Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's - Tears

by Yusei

Summary - "Antinomy achieves his goal of preventing Yusei standing as a threat to Zone. Just as Yusei breathes his last, Bruno understands what he's done. Dark Glass wants to fight on in the memory of his true friend, and has a difficult task ahead".

Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's or any of the characters.

A/N – This isn't a long fanfic, it'll last just a few chapters. As mentioned previously in 'Glass', this works as a sort-of semi-sequel, planned between Episodes 144 and 145 airing. Since the following episodes aired, it became clear that things wouldn't have panned out like this, but I still wanted to write this out of a fondness of Antinomy, Zone and exploring the relationshp between them, including the friendship between Bruno and Yusei. As for the title, it has a dual-meaning that I wanted to look into and ask you; do you believe it would refer more to the tears shed over the events of the story or the tears in Zone and Bruno's bond? Regardless, I hope you enjoy. Please read and review.


Dragging himself along through that rubble wasteland was purely automatic; there was nothing left but the view. That dim view of grey buildings toppled, the torn concrete floor and the blue sky poisoned with streams of grey smoke and cloud that meant nothing anymore. Black fumes waved skywards from ruins tossed asunder, remnants of the city he called home, a mere shadow of its once glorious state. They warned this would happen when the claimed ban of Synchro Monsters reached him, but by then, it was far too late.

They came.

They tore this world apart, smashed through the frail surface and scrapped through with a fearsome power, ripping the face of the planet and ruining all that mankind had strived to build, to perfect. Neo-Domino City had always been revered as utopia; how easily paradise fell to the steel hands of an alien enemy. Antinomy was alone in this place; mankind had been wiped out in one immense swoop, there was no chance of hope and repopulation. The time for man to die out had come with a vicious strike, eliminated by a superior race without even its own language.

Antinomy reached the edge of the raised concrete stage; the remains of a highway standing high over the broken ground level of the city and gazed upwards; it hurt so much to see such a proud metropolis crumbling; skyscrapers once licking the heavens with their roofs toppled and pointing out of the levelled landscape with diagonal remainders; towers eaten away into uneven triangles. No matter what the source, smoke streamed from everywhere, fires raging underneath the stripped grey surfaces, bruised and broken, windows cracked or missing altogether like rotten teeth ripped out of the mouths. This was no city, no utopia; this was war and the end of the world as far as he was concerned.

The only problem was, he had no spirit left to fight. He had essentially played a part in this, adding to Momentum's strain with his Synchro Monsters, ignoring warnings that had blared out from people who feared an apocalypse. Their worst fears confirmed after their deaths. Antinomy tipped his head downwards, in front of him was the cursed tool; a discarded Synchro Monster flat without a crack to slip into. He dropped to his knees, heart too heavy to carry further, his spirit sliced into pieces, broken beyond repair. His argument had been clear; the legendary duellist Fudo Yusei had achieved eternal greatness through the use of Synchro Monsters, why not him? This… this disaster was the response, with much more impact on his tormented soul than words could have ever imagined. Automatically, his white hand reached out for the pale card laying before him, an automatic response to recovering a victim abandoned by fate and left to rot, wanting to find the one who had guarded it before he or she so tragically lost their life. Return the cause of the city's reduction to nothing above a state to where it belonged. And then… his hand fell away. There was no point anymore.

His eyes were downcast when the orange and silver machine that led the army of its own kind and two other breeds crept up the severed face of he highway, unscathed from its battles with human weaponry. The white cannon locked onto the survivor in body only and moved towards him.

Antinomy did nothing to move, but sat on his knees and stared up at death, waiting for its chilled arms to wrap themselves around him and drag his soul off to wherever everyone else had been taken. There was a desperate look to die in his eyes, a lack of emotion to the outside world, otherwise a despaired gaze without any resistance. An acceptance to Death's invitation. His eyes clothes, not wanting to watch the gaping black hole fill with the energy that would annihilate his body. He would die peacefully.

Behind the black veil, a screech resonated violently, but no pain came as he expected; it was impossible for the machine race to miss - they never missed. There was, however, metallic shrieking and the growling of explosions. Antinomy's eyes snapped open quickly enough to grasp the fact that a golden beam had penetrated the hollow infinite chest of the steel assassin and obliterated it like no force used by man before, was it possible that it was War of the Worlds? Had there been some new power developed that would fight them off and let the ruins of mankind recover their disintegrated existence. Black smoke swept his way in a fierce storm of wind and cloud, forcing Antinomy to look away, close his eyes and raise an arm high enough to protect his dry mouth, steadying himself on readied legs bent at the knee and set apart through the unnatural shaking of the dead road.

The earthquake came to an end after what felt like a minute, but mere seconds in reality, Antinomy sought out the source of the golden ray that had shone down on him; both granting him a chance to witness this human rebellion and curse him with living on in a defeated world. Another road much higher revealed the truth, shocking his heart back into a rhythmic beat; quickened thuds of life to remind himself he was, indeed, real in this desolate world.

The crimson D-Wheel marked with white patterns along the sides sat at the edge of the elevated highway, also destroyed like that which he stood upon. From the unique curve of the motorcycle, a large black cannon rested, the mouth steaming from the ejaculation so recent, the man seated in the moon unmistakable. Antinomy's eyes widened until his pupils were an inch from vanishing altogether; behind the grey streams in the air, the sun finally peaked through, reflecting off the opaque visor and painting it white.

"I- It can't be" the blue-haired ghost gasped.

The D-Wheel raced over the edge, soaring gracefully through the still air, a common feat in the rider's prime, but he had yet to age physically. The machine crashed onto the ground, bouncing from the frail road and skidding to a controlled halt, the rider tilting the machine and raised his head, a stoic frown painted onto his face, hardened by all the destruction he had witnessed, Antinomy guessed. He climbed out of the D-Wheel and it was now that Antinomy picked up on slight alternations from the version he knew and the one approaching like some mysterious saviour, about to reveal to him that he was a guardian, sent back to his youth in order to reveal a cure for the steel plague, unleash secrets to the distraught man waiting his halt, standing dumbfounded before a generation's idol. It had yet to sink into Antinomy's mind exactly who it was walking towards him without so much as a breath through his pale lips.

The man paused a foot or so in front of him, shorter than he ever expected, but that was unimportant. He raised a browned hand, wearing still that same unsentimental half-face. Out of his ordinary character, Antinomy was quick to seize the one hand with both of his, sudden tears of overwhelming grief trickling from his eyes and down his face, he held on tight, wanting nothing more than the illusion of Fudo Yusei to stay with him, not to vanish and take away the last of his soul's belief that man could exist. His eyes closed, and never did that face leave him. That was… until he asked Antinomy of the favour; to destroy himself.


End One

Along the road consisting of only golden light against the darkness of space around the celestial track, two D-Wheels raced around in the heat of battle; the unique crimson machine chasing a single-wheeled slender machine wobbled unstably in a stark contrast to its rival. The rider of the leading motorcycle didn't even flinch, nor did he turn his eyes around to the struggling pursuer. A grand armoured monster launched its assault against the chasing party, launching missiles and ripping into the light; throwing the machine wildly out of control. The explosion caused the two tyres to leave the road, throwing the young man in its body out violently, both crashing down and skidding a short distance. The young victim, Fudo Yusei, cried out as his chest slammed against the road, despite the lack of strength in the surface.

The other rider, adopting his original identity of Antinomy, finally glanced over his shoulder, trying his hardest to ignore the months he had shared with Yusei, making the victory over the young Signer much more bitter. His fingers twitched, considering riding on and ignoring the younger rider, allowing death to claim him without any kind of peace. But although his body was artificial as opposed to organic, the same couldn't be said for his heart. Against his body's will, Antinomy turned his D-Wheel, rolling back down the glimmering road and slowing over the downed Signer.

As soon as the D-Wheel came to a complete stop, Antinomy's lightless eyes widened significantly; on the ground in front of him, Yusei was panting with his last desperate breaths, his shuddering arms trying to push him bruised and scratched body from the light. A glint across the edge of Yusei's visor sent a chill running down the android's spine. Through Dark Glass' mind, Antinomy's memories flowed; recollections belonging to someone else, someone whose body and name he had stolen. The sliding light reminded him of the day Zone rescued Antinomy from certain death. Even in a world without a future, Zone continued to fight; even without a future of his own, Yusei insisted on picking himself up.

Bruno's face twisted into a perplexed and somewhat horrified expression while drawing the parallels between the aged God and the dying Signer in front of him. He clambered out of the machine, dropping onto his knees by Yusei's sides, rolling him over and resting his back on the bent knees beside him. Yusei's eyes slid open slightly, narrow from the effort living demanded of him, using the limited resource left inside of his fading body.

"Br… Bruno…" he whispered with a gentle smile.

Bruno flinched, remembering everything the two had gone through; their unusual meeting, managing to upgrade the D-Wheels, working together to find the missing history of the man and realise the true plans of Yliaster. Where did all those happier times go? When did all the smiles become frowns and tears? Despite Antinomy's demands, Yusei continued to call him Bruno; his friend.

"Yusei" Bruno spoke, words flowing out of his mouth without running through his mind first. "I'm sorry for all the lies I've spoken, I never meant for all this to happen. Please… forgive me… I- I'd watched Neo-Domino and the world fall once; as soon as those memories poured into me, I became consumed by the desire to avoid that happening once more. I don't understand why I just suddenly turned against you. Why did I commit such an act? You once saved me in that world… without people like you, there are going to be many victims regardless of what happens. I don't know how far the fallout from the Ark Cradle will travel - maybe it will manage 30 miles, maybe more - but there are loyal people who are staying; they'll die protecting something they can't".

Regardless of Bruno's pleading for forgiveness and the tears that filled his eyes whilst recalling his past and the potential future, Yusei continued to smile softly, recognising Bruno's hairstyle having returned to the form he had grown familiar with rather than the spiked design of the mysterious rider who would show up occasionally and offer guidance.

"Bruno…" he whispered hoarsely. "It's alright, I forgive you".

"What?" Bruno asked breathlessly.

"You were a good friend to me; you taught me about the Accel Synchro - something required if we were to win the WRGP" Yusei elaborated. "You started me on a path that would guide the world to safety; we managed to defeat Aporia and save Neo-Domino, even if it was just temporarily…"

The tears in Bruno's eyes slid down his face automatically, overwhelmed by Yusei's kind words and the laborious breaths that joined them. With his free right hand, he clenched Yusei's right, squeezing it gently, just as he had grabbed Zone's extended hand and started a journey of his own. Or rather, Antinomy had. His lips parted and froze, considering the possibility of confessing the truth about Zone to Yusei, but quickly decided against it, unwilling to distress him in his dying moments. Instead, he bit his lip, trying and failing to suppress additional tears that came and the grief and regret over his actions.

"Please, Bruno" Yusei choked. "I want you to understand, even if you are - no, were - an enemy, I'd like to entrust you with a message for Jack and the others".

"Anything" Bruno sobbed, hunching over to shorten the distance between his and Yusei's faces. "Please, I'll do anything to make up for my sin".

Yusei's eyes softened at Bruno's strange behaviour. "You've done nothing but carry out the purpose you exist for" he breathed. "And I'm asking you to carry out my wish; please… tell Jack and the others I tried my best, I'm sorry it's not enough… and that they shouldn't lose the bonds that connect us all just because I'm gone… They shouldn't waste their precious connections because I wasn't strong enough".

Bruno nodded sharply, a swift signal that he had inherited the words, would process them and pass them on. Yusei responded with a sharp breath and arched his back, hissing with sudden agony as death closed in on the two. The flinch caused Bruno to panic, even though it was inevitable, it terrified him.

"Yusei!" he cried fearfully.

"Regardless of what fate decides… I want you to take care of this world, Bruno" the Signer managed after relaxing.

Bruno's throat tightened suddenly, clogged with emotions that sparkled clearly in his eyes, clouding his human-like face with a mask of emotions; a pained expression that would easily deceive anyone unfamiliar with his true origins. His hand tightened around Yusei's as though the constricting grip would be enough to keep him alive.

"Yusei!"

Yusei's eyebrows rose from the tops of his sockets, aiding the softening of his face, his own eyes also damp with unshed tears; a realisation that in a matter of moments, he would no longer experience life and everything would become eternally black.

"I… I guess I don't want to go" he chuckled weakly. "But… I'm much more grateful for having lived in the first place. I'm glad I met people like you, Jack, Crow and everyone else".

"Yusei, I swear to you, I will carry on your message" Bruno sobbed. "I'll carry on whatever you want me to. I promise!"

"Thank you, Bruno…" Yusei breathed once more.

Following the breath, his eyes began to slid closed. Bruno gasped in horror, fresh tears sprinkling from his eyes. Yusei failed to react, confirming Bruno's worst fears; his life had finally come to an end. The shooting star had burned out and disappeared into the night's sky.

"Yusei!" he cried.

The small drops that had formed in Yusei's darkening eyes slid away from their source, flowing down the sides of his head and disappearing into the roots of his hair; the final sadness of the troubled soul in his arms. The chest remained flat, moving no more, and the head falling limp against Bruno's arm. Further tears dripped from his eyes, unable to reach Yusei or his own due to the visor separating his upper face from the corpse. Regardless, his hand shivered while clutching the limp fingers resting against him.

A low growling resonated from behind the pair and Bruno twisted his neck to find that the black hole formed as a result of his Delta Accel Synchro was closing in on them, sucking up the light road with ferocious speed.

Bruno felt numb; the void would suck in Yusei's body and hold it prisoner, crushing it with its terrible force, mercilessly erasing any sign of the Signer's existence in the illusion realm or even on the Ark Cradle hanging in the skies above Neo-Domino. Bruno tensed his arms, wrapping them tighter around Yusei and pulling him against his chest, tucking the boy's helmeted head underneath his chin, spraying the red headgear with his distress.

"No!" he yelled tearfully, shaking his head. "I don't want Yusei to disappear! Not like everyone else; not like the people we lost before. Don't take Yusei away from me!"

From the approaching blackness, a grunt, sounding like it came from a human, the voice resembling Zone's, although the roaring of the dark force hindered identifying the source.

"Then you shall vanish with him…"

Bruno closed his eyes tightly, turning away from the black hole chasing them, screwing his face and sprinkling more drops over Yusei's helmet. There was nothing he could do; he was powerless, they were going to die together. He would shortly follow the Head Signer into whatever plain laid beyond their false realm.

"No!" he screamed. "I don't want this!"

Despite its power, the black hole seemed to hesitate and freeze, the hissing of its sucking power died. The orbital stage around the two cracked and shattered, revealing the large chamber from the Ark Cradle behind the illusion, shards of the false world dissolving. After a moment, expecting them to have both been ripped away by the void's power, Bruno lifted his head, searching his surroundings for an answer over what had happened, somewhat relieved that they had been spared, but devastated regardless over Yusei's passing. The Yuusei Gear behind the fallen D-Wheels moaned, slowing to a halt, ending the flow of momentum flowing around their section of the Ark Cradle, plunging the wide compartment into darkness.

Bruno lifted his head, wearing the same dull expression Antinomy had used whilst staggering through the debris of his dead world. "The Yuusei Gear…" he managed to whisper.

It was peculiar how the components of the Ark Cradle's engine had suddenly shut down, ending the theft of energy from the City below; the task had been handed to Yusei and the Signers, yet the objective had been completed regardless. Bruno's eyes fell to find Yusei's still face.

"Is it possible… ?" he breathed. "Could Yusei's heart have extended its time long enough to stop the Yuusei Gear? You… you did it to deliver hope to the people of this present world".

Tilting his head forwards, allowing the thickened glass of his visor to shield his eyes from an exterior view, Dark Glass bit into his bottom lip once more. It didn't make sense; if Zone's intentions had been to eliminate Yusei all along, why did he allow him to guide the young Signer so far? Why did he allow the display of Accel Synchro and permit the replica working as part of Team 5D's? While he watched the calmed face of his deceased friend, it came to him; the potential reason behind Zone's strange games.

"Could it be… ?" he murmured. "Zone has just been using me like a pawn; I was just a tool to get close to Yusei and lower his guard. Perhaps it's because I'm not the Antinomy that Zone wanted, I'm not the person he called his friend. Maybe it's revenge for that very reason…"

He bowed his head, unsure what to believe, feeling the pressure of his task weighing down on him finally, having completed the task that Zone handed Antinomy prior to the executioner's death.

"Maybe they shared a friendship like what I experienced with Yusei…" Dark Glass added to nobody. His head snapped upwards once more, unveiling the new determined glare mixed with bitter tears of deceit and mourning. "Then… I will play as Zone's tool no longer. I'll avenge Yusei because we were both used as pawns in his game".

His right hand withdrew from Yusei's, tightening into a fist, shivering with guilt. He had no right to suddenly pick up Yusei's will and carry it on as his own, having been the one that severed Yusei from life. But he had lived so far under a mission objective; he would instead devise his own, one that would require no deaths, but the power to overcome tragedy successfully. He would get answers that he had been desperately seeking for months and uncover the shady truth about those watching, just as Sherry had been searching.

Nearby, Yusei's D-Wheel remained where it had fallen, a short distance from the two, Dark Glass cast his eyes over it wistfully; unsure what he was supposed to do with the machine. It was Yusei's pride and joy, he had put his heart into building, repairing and upgrading the machine; it was as though the only portion of his soul that would remain in the world would have been encased in the unique frame. His eyes fell to Yusei, knowing that the dark-haired rider wouldn't want to leave behind something so precious, but it was impossible to take it on with him to find Zone. For that task, he would need his own D-Wheel; Antinomy's Delta Eagle.

Leaving it behind would be a clear sign to the others that something had happened when they would join in the room; the connection between the three paths that would guide them to Zone. And although it would suggest something had taken place, it wouldn't shed light on what; he dreaded the moment he would have to confess that Fudo Yusei was dead.

Gently laying down the corpse, Dark Glass shuffled away and rose from the floor, striding across the short gap between the bodies and the machines, kneeling down beside the red D-Wheel and laying a hand on its scratched nose, closing his eyes sorrowfully.

"Forgive me…" he whispered gently.

The gloves moved across the frame, sliding onto the Duel Disk fixed underneath the monitor and closing in on the cards. The blue-haired man said nothing and squeezed his eyes shut as he tore the deck from the Duel Disk, removing the Synchro Monsters Yusei treasured from the compartment on the opposite end of the circular core. Combining the two stacks of cards into one, his eyes ran over the Stardust Dragon card face stared up at him, a reminder of whom exactly he had slain. After all he had managed to accomplish in front of the global audience watching hopefully. Hope existed no more.

Dark Glass picked himself back up and returned to the body, sliding the inherited deck into one of the holders attached to his belt and dropped back down onto one knee. His arms reached over, one wrapping itself around Yusei's waist and the other seizing his wrist, dragging him against his chest ahead of wrapping his arms around the frozen torso. Having collected the last of his requirements, Dark Glass climbed into his D-Wheel, positioning Yusei in front of him, the boy's head falling against his chest, but otherwise, seated as though he were willingly riding with the man. Dark Glass moved his arms forward, grasping the grips in front of him while encasing Yusei's in his territory, his eyes gleamed with a reborn determination and strength. Sparks fizzled from the single tyre and the D-Wheel shot forward in search of the cursed God.