EchoGirl: Sorry it took a while for me to update but here we are!
Goldfish: Finally.
EchoGirl: (glares) Well enjoy chapter 10!
A Rose in the Stars
Chapter 10
Once again, Destiny was sitting in her room, curled up on the windowsill. She stared in awe at the mask in her hands. Below her lay the bag that she had taken to her grandparents, its stolen contents spilling out onto the floor.
Her father had insisted that she show him what she had taken. There were some framed photos – one a her mother as a child with Hideo and Setsuko in the background, one of Team 5D's at the WRGP (World Riding Duel Grand Prix) and one of her mother with Black Rose Dragon in the background. There were also a quite few nameless tapes of things that had probably recorded, Destiny didn't really know, she hadn't watched any yet. There was a photo album as well. And of course there was the letter.
I sure hope they don't notice that these have magically disappeared, Destiny hoped.
She had willingly shown Yusei all of what she had found and he hadn't made a single remark until she pulled the mask out of the bag.
"Where," he had asked, stuttering slightly, he never stuttered, "did you get that?"
She had clutched the mask close to her chest and replied, "White Magician led me to it. She said that it could unlock the secrets of mom's time as the Black Rose."
He had looked away sighing, his eyes filled with memories. "Destiny, are you sure that you want to do this? Sometimes the past should remain buried, and Akiza's story is not a pleasant one."
"Dad," she had replied seriously, "this is something I have to do, I need to know. No one knows what happened to mom while she was the Black Rose, exactly what it was that pushed her to become the Black Rose. Not even you know, and pretty sure my grandparents don't know the full story either. The only people who know what really happened are a dead psychopath and mom herself. And even they wouldn't know the whole thing. But this," she held up the mask, "this does. It's the key to a world of memories."
"Destiny," her father had tried again, "that mask has a power that no one can understand. It may be a key, but I don't want to think about what knowing those memories, living them, will do to you. And even I'm aware that to completely unlock those memories you're going to have to wear that mask and duel with it. You will have to be the Black Rose."
She had nodded solemnly. "I know. But I have to do this. Just like you had to leave the Satellite and come to New Domino to get Stardust back from Uncle Jack. Everything that you experienced from then on came from that one choice, the Signers, the Crimson Dragon. Everything. That was the key to your destiny, this is the key to mine."
She remembered how his eyes had closed and he had sighed in defeat before putting a hand on her shoulder. "Since when did my little girl get so wise?"
She had flashed him a smile at that. "Runs in the family. But, Dad?"
"Yes?"
"The mask won't corrupt me. I know it."
"How?"
"Because I've got something that Mom didn't get 'til the very end."
He had looked at her curiously, trying to determine an answer. He couldn't. "What?"
She threw her arm around him and rested her head on his chest.
"You."
Jack was the last one to arrive, dropping Jake off on the Wheel of Fortune. The five were now gathered in Destiny's room while their fathers chatted downstairs. Vanessa picked up one of the framed pictures that were now sitting on Destiny's bedside table. It was the one with Akiza and Black Rose Dragon on it.
"So, is this your mom?" she asked, fingering the young woman in the picture, tracing her long violet bangs. Her statement caught everyone's attention; they had not yet gotten a proper look at Akiza Izinski.
"Yup," Destiny responded, admiring the photo, "that's her."
"She hot," Chris remarked just before Destiny's fist collided with his face.
"You have the same eye shape," Jake noted, glancing at her.
"And your streaks are the same colour as her hair," Mark added.
She does look kind of like me, Destiny thought, comparing her own porcelain skin to that of her mother's. Their facial features were rather similar also, but Destiny's were slightly sharper and more angular, like her father's.
"Hey!" Vanessa exclaimed as she returned the photo to its original position, "it's a Team 5D's photo! Dad has one of these!"
She scooped the picture up and began naming each of the members.
"There's Dad and Uncle Yusei and Uncle Jack – whoa, Jack, you really do look like him – and Uncle Bruno and Luna and Leo and there!" she pointed at a violet haired woman in a red and black riding suit standing between Yusei and Bruno. "That must be your mom!"
After looking at the framed photos and commenting on how old Hideo Izinski was they moved onto the photo album, laughing as they passed over certain pictures. It was growing rapidly dark by now; Kalin, Jack and Crow had already left. Downstairs Destiny could hear her father working on the practice duel runner. A tournament was coming up soon.
I'll be able to enter a tournament soon, she mused. She was thrown back to earth by the sound of laughter from her friends. She glanced down at the photo that was the source of their amusement and couldn't help but smile herself.
It was of Jack, wounded after his loss against Team Unicorn at the WRGP with three very concerned women holding him up, their eyes shining with adoration.
Looks like Jake isn't the only one with fangirls.
Amongst the three women she recognised Jake's mother, Carly, and Mina and another girl, a waitress from that café that sold the ridiculously priced coffee that Jack liked. When she was five, Jack had insisted that she try it and she had spat it out into a plant pot as soon as she had tasted the stuff.
There were some other photos too from the WRGP, one with Bruno with his arms slung around the shoulders of Luna and Leo, one with Jack and Crow standing back-to-back and one with Yusei and Akiza. (AN: Yeah, I know. These are the still pictures that are shown in the end credits during the WRGP)
"I like this one," Destiny declared, trailing her finger over the one of her parents before sliding it out of its slot and placing it on her beside table beside the framed pictures. "Hey, do you guys want to watch the tapes? I picked a few up from when we were at my grandparents' place."
"And I thought that we weren't suppose to be stealing anything," Chris muttered as Destiny picked up one of the tapes and shoved it into the slot on the TV.
"No," she replied, "you weren't suppose to be stealing anything. I can, because it's relevant to me. Besides, we don't want you to make a habit of that of sort of thing. Trudge already thinks you have Mafia connections."
Chris huffed as the recording began to play and Destiny grabbed the popcorn from the foot of the bed that they were all squeezed into and found herself a spot between him and Jake, who she passed the popcorn to.
The recording showed a rollerblading arcade (if that's what it's called) and the picture was rather wobbly. The five youngsters jumped in surprise as a face suddenly loomed in front of the camera. All they saw was a fringe of blue-green hair and grey-gold eyes.
"Hi!" it yelled loudly, spooking the viewers yet again.
"Leo!" they heard Luna's voice, "you're holding it way too close to your face!"
"Oh, right," at once the picture zoomed out revealing a much younger version of Leo much like in the photos, only about Vanessa's age. "Anyway, we got dragged along for Yusei and Akiza's date."
"Leo, for the last time," the camera shifted over to Luna, who was leaning on a railing of some sort, "it's not a date! He's helping her find her centre of gravity so she can get her license!"
"Come on," the camera suddenly swivelled around to where Yusei was holding Akiza's hands, helping her balance. Destiny felt a smile tugging at her lips, apart from the still, lifeless photos, she had never seen her parents together. She continued to watch as her mother improved and began to move by herself as young Luna and Leo argued in the background. The recording ended on a snapshot of the two teens laughing together as they skated with Luna and Leo finally agreeing that it was, in fact, a date.
Other recordings played, including a particularly hilarious one involving Jack and his three fangirls with Carly telling the waitress to get lost, Mina threatening Carly –who was latched onto Jack's arm – with arrest if she didn't release him that instant and so on. Everyone apart from Jake was rolling about the bed laughing, Jake merely scowled at the TV and thumped Destiny's back when she started choking on her popcorn. There was also a recording that caught everyone's attention. It was during the WRGP when Akiza syncro summoned twice in one turn, and the shock and disbelief on everyone's face was so amusing that even Jake had to crack a smile. Of course, it wasn't because she syncro summoned twice that everyone was so amazed it was what she summoned. Destiny had to admit, Black Rose Dragon and Stardust Dragon looked pretty intimidating on the field together.
The five of them continued to watch the turbo duels from the WRGP, noting the flaws in strategies and the particularly good moves, usually ones that Yusei pulled off. Destiny was awe, she loved watching her father duel and now she was seeing all of Team 5D's at the top of their game.
Of course though, the duels went on for hours and one by one the children of the greatest fell into slumber, leaving the TV to run until Mark's fist collided with the remote (he was one of those people who could only sleep in absolute darkness) and the daughter of the turbo duelling champion slowly fell into a blissful sleep beside her closest friends, not at all aware of how much her public image would alter the next morning.
It wouldn't be until then that she realised just how aggravating getting attention could actually be.
Mark Kessler awoke to his brother prodding him in the side. He blinked his eyes open to see a face identical to his own looming over him.
"What?" he hissed, irritated that Chris had woken him. He glanced at Destiny's digital clock, the numbers reading quarter past seven. Why in the name of all the freaking Earthbound Immortals did his brother wake him up at a goddamn quarter past seven on a Sunday morning?
Then he noticed it. An evil smile was plastered onto his brother's face. What was Chris up to now?
"Wanna be my partner in crime?" he asked.
Oh, a prank. Makes sense. Only Chris would pull a prank this early in the morning.
"Sure," he grumbled, pushing himself up so he was resting on his elbows.
"Awesome, now look to your right," Chris instructed.
Mark looked to his left to see that Vanessa had fallen out of the bed at some point during the night and had dragged the covers down with her. That explained the chill he felt, at least, but nothing else.
"And…?"
Chris slapped his forehead and glared at his twin, "your right, dumbass. Not your left."
"Oh," Mark blushed, turning around to see what it was that Chris had been trying to draw his attention to. At the sight that he saw, he had to put his fist in his mouth to restrain himself from laughing.
Destiny was curled up tightly, almost in a ball, snuggled into Jake's chest, her body fitting perfectly into his, like a puzzle piece. Jake had his arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace, holding her close to him; he was even unconsciously nuzzling her neck slightly! Destiny's long violet-streaked raven hair was acting as a blanket for both of them. He glanced back at his brother who had just produced a camera.
"Let's let the world see the lovebirds," Chris smirked as he snapped several photos of the two before producing a cable which was linked to the already switched-on computer.
Almost immediately Mark joined him and the twins unleashed their havoc onto worldwide internet. They hi-fived and disconnected the camera, their mission complete. It was then that they heard a moan from the direction of the 'lovebirds'. Quicker than lightening the twins hid the camera and dived back into the bed, faking sleep.
They forgot to turn off the computer.
Destiny yawned as she came to, blinking the sleep out of her eyes and glancing at the clock. It was only half past seven. She went to get up and stretch but something wasn't right, something was holding her in place. She glanced down and only just stifled a scream.
Two pale slender arms were wrapped around her midriff, holding her in a tight embrace against a… chest? Her eyes flicked around the room. Chris and Mark were still asleep, she couldn't see Vanessa; but it wasn't Vanessa, this was definitely a male chest. But then that meant…
"Jake!" she squealed, struggling in his arms. She couldn't be seen like this, not with him…
"Wha–" Jake let out a yell of surprise and fell out of the bed, taking Destiny down with him.
He let a groan as his back his the floor, and Destiny's added weight on his chest didn't exactly help…
Wait, a sec, Destiny!?
His shocked violet eyes met panicked blue ones and he let go of her immediately, rolling away and standing up before lending her a hand. He glanced at his dark haired friend whose normally fair face was the exact shade of a tomato. His own face was also feeling disturbingly warm.
"It's okay," he heard Destiny say, "no one saw."
"Goo–" he broke off as he caught sight of the computer. Forgetting Destiny, he stormed towards it. That was when he saw the pictures. He heard Destiny's horrified gasp as she joined him.
"CHRIS!" he yelled. "MARK!"
"Uh, yes?" Chris asked, eyes flashing with uncertainty as he glanced at his brother.
"TAKE THOSE PICTURES OFF THE INTERNET RIGHT NOW!"
"Uh, no can do, bro," Mark replied, "this is the gossip of the century!" then, imitating the repoter, Angela, said, "the people have a right to know the truth!"
"NO, THEY DON'T! SO TAKE IT OFF RIGHT NOW!"
Suddenly, Destiny was at his side with a duel disk on her arm.
Jake saw the two tremble as Destiny approached, drawing a card from her deck.
Vanessa groaned from her spot on the floor.
"Guys?" she asked sleepily, "what's going on?"
All she got in response was Chris and Mark running out the door.
Yusei awoke to the sound of yelling coming from the next room. Mostly Jake's yelling.
He groaned and got up.
It's impossible to get any sleep with those five running about. He thought.
It was then that he heard the door slam and the sound of running footsteps followed by his daughter's voice yelling, "Chris! Mark! If you don't take the pictures off the internet I will use a kuriboh to make sure that you are both never able to have children and then blast you into tomorrow with Red Destiny!"
Yusei flinched at that. A kuriboh? Nasty. Destiny had one hell of an imagination.
Curious as to what the fuss was all about, he wandered into Destiny's room to see Vanessa cracking up over something that was on the computer screen. He walked over to her.
"What is it?" he asked.
"You," Vanessa gasped between giggled, "gotta check this out."
She turned the computer screen in his direction and Yusei's face fell.
"Jack is gonna kill me."
Later that morning, in the Atlas household
"Daddy!" Violet Atlas called, approaching her father and tugging on his trench coat.
"What is it?" the tall, blond man in question asked.
"Jake is on the internet! Come see!"
Jack, intrigued as to why his son was on the internet, allowed his daughter to drag him through the house to the computer. His eyes slowly widened to the size of footballs as he watched the slideshow of images.
Violet didn't know whether to be curious or frightened about the fact that her father looked like he was about to burst a know very prominent vein in his forehead.
"Daddy, are you all right?"
Jack, being unable to hold it in any longer, exploded.
"HE IS SO DEAD!!!"
Meanwhile, in Danson City
Akiza had been having a perfectly nice day. She had apologised to Damien for her actions a few nights earlier and he had accepted completely. Now she, Jenna, Damien and Nadia were sitting outside a café in the centre of town. Damien was laughing at a video of some sort on his phone.
"Damien, what's so funny?" Jenna asked him.
"This," Damien passed her his phone and Jenna let out a giggle as she watched it with Nadia. "Who would have thought it," Damien continued, "Jack Atlas's son and Yusei Fudo's daughter."
That snapped Akiza attention.
"What about Yusei Fudo's daughter?" she asked.
"See for yourself," Jenna passed her the phone. Akiza took it and watched as the pictures came up.
A girl with violet-streaked black hair.
Destiny, her mind echoed numbly as a tears threatened their way out. It was the first picture she'd seen of her daughter in almost fourteen years after all. It was then that she remembered what Damien had said.
"Who would have thought it, Jack Atlas's son and Yusei Fudo's daughter."
She looked closer at the picture and, yes, there was a younger looking version of Jack there with his arms… wrapped… around her daughter.
Akiza whole life flashed before her eyes and only one thought processed through her mind, repeating itself continually.
Her worst nightmare was coming true.
She dropped the phone unceremoniously and dropped her head into her hands.
"Akiza," Nadia asked, concerned, "what's wrong?"
Akiza's voice was quiet and muffled and Jenna, who was sitting closest, was the only one who could make out her response.
"I'm going to have Jack Atlas grandchildren!"
EchoGirl: So, like it? Hate it? You decide. Anyways, next chapter should be up shortly and I'll put something in about Destiny and the mask and how it all... connects.
Goldfish: Yeah, sure. R+R.
