/Yuya\

~Yugo~

[Yuto]

{Yuri}

"It's still February somewhere in the world!" I shriek, uploading when it's the 1st of march where I live.

Yeah don't worry, this isn't march's chapter, I'm just late. It's a whammy of not being sure how to go about the events of the tournament, thus feeling like a video game character walking into an invisible wall, and getting distracted by another thing and falling in love with a poet-reading goth twink. If anyone can guess who it is, congrats, sadly you get nothing for your knowledge. But don't worry, I'm not leaving the Arc V fandom, just feeling a lot of love at the moment. But I've got a lot of it to share and go around, tehe

Anyway, hope ya enjoy


Yuya swore internally, head twisting and eyes roving over the streets, desperately trying to catch sight of Yuzu or Gongenzaka.

Amidst running out of the stadium and out into the city, freaking out over Yuto and Yuri's sudden revelation, he'd lost sight of them. They'd both ran off before he could grab hold of them and now he couldn't even catch sight of them.

In other words, it was the worst scenario.

But it wasn't all bleak. Yuya knew these streets and how to get around them, if he just navigated them sensibly, he'd run into them in no time.

Is what he thought, until suddenly the scenery started changing drastically around him.

The buildings disappeared behind cliffs and stone as boiling lava suddenly made the air almost unbearably hot.

And he had no idea where he was anymore.

Yuya screws his face up in frustration, resisting the urge to tug at his hair.

Now it was the worst-case scenario.

"Guess I'll look for Pendulum cards as I go along," Yuya says to himself. Gotta keep up the act somewhat.

Navigating the rocky cliffs wasn't too difficult, he's been jumping around Action Fields since he was old enough to be allowed in them.

[Are you okay, Yuya?]

/Fine, just lost sight of Yuzu and Gongenzaka. I'm gonna look for them.\

[Damn. I'll be going out at the first sight of Academia soldiers. If I run into them, I'll tell you.]

/They're not here yet?\

{A while longer yet. I won't be arriving until much later.}

/You're coming here too, Yuri?!\

{Yes, but I am not an ally, Yuya. If you do happen to see me, which I doubt, run, and take your friends with you.}

/But…\

Even if they didn't meet, Yuya would know when Yuri got here. He did with Yuto, felt it so clearly, like a puzzle piece he hadn't realised was crooked had righted up and slotted in almost perfectly. Not quite, not until Yuya had seen Yuto, touched him with his hands and drank in the real, solid sight of him.

But if Yuri insisted on them not meeting, that puzzle piece would be left misaligned.

/...Are you sure?\

~Doesn't seem very nice. Wouldn't meeting then and there be a better idea?~

[The place is filled with surveillance cameras, so I don't think it'd be easy…]

~Wait, you agree with him?~

[Not fully, I don't like it either, but… I can see where Yuri's coming from.]

{Anyway, my mission is to get the girls, but more specifically Hiiragi Yuzu.}

Yuya felt his throat close up while he's kneeling down and reaching for a Pendulum card on the edge of a small cliff. Yuzu. Oh god she really was being targeted. And Yuri had orders to kidnap her while the tournament was going on.

{Our little incompetent spy is to get Serena back, but from what I've seen, I'm dubious how focused he'll be on that.}

[He'll probably aim for Shun.]

{Most likely.}

/Who's Serena?\

{A moron of a girl who decided running off to Standard to likely hunt down the Xyz refugees, causing the Obelisk Force to descend on the place to retrieve her, that's who.}

/...Okay.\

~Wait, isn't that your friend over there?~

{We are not friends, what a foolish idea. But I've mentioned her before.}

~Suuure.~

[Is she an enemy? Do we need to be careful?]

{...I would not call her an inherently evil person. More mislead, too well-fed by Academia's ideals to see past her own nose and desires. I don't know how she'd react if she finds out the truth about the invasion, however. She's not weak, so watch it if she comes after you.}

/Then, wouldn't there be a chance to convince her that what Academia is doing is wrong?\

{As I said, I have no clue. Only that she's desperate for the Professor to acknowledge her strength. It's why I haven't told her anything or even given hints. I don't want the Professor breathing down my neck.}

(What, so you have considered telling her?]

{Shut up.}

~Anyway, what about Rin?! Is she okay?~

/Rin's in the stands with the rest of the audience. She should be safe there.\

{The Obelisk Force has orders to get both her and Ruri. Mine is, as always, more of a stealth kidnapping. Get them without anyone seeing me or them being taken away.}

Yuya felt a sliver of unease run through him at the words, feeling how Yuto and Yugo went through a similar moment. Wait until they're alone and take them away with no one the wiser, left wondering where their friend, sister, daughter, had disappeared to.

{...I'll do my best to make sure it doesn't actually happen.}

/Yeah, yeah, sounds good, thanks.\

{Naturally.}

Yuya shakes himself free of the unease that had settled over his body like a heavy veil. He had to find Yuzu, right now she was the most important. Gongenzaka could hopefully handle himself, and if trouble did arise before they ran into each other, Yuya had no doubt he would rush off to find them too.

He picks up his second Action Card.

"Now you have two cards, right?"

Yuya startles at the voice, gaze darting up to two laughing figures standing on top of a hill.

The one wearing a bandana smiles mockingly. "We from Ryozanpaku School will be your opponent."

"We'll make you taste plenty of humiliation," says the one with braided hair, similar smile and mocking tone of voice.

Yuya grits his teeth. This was the last thing he needed right now. But the name of their school…

/Yuto, wasn't the duelist you fought in my place from Ryozanpaku?\

[Yeah, why? More people from there?]

/Two of them who want to duel me.\

~Two on one?! What, do they think they can't handle you by themselves?!~

{After Yuto did a number on their number one duelist, maybe so.}

~Hah! As if numbers would help them! Beat them up real good, Yuya!~

[H-hey, no need to go that far-]

{Much as it pains me to agree with Synchro boy… Go destroy them.}

Yuya becomes aware of the self-assured smile on his face after it's already slid into place. The two on the cliff frown lightly in confusion at his reaction, but doesn't lose their stance.

He had more important things to do, so he couldn't dawdle for too long.

"Duel!"


Yuzu huffs. The adrenaline from the duel and Halil's fiery attacks may have warmed her up, but the air still felt chilly on her skin. Not as cold as it probably should be, with her complete lack of sleeves and bare upper thighs in this frozen over wasteland. But it would probably be way too dangerous if the temperature was made shifted to emulate it perfectly. Was still cold just looking at the place.

Didn't help that the duelist Gongezaka had been facing, Olga, used winter-themed monsters. Her ace was even covered in ice!

She cries in alarm as Gongenzaka takes the attack meant for her, then again when he's sent back flying and defeated. But his assurance strengthened her. So with her resolve set, she turns back to the duel to begin her turn.

And looking at the icy narwhal, the situation felt slightly familiar.

Olga may use Synchro, she may use ice monsters, but it didn't scare her or her delicate yet strong-willed monsters.

Rin's Synchro summoning had much more force and power behind it. Her monsters, while almost nothing alike, with their delicate figures and giggles as they swept by on their bell-adorned brooms. But they too had an effortless confidence behind them, much like their user.

And Yuzu had been blown away by Rin's winds more than once. She could take a little cold.


~So, did you win?~

/Oh, yeah. Was a bit annoying though, they kept using Flame Ball all the time.\

Yuya skips up the flight of stairs quickly, having entered the ruin area not long ago. Seeing bits and pieces of the roads scattered around the ancient ruins was an odd sight. Still no glimpse of a fluttering hairband or pink pigtails, however.

/An LDS exchange student named Dennis entered in the middle, saying he wanted to join. He stopped them from abusing the Action Cards at least. And he admires dad! I never meet people like that nowadays.\

Akaba Reiji might respect his dad, but it wasn't quite the same. Not like admiring his entertainment dueling.

Yuya didn't notice the sudden quiet until he'd walked a bit further, slowing down as he realised the others hadn't responded.

/Something up?\

[Yuya, that was-]

{Did they wear a god-awful suit and act overdramatically?}

Yuya stills, uneasiness starting to peak out. /Yuri, how did you-\

{Dennis is the spy sent in to keep watch over things in Standard and how the mission will go, acting as if he's on your side and doesn't know anything about other worlds.}

Yuya thinks he might throw up, he's not sure. /I- I didn't notice at all…\

[It's okay, Yuya, he's been in Heartland too. None of us noticed either. I didn't even know he was here.]

{I didn't even know he'd been sent there. He didn't tell me.}

[Tell you?]

~What Yuri, you're friends with this guy too?~

{...}

/Yuri?\

{I don't- ...Ugh. He's the one I tolerate the most at Academia. Dennis isn't, scared of me, never has been.}

/So you're… old friends?\

{Can you three stop using that word already, my answer won't change.}

~You haven't denied it though.~

Yuri quiets, Yugo's words having seemingly hit a nerve. Yuya's stopped walking completely now, only having the mind to wander over and lean against a pillar, looking to the outside world like he was taking a break in the shade.

/Why don't you like the word? We're friends aren't we?\

{I… suppose.}

~What's with that 'I suppose' shit, after two years of gabbling I'd call us friends at least!~

{It feels inadequate, is all, for how important you three are.}

Yuya blinks as the words sink in. Then he has to make sure he doesn't slide down the pillar as some emotion he doesn't fully understand fill his chest and causing his heart to skip a beat.

{I didn't have 'friends' until you three were suddenly prattling away in my head, whether I liked it or not. It's not something I'm meant to have, in this place.}

~...Why not?~

Yuri doesn't seem to know what answer to give to that, staying silent for a good while. Yuya breathes silently, looking up at the blue sky above him and at the clouds floating by.

Yuri's voice is subdued, thoughtful, when he finally responds.

{...Never considered it, I suppose. The day I was given my future duty was the same day I decided I'd card the Professor myself if it meant keeping you all safe. And at Academia, the Professor's will is the law. What he says goes, and those who disobey are punished. Harshly.}

Were the clouds spinning? They might be. Or maybe it was Yuya, whirling from new thoughts and feelings he didn't feel equipped to deal with at the moment. He drew his fingertips over the stone pillar he was slumped back against, the gravely and cold sensation slowly taking him back down.

He hadn't realised, how deep Yuri's feelings and motivation ran. And he felt so stupid.

Yuri couldn't make friends at Academia, because they were scared of him.

Yuri couldn't make friends at Academia, because Yuya, Yuto and Yugo already were. And that meant he would ultimately have to fight against any companions he may have grown close to someday.

Yuya wanted to cry at the unfairness. For how slow he had been to realise. But he didn't, held them back and sucked in a deep breath to ward away the faint stinging in his eyes.

/I'm sorry.\

{Stop that, I know exactly where I stand. I'm fine.}

Somehow, Yuya figured that was a lie, or at least an attempt for Yuri to convince himself. He couldn't find it in himself to refute it, though.

Yugo had no such issue.

~Like hell you are, I can hear it from here! We'll just wrangle those friends of yours to our side! No idea thinking so hard about that stuff right now anyway!~

Yuya feels a bit stunned at the simple reply, and he wasn't the only one. Yuri was more baffled while Yuto quickly got over his own and started to share a budding amusement with Yuya. Leave it to Yugo to give such a simple yet hard to dispute solution.

/Not sure how much I agree with the 'beat it out of them', but I can get on board otherwise.\

[Me too.]

{Are you two serious?}

Yuri sounds incredulous while Yugo snickers happily.

Figuring he's stood still long enough, Yuya pushes away from the pillar to continue his search. He doesn't get far before he hears the sounds of a duel going on.

By the time he's reached it, however, the duel is already over. Though Yuya quickly recognises the winner.

Kurosaki Shun barely gives his three collapsed opponents a second glance as he turns away, long coat fluttering around his legs in the wind. He moves to walk off, when he catches sight of Yuya in the corner of his eyes.

His expression is stern when he turns his head, but it quickly changes to mild surprise and recognition as gold eyes land on him.

"Sakaki Yuya," Kurosaki says in place for a greeting.

Yuya tries smiling, hoping it doesn't look wonky. The other was a bit intimidating. "Hey, you're Kurosaki Shun, right? Yuto's friend."

Kurosaki nods, turning to him as Yuya walks forward to stand in front of him.

Yuya stops, realising something for the first time. He can't help the laugh that comes out of him, making Kurosaki raise a questioning eyebrow. "Sorry, I just realised… This is the first time we've talked, but it doesn't feel like it."

Yuto talked a lot about Shun, and Ruri too. About what he was doing with them that day, or at the moment. What they liked, how they acted, something amusing they did or a thing that had happened to them today. Yuya doesn't think Yuto himself has even realised how often he brings them up. So despite never having been introduced to them, Yuya felt like he somewhat knew them already.

He hadn't felt like that at all during Kurosaki's duel against Sora. Yuto had said, offhandedly, how ruthless and strong Shun was. But the image of the guy Yuya had gotten from Yuto's words hadn't matched up with the one down on the field.

Now though, when they stood on equal ground (somewhat cause man Yuto wasn't joking when he said the guy was tall), that feeling was back. But still mixing with unsureness, Yuya hadn't exactly seen Kurosaki smile or, relax.

Kurosaki blinks at him. Then, his face relaxes from its frown, just a bit, and the ghost of a smile appears.

"I could say the same."

Yuya smiles. "He talks about us?"

Kurosaki actually nearly rolls his eyes before stopping himself halfway, crossing his arms over his chest. "You have no idea."

Yuya has to hold back a loud snort, biting down on the inside of his cheek to not snicker like a maniac. "If it's any consolation, he talks a lot about you and Ruri too."

Kurosaki huffs good-naturedly, something exasperated yet fond flashing by in his face and eyes, and Yuya sees the person Yuto calls his best friend.

"This card's effect allows it to attack you directly!"

The comfortable air is abruptly cut through and broken when a knight-looking monster suddenly shoots a flash of light right at them. Yuya barely manages to duck in time, the strike rushes by, strong gusts of wind following it and pulling at his clothes and hair.

"Slash the Assault Knight can change battle damage to 0."

The attack, going right at another duelist standing to the right of them, is halted in its track by a force field. Three duelists step forward around them, all wearing traditional knight armour, duel disks out and one monster on each of their fields.

"Knight of Duels?" Yuya says in surprise, getting to his feet. He recognises them from the line-up at the start of the Battle Royal.

Shun is frowning again as he stands back up. "These guys don't know when to quit."

One of them smirks mockingly. "These two are talking about such trivial nonsense."

"Let's get them out of our way. My turn, Slash the Assault Knight attacks you directly!"

Yuya and Kurosaki are forced to throw themselves to the side as another slash comes their way. It's once again blocked by the other duelist.

Kurosaki scowls. "They're using this duel as an excuse to hurt me."

"What? Why?!" Yuya asks, feeling very confused.

"Sore losers."

His words seem to tick them off further, the next slash directed with more anger than before. It hits its real target this time, sending Shun flying into a pillar and Yuya off the edge and onto a broken off column. He almost soars over the edge, but manages to grab hold of the edge, hanging off by one hand.

Pulling himself up to chest level took some effort. He watches in worry as Kurosaki is left standing alone, surrounded by opponents and back to the edge. "Kurosaki…"

Movement in the corner of his eye catches his attention. Looking over, he sees a group of three wearing weird uniforms and masks, running along the highway.

"Who are they?"

Then he catches sight of a familiar figure and freezes.

The group stops in front of the duelists. And next to them, looking the same as when Yuya last saw him, Sora stepped forward.

"Sora!" Yuya yells before he can think it through. Any thoughts of him being an enemy or what his presence here meant gone, just relieved that his friend was safe.

But Sora barely spares him a glance, only turning back to look at Kurosaki with what he could only call a predatory look.

Yuya can barely hear him from here, making out things like 'settling the score' and 'not get in their way'. The name 'Obelisk Force' makes his insides go cold and his throat close up.

He snaps back to reality when both Sora and Kurosaki start to walk away.

"Sora! Wait!" Yuya shouts, climbing up on the column and jumping to another, trying to reach them.

He's stopped in his tracks when Kurosaki turns back to look him straight in the eye, gaze fierce.

"I'll handle this," he says across the distance, tone harsh but with an underlying meaning behind it. "You have more important things to do right now!"

Yuya stops abruptly.

Right, this was- …an invasion. It was happening, and he still hadn't found Yuzu. She was the one who was a target. He had to find her, and then… he didn't know, not yet, but that was the most important.

So with frustration that he tried to push down, Yuya nodded to Kurosaki, who returned the gesture before disappearing into a temple with Sora. Yuya turned away, hopping back onto the road.

Only to be stopped again by the sound of screaming.

Heart beating so hard it felt painful, Yuya watches with wide eyes as the masked people raise their duel disk. A purple light shines from it, encasing the person it's pointed at. When it fades, the space is empty.

A cruel smile, a mocking wave of the card in their hands, before letting it flutter to the ground in front of the two left. A terrified expression imprinted permanently onto the small object.

Stop it

Yuya's head hurts, images filling his head that he doesn't recognise but cut deep into him regardless. Emotions bubble up into him at what felt like double the speed they should. Fear, anxiety, worry-

Anger.

More screaming, abruptly cut off, two more cards join the one on the ground. A scream wants to rip its way out of Yuya's throat.

Stop it

Stopistopitstopitstopit-

Grey cuts through the red filling his vision, despite being far away from him. A similarly furious expression to match his own. Something clicks into place.

And somehow, the anger fizzles out from a searing burn to a hard, pressuring thrum.

Less raging, but no less furious.

They take a step forward.


One more screen flickers to black, cutting off the audience's view of the lava area. And where Yuzu and that weird other guy had been.

Rin frowns, leaning back in her seat with her arms crossed. Was the technical department so incompetent here they couldn't even keep the audience's only view of the duels working? Or was it on purpose? Every time a screen had cut out, something weird had looked like it had been about to happen.

Rin purses her lips, tapping her fingers against her arm. Something was off. And she was stuck in here. Her gut was screaming at her, a part of her mind scolding her for sitting around and doing nothing.

It could be nothing, she tried telling herself.

But she wasn't one to go against her gut.

Shuzo looks over to her as she rises and gets to her feet. "Rin, where are you going?"

"Bathroom," she says curtly with a nod to them. No one follows her as she walks out of the stands, thankfully.

The halls are completely empty, the only sound being Rin's boots clicking against the floor. She could vaguely remember where the exit was, but thankfully there were signs to lead the way. The way to the bathroom was passed by without a glance.

As she was getting close to the exit, two people in suits standing guard came into view. And wasn't that suspicious.

They catch sight of her as she approaches, one stepping forward with his arm held out. "Sorry miss, you can't go any further. Are you lost? Do you need help getting back to the stands?"

"No," Rin says, voice and expression firm. "I want to go outside."

The other shake their head. "Sorry miss, you can't go out while the Battle Royal is going on."

Rin's brow furrow. "Why not?"

"Safety reasons. Can't have the audience running around in the Action Field. Now, please return to your seat."

One moves as if to lead her back to where she came from. A hand reaches for her shoulder-

Rin grabs the wrist in a tight hold, pulling hard at it. The man yells as he's suddenly yanked forward, not expecting a girl so small to have so much strength in her slim body. His momentum is harshly stopped as a fist is rammed straight into his face, breaking the sunglasses perched on his nose. He slumps to the ground.

"What the hell-" the other starts to shout, but doesn't get to finish before a hard kick is aimed right between his legs. He bends over with a groan and Rin winds up again, ramming her knee right into his gut. The man lets out a guttural groan as he too collapses down to the floor.

She waves her hand offhandedly in the air, finding some blood on her knuckles that she tries to wipe off on her shorts as best she could. Blood never stuck well onto these clothes, made them easier to wash but hard to wipe her hands clean.

It wouldn't be long before more guards descended upon this place, but she didn't plan on sticking around that long.

Rin sprints forward down the hall and toward the exit visible at the end, leaving the guards groaning behind her.


Yusei would be proud of ya, Rin

Man I've been looking forward to that, you guys have no idea

If this chapter feels short, it's because the last few ones have been like 9k, 8k, and 5k words long, while this is just short of 4k long(like 50 words short). I've got a minimum requirement of 2.5k words at least for every chapter, but sometimes I just go to *town* on the chapters and there's no one around to stop me.

Uh, thanks for reading, doubly so if ya read my rambly thoughts. I just feel extra talkactive at the moment.