So this is something I added last minute. Originally, I was gonna cut straight to what will be in the next chapter, but some of what you guys said made me think:

Leo indeed is not the hero here. He should have a greater punishment.

How is Ray suffering from amnesia?

Will the Bracelet Girls be treated better? Why are they unconscious?

Should Yuri still be a villain?

Now, with all of that, I will say this: the last chapter didn't focus on everything. It did have some parts left out, but I was not trying to cram everything in. That is not how a story works. It builds over time. What starts small grows into larger catastrophes. A small hole or crack in a wall would eventually grow over time and break the dam.

And that is what I'm also doing. I'm redoing Arc-V's ending and continuing from the storyline they set down previously in a way that I imagined it to be. So with all the little ins and outs here and there, I will clarify that everything will work out over time.

For now, this is the first arc. We're now six chapters in; questions won't immediately be answered. There will be cliffhangers and whatnot. So with that, I want you guys to keep asking questions because it gives me more ideas of how to plan this all out. :D

I ALSO have edited the past chapters some more! I made some changes that you should check out if you haven't already, because they include plot points and whatnot that weren't added in the original version. You might be confused if you read this chapter without reading the updated chapters, so hey. And I'm continuing to update them, so always feel free to read the story again and again; you might see something you didn't notice before. ;)

So with all of that, enjoy this chapter. And big kudos to Donjusticia and Ghostkid33 for the help! He's basically my co-writer at this point, AND CHECK OUT HIS STORIES!

Peace. For a while it was rare, almost impossible, to find that in the four worlds. It was made all the more ironic as everyone managed to end the long war, and yet so many spirits were without any rest.

But for now...they could have that bittersweet moment of peace. If just for this night of rest.

It was late in the twilight hour, the sun having passed over the horizon a few hours prior and leaving the softer blue sky now a dark purplish-black. Stars twinkled in the heavens, with the silvery bands of the Milky Way glowing beyond them. All sorts of nocturnal creatures and creepy-crawlies scuttled about in the dark, finding their next meal or prey to devour.

The tranquil atmosphere of the early night also extended to mankind, which was rather ironic after the terrors they endured for the past few months. Most of Miami City had resigned for the night, save for a few businesses here and there. The Leo Corporation building still shone as a sparkling diamond among the grays and blacks of the lower districts, and some of its occupants were either finishing up on their work or pulling all-nighters.

Among them was Leo, who was locked up in his own office and packing his things. He had his own demons to deal with, his heart filled with sorrow and regret over everything. He ignored the dull aches and pains when Ray was with him, but now that he was alone with only his thoughts to keep his company, the emotions all came crashing down like a tidal wave.

"Father...?" Ray hesitantly knocked on the wooden door. "Are you in there?"

She waited outside in the silent hallway, folding her arms behind her back. Since their earlier return with the girls and Reira, Ray's head was swarmed with all sorts of questions. So much had happened since her absence. What happened to the dimensions in the past fifteen years? How was her family doing in that time?

But she worried the most for her father. He wasn't acting like his usual self anymore, Ray could tell. Aside from the drastic change in appearance, which raised a few eyebrows on its own, his personality was also more hardened, bitter even. He had become, in lack of a better term, a stereotypical grumpy old man.

Something was wrong, and Ray wanted to know why...and whether it was because of her. Being a strong-willed individual at heart, the woman decided to confront him about everything, even if she must force it out of him. Get some answers. Learn what happened to him, her brother, to everyone in the past fifteen years.

Leo, meanwhile, was facing his fears and failing: Ray had no idea what he did, the actions he took, to bring her back. He was overwhelmed with a sick, strong guilt that dwelled in his stomach all day long, and he almost vomited a few times as a result. The man couldn't even face her again after remembering the crimes, the evils that were committed, to achieve his goal.

How many lives were lost for the sake of one? For her? He loved her enough to take such a sacrifice, but the costs that came with that were now unbearable. He couldn't ignore it anymore.

The greater the choice, the greater the consequences that followed. And he was paying a hefty price.

For a moment, Leo wondered if he shouldn't answer Ray's question. But what good would that do? She would just enter and see him in his office. But what questions would she have? And how was he supposed to answer them?

"Yes, I'm here," Leo replied, trying to keep his voice even so as to not cause more suspicion. "I'm afraid I'm a little busy right now. Can it wait?"

He grimaced at his own question. It made him sound indifferent to his daughter, when nothing could be further from the truth. She would get the wrong idea. Worse still, Leo knew full well how Ray would answer regardless.

The woman caught the slight hitch of tone in his voice alongside the weariness, making her sigh from outside. It was just like her father to get all caught up in work. "You've been in there all day. and it's very late in the night. You need to take a break, Dad."

"It's not that late, daughter."

"It's almost midnight..." Another huff from behind the door. "You know what, I'm coming in."

Before her dad could object, she let herself into the room without another word. Leo was indeed looking very weary, if not a little ill. His eyes had rings underneath them, he had thinned and wrinkled slightly, and, much to Ray's discomfort, the skin around his metallic skull-plate, which apparently was supposed to hold his skull together, was looking red and irritated.

"I'm okay, Ray," said Leo, attempting a smile. "There's no need to worry about me. Go back to bed."

Ray ignored him, deciding to make herself useful by picking up and organizing some files that were scattered on the floor. His office was a complete mess.

"There's no need-!" Leo objected, but Ray had already deposited them in his inbox, where they belonged. As she turned to clean up more of his office, she couldn't help but notice the words "Arc-Area Project" listed on some of the papers.

Another question for another time. For now, she had more important matters to discuss.

"Dad, I've been worried about you," Ray sighed, picking up another stack of papers. "We've hardly talked since...since I came back. Worse, you don't seem well. You've been shutting yourself up in your office all day and isolating yourself from the rest of us. Mom says that you've had a lot of things on your mind, and Reiji told me that this has been going on for a while."

Leo honestly didn't notice much about his own hours in the office room. Time flew by tediously for him, and he had more than his share of migraines (some of which were from the mental strain on his brain). There was some truth in what their family had explained to her: he did have a lot on his mind. Her return was one of those things, one that left him with much relief, but also with a small tinge of worry and fear.

But among the most heartbreaking was the news of his own hearing in the court within the next couple weeks. Leo just had his own daughter back, had his family reunited as a whole (more or less), but because of his own selfish ambitions and close-minded goal, he might lose it all.

Leo didn't know if she could handle it. Reiji and his wife hadn't revealed the truth to her of his actions at their own discretion, but the man knew he had to. It was his responsibility as Ray's father and close friend.

"There has been some things I had to deal with recently," the man explained in simple terms while avoiding all of the problems, "but I will be alright."

"What happened?" Ray asked.

Leo sighed. She had to know eventually, or else would find out the truth herself. "Ray, how much do you remember about what happened before you woke up?" he asked.

The young woman blinked. "What I remember?"

"Yes."

She tapped her chin. "Well...not much, outside of the Original Dimension and...Zarc..."

Leo grimaced. "You know that the Original Dimension is gone. Even if none of us told you, you would have known that, just by living here. Do you remember why it is gone?"

Ray scrunched her brow. "It's because of the En Cards..."

The En Cards! Do I still have them with me?

"You remember those then, and no, I don't think you have the En Cards with you anymore. Do you remember using the En Cards?" Alright, so this was a start. She knew a few things, and maybe he could figure out where to lead the conversation in a way that would satisfy her curiosity while leaving the heavier matters a mystery.

"Yes, I remember using them," she replied. "I used them on Zarc, and then everything went white..."

Leo leaned forward, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Why don't you tell me everything you remember, up to this point? Don't hesitate to interrupt your own story if anything new comes up."

Ray blinked again. There was obviously something important about her memories. "I don't remember much...only bits and pieces here and there."

"Tell me those pieces," Leo insisted. "If my hypothesis is correct, you might begin remembering more as you begin thinking of past events."

Ray sighed at this. This was her dad. Always the scientist, even when it didn't feel appropriate. "Well, I first remember this...voice...of a young child," she started, looking down at the floor to help concentrate better. "I don't remember what he—she was saying. And...there were other voices too, but they were more feminine and older."

"Your counterparts," Leo muttered to himself. They still played a key part in all of it. "What else do you remember?"

"I..." Ray tried to focus on her memories. "I...remember...seeing something."

"What did you see?" Leo asked.

Ray took a few deep breaths to ease her mental strain. "I remember seeing a bright light. It was green..."

"And?" Leo prodded again, his eyes now hopeful. She must've been referring to the Arc-Area machine, the very project he used to resurrect her.

She tried to remember more, but couldn't get the rest of the pieces together in her mind. Something was blocking it, but what? "I don't know. It's all muddled together up to my return." Sighing to herself, the woman shook her head. "I'm sorry, but...I just can't remember."

"Don't worry if you can't picture it clearly." Leo nodded in understanding, a small smile gracing his weary features. "But first, you remember our old home, right?"

The woman smiled fondly for a second. "It's a little hard, but yes. The United Dimension..."

"I remember seeing such a brilliance too, Ray, but it foreboded a terrible presence." The man shuddered, his posture defeated and resigned. It was a memory he wished he could forget or remove from his head, but it was nearly impossible. "There was chaos everywhere, and all that filled the air were the screams of both children and adults..." he paused, looking pained. "Our dimension was dying, Ray. And though I tried to stop its demise, our entire world...my family..." Tears began streaming down his eyes, before he clenched his fists.

Ray found herself crying too, understanding coming to her, despite her memories still being foggy. "Yes. I may not know all of the details, but they still ring in my ears too. Our old world, a place that was so beautiful and advanced...now completely destroyed by him..." Her shoulders shook slightly as the faint recollections of the Original Dimension returned to her. "But what happened after that, father? It doesn't explain why you secluded yourself from us."

"That is what you must remember, Ray," Leo continued, sounding choked, "No matter what you hear in the coming weeks, no matter what you learn of me...I did everything...everything...to save the lives of the people I loved. I may very well be damned for what I did, but I do not deny the purity of my mission."

Ray was surprised to hear about this, feeling tears run down her cheeks. "D-Dad, what are you saying? I...don't understand."

Leo gripped one of her shoulders. He took in a deep breath, feeling his heart about to break. She was going to knew the truth sooner or later, but it didn't make what he was about to reveal any less painful or sorrowful.

"I tried to bring it all back," he panted. "You, and everyone from the Original Dimension. I needed a staggering amount of energy to do it. A great sacrifice had to be made to achieve the goal...and I..." Leo was actually gasping for breath, remembering the immense destruction and death he had wrought, "I failed, Ray. I destroyed this universe and myself...and I failed in the end."

He collapsed onto his desk, body shaking as he buried his head into his papers before weeping like a child. Ray was not used to seeing this side of her father. He was very ashamed about his actions, and she was suddenly hesitant to ask why.

So instead, she took a few deep breaths and resolved to ask him, "Dad? What do you mean you failed? What did you do?"

Leo slowly raised his face from his desk, eyes sealed shut as tears continued to leak from them. "System administrator..." he commanded in a hoarse voice, "...initiate Arc-Area Protocol. Convert Main Office to War Room."

"Voice recognized," a female computer voice replied. "Converting Main Office to War Room."

Immediately, Leo's entire office began shifting and transforming as desks and chairs folded into themselves before advanced computer equipment, charts, and holo-screens unfolded from niches in the walls. Stunned, Ray's eyes began rapidly darting about, taking in maps of the four dimensions, computer screens displaying information such as "Progress on Arc-Area Project", "Mental Data Archives", "Spirit Tech Force Field Tests Results" and many more. She did not fail to notice her name on several screens next to data on a project entitled "Revival Zero."

"What is this?" Ray breathed, shaking as she noticed even more screens displaying "Inter-Dimensional Unification Casualties and Collateral."

"This was where I planned everything before I made my base in the Fusion Dimension," Leo whispered, eyes still closed in pain, as if he couldn't bear even looking at it. "After the war ended...I transferred everything here. All the answers you want...they're in this room. Just please..." he choked, "...Ray...never forget that I love you...and our family."

There was so much information to take in at once, but she was much more concerned for her father who was breaking down right before her. "Please tell me. What happened, Dad?" Her shaky tone was less accusatory and more emotional. "What did you do?"

"I...just...just look, daughter." He couldn't bear to see her face anymore, too ashamed of himself.

Ray approached one of the screens, her brow furrowed.

"Lift all restrictions," Leo commanded the computer that controlled his room. "Full access. Replay mental record...United Dimension...3125 A.D."

"Command confirmed," the computer voice replied, before bringing up a screen, a scene all too familiar to the man. Ray watched the events of the screen unfold in silence, unsure of what was about to happen next. Then her eyes widened in recognition.

"That...that boy...it's him!" More events began playing before her eyes, but Ray slowly focused on the duelist in front of her as he used his power to merge with his dragon companions.

We will become one! Nothing will stand in our way, even if the whole world will be destroyed!

"Zarc..." she breathed to herself. If there was anything she did remember, it was him.

All power of speech was taken from her as she continued watching. Eventually, she was watching herself through the eyes of her father, as she used the power of the En Cards to finally stop Zarc...but at a terrible cost. At a command, Leo brought up more screens, and now, Ray was watching fragmented clips of Leo studying the dimensions with complex machinery, speaking to political, religious, and military leaders of the Fusion Dimension, organizing an army, commanding the army. He was going to war. He did not personally set foot in any of the dimensions he ordered to be attacked, but he was always there, monitoring progress, issuing commands, devising strategies, and always, always, above all else, working on the project to revive her, and rebuild their old home.

"Father...what have you done!?" Ray cried out in disbelief, tears pouring from her eyes.

The man she loved, the man she had sacrificed herself to protect, was becoming twisted before her eyes. He was transforming into a monster, bent on destroying anyone and anything that stood in his way, all for the sake of destroying Zarc and protecting her. She watched him grow hard and callous, speaking of the casualties and suffering he inflicted on the other dimensions as if it was mere data for another of his experiments. No! This couldn't be her father! This was some kind of twisted parody of her father, a villain in the guise of her father!

She spun on her heels to stare at the man sitting at his desk. Even clad in his usual work uniform instead of the dictatorial military uniform of his Fusion regime, even tear-stained and exhausted from guilt and sorrow, she could see, her father, Leo Akaba, and the monster on the computer screen, The Professor, were one and the same.

He had hurt so many people and started a war, murdering thousands of people all for her sake. In the eyes of the law, her once sweet father, her close friend, was now branded a criminal. Rightly accused.

"D-Dad...you did all of this?" She was shell-shocked, unsure of whether to reprimand and scold him for all the atrocious acts he, her father, did...or to try and forget it all. Leo wasn't capable of all of this, not for the sole purpose of bringing her back. "It can't be true. Please tell me it...it isn't true!"

But the evidence showed otherwise. Ray couldn't deny or ignore the truth before her. She had to face it, accept it, believe it.

Father...this...

She clenched her fists, wiping her tears away. Ray was, for the first time in her life, ashamed and angry with her father. "This was wrong. All of it."

Leo leaned back on his chair, looking twenty years older than he already was. "My fate will be decided soon enough," he whispered. "I will be held in court before a jury consisting of representatives from all four dimensions. I will not try to defend myself. I have specifically requested that I have no defense attorney, no legal help of any kind. Reiji and Himika disagree, they think I should at least have my side of the story told..." He sniffed in amusement, shaking his head. "It doesn't matter either way. I knew what I was doing was wrong...even as I tried to justify my actions. I told myself that this universe was all an illusion, as insubstantial as its original holograms. But I was wrong. I killed and destroyed, and I saved nobody because of it. I deserve the Hell that awaits me. More than that, even."

Ray was standing motionless, seething with the equally strong emotions of rage, contempt, horror, and sympathy. This was not her father, not the one she knew her whole life. Even if he was incredibly regretful for his actions, it couldn't undo all of the damage.

Leo breathed in. "My flaw was that I was too proud. I had created the catastrophe that destroyed our world. I thought it was my responsibility, and mine alone, to fix it. I could not accept the fact that there were some things that were beyond even my ability to fix, and like Icarus who reached for the Heavens...I now find myself being plunged into the depths of Hell."

"Why did you hide this from me?" Ray finally croaked, straining herself to not smash her fists into her father's face, or collapse onto the ground into a fetal position like a crying infant. "Why couldn't you understand what...what I did for everyone when I sacrificed myself!? Why couldn't you respect my decision?!"

Leo looked away from Ray, out towards a window open to the city beyond. "In all my life...through everything I have done," he gasped, "all I ever truly wanted...was the love of my family. I wanted to hold you close as I did when you were born. I wanted it to last forever. I could not accept that you were truly gone for me."

He looked down on the ground, letting more tears fall.

"That is my final failure," he whispered to himself, "I wanted to bring you back, and now, at last, just when you have returned to me...I cannot bring myself to be with someone as pure and truly selfless as you."

He got up from his chair and began walking away from her, moving out of the office altogether. His daughter was alarmed.

"Father!" Ray called, running out and clutching his shoulder.

"You should not associate with me anymore, Ray," Leo stonily replied, shrugging off her hand and walking through a door leading to an elevator shaft. "Please," he pleaded, turning to look at her one last time. "Please...if I can possibly make one last request...please live your life so that you can be happy. Forget about me, and be with your mother and siblings. Support them however you can, but just know that...I love you with my whole heart."

Ray opened her mouth to protest, to detain her father for one final argument, but Leo had already shut the door before descending to some lower level of the company, where everyone else was restricted from entering. She let all her tears, her anguish, her anger, her sorrow, all her emotions out. It was hard for Ray to control herself anymore; her father was leaving as a criminal paying for his actions.

His actions were completely wrong, but he still held out for their family. He wanted that relationship with her again, even at the cost of his own life, the lives of others, the fate of the whole world, and even her own choice to save him.

Leo undid her own fate so as to bring her back. But the cost was too great, and she was far from happy about it. The next time she would see her father would most likely be in court, or worse, prison. Behind bars.

Her freedom cost him his.

"How can I be happy with knowing all of this?" Her voice was very light, shaky. "How can I move on knowing that you did all of this? That our family is going to be torn apart?" Sobbing freely, Ray bowed her head, no longer caring if she was speaking to herself. "You shouldn't have brought me back if it led to this..."

In the same hour, with the half-crescent moon rising slowly into the sky, another family dwelling in the quieter, more serene part of the city was getting ready for a good night's rest. The atmosphere in their home was more relaxed and happier, but it wasn't without a little tension.

Yuya himself, the Entertainer duelist, was struggling with the turmoil in his heart.

His father and mother were together now. Mother and Father had spent some time alone together, presumably to work some things out between them, before the two of them had seemed to fully reconcile with one another. Yuya, on the other hand, hadn't been given the same kind of time.

This is stupid, he thought. I don't need to forgive my dad for anything. I know why he had to leave. It was because of him that I was able to convince Edo to reform. Why should I resent him for saving lives?

The boy shook his head to get rid of the troubling thoughts. "I now have him back. That was what I wished for the past three years, what we wished for. Our lives are almost back to normal, and everything is slowly changing to the better." Yuya sighed and sat down before his desk in his room. "Except...not everything is back to normal. It's not the same as before."

If anything, it's still...off.

And yet, as Yuya thought about it, he couldn't quite put his finger on exactly WHAT was off. His dad had been kind and very respectful to him, even telling him that he was proud of everything Yuya had accomplished in the war. Their family was together again, and yet, whenever they were together, Yuya felt as if there was some barrier remaining between himself and his father? Was it just him? Was it just that his experiences in the war had changed him? Or was he still feeling sorrow over the loss of Odd-Eyes.

Odd-Eyes...

His companion that had been with him since his father left. The dragon had been an irreplaceable source of comfort and joy to him as he learned to duel, slowly becoming the man who would grow to face what seemed like an unstoppable empire. He had always trusted in his dragon, and his dragon had always trusted in him.

Yuya's eyes widened in sudden realization.

"Why didn't you tell me anything back when you left?" Yuya asked aloud. "Did you just not want to burden me with the truth...or were you afraid I wasn't ready?"

He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to think of some answer that made sense. Odd-Eyes never held any secrets against him, at least none that he knew of. The dragon was always there for him, up until that moment in the alley.

Up until he left with Zarc. Yuya was left to question their relationship compared to his own; did Odd-Eyes have a stronger bond with his former owner?

He slammed his fist into the wall of his bedroom out of frustration. First, Dad and now Odd-Eyes. Both of them had left him, and neither of them had bothered to explain to him their reasons why. The boy might have his father back now, but it was in replacement for his ace.

Why can't I have both? Why does everyone close to me just leave or disappear?

That also included Yuzu, which left a heavy strain on Yuya's heart. Ever since they were separated by the war, he strived to bring her back no matter what, but he failed. He completely failed. And now he didn't know what happened to her, even though Reiji's words about Leo bringing her back from Academia brought a little relief to his ears.

If anything, he needed to see her again, even if it meant confronting Reiji about it. But his thoughts were halted when a sudden knock thumped on his bedroom door.

"If you want to take up kick-boxing, I could always purchase a punching bag for you," the friendly voice of Yusho, the famed pioneer of Action Duels in the Pendulum Dimension, called from the other side of the door. "Mother would kill me if she found out I had let you put some holes in her walls."

"S-sorry, Dad," Yuya weakly replied from the other end.

"Mind if I come in?" Yusho politely asked.

The boy removed his hand from the wall, cradling the knuckles and wincing slightly (why did he punch so hard?). The wall had a small dent, but Yuya didn't focus much on it. Hearing Yusho's question, he, for a brief moment, wanted to say "No, I'm good," but his mouth betrayed him.

"S-sure, Dad."

Yusho slowly opened the door and stepped inside, surveying the various piles of clothes, manga, and cards scattered on the floor with a click of his tongue. He was still limping from his injury, but he managed to stand up straight and tall as he approached Yuya.

"It's just like I remember when I left," he sighed. "Well...minus En and Core. Those two can wreak havoc on a home's decor." A soft, light-hearted hum left him, fondly shaking his head at the thought of the otherwise rambunctious pair. "Mind if I sit on your bed?"

Yuya nodded his head, struggling to figure out what to say and how he should say it. With a groan, Yusho slowly settled on the bed, before patting on the bed next to him, indicating that his son should join him. Yuya, seeing that he had no choice and not wanting to be rude and refuse his father's offer, walked over and settled down next to him.

"I couldn't help but notice that something seemed to be...weighing down on you," Yusho patiently explained. "Of course, I could not blame you, after all you experienced in the inter-dimensional war, but I wanted you to know that I am here for you, if you ever need to talk about it."

Yuya balled his fists on his lap, keeping his gaze low to the ground. "There...are a few things."

He didn't want to explain the whole situation about Odd-Eyes with his father. In fact, he didn't mention anything about his incident with Zarc in the alley since his return. The other boys were more vocal, especially Yugo, about the incident, but as for Yuya himself...

He wanted to figure things out on his own, and perhaps see if there was a way to resolve it and get Odd-Eyes back. But everyone noticed that it was taking a toll on his spirit and mental state, that he was silently pushing people away for a bit. And they were worried for him.

Why did you leave Odd Eyes? the boy thought sadly to himself. Why did you pick Zarc over me?

He was snapped out of his thoughts by Yusho, who placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Yuya? Is something wrong?'

The boy sighed for a moment, conflicted on whether to tell his father or not. Then again, what good would it do for him to hold it inside all alone? "It's just my dragon...Odd-Eyes," Yuya started in a meek tone, his gaze downcast. "My deck isn't the same without him."

Yusho was a bit befuddled by that. "What? You lost Odd Eyes?" He knew his son well; he and his ace were practically inseparable.

The boy nodded sadly, feeling tears threatening to well up in his eyes. "Y-yes..." He clenched and unclenched his fists on his lap, letting a few tears fall and splatter. Yuya would be lying if he told anyone that he didn't want Odd-Eyes back, and even though he didn't fully understand why he would choose Zarc, he trusted the dragon enough to have a good reason and a kind heart for it.

I just want to know why. And I wish there was a way for you to come back...to me...

Pulling his legs up to his chest, Yuya buried his head in his knees and sobbed freely, letting out all the pent-up emotions he kept bottled up inside his heart. Yusho rubbed his son's back soothingly, waiting for his cries to subside. Yuya was obviously going through a lot at the moment, and needed his comfort at the very least.

The boy's whimpers were muffled through his clothes. "It's not fair! It's not fair! Why did Odd Eyes leave me?!"

Yusho's eyes saddened. "It's alright, son. You'll find him and get him back..."

Yuya didn't want to cry or release his emotions so easily, especially before his father, but the overwhelming guilt and sorrow in his heart over the loss for his ace, his best friend, was too much. And...for some strange reason, he felt sorry for Zarc as well. His mind recalled the image of the weakened demon-defeated, begging for mercy, and crying helplessly while laying flat on the cold alley ground...

The boy breathed in shakily, deciding to break the ice.

"Dad...do you know what happened?" Yuya asked all of a sudden. "A-after...after Yuri carded you?"

It was a strange question, one that held a lot of pain and gravity for the father and son pair. The dark memory resurfaced into Yuya's mind and replayed every moment, the painful time when his sadistic counterpart defeated and carded his own father right before his eyes out of sheer glee. He hated it.

Yusho was not fond of that day either, but didn't let it get to him. "Not much, son. Leo relayed to me only some of the events, your mother has been secretive on the details, and your friends are all recovering on their own. However, they did say something happened to you. I didn't want to ask until you were ready, but if this is the reason why you're feeling down..."

"Part of it is," the boy replied simply, taking a deep breath.

Yusho rubbed his back some more. "Then tell me. Explain to me everything you know from that moment, but feel free to stop if it gets uncomfortable..."

Yuya looked up at him, his eyes a little puffy and red from the tears. But there was resolve within his teary gaze, one that his father understood. "Well...when you were carded, I...I lost it." He gripped his heart, right over the pendulum pendant (with the string fixed again). "I challenged Yuri to a duel with everything on the line, fueled by a desire to win no matter what. And the demon inside of me—Zarc, he took over because of that desire." His expression grew more and more guilty as the story went on, showing that he held much remorse for his actions. "I threw away my ideals for entertainment all to get revenge, and when I won...that was all Zarc needed to revive."

Yusho's brow furrowed. He remembered Leo tell the story of Zarc's existence shortly before he dueled Yuri, but was surprised the demon duelist succeeded in resurrecting himself. It was very troubling, to say the least.

Yuya struggled to explain the next part, mostly because Zarc was in control while he was suppressed by the demon's presence than out of pure fear and guilt of what happened. Thankfully, his friends and comrades filled in the blanks for him. "He went on a rampage in the Fusion Dimension. So many people died from it, and my friends tried to stop him."

"People died?" Yusho would be lying if he said he wasn't appalled by that.

Yuya nodded sadly. "Yes. Zarc revived as a giant dragon and was flying all over Academia demanding people to duel him while destroying everything in his path. He hurt so many innocents..."

He couldn't begin to imagine the screams and horror of the situation, of a demon laying waste to all civilization in his path all to sate his thirst for blood. It was gruesome for Yuya, and he didn't dwell much on the thought for his own sake and for his father's.

"My friends stepped in and dueled Zarc before he could do any more damage," Yuya continued. "But...he defeated all of them, one by one..."

"So he was successful?" The truth was a little hard to take in. However, Yusho figured that that wasn't the case if the current worlds were still intact (albeit with plenty of casualties from the past war). If Zarc won, everything currently would've been reduced to rubble.

"Almost." Yuya summed it up. "But Reira, the youngest of the Lancers, managed to call out to me. I remember fighting against Zarc from the inside, even though he was quite strong."

Aside from acknowledging his son's spirit to overcome the demon, something else struck out to the man.

"Reira?" Yusho parroted. He remembered that Lancer a little, but not much was known about her. "You mean Reiji's younger sibling?"

"Yes. She was the last to duel Zarc after Reiji lost, but..." A relieved smile graced his features. "She was able to bring Zarc down..or so we thought. He pulled a trap at the last second to end the duel in a draw..."

It took Yusho a few seconds to process the last part. "What kind of trap forced him to end the duel?"

"It was Self-Destruct Button." That trap was a card only a few duelists had, and it was used only as a last resort. There was a reason for its rare appearance in a well-meaning duel, and everyone present during that time knew why; it was difficult to execute, and the devastating power could leave a lot of damage to the whole area. "Everyone was surprised that he had a card like that." Yuya shuddered when he recalled the effects of the trap. "Even I felt the explosion after he activated it. A lot of my friends were injured from it."

Yusho was surprised by such news. He had thankfully little experience himself with the card in the past, knowing that there were always high stakes and risks whenever someone activated it in a Solid Vision duel. However, given that they were all still alive, he assumed that no one died from the blast. "I'm guessing the injuries weren't too serious," he concluded with relief in his voice.

"Everyone was able to recover..." Yuya then remembered Reira, his smile dropping briefly. "Well, almost everyone."

"Almost? So one of your friends was hurt?"

Yuya sighed sadly. "Reira...she is the youngest member of the Akaba family," the boy explained. "However, she is in a coma."

"What happened?"

"When Zarc's trap exploded, Reira was hit full force by the shockwave and burned by the fire it caused. It threw her backwards into a wall, where she hit her head and fell unconscious."

Yuya shuddered. "As far as I know, Reiji and Leo are keeping an eye on her to make sure she recovers."

Yusho nodded in understanding, feeling sympathy for the youngest Akaba child. "I see. Well, I hope she makes a full recovery soon."

"Me too." A soft chuckle escaped from the boy. "They all did their best to reach out to me. I could never thank them enough for it."

"So what happened to Zarc after that?" the man asked. "Is he still alive? And how did you separate from him?"

Yuya went silent for a moment. This was the part he hated to discuss. "Well...we, I and my counterparts, all separated from him after the fight." His shoulders shook slightly. "He was left very weak..." The boy bit back a sob. "Odd Eyes and the other dragons, their cards were sticking out from Zarc's deck..."

The boy was hesitant in the past, too hesitant. They had an opportunity to just grab the cards, ditch Zarc and hightail it out of there. They could've left him behind, and perhaps none of this would happen in the first place...unless the dragons planned to materialize anyway.

Yusho patted his back as the boy continued crying again. "I retrieved them and took back Odd Eyes, and gave the other dragons to my counterparts. We were about to leave, but then...Zarc...he started begging for them." His eyes softened. "He was pleading for mercy, and I was unsure of whether to leave the dragons with him or to take them."

"You really wanted to take them, didn't you?" the father guessed.

Yuya sniffled. "Y-yes."

But it wasn't right to do so. If the dragons went with them, then Zarc would've been all alone. Nobody would help him out of fear and hate of his actions, and he would've most likely succumbed to his wounds as a result. Yuya knew that he would've been left with guilt in his heart over his fate.

Perhaps that was also why the dragons made the choice for them. It still stung.

"And then..." Yuya remembered the next part like it was yesterday, how the dragons separated from him. "Zarc...he...he begged so much and pleaded so hard until the dragons literally came to life from their cards! They stood between him and us..."

Yusho was surprised to hear about this. "The dragons...brought themselves to life?" He was in disbelief of how a monster could summon itself without the aid of the Solid Vision system. He himself had a particular trap, Restraining Sword of Impact, whose effect and mass would not dissipate even when an Action Duel was over. That was a bug with the system, a bug that he and Leo had known for a while and decided to keep in the case of an emergency. Still, it was drastically different from what Yuya had just explained to him about the dragons.

"Somehow, they did." Yuya closed his eyes in thought, still crying. "They manifested themselves from the cards and stood before us. We didn't activate our duel disks, so we had no idea how or why they were there, but it soon became clear they chose to go with Zarc. The others were angry and horrified by their choice..."

"What about you?"

"I..." What did he feel?

Betrayed? Yes. Conflicted? Definitely. Angry? Not...really.

If anything, Yuya was just suffering from confusion and dismay. He had so many questions about the situation, but no time or opportunity allowed by Odd-Eyes to have them answered.

"I...just wanted to know why." Yuya lowered his head till his bangs hung before his eyes, hiding them from view. "I want to know why Odd-Eyes would choose Zarc over us. And, if possible, if there was some way to bring him back without hurting anyone." There were so many things in that situation that didn't seem or felt right, whether it was taking the dragons away from Zarc or letting them go with him.

Odd-Eyes...what do you see in him that I and the others don't see?

Of course, Yuya then remembered that one moment in the alleyway, when Zarc was pleading for mercy, asking not to take Odd-Eyes away from him. He looked absolutely devastated, and it nearly broke Yuya's heart.

There was just so much pain in his eyes, as if he lost all hope in everything...

Yuya didn't know what to think of Zarc anymore. "Maybe...there was something about Zarc...I just can't see yet. Maybe if I understood Odd-Eyes' feelings at the time, then maybe the situation would be better."

Yusho was very proud of his son, knowing that Yuya would rather seek a peaceful route that resolved conflict rather than lash out in anger, wanting to understand the actions of his friend rather than calling him out for betrayal. He was altruistic in a sense. However, even so, the situation had no right answer. There was no simple way out of what his son went through, and his heart was breaking as a result. He was suffering. It was quite selfless of Odd-Eyes to make such a difficult choice for him, even though it came with a grievous cost, and it was up to the boy on whether he should trust the dragon's instinct or not.

After all, it was probably equally hard on Odd-Eyes as it was for Yuya.

It was a lot to put on for a young boy, so Yusho changed the subject slightly to lighten the mood for a bit, his tone soft. Plus, he was curious on how much things had changed in his absence. "And how are your friends doing, and, as I should say, your counterparts?"

"Well, Yuto is helping with Shun and Dennis in the Xyz Dimension." Yuya couldn't help but smile a bit from the thought. "They're really doing everything to repair the damage and help the citizens. And many students of Academia are providing the supplies for them...they really want to make amends with the victims."

"Glad to hear that they're making a change." Of all the people, Yusho was particularly happy for his former student, Dennis Mackfield. One of the many victims twisted by Academia's teachings and purpose for the war, he was a mole to the Xyz Dimension and the Lancers and eventually torn on his alliance. The man was very disheartened when the teen, after having lost in his mission and therefore "unable to return to the Professor, committed suicide by carding himself.

Yuya caught the sudden implication, smiling wider. "I heard that Dennis and some of the former Academia students, along with Asuka, are teaching Dueltaining to the children of the Xyz citizens. But..." his eyes were downcast, "it will take a lot more work before there's enough progress to make a successful recovery."

Yusho hummed in thought. "But their hearts are changing, aren't they?"

"Yeah..." Silence lingered for a moment, the boy pondering over his father's question. "As for the other counterparts, they're doing okay too. Yugo is rebuilding his D-Wheel after his last one got destroyed, but he misses Rin. And Yuri..." A cold shudder shot down his spine. "He's plain old Yuri. Reiji offered to take him into LDS for temporary residence, but he wanted to be on his own. Said that he had a few things on his mind and needed some time to himself over it."

His father chuckled mirthly some more; even though he was defeated and carded by the soldier, he held almost no grudge or anger against the Fusion duelist unlike his son. As unhinged the boy was, he still had some reason to his actions, and was also controlled primarily by Zarc in the past. Furthermore, Yuri wasn't exactly a deemed threat anymore (except in a duel)...even though there was still something off in his mannerisms.

"How are they emotionally? Are they handling the situation with the dragons well?" Unfortunately, that was a completely different story, one with much less progress.

"It's hard for all of us to live and duel without the dragons..." There was some weight in the boy's voice, hitching slightly. He dearly missed his ace, a very close friend and partner in the duels. Even though his deck could work a little well without Odd-Eyes, it didn't feel complete. Yuya felt empty as well, still lost in despair. "I...I want to duel again despite this...but I can't. Not without Odd-Eyes."

Yuto, Yugo, Yuri. They all miss their dragons too. We all want them to come back, but we don't know if they will ever. And if so, we don't know where they are.

"When you want to cry, don't forget to smile. And if you feel sad, let your heart be filled with laughter."

"Hmm?" Yuya looked up, snapping out of his thoughts. His father bore his signature warm grin in tandem with the cryptic words, showing that despite everything that happened, he was still there for him through it all. After all, that's what fathers were for: supporting their family through all sorts of hardships.

"I understand that you have been through a lot for anyone your age. But don't let it shake your resolve now, no matter how hopeless the situation may be. Perhaps to shed some light, you can help your comrades with their needs and I assure you that they will smile. It is what a friend would do in times such as now." Leaning onto his cane, he stood up with difficulty, limping back to the door before turning once more to his son. "I know you very well, and I'm so proud of you. You're not a demon or just my son anymore."

"Then what am I?" Yuya tilted his head in confusion, perplexed where his father was going with this.

"What else?" The man chuckled in a low baritone, his eyes twinkling with fatherly amusement. "You're Yuya Sakaki. And if there is anything about you that makes me so proud, it would be your heart to help others through Entertainment Dueling and Pendulum Summoning. Perhaps such a strength could change even a demon."

"You mean...even Zarc?"

Even after the war, Yusho knew that his son still had a few things to learn. However, he was on the right path and had a good heart, and it wouldn't surprise him if the demon duelist could also change because of Yuya. "Don't forget the purpose of a pendulum, son. When it swings one way, it comes back around."

He left after wishing his son a good night's sleep, but his lingering words rang true in the boy's mind. Yuya understood partially on what his father meant, but couldn't see how he had such a strength could help in this situation. But then another mystery was suddenly clear under evaluating what Yusho said.

Is that what Odd-Eyes' desire was?

And finished. I hope this helps answer, or alleviate some questions for you. I usually focus on one to two things per chapter, while also subtly bringing in other themes and hints that will be revealed in greater detail later. ;) I already gave quite a few hints in the past chapters; if you have a sharp eye, you might spot them.

Sorry if any of the characters were OOC in this. I try hard to picture their responses to what would be considered some real-life situations (a beloved family member going to jail, losing your best friend without knowing why, etc). So this is sorta what I'm portraying them as, people who realistically react to their environments when they change for the better (or worse) WHILE hopefully not losing too much character as a result.

Also, I changed a couple things (specifically Reira's gender as everyone confirmed her to be a girl, so that was also changed in the past chapters). That is why I recommend to those who haven't yet to read the previous chapters.

Time for reviews!

To Ulrich362: Guess we'll have to wait and find out. ;)

To KuriMaster13: Behind the scenes, they are definitely together. XD

To ChaosPulsar: Yeah, he is definitely very observant.

To Epsilon Tarantula: YOUR WISH HAS ALMOST BEEN GRANTED! HAHA. And I edited the past chapter to fix those issues, thanks! It was a little bit of a rough draft, and I was in a hurry to write and edit it, so check it out!

To Lspaceship: It's good to BE back, thanks!

To Venemous Blade: Thanks for all the critiques! This chapter addresses the whole issue with Ray's memories and Leo's punishment in full force, so hey. :) And Yuri is Yuri. Troll is troll. Yuri is troll. Troll is Yuri.

To 4fireking: Anytime.

To Fenghuang0296: That is an interesting idea. I'm a little unsure of whether to give the boys new aces as I'm sure if it will fit their character or the current setting of the story (except Yuri, although he would still miss Starve Venom). I'm really more focused on their interactions and character than the duels for the first arc, at least, but thanks again!

To Eternal Darkness: Well, Arc-V is interesting in its own timeline. I'm thinking that the four protags did exist in the Original Dimension, but that was all way before the events of the show, and their story is still different from the original story and the spinoff stories. Plus, Jack, Crow, Kaito, etc, they are all alternate versions that fit only in the Arc-V universe. Ray would not have heard of them mostly because of the time span between the current worlds and the Original Dimension: around 15 years. Jack would've been a boy when the worlds split up, the others even younger. They would not have been well-known. There are multiple factors that come into play here.

To ScalchopWarrior: XD Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

To ThePLOThand: I don't really think about music when writing these, so feel free to. :) And actually, the first arc won't have as many duels, but once we get into the tournament, I will start including duels, especially up to the climax of the story. :D

To XYZArtemis: Thanks!

To Leafeon12: Yup! Guess we'll have to wait and see!

To Ghostkid33: Yeah, those were the main focuses of the chapter! And yeah, poor Yugo! XD

To Oleo: I see Super Polymerization as something Judai and Haou used in their current situation. It doesn't apply to Zarc the same way because his situation is different.

To Guest: Done!

To Aira Aura: Exactly. It's everyone's fault. XD

Thanks for your patience so far! The question for this chapter is "What will Ray do now that she knows what her father has done?"

I'm finishing up my college class and all that, so hopefully I will be freer after this! Please review, follow, favorite, and until next time, this is CTA out and God is good! :DDDD