Title: Never Hold Back

Character/Pairing/Group: Yusei/Kiryu

Prompt: #09 Shock

Rating: PG-13 for dark tones and death

Genre: Dark/General

Pairing: None

Summary: A planned deathmatch with a twist

Notes: A little AU I've been toying around with the past few days

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Nobody was trash, Yusei believed. But in believing so, he was forced to fight against the warden. He had already spent a few days in the Detention Center for his crime of trespassing into Neo Domino; a crime frowned upon by Security. As they didn't want trash corrupting the utopia. In any case, he knew he had to win, or otherwise he would spend the rest of his life in hell.

"So Satellite Hero?" Takasu mockingly teased. "You don't have a deck, do you?"

Yusei stood his ground. "You want a deck from me?" He held up deck, a deck comprised of the bonds from every inmate in the Detention Center. "Here's a deck!"

Takasu looked stunned, how in the world did he manage to sneak that in? "Where did you get that?"

"You don't understand how much a duelist cares for his cards." Yusei spoke with wisdom.

"Tch, whatever." The warden grinned sadistically. "I've got a special surprise in store for you." He turned to the two guards supervising. "Bring out number 138."

The guards disappeared into a hallway. Meanwhile another guard latched on a duel disk to Yusei's arm, a duel disk that was chained to the floor.

"What's with the chain?" Yusei inquired.

"Oh its just part of the entertainment, and the lackeys should be preparing the next part." Takasu answered coolly.

As if on cue, they did. The guards had another prisoner secured between them, one that appeared worse for wear. He had obviously been here for some time, as his body looked defeated, and scars were present. His chest heaved, as if he had trouble breathing just from standing. But Yusei would recognize the thin build and short blue hair anywhere.

"Kiryu!" Yusei shouted in disbelief. He couldn't believe Kiryu was still alive after all these years. He thought Kiryu had passed away a while ago.

Kiryu's only response was having his eyes shift toward Yusei and muttering something unable to be heard. He had been reduced to a shell of himself, of the former passionate leader.

"I thought you would like to see that piece of trash, Satellite scum." Takasu's smirk extending further along his face. "That's why I had him brought in from the Satellite branch of our detention centers!"

"What do you want with him!?" Yusei was furious, but he tried to keep a calm front up for now. Meanwhile, the guards helped Kiryu to the center of the hallway, placing a similar duel disk that Yusei was wearing.

"Just a representative for the Lighting Deathmatch." Takasu sneered.

"Lighting Deathmatch?"

"You'll see what I mean. Now number 138, duel him." Takasu ordered the prisoner.

"Duel." Kiryu declared in a stained voice, activating the duel disk. Yusei had no choice but to declare a duel to, with his former friend. "Duel!"

"My turn!" Yusei announced drawing a card. "I summon Great Phantom Thief in defense mode." The monster materialized onto the field thanks to aid of solid vision.

"I end my turn." He declared.

"My turn." Kiryu drew a card. "I summon Iron Chain Repairman in attack mode." A man wielding a giant hammer appeared on the field. "Iron Chain Repairman attacks Great Phantom Thief."

With one swing, Yusei's monster was no more as the repairman destroyed it. But that was not the only consequence. He felt a painful stream of electricity flow from the chains to his duel disk, to himself, causing a scream of agony to erupt from his throat. The electricity coursed through his body, almost unbearable for him. When it finally ceased, he knew that Kiryu couldn't endure it.

'Stop the duel, you're going to get one of us killed!" Yusei shouted at the warden.

"No can do." Takasu bellowed a laugh. "There's only going to be one survivor of the death match!"

Yusei cringed. What was he to do? Win, and escape hell and death or lose and allow Kiryu to live, even though he probably wouldn't live much longer. He didn't know what path to take, which sort of bonds to preserve. But he believed in himself and his friends, and soon concluded to try to win the duel as soon as possible.

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The duel emerged with one victor. Yusei Fudo, who won using all of the cards together against the impossible odds. But, even thanks to Aoyama who disabled the electric currents halfway through the duel, Kiryu's body took incredible strain and collapsed on spot, he couldn't take it anymore. Yusei rushed to his side, hoping he'd still have enough strength to continue onward.

As Yusei gripped his former leader's shoulders to shift him upward, he could see the light fading from Kiryu's eyes. His skin felt cold, as if the warmth had been sucked ot clean. He knew it then, that Kiryu had ceased to exist.

"KIRYU!!" He screamed louder then what the electricity tortured forced him to do, until his throat ran raw, tears running down his bruised cheeks. Nothing was more horrible then causing a close friend's death.