Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds

Broken Mirror

By Lucky_Ladybug

Notes: The characters aren't mine and the story is! I can't remember how this idea came to me, but it sounded so intense and heartbreaking I was intrigued. Still, I didn't fully have any plans to write it out right away. But knowing there was interest in seeing it gave me the push to quickly write it all out. I really like how it came out. It involves a post-series Radley whose pendant can time-travel, and more importantly, he is very close friends with Kalin. This scenario, then, is especially horrifying for him. I'm also writing with the 31 Days prompt for April 2nd 2021 - The Grief at the Center.

Radley could never predict when his pendant was going to act out. Usually it was calm and peaceful and he could almost forget it had magical properties. But every now and then, for no apparent reason, something bizarre could happen.

He had just been standing in the kitchen, planning to pick something to make for dinner, when the pendant had flashed and now he was standing in what looked like every horror shot he had ever seen of the Satellite in its bad days. The buildings were abandoned and bombed-out, the streets were deserted, and what looked like the remnants of a purple fog was swirling through the air.

". . . Hello?" he finally called.

No one answered him. A torn piece of paper crinkled past him down the street in a soft breeze.

He drew a shaking breath. "Alright . . . I've probably been sent somewhere in the past," he told himself. "Maybe there's a reason for it, maybe there isn't. Somehow I have to stay calm until I can get back home." He tried concentrating right then, forcing his will on the pendant's. But as usual, it didn't work. Scowling, he started off down the street.

"Where is everyone?" he spoke after a moment. "No one's here at all."

And then the horrible realization hit. He remembered the news stories about the purple fog over the Satellite and all the people who had just suddenly vanished. That had been the Dark Signers' fault.

He stopped walking. "Oh no. . . ." Of all the time periods he could have been sent to, why then?! What kind of sick sense of humor did that piece of metal have?! He had been relieved that he had been tucked away in Crash Town at the time and safe from the Dark Signers' wrath. Now he had to experience it anyway.

He took a step back as the sound of an approaching Duel Runner met his ears. Someone was coming. Possibly it could be Yusei or another friend, but more than likely it was a Dark Signer. That sounded about like his luck.

A blue and orange Duel Runner suddenly sped around a corner and pulled up sideways in front of him, blocking his path. The cloaked rider stood, very deliberately pulling his other leg over the Duel Runner's seat and then starting a casual stroll over to Radley. "Well, what have we here?" he purred. "It looks like we missed one. How did that happen?"

Radley took several more steps back until he was up against a cold wall. He froze. The last thing he wanted to do was antagonize a Dark Signer. Especially this one; he sounded completely crazed and thirsty for blood.

"I . . . I'm sorry," he stammered. "If I'm in the way of . . . whatever it is you're planning to do, I'll just quietly leave. . . ."

He sounded ridiculous. He was shaking all over and of course he would never be allowed to go free. He knew that. But he was too frightened to even think of making quips like he might ordinarily do. Dark Signers were not people to trade barbs with.

The Dark Signer laughed, as he had suspected would happen. "Oh, don't leave so soon," he jeered. "You're late to the party and we want everybody to attend." He came closer, placing one hand on the wall as he leaned in to entrap Radley. A purple mark that looked like some kind of human glowed on his arm. His face was still concealed under the hood, but Radley caught a glimpse of what looked like golden eyes gleaming in the darkness. Even though Radley was slightly taller, he was thoroughly intimidated.

"Oh?" Radley desperately tried to keep his voice even. "What kind of a party? I could . . . provide the entertainment, if you like. . . ."

"Ooh, trust me, you will." The Dark Signer reached out, running his hand down Radley's face and then grabbing him under his jaw. "You're going to be sacrificed to the Earthbound Immortals, just like all the other fools here were."

"W-What?!" Radley grabbed the other's wrist, pulling it away from him.

"In fact, I think I'll make you a sacrifice for my very own Earthbound Immortal." The Dark Signer suddenly broke into hysterical laughter. "Thanks to you, I'll have more than enough power to call forth my Earthbound Immortal when I have my rematch and get my revenge!"

". . . No, thank you! I'm not going to be anybody's sacrifice!" Radley ducked under the man's other arm and made a desperate dive for the Duel Runner. If he could just take it and drive somewhere far away, maybe he could force his pendant to take him home. He had to get home. He had to, before something worse happened. If he was sacrificed, he would be brought back if history played out as it was supposed to, but he didn't want to go through that experience.

He had almost made it when the Dark Signer tackled him with lightning-fast speed. They tumbled to the road, rolling over and over until Radley lay helplessly pinned with his captor straddling him.

That was when Radley made a horrifying discovery. Several strands of light-blue hair had come out from under the hood.

His blood ran cold. "No," he gasped. "It . . . can't be. Kalin?!"

The Dark Signer snarled, clearly surprised and confused. "Have we met?!" He pushed his hood back.

Radley just stared in helpless, disbelieving horror. The person looking back at him had shorter hair, but it was that same familiar color. The sclera of his eyes was completely black and inhuman, but the irises were still golden. His prison mark burned deep red instead of its normal yellow.

". . . I didn't even recognize you," Radley whispered. "Your voice . . . it's so different. . . . You're so different. . . ." Kalin had told Radley about his past, about what he had done, but . . . to actually see him now, as the Dark Signer he had once been . . . Radley's heart twisted in horror.

Kalin grabbed Radley around the throat. "I don't know you," he hissed. "What is this?! What kind of lame trick are you trying to pull on me?!" His voice rose again the longer he spoke, teetering near hysteria.

Radley gasped, desperately reaching with both hands to claw Kalin's hand away before he choked. "It's not a trick!" he cried. He was digging himself deeper every time he spoke, but he couldn't not speak. He had no choice now but to explain. "I'm not from this time, Kalin! I'm from at least a couple of years later. I'm your friend!"

"Friend?!" Kalin snarled in disbelief. "You really expect me to believe this?!"

"No, I know you probably can't," Radley said. "But it's the truth."

"And what am I doing 'a couple of years later'?" Kalin asked, almost mockingly.

"You're happy," Radley said. "The darkness is gone and you're living in the light!"

"So, the Dark Signers failed. Is that it?!" Kalin's voice was starting to rise.

Caught, Radley tried to frantically think of what else he could say. "Yes, they failed, but you're glad of it. You feel horrible about what you did . . . what you're doing right now! Please . . ." He pushed Kalin's hand away and then grabbed his shoulders. "Please listen to me! Stop this! The pain and suffering you go through when you come back to yourself . . . !"

"Shut up!" Kalin roared. "And don't touch me!" He grabbed Radley's wrists and flung him backwards. "Lies! All lies! I don't know you! You're not from any future! You're not my friend! It's a trick of Yusei's! Isn't that right, Yusei?! You're not coming out to face me yourself, so you sent one of your little pets! Well, it's not going to work! Do you hear me?!" He ran over before Radley could get up, kicking him back to the ground and then continuing to kick him as he screamed. "Come out and face me yourself! And when you do, I'll show you this liar's body, right before I sacrifice him to the Earthbound Immortal I'm going to use to finish you off! Do you hear that, Yusei?! I'm still coming for you! You'll never get away from me!"

Radley had curled into a ball for protection, his arms thrown up around his head. Every kick, every blow, hit him in the soul more than the body. But more than that, Kalin's insane words were slicing into him with full force. There was nothing he could do. Kalin was in no state to listen to him. And if he did . . . if he possibly stopped this insanity . . . would they ever even meet?

That was a terrible thought too. Would he have ever met his dear friend if the Dark Signer mess hadn't happened and Kalin hadn't revived feeling such intense grief and guilt? Did he have to just let history play out as it had, to just let Kalin march off to his fateful second duel with Yusei knowing he was going to die and then come back feeling like he was dead inside?

He sobbed in utter helplessness. "Oh Kalin . . ."

Kalin was barely even paying attention to him now. "Where are you, Yusei?!" he caterwauled. "Come out and take your punishment like a man! Come and suffer for betraying me!" He shook his fist to the sky.

Radley slowly straightened out on the ground, reaching with one shaking hand to grasp his pendant. Please, God, take me out of this. I can't bear to see him this way. I can't do anything for him. Please stop punishing me like this!

He closed his eyes, desperately concentrating again on the pendant's power. Please take me home!

His entire body was shaking uncontrollably, but this time not just from fear. When the familiar bright light flashed again at long last and he was deposited back at home in the safe, quiet kitchen, he rose and looked around for only a moment before he went flat on the floor again with a choked sob. Home . . . he was home. . . .

In a moment Kalin appeared in the doorway, sheet-white. "Radley?!" He gripped the doorframe. "I . . . suddenly I remember something that I didn't know happened. . . ." His voice caught in his throat.

Radley looked up at him with utter heartbreak in his eyes. "Kalin . . ." He looked so different now—sane and kind and loving . . . and filled with sickened horror. Radley hadn't even considered this problem. Now Kalin remembered too. He hadn't wanted Kalin to have something more to feel horrible about on top of everything else. It wasn't Radley's fault, of course, but he felt terrible all the same.

Kalin gripped the doorframe tighter, his knuckles white. "I . . . met you when I was a Dark Signer," he said in horror. "I . . . I tried to hurt you. . . . No, I tried to sacrifice you, to kill you!" He shrank back.

"My pendant malfunctioned," Radley stammered. "It sent me back. . . ."

"You said you were from the future," Kalin said. "This . . . this just happened?!"

"For me," Radley said. "I just got back. . . ."

". . . I was hurting you . . . kicking you," Kalin said in horror.

Radley definitely felt sore, now that he thought about it. But he drew a shaking breath. "No, I'm alright. . . . Really."

Kalin stepped back farther. "I'm so sorry," he rasped. "You deserve so much better. . . . Not me . . ."

"No! Kalin, please don't go," Radley choked out. He rose up on his hands and knees. He didn't trust himself to stand yet. But . . . he couldn't let Kalin leave. . . . He couldn't bear for him to leave. . . .

Kalin froze. "You . . . still want me here?!"

"That . . . that person . . . wasn't you," Radley stammered. "You're not him anymore. You have your mind back. Please, Kalin . . . don't leave me. . . ."

Kalin hurried over and knelt down, gripping Radley's shoulder. Radley just stared back at him for a long moment before hugging him close. This was his friend. This was the Kalin he knew. That twisted monster was a stranger.

And yet . . . no, he wasn't. Not entirely. He was Kalin too. Radley had seen glimpses of the good person still in there. Once he had known the Dark Signer was Kalin, he wondered why he hadn't recognized the golden eyes before. And when he had screamed at Yusei . . . it had been chilling, horrifying. But that last cry, that scream about being betrayed . . . Radley had felt the pain under the madness. He knew what it was to feel betrayed and abandoned, even though he hadn't reacted in the same way. How much pain had Kalin been in, to allow the darkness to twist him so much? If only Radley could have gotten through to him. . . . But not even Yusei had been able to. Kalin certainly wouldn't have listened to Radley when he hadn't even met him as a friend yet.

Kalin held him close and shut his eyes tightly. Now he had the memories of almost destroying another dear friend because of the darkness. It was horrifying, sickening. How could he have done that? How could he have been so lost that Yusei hadn't been able to help him and he hadn't been willing to listen to anyone else either? How could he have let his hate swallow him up so completely?

A lone tear splashed down in Radley's hair. "I'm so sorry," Kalin whispered. "I'm so sorry. . . ."

Radley just burrowed against his shoulder. He didn't care how it looked. He knew Kalin didn't care either. Right now, he just desperately needed that comfort and wished he could give comfort as well. This was the Kalin he knew, the one who would never hurt him, the one who loved him, the one who was his brother.

"No," he said softly. "I'm the one who's sorry." He finally looked up. "I couldn't save you, Kalin. . . ."

". . . What?!" Kalin stared at him. "After what I did to you, you can really feel that way?!" Yusei had too, though. It was still so incredible to him that anyone could feel compassion for him in the least.

"I didn't even recognize you at first," Radley said regretfully. "And then when I did, I still didn't really recognize you. But . . . you were still in there. I could see and hear how much pain you were in, and I saw you weren't going to listen to me, and . . ." He shook his head. "I knew what was going to happen to you and I had no choice but to just let you go. But . . . I wonder if . . . I'm afraid that . . . it was partially a selfish decision." He closed his eyes tightly. "I wanted to know we would still meet. . . ."

"Radley . . ." Kalin stared at him.

"I know it's unforgivable," Radley said. "I can't really think that if I had gotten through to you, I wouldn't have kept on with it. . . . But . . . I'm worried now. . . . Maybe I didn't try harder because I was afraid of changing the past . . . and the present. . . ."

"Nothing could have gotten through to me except Yusei beating me and destroying the darkness," Kalin insisted. "You saw I was a brick wall. But . . . if you wanted us to meet and that also factored into your decision . . . no, I can't fault you for that or say you were selfish. I would never want that changed."

Radley stared at him. "Even if that would mean you'd have to go through so much pain and guilt over what you did?!"

"If that was the only way for us to meet, then yes," Kalin said. "Truthfully, I believe we would have met anyway. If I hadn't been immovable and you could have reached me, I would have remembered your words and deliberately sought you out later. But the way it happened . . . even with the pain and regret and sorrow . . . I would have wanted it. I do want it." He closed his eyes and hugged his friend close. "Thank you . . . for not turning against me even after everything you saw. I've never comprehended how Yusei didn't do that, but I'm so grateful to him. And now to you as well."

Radley returned the hug. Slowly he relaxed, finally at peace.

Gradually Kalin felt Radley's trembling body calm until he wasn't shaking anymore. He smiled in touched awe. He had thought at first that Radley was shaking from fear. That had likely been part of it; that had been his reaction to extremely horrifying situations for as long as Kalin had known him. But the fact that he had also been shaken up because of thinking he hadn't been as good a friend as he should have been was incredible. Kalin never would have expected that reason at all.

". . . Oh . . . Kalin . . ." Radley looked up at him again. "You remember what happened. . . . But . . . didn't that change how things went when we met here?"

Kalin paused, thinking back over his memories. "It didn't," he said quietly. "I was so wrapped up in myself, I didn't remember you at first. It was only after my mind was clear and I started to see you for who you really are that I remembered."

"I guess if you compare the two meetings, I acted pretty different between them," Radley said ruefully.

Kalin nodded. "I didn't connect the smooth, friendly person with the terrified, heartbroken person at all." He sighed. "I'm so sorry. Who knows what kinds of nightmares we'll both have now."

Radley sighed in exasperation. "What purpose could there have even been in my pendant causing so much trouble like this? All it did was give you something else to feel badly about. Honestly, if it wasn't for worrying what would happen if I wasn't wearing it and it just teleported itself somewhere, I'd trade it for a normal pendant any day."

"Only maybe it wouldn't do that if there wasn't a wearer to torture," Kalin grunted. He paused, considering the legitimate question. "It did more than that," he said at last.

"How do you figure that?" Radley asked in surprise.

"Deep down, I suppose I've always feared what would happen if you actually saw the monster I was back then," Kalin said. "Yusei forgave me, and Jack and Crow. Maybe I thought it was because of how long we'd known each other before that and that anyone else would surely turn against me." His voice thickened. "But you didn't. You showed you still care about me, even worrying that you did wrong by me." He hugged Radley close. "Thank you for that."

Radley stared at him in amazement. "Kalin . . ." He relaxed in his friend's embrace. "If it helped you and didn't only hurt you, then it was worth the terror and the pain I felt."

"Nothing could be worth that," Kalin said. "I should have known you wouldn't leave me after all we've been through."

"It's understandable you would worry," Radley said.

Kalin still felt terrible about it, but he wouldn't pursue the matter. He looked his friend over with a scrutinizing eye. "Radley, I know I physically hurt you," he said. "Please let me see how bad it is so I can help you."

Radley shifted position and grimaced. "It's probably just a few bruises," he said. "Nothing that can really be treated except with time."

"I want to see anyway," Kalin said. "At least maybe they can be iced."

Radley had to admit, he was dreading a bit to see what the damage was. But he finally pulled his shirt out and lifted it up.

Kalin drew a sharp intake of breath.

"That bad?" Radley said with a grim, pained smirk.

Kalin sighed. "You're very sore in several places across your left side. Some are already starting to change colors. I'm so sorry. . . ." He got to his feet and reached to help Radley up. "Here, you should lie down on the couch."

Radley took Kalin's hand and shakily got to his feet. He gasped in pain and wobbled when he did. He hadn't even tried to stand after the attack had happened. Now he wished he hadn't.

Immediately Kalin scooped Radley into his arms and gently carried him to the couch. Radley exclaimed in surprise but let him, certainly not opposed to the transportation. He really didn't feel like walking right now.

Kalin laid him down and straightened, heading for the kitchen. "I'll be right back."

Radley could hear the sound of the ice maker activating and ice cubes clinking against each other. Kalin soon returned holding an icepack and placed it over Radley's injured side.

Radley managed a smile. "Thanks." He sighed. "You know, I was going to fix dinner when this all went down. I . . . probably won't feel like making it tonight. I'm sorry. . . ."

"I'll make dinner," Kalin assured him.

"The Bunch will be wondering where we are if we don't go to the diner too," Radley said.

"I'll call them," Kalin said. "They can come here, if you want. . . ." He looked hesitant. He hated for them to have to know what happened. But then again, they needed to know. They were part of the family too.

"Yeah, I'd like that," Radley said. "They can be quiet if they need to be. They're not always rowdy."

"I know," Kalin said. "They're good guys." He laid a hand on Radley's shoulder. "And so are you."

Radley smiled. "Don't count yourself out either," he said.

Kalin paused. From his eyes, it was still incredible to him that Radley could feel that way after what he'd just gone through. But he smiled back as he went to get his phone. He had the best friends anyone could have.