Chapter 14: Past the Past
Kuroki was watching his younger self holding hands with his dad walking down a street. His dad had a surprise for him once they got home. The shorter, much more immature Kuroki jumped and pranced around excited about the surprise. It was a great moment from what Kuroki remembered. Then, Kuroki and his father crossed a street, just a block away from home. Slowly, as if time had focused on one event and elongated it for just too long, a car honked loudly. The young Kuroki turned his head to the left, seeing the incoming car just a few yards away. Kuroki himself, who was watching it all happen, stood still, unable to move. He watched it replay over and over in his mind, in his dreams, in his nightmares. He saw. He remembered. He dropped. Unable to cope with the loss of his father who at the time used his body to cushion enough of the impact of the car, Kuroki cried to himself. Seeing the scene transition into a blank white hospital room, Kuroki blinked and turned his head up to see his younger sister and his mother in painful agony, mourning over the loss of the father figure in the household and her own husband. It was heavy. All the pain he had felt that day ranging from the physical crash, cuts, and broken bones he received to the emotional trauma that sunk his heart so deep into a depressive state, Kuroki couldn't even comprehend everything once he awoke. At least, the younger him awoke while the true him reliving the moment was struck with a paralyzing, quivering feeling he couldn't make out. It replayed over and over in the endless nightmare he kept waking from. Kuroki… All of it was horrendously reminding him that it was his fault that day. It was him that killed his father. If he wasn't there, his father would be alive. If Kuroki didn't want to go out and get a new action figure of his favorite game Kingdom Hearts, his father would still be walking. Kuroki…! A voice called out. While distant, it was heard. It crept up to the real Kuroki's ears, and the illusions fizzled. But they were still surreal to him. They were a perfect retelling of death of his father, of the dad who loved him so much, and the pain his younger sister and mother endured. And the reminder that Kuroki's emptiness still existed within himself lingered on. Kuroki! He couldn't feel anything. He couldn't mourn in time. He had been in a coma for 2 weeks since the incident. He was nearly dead.
Kuroki! Wake up! As much as Kuroki wanted to wake up, he couldn't. He longed to see his dad again. Tears kept coming. They wouldn't stop at all. Kuroki kept crying as he stared at the scene that truly rerolled itself to play. The repetition pained him and pricked him more as it went on. He barely managed an utter. Despite his knowledge that it was all a dream, it was all true in his mind. And he knew it. No matter where he went, it would follow him.
Kuroki, please. It's just a nightmare!
Kuroki slowly opened his eyes to the blurry image of Ryuta whom was by his side holding his head and caressing his hair. "Are you awake?" He asked Kuroki worried beyond any normal person would be.
Kuroki meekly nodded, doing his best to play it off as nothing. Inside himself, he knew that Ryuta knew what he was feeling. Kuroki rubbed his tears away and met Ryuta with a hug, burying his head into his chest, trembling beyond relief. Ryuta was speechless with Kuroki hugging him out of the blue. He felt the need to break the ice somehow.
"Um, you know I'm basically half-naked," Ryuta chuckled. Kuroki, flustered, lightly pushed Ryuta away and looked down. He scratched his head and rubbed his eyes with his arm again. Ryuta smiled. "Do you want to tell me why you were crying?" He poked Kuroki in the stomach.
Unfazed, Kuroki jabbed Ryuta. He looked away. Even in the dark, Ryuta could see the look on his face with the moonlight dimly shining in. Ryuta rubbed Kuroki's hair meticulously enough that even Kuroki couldn't refuse the comforting gesture.
"I get it. I get it. You don't have to tell me now Kuroki. But when you are ready, you can tell me anytime you want."
Kuroki nodded, acknowledging Ryuta's words. Yet again, he could still hear it once again. Kuroki! Please wake up!
"Wha-?" Kuroki muttered, tired. He looked up at Ryuta, or what used to be Ryuta. Instead, it was his mangled dead father, staring him straight in the eyes. His father maliciously grabbed him and shook him rapidly while groaning in dire pain. Kuroki froze.
"Wake up! Kuroki?" He heard Ryuta called out. Kuroki struggled to open his eyes and look at Ryuta. He was extremely exhausted and tired, sweat covering him all over. Ryuta had Kuroki in his arms atop the younger one's bed.
"Hnnn...," Kuroki managed to throw out from his dry mouth. He weakly removed himself from Ryuta's grasp. That dream… again. It's been happening more frequently since… since I lost to Gungnir. Kuroki closed his eyes and held his head thinking. Ryuta looked on, worried about him.
"Are you okay?" Ryuta asked. This time, Kuroki knew he was in the real world and not in his dreams, in his nightmares. He nodded to Ryuta's question in an attempt to assure Ryuta that nothing was amiss. Ryuta asked again. "You sure you're okay?"
Kuroki did his best to flash a smile and yet was almost trembling from the horrifying dreams he kept having. It was hard, but he still did it. Ryuta bought it enough to stop pestering him. So Ryuta went to his side of the room and laid down on his own bed, proceeding to resume his slumber. Kuroki instead went off to the bathroom to wash his face. He stared into the mirror with the moon lighting half his face from his nose to his mouth. Kuroki approached the window from where the moonlight crept in and took in the massive view from it. The vast ocean glimmered with the moon reflecting off it. It was an amazing view interrupted by the mere visions of his past the night he woke up from his coma. The window was cracked open that very night with the same view there. Kuroki turned his head down spotting two figures running into the forestry. He quickly ran into the room he shared with Ryuta and swiftly changed into blue jeans and a white sweater with a logo design of his ace monster, specially tailored by his mother.
Kuroki eyed the sleeping Ryuta. Should I tell him where I'm going? No, that'd just worry him even more. I don't want that. So, Kuroki ran out the door in search of the two figures in the forest. Unbeknownst to him, Ryuta had kept one eye slightly opened, observing his movements in the night.
Past the forest was a small field with flowers slowly swaying with the wind. Beyond that was the cliffside, covered by a few trees and brushes. Kuroki was sure the two people he saw had gone this direction.
"Duel!" He heard two voices, with one of them being recognizable. Kuroki turned towards the voices and ran after them.
After running through some brushes, Kuroki saw Itou and another person. Who is Itou dueling? Kuroki watched on from the side as the boy wearing a zipped up jacket and some shorts smirked at Itou who was starting the duel off.
Itou vs ?
LP: 4000
Rules: New Era Playstyle
Turn 1
"I'll go first! I Special Summon 'Reality Rupture Dayream' from my hand. I can do this because I control no monsters." Itou started off with his usual play but the other was unfazed. Rather to what Kuroki seemed to understand, it was as if the guy expected it.
"Haha, I see you haven't changed at all. You're just going to lose," the unnamed guy said. Kuroki's ears perked up at his voice. He seemed to remember some similarities of it within the bounds of his memories, but he couldn't make out who it was. Itou seemed to know the person at hand as he clenched his teeth, bearing anger towards the other angrily.
"Shut up! You did so much to me! I… you… what do you think you're going to do to him?" Itou asked, not noticing that Kuroki was watching from the side hidden by the darkness of the night.
The other laughed it off hysterically. "Oh, I'm going to crush him for meddling with me on that day. And I'll do it with everything I got!"
"Stay away from him!" Itou lashed out at the guy in question. Kuroki's memories clicked within him. It was only a few months after the incident with his father, but it was a hazy moment as that day had gone on an errand for his mother while on vacation. Kuroki only remembered pieces of it, but it was enough to make out the voice. The boy Itou was facing now is Pit Boyn, the bully who had picked on another boy their own age.
So he goes here too huh? Kuroki thought.
"I activate 'Dayream's' effect to send 1 'Reality Rupture' card from my Deck to the GY and add 1 'Reality Rupture' monster from my Deck to my hand. I send 'Reality Rupture Haven' to the GY and add 'Reality Rupture Recuream' from my Deck to my hand. I now Normal Summon 'Reality Rupture Luciream' and activates its special effect. I discard 1 card to Special Summon from my Deck, 1 'Reality Rupture' monster with a different Level than it. So come! I discard 'Recuream' to Special Summon 'Recuream'! Link Markers, set! Arrowheads confirmed. Summoning conditons met! I put 'Luciream', 'Dayream', and 'Recuream' into the Link Markers and Link Summon! Link 3, 'Reality Rupture Prophetiream'!" (DARK/Psychic/1600/Link Markers: Left, Right, Up-Right) Itou was able to call out his Link 3 already.
"Eh? That's such a weakling compared to many other monsters," Pit poked fun at Itou. "You really want to protect him don't you? But how can you when you use such a weak Deck?"
"I will protect him! After all, he… he saved me from you that time!" Itou cried out. "So I'll repay him by defeating you. I won't allow you to get near him. You broke the promise you made with him as soon as he left. You went on and on, hurting me! I can't let you do that to anyone else, especially him! And I just know… something is wrong. I can feel something from your Deck… something bad. So I'll save you from that too!" Itou proclaimed.
Kuroki looked over to Pit's duel disk. What's wrong with his Deck…? Kuroki didn't feel anything. Then he felt a tap on his shoulders. He turned around nearly yelping until a hand covered his mouth to immediately silence him. It was Ryuta.
"Shhhhhhh," he smiled. Right next to Ryuta was his favorite card, Sora, in spirit form. What the?! Is that who I think it is?!
"Is something wrong, Kuroki?" Ryuta asked quietly. Kuroki shook his head, denying anything that remotely resembled wrong.
In his mind, he could hear Sora speaking to him. Where am I? Sora asked.
I thought you were just a video game character I so loved to use in my special Deck my dad made for me? How are you here?! Kuroki redirected back to Sora whom was floating right next to Ryuta.
I don't know… all I know was the last thing I was doing. I just got done with my Mar-
So you don't even know how you got here?! Kuroki vaguely remembered about the world of Duel Spirits and how card spirits would become real if the duelist they were in possession of had a great bond with them. It was a rumor that had gone around that stated it ended once the 5Ds timeline had ended since that was the time the Duel Spirit World had closed. I think I know what you are. He told Sora.
Hm? What am I then? Sora crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.
A Duel Spirit! Kuroki grinned. And you're my Duel Spirit!
Sora gave a weird look of concern and confusion. But Ryuta snapped Kuroki out his dazed state. "Hey, you were just staring off into nothing. You okay?" Ryuta once again asked.
Kuroki nodded, trying to convince Ryuta he was again since the time he had woken up. Meanwhile Itou and Pit were arguing in their Duel. "I've changed and I can prove it, Pit!"
"Then show me," replied Pit. "I have a new power, a godly power that will make you fall."
At the sound of that, Sora pointed to Pit's cards. Kuroki gave him a confused look, shrugging. I can feel the darkness radiating off it. Sora spoke inside Kuroki's mind.
What? You can feel what? Kuroki shook his head, wondering what Sora meant.
What I mean is that something is wrong with those… cards. Those are cards, right? Sora asked. Kuroki nodded, proving that Sora was right. There's something in it that's emitting darkness.
Oh! Could it be… connected to Gungnir? Kuroki thought to himself.
I can hear you, you know? Sora folded his arms while tapping his foot in air.
I'm not gonna be alone from here on out, now am I? Kuroki silently sighed inside.
"Itou's making a move, Kuroki," Ryuta said.
Kuroki turned his attention to the Duel. "Now, I activate the Continuous Spell Card, 'Reality Rupture Haven'! With it, once per turn, I can discard 1 card to add 1 'Reality Rupture' monster from my Deck to my hand. I discard 'Recuream' to add 'Reality Rupture Nighream'. Then, I set 1 card face-down and end my turn."
Turn 2
Itou
LP: 4000
Hand: Nighream
Field: RR Haven, RR Prophetiream, RR Nighream, 1 Set card
GY: RR Haven, RR Dayream, RR Luciream, RR, RR Recuream x2
Pit
LP: 4000
Hand: 5
Field: 0
GY: 0
"Haha, then it's my turn. Draw!" Pit drew his card so quick it created a powerful gust of wind that moved the brushes and trees. "I activate the Continuous Spell Card, 'Cathedral of Eternity'. Once per turn, I can reveal the bottom card of my Deck, and if it is an 'Eternal' monster, I can add it to my hand." An image displayed the bottom of his Deck revealing 'Eternity Messiah'. (LIGHT/Fairy/Level 7/1500/2400)
"Huh? So basically get to freely add a 'Eternal' monster if it is on the bottom of your Deck. That's unfair," Itou commented.
"Hmph, whether or not it is, I set 1 monster and 1 Set card and end my turn."
Turn 3
Itou
LP: 4000
Hand: Nighream
Field: Haven, Prophetiream, Nighream, 1 Set card
GY: Haven, Dayream, Luciream, Recuream x2
Pit
LP: 4000
Hand: 3 + Messiah
Field: 1 Set monster, 1 Set card, Cathedral
GY: 0
"You barely did anything!" Itou exclaimed, suspecting Pit had a plan to defeat Itou. "My turn, draw!" Itou stared at the card he drew. "I activate Haven's effect! I discard 1 card and then add 'Reality Rupture Channelream' (LIGHT/Psychic/Level 5/2000/1400). And if I control a face-up Link Monster, I can Special Summon it from my hand!"
"Oh? So you've grown a bit you puny worm," Pit smirked, confidence gleaming over his entire face.
"Now, it is time for me to expand myself to a larger world! If 'Channelream' is Special Summoned, I can target 1 other 'Reality Rupture' monster I control and change 'Channelream's' Level to that target's Level. I target Nighream. (Channelream's Level: 5 - 4)"
"He has 2 Level 4 monsters now. Could it be?" Kuroki gasped.
"It has to be an…" Ryuta's eyes glowed with anticipation. "Xyz Summon!"
"What's an Xyz Summon?" Sora asked Kuroki. Kuroki swatted him away.
"What're you still here for? Y-you shouldn't even be here!" Kuroki exclaimed, promptly annoyed by how the night has gone.
First, a nightmare… and now a Duel Spirit. What is going on? Kuroki pondered.
Sora pouted gliding down to Kuroki's side. "Even I don't know why I'm here," Sora muttered. Kuroki's eyes briefly looked over Sora's dejected ones. Kuroki wondered how his favorite card became a Duel Spirit.
Maybe if I do a little research I'll know then.
"I use my Level 4 'Channelream' and 'Nighream' to… Xyz Summon! O behold the nature of reality, dispel the dreams of vanity! Rank 4, 'Reality Rupture Sanctiream'. (LIGHT/Psychic/2500/1950) And I equip him with 'Reality Claw'. With 'Reality Claw', if the equipped monster deals damage to you, I draw 1 card. Furthermore, my monster cannot be targeted by your card effects." Itou had it prepared now.
"You're as pitiful as I would think you are. You believe you can protect those dear to you. Yet, all those times, you failed to. Just like when Kuroki lost to Gungnir." Pit poked the spots of Itou. "You were so angry at yourself that you let him lose and he had fallen into a short coma from it. So much, that you endangered yourself and your friends unknowingly by challenging Gungnir himself."
How does he…? Kuroki was surprised that Pit knew about Gungnir. Rather he was astonished that Pit knew he was in a coma. What could it mean?
"Gungnir?" Ryuta questioned. He turned to Kuroki almost in an angry manner. But it was leaning towards worried. "You were in a coma because of who?"
"Uh… I… oh look!" Kuroki pointed back towards the duel.
"No! You're wrong! I was able to bring him back. I didn't endanger anyone. I only put myself at risk!" Itou screamed out to Pit almost infuriatingly violent. "Battle! 'Prophetiream' attack that Set monster!"
The Set monster revealed itself as a surfer riding the waves. "You destroyed my 'Eternal Surfer'. (WATER/Aqua/Level 4/1200/1600) Since he is destroyed, his effect lets me Special Summon 'Eternal Phoenix' (FIRE/Winged Beast/Level 3/1400/300) from my Deck. Defense!"
"Go, 'Sanctiream'! Sanctity Light!"
A beam of light clashed with the phoenix's blast of fire resulting in a large explosion with the messiah losing. "Phoenix's effect. I Special Summon 'Eternal Messiah' from my hand."
"That's the end of my turn." Itou clenched his teeth. He did no damage at all and Pit still had stuff he could use. The next turn would definitely determine it.
Turn 4
Itou
LP: 4000
Hand: 0
Field: Reality Claw, Reality Rupture Haven, Prophetiream, Sancitream, 1 Set card
GY: Haven, Dayream, Luciream x2, Recuream x2, Nighream, Channelream
Pit
LP: 4000
Hand: 3
Field: Messiah, Cathedral of Eternity, 1 Set card
GY: Phoenix, Surfer
"Draw!" Pit impishly grinned as he saw the card he drew. "Ah, you're going to lose."
"How?" Itou inquired.
"You'll see," Pit responded. "I Normal Summon 'Eternal Fairies'. Then I activate my Set card, the Continuous Trap 'Beyond the Eternal Horizon' which targets my 'Fairies' and lets me Normal Summon from my hand 1 'Eternal' monster with a different Type than it. I Normal Summon 'Eternal Stone Herald'. Monsters Normal Summoned by this effect can attack directly. But are destroyed after damage calculations."
"That isn't good…" Kuroki said to Ryuta.
"Now, I activate the Spell Card, 'R.E.M. Stage!" Pit crazily laughed.
What?! Kuroki's eyes opened wide. There was no way that he could have had that card unless he knew Gungnir. There must've been a connection between him and Pit.
"R.E.M.?" Ryuta scratched his head. He had no idea what that card was.
"I Special Summon 'R.E.M. Sleeper' and with his effect, I negate 'Sanctiream's' effects and increase 'Sleeper's' ATK by that card's ATK plus 100 more." (Sleeper's ATK: 0 - 2600) Now, let's Synchro Summon using Sleeper and Messiah (1 + 7 = 8)! Come together and bare your fangs of power, unleash the ferocity of your claws! Synchro Summon! Level 8, 'Eternal Canine'!" (FIRE/Beast/1900/1800)
"Why?! Why are you using that card?!" Itou asked. "How do you know Gungnir?!"
"Hahaha! He's going to give me what I want! My redemption into the championships!" Pit cackled. "I just made a few sacrifices, that's all. You know, those useless lackeys I had by me."
"You… you let Gungnir use them…?" Itou was horrified. He couldn't comprehend the logic that Pit made.
"Ever since I lost to that guy back then, I… I lost it all. My role in the tournaments and the support my family gave broke away! He's gonna give me the power to take my revenge and get further in my life!"
"You're crazy!" shouted Itou. "He's definitely only using you! He doesn't care what happens to you."
"You don't know that. He's going to give me what I want. He's already given me a part of what I want. And that… is to crush you."
"What?!"
"Battle! 'Eternal Canine', attack 'Prophetiream'! Flame Pounce." The canine jumped onto Prophetiream and bit off its head making Prophetiream dissipate. "And not only that, he gains 300 ATK each time my canine battles with a monster. Furthermore, it can attack twice per Battle Phase, and it cannot be destroyed by battle."
"A monster that can't be destroyed in battle, and each time it battles, it gets stronger?!" Itou trembled. (Canine's ATK: 1900 - 2200, 2200 vs 1600. Itou's LP: 4000 - 3400)
"Once more, attack Sanctiream! Flame Pounce!" (Canine's ATK: 2200 - 2500, 2500 vs 2500) "Now, Fairies, attack! (Itou's LP: 3400 - 3000) You too, Stone Herald. (Itou's LP: 3000 - 1900) And since Stone Herald attacked directly, it is destroyed. And since it is destroyed by a card effect, I can Special Summon another copy of my Fairies from my Deck. And since Fairies is Special Summoned, I can Special Summon another 'Eternal' monsters from my Deck. Come, Messiah. Finish him off!" (1500 + 400 = 1900 damage)
"I activate my Set card, 'Paradigm Shift'. If you control more monsters than I do, I draw 1 card, and if it is a Psychic monster, I can Special Summon it and 1 Psychic monster in my GY." Itou's heart raced.
"Hmph, try all you may. But your tricks won't work on me." Pit said.
"Draw!" Itou looked at his cards with hope. But he drew 'Reality Shift', a Field Spell.
"You're done for, Itou." (Itou's LP: 1900 - 0)
Result: Pit Wins!
"Itou!" Kuroki called out to Itou as he fell to his knees.
Pit stood by holding his head laughing out loud with his victory. "This… this is my power now! Don't you see how much better I've gotten?! I've improved because of him!"
"Pit, why side with Gungnir?!" Kuroki asked. Pit continued to laugh and soon disappeared into the night.
"I'll be back for you, Kuroki," Pit's voice echoed through the forest. "But instead of worrying about me. Why don't you worry about Itou? After all, he seems hurt."
Kuroki inspected Itou's condition. It was almost like his own. Itou's eyes looked baggy and he seemed as if he was going to fall asleep soon. He instructed Ryuta to come over and help Itou to the nurse's office.
Ryuta carried Itou on his back as Kuroki walked beside him. Silence filled the air since the duel had ended. Itou was fully asleep and Ryuta himself didn't know how to talk to Kuroki about what had happened. Neither did Kuroki feel what was right to say about what had happened. They got to the nurse's office with the nurse who was still up filing some paperwork.
Kuroki opened the door greeting her. "Hello, er Ms. Esperanza." Kuroki stared at the name tag she had on right on top of her left breast. "My friend Itou here collapsed. Can you help him?"
"Oh, this late at night?" The nurse questioned. She looked at Ryuta, then Kuroki, and back at Ryuta. "O'Hara, you've been in my office plenty of times."
Kuroki eyed Ryuta suspectingly. He walked in attempting to avoid the question. "I'm going to put Itou on this bed," Ryuta stated. He placed Itou on the middle bed and left him there to rest. "Uh, Esperanza-sensei."
"You mean Ms. Esperanza. That kind of honorific does not suit me." She narrowed her eyes on Ryuta. "You always skip class by coming into my office. You have some nerve to show up here again."
Ryuta backed away from her wrath. "I-I'm sorry…" Ryuta uttered, almost crying for Kuroki to help him. Kuroki could feel that his layback lifestyle had come to bite him. Instead, he ignored Ryuta's silent request for help and tended to Itou. Kuroki placed a blanket over him and positioned him to lay on the bed straight. Meanwhile, the nurse had finished chewing out Ryuta and came by to inspect Itou's condition.
Ms. Esperanza ran a few physical tests on Itou. After she finished writing down something, she called Kuroki and Ryuta over.
"I don't know what happened, but it seems like a Itou just had a massive amount of fatigue ran through him leaving him in this state. I think he just needs a good rest before he can leave. So, you two take it easy and go back to your dorms and sleep. It's almost 3 am." Ms Esperanza explained to the two boys.
Kuroki nodded deciding to leave Itou in her hands. So the two left the school building and headed over to their dorm room.
Ryuta wanted to bring up what the nightmares that Kuroki had but he didn't feel he could pry into it. He heard bits and pieces of his nightmare since Kuroki was sleep talking. I wonder how I can bring it up to him. Ryuta thought. Meanwhile Kuroki was silent. They were both walking past a small beach when Kuroki stopped and stared at the waters.
"Ryuta," he started. Ryuta gave his full attention to him. "Do you think it's ever someone's fault when something happens?"
Ryuta took a moment to think it through. Is Kuroki asking me about what happened to Itou? Ryuta was sure that was what he was asking. After all, it was Pit's fault that Itou was in the condition he was in. "Yeah, I think so."
Kuroki inhaled deeply before letting out a heavy sigh. So would it be my fault for that accident? I did ask my dad if we could go out that day. If I didn't, maybe… maybe he'd be here. Kuroki looked back at Ryuta. "I see. Thanks for answering."
"Don't sweat it," joked Ryuta. "You can ask me anything anytime."
"Ah, okay," Kuroki walked past Ryuta. But he was stopped when Ryuta told him to look at the waters. He turned around to see the gleaming moonlight reflecting the ocean. It was a beautiful sight. One known as the Stardust Road written in the texts of the Vrains history books. One that he had read before. But it only reminded him of the day he woke up from that trauma.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Ryuta asked smiling.
Kuroki nodded, acknowledging that such a sight was visually pleasing, but deep inside it was emotionally breaking. "Yeah, it is."
"I think this sight is based off of that one scenery in Den City. That place is kind of far but…"
"I know, Ryuta."
"Ah! Sorry if I was rambling," Ryuta scratched his head laughing in order to shake off the awkwardness.
"Let's… let's go home, Ryuta."