After going through the chapter, I realized I made some mistakes with effect combos, so I fixed them. The outcome is still the same.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 21: Open the Locked Heart – Part 2
Aki snorted when I didn't say a word and returned her attention to the Duel. "You're gonna regret interfering in my life, Estelle. But because I can't attack this turn, I just end it by throwing a facedown. Try to use your sun beast to defeat my Black Rose Dragon, Estelle. Once the Swords of Revealing Light is over, I'm not gonna make this quick. I'm going to watch you squirm."
"Aki, listen to me", I called. "You may see your Mark as a curse, but you're not alone with it. Three more people in this room share the Mark of the Dragon with you, and we all know what it's like to feel abandoned, traumatized, and lost in the endless tunnel of darkness."
"Don't bother, Estelle. Stop trying to reach me!" Aki retorted with a hurt look on her face. "I get it; you're the good guy. You like saving people, but you can't save me. No one can. Not now. Only one person really got me, really tried to help me. Only one person understood what it was like to be me." Tears accumulated in her eyes. "Dad doesn't, you don't. Just Sayer, and he's…" She clenched her hand in anger. "With him gone, there's no place left that I can call home. It's just me, and I don't feel like talking about it!"
"Aki, you do have a home!" Yusei shouted. "You've always had a home. With your family!"
"That's right, Yusei!" Hideo nodded.
"So you're saying I should go home and play house with those people over there?" Aki spat angrily while she glared at her parents. "The ones who sent me away 'cause they thought I was a monster?! I don't think so!" She ripped her energy stabilizer out of her hair, allowing her long bangs to cover her face. "My real family is gone! There is nowhere left for me!"
The shattered equipment from earlier flew in every direction that a huge wind current picked up due to Aki's storm of emotions again. I noticed there were broken glass flying in the air, so this was getting dangerous.
"Aki!" Hideo called desperately.
The wind died down, but I got a scratch on my left cheek by a glass splinter. I ignored the tiny blood that ran down my cheek because all my attention had to go to Aki.
"I draw!" I drew Dragon's Rage from my Deck.
Swords of Revealing Light: Turn 1/3
"I place two cards facedown and end my turn", I placed my fresh-drawn card and Shadow Spell facedown.
"That's it? Looks like you're not getting the cards you need", Aki taunted as she drew a card. "I reveal my Trap card; Doom Petal Countdown!"
Wait a second! Why was she activating that Trap card now? Didn't she originally do it around at the end of the Duel in the anime version? However, this wasn't the first time a Duel went in a different direction than I first anticipated.
"I can channel this card's incredible power by banishing one plant-type Monster from my Graveyard", Aki explained while she removed a card from the Graveyard. "Then I can use that power to slam you with 300 points of direct damage!"
An arrow of purple rose petals shot out from the Trap card and headed towards me. I used my Duel Disk to block the arrow, but it still exploded by impact, tearing my jacket a bit with the petals flying around me.
Aki: 4000 LP
Estelle: 3700 LP – 3400 LP
"Aki, there's no need for this!" Hideo shouted. "Please stop! Let's talk this out!"
"Not a chance, Dad", Aki spat back sarcastically.
I recovered from the assault and straightened my back as I drew a card. "My turn!"
Swords of Revealing Light: Turn 2/3
I got the Spell card One for One. Maybe I could use it to plant a trap for Aki.
"I play the Spell card; One for One!" I called. "I send my Bright Star Dragon from my hand to the Graveyard to Special summon my Level 1 Maiden with Eyes of Blue from my Deck in defense mode!"
Maiden with Eyes of Blue, Level 1, Tuner: DEF 0
"With that, I end my turn."
"This is getting boring", Aki commented as she drew a card. "I end my turn and I activate Doom Petal Countdown's effect!" The Continuous Trap card glowed as she removed another card from her Graveyard. "Get ready for another sting!"
Another arrow shot out from the Trap card towards me, but I used my Duel Disk once again as a shield. The flying rose petals gave me another scratch on my right cheek this time.
Aki: 4000 LP
Estelle: 3400 LP – 3100 LP
"My turn", I drew a card, which was Dust Tornado.
Swords of Revealing Light: Turn 3/3
"Now, since three turns have passed, the effect of Swords of Revealing Light is over", I called.
The image of said Spell card glowed for a second before shattering into pieces. The four swords of light disappeared along with the card, removing the dome that had trapped Aki and Black Rose Dragon for a while now.
"I switch Sun Dragon Inti to defense mode", I called.
Sun Dragon Inti, Level 8: ATK 3000 – DEF 2800
"What?! Why's she doing that?!" Leo exclaimed in disbelief.
"I place one card facedown and end my turn", I put my latest Trap card in one of the empty Spell/Trap Card Zones.
"Four Trap cards and yet you haven't used one of them the whole time", Aki snorted. "Are you counting on Sun Dragon Inti to protect you? To protect your little friends? Hah! Don't try to fool yourself! You can't protect them, and you certainly can't save yourself! You're gonna make your sun dragon suffer for nothing! But maybe that's what you want! If that's the case, I'll be more than happy to be of service. Starting right now!" She drew a card and placed it in her hand.
"Before you continue, I activate my Trap; Dust Tornado!" I quickly called. "I can destroy one of your Spell or Trap cards and then replace Dust Tornado with a facedown card if I want to. The card I choose to destroy is your Doom Petal Countdown."
"Why not the Thorn of Malice, Estelle?! That's the most dangerous card!" Leo shouted.
Leo had a good point, but there was a reason why I didn't choose the Equip Spell card. I wanted to show Aki I was willing to reach her by taking all the attacks and still stand up after getting knocked down, even if it meant I was going to be in huge pain afterward.
A tornado came out of my Trap card and destroyed Aki's Doom Petal Countdown. She didn't look bothered by it as the wind of the tornado ruffled her hair and clothes.
"I have no cards to replace Dust Tornado, so that's it", I said.
"You made a very poor choice of which card to destroy", Aki mocked me. "I activate Black Rose Dragon's effect! I banish my third Evil Thorn from the Graveyard to force your sun dragon back to attack mode, but with zero attack points!"
The transparent image of Evil Thorn floated up to Black Rose Dragon before she crunched it into pieces with her mouth. She then sent her dangerous vines at Sun Dragon Inti and forced him to go back to attack mode.
Sun Dragon Inti, Level 8: DEF 2800 – ATK 0
"Go forth, my mighty beast! Attack! Slice away at Sun Dragon Inti!" Aki commanded.
Black Rose Dragon roared as she raised her free vines to attack my dragon. I could activate Shadow Spell and stop the attack, but something told me this wasn't the right time. I had to take the hit and suffer.
The Signer Dragon used her vines to carve cuts onto Sun Dragon Inti's body. One of the vines snuck past the others and hovered above me. I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes as I heard it coming at me. I didn't even bother to shield myself this time.
I screamed in pain as the vine whipped my upper body, throwing me down to the floor. I grunted at the impact, feeling my back getting sore while my abdomen throbbed in pain.
Aki: 4000 LP
Estelle: 3100 LP – 100 LP
"Unfortunately for your beast, Thorn of Malice prevents me from destroying it, so I get to dish out a world of hurt over and over and over again", Aki told me.
I slowly got up on one knee and looked over my shoulder to watch in horror at the vines that held Sun Dragon Inti fly past me and headed towards my friends and Aki's parents.
"NO!" I shouted, fearing for my friends' lives. "STOP!"
Sun Dragon Inti was still on the field, so he quickly flew past me and blocked the vines with his four necks just before they could tear the others apart. He growled in pain, but he held it out until he got the strength to push back the vines.
I got up on my feet with Maiden with Eyes of Blue's help before she returned to the field. Sun Dragon Inti rumbled in relief that his attack points returned at the end of Aki's turn.
Sun Dragon Inti, Level 8: ATK 0 – ATK 3000
"I draw", I said as I drew Dragon Shield at the beginning of my turn. "I equip Dragon Shield to Sun Dragon Inti! As long as Sun Dragon Inti has this armor, he can't be destroyed by battle or by card effects. Also, neither player takes any battle damage from attacks involving it. A small price to pay to stay alive in the Duel a little longer. I end my turn with that."
"Did you hit your head when Black Rose Dragon attacked you?" Aki taunted me. "Thorn of Malice can inflict piercing damage to a defense position Monster as long as its defense points are lower than Black Rose Dragon's attack points!" She drew a card and added it to her hand. "This is your end! Black Rose Dragon, attack the defenseless maiden!"
Black Rose Dragon sent her vines towards Maiden with Eyes of Blue without hesitation.
Gotcha!
"Maiden's effect activates!" I called. "When she's targeted for an attack, she can negate it and switch her battle position!"
Maiden with Eyes of Blue raised her hands up and formed a light blue energy dome around her. The vines thrashed against the dome for a moment before they retired.
Maiden with Eyes of Blue, Level 1, Tuner: DEF 0 – ATK 0
"But that's not all!" I continued. "I also get to Special summon one of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons to the field either from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard!" My Graveyard spat out the dragon card before I grabbed it and placed it on the Duel Disk. "Join us, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Maiden with Eyes of Blue sang a gentle but strong song before a gate opened above her. Blue-Eyes White Dragon flew out and landed on the ground as he roared threateningly at Black Rose Dragon and Aki.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Level 8: ATK 3000
Aki gritted her teeth in frustration. "So that's why you forced me to attack your maiden; to bring out that blasted dragon! But what can it do? It will only destroy itself if it takes on Black Rose Dragon, and if you choose to Synchro summon its Synchro form, that won't even have enough attack points. You're just delaying your demise, Estelle. Try to be kind to your so-called precious dragons."
"These precious dragons are not only my friends but also my family", I said, seeing how Aki got surprised by my choice of words. "The Deck that every Duelist has is not just a bunch of paper with images of monsters and descriptions of their appearance or effects. They can feel a lot more than you can imagine." I looked at Black Rose Dragon who had tears in her eyes. "Black Rose Dragon and your other Duel Monsters got so afraid when you were close to burn your Deck into ashes. They knew what you had gone through and they wanted to be there for you; to be your last family. Even right now, when you claim you have no place to call home, you are carrying one in your Duel Disk." I pointed at the girl's device on her arm. "A home doesn't have to be a roof over your head or the people around you; open your eyes and heart and you will see your loyal Duel Monsters will always be your home, no matter where you go or what situation you end up in."
"That's right", Black Rose Dragon suddenly said, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Did Black Rose Dragon just talk?!" Leo exclaimed in surprise.
"Well, I heard her", Luna commented.
Aki turned her head at the Signer Dragon with a shocked expression. "Black Rose Dragon…?"
Black Rose Dragon looked at her mistress. "We got so frightened when you were about to toss us into that fire you set up shortly after you destroyed your parents' house. We tried calling out to you and plead with you not to throw us away. I may have not been there when you received Lord Crimson Dragon's Mark, but from what I heard by our other allies, you had suffered a lot. I wanted to heal your broken heart, but you got so lost in the path of pain when Sayer found you and started manipulating you."
"Sayer manipulated me?!" Aki exclaimed angrily. "No! He'd never do that! He was genuinely worried about me! He showed me the right path!" She slapped away Black Rose Dragon's thorn-less vine that wanted to give her a hug.
"Aki… I had a few friends in my childhood", I spoke up. "Many of them had a diagnosis, like me, but even if we all had autism, we were completely different. Slowly and surely, my friends and I split apart as we got older when we realized we weren't exactly the same. It did hurt me for a while, but I found my peace in solitude. Solitude became my best friend for many years. After being harshly bullied in my first four years in school, I lost faith in the other children. I tried finding friends, but they used me due to my childish way of thinking. I didn't know things back then, but wisdom comes as you grow older and experience many things in your life. Ever since I came to New Domino City and Satellite, I found people I could connect myself to. It's not just because of my Mark, but because we were similar in many ways. We all have experienced some kind of pain, but we never gave up on ourselves. I will never give up on you, Aki, because you are one of my precious friends."
"I'm your friend…?" Aki mumbled softly.
"You've been calling my name the entire time we've been Dueling", I smiled. "That means you feel something for me, just as I feel something for you."
"You're only saying all this stuff to make me stop", Aki frowned. "I'm no dummy; I know what you're doing. I'll say 'I'm sorry, everyone.' and hug. And then you'll just ship me off somewhere! That's not gonna work! I fell for this 'We're here for you.' bit once, right before my dad sent me away. Remember, Dad? Right before you forced me to leave and shipped me off, you told me you cared about me. Well, Estelle will pay for your mistakes on my next turn!"
"Sorry, Aki…", Hideo called as he stood in front of me. "I… I wasn't as good a father as I-"
"Save it", Aki turned her head away. "It's all too little and too late."
"I admit it. I was scared of your power", Hideo confessed. "I was scared of you. I didn't understand your…your abilities. You just… You really frightened me."
"Yeah, I know all of this", Aki snorted. "That's why you decided to get rid of me. You were scared… Scared of your little girl."
"That's right. You had powers I couldn't comprehend and that terrified me", Hideo continued. "But that's not the only reason. I was disappointed in myself for not being able to deal with you. Having you around made me feel powerless, like a failure. What I'm saying is-"
"So wait a minute!" Aki interfered. "This is about you now?"
"Yes, it's about me letting you down. I never stopped caring about you, Aki, neither did your mother. You'll always be our little girl."
"Stop!" Aki gritted her teeth angrily. "Just stop talking, Dad! No way am I falling for this!"
I placed the tip of my right fingers on top of my Deck. "It's time to bring out the key to unlock your heart, Aki! I will never ever give up on you, just as your father is trying to make amends for the mistakes he did in the past!"
I drew the top card of my Deck to begin my turn. I got Vylon Stella. This meant it was time to bring out the big gun.
"I summon Vylon Stella in attack mode!" I called.
Vylon Stella, Level 3, Tuner: ATK 1400
"It's time for a double Synchro summoning!" I proclaimed as my two Tuner Monsters turned into tuning rings. "I tune Level 3 Vylon Stella with Level 8 Sun Dragon Inti, and Level 1 Maiden with Eyes of Blue with Level 8 Blue-Eyes White Dragon to Synchro summon two Monsters!"
"Wait! You're Synchro summoning a Level 11 Monster?!" Aki exclaimed in surprise. "I thought such Monster cards didn't exist!"
"Does this mean she didn't watch the final Duel between Yusei and Estelle back at the Fortune Cup?" Luna questioned behind me.
"I Synchro summon Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon and my Ace Synchro; Star Eater!" I shouted.
Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon, Level 9: ATK 2500
Star Eater, Level 11: ATK 3200
"Star Eater…", Black Rose Dragon mumbled in relief.
"You have done an excellent job protecting your mistress, Black Rose Dragon", Star Eater replied.
"Star Eater's talking too?" Yusei questioned.
Star Eater turned his head around to look at the raven-haired man. "The Signer Dragons and I have an ability to communicate with human beings, as long as we are summoned by the Signers or the Priestess."
"How come I've never heard Red Dragon Archfiend talk to me?" Jack asked.
"You were a bit thickheaded while you were the King, Jack", I told him honestly.
"Hey!" Jack growled irritably, offended by my words.
I turned my attention back to the Duel. "Because Star Eater was Synchro summoned with Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon, his effect negates Azure-Eyes' effect, and other card effects cannot be activated." Star Eater released a cry as orange, red, and yellow shiny particles flew around us. "It's time to put an end to all the destruction and pain! Star Eater, clean Black Rose Dragon with Starlight Breaker!"
Star Eater opened his mouth and collected energy before releasing a shiny beam that shone like the stars. The beam hit Black Rose Dragon as she cried in pain, but she had a smile glowing in her eyes before shattering into pieces.
Aki: 4000 LP – 3800 LP
Estelle: 100 LP
"From my hand, I activate the effect of Hedge Guard!" Aki called. "By sending this card to the Graveyard, I can protect one Monster from being destroyed, but her attack points are halved for the rest of this turn."
The remains of Black Rose Dragon returned to the field, but she looked tired and weak, even though she was still equipped with Thorn of Malice.
Black Rose Dragon, Level 7: ATK 3000 – ATK 1500
"I activate my Trap; Shadow Spell!" I called quickly as said card flipped up. "It immobilizes Black Rose Dragon and lowers her attack points with 700 points."
Shadowy chains shot out from the card and shackled Black Rose Dragon. She cried out in pain as she struggled against the chains while she was surrounded by a dark aura.
Black Rose Dragon, Level 7: ATK 1500 – ATK 800
"Let's try this one more time. Go, Azure-Eyes! Attack with Silver Lightning!"
Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon opened his mouth and absorbed energy before releasing a silver beam that crackled with lightning. It hit the Signer Dragon straight on the chest and shattered the rose Dragon into pieces in the shape of rose petals that hit Aki. She used her left arm with the Duel Disk to shield her face.
Aki: 3800 LP – 2100 LP
Estelle: 100 LP
"Aki!" Hideo yelled worriedly.
"I end my turn", I called as my Shadow Spell card was destroyed after fulfilling its duty.
"You may have removed my Black Rose Dragon from the field, but mark my words; she will come back", Aki warned as she drew a card. "I summon Blue Rose Dragon in attack mode!"
Blue Rose Dragon, Level 4: ATK 1600
"I'm going to try a new trick by attacking your Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon with Blue Rose Dragon!"
"What?! She's attacking with a weaker Monster?! What for?!" Leo wondered.
Blue Rose Dragon flew towards Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon, but my dragon lifted one of his feet and crushed the smaller dragon into pieces.
Aki: 2100 LP – 1200 LP
Estelle: 100 LP
"When Blue Rose Dragon is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special summon Black Rose Dragon from my Graveyard!" Aki explained. "Come back to me, Black Rose Dragon!"
The remains of Blue Rose Dragon fused together and created a gate, allowing Black Rose Dragon to come out. She roared in the air as she flapped her wings, creating a massive whirlwind.
Black Rose Dragon, Level 7: ATK 2400
"Aki…", Hideo said softly before he started walking towards his daughter while the whirlwind Black Rose Dragon created blew around us with her dark rose petals in the air.
"Darling, no!" Setsuko called out to him, which he ignored.
"My little girl. Please give us a second chance. Come home to us, Aki. Come home to-", Hideo grunted as he got cut by the flying petals.
"Stay back!" Aki hissed warningly. "I'm not kidding!"
"Senator, get back!" I called. "You'll get hurt!"
"I don't care!" Hideo retorted. "I don't care if she hurts me! After all, when she was hurting, I turned my back on her! When she needed me, I turned away! I won't turn away from her again!"
"That all sounds really sweet, but you don't mean it…", Aki said with a sad tone.
"He does!" Yusei shouted. "Give him a chance! People deserve second chances! Give your parents the opportunity to show they care about you! In a way… You're actually really lucky. You have a real family."
"A real family…?" Aki mumbled as I saw her eyes shifted between her mother and father. "No… I…" She shook her head before glaring at us. "It's time for me to end this charade once and for all! You don't care about me, and neither does my father! Sayer's the only one who ever understood me, and now he's vanished from my life just like everyone else has!"
"Aki!" Hideo yelled desperately.
"Dad, don't! Get back!" Aki called with a concerned voice.
She finally noticed what her psychic powers were doing. The medical equipment and furniture were flying around in the whirlwind among Black Rose Dragon's purple rose petals and broken glass, all because Aki couldn't control her psychic powers. I could sense what she was feeling right now.
Aki was afraid of herself and, somewhere deep in her heart, she didn't want to hurt her father anymore. She had realized what she was doing, but she had no idea how to control her powers.
"I can't stop it…", Aki whimpered in fear. "My powers won't listen to me…" She snapped her head at her father who yelled in pain when he got cut over and over again by the rose petals. "Stop it! I don't want to do this anymore!"
I looked up and saw one of the equipment was flying towards Hideo, but he was too weak to move away. "Senator, look out!"
Hideo looked up and saw the equipment heading towards him. He cried in fear as he covered his head with his arms in preparation for the collision.
Aki noticed the equipment flying towards her father and it was then I felt something different in the bond between her and me. "DAD! NOOO!"
She reached out her hand and clenched it into a fist. When she did that, the whirlwind stopped. The rose petals disappeared in the middle of the air with a chink sound and the furniture and equipment in the room fell down to the ground without hurting someone. Aki had finally managed to control her psychic powers and in a good time too.
All she needed to do was to protect someone she cared for and she did it. Everyone stared at her in disbelief and then in relief while Aki was stunned at what she had just accomplished.
"I did it…", the girl mumbled with big eyes. "I was able to control my power…"
"Aki…", Hideo called weakly before he fell down on his knees.
Aki rushed to him without hesitation and crouched down in front of him. "Dad…"
"I'm sorry…", Hideo said as he looked up at his daughter.
Aki said nothing to him, but she closed her eyes to think for a moment before opening them to look at me. I said nothing while I waited for her to say what she had in mind, and how she wanted to continue her turn.
"Estelle, please… Finish this", the burgundy-haired girl told me. "End this Duel. I don't want to fight anymore."
I nodded slowly. "So you'll end your turn by skipping the Battle Phase?"
"Yes", Aki nodded before she wrapped her arms around Hideo.
I drew United We Stand as I began my turn. "I draw, and Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon's effect activates on my Standby Phase! I can Special summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard, so join us again, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
I got the Monster card from the Graveyard and placed it on the Duel Disk while Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon used his mating call to bring back Blue-Eyes White Dragon through a gate.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Level 8: ATK 3000
"I equip United We Stand on Star Eater! He will gain 800 attack points for each Monster I have on my side of the field. This is the power of friendship in this dragon family!"
Star Eater glowed in an orange aura as Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon shared their energy with him.
Star Eater, Level 11: ATK 3200 – ATK 5600
Aki helped her father up on his feet with one of his arms around her shoulders before she turned to me. She gave me a nod which I returned, knowing she had opened her heart and had become her true self.
"Star Eater, gather the light of the stars and purify the Black Rose Witch into the Pure Rose Maiden!" I shouted as Star Eater collected energy in his mouth. "Starlight Breaker!"
Star Eater released the energy beam that bathed not just Black Rose Dragon, but also Aki and her father who had wrapped his arms around her. She had a happy smile on her lips as she nuzzled against her father's chest.
Aki: 1200 LP – 0 LP
Estelle: 100 LP
Once the light was gone, we all saw how Aki had collapsed and was lying on the floor. Hideo crouched down next to her, holding her while she was unconscious. I rushed over to them as my dragons faded now that the Duel was over.
"Aki… Please wake up", Hideo pleaded worriedly.
I got down on my knees at Aki's other side and gently held her right hand. She moaned softly before she opened her clear brown eyes. "Dad…?" she said before tears ran down her cheeks. "I missed you."
Hideo gave her a big hug. "I'm so sorry, Aki. I should've never been afraid of you. I should've realized that you were just as frightened. I should've held you and comfort you, but I didn't…" His voice was shaking due to emotions, both in pain and joy. "Let me start making up for that right now."
"Thank you, Dad", Aki cried softly. "But… You sure you want me home? I mean, I…" She moved away from her father. "I was very mean. I hurt you and Mom and everyone else I ever knew…"
"That may be true", I spoke up. "But you know what? Physical wounds are easy to forget, even when they were inflicted by someone else. Everyone in this room has already forgiven you because you achieved something big today." I took Aki's hand again and held it between my hands. "You were finally able to control your powers. That proves you're a strong teenager who had been a bit misguided, but you took the hands that pulled you onto the correct path."
Aki's tears ran down her cheeks again before she hugged me. I embraced her in return as she rested her chin on my left shoulder. I heard someone approach us, so I turned to my right and saw Yusei was coming to us, holding Aki's energy stabilizer.
"Aki", the young man called, making her look up from my shoulder. "Listen… You and your parents have a lot of catching up to do, but we Signers could really use you around too. What do you say? Will you fight with us? Will you take a stand alongside your friends?"
"You got it, Yusei…", Aki said with a weak chuckle before she turned to her father and patted his hand that rested on her shoulder. "If that's okay…"
"Of course", Hideo nodded with tears in his eyes, proud of his little rose.
Setsuko released the tears she had kept inside and cried in relief and joy. The twins cheered joyfully before they ran to us. I helped Aki stand up on her feet before Yusei gave her the energy stabilizer.
"See, Aki? It's just like Estelle said; we're all bound by our Marks!" Leo grinned before rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "Except mine hasn't appeared yet."
"It's true", Yusei nodded as he pulled the sleeve of his jacket up to reveal his Mark. "These Marks connect us. All of us. We share a destiny. So, like it or not, we're friends."
Aki suddenly looked a bit sad and turned away with glassy eyes. "That's sweet, but… I had friends before. And that didn't turn out so well for them. I mean, losing people you care about really hurts."
"I know the feeling, but that's part of life", I told her. "As I mentioned before, I had friends who I thought I could trust, but they were the ones who hurt me. People come and go in one's life; some make a big impact, some only make a small impression that you'll forget about. But when you get older, you will find those who you will cherish and they will cherish you in return. That's what's called loyalty." I placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a soft massage. "Everyone here in this room cares about you, Aki. Even the big-mouth Jack Atlas."
"Hey!" Jack exclaimed irritably, making the rest of us laugh at his reaction.
"I know exactly what you mean, Aki", Yusei added after he stopped laughing. "I ran into an old friend the other day and… Well… He's changed. We all lose people in different ways, but… I don't know; we just have to keep going. Like Estelle said, it's part of life. I know it's scary to trust new people, but… Aki, I'm asking you to trust us. To call us friends."
"I'll try…", Aki nodded.