Ruinous Powers

Author's Note: Enjoy the story and R&R.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Yu-Gi-Oh! GX series.

Summary:

Saiou ruminates powers over a game of War with Judai.


Is the road of safety the preferable one? One planned out in advance, that you may perceive all the twists and turns destiny has in store, and not be handicapped by the stress of uncertainty?

Or is the path of chance the more desirable course? One loaded with options for you to choose from, but choices you cannot take back once they've been made? Doors slammed and locked behind you forever as you walk the crossroads of life?

Ironically, it was only now, after losing the powers which marked him an outsider – after the comfort of an absolute future left him – that Saiou saw he was cursed either way. The sole difference was he with no small amount of self-hate possessed some nostalgia for his days as the "monster." He was most free when he wasn't free; paradoxically, most in control when he wasn't in control, and that fact was disgusting to him.

"Saiou, two aces. That's war."

Saiou reviewed the cards they turned over. "It is, isn't it?"

Judai knew a thing or two about ruinous powers. He trailed Saiou, as Saiou trailed Chairman Kagemaru, the three of them following the same fault at Duel Academia. Only, whereas Saiou and Kagemaru no longer had access to their powers, Judai's powers had expanded exponentially. Rather than have his powers taken from him, Judai embraced them wholly, becoming the king – the Supreme King – destiny always intended him to be.

That expansion, another reversal. How the Just Darkness sometimes behaved like the Light of Destruction, expanding whilst rendering uniform what was around it.

On the other side of that coin, there was a cost for Judai. This Judai was a completely different Judai than the Judai Saiou knew before.

Darker (as was to be expected of one with his hand in the darkness).

They each anted three more cards, and determined the winner of the war by flipping over a fourth.

"Four," Saiou said.

"I got ten," Judai said the number in his name.

Judai fused his winnings into his pile, also befitting him.

Somewhere between the extremes of darkness and light was a hush from the hurt, and it was up to each of them to find it.