Note: This story takes around the same time-frame as "Lux ex Tenebris". This doesn't need to be read to understand that one, but rather helps to expand the land of "Domino Below" and plant seeds for future characters.

Also, spoilers for "Pokémon Colosseum" and "Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness" will be found. Along with characters from "Pokémon Ranger" too.

Naming wise, all characters will be going under their International names so they don't be confused with the names of characters from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Franchise and also because they will be more familiar with readers. And Duel Monsters wise, it will go up to Arc-V (and it shall stay there until further notice).

Continuing with my love of music, chapters are named after songs from "Muse", with the first couple of chapters are named after songs from their album "Absolution".

So with this, let's see where this story takes us.

...Also, I'm making way too many stories, aren't I?

(Also, I like to make a quick shout-out to Donjusticia and his fanfic "Signs of Renewal", which was a big inspiration for this story)

"Once upon a time…"

Those were words that I grew up with. They were the opening lines of every single fairy tale I devoured. Stories about wise kings, evil queens, pure princesses and noble knights, mystical forests and magical creatures. In those stories, good always triumphs over evil, the princesses was freed from her curse, and the brave knight married the same girl he rescued from the clutches of the wicked stepmother, the monstrous dragon, and the heartless sorcerer.

But this story, my story, our story is not like that.

The brave and concerned king was a puppet, the mystical forests were nothing more than ruins, the creatures of fantasy were magical but also corrupted and savage, the demure princess was accused to be a witch, and the grand knight was noble but not pure.

Through my eyes, this land was wicked and cruel and it felt like there was no hope in sight. Every day I prayed for someone to kill me…

Instead, someone conducted the opposite.

The beautiful but tortured princess and the stoic and turncoat knight were resurrected, but it came with a heavy price.

Their souls became tainted, now bound to fulfill a mission to the gods that showed a type of mercy that should've made the two better off dead. The two were given a mission that they needed to complete with utmost urgency.

And that mission was to prepare the battlefield...for MASSACRE.

Because a dark and ancient gate was about to open soon, but not by the one who decreed it, and we were the only ones who could stop it.

Thus, it was up to the two of us to ensure that everything would be set for when these Gods, these Immortals, showed up to battle that would shake the foundations of Domino Below to its very core.

And so we went, the princess with eyes of blue and the knight with the hand of justice, to our destiny…

Whether we liked it or not.

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Between my Brother and Me:

Do ut Des

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Prologue

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Apocalypse Please

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Everything absolutely hurts.

That is what he feels as he wakes up. There's a pounding in his head, his muscles are sore, and there is a feeling of something sharp having hit his chest.

He looks down at himself. He looks the same: long blue coat with the left sleeve lined with red, black gloves, black pants, and black boots. He places a hand above his head and finds that his goggles are there. He notices his right arm and finds that his Duel Disk is also there. Good, everything is here.

No, not everything.

He sits up and looks at his surroundings. Instead of the familiar sites of the dilapidated buildings, trash-strewn streets and gloomy sky that is Domino Below, he is in an empty black void. He tries to figure out what happened prior to this, but he can only make out a single face. One of a girl with large blue eyes that seem to stare into his soul, with red hair in short pigtails, screaming his name, asking him to not leave her.

"Wes!" The girl cried out. "Wes, don't leave me!"

The person gasps as he recalls what happens next. The explosion that blew the girl into that pit, calling out his name. He leapt into the pit crying out her name as he wrapped his arms around her tight, spinning them around so she would be safe.

Because, after everything he had committed in that team of hunters, he honestly deserved to die.

He remembers a crash and him sprawled out onto the dirty tile floor, that same girl shaking his aching body to move. The person tries to sit up, his finger twitching, his eyes gazing out into the darkness to see a hand with a gun aimed towards the back of her head. And the only thing he can do is shout out her name,

"RUI!"

Then, the sound of a gunshot rings in his ears.

Wes screams in agony as everything comes back to him. The site of all of that blood pouring down Rui's face, the smirk on the man who killed her, the look in the eyes of the man that stabbed that shard of glass through his chest…

He brushes those thoughts aside as he looks around, trying to find her, trying to find the girl that gave him a reason to live again. Scrambling to his feet, he begins calling out for her.

"Rui! RUI! Answer me!" he shouts, running through the darkness. "Speak to me!"

"Wes!" A female voice answers back. It is faint, but to Wes it feels like she is standing right next to him. "Wes, is that you?"

Wes turns around, but it is hard to see with this shadowy veil covering his eyes.

Still, he will find Rui and make sure to and fulfill his promise to protect her, and to set things right.

"Rui," he whispers as he continues his futile search for her. "Please, if anyone is out there, take me to her! I'd do anything, anything to make sure she's safe…"

"...Anything?" asks a calm voice.

For the first time in his life, Wes feels a chill fall down his spine. It as if someone has placed a large ice pack on his neck.

He turns around and gasps at the person that was certainly not there before. It is a person a head taller than he, wearing a black hooded cloak that obscures most of their body decorated with green trim. For some reason, Wes can feel himself gradually calm down, as if the strange person's presence is soothing his anguish.

But then again, that does not necessarily mean that the person was of any good.

"W...who are you?" Wes asks, preparing his Duel Disk. "What is this place?"

The person chuckles, their lips curled into a grin as they pull back their hood, revealing the face of a woman with long lavender hair that falls to her waist and strange red markings on her cheeks. What startles Wes the most, however, is the woman's eyes…

They are black, black as the night, black as sin. They look like they are staring deep into his soul, searching through some of the more despicable things he has done with that team, before he left them, before he found Rui. It is as if this woman is judging him on whether or not he has truly redeemed himself.

"My name...is Nagi, Dark Signer of the Lizard," says the person, their voice breathy, dream-like. "And this, I guess you can say, is the waiting room to the afterlife."

At this, Wes's eyes widen. No...no that can't be true. He, and Rui...they can't possibly be…

Wes places two trembling fingers onto the vein of his neck. He waits for three seconds, but he finds no pulse at all.

Nagi stares at him with pity as Wes drops to his knees in disbelief. This can't be happening...he can't be dead; not so soon!

He shivers and wraps his arms around his waist in a futile attempt to comfort himself. The last person to comfort him like this was Rui, but now...

"Wait," he says. "Is Rui also here? Please, tell me! WHERE IS SHE?!"

His voice echoes in the dark as Nagi chuckles and lifts her hand.

"Come with me," she says. "And my 'partner' and I will reunite you two together. Forever."

Having no other choice, Wes swallows hard as he stands up and takes that hand. Nagi nods and leads him deeper into the darkness.

Hang on, Rui...he thinks. I'm gonna find you. I'm gonna save you! Please, wait for me until then…

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"Wes! Wes, where are you?!"

This is what Rui cries out as she runs through the darkness, her magenta boots silent as she tries to orient herself. All that she knows is that she is in this dark realm, all alone, but that Wes is also here, somewhere, certainly alone, and afraid and...and…

She brushes the thought aside as she continues her run. But then, she is suddenly stopped by a strange figure rising from the very ground. She gasps before she trips onto the floor with a thud. But, for some odd reason, she doesn't feel any pain.

"Oh my," says a voice. It is male, that's all Rui can understand and it sounds like an ocean wave about to crash down on her. "And who do we have here?"

Rui groans as she lifts her head at the person. Then, she gasps.

The person is wearing a black hooded cloak with indigo lines. She thinks she can see the image of a large fish at the hem, but that is not what startles her…

It is his aura.

For as long as she can remember, Rui could see the darkness in other people's hearts. They all came in different colors, each one of them representing the colors found in the rainbows she loved painting as a kid.

The aura around this person is the same indigo color like the one on his cloak. And unlike the auras of people she has seen, it is bright, almost to the point of blinding her.

Could there really be a person truly be full of sin like this?

The person kneels down and extends their hand out. Rui shakes her head.

"Who are you?" she whispers.

The person lifts their hood, causing Rui to place her hands over her mouth. The face is of a man with teal hair and a pointed chin. The face of a man who can make many girls like herself swoon with a simple smile and wink…

If it isn't covered in red markings and his eyes aren't black like the void they are in.

The man smiles, showing pearly white teeth. "Forgive me for the look. I didn't have time to place the usual glamour spell when I sensed you." When Rui doesn't respond, he laughs. "Oh, where are my manners? Call me Mikuri, the Dark Signer of the Whale."

"D...Dark Signer?" Rui repeats in disbelief.

She has heard rumors of the Dark Signers; people in black cloaks who chase after the most ruthless and cold-hearted people in Domino Below. Those who pursue them end up dead or wishing that they were killed.

It is said that when a Dark Signer is done with their prey, they leave their prey as a nervous wreck. Symptoms include shivers, hallucinations, self-harm and a desire to die.

Her grandfather always told her to stay away from the Dark Signers, because they would like her eyes for their work. She always believed him, and made sure to hightail it out the minute she saw even a glimpse of a black cloak coming her way.

But now? Now there is no escape for her…

"W...what do you want with me?" Rui asks. "You want my eyes, don't you? P...please sir, please don't…"

Mikuri leans forward and places a pointer finger on her lips to silence her. Then, he smiles.

"I saw what happened to you and your darling knight," he begins. "I saw your murderers; how they celebrated in killing off two thorns in their sides. I saw your life bleeding away, love...and I am here to bring it back."

"What?" Rui whispers. "You...you can do that?"

"If you want me to," Mikuri purrs. "My ex will also throw in a little bonus if you agree to this."

"H...huh?"

"Rui! RUI!"

Rui gasps as she sees two figures approaching them: one is a woman with lavender hair and a black cloak with green. The other is…

"Wes!" she cries. "Wes!"

She stands up and runs toward him, ignoring the smile on Mikuri's face as she all but tackles her knight onto the ground. Tears fill her eyes as she looks at him.

"Wes…" she says, placing a hand onto his cheek. "Wes, you're here…"

Wes smiles and hugs Rui close. "I promise I'd be here for you...even in death."

Rui gasps. "D...death? We're...we're..."

Wes nods his head. "We both died in that abandoned building." He wipes a tear that falls down Rui's eye before bowing his head. "I'm so sorry...this is all my fault."

Rui shakes her head and helps Wes sit up. "You were with me in my last moments. You saved me from that jerk and from that fall. The last thing I saw was you. None of this is your fault, so don't start blaming yourself for this." She places her hands over his own. "I never will."

"But..." Wes protests. Rui hugging him stops him from talking any further.

"She's right," Nagi states coolly. "Wes, you are not to blame for the series of unfortunate events that happened to befall on you and Rui. Rather, you should be glad."

"Glad?" Wes repeats. "GLAD?!"

He sits up and grits his teeth, ready to knock that smile off of that woman's face.

"What's there to be glad about after everything that I've done?" he asks. "You have no idea how many people I've hurt, of how many hopes and dreams I've crushed! Why do you think I left Team Snagem in the first place?"

"He's right," Mikuri notes, folding his arms across his chest. "You can't read his mind like Natsume can, darling. You haven't walked in his leather boots at all."

Nagi just clicks her teeth before she brings her hand out to Wes, who promptly smacks it away.

"I don't want your pity!" he snarls. "What I want is to find the bastards who did to us and I want them to pay with their lives!"

"...And what about you?" Nagi inquires, turning to a quiet Rui.

Rui looks down and fingers the crescent moon pendant on her neck. "I...I want to see my grandparents again. And then...I want to help Wes uncover what's happening in Domino Below. All of those lost souls, crying out in pain and agony...their hearts tainted with darkness."

"Hearts? Darkness?" Mikuri muses.

Rui nods her head. "I know I can't do anything on my own, but as long as Wes is with me...I feel strong. I feel safe, I feel...secure." Rui looks down at Wes. "And after this is over, I just...want to be with him. Please... " She turns to the two Dark Signers, kneeling on the floor, hands in front and presses her forehead to them.."If you are as powerful as the rumors go, will you grant our wishes?"

Both Dark Signers share a look, as if they are having a silent conversation with that gaze alone. Wes and Rui stay silent for what seems like an eternity before Nagi turns back to them.

"We will," she says. "But on one condition."

"Anything," Wes whispers back, recalling the pain and agony that Team Snagem brought upon the citizens of Domino Below and the horrors that he has unleashed during his time with them. "My life has no other purpose but to undo everything that I have brought upon to the people here. Do with me as you will."

"Very well, then," says Mikuri as he and Nagi approach them. "Take our hands and don't blink."

Both Dark Signers bring their arms out, and it is there that Wes and Rui see strange markings appear. On Nagi's arm is a long, thin lizard. On Mikuri's arm, they see the image of a large whale. Both of them are colored violet and hold some eerie power within them.

"Take the next step and be reborn as our Acolytes," Nagi proclaims. "Let our Immortals Ccarayhua and Chacu Challhua fill you with purpose to hunt those who hold Envy and Gluttony in their hearts! Bring about the fall of those who wish to prevent our Dark King from resurrecting and let us help you bring peace of mind in your undead state!"

Wes and Rui turn to each other and nods their heads before Rui helps Wes stand up. The two teens approach those hands and take one into their own. Wes grips onto Mikuri's hand tight enough to break it, while Rui gently takes Nagi's with some trepidation before steeling her nerves.

"And with this," Mikuri states. "Our contract is complete."

Suddenly, Wes and Rui feel a black whirlwind surround them, obscuring their vision until all they can see are the purple outlines on Nagi and Mikuri's arms. They scream in agony as they feel something branded on their faces while something the consistency of ink darkens their outfits until they are the color of shadows. Wes opens one eye to see Rui grit her teeth in pain, wanting nothing more than to tell her that it will be okay.

And that's when he sees one of Rui's eyes open...and they are black.

Then, he sees crimson markings form on her face; long red triangles on the corner of her eyes that remind him of girls in magazines showing readers how to make a "cat's eye" with eyeliner. He sees that her blue jacket with faded pink lines, her purple top, her white skirt and pink boots are black and green, the buckle on her belt now depicting a circle with three branch-like wings in the center. He then looks at his coat becoming black with indigo lines on his left sleeve. And If he can see his face in a mirror, then he will notice that the white horizontal line that goes across his nose is also red like blood.

Just as it has begun, the wind fades away and the teens drop to the ground, feeling as if they have run a marathon without stop. Wes immediately goes to Rui's side.

"Rui," he says. "Are you...okay?"

Rui looks up to Wes and smiles, although Wes shivers at how her eyes are the color of photo negatives. "Wes...I...I've never felt better. I feel so strong, and powerful...like I want to punch the moon if I had to! I feel like I can take on anyone who stands in our way! This power…it's beautiful!"

Wes gulps when he sees Rui stand up, but then does a mental assessment of himself. It's true. He feels stronger, sturdier, and his mind has never felt so clear. He can feel the power within him bubbling up to the surface, ready to strike on those who caused him and Rui to die.

He then takes a look at his Duel Disk, seeing at how it is colored black with indigo lines. Rui's Duel Disk is also black with forest green lines and, judging by how she draws the cards from her deck, their decks have also been affected by this dark magic.

"And that's just the beginning," says Mikuri. "Now, in exchange for our gift, you must do something for us."

Wes turns to the elder Dark Signers and narrows his eyes. "Like what?"

"A wise woman once said, 'There is no such thing as a coincidence. There is only...the inevitable'," Nagi begins. "And it just so happens that your desires are similar to ours."

"What do you mean?" asks Rui. "What do you want to do to Domino Below?"

"Why purify it, of course," Nagi answers, stretching her arms out. She chuckles. "We Dark Signers want Domino Below to be ready for when the Gates of Hamunaptra are open at its proper time. Someone wants to accelerate it for their own purposes and we cannot allow that."

"Then why aren't you guys doing something about it?" Wes spits out.

"We have some...other business to attend to," Mikuri begins. "Recently, a member of Team Satisfaction found himself in the same state as you and…"

"Wait, Team Satisfaction?" Wes repeats, eyes wide in disbelief. "Team Satisfaction got involved with you?"

"Not yet," Nagi answers with a smile. "But we are getting ahead of ourselves." She then turns to her and Mikuri's Acolytes, her face resembling a mother looking at her children with pride. "Wes, Rui...your mission for us is to uncover who is trying to darken Domino Below and snuff them out. Make the night slightly darker so that the light shines even brighter."

"W..what?" Rui exclaims. "You want us to do that? We...we can't do that."

"Who says that you can't?" asks Mikuri, pointing at Rui's Duel Disk, something the girl has completely forgotten about until now. "After all, if you weren't capable of doing such a thing, you wouldn't be standing in front of us now, correct?"

Rui stays quiet and looks at her hands, all while Wes steps forward.

"We're going to be doing this because we choose to, not because you ordered us," he snarls, baring his teeth. He is liking these two less and less with each passing second. "Understood?"

"If we don't, we'll be stuck here until the ashes are covered in ashes," Nagi notes. She bows to them. "Very well, we accept your decision for the time being."

"Good," Wes states curtly.

"But before we wake you up in the real world," Nagi continues, raising an eyebrow. "Will one of you care to explain just how you two ended up here in the first place?"

Wes looks at his left sleeve before turning to Rui. Then, he sighs.

"Our story starts a few hours ago," he begins. "Just before I bombed the hideout of Team Snagem and escaped with this device strapped to my left arm…"

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Next time: Wes recalls the tale of how he and Rui met and what caused them to plummet to their deaths. Meanwhile, a boy with a venomous smile is also on the lookout for Rui and soon enough, paths will collide.

"Falling Away With You" coming next.