Me: Sky… you'll hate me again after this chapter.
Sky: Who dies?
Me: It's obvious if you remember the timeline. …Speaking of, let's just agree that everyone stays in Neo Domino for a lot longer than they intended to after… well… everything that happens.
Sky: I really don't want to read this anymore…
Muse-Jack: Hehehe… Especially since this is my chapter…
Sky: Oh. Then… I don't have to worry too much?
Me: No, you do. My muses are trying to come up with chapters that are eviler than any other muse did. So… yeah…
Sky: Lovely.
Me: Well. I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds, but I do own my OCs. Enjoy!
***This chapter is brought to you by A Home to Remember from Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Gates To Infinity***
Chapter 11
For whatever reason, the moment I get back the stone that is Reshiram, all of my strength returns. …Well, not all of it, but most of it.
'Reshiram, I'm so glad I got you back.'
"I am glad to be back," she replies. "My apologies for not being able to keep them from taking me."
'It's fine… we have more pressing matters right now.'
"That would be how to get Luna back to your world, correct?"
'That's the one.'
Unfortunately, the real Reshiram can't help any more than Witch of the Black Rose could. Something really is blocking her power, along with Luna's ability to return to Earth. And, of course, I can't force the Crimson Dragon to help unless I want to risk dying.
Luna sinks to the ground, tears in her eyes. "That's it, then. I'm stuck here forever, separated from Leo and my human friends."
I kneel down to her level, shaking my head. I grab her shoulders, too, just to make sure I have her attention. "Luna, that's not true. The Crimson Dragon's power isn't going to be off-limits forever."
Her eyes are still leaking tears, but her next statement is as clear as day. "Not if more of us die. Ancient Fairy Dragon said some, not one, remember?"
I look away from her, because I know exactly what she means, and in this timeline, her brother is next. And it's all because we can't get her out of the Spirit World that Leo even dies, so… We just have to figure out something; anything that could change the fate I gave to him.
"Wah!"
"Ggh!"
Luna and I both grab at our arms, and I arch my back thinking the pain there will go away doing that. Our Signer Marks are glowing brightly, and that's not a good thing. Not in this case. The pain is too similar to when Akiza died several days ago. It's too soon for this to be going off to mean anything but death…
Oh, crap.
"Leo!" I suddenly scream, because I recognize that the pain is from his Mark in particular. "No, this isn't… this is… I have to go!"
Please, just let me make it there in time to stop him.
XXX
It would help if I didn't panic and accidentally transport myself into the parking lot of the hospital instead of in Luna's hospital room. Grr… I don't care. I start sprinting immediately, and I really don't care about almost running into people. If they knew what was happening, they would stay out of my way.
I stop at the information desk only for a moment, to see if Leo is actually here and to catch my breath. When the nurse says that he is, I'm off running again. My arm's glow changes between crimson and black repeatedly, and I know I don't have much time left.
"LEO!" I screech the second I get the door open. "What are you doing?!"
"Saving Luna," he says through gritted teeth. "She—her spirit—is trapped in the Spirit World!"
Oh god, he honestly believes that, doesn't he? …Ngh…! Another jolt of pain shakes my body, as the glow decides to remain a deep red. "L-Leo! Stop! You'll kill yourself!" While I don't want to quote what I said in that nightmare, I can't think of any better way to convince him to stop.
"No! I have to save her!"
I scream when the room fills with crimson light. I failed. I couldn't stop Leo from giving his life and his Mark to bring Luna back from the Spirit World.
Why… why can't I change the future? I've done it before. I've… I've done it a lot of times before. Why is this time any different? Why can't I save my friends?
XXX
It's a full week before Luna is allowed out of the hospital. It's three more until she'll even speak to us. And by us, I mean everyone but me. I don't blame her. I could have saved Leo if I had tried harder. I could have stopped him from using the Crimson Dragon's power, but I didn't.
It's horrible, still. Zekrom and Yveltal haven't done anything since murdering Akiza and trapping Luna in the Spirit World. I suppose no news is good news… but they still have Yusei and I have no leads as to where they are.
I hate to admit it, but I wish something would happen. The silence is too unnerving, and I need something to take my mind off of what happened. I need something to distract my friends because I can't take feeling their anger and sorrow with every waking second.
And then… there's Jack. I don't know if I should try to stay away from him or if I should try to keep him close. There has to be some way to keep him alive. I refuse to accept that he has to die even though the evidence—of Akiza and Leo's deaths—show otherwise. But… anything I do would definitely make Jack suspicious of me. I… I would have to explain my nightmare-vision to him. It was hard enough convincing Shoshan it was the truth…
But if I don't tell him, he could be in even more danger. And then the guilt would just be too much to bear.
I wait until we're all at the table in… in Yusei's house—is it really still his?—and eating dinner to tell all of my friends at the same time. The entire time, I have this sinking feeling in my stomach.
"Guys… I have something I need to tell you," I say.
"Somethin' wrong?" Crow looks up from his food; for once he wasn't really eating it, just moving it around his plate with a fork.
"Y-Yes," I reply. "Something is… very wrong." I take a deep breath in an attempt to calm my nerves. "The night that I lost my memory, I had a dream. …Well, more of a nightmare. Everything around me was darkness, except for two white doors in front of me. They each had three different Signer Marks—one with the Head, Tail, and Front Claw, and one with the Heart, Wings, and Rear Claw. I… almost touched the first door out of curiosity when a voice told me not to. Told me if I touched it, then the people with the Marks on the door would die."
I stop talking there. One, to let it sink in, and two, to see if one of my friends (other than Shoshan) can put the pieces together. As I suspected, one of them does.
Luna gasps, her eyes widening as she puts a hand over her mouth. "You touched the second door, didn't you?"
I knew she'd figure it out. "Yes… I did."
The others are still confused, but Luna says, "…Was it an accident?"
At this, I lower my gaze. "No. I… I had to make a choice. The voice told me that I had to choose one of the doors, and I did." I pause again, and then quickly add, "Luna, I swear I hate the choice that I made… but, compared to the other path…" I shake my head. "I don't understand why I had to make that choice. But I did… so it's my fault… it's my fault that Akiza and your brother are dead."
Silence. I'm met by silence. And in that silence, I feel much more than I'd like to. My own anxiety, sure, but all the anger in my friends… it's directed at me now. And I can't… I can't do anything to stop that. Nothing I can say can justify me being in the right to them. I can't even justify it to myself.
"Why… Why tell us this?" Crow asks.
"I had to… I… I can't change what's already happened, but…" I look over at Jack. "It's the only thing I could think of to stop the third death."
"You mean mine?" The violet-eyed man scoffs at me.
"This isn't some sort of joke," Shoshan says suddenly, standing up. "Sky… she showed me exactly what she saw. If she thinks telling you guys about it will help change your fate, then you better believe that she's trying to stop it."
"Well, she can't expect me to just take her word for it," Jack retorts, glaring at Shoshan. "She's good at keeping secrets even when something like this is involved."
Proof, huh? He wants proof? I'll give him some damn proof. "If you don't believe me, I'll show you exactly what I saw that night."
XXX
As soon as that memory finishes, I'm storming out the door. I thought telling them about it would help, but it clearly only made matters worse. Luna hates me now… Jack still doesn't believe me… and Crow was just too shocked to say anything. I know Shoshan's at least on my side… but that doesn't help at all.
Not when I know this is all my fault.
Not when I just want everything to stop.
When I get to a cliffside at the edge of Neo Domino, I get off of my Duel Runner and just sit there, staring at the ocean. No one will bother me here, since I'm not on a part of the highway anymore. And my friends have no idea where I am, anyways.
'I just don't know what to do, Reshiram,' I think disdainfully. 'Shoshan's the only one who understands, but even he doesn't get the full picture…'
"I am afraid I do not have any advice to offer to you, little one," she replies. "I have not faced a scenario such as this before."
'What, you've never been cast out by your friends because of a mistake you made?'
"I… do not believe you were 'cast out', as you put it. You chose to leave. …Perhaps this is something that only time makes better."
I snort. 'Time? The only thing I see happening in the near future is Jack dying because of me.'
"And since when have you decided that fate was set in stone?" Reshiram asks. "Are you suddenly going back on what you have believed for so long?"
I don't have a reply to that. I don't want to go back on my beliefs… but after everything that's happened… can I really save Jack?
"Well, well, well… look who we have here?"
The air in my throat freezes. Jack… but that can't be him…
I turn around. It is Jack… but his eyes are glowing red. Zekrom has control of him.
…Which means that… that his death is drawing close…
To be continued…
Muse-Jack: Man, that took longer than I expected it to. Oh well. It made the deadline, so hah!
Lucy: Yeah yeah, just give us the computer! Crimson Games MUST be worked on NOW!
Muse-Jack: Uh… no. I promised Meri she'd get it next.
Lucy: You. Did. What?!
Meri: *Takes computer* Thanks Muse-Jack!
Lucy: GET BACK HERE WITH THAT!
*Meri and Lucy run out of the room*
Sky: Okay… what was that about?
Me: I told you there was an evilness contest happening between my muses. The deadline is March 1st, but the parts that Shade, Lucy, Rudolph, and Piano want to submit aren't current chapters like Muse-Jack's or Meri's, which is for Lost Future…
Sky: Why?
Me: Because… a person on this site challenged them.
Sky: No, I mean WHY ARE PIANO AND RUDOLPH PARTICIPATING?!
Rudolph: Because we need to keep Inferno away from the others!
Piano: Yep! Although even if we lose, I still get a prize!
Me: You get the consolation prize, Piano, and that's only if we don't make it to Crimson Feathers' sequel by that day.
Piano: It's still a prize.
Sky: Your muses have officially lost their sanity.
Joseph: Can I come down from here yet? *Is duct-taped to the ceiling*
Me: No.
Joseph: BUT I NEED TO SET SOMETHING ON FIIIIIIIIIRE!
Me: No, you definitely don't. *Sigh* Okay, I'm just gonna end it here. Please leave a review!
Joseph: I NEEEEEEEEEEED IIIIIIIIIIIT!
