Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds: The Judgement of the World
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
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"I've lost my will to live. Call Misty and see if she still wants to kill me," Aki didn't even try to say 'hi' the moment Carly opened the door to her apartment. Instead she stood there in the same standard uniform she had been assigned by the school. Looking completely average, to the point where her bangs were both down and tucked behind her ears.
The younger woman, much like the apartment, appeared unchanged. A look of frustration borne exhaustion marred her features. Coupled with her outrageous greeting, earned her a look of speculative concern. From not just Carly, but her Fairies and Jack.
"Women, always being dramatic. What 'now'?" Jack grumbled as he looked over the top of the newest edition of 'Wheels for You'. When Jack had gotten home, and was able to state that 'yes' Aki AND Yusei was safe and back with them, Carly had given him the rock star treatment. No sassing back, utter obedience, it was like dealing with his fans. But that was 'fans' it wasn't 'Carly' so when Carly turned on him, grabbed his arm and began pulling him to the door? THE KING WAS NOT LEAVING WITHOUT A MOCK FIGHT!
"Bye Jack!" Carly replied walking over and grabbing her tall blond boyfriends' arm. She began pulling with the same determination that he was used to... In fact having Aki back had restored his Carly enough that he didn't even really mind. 'So long as Carly's ok,' was his only real thought.
"How 'dare' you believe you can treat 'me' so rudely!" He blustered before sulking into a "I suppose I can go and work on Wheel..." he pulled on his boots.
"Thanks, its girl talk time and you know the rules!" Carly said with a bright and chipper tone, even as she spoke her fairies started to manifest in the room.
A strange way of saying 'letting my hair down' from Aki perhaps, but hey! Fairies and Witch!
Jack left without any resistance and Carly shooed Aki into the apartment while the spirits began to get comfortable themselves. Which meant the unoccupied corner of the apartment began to blossom into a plethora of flowers with a massive sunflower blooming to be used as a platform for the group. Leaving Carly watching in this mute awe as her apartment was just magically transformed the moment Aki stepped inside.
While Aki herself was making her way for the couch before folding onto it defeatedly. Because apparently for her 'this' was normal now.
"School was a thing," Witch began with a half smile. "Oh boy was it a thing..."
"Get the cookies?" Carly asked and upon a nod from Witch got up to retrieve that and brew up some tea.
"Judai is an 'idiot!'" Black Rose Dragon sang out of the natural shadows of the apartment, though for Carly and the other spirits all they heard was a strangely sing song type of growl.
"Yes, yes is he Rose, I can not believe how shallow minded he is!" Aki fumed as she laid back against the couch. "The Valentines Day Couples Duel is coming up and..."
"REALLY! Do you know who is going to be the duelists this year?" Carly asked, excitedly cutting off Aki from the kitchen. The quickly made plate of cookies in her hands as she walked back in and got such a tired, withering look from Aki that she suddenly realized... "Its you..."
"Aki's friend has a crush on this guy who doesn't know she's alive, since she can't see Duel Spirits. Apparently she thought that she could convince Judai to notice her. If she could get Judai to agree to be her tag partner in a double duel with Aki and Yusei being the opponents." Witch explained before shaking her head, "guy is such an idiot. Asked if Aki could be 'his' partner..."
Aki groaned in humiliation.
"And by the time school was over, its... not really a lovers triangle cuz Aki's got Yusei... But... Uh..." Witch fiddled with her tulip shaped tea cup.
"Its not 'that' bad I hope..." Aki bemoaned in frustration.
"Didn't you save her brother?" Carly asked as she put down the plate of cookies while waiting for the tea to heat.
"And that just makes it more complicated... So about Misty?" Aki replied with a hopeless hope in her voice.
"Its going to be ok, you and Yusei are a couple, and Asuka? Well, sometimes we set our hearts on the wrong person to learn what we want verses what we need." Carly pointed out pragmatically, and watched as Aki turned to look at her with a passing interest.
"Well, we're not 'really' a couple... which is the other thing..." Aki confessed with resignation as her gaze slowly swept along the floor to the display case of completed figurines that Carly had.
"Wait... Does Yusei 'know' about this?" Carly asked in mounting curiosity which was answered by the woebegone look on Aki's face. "I see..."
"Rua promised he won't explain what the duel is about. Yusei's not stupid he'll figure it out fast especially with the school decorations how can he not? But at least he'll be on the school grounds and inside by then. Just..."Aki explained with a limp gesture of her hand.
"Everyone seems to be having fun at your expense regarding relationships?" Chee asked over her own cup. A cup large enough to hide all of her face save the tops of her glasses and her brown hair.
"Yes..." Aki sighed. "Why couldn't Asuka find someone 'worth' her time? I mean I've seen guys all over the school stare at her with such longing. Why not one of them?"
"Just imagine," Hikari began, "Yusei goes to the school, sees Judai trying to infringe on 'his' girl..." The golden glow of light that was Hikari was powerful as she sat there impishly thinking thoughts that spread to the other fairies.
Leaving Aki growing horrified, as she watched it grow. For no other reason than her own traitorous mind 'joined in'! Suddenly she started imagining what would happen if Judai forced a partner swap, or if he got too close. How 'would' Yusei react? He was so stoic it wasn't exactly like she knew how to read his intentions. If he didn't speak them, she wasn't going to know them. Thus having the Fortune Fairies, who probably had some form of insight, 'react'?! Help!
Carly leaned over with the plate of cookies and slyly held it out for Aki, a smirk on her lips because she knew that look. "Cookie for your thoughts?"
Aki's gaze went from the familiar floor of Carly's apartment, across the wall with its magically produced leaves and flowers, past the spirits looking at her and giving supportive gestures, to Carly. And she could see her reflection in those wide lens glasses that Carly wore and could have died right then. 'Think like you're in a duel, don't show emotions...' she thought...
"Well?" Carly asked mischievously as Aki accepted a cookie. "Anything else interesting happen at school?"
Aki's expression shifted from embarrassment to actual thoughtful internal observations before she spoke. "I need to get an appointment to speak with Lord Kaiba." It was a thought that hovered in the back of her mind. What with her limited information on the matter, but it 'was' something that just kept nipping at her.
"Wait, 'Lord Kaiba'?" Carly repeated, startled as she sat down with any thought of the tea gone from her mind. "Lord Kaiba, Mokuba?" She watched as the young woman nodded with a slight shrug and began explaining. 'She has no idea that KaibaCorp is essentially haunted does she? No ones' told her!?'
"I've never really invested much of my time on the history of the Kaiba family, beyond their status. So this is going to be... interesting, to say the least," Aki admitted as she sat there. 'How 'do' I approach the CEO and get him to believe that a Duel Spirit 'wants to speak to him'."
"Uhh, Aki did anyone tell you about what happened the day you want to China? With me and the gang?" Carly asked and when she got the negative response she rushed back to get the tea. "You might need this because boy do I have a tale to tell. Granted the twins, Yusei or Crow will be able to give you better details."
Aki's polite expression slowly drifted into mounting disbelief, while the flowers that Witch had created began to, not so subtly, slide on over. The expressions growing more alarmed and filled with disbelief as Carly began recounting the video feeds and sounds that came from the security cameras. Yet it was the sight of those signatures forming 'in real time' on the security camera's that got Aki to give a small 'eep' in response.
"The 'Big Boss'," was the first thing Aki could bring herself to say, spoken as though she was quoting someone else. "That's what Rua said, that we might need Ancient Fairies' 'Big Boss', he wants me to do a deck reading... It makes sense though. Oh my Gods..." Aki's face went pale as the enormity of the request suddenly began to make sense.
"Read who's deck?" Carly asked in confusion before sipping the seeped tea absently, and nearly burning herself, on her still hot cup.
"Rua wants me to read a deck, and if nothing comes up, to talk to Ancient Fairies' 'Boss'. Which if what you're saying is correct, means he wants me to possibly contact, or 'they've been in contact' with the 'creator' of the Duel Spirit world." Aki elaborated. "Not some Duel Spirit with flavor text that eventually evolved into a spirit, 'the' God who created their 'world'! Its like asking me to call down the Gods that created this one!" She tapped her foot on the floor for emphasis.
"You 'are' a priestess," Rose hissed out, her crest flat with a lack of amusement. "And if that fool does not know his place you should 'teach' him." Rose suggested before her crest rose, "maybe Yusei would like to watch?"
Aki primly put her cup down and announced, "a leap off the fifth floor should kill me..."
"Wait... He's 'that'? The King of Games is a GOD?! Like not just 'the best of the best' but a well and true 'divinity'?!" Carly blurted out in absolute disbelief before spilling the tea all over her lap and sending herself up to her feet with a yelp.
It was both comical and surprising enough that Aki was distracted into helping Carly as the poor woman scrambled for her bathroom.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Some time later at the the twins condo \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
"Oh well... I can get you a meeting set up," Rua answered with the type of super suspicious resounding cheer that made Aki wonder.
Just when 'did' Rua turn into a shady back alley hustler?
"How?" Aki drawled out the word as she folded her arms across her chest. 'Go see the twins and Yusei. What's the worst that can happen?' she had thought after visiting Carly. But now she was standing outside, under the silky black sky with its studs of diamond stars glow with this cheeky little boy at her side. The evening air was lightly chilled, and while she could go back in, so much was going on.
Beyond them, back inside the twins condo a good number of Rua and Yusei's Duel Spirits were focused on a recording. As such she and Rua were outside, while Yusei, Crow, Jack and Ruka worked with the Spirits. Trying to get the cleanest possible copy they could of the song from the music box off the internet.
"Well, that deck reading? Its Lord Kaiba's son who wants one done," Rua answered with an easy shrug. "So you can have a meeting with both of them and none be the wiser!"
"And the 'Big Boss' you mentioned," Aki asked earning the boy's cheerful smile.
"So you want to hear about our trip to KaibaCorp?"
"Yes, very much," Aki answered. After all, Carly could only recount what had been told to her, and she had stressed that the twins, Yusei and Crow would have better information.
And was it ever more detailed!
Yugi luring them into the private elevator of KaibaCorp? The unique autographs he gave the books, as well as the ultra violent method that would be criminals were dealt with! Then Rua revealed that Yugi had just appeared in the condo? 'Am I supposed to take him seriously?' she asked herself, even while Carly had told her a more truncated version of the same story. "What do you know about the deck he's talking about?"
Rua shrugged, "he didn't say much. But unlike his older brother Lord Kaiba isn't a duelist, and really Captain isn't either."
"Hmm that's odd. So they just have this deck that they don't use?" Aki asked growing concerned. 'It takes interaction and bonding to create a duel spirit, if they haven't bonded. What does Ryu expect to find in this one?'
"Yeah, but I suppose he expects there 'are' spirits tied to this particular deck. Don't know why, but if there isn't any. Why not work on getting Lord Yugi's attention?" Rua was so laid back about it that Aki could only stare. Even with the play of light from inside the condo, Rua's innocent expression couldn't be darkened.
'Its... reasonable to his point of view isn't it?' she realized, 'he's never been to the Duel Spirit world physically. All he had was Ruka's unconscious body when they were younger, he probably thinks its a world of 'spirits', no physical bodies. Maybe expecting my power is just 'that' strong that he can touch the Spirits... He has no idea that its as physically real as the one we're in right 'now'.' It left Aki at a loss for how she was expected to even 'say' anything. The child just didn't grasp the enormity of who and what Yugi 'was'. "Rua... That is a tall order..."
"How come? He's really nice!" Rua pointed out while Aki just... just...
Summon a man who became a God. Sure, simple, real simple... 'Please Yusei have a reason to interrupt this conversation.'
"Hey Aki? Yusei needs a breather so they're dragging him out here," one of Ruka's own Spirits popped up, as a divine gift of distraction for the poor duelist.
"A breather?" Aki echoed, her gaze going to Rua for a moment before the pair set to getting the deck chairs out and laid back for him.
Yusei's arrival was with a few hovering weaker spirits by his side, his expression bordering between closed off and annoyed. But once the pair got their hands on him they were able to get him to the chair they prepared.
"Is everything ok big brother?" Rua asked, curious and concerned.
"Yes, I thought you found the music," Aki added as Yusei slumped down against the chair. His eyes were closed and his breaths slightly elevated.
"It sounds fake, too clean like its a recording and not an actual music box," Yusei explained without opening his eyes.
"But it's the right song... shouldn't that be enough?" Rua asked confused as he sat down next to Yusei.
"Sometimes, its more than just the music," Aki explained quietly. "Some people, its just as important as a setting."
"Especially because the damage to her mind or memories, getting the music box as close to perfect is the goal." Yusei explained patiently, "we don't know the extent of the damage. And it would be ideal that she hears the same exact melody she heard for years when she opens the box. Rather than something that was pulled off the net and put in a small speaker."
"Can't you..."Aki floundered for a way to explain her thought before shrugging, "dirty it? Make it scuffed enough to sound right?"
"Trying... I just needed some air," Yusei confessed earning a pair of concerned glances from both Aki and Rua as she sat down next to Rua.
"If you need something Yusei," Aki began as Yusei's breaths slowly eased.
"Just your presence is all.."
Yusei sounded so sleepy that it took Aki by surprise. But Rua seemed almost relieved as he slumped down next to her. "Doctors say this is normal... That big brother will be ok, he just needs rest. But he's been working since he got back, so don't get too tired! We'll need help getting him into bed!" Rua explained quietly.