudo?" Jayla asked. "Was he the son of Professor Fudo who was my father and mother's friend?"
"Yes," Yusei answered. "Originally, before I was forced into his body and brought him back to life in a way, he had died the day of Zero Reverse during the explosion with his father. But I was thrown into his body and became the Yusei Fudo you knew during that timeline." He looked at Trudge and Mina. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what're you doing here exactly? Knowing you, you wouldn't come here for any small matter."
"You really do know us, huh?" Mina responded. Yusei nodded.
Trudge scoffed with an amused smirk. He turned to Jack, Crow, and Jayla. "Have you guys heard rumors about the Ghost?" he asked.
"I've heard the rumors. They say he's this guy who forces people on the highway into duels and causes them to crash when they lose," Crow responded.
"With the tournament's new rules, people will be using Speed World 2 instead of the standard Speed World," Trudge said. "I want you, Jack, and Jayla's help to capture the Ghost."
"No! No! No!" Crow exclaimed rushing Mina and Trudge out the door. "We have too much to do to get ready for the tournament. Sorry but we can't." He shut the door behind them and locked it.
"Crow, that may have been a bad idea," Yusei told him.
"They can handle it," he responded.
"Maybe, maybe not," he responded vaguely.
"What do you know, Yusei?" Jayla asked.
"When we first started sensing the darkness, Izanagi and I watched New Domino as it was where the darkness was centered at. We began to find the Ghost hurting many other duelists. I would've gone down to help, but at the time, I had to stay in the Divine Realm and keep things normal and safe," he explained. "I would've helped them. I understand that the World Racing Grand Prix is an important event to you and it may even end up becoming an important event to this dark power coming, but if you've seen what I've seen, Trudge and Mina may get seriously hurt going after the Ghost."
"They'll be fine. Or do you not trust them to take care of their own job?" Jack asked.
"It's not that I don't trust them. But if they felt they would be fine and able to do this themselves, would they really ask for your help?" Yusei replied and they all paused. "Like I said, I am merely here to help you protect this world and I cannot decide nor force you as to what you choose to do in order to stop this darkness. Your path is something you must decide, but as Signers, the moves you make need to be chosen carefully."
"Why is it so much more important for Signers?" Luna asked.
"Every mortal is a small thread in the fabric of the universe. Most mortals have small threads that cannot and do not make much change in how the universe will end up. However, there are some, like the Signers, whose threads are much larger and actions can start to swing the balance on how the universe will go. That's why the Dark Signers were so bent on destroying the Signers. If the Signers, ones whose threads weave the path of light through the universe fall, those threads would fall as well and darkness would grow stronger through the universe as the Dark Signers are also large threads in the universe," Yusei explained. "There are other planets with similar mortals. And Signers who are also envoys have a much larger thread to be made. And being a god, I can see where each thread begins and ends."
"You can?" Leo questioned. "So you can see how we die and everything?"
"Every event that has been and will be," Yusei answered. "Unlike Izanagi, I have to be at the Room of Threads in the Divine Realm in order to see the future events of mortals."
"Room of Threads?" Akiza repeated.
"It is a room that a deity can enter and see a specific thread of a mortal's life of who we choose we want to see," Yusei answered.
"So we do have a predetermined fate?" Jayla asked.
"Yes and no," Yusei answered confusing them. "Every mortal is born with a specific beginning steps of how their life will lead. But as they grow older, their actions may end up shaping their fates to another course and end route. For instance, the original Yusei Fudo was born to die on the day of Zero Reverse. But when I took his place, his destiny for that timeline switched to what actions I took during that timeline."
"What about when it switched to the timeline now?" Jayla asked. "And was I even alive in that past timeline?"
"When it switched to this timeline, the original life of that Yusei Fudo returned to as it was made initially. As for you, Jayla, you did live back in the past timeline. But back then, you were raised by your grandmother in Satellite who was friends with Martha and never left Satellite or knew Jack, Crow, Kalin, or Yusei. You lived quite an unassuming life. Then, when I took my place back as God Futen and the god of wind and the timeline switched to now, that life left you. For some reason, your thread was changed completely. Your family that lived in Satellite died and you lived with Martha along with Jack and Crow. And you met Kalin and became part of the Enforces. The quiet Jayla of the past had changed and took on the life that I had as Yusei Fudo."
"Are you serious?!" Crow exclaimed.
"Of course, with the need of someone new to take my place for that timeline, it was to be expected that someone like Jayla, someone quiet and did not have much of a true life ahead of themselves, would become my replacement," Yusei replied. "Of course, as I watched you, I saw it was a better choice for your friend than I was. Being someone who had to hide everything true about themselves for most of your lives, I wasn't the number one choice you would probably have of a friend."
"Yusei, don't say that!" Luna responded. He looked at her. "Just because you hid you were a god from us back then, it doesn't mean you weren't a good friend. Back then, none of us wanted you to leave, remember? None of us were ready to have you leave and without any recollection of you."
"Is there any way for us to see that timeline, Yusei?" Akiza asked. "So we know what happened back in the original timeline with you."
"Unfortunately, I'm afraid I can't do that," he answered.
"Oh, yeah? Why not?" Crow asked.
"Showing you events from another timeline is forbidden among the gods. After what has happened on other worlds…" he explained, muttering the last part.
"And what happened on other worlds?" Jack asked.
"A couple times on other worlds, where a god got trapped on that planet, a timeline change was forced to happen. As a result, those the gods and goddesses had gotten close to and met again wanted to remember them as they did before. When they showed them, they became believing they were a dominate being, able to see into another timeline and went to many lengths to prove they are a stronger mortal of their species. Most of the time, it ended in many deaths, including that mortal," Yusei explained shocking them. "As such, it was made forbidden for mortals to remember things of other timelines."
"Then why was Luna allowed?" Jayla asked.
"Because Izanagi, Amaterasu, the rest of the deities, and I agreed by looking at her thread for both timelines and testing our theory by adding the possibility of her remembrance of it to the thread that she was to be allowed to remember that timeline. Especially since we felt that if anyone could be a perfect envoy, it would be her," Yusei explained. "With our confidence in place, we allowed it. It was reluctant, but we allowed it."
"What about the rest of us? Did you even think about us?" Crow asked.
"We did and also tested it. But we found reasons that would make us too uncertain to allow it," Yusei answered. "You wouldn't have become overly power hungry and kill others, and each of you had your own outcomes, but Luna was the only one we found would be okay to leave the memories of the past timeline in."
"What would happen to the rest of us?" Akiza asked.
"That is something else I cannot say," he answered frustrating them a bit.
"Is there anything you can say?" Crow asked.
"I've said quite a bit. Perhaps too much," Yusei replied. "I may be able to reveal more as time goes on, but now is not that time."
"Well, I have to go finish a delivery. We can discuss this when I get back," Crow stated boarding his duel runner. "I'll see you later." He then drove off.
Luna invited Yusei to stay at their place for now which he reluctantly accepted. Akiza had to go get back to her parents to eat dinner. Jayla went back to working on the duel runner again and Jack went to the café. But Yusei knew what was happening and soon.