"There are lines that can't be crossed
There are things you shouldn't do
For you pay too high a cost
And you lose a piece of you."
-Death Note: The Musical by Frank Wildhorn
Seventeen years earlier: The Zero Reverse.
"I'm sorry, Yusei. Please, hold on for a just a little bit longer," Reo tried to console the crying baby in his arms as he ran to his destination. This was the child of his two best friends. Ayeka Fudo gave her son to Reo in hope that Reo would be able to provide the baby shelter while Yusei grew up. Reo knew that the couple figured they wouldn't make it out alive. Rudger Godwin was planning something with the Reactor. Reo wouldn't pretend he knew the Reactor's capabilities, but he trusted the resolved look on his friend's face. He trusted him enough to ask his wife to take their only child and flee to her hometown of Marseille, France as soon as his friend informed him that danger was coming. Reo had refused to leave.
Now he held what could be the only possible connection to his friends if the worst were to happen as Ayeka and Ryoto feared. Yusei was bawling, most likely due to the speed at which Reo was sprinting. Reo had only just realized that he was being followed, and had taken off into a sprint.
He had to chase them off, but Yusei wouldn't be able to handle the activity for too long. Not without giving his position away. He knew the perfect place for him to hide while Reo took care of the danger. Reo approached a small shop and raced in, the door closing hastily behind him. The bell barely had any time to ring.
"Where's the rush?" A sweet woman rounded the corner and smiled at Reo. "Reo, it's good to see you. Now that can't be Lina, could it?"
"No," Reo shook his head frantically. "Martha-" Reo wasn't sure how to get his words out. "I have- I have a favor."
Martha seemed to notice the stricken look on Reo's face. "Sit down," Martha forced him into the chair and took the baby from him. She smiled at the small human and bounced him to make him laugh. "What a sweet boy. Now tell me what's going on. You look as if you've seen a ghost."
"Maybe I have," Reo let out an empty laugh as she cleaned his glasses off on his shirt. "Martha Wallace-" Reo looked up to her with a pleading look. "That's Yusei Fudo in your hands. I need you to look after him, just for a short while. Someone's after him and I'm going to chase them off. He's the son of two great, wonderful people, the best I've ever known. I can't let anything happen to him."
"Are you going to tell me what's going on?" Martha glanced at Reo with skepticism.
"We've known each other for years, Martha," Reo smiled at her. "I've been a customer in your small shop since I was a teen. I know you. You can't say no to a kid in need. And..." Reo trailed off. Martha's shop had always been a temporary place to hide if he had ever needed it. "I need your help now. Please. You have to trust me."
Martha glanced between Reo and Yusei before she let out a sigh. "Oh, alright. But you will explain to me what's going on after this is over, young man."
"Yes, yes, I will!" Reo's smile lit up brilliantly. He lept to his feet and gave Martha a kiss on the cheek. "I have to go. I don't know how long before they realize where I am. But-" Reo glanced down at Yusei. The baby reached for him. Reo placed his hand on top of his head and looked lovingly down at the young boy. "I will be back, Yusei. You'll grow up loved. I promise." With one last look to Martha, Reo ran out of the building. It wasn't long before those who were chasing after he caught up.
Reo didn't last long in the scuffle.
Darkness was a strange thing. He wasn't sure how long he was out. All he knew was that when he woke up, he could swear he saw an angel. A woman with ash blonde hair, pale green eyes, and fair skin. Even though her hair was hastily pulled back, and her large eyes were rimmed red from crying, she still looked more magnificent than any other creature he had ever laid eyes on.
"Reo!" Yvette Kazukata reached for her husband's hand and pulled it to her tightly.
"E-Evie?" Reo was disoriented. He wasn't quite sure where he was. "How- where-"
"You stupid, stupid man!" Yvette was crying. "Don't you understand how worried I was!"
Yvette had started swearing at him in a language he wasn't completely familiar with. He knew enough that he knew she wasn't happy. Specifically, she wasn't happy at him. "I'm sorry," Reo gently stroked her hand with his fingers. He felt like a truck had hit him. "When did you come back to Japan, Evie?"
Yvette's eyes had widened. "Mon amour, we're not in Japan. We're in a hospital near my childhood home."
"Wait- what?!" Reo tried to sit up, but the machines next to him started to beep quickly. Yvette forced Reo to lie back down.
"Don't make it worse. You're lucky I called every person I could to find you and fly you out to France," Yvette was biting her lip. There was something she wasn't saying yet.
"What happened," It wasn't a question. Reo's voice was soft. He closed his eyes, expecting the worse.
"They're calling it the incident the 'Zero Reverse,'" Yvette took a deep breath. "Neo Domino City is in ruin. There's a new section, called the Satellite. They- they're-" Yvette's voice was overcome with emotion. "The citizens are confused. They're sending the worst to the Satellite. Orphans, the poor, criminals...so many are dead, mon amour."
Reo opened his eyes to meet with Yvette's. "Go on. Is-" Reo couldn't finish the sentence.
"Ryoto and Ayeka Fudo were among the list of the dead, as was Rudger and Hanae Godwin," Yvette confirmed with a nod.
Reo's heart was destroyed in that one second. However- "And Yusei? What about Martha Wallace? Or Rex Godwin?"
"That shopkeeper?" Yvette seemed taken aback by the question. "No, I never saw their names mentioned on the lists. They must be in the Satellite."
"They're alive. I did it," Reo let out a small chuckle of disbelief. "I suppose I'll just have to go to the Satellite and get Yusei back."
"Reo, have you thought about this?" Yvette turned her sharp gaze to his. "The Satellite is not somewhere you can just go. If it weren't for me, you may have ended up there yourself. Are you even safe yourself? You brought yourself into this mess."
"All I did was make I some cards, Evie. They don't think I have them anymore," Reo did have one card still, just because he never finished it. However, nobody else knew that. As far as everyone was aware, Ryoto had stolen the cards and ran off. "I have to get Yusei back, Evie. I promised. I won't stop until I'm dead if that's what it takes." Reo looked determined. Yvette let out a sigh.
"Alright, you daft man," Yvette kissed his face. She looked happy to see her husband was alive. "How do you even know Yusei is still alive?"
"If he's in the Satellite, that means there are either two options. Either the people who were after him think he's as good as dead, or the people who were after him are dead," Reo sat up and pulled his wife to him for a kiss. When they pulled back, they both had conflicting feelings of emotion on their face. As happy as they were to see each other, more had died. There were many who would never see their loved ones again.
"I will be right back," Yvette looked to Reo with a smile. Reo knew what she was doing. When Yvette stepped back into the room, she held a little girl in her arms. The girl had enough hair for small pigtails, and a large grin on her face as soon as she caught Reo's eye. "Papa!" Ellie Kazukata reached out to her Father.
"Come here, my little bug," Reo reached out for his daughter. Ellie jumped onto the bed before tightly hugging her Father. Reo let out a grunt of pain.
"Now, mon étoile, is that any way you treat your Papa when he's hurt?" Yvette gently scolded her daughter.
"She's fine, Evie," Reo was clinging on just as tight. He was trembling. "Everything will be fine, my Ellie. Nothing bad will ever happen to you. Not while I'm here. I promise."
Lina Kazukata was dead.
The world felt still. There was silence. Yui was crying silently. Kirika's fists were clenched and shaking. Crow was hanging onto the railing in front of him, almost as if he were to let go, he would fall over. The walkie-talkie sat on the ground where Crow had thrown it. Nobody could talk.
Yusei was breathing heavily. His hand went to Lina's cards. He skimmed through them, looking for a few in mind, and placed them in his deck. She wasn't gone if he still had a part of her with him.
Lina would help him win the duel.
"Are you ready for the end, Yusei Fudo?" Rudger was chuckling. Yusei was shaking.
"I am," Yusei replied back with a cool voice. He placed Lina's deck on the inside pocket of his jacket. The closer she was to him, the more comforted he felt.
He would bring her back, no matter what the cost was.
"What- what happened?" That was Rua's voice over the walkie-talkie. "Is she really-"
"This can't be..." That was Aki. "Lina, she-"
"She's dead. How can that be?" They recognized that voice to be Ushio's.
Kirika had enough. She marched to the walkie-talkie and picked it up. "Listen to me," Kirika's voice was strong. "How dare you all believe for a second that Lina will not be brought back," Kirika's eyes were shining. Yui let out a soft gasp while Crow turned around to face Kirika. "Did you not hear before that Yui and I died and were brought back? Once Yusei wins this duel, she will be back. She will be back."
"And if you're wrong?" Jack's voice was laced with anger.
"I am not," Kirika's tone countered back with her own once of spite. "Would I be standing here now if I was wrong?"
"Lina...there's a chance," Aki's voice was full of hope.
"Then all we have to do is cheer on Yusei," Ruka agreed.
Kirika tossed the device to Crow. She couldn't hear anymore. She didn't want to. She reached for Yui's hand and began to walk.
"Where do you think you're going?" Crow called out.
"I'm going to see if I can find anything to use to my advantage while I'm here," Kirika looked forward. "These Dark Signers will be brought to justice."
"...Wait up," Crow ran forward to follow. As they were walking down one of the hallways, the area began to shake. Kirika went to wrap her arm around Yui's, but Yui had beaten her to the punch by reaching for her duel disk. She had been prepared to summon one of her cards to protect them. Kirika admired that.
"What the hell was that?" Crow looked around.
"If I I had to guess," Kirika looked back to where they had just come from. "It sounds as if Yusei's facing his most powerful opponent yet."
"No- you don't mean-"
"The Earthbound Immortal," Yui murmured. Her eyes widened as a realization hit. "But- are we in danger? Won't we get taken by the Earthbound Immortal?"
"It appears we're not in the radius. Still, we should be cautious," Kirika looked around. A room was to her left. It appeared to have been an office. "Interesting..." Kirika stepped into the room. The desk was full of pictures.
"Wow, this guy sure looks familiar," Crow had picked up one of the pictures on the desk. Kirika recognized Ryoto Fudo. It was hard not to, with how much Yusei resembled him. "Who's the guy with him though?" Crow gestured to the picture. It was Ryoto Fudo holding his son Yusei with another man and his child- a girl. Kirika examined the picture before her breath let her. A chuckle escaped her lips. "Of course."
"Do you know who it is?" Yui asked Kirika with curious eyes.
"Yes," Kirika confirmed with a nod. "I'm ashamed that it took me to realize who it was then it possibly should have, but I know this man. He's employed under KaibaCorp as a card designer. That's Lina's Father, Reo Kazukata."
Both Yui and Crow snapped their gazes to gawk at Kirika. "That's Lina's Dad!? That scrawny guy?"
"I would imagine so," Kirika turned to gaze to everything else in the office. A notebook sat on the desk, untouched for many years. Kirika picked it up to look through it.
"Oh, wow," Yui picked up another photo: a wedding photo. "So this must be..." Yui gazed down at the picture a couple of their wedding day.
"Lina's Mom..." Crow looked over Yui's shoulder to glance at the picture. "And that's gotta be Yusei's Mom!" Crow picked up another wedding picture, this time with both of Yusei's parents.
"There's so much we don't know," Yui glanced down sadly at the pictures. "So much death and destruction..."
"We'll stop it! This all ends here," Crow nodded with conviction.
"How interesting," Kirika had been flipping through the pages until something caught her eye. All the other pages had been notes with details, events that occurred, or options considering either the Reactor or his research. On one page, there was an amateur sketch of a dragon that Kirika knew all too well.
"Spirit of the Stars Dragon..." Kirika muttered the name under her breath. "I'm taking this," Kirika read the inscription underneath the drawing. It had the initials 'RK' underneath. It wasn't hard to put together that it meant Reo Kazukata. That must mean-
Kirika closed the notebook abruptly and placed it back on the desk where it once sat. "There must be more to this place if we found this still mostly intact," Kirika's tone was brisk. "Shall we keep exploring?"
"Hold on," Crow saw another picture. "I think this is-!" Crow pointed at the picture.
"That looks like our Director," Yui pointed to the one with long brown hair. "And that's Yusei's Dad! And-"
"Rudger Godwin," Kirika nodded with a grim look in her eyes. A noise came from the next room over. Crow was the first one to run out and examine what was going on, but he had to step back in shock. Rex Godwin was standing over a control console. At Crow's interruption, Director Godwin gave an annoyed expression over his shoulder.
"Crow," Rex Godwin greeted tersely "It appears Miss Kaiba is here as well, along with Yui Hiraoka."
"Director Godwin," Kirika was standing beside Crow with a steely glare in her eyes.
"What's goin' on?" Crow demanded. "What the fuck are you doing here?"
"I came to say goodbye to someone," Godwin looked down to one of the pictures on the wall. It was the same picture as before. Right below it was a family picture with Rudger, his wife Hanae, and a blonde baby that was named Jack. "My brother."
The group was watching Godwin with intensity. None of them trusted him.
"Everyone knew my big brother was a genius. He was meant for more. I was always proud of him. But he was burdened with a great destiny," Godwin's breathing was heavy. "He was marked with both darkness and light."
"Your brother killed many people, Godwin," Kirika's voice was hard.
"Ryoto...tried to stop it," Godwin's gaze was starting to become unclear. It was as if he wasn't completely sure of where he was. "He tried to stop the project- he and Ayeka. Rudger stopped him and was placed in charge in his place. It was too late. The seals were already in place. Cards that Reo Kazukata had created-" Rex Godwin let out a cough.
"That means Lina's Dad created the Signer cards," Crow figured out what Rex was trying to say. "You gotta be shitting me."
"She gave them to me. Ayeka trusted them to me after the seals were placed," Rex was leaning heavily against the console. "Ancient Fairy Dragon had already been lost, but Ayeka told me to take the others and run. She said the safety of the world depended on it."
Seventeen years earlier: The Zero Reverse.
"You listen to me right now, Rex Godwin," Ayeka had a fire in her eyes. "You're going to take this damn cards, and you're going to run. You're not going to let your brother touch a single finger to these cards. If you do, we're all dead. Do you understand?" Ayeka had always been a spitfire, but this was taking it to a whole other level.
"I don't understand," Rex tried shaking his head at the woman.
"You don't need to, Rex! All you gotta do is this one thing for me. It's for the world," Ayeka grabbed his hand and squeezed it with a smile. "Have faith. You've always been a good man. Good luck." Ayeka ran off. All Rex could do was stare after her. Things couldn't have been that bad. Could it?
Rex made his way to his brother's office. His brother would have an explanation. He always did.
What Rex found made him sick. There was blood on the ground. A baby's crying could be heard. A woman laid on the ground, unmoving. A woman with light chestnut colored hair and a lean frame. Rex recognized it to be his sister in law, Hanae Godwin. Rudger was seated at the console. Blood was dripping down from his arm.
"Brother," Rex whispered in disbelief. Rudger didn't turn around to face him.
"Did you help both Professor Fudo's escape?" Rudger's voice was flat.
"Have you lost your mind!?" Rex returned back in a panicked tone. Rex barely had time to react when Rudger tossed him a glowing cylinder.
"What's in this capsule?" Rex's voice was low with confusion.
"The key to this world's survival," Rudger finally turned around. His eyes were wild. In his arms was a tiny baby. It was Rudger's son, Jack. "Good and evil are battling in me. I chose the path of darkness. The voice called out to me. There was only one way to join. She was in the way of it. She was too pure."
"Hanae..." Rex knew who he was speaking of. "Your wife, you killed-"
"Take my son and go!" Rudger barked out the words as he thrust the tiny blonde baby into Rex's arms. Rex almost dropped him out of pure shock. "Keep the Mark of the Dragon safe! Gather the four Signers and come back and defeat me."
"Brother," Rex's eyes were full of hurt and despair. "Please, there must be another way-"
"GO!" Rudger picked up the gun on his desk and fired a warning shot at Rex's feet. That gave the man no choice but to run.
The fate of the world rested on him alone.
Kirika, Crow, and Yui could only gaze in bewilderment as Rex told his story. None of them truly knew how to process it.
"Rudger truly did want the world to burn," Kirika was stunned.
"The baby- Jack. What happened to him?" Yui's eyes were watering from the story that Rex told.
"He was lost during Zero Reverse," Rex Godwin answered easily. Something in his words made Kirika suspicious. She didn't completely believe his story.
"Our Jack," Crow was trying to wrap his head around the story. "Our Jack Atlas is the son of that bastard up there." Crow shook his head. "Jesus fuck. It's no wonder the legendary man who tried to build the Daedalus Bridge wasn't successful. It's shit luck like this holding us all back."
"You believe that man really exists?" Godwin almost sounded disgusted.
"Well, yeah," Crow spoke the words as if they were obvious. "I mean, the guy is kinda sorta my hero. One day, I'm going to be the one to reunite Neo Domino City and the Satellite. Everyone deserves an even shot at life."
"Yes, of course, and then you're going to change society and stop crime and cure diseases," Rex Godwin's voice was sharp with sarcastic cynicism.
"It's not as impossible as you think," Kirika spoke up with an equally sharp tone in her voice.
"Crow's right. There's so many people who need the bridge!" Yui's voice held passion. "Crow's not alone in this."
"Not by a long shot," Crow agreed with a smirk and a nod.
Rex made a noise in the back of his throat. "Very well. I might be able to make that absurd dream a reality. But first, I need you to pass along a message to Yusei for me."
"There are always conditions," Kirika rolled her eyes.
"What is it?" Yui interrupted calmly.
"If he defeats my brother, tell him that I'll be waiting," Godwin left that cryptic message. With that, he began to fall forward to his knees. His breath was giving out. Yui was the one who moved to Godwin's side, but it was too late. He was on the ground.
"Hold on! You're not allowed to die on us just yet!" Crow snapped out as she joined Godwin's side and began shaking him. "Wake up! What the hell do you mean? Waiting where!?"
"Crow, there's no point," Yui shook her head sadly at the group. "He can't tell us anymore. He's dead." Yui stood up and stared down at the limp body.
"He can't be dead..." Crow seemed to be in disbelief. "Not when he's still got answers for us! He promised, dammit!" He promised to make the bridge that would connect the two lands together. That bridge would help so many, and the man who could have made it happen is dead.
Yui was speaking a quiet prayer under her breath for the newly deceased. Kirika was staring down at the body with a neutral expression. Something wasn't right.
"Goddammit!" Crow slammed his fist down on the ground beside him.
"Crow," Yui put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "It's okay. We'll figure it out. The bridge is going to happen. Yusei promised." Yui noticed the look on Kirika's face. Her expression turned to worry as she gazed at the other girl. "Kirika? What is it?"
Something was wrong. Something was very, very wrong. Kirika didn't know what, but she would figure it out. She owed that to her friends. She owed that to Lina.
In the meantime...
"I'm sure it's nothing that will affect us in the present moment," Kirika turned to walk towards the exit. "Perhaps later, but not right now."
"Yusei Fudo," Rudger Godwin stared across to his opponent. Right above him was his Earthbound Immortal Uru. Yusei only had one hundred life points left.
He would not lose. He could not lose.
"What are you waiting for?" Rudger was taunting him. He had a spell card on the field: Destiny's Activator. If Yusei pulled a monster card, then his life points would be cut in half, leaving him with only fifty. "Are you too scared to draw. It's understandable if you are. Lina Kazukata succumbed to destiny, just as you will. Your life points depend now on what kind of card you pick."
"I'm not scared," Yusei gritted his teeth. Yusei knew that the only reason Rudger kept mentioning Lina was to get under his skin. Yusei drew a card and showed it to Rudger. It was a monster card: Zero Gardna.
"You should be scared, Yusei, since you just drew a monster card," Rudger laughed. "Now because of that, Destiny Activator activates and all but ends this duel. Soon you'll be saying hello to your friends!"
The spell hit Yusei with a huge blast of win. Yusei kept his footing as the bridge swayed, but as soon as it was over, he nearly staggered to his knees. He only held fifty life points compared to Rudger who had seventeen hundred.
He was not defeated yet. Not by a long shot.
"Destiny has you in its grasp. Soon it will crush you, just like it did everyone else," Rudger mocked. "This duel is over!"
"It's not over 'til the last card is played!" Yusei unknowingly echoed the words Lina spoke during her own duel against Rudger. "I play two facedowns and end my turn!" Yusei's glare to Rudger could have cut steel.
"You have the will to fight after all, even after everything that happened," Rudger noted. "I suppose you inherited that stubbornness from your Father. Or perhaps it was your Mother..." Yusei only scowled at him. Rudger continued on with a chuckle. "How fascinating that after seventeen years the Signer who comes stumbling here, hoping to defeat me and avenge his friend, is Professor Fudo's son instead of my own! And you think destiny's not in control. My greatest enemy continues his quest to through you."
"The only destiny is the one we make," Yusei snapped out the words.
"Strong words, Yusei, especially for someone hanging by a thread," Rudger seemed calm.
"Lina changed her destiny," Yusei countered. "Say what you want, but she found a way."
"She is nothing but an anomaly. You're fighting against a force with power you can't begin to comprehend. A force that was awoken by your parents."
"You lied to me," Yusei hissed out. "You said my Father was greedy, that he didn't care about the safeguards. My parents were the ones who installed the seals!"
"I said that to upset you," Rudger sounded bored. "I wanted to rattle you. In truth, your father was a self-righteous bore who couldn't see the magnificence of the Reactor. He didn't deserve your Mother. He was blinded by fear, just as you will be. They were both blinded by love, just as you are. This is the moment destiny has been pushing me towards, Yusei. Earthbound Immortal Uru, attack Yusei directly!"
"Not so fast, Rudger!" Yusei revealed his face down. "I activate Call of the Wild. With it, I summon Renard to the field and he takes your damage instead." Lina's monster appeared onto the field in a burst of golden light. He seemed on defense, more aggressive than usual. Yusei thought he must have known what had happened to his Master. Renard was destroyed by Uru. "Thanks to his special ability, I take no damage the rest of this turn!"
"So, you used one of her cards," Rudger shook his head. "How long do you think you can survive, Yusei? You survived one attack, but I have many more in store."
"It's my turn! I draw," Yusei drew his card. One of these would save him. "I play two facedowns. Looks like it's your move, Rudger."
"I've got your back against the wall. I'm closing in," Rudger smirked. "How many more options do you have left? Lina died to protect your worthless souls."
"Don't say her name," Yusei's glare intensified.
"That's if you survive. And this spell will crush what little hope you had! Go, Earthbound Whirlwind! With Earthbound Immortal Uru on my field, I can use Earthbound Whirlwind to destroy every spell or trap card on your field!"
A small smirk entered the corner of Yusei's lips. "I hoped you would try this. I activate Starlight Road! Since two of my cards are about to be destroyed, my trap can deflect a spell, and now I can use my Starlight Road to pave the way for a summoning. Stardust Dragon- come on out to the field"
"So you summoned your lizard. Too little, too late. There's no saving you."
"We'll see about that!" Yusei activated his other trap card. "I trigger the Shooting Star trap card! With Stardust Dragon on the field, Shooting Star destroys one of your cards. Let's see what you can do without your Spider Web field spell on the field."
"Let's not," Rudger activated his own trap card. "I activate Anti Emptyness. With this card in play, if I drop one of my monster's attack points to zero, I can stop the effect of your trap card. And with that, I end my turn. My Earthbound Immortal Uru gets all of its attack points back. It seemed your little planned failed, Yusei."
Yusei's hand shook as he reached for his next draw. Everything relied on this. Yet, he paused. Yusei looked up to stare straight at Rudger.
"Tell me something, Rudger," Yusei knew what the stakes were. "I've listened to you long enough. You've done terrible things, then you say it's just destiny's will."
Well? Could you do it Could you let Lina be killed by fate?
Rudger went on and on saying that Lina was meant to be a Dark Signer. That never happened. She killed herself so that wouldn't happen. Yusei had tried to save her but failed.
Anya's words were coming back to haunt him. He understood at that moment what she was trying to say. At that moment, Yusei would trade places with Lina if it meant she was standing alive and well.
Perhaps that was love.
You're the greatest hero I ever knew.
"There is no such thing as destiny," Yusei sounded conflicted. "I don't care about your destiny! You forgot that the madness you call destiny destroyed the lives of many people. The survivors had to face enormous struggles If my Father had never discovered those planetary particles, if he had never started the project, if my Mother had never helped him..." Yusei closed his eyes as his fist clenched. "The Zero Reverse never would have happened. Crow and Jack would have had parents who cared. Kiryu wouldn't have been tossed on the streets because his family couldn't afford him. Lina would still be alive." Yusei's voice was shaking with emotion. "But they still regard me as their friend. They smile at me without saying a word. If Lina were here-" Yusei thought of Lina, and the last smile she gave him before she pushed Yusei away from her. She was dead. Rally was gone, along with Taka, Nerve, and Blitz. Anya was gone. They were all gone. Lina was gone. She had put her trust into him, and he couldn't save her.
Save the world. I know you can. I love you. Fuck, I'm in love with you.
"Don't tell me that's fate!" Yusei shook his head with a shout. "Don't tell me everything happened just because it was meant to. Don't tell me she's dead because it was meant to."
"No one can control destiny's will, Yusei," Rudger shook his head. "We are all pawns in this game."
"That's a lie!" Yusei growled out. "None of this happened because of destiny. It was because of you, and the choice you made! You chose to cause the Zero Reverse."
"Did I?" Rudger raised an amused eyebrow. "Or was I told to? If only you knew how wrong you are. There's so much you don't know."
The tension was thick. The two duelists were silently glaring at each other. Yusei had Stardust Dragon on the field while Rudger had his Earthbound Immortal Uru. The odds were not in Yusei's favor. He had to figure out a way to take down Rudger's creature before it took him out.
"What am I supposed to do?" Yusei had whispered out the words. "How am I supposed to atone for them!? Answer me! Answer me, Rudger!"
"I'll give you an answer!" A voice called out. Yusei looked around in bewilderment. He knew that voice. The voice called out again. Yusei finally spotted Crow, with Kirika and Yui, on a lower level. They were watching the duel.
"Crow," Yusei called back.
"Yusei, I didn't know you felt that. I'm sorry. I'm your friend. I should've noticed." Crow was staring intently up at him. "But I never thought for a second that you or your parents ruined my life. Don't feel responsible. Lina would never blame you for what happened."
"You think so?" Yusei could have laughed if he had the energy.
"I know so," Crow formed his hand into a tight fist. "If I believed in destiny, it would only be about meeting you. Only about meeting you, Lina, and Jack- three irreplaceable friends."
"Crow..." Yusei's opened his mouth to reply but closed it just as quickly.
"Look at it this way," Crow smirked. "At the end of the day, we all have choices! We aren't destined to make them. This guy's just using destiny to get away with all the shitty things he did. It's his fault, Yusei. He chose to drop off his son, he chose to kill his wife, and he chose to cause Zero Reverse!"
"Destiny willed this all to happen," Rudger snarled out.
"Destiny did not will you to chose what you did," Kirika was the one who spoke out. "I benefitted from the Zero Reverse, Rudger. Without it, I would not have had a family with the Kaiba name, but I only gained it due to my previous family's death, a family you murdered in the process by causing the Zero Reverse. Your actions corrupted my brother and lead him to be another pawn on your chess board when he should have been the King of his own," Kirika, who was almost always a professional, had never sounded more furious. "You did this, not destiny, and I will never forgive you for it. You deserve your place in Hell once you lose this duel."
"Yusei, he killed his wife to become a Dark Signer!" Yui spoke up with a quiet but strong voice. "Don't trust anything he says. He used Anya against you, and tossed his own son aside for power!"
"You wanna know who that son was? It was Jack! Our Jack!" Crow was the one who delivered the news.
"Jack...?" Yusei's eyes widened with the realization.
"If he says your Dad's shit for coming up with the Reactor, this guy's no better! He's not winning some 'Dad of the Year' awards!" Crow glared up at Rudger.
"My family was holding me back," Rudger spoke dismissively. "I had to let them go to unlock my ultimate power of a Dark Signer. A child wouldn't understand."
"Why the obsession with Professor Fudo's son, Rudger?" Kirika was mocking Rudger in a harsh tone. "Perhaps it was jealousy that drove you over the edge. You saw Ryoto Fudo with what you wanted. Is that why you did it?"
Kirika's words seemed to have struck a nerve in Rudger. His whole body tensed. Kirika kept her cold glare, unwavering, despite the leader of the Dark Signer's power. "You know nothing, you foolish girl," Rudger's tone was harsh.
"She's right, isn't she?" Crow had to laugh. "You did all this because you were jealous?"
"Yusei's Father had something you would never understand," Yui gripped Kirika's hand. Yui understood what she had, and what she would try to get back. "He had friends, and family he could count on! What do you have? You killed your family, Rudger! Rex is dead because of you! All you do is destroy and destroy until nothing's left."
"He wanted to destroy the work I dedicated myself to!" Rudger barked the words out. "Ryoto knew nothing!"
"He knew enough to know it wasn't a good fucking idea!" Crow countered back. "Come on, Yusei! Finish this guy off! Show him what you're made of, and we can do whatever the hell we want!"
"Do it for Lina," Yui called out. "She's waiting for you, Yusei! She's waiting for you to save her!"
They were right. He had to end this. He had Stardust Dragon out on the field. He was just one step closer to winning. And yet-
"Dammit," Yusei muttered the words under his breath. He had to win. If he didn't, his life was lost, along with Lina's, and Rudger would still be here. Rudger would only take down others. His Father wouldn't be avenged. None of them would.
Now I know you'll catch me if I fall.
Lina. Her death was all his fault. He was the one who dragged her into this. He should have stopped her from coming. He should have made sure she stayed by side. It as his fault, his fault, that she was dead. He could have caught her as she fell. He could have done something.
There was no guarantee that Lina would come back after he won the duel; if he won the duel. Kirika and Yui claimed they came back after Lina won against Kaito, but this was a new ball field. Lina had willingly chosen to die instead of letting herself be turned to ashes after her loss against Rudger. Yusei wasn't sure if that affected anything or not, but he knew there was a possibility that Lina was gone and it was all his fault.
"Are you doubting yourself, hero?" A voice caught Yusei's ear. He glanced around, eagerly trying to find it. He knew that voice. He recognized it all too well. His heart thumped in his chest. The inside of Yusei's jacket pocket glowed gold before a light hovered out. The golden light materialized into a figure- a short girl with long ash blonde hair and pale green eyes.
Yusei's stomach dropped. He couldn't hide his disappointment. It wasn't Lina after all- but her duel spirit- Sun Hope's Magician.
Still, it was odd that he could see her. He had seen duel spirits before- like Ancient Fairy Dragon- but this was new.
"She needs you, and here you are. Get out of your head, Yusei," Sun Hope's Magician had a look on her face that Lina would give when she was both frustrated and trying to give encouragement. "You learned the truth about your parents. He caused this. He did all of it. He killed our Lina. He killed your parents. He killed the majority of Neo Domino City and left so many to die in the Satellite. Does he deserve mercy?" Sun Hope's Magician stood straight. Yusei realized at that moment just how angry Lina's cards were on her behalf. They had lost someone important to them too. "He took your friends. He killed them. Should he be forgiven for what he did to Lina and Kiryu? Or Anya and Rally?"
"No," Yusei agreed in a low voice.
"Who is going to avenge them if you don't?" Sun Hope's Magician looked to Yusei with a burning look in her eyes. "Will you die like his destiny claims? You know the truth. You can stop this. You can save them all. Will you hesitate once more, or lay down everything you have for this final draw?" Sun Hope's Magician turned her glare to Rudger. "She is out there waiting for you, Yusei Fudo. It's because of him that's she's gone."
"Lina...are you saying I can bring her back?" Yusei didn't want to believe it was true. It sounded too good.
"We give you our strength. All of us," Sun Hope's Magician laid her hands on top of Yusei's.
When Yusei thought of Lina, there were three versions of her he saw. He saw the Lina in her red jacket that matched his from the first time he saw her when he first arrived into Neo Domino City, and he saw her in her red jacket with a large grin on her face after her duel against Yusei in the Fortune Cup. He saw Lina in the shimmering dress she wore for Jack Atlas's movie premiere. He saw her barefoot after her duel against Val when he was a Shadow Drone, and how carefree she was about it.
He saw her when they were both sixteen and still in Team Satisfaction. He saw them both wearing the vests she had created, with her blonde hair haphazardly pulled back with a rubber band she had tied together because it had broken once more. He saw her with her glasses on the bridge of her nose because the sides were threatening to break off again and he hadn't had time to fix them. He saw her across from him with a duel disk on her arm that he had created specifically for her to use. A smirk was planted on her face.
Gotcha! Did you really think you can beat me in a duel? Bring it, Yusei! You can barely beat me in a real fight! Maybe next time I'll go easy on you if you're nice.
She had kissed him. She loved him. She loved him enough that she would rather die by her own hand than fight him as a Dark Signer.
Yusei would repay her. He would fight fate and win. He wouldn't let her die by fate's hand.
He would fight fate and win and if that's what it meant to bring her back.
God dammit, he would bring her back.
"I hear you," Yusei replied to Sun Hope's Magician. "I'm counting on you. We will win. It's my draw!" Yusei and Sun Hope's Magician drew the card at the same time. Yusei couldn't help but let out a tiny smirk. This would work. He gave an approving nod to Sun Hope's Magician. She returned with her own before she faded back into Lina's deck.
"Are you quite finished?" Rudger sounded annoyed.
"I'm just starting. Your deranged light won't brighten my heart. My irreplaceable friends will," Yusei laid down a card. "By getting rid of one card in my hand, I can summon the tuner monster Turret Warrior to the field. But I'm not done. Now I can normal summon Sun Magician to the field!"
"That's Lina's card," Yui breathed out.
"No way," Crow was in awe by what he was doing. Kirika was staring, her mouth in a set line.
"I combine my monster's to bring out the bond I share with its Master. I Synchro Summon- Spirit of the Stars Dragon!" In a blast of white shimmering light, Lina's ace monster floated out onto the field with a ferocious roar.
"A shared bond...how interesting..." Rudger couldn't help but notice the similarities. Reo had created Spirit of the Stars Dragon in order to honor his bond with his best friend at the time, Ryoto. Now Reo's own daughter owned the monster card, and Yusei was using it as a symbol of their bond. "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And you say destiny doesn't exist."
"Now I play my Battle Waltz spell card! With this in play, I get a waltz token which can duplicate any of my monsters. I chose Stardust Dragon!" Now Yusei had two Stardust Dragons on the field.
"You realize you can't attack an Earthbound Immortal, don't you?" Rudger seemed perplexed.
"Thanks for the information, but I wasn't planning on it," Yusei's reply as dry. "I'm attacking you. Go, attack with Cosmic Flare!" Yusei's dragon reared its head back to attack.
"Did you forget that I have a trap card?" Rudger revealed his card. "I play Roar of the Earthbound Immortal! Since your dragon's weaker than my Earthbound Immortal Uru, not only does your best of a monster get destroyed, but your life points get obliterated as well! This duel is over!"
"Nothing is over until I say it is! I release my Stardust Dragon in order to keep my life points safe from the effect of your trap!" Yusei was safe for now. "Now it's time for my second Stardust Dragon to attack!"
"Not just yet! I activate Brilliant Shrine Art! Now my Earthbound Immortal can intercept your attack and destroy your duplicate dragon!" The second Stardust Dragon, the copy, was destroyed. "My Earthbound Immortal Uru is going to destroy your dragon- and then you! This is destiny's hour, Yusei, but don't be too discouraged. You'll join your friend soon enough. You did what you were supposed to. You played a very pivotal role in this game." When Uru and Stardust Dragon collided, a blast shone through the area. When the dust cleared, it was revealed that Yusei was still standing.
"Guess destiny was wrong," Yusei slyly dusted off his jacket. "You may have thought it was over and that this was your big moment, but unfortunately I don't take damage when my duplicate dragon is destroyed. Not only that, but your Earthbound Immortal's about to take a hit because of my token's special ability!" Earthbound Immortal Uru's attack points dropped to 500. Rudger stared at shock at his monster before he turned his attention back to Yusei.
"Finish this monster, Yusei," Sun Hope's Magician appeared next to Yusei once more. Only this time, Yusei could see all of Lina's monsters around him. They all shared the same resolute gaze.
They wanted her back just as much as he wanted her.
"I won't let you down," Yusei closed his eyes. When he opened them, it was just he and Rudger once more. "You know what, Rudger? You talk about destiny, but all that really matters is that we listen to ourselves and that we do what we believe is right. Maybe there is destiny, but if that's the case, I'm going to pick where I end up. You forgot that I have one more monster on the field. Spirit of the Stars Dragon, attack! Let's end this once and for all!" Spirit of the Stars Dragon reared back its head and moved forward to attack Uru. The attack connected. Rudger's life points dropped to zero. Rudger dropped to his knees, his robes steaming around the edge. Yusei stepped forward, his gaze hard.
"You lost, Rudger," Yusei's tone held no sympathy. "Destiny lost."
Rudger began to laugh. Soon he began to cackle. His whole body was beginning to turn gray as he deteriorated into ash. "You really think this is over, don't you? Unless you seal all the towers by sunset, you all will die! Join your friend in Hell, Yusei!" Rudger pressed a button on his duel disk. The bridge exploded. There was no more ground under Yusei's feet. Yusei tried to grab onto what remained of the wire bridge, but he was too far away. Instead, he dove straight into the Reactor below him- the same beast that Lina fell into.
It was quiet. Crow, Kirika, and Yui stared down into the Reactor. Streams of light filled the room and scattered across. The souls of those who were lost were finally returning.
"Yusei..." Crow was in shock. Yusei was gone, just like Lina. Yui whipped out her phone and dialed the first number on her speed dial. Yui placed the call on speaker for everyone to hear. She was shaking the entire time. Kirika wrapped her arm around the purple haired girl for comfort.
"Yeah?" That one word over the phone made Yui break down into tears. Kirika had to hold her up. "Woah, fuck, what's going on? Did I miss something? Did Yusei win or some shit? Is that why I'm suddenly alive again? This is fucking weird, you know. I don't like this at all."
"Anya!" Yui was hyperventilating. "Where- where are you?"
"Outside of where the Arcadia Movement used to be. I guess it got destroyed? I don't know man, I missed a lot. But hey, I'll meet you guys when you get back. Have fun over there, but not too much fun, you know. I had more than enough fun for the lot of us. Tell the Asshole I said hi. I'm heading over to he apartment to check on the kids, maybe scare them. I don't know, it's not a lot that everyone thinks you're dead. This might be the only chance I get to scare the shit out of them like this. Catch you later. Love you." Anya hung up. Yui couldn't even tell her what had happened, but that was just like Anya. Too much had happened and she needed time to process it her feelings regarding the matter.
But she was alive. Anya was back on the planet and alive once more.
"She's alive," Yui was crying tears of happiness now.
"Yes," Kirika confirmed slowly. "But if she's alive..."
"Then where the hell is Lina?" Crow finished Kirika's thought. "Why the fuck isn't she back yet? And Yusei..."
Neither had returned.
"I don't understand," Kirika appeared to be upset. "He won. She should have been back by now! She should have..." Kirika was crying.
"They can't be..." Yui glanced down to where the two fell.
"They can't be dead," Crow shook his head. "There's no way in hell that those two are dead. Not-"
Lina Kazukata and Yusei Fudo couldn't be dead. It wasn't like them.
But neither had returned just yet.
Rex Godwin was walking into the room below his home that contained the Stairway of the Crimson Dragon. Yusei had won his Shadow Duel against his brother. Rex climbed until he was at the top of the temple, but paused. His brother was weaker than he ever thought possible. He had lost.
It was no matter. There were greater forces at play. Those idiots believed him to be dead. It was true that while he did die, he only ascended to his true power. Inside of the tower, besides the ancient stone carves and designs stood the glowing capsule that Rudger had once handed Rex many years prior. Inside of the light was an arm that bore the final Mark of the Crimson Dragon.
His brother was right. They were only pawns in destiny's game.
It was time for the rules to change.
May the game begin.
Lina was floating in the darkness. She wondered where she was- and why she was alone. Was this what happened after death?
If Lina were honest, this was her worst nightmare: isolation. Lina never liked being alone. She slept beside people when she got scared because she was afraid she would be abandoned, just as she had been when she was younger.
"Yusei..." Lina left behind too much.
But this was her choice. It was her actions that caused this.
She didn't regret one damn thing. Not a chance.
A bright light filled Lina's vision. The darkness escaped away from Lina, leaving only white in its place.
"What the hell are you doing here?" A voice could be heard. It sounded friendly and almost curious. Lina opened her eyes. A woman stood before her, just slightly taller than Lina. She had brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, a pair of overalls that covered her space-themed t-shirt, and bright blue eyes that stared straight into Lina.
"I could ask you the same thing," Lina gazed at the woman with a frown. "Who are you? Where are we?"
"We're in the Reactor," The woman informed her.
"That makes sense. I kinda fell into it," Lina chuckled with a small grin. "Well, fell, jumped, whatever word you wanna use, I guess. Are we alive?" Lina tilted her head curiously to the side.
"I don't know about you, but I'm not. This is what I get, dead for an eternity in the Reactor I helped design..." The woman trailed off her words. "I'm sorry. I should introduce myself before I vent out my frustrations. See, you're a new person I can complain my heart out to that's not my husband, and see, he has a bit of a guilt complex so it's not as fun. My name is Ayeka Fudo. I helped create this Reactor, and I was destroyed by it when I tried to stop it from activating. Now we're all stuck here. Fun, right?"
"Ayeka...Fudo...?"
Lina was realizing that she was meeting Yusei Fudo's Mother- the man she had just confessed her love to before she killed herself.
What a way to die.