I'M BACK BABY!
Heck yeah! Finally a new story! X3

Sadly(?) it's just a one-shot, but it's a story none the less!
So please, enjoy this sorta...re-write of episode 129, one of my top fave episodes of Arc-V to date. c:

"Come Reiji! If we combine our powers, we'll be able to defeat Zarc's divided shards, and stop him once and for all!"

"Divided..."

A dark and raspy voice spoke, sending shivers down the spines of all who were present.

"Who...who was the one who divided me...!?"

Reiji looked to his left, noticing a dark thick aura flaming up around the form of his comrade.

"I only gave them what they wanted," the voice continued. "They sought blood and violence...and SO I GAVE IT TO THEM!"

The boy's voice boomed as a sickly wave of energy passed through the room, Reira's grip tightened as he clung more onto Yusho.

"All I wanted to do was to entertain everyone...AND SO I DID. They treated me like I was the bad guy, but I was only fulfilling the wishes of those selfish humans! I just wanted to bring smiles to everyone!"

Yuya forced his eyes shut as a surge of aggression, pain, and sadness from the twisted use of those words flowed through him. He yelled out in response to those feelings as he gripped the sides of his head and rolled it back. Feeling weak afterwards, he fell to his knees...and then his hands.

His hands dug deep into the red carpet beneath him as he struggled to stay sane, to find himself. A few growls and grunts of pain escaped from the gaps of his gritted teeth.

"Do you see now, Reiji!? Do you see now what it is that I'm trying to stop!? Zarc is corrupted beyond the point of saving! He thinks that hurting others brings happiness, when it really only brings HIM happiness!"

"I..." A deep jagged breathe of air was inhaled as Yuya struggled to speak. "I...J-JUST...w-wanted..." he sharply gasped for air, his chest feeling very tight, "wa...wanted...to...to bring...SMI-smiles...!"

"Your perception on joy has been tainted, Zarc! You bring no one joy!"

The boy's eyes shrunk in rage, letting out a loud angered grunt towards Leo.

"IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" he snarled. "It's thanks to you that I'm broken!" He slowly got up, growling at the thought of being a shard of his former self. "I need to become one again...but as long as YOU stand in my way that won't happen...I'm just gonna have to kill you first."

Reiji slightly recoiled from Yuya's choice of words.

"No! Wait!" a softer voice exclaimed. "I don't wanna hurt anyone...!" A single tear rolled down Yuya's cheek.

He had been fighting the power that Zarc had for years, but now it seemed it was all for naught. Things kept happening around him and he just felt so drawn to the darkness, it was like he WANTED to hurt people.

They claimed there's only so much that one person can take before they ultimately snap...it seemed to have been truthful after all.

Yuya let out a weak-sounding grunt as Zarc once again tried to gain control.

"Yuya! You must fight it!"

Reiji called out to his suffering friend, not wanting to accept that Yuya was the devil himself. He still thought of his father's tales were nothing more then lies, but yet...there was so much proof to support Leo's bold claims.

"Yuya! I won't let you get taken over by this 'Devil'! You and I shall take down Leo, and I WILL save you!"

"Are you blind, Reiji!? There IS nothing to save! He's already been taken by Zarc!"

"No you're wrong! That tear that was shed, that was Yuya!" Leo narrowed his eyes at his son's claims. "I believe that he's still in there!"

"I do, too!"

Everyone's gaze shifted to behind Leo...to Yuzu, who was standing in one of the tubes, speak out.

"I believe Yuya is fighting Zarc as we speak! I know he won't let something like that beat him!"

"Yuya is strong! I know he won't let Zarc get to him!" Selena added.

"I too believe! I may not know him but...the Yuto in him makes me trust him!" Ruri chimed in.

"I also believe!" Rin boldly stated. "I've...never met Yuya until now, but, considering the state of everything, he seems to be the most capable person here! Something about him...just reminds me of Yugo...You can do it, Yuya!"

Yuya could hear the encouragement of everyone around him, but it still wasn't enough; he still lacked the willpower to fully fight Zarc. He had reached a point where he was just so tired, tired of things always going bad, tired of Yuzu being so close yet so far, tired of the fact that the one thing that brought him happiness...was being used to hurt others.

The sad part in everything was that he could actually understand the pain Zarc was going through (in a odd way), but Yuya wasn't sure if that's because he was also an entertainer, or because he's Zarc.

His awareness went in and out, and because of that he wasn't all that sure of what was going on. Sometimes he could hear the voices of his friends and family call out to him, but for what purpose?

"Help."

"I believe in you."

"Stop."

"Yuya."

Those were the words he heard over and over...but why? He wasn't doing anything wrong; he was only trying to bring joy to those around him. That was his goal from the very start, and it never changed once after all these years; seeing others happy made him happy.

It seemed that Yuya summoned Dark Rebellion, and that he had XYZ summoned a new dragon by overlaying the power that both his dragon and Yuto's dragon possessed.

Before Yuya could go forward with his attack on Leo, once again the voice of the person who drove him spoke out.

"Yuya don't!"

Wasn't that...Yuzu...?

"Y-Yuzu...?"

She placed her hands on the glass of the tube, her expression filled with sadness and concern. "Please, Yuya, don't let your anger control you!"

Her counterpart, Selena, crossed her arms. "Come on, Yuya! You're stronger then this!"

"Yuto, I know you can hear me!" the XYZ Counterpart chimed in. "Please! You must fight this evil!"

"Yuya, please! Fight that darkness! You...you remind me too much of someone I hold dearly...I don't want to see you or him in pain!"

Their words, they were...soothing... Their sadness and concern made him realize just what it was he was doing, how horrible it truly was. But yet...something kept nagging at him to continue.

Placing a hand to his head, he tried to clear his thoughts and think straight.

"Zarc/Yuya! I/We believe in you!"

"R-Ray...!?"

Although his eyes were still ablaze from rage, his expression softened, and was no longer as intense as it was before. He was in a odd state of calmness and took a step forward, wanting to get closer to the soothing voice he heard speaking to him, but...fate had other plans.

"Sir! The machine has reached 40%!"

Leo quickly turned to the holoscreen that appeared beside him. "Perfect, activate the machine!"

The tubes holding Yuzu and her counterparts all began to move, each of them surrounding the center piece that was currently absorbing the cards being funnelled into it.

"Yuya!"

"Yuto!"

The girls yelled out their names as their bodies slowly began to fade away. Yuya and Yuto yelled out the names of the girls they held dear to them just before the darkness within them took over...and then Zarc was the one in control of the body.

Blinded by rage, Yuya planned to use Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon to defeat Leo once and for all, but it also would've taken out Reiji. Before Yuya's attack could go through...

"Intrusion Penalty: 2000 LifePoints."

Reiji and Leo's attention was captured, but Yuya still had his sights set on his opponent.

"I active the Spell Card, 'Binding Swords of Impact'! By discarding all the cards in my hand, I can end the Battle Phase!"

Seven red swords appeared from portals beside Yusho, all flying off towards Yuya's direction. As they grew near, he turned his head towards them. Strings of energy lashed out from them and latched onto Yuya's body, dragging him along with them until they ultimately pierced a nearby pillar.

Everyone was stunned, even more so when the game was forcibly ended.

"That's...!"

"Yes, it's the card you gave me a long time ago. I was originally planning on using it on you, to hopefully make you realize that what you're doing is wrong but..." Yusho looked at this son, who was currently pinned to a pillar. Yuya yanked and tugged at his binds, growling as he yelled to be let free.

Yusho nervously chuckled. "As you can see, that didn't end up happening...but there's no time to waste! Reiji, you stay here and make sure Yuya doesn't get loose."

"But what will you do?" Reiji asked as he adjusted his glasses.

"I'll go confront Yugo and Yuri; we must not let them fight."

Yuhso slowly but quickly limped his way out of the room, while Reiji turned to back at Yuya, who was feeling betrayed and also confused...betrayed because of what Yusho did to him after trusting him all this time, just for the man to confine him.

But was that Yuya's feelings...or Zarc's?

He felt so confused, wanting to know why he was targeted by his own father. Then again...Yusho wasn't really his father to begin with...

So for every time Yuya roared out to be let go, who was the one really in control...?

And that's that!
Please, leave a review and tell me your thoughts! :D