Zone: Future's Last Hope

Chapter One: Shooting Star.

He reached out quickly attempting to grab her as she fell, quickly grabbing her hand he tried to pull her up. Just stay calm, stay calm! He couldn't let go of her. Slowly pull her up, then with more people he could slowly save the others! He could-

"Yu-Yusei-" She slipped "A-AHHHHHHH!" He quickly moved again to try and grab her, do something about this but…

"E-EVERYONE!" This couldn't be happening, no this CAN'T BE HAPPENING! Before he could even process it another explosion sent him flying. His eyes widened, was this the end? Would he die? No… The world was far too cruel for that fate. Instead he landed on some debris and started rolling down. Soon his helmet would come off and his device would hit one of the pieces of debris. Landing stomach first he exhaled in pain. The device would spark, he had failed. Getting back up he looked down to see that card.

He wanted to crush it. So badly did he want to crush this card. He shook as he gritted his teeth. He did everything, he gave up everything! He sacrificed who he was in order to save the people, the world! Yet what laid before him was the truth, he couldn't save a single person! No matter how hard he tried it all fell apart and the people he wanted to protect died! He failed… Why did it have to turn out like this? Humanity had gotten so greedy even if he became the symbol of hope he couldn't do anything, he couldn't save anyone. This power to change the hearts of people was useless, all it did was get more killed! His hand shook violently. This card, why didn't it… Why couldn't it save them! He closed his eyes and took a breath. He wanted to so badly, to just crush the card and give up! That's all it took, that's all he needed to do! . . .

Yet he didn't crush it, he just stared at Shooting Star Dragon.

"Why…" He mumbled. "I thought this power was enough but they're all dead. Every person who I showed the light, whose heart I changed… They're gone. Is this my fate, to just suffer and fail. I changed people but it just wasn't enough." His breathing slowed down as tears started to roll down his face.

"Are you really going to give up that easily?!" His eyes widened. What was that, who was that? He looked around but saw no one. "Who… Who's there?" He said softly. Was this a curse, the dead mocking him?

"Are you really going to give up THAT easily? You've been knocked down before haven't you? Why is this of all things what makes you give up? Are you not stronger than this?"

What could he say? He certainly didn't believe he was stronger. "I… I failed the people. I can't save this world, Yusei's power couldn't save anyone and that scientist… was a fool for bringing me back." That… Scientist? But that was… He shook his head, what was he saying? "I…"

"Then tell me, why are you still here?"

"I don't know…"

"Why were you brought back?"

"To… I- I was brought back to save humanity."

"You have the power to unite people, their hearts connect to form a bond stronger than any other. You've failed before, is more one failure really going to stop you, Yusei?"

"I know I failed before." He pondered what he had just said, what he was just called. "I had people by my side that gave me hope… In this world I have no one by my side, I have nothing." He raised his left hand before slamming it back down into the ground. "I have nothing here, I never belonged in this time."

"Do you truly have nothing? People trusted you, you gave them hope. Now, will you give up their hope for this world? Will you become what you swore to defeat! Will you fall into despair, or will you get back up and stand above it!"

"I don't know! I've never failed like this before, there was always a light for me to chase, a plan for me to use to get out of the toughest situations! But now I have no plan, no light to guide me!"

Suddenly a hand was placed on his shoulder, it felt warm… Comforting. He looked behind him to see that man, why now was he able to see him? Of all the battles he went through in this time, why did he appear to him now? "Go and run Yusei, for the road of true evolution will lead to a brighter tomorrow."

He looked back down at Shooting Star Dragon, a faint light emitting from it as the tears running down his face slowly dissipated. He picked the card up and stared at it. What was this feeling, why is it when his back was against the wall he felt this way. Everytime, even against the Ultimate God- He fought the Ultimate God… "I… Am Yusei?"

"Yes, or perhaps you are more than Yusei now. Only time will tell."

He got up, walking towards his damaged duel runner and checked it out. It could still run but he'd need to work on it at some point. He looked at the deck, just a bunch of cards he found to put a deck together. It was competent for the situation he was in and it allowed him to summon Shooting Star Dragon. He looked back down and took in what he had. Slowly he got onto it, booting up the systems and engine and was pleasantly surprised when it could still run. Placing Shooting Star Dragon in his Extra Deck he took a deep breath. If there was a chance for this world to be saved; no matter how slim it might be, he would find it! He would save everyone. That man spoke again, "Moment is spinning negatively. The hearts of humanity and their rapid evolution caused this. Yusei, do you think you can walk down this path and strive towards a better tomorrow?"

A somber smile appeared on 'Yusei's' face. "I've done it before, I can do it again." Revving up his Duel Runners engine he paused for a moment. He wasn't the scientist anymore, no he died during that explosion. He closed his eyes, took one more breath, then focused on the path in front of him.

"Everyone, I swear! Your deaths will not be in vain!" He sped off into the distance. The man smiled at 'Yusei'.

"Despite everything you've shown me there's always a chance. Even if it's slim, if we want to save people we must take the gamble of failing. It's bound to happen sometimes, but failing doesn't mean giving up. It's only over when you lose all hope. Yusei, I believe in you just like I did back then." He smiled, then slowly faded away.

AN: The first chapter has been rewritten. There will likely be small edits I have to make here and there now, but I'm happy with how the opening goes now. This was first written in about 2018, I am now going through editing each chapter up until chapter seven as to make things more consistent with my current ability as a writer. As an opener the chapter is quite a bit smaller compared to later, which I personally like as it's meant to hook you. I wanted to go for a somber or tragic tone here, you're meant to get into Z-One's mindset. How he isn't Z-One anymore but Yusei now and the weight he feels that comes with being Yusei. Though the question of why? I first wrote this because there wasn't a single fan fic that explored the idea of Z-One not giving up hope. Believeing in himself from the start. I hope all of you who are looking for a fanfiction like this can enjoy my writing and experience the idea along side me.