If there was any situation more relaxing than sleeping by her side, Yusei would have to say that waking to see Akiza's tumbled hair beside him would have to be it. His heartbeat would instantly slow at the mere sight only to spike with every movement. However, the real fun began when she would inevitably try toying with him. Being awake first meant that he had planned an inescapable trap.
"What's your plan for escaping this time?" Other than flailing her legs like a scuttled turtle, Akiza could only glare up at him as Yusei's arms kept hers pinned under the thick duvet. He had even shifted himself to the outside of the bed so she couldn't try simply slipping away.
"I'll scream. What's your plan to explain this to your brothers?" Everyone on the planet knew Yusei's weakness. As soon as people he cared about got involved, his sense of balance vanished from sight. Nobody else dared attack him in this fashion because his sense of restraint would also disappear.
"Well," Leaning in, he was wary of the last time he thought he had her cornered. The bite mark on his shoulder was still bruising. "How are you going to scream?" Gently covering her mouth with his, it was more gentle contact than the heated kiss she had been waiting for. All lips were closed and she could squirm away from his smile if she so much as twisted her face.
"I hate you." Muttering from the corner of her mouth to bypass his grin, there was no denying the duplicity of his move. All she had to do was shift aside but that would mean moving away. And she really didn't want to do that.
"Really?" Drawing back, he looked disappointed in the declaration. "Okay then. Go ahead and scream."
"I really hate you." If he hadn't become a Duellist, his only other avenue of calling would have been politics because he had the irritating ability to manipulate people into doing whatever he wanted.
"Hmm. But you're not screaming yet." Leaning barely out of reach, he had a provocative look beneath his serious face.
"Doesn't mean I won't." Somewhere along the way, she had lost control of the situation.
"Oh, I'm betting on it." Lowering himself to within biting range, his grin spread to shark levels. "One of these days, I'm going to make you scream."
"Big talk." Fuck, she knew it wasn't being smothered in the duvet that was raising her temperature. Exactly one tiny strand of self-restraint was keeping her from attacking his face and it was pride. Of course, she could poke his pride to solve that problem. "Prove it."
"Like you said." Leaning in even further, he whispered against her lips with that evil smile. "My brothers might hear. The minute they won't..." Pecking her swiftly, he lunged out of reach before she could lean in for more.
"Yeah. I hate you." Science couldn't explain how her hair seemed to ruffle in a breeze with the window closed. "But guess what?" His patient smile said there wouldn't be any guessing. "I really need to use the toilet."
"Seriously?" All the happy playfulness drained from the air as she squirmed uncomfortably. "Hang on, let me let you up." Shifting to one side, he even pulled the duvet back as he went. Akiza made a point of rubbing and rolling one shoulder as she sat up. "I didn't hurt your arm, did I?"
"Not really." Swinging the arm around, she wrapped it around his shoulders and pulled him down to her lap before he even realised he had been deceived. And the surprise showed. "Aww, did you really fall the 'I need the toilet' routine? It's the oldest trick in the book." Not that he was complaining. The view he had was wonderful and her hand brushed past his hair in a way that explained exactly who was in command and who was barely a glorified pet. Despite losing the upper hand he felt the trade-off was well worth the loss.
"I've been thinking."
"How unusual." A playful smirk crossed her face. He could tie himself up in knots trying to solve scientific conundrums. "What was it this time? I have even odds against your brothers and Yliaster." There was the faintest hint of trying to restrain his smile.
"I was thinking that maybe we could send one of them back instead of me." Akiza paused in stroking his hair for a moment as she waited for the continuance. "Think about it; not even the Meklord's could beat Red Nova Dragon and Crow's tactics are even faster than mine."
"And you staying here will make Yliaster think that we don't know what they're up to." It was tactically sound. There were, however, two problems with the idea. "But isn't the point not to be noticed in the past? How long do you think either of them will last?" The leading reason Yusei had been picked wasn't his legendary Duelling prowess but the breadth of historical knowledge neither of his brothers had even a fraction of. Changing to the restricted times of the past would require a serious adjustment.
"Good point." Holding her other hand, he smiled up at her. "Why don't you come with me?"
"What?" She poked the corner of his charming smile. "Run away with you?"
"Why not?" Rolling back to his knees, he knelt opposite her on the bed. "Nobody will be looking for us, you can say you've gone to stay with friends in Germany and we don't have to hide from everyone." Still holding his hand, Akiza looked him directly in the eye.
"No." Confusion bloomed on his face. "Yusei, we don't have just Yliaster to worry about. What will happen to Abi if the ICC thinks that you happened to skip town with your girlfriend?" Yusei jerked as if physically struck. "Are you okay?"
"That's... what she called herself. Lethe." It was an unexpected blow. Everything about Aion had already been put behind them. The missing time, the unexpected assistance from Phantom, even the purported goddess herself was hidden away in the secure room of the SRC. "I thought they would go away. The other memories, I mean. But it's more like they're behind a door. One I try and keep shut." He hadn't been able to meet her eyes the entire time. All those other memories were through a hazy tint that marked them as false yet the lingering feelings continued to burn from within them.
"Come here." Akiza gently cradled him as she pulled them both back against the bed. "Do you want to talk about it?"
"There's nothing to discuss." Even lying in her embrace, he sounded numbed by the trauma. "Phantom didn't remember anything about Lethe even when Aion was still here. There weren't any pictures or films of us together. Aion just made everyone think that we had been together."
"But Lethe was a real person. Regardless of what Aion tricked you into thinking, you try and protect everyone." Even a complete stranger would be able to rely upon his goodwill. It was at once his greatest strength and most overbearing weakness. "I think that you're hurting because she was taken away before you could even try saving her."
"Doesn't matter either way." Despair curled him over. "What would I have even done? I knew that changing everything back would mean that she would disappear. There wasn't any way that I could save her and everyone else."
"And that's why it hurts so much." Pressing her cheek against his head, a silent trail of tears was already starting to slip down her face. "Nobody should have to make a choice like that and I'm sorry you had to do it alone."
"I'm not alone now." One ear could hear the steady beat of her heart and he took comfort in the noise. "You, me, the twins, Yugi and Jaden. We're going to take down Yliaster for good this time."
"What about your brothers?" It hadn't slipped by that he had left them from the list.
"Leo's good enough. Knowing them, they'll probably find a way to make a mess of everything." A too well-timed knock sounded on the door.
"I think they heard you." This was only reinforced by a heavier round of knocking.
"Hey, Yusei? You in there?" Rolling upwards in an instant, Yusei was instantly focused on the situation. "Are you sure this is the right room?"
"That's what they said." It was as easy to identify Jack shouting a confirmation as it had been to recognise the voices of Yusei's predecessors arguing on the other side of the door. "Yusei?" He grabbed the handle as it started to turn and inserted himself into the gap.
"What are you both doing here?" Two pairs of eyes took in his partially-dressed state. One set lazily drifted to the bite mark still visible on his shoulder as the purple pair picked out the fading vestiges of a mark on his neck. At least he was able to block Akiza from view to preserve the shrinking vestiges of his pride.
"Jaden and I thought we should all come over early and talk about what happens next." Those eyes were trained to spot microscopic details in ancient artifacts. They would be able to spot the faded blemish on his neck with no trouble. "Your brothers were kind enough to arrange a taxi. The others will be here in a minute."
"Why don't I give Akiza a call?" Pure evil ran through Jack's words.
"That's not," A familiar ringtone began sounding behind him before Yusei could finish. "Necessary." Meeting the transfixed stares going over his shoulder, he felt the slender curve of her neck carefully align over one shoulder.
"Hi." Smiling as she wrapped one arm around his chest, Akiza felt the blush creeping through his skin.
Reaching into his jacket pocket, Jaden withdrew his wallet, picked out a bill and wordlessly held it out to Yugi.
"Told you." Taking the bill, he tucked it away with a slight smile.
"Care to explain?" Only two types of people didn't instantly exude terror when Akiza spoke like that; the very brave and the very stupid. The overlap between the two was astounding.
"I bet him that Yusei would ask you out. Jaden didn't think he'd have the guts." In the relative quiet of his mind, Yusei prayed for a quick smiting. There wasn't any other way to escape the embarrassment. Sadly, prayers never seemed to take effect when they were a rush order. "Neither did Yusei." A fearful grip fastened about his heart.
"When was this?" There was no doubt this was going to end poorly for him. At least he could probably still claim pity over being a terminal case.
"First time we met." Why wasn't there an infallible mental bond between the Kings of Games? Something he could use to tell them to stop talking two minutes back. "That's what, eight years for you guys?" Jaden turned to the gaunt figure now haunting the doorway.
"Yeah. About that." Being in a relationship with his doctor meant that faking a medical injury wouldn't work. Being in a relationship with a Duellist meant she would also know when he was bluffing. Yusei hadn't planned for this.
"Excuse us for a moment." A slight whimper escaped as he tried to will the door from closing beneath her hand. "Now, I know that you don't remember a lot of what happened but that was a long time before we first got together." Her tone – if not her words – demanded an explanation.
"I thought they were kidding!" It had certainly seemed like familiar banter at the time. Now that money had changed hands, doubt was starting to creep into his mind. "They noticed that I mentioned you a couple of times and asked if I was going to ask you on a date."
"You know those words I haven't told you?" Smiling as she kissed his cheek, Akiza felt a pleasant glow lighting up inside her. "Come back safe and I promise to say them." Even long before he had mustered the courage, it had apparently been obvious enough to others exactly how he felt. The tender moment passed with the sound of smashing furniture down the corridor. "Better yet, I'll say them if you help me hide your brothers' bodies."
"Can we go over it one more time?" Standing at the kitchen table with Yugi and Jaden, Yusei was struggling to accept the explanation they were giving. Not that he didn't believe it. They were two of the most trustworthy people in history and the story was definitely within the boundaries of possibility while remaining utterly stupid.
There had been plenty of time before exiting his room for Musume arrive and foul everything up. Which was why he had been so confused to find her the picture of innocence while Phantom shivered on the floor in gales of laughter as Jack and Crow nursed several growing bruises and the rest of the group looked tense.
"I was minding my own business" Crow began at exactly the same time that Jack started saying "What happened was," Both were silence as their brother raised an authoritative finger.
"Not you. Yugi, Jaden. What happened?"
"We were all waiting for you to join us," A knowing look spread between them and Yusei felt the backs of his ears grow warm. "When Jack said something to Crow. Crow stamped on his toes, Jack punched his arm and then they just started fighting." Yugi's version of events certainly sounded plausible enough.
"And then Musume said 'If I wanted to kill myself, I'd jump from Jack's ego to Crow's intelligence' before pulling them apart." And had to fight the two-fold battle of keeping her strength in check while trying to stop the rest of the group from attacking each other. Jaden knew a little about keeping his own dark side in check. "Which Phantom seemed to find pretty funny."
On the floor, she continued to flail in reaction to the insult.
"Yeah. She knocked a chair down because she fell over laughing." Musume craned her head to one side. "How you doing down there?" A gentle prod with one shoe brought no visible reaction. "She'll be fine. Probably." Stepping near the figure, Hoshi gave it a quiet sniff as she tried to figure out the strange behaviour.
"I could have used your help a lot of times growing up." Knuckling his forehead wasn't making the headache go away any quicker. "Do either of you know why they started fighting this time?" The brothers of old could fight for any reason but he had hoped they might have matured in the years exploring the world.
"Jack said something about Sherry speaking French and Crow punched him in the stomach." Of course. He had to mention the reason Crow had learned a second language.
"Why don't we get on with planning what we're going to do?" Nearly anything was better if it meant the brothers would stop fighting but Akiza knew what the conversation meant. Everything else was in place, they only had a brief phase of planning left before Yusei left for an undetermined amount of time.
Dragging Phantom upright, Musume plonked the cat on one of her shoulders and held them both aloft by the collar of the boiler suit as they moved away from the table and the conversation began.
"From what we figure, they'll come after us in some sort of Duel. Anything else would raise too much suspicion if we were both taken down early." It wasn't the threat of death that bothered Jaden. It was the idea that someone would try using Duel Monsters solely for the intention of hurting another.
"Let's talk numbers." Dying worried Yugi even less. He knew from personal experience that reincarnation was possible. Not that he would take the threat lightly. "How many Duellists can we expect? Ten, twenty?" An entire tournament dedicated to his downfall could be organised if they had enough people. It wouldn't be the first time that Yugi beat one of those.
"Far fewer. One or two, maybe three at most." Yusei was far from an expert but he had an inside source. "Bruno once told me that it took significant resources for Yliaster to travel through time. The only reason they didn't find a different method was the lack of time they had to research one. As long as we make it through this, it should be the end of Yliaster's interference with the past."
"Then, if we beat them this time, we don't see each other again?" Jaden was first to say what he and Yugi were thinking.
"We were never meant to meet in the first place. Everything will simply go back to how it was." At that point, Yugi was unaware of the work he would one day ask Jaden to do. The second King of Games had kept his word to not let slip any mention of the activities.
"The only question that remains is which one of you stays here." The simple strategy of the shell games was as brilliant as it was effective. Yusei was actually jealous that he hadn't thought of it.
"We've already talked about that." There was no real hierarchy between them but Yugi was definitely more serious than Jaden. "Jaden will be staying here. It would be too tempting for me to look through history books and see what discoveries were made." Only going ahead a few years would minimise that risk. Even if he caved to the desire, it would be possible to restrain himself from acting on the knowledge until afterwards.
"Besides, I'm more interested in all the cool cards you guys have." And learning them would be no danger. Jaden was a people person, whether those people be human or Duel Spirit. He didn't care for personal glory. "And I'd like to learn more about other people like me." And Yugi would cover for his successor. Leaving Yusei in the earliest of their respective eras.
"You'd probably best not go running around Duelling everyone you met." Leo knew that it gave an advantage to the other party if he rushed in but that wasn't what he meant. "And not just because there are a lot of cheaters out there." His rather vague explanation resulted in a blank look from Jaden.
"From our experiences, we've learned that Yliaster has the ability to manufacture cards capable of dealing real damage. We're not sure what restrictions they're working with so it's best to treat every Duel as a potential Dark Duel." Crow knew the damage they could inflict under the wrong circumstances.
Do not worry. Idly stroking the cat with a finger, Phantom's focus on the conversation hadn't diminished even as she recovered from her laughing fit. A Dark Duel cannot be performed within the boundaries of Poppo Time, the penthouse or... the grounds of Martha's property.
"Sorry," Much as Jack wished there were sanctuaries available to safeguard innocents, he also remembered the time that his mother had been swallowed by the shadowy miasma of the Dark Signers. "We're as vulnerable here as anywhere else." A silence spread inside the helmet that Musume knew to be wary of.
"What did you do?" There were still a few uneasy glances when she pulled her sword that quickly. Everyone had seen at least one demonstration that it left no marks on an inanimate object. There only remained the question of it operating on an animate one.
I erected a small network of sigils around each property. Lowering her fingers slowly underlined her full attention being focused on Musume. Between their combined effects, they should be able to neutralise any attempts to invoke external supernatural abilities.
"When did you find time to do that?" Akiza knew that she wouldn't have simply run off without a direct discussion about it. And she had been nearly constantly standing guard beside them since the incident at the docks.
During the... events Aion set in motion. What? An expression of doubt had twisted the doctor's face. I was insane, not stupid. It was a standard precaution.
"Sure. Standard." Musume withdrew the blade that had been hovering by her throat.
You... Flickering blue eyes passed across the entire group – including the hovering spectre of Yubel – before finishing the statement. Have not... researched the supernatural.
"Trust me, we learn quick." Colour started to flicker through the lines across her body. Wearing short sleeves like that openly displayed the power coursing just beneath the surface. "And you're smart enough to explain what you did before we lose our temper." Flickering an eye at the collective 'our', Phantom shrugged away the threat.
Same strategy as my armour. Boolean algebra, condition-specific sigils and distributed feedback network.
"That's... brilliant." Whatever mystic nonsense she was talking about was outside Yusei's usual scope but the logical explanation made it possible to understand what she was talking about.
That... means a lot coming from you. Few people could genuinely impress him. She had never expected to make the short list.
"Eh?" Leo summarised the thoughts of most everyone else in the room.
"Under the right circumstances, they'll cause a feedback loop to cancel any outwards effects." A muddled recollection interpreted the time he had visited her in the Detention Centre to learn what Aion had wrought on the world. 'Protected'. The armour had literally kept her protected from whatever had happened. "And they'll all be as safe as your armour is?"
… More or less. The sword slapped up to her chin again. Hush. It is alright. Gently calming a hissing Hoshi seemed to be her only concern as Musume pressed closer for an answer. Inscription material is a component to be accounted for. The orphanage will have the strongest defences, Poppo Time closely afterwards and the penthouse least. Instantly recognising the new source of information, Leo began clamouring for more answers until his sister had the good sense to smack the back of his head.
"That nearly sounds like science." Before she had figured out what was happening to her, Akiza had questioned that her powers might be mystical in nature. The scattered stories had read made so little sense that she had thought it was all fiction. And then she had turned out to be part of an ancient Incan myth. Go figure.
Clarke's Third Law. However, we are straying from the topic.
"Would it be possible to give Yugi and me same sort of protection?" Not having to worry about the effects of Dark Duels would significantly decrease the risks facing them.
Phantom paused to consider the question. Not easily and certainly not quickly. No extra protection then. That seemed about right.
"Then we'll have to run the risk that they can't call Dark Duels." Looking between his predecessors, Yusei knew there was one more task they had to cover. Just like they knew what they would have to do in return. "Can you guys give us the room? There are some things we need to discuss." History could only teach so much. What they each needed was the in-depth knowledge which only came from first-hand accounts. Not only who they could trust and where was safe but what subtle warnings could precede dangers and where those dangers had originated from in the first place. Avoiding only the historical information, they would have to be completely open with one another in ways that they couldn't be with anyone else.
May I make a suggestion?
"Of course." Yusei was curious what twist Phantom might bring to the table. Her ideas were usually unexpected and strangely beneficial.
Why not take a photograph? Even for the unexpected, it was still far from the sort of idea any of them had expected. It will be a safe way to remember these... encounters. Yusei may pretend that you are actors and you two can say he is a fan.
"I'm on it." Pulling out her handset, Musume didn't know just how advanced the technology was but she knew it gave a clear image as the three figures arranged themselves in front of the table. Opening a menu, she was quick to position a crude drawing over Yusei's face under the guise of preparing herself.
Ahem. No voice meant that coughing was impossible but Phantom drew attention anyway. I think that you might have the wrong settings?
"I've got it." She was quick to scrub the evidence before Akiza could lean in. "Just takes a second." Musume carefully positioned the phone to get a decent shot. With the light filtering in through the windows and the slight haze illuminating the trio, she realised for maybe the first time exactly who she was looking at.
*click*
As they waited in the garage below, the rest of the group were already feeling the strain of separation with a singular exception. "What's so fucking funny?" Musume was irritated by the impossible smile flickering beneath the glowing eyes as the pair stood apart in their roles as outsiders.
It is truly astonishing to hear their stories in person. Half a mile in a crowded city was difficult. Hearing through the slated gaps in the floor would have been possible in her previous, human form.
"So?" She didn't see any danger in the eavesdropping. Besides, it wasn't as if there was any what to stop it. "I thought that you knew it all anyway. Aren't you meant to be some kinda super-nerd?" There was going to be a lengthy discussion about what she knew once they were back at the penthouse. For now, she was content to hold a grudge.
True. But... there is a difference in reading about their stories and... hearing them recalled from experience. Stroking Hoshi's chin as she murmured from one shoulder, Phantom continued to listen as the stories unravelled.
"How long do you think they'll be gone?" Leo had a million questions and no answers. Unfortunately, the burden of answering them fell to his sister who knew the same amount he did. "Do you think Yliaster'll use some more cards from the future? And those cool laser Duel Disks they used last time? And how do you think their time machine works? Or is it like what Yusei and Musume do? Or do you think"
"I don't know." Luna had learned the trick to getting his questions under control was to let them run for a while before cutting him off. "We'll just have to see."
"Huh." Tucking his hands behind his head, the bluenet's mind turned to more solvable scenarios. "I wonder what Jaden's like. Should we ask if he wants to stay with us? I mean, we've got a spare room and all."
"Look, all I'm saying is that, while Yusei's gone, I'm going to be the best Duellist we have." Jack was quite peacefully outlining why he deserved to lead their group once his brother was in the past. "I have the most experience, the strongest Deck and I can summon Red Nova Dragon. That makes me that obvious choice."
"I dunno." Crow watched as Luna awkwardly brushed a lock of hair behind one ear as her twin said something. "I can get monsters out faster and I used to be a cop. Besides, there's a chance that Yusei might just reappear in a few seconds. And I don't think that a few seconds really counts as long enough."
"Are you two going to move onto penis jokes? Because us doctor's love good anatomy jokes." Akiza's rather brutal quip was enough to delay the forthcoming banter.
"Don't worry." Jack was watching the stairs with a stare of his own. "He'll be fine." There was no escaping the anxiety they were feeling. The others may have complete faith in Yusei but he was still their brother and her... something. That meant they would privately worry about him until the instant he was safe back in their time.
"You know, I think Carly was wrong about you."
A crack appeared in his guard. "What did she say?" They had a sworn agreement that anything which happened between them stayed out of the papers. It looked like that didn't extend to the gossip chain.
"Don't worry about it." The sound of footsteps came from above and brought the conversation to an early finish. "I'm sure it doesn't matter."
"You're in trouble." Crow's pitch made the words sing-song together as she stepped away.
"If this were any other time, I'd punch you in the throat." Nobody would blame him either.
Gathering together at the foot of the stairs, the three figures seemed impossibly at ease compared to the others. Yugi and Yusei had bags slung over their shoulders while Jaden looked set for a normal day. "Is everyone ready?" Yusei was their host and one of the travellers who would be absent for a while. Responsibility for ensuring a safe environment be left behind was up to him. "Once we start this, there's no turning back."
"Jack and I are going to keep an eye on things here. We've got Musume in case anything weird comes up and Trudge knows enough to not ask what we're up to. We can handle everything else." Crow might not like lying to his former mentor but it was better than the International Criminal Court coming after them all as accessories. Even if Yliaster wasn't involved, it would make their work substantially easier.
"Alexis, Crowler and Shepard are the best guys you could ask for help." Jaden knew that it was unlikely he would be back in time to take up his teaching post at Duel Academy and had managed to wrangle an agreement from Yugi to fill in for the interim. It would be the first place that anyone would have come looking for him and they would almost certainly go to Yugi to ask where Jaden had disappeared to. "Go to them if you need any help."
"Don't forget to give them that letter." For his part, Yugi had spent the evening before writing up an exhaustive letter to his own family. As far as they knew, Yusei would be a total unknown so he was being sent back with detailed instructions to be as helpful as possible. For extra help, Yugi had 'loaned' (while knowing there was likely no way he could be repaid) Yusei enough money to call their supposedly private numbers when he first arrived. "And watch out for Kaiba. He's not open-minded enough to accept that you're from the future."
A wireless software update to Yusei's Runner kept them occupied for a few moments as the groups finalised their preparations. "Can you hold onto this while I'm gone?" Holding out the Tender Hands sword, she knew Jaden was the only real choice she had. He knew the sort of responsibility that constantly controlling power was. "In case anything goes wrong."
"Do I have to stab Phantom a lot or can she last until you get back?" As Musume was left in the awkward position of explaining that her stabbing Phantom wasn't actually necessary, said victim was asking a request of her own.
Dr Mutou. It was the first and only risk that she had made with him. Everything else Phantom had said had been calculated to reduce any possible fallout once he returned to his own time. May I have a word? Phantom had generally come across to Yugi as chilly, freezing exterior aside. Hearing her knowledge of the supernatural only furthered that distance she kept.
"You can't tell me anything." Even good news could influence his actions towards negative paths, intentions regardless. Joey had forced his friend to watch far too many bad movies for him to remain ignorant. At least he didn't have to worry about having to sleep with his own grandmother. "Anything you say could change my future – your history."
I can tell you this much: you are a good person. And I can also say that it was a profound honour to meet you. Speaking in a tone of unassailable certainty, she extended an invisible palm. I believe it would not be inappropriate to wish you good luck.
"Thanks." Taking her hand in his, he felt the fingers wrap around his hand barely enough to be called a handshake. She had to be careful not to shatter the bones like breadsticks. "And the same to you as well." Meeting Yusei and Jaden had shown him the future was in good hands. Knowing they would go on to become Kings of Games had shown him that his legacy would be protected long after his time passed.
"What did you tell him?" Taking the time to pull on gloves, Musume's tone was nearly kind as her shadow returned to one side. There wasn't even a sword strapped to her hip.
Phantom had never felt more threatened.
Merely that he was a good person. A rare opportunity for honest humour arose and she had to keep her smile under control. Do not worry. I did not tell him about the aliens.
"Aliens?!" Finally, Yugi recognised when impossible events were actually impossible. He certainly hadn't expected a sense of humour from inside the armour. It was nice to see her human side. "Heh, you nearly had me." Of course, aliens weren't real. He'd have to be mad to take it seriously.
"Yeah. Ha." Throwing a look, Musume saddled herself onto Dilucesco. Learning about the Neo-Spacians could have had far-reaching consequences.
"You'd better come back in one piece." Tugging the folds of Yusei's jacket slightly straighter, Akiza still didn't fully grasp the temporal mechanics that Musume had tried to explain to her. As she understood it, he could return either seconds after departing or be gone as long as he remained in the past. This could be a longer farewell than they thought.
"That's the plan." Even possessing the larger understanding of theoretical physics didn't help the situation. All previous journeys had been at a one-to-one ratio. The only mentions that they had of it operating differently were a few vague mentions in unfounded materials Musume hadn't readily shared. "Promise."
"Oh, that's not the promise I'm relying on." Leaning forward on her heels put her lips right against his ear. "You still haven't made me scream."
Over beside the other team, Phantom shuddered uncomfortably. Just fuck already! The constant flirtation between the two had started at being amusing and gradually elevated towards unsettling.
"What did you say?" It was the singular vulgarity Musume had heard her use. But the meaning behind it was the more pressing concern to her.
Looking about the assembled groups, a self-contradictory realisation befuddled the helmet. Was it meant to be a secret? There was no feasible explanation that everyone was unaware of their relationship. Spending more than five minutes in their company with one working eye and half a brain would have underlined the same result. Even Leo had managed to pick up on it.
Yusei coughed in raw embarrassment as he tried to figure out an explanation before his brothers could speak up. In a sickening twist, they seemed to have chosen that moment to patiently wait for a reasonable explanation for the first time in their lives. Smiling up at him with an equally shocked grin, even Akiza seemed to have handed him the responsibility to sort out the situation.
"Im'ma kill him." Reaching down for a sword currently in Jaden's care, there was no doubting Musume's declaration. Stepping from her Runner, a dark hand held her fast. "Move it or lose it." Seeing the slim last line of defence holding back his demise, Yusei awkwardly positioned himself behind Akiza. If all else failed, there was no chance Musume would risk hurting her mother.
How about, instead of a swift death, A delayed execution wasn't exactly what he had in mind but there was a definite halt to her movements. A sinister glow was coming from inside the white helmet and contrasting hauntingly against the darker one. You let him fight Yliaster first while... devising a more... suitable punishment.
"Is there any solution which doesn't end with me dead?" A swift elbow in the ribs halted his questions as Phantom applied another hand to hold back death incarnate while it quietly suggested an impromptu vasectomy using brute force and a glowing fist.
"Has she considered therapy?" Jaden had recognised the constantly short temper she had but the unbridled rage was starting to unsettle even Yubel.
"You should have seen Jack before he started." Luna had never been on the receiving end of his anger but it was comparable to the one on display. "He made this look mild."
Let him suffer in the comparable backwater era, no offence. Yugi had seemed quite upset by the insult to his time. She didn't want to part on poor terms. Meanwhile, we can take time to prepare. Agreed? A slight shake diverted Musume's attention from instant vengeance. Agreed?
"There had best be some really fucked up ideas in that head of yours." Several years of surviving Yliaster had almost certainly brought about unpleasant learning experiences. Musume would take full advantage of that unholy knowledge if she could turn it against Yusei.
"Dead man walking." Whispering to his sister behind a hand, Leo had been slowly gaining that fighter's instinct to tell when someone was holding back. The lessons he had asked from Phantom had taught Leo how far she was holding back. There would be no hope for Yusei if she was swayed against his cause.
"Want to bet on who kills him first?" Whispering behind a hand of his own, Jack was already starting to pick his side.
"That's not funny!" Despite Luna trying to dissuade the macabre gambling, her twin was quick to bet on Musume while an overhearing Jaden voiced his support for the shadowy organisation capable of reaching back through time to meddle with his life. With a better understanding of the female mind, Yubel settled on Akiza getting first blood.
Whoever the rogue factions of Yliaster had sent would be meeting a King of Games from a different era yet still bolstered by unfamiliar allies. Yugi Mutou, surrounded by the next generation and shrouded by the legend that he had perpetrated with assistance from his other self. Jaden Yuki, exploring the limitless possibilities of the future and his own hidden legacy. Yusei Fudo, mired in a distant past with skills and techniques that they had never seen. All three with strengths that few could match against yet acting with the utmost caution as they tried to save not simply their own lives but those of their friends as well.
They had tried to leave that time unnoticed, to gain the advantage of surprise. And it would have worked if there hadn't inquisitive eyes watching the flash of light as Yusei called an Accel Synchro and Musume forced the creatures inside her to direct their arrival to times of her own choosing. "There he goes." There was nothing untoward about the pair. Nobody would have given them a second glance without knowing who they were.
"That means the factions will be moving soon." Nobody else would have had the sort of view they had of Yusei's departure. High above the city with camera feeds overshadowing the window they had been watching through. "We should get started."
"Strange isn't it?" They had equal experience in vastly different fields. Little could get past their combined skills and nothing could escape their sights once their followers were set on it. "To think that he has no idea what we're going to do."
"How could he?" Intentionally changing the course of history takes more than brute force and sheer will. Time is like an ocean. Make a ripple in the right spot, keep pushing it forward and nothing can escape the tsunami that comes crashing down. "He still thinks that he can defeat Yliaster alone. A shame it will take seeing the end of the world to prove him wrong."
A new year demands a new chapter in the story (both literally and figuratively). From here on out, the story will follow three main points;
#Yusei in Yugi's era,
#Yugi in Jaden's era and,
#Jaden in Yusei's era.
I'll try and keep a good balance between the three while also keeping up with other facets of the story as it develops.
Why not leave a review and join me in hoping that the new year is significantly better than this one has been?
