/Yuya\
~Yugo~
[Yuto]
{Yuri}

Yuya was, quite frankly, not in a good mood.

Yesterday had been a rollercoaster, to say the least. Yugo disappearing so abruptly and leaving all three of them an anxious mess for the rest of the evening and well into the night. The sole consolation being they knew he wasn't dead. When he finally came back, Yuya could feel how exhausted and somber he felt, and he was torn between pacing nervously in his room from worry and wanting to trash something. He held it back as best he could however, it wasn't what Yugo needed.

So after spending several long hours in high tension, falling into an uneasy sleep and then staying awake until Yugo fell asleep.

Now Yuya was tired, grumpy, and running around a city action field trying to make sure Yuzu and the kids don't fall from a skyscraper and get his pendulum cards back.

He should have known going here would mean trouble, but Sawatari hadn't seemed like such a bad person and the chance of finding out even a little more about LDS was a chance he didn't want to pass up.

{I wouldn't be surprised if Akaba Reiji set him up for this.}

Yuya stopped.

Yuri had said it offhandedly, but now that the thought was there...

His cards had been stolen, Sawatari had taken them, he had his little gang of friends against him and Yuzu and the kids, clearly having the advantage and also being at their school. He could have just walked away with the cards into an area Yuya couldn't enter, but was instead dueling him.

And didn't he look like he was talking to someone on his disk earlier...?

Yuya frowned, sprinting forward again.

/Hold on to that thought, it seems more and more likely.\

~Seriously?~

Now he was getting mad. If Akaba Reiji wanted to see Pendulum so badly, why didn't he just ask? He had read a lot on his last visit here, he'd found out his dad had worked with LDS to develop Action Dueling. Why send someone to steal his cards and putting his friends in danger as a result? Why not just come meet him?

He dodged one of Sawatari's monsters as it attacked, and then it was finally his turn.

He didn't have time for this. He'd promised Yugo he would go look for Rin as soon as possible.

Looking up at the pillars of light above him at his magicians. It felt like they were watching him, waiting for him to take them back.

Right. He had no time for this.

But ending a duel without putting on a show wasn't a duel Sakaki Yuya would play.

The first thing she noticed was the ground against her back, hard and cold. The next was the cry of seagulls and the sound of waves.

Rin groaned. Her body felt stiff and her head felt like it had been thrown in a blender. She spent a moment taking count that all her limbs were in place, with how off-center she felt she wouldn't be surprised if her right leg was now her left.

She opened her eyes, squinting at the sunlight and sat up, holding her dizzy head and trying to shield her eyes from the light. When she could look around without pain searing into her eyes, she looked up and saw,

…the ocean?

Rin blinked, carefully climbing to her feet. Glancing around, she appeared to be in harbour, giant warehouses behind her.

That can't be right. The shore was far away from the facility, it took a while to get there even with a D-Wheel, and shouldn't it be dark out? She scoured her still dazy mind for any clue to how she could have gotten here.

Right, she'd been about to duel Security. They were going to arrest them for no reason and had them cornered, but there was something else...

A sharp white light

Sparkling teal particles floating in the air

Hands gripping the back of her jacket

Crystal blue eyes shimmering with unshed tears

Rin gasped, memories finally returning.

"Yugo!" she shouted as she turned around frantically, desperately trying to spot a glimpse of blue hair and a white riding suit. "Are you here?! Yugo!"

But she was the only one here, not a single other person along the whole long stretch of the harbour. Her response was only the sound of waves hitting the wall and bird cries.

Rin clenched her fists, trying to stave off the rising panic she could feel begin in her chest.

She was somewhere she did not recognise, with no idea how she got here and Yugo was nowhere to be seen.

'Ok, no panicking', she thought, biting her lip, starting to look around more thoroughly. 'What do I know? Where do I go from here? How do I find Yugo?'

Spotting a stack of boxes and high containers between one of the warehouses, high enough that she could climb onto the roof of the buidling beside it, she decided to get a better vantage point. Running over to it, she used the momentum to jump and grab ahold of the ledge, before pulling herself up. A last hop to grab the edge and she pulled herself onto the roof.

Rin stood up carefully and walked a few steps up, mindful to not lose her footing. The last thing she needed was to fall and break something. Making sure she wouldn't slip, she looked up.

Well, she definitely wasn't in the City anymore.

It still had skyscrapers, but no giant constructions with more, smaller buildings on them. No roads over old and broken houses, everything looked a little less, Tops-like. There was a giant building off in the distance that demanded attention and immediately earned her dislike.

Right, so what should she do now?

She had some spare money on her, but she doubted it would be enough to get a ride back home. Walking wasn't an option either, the City was built on water and you needed a boat to get there. Maybe she could stow herself away?

Then there was the other possible option, that she was in a different dimension entirely. It must definitely have been her best friend who caused her to teleport away, but the question was where he'd sent her too. And if he had sent himself away.

She thanked whatever shitty god was out there that Yugo had told her about other dimensions, or she would have been even worse off. But even if she were in another dimension, how would she get back? She didn't exactly know anyone...

Wait.

Rin could have slapped herself for forgetting about the other important part of their conversation. She did smack her forehead though.

If she was in another dimension, one of Yugo's mind friends or whatever should be here too. And if they could talk to each other whenever, they'd know she could possibly be here.

They would know what happened to Yugo after she got sent away.

Rin drew in a big breath, held it and let it out, stretching and letting the wind blow through her hair and caress her hands for a minute, gathering her wits.

"Right!" She slapped her cheeks hard, ignoring the sting. "No time for dilly-dallying! Let's get moving!"

Rin slid down the roof and jumped down, skipping a few of the boxes and landed on the ground, bending her knees to cushion her fall. First things first, she'll walk to the tower and look around, it didn't look like the type of place she could just walk into either way.

She walked in the direction of the large building she could see in the distance, head held high.

/Hey Yuri, what does the uniform for Academia look like?\

{Depends, students are separated into factions called Osiris Red, Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue. You can guess their jacket colour from there, I hope.} He could feel Yuri's confusion at his question as he answered.

~Which one are you in?~

{Osiris Red, technically.}

[Well, at least I know what uniform to look out for.]

{Not quite, I don't wear the uniform. Special permission as long as I wear the red jacket, but that thing is over my shoulders.}

/Oh, same as me, I wear my school jacket like that too.\ He felt a little silly being giddy over that, but it was a special feeling finding stuff they shared.

{...Is that so. Anyway, why do you ask?}

/Oh, right. I think I'm dueling someone from Academia.\

Yuya could almsot hear the surprised splutters in his ear, as the others tumbled over their words.

[I- what? Yuya are you okay?]

~Yeah are you being attacked or something? You sure don't sound like it!~

/Ok see, remember how I was dueling someone earlier? Well, after I won, he and his friends tried to steal my cards by force. But some weird kid suddenly appeared and knocked them all out.\

~Huh?~

/Yeah, I know. Anyway, he wants to become my student cause I'm the most fun person around or something and now we're having a duel. The kid pulling out polymerisation out of nowhere made me a bit suspicious.\

{Oh fucking hell-}

Yuya skids to a halt as Yuri curses and disappears for a moment.

~Yuya I think you broke him, good job.~

Yuya has to take a moment to hold in the loud laugther threatening to escape, hand covering his mouth and wide smile.

/I didn't mean to, oh god Yuri come back!\

"Teacher, what are you doing? My turn is over so start your turn already!" Sora shouts across the field, looking annoyed.

Yuya raises a hand to show he heard. "S-sorry, I'll start right now!" He took a breath, then another, to gather his compousure.

"Now, I'll be introducing a new Pendulum and Entermate monster! Level Two, Entermate Cheer Mole!"

Cheer Mole appeared, before shyly burying itself in the ground and peeking out. Yuya smiled at the sight, before turning back to his opponent.

"Also also, our briliant star, Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

Odd Eyes appeared with his usual roar, threatening to anyone else, but comforting to Yuya. He listened to the conversation in his head absently while continuing the duel.

[Yuri where did you go?]

{I'm here, calm down.}

~What even happened to you?~

{Exasperation and disbelief filled me to the brim for a moment, but laughter ended up being my reaction at how incredibly incompetent this supposed Academia spy is.}

~So, you needed to laugh it off and get your composure back?~

{Pretty much. Yuya, once you're done, give me the brats name and I'll see if I can look it up. Best to make sure he's actually from here.}

[You wouldn't know of the top of your head?]

{Of course not, I don't care for any of these vermins.}

~Suuure, I totally believe that.~

{Shut up.}

/He's called Shiuin Sora, he's wearing a blue jacket, it kinda looks like a modified uniform.\

{I'll see when I can get into the archives.}

[Won't that be suspicious?]

{I doubt anyone would actually dare to tell one me. And I can go wherever I want except for highly off-limits areas.}

~Ugh, how nice.~

/How are you holding up, Yugo?\

~I'm booored. I slept alot but there's nothing to do in here.

[They still haven't moved you?]

~Nope. They brought food earlier, but not enough to make me full.~

{They probably want to tire you out for when they come get you. It's easier to persuade you if you're exhausted or hungry.}

~I'll be careful, promise. But I really want Clear Wing back...~

/I'm sure he'll be returned to you soon.\

~I hope so. Anyway, have any of you found Rin yet?~

[I've been tagging along on rounds and ration raids, but I haven't seen her, or heard anything from anyone.]

{I've been looking around and keeping an ear out, but I haven't heard any news. I don't think she's here if they haven't found her by now.}

/I haven't had a chance to look for her yet, sorry...\

~It's fine... thank you for trying. I'm sure Rin will be fine, but,~

[You want to be sure, we get it.]

/I'm sure she'll turn up soon!\

~Yeah, you're right...~

[In more positive news, the teleportation device is almost ready. We should be ready to leave in just a few more days.]

/Really?! That's great!\

{Good work getting that ready so quickly.}

[It's thanks to Allen. He worked really hard when he heard.]

{Did you tell him everything?}

[No, only that we think Ruri might be a target and that going to a different dimension to find allies would be a good way to potentially turn the war around and keep her away. We decided that was for the best. We told the same story to Sayaka.]

~Well, it'll definitely turn the war around a bit, that's for sure.~

/But, that means, we'll get to meet soon, right Yuto?\ Yuya felt excitement curl up in his stomach at the thought.

[Yeah, we will.] He thought he could feel the same from Yuto. [We'll leave at night and go from there. Then we can see how we should meet up.]

/Yeah!\

~Aaw, how nice. You guys hurry up and get here too!~

/We will!\

{Being impatient won't help anyone, Yuugou.}

~It's not fusion, it's Yugo! And don't try to pretend you aren't excited!~

{...Hmph.}

Yuya grinned, making Yuzu give him a strange look and ask what he was laughing at. He just said 'it's a secret!' and hopped away.

/We'll meet one way or another!\

We definitely will.

Hi Rin, lovely to see you again!

Not gonna lie, i really enjoyed writing the yuboys ragging on Sora's terrible espionage skills, as i find it hilarious myself how little thought he actually gave it.

Sorry for the wait, hope you enjoyed the chapter!