"Lise?"
She looked up from her sobbing. Aki peered down at her. Big brown eyes warm and concerned, and her brow pushed up towards her hairline.
"What's wrong?"
Another tug on her heartstrings. Lise felt another wave of tears rip through her. This added care was too much.
Aki sat down. She wordlessly pulled Lise into a hug. The girl was sobbing so hard, it would be some time before she could get a word out. More time until Aki could finally understand her blubbering.
"Lise, what happened to you and Yusei? He looks like he's been shot in the chest."
Another tear leaked down her cheek, but she wiped at it wearily. Calmer than before. Her voice was shaky at first, but gained strength as Lise told Aki everything.
"Whoa," Aki's eyes went wide. "How are you not dead?"
"I dunno," Lise shook her head, rubbed her cheek with the back of her hand. "Because I told Roman to just do it."
"Do what?"
"Kill me. Ya know, if he was going to do it, just do it already and get it over with."
Aki felt like she had been shot this time. She'd said that to her father? Told him to kill her?
She pulled Lise into another tight hug. Tears leaking from her brown eyes. "Don't ever do that again."
Lise thought she didn't have any tears left. Turns out she had plenty. For her friend showing her that what had happened between her and her father was far from normal. That she'd be devastated to lose her friend.
"So," Aki broke up the hug, wiping at her own tears. "I'm still a little confused. You technically beat Roman, and you and Yusei…?"
"We…kissed, yeah…"
Aki covered her mouth with her hands. Her cheeks almost as fiery as her hair. She dropped her hands. "But wait, why are you crying about it?"
"We… I can't be with him."
"Why?" Aki raised a brow.
"I think," Lise's eyes darted away from her friend. "He'd be happier with someone else."
"First off, there are several things wrong with your theory," Aki said.
She was not having Lise's bullshit tonight. The girl was either blind, stupid, or both.
"I don't like Yusei like that. He doesn't like me like that. And before you say anything else, you haven't seen the way he looks at you, Lise. I know you said that I'm pretty and you're jealous, but that doesn't mean you're not! Yusei certainly thinks so!"
"I-"
"And have you even asked him what would make him happy? Have you asked yourself?"
"I couldn't possibly make him happy!" Lise insisted, propelled to her feet. "Aside from putting his life in danger repeatedly, I'd just destroy him."
"You don't know that." Aki got to her feet too.
She was not backing down. After everything Lise had been through, she was not going to let Lise just walk away. Leave potential happiness behind. She had to take that chance. Like the chance she'd given Aki to rebuild her family and her life.
"Liking someone isn't going to fix them, believe me, I know, but if you're together, you have the chance to face everything together. Why do you want to be alone and unhappy?"
"I don't, but Yusei can't feel that way about me."
"Fine," Aki rolled her eyes. She gestured to Lise and crossed her arms. "How do you feel about him?"
"That doesn't matter."
"Doesn't matter? Of course it matters!"
Lise shook her head. Hands squeezing her arms. Across her body to keep herself in and everything else out.
"Do you love him?"
She took a step back, turned around. Eyes welling with tears again.
"Lise," Aki said, voice gentler. "Do you love Yusei?"
"Y-Yes," she choked out.
Lise clutched at her chest and the wall. Sliding down to her knees. "And that's what hurts the most! He deserves someone else! Someone who didn't get him stabbed and cursed and pushed away!
"But… I want him to be happy. To survive this fight and be with someone else who makes him happier than I ever could."
"Oh Lise…" Aki sighed. She held Lise's bloody and teary hands to ensure her friend was looking at her. "I know it's hard after everything you've been through. Maybe I'm a hypocrite for suggesting this, but I want you to seriously consider it.
"You deserve to be loved too. Promise me you'll seriously consider that you make Yusei happy. That he might love you back."
"Aki…"
"Just think about it. That's all I'm asking."
Lise took a deep breath. "Okay."
"And in the meantime, let's get you cleaned up and new clothes. Bloody and bruised works better for a tournament, not for the duels of our lives."
"Um, should I?" Lise pointed downstairs.
"Yeah, take a shower for the dried blood in your hair...well, everywhere. I'll find a new outfit based on the spare clothes you have here."
The corner of Lise's lips twitched upward. "I don't exactly have many flattering options here."
Aki smirked, shoving her friend towards the bathroom. "Who do you think you're talking to?"
/
Yusei watched the blood trickle down his body. From his temple, the stab wound, and the smears on his chest and arm. The tiny mirror in the downstairs shower offering a view of the smeared blood by his lips.
It was stupid, but a part of him wanted to keep that little blood smear. As proof. Proof that he wasn't just imagining things. He and Lise had actually kissed.
While half his brain was devastated, the other half was having a field day. Lise's lips had been so soft. Dry and bloody, but soft. He touched his own lips with his fingertips at the memory.
He knew it was selfish, but he wanted to kiss Lise again. Wanted that awkward figuring things out moments where teeth would bump one another or noses smushed together. To know what it felt like to have his feelings reciprocated, and figure out how to be together.
But Lise would have to give him a clear answer. A definitive yes.
He raised his left arm. The purple curse mark on his wrist like a dark bracelet. Was this thing why Lise thought…she'd made a mistake?
Yusei sighed. He tilted his head back to get the water to flow over his face. A warm wake up call.
Focus. An answer can wait. We have work to do.
/
Mitch, John and Taka's sobs echoed throughout the house. Doctor Schmitt stared blankly at the tearful boys. The news hitting him like a mountain of bricks; all he could do was accept their crushing weight.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Schmitt," Taka wailed. "This is all my fault. It's all because of me!"
Schmitt asked quietly. "She's really gone?"
"I'm afraid it's true," Trudge said, collapsing into a chair. "I was with her, I should've been able to save her, but I wasn't able to grab hold of her in time. It's my fault, not theirs."
All the boys moved in quickly to comfort the officer.
"It's not your fault! It's my fault!" Mitch insisted.
"No it's not, it's my fault!" Taka retorted miserably.
"No, it's my fault for not saying don't go!" John replied, bringing on a fresh wave of tears.
Trudge pulled all three boys into his arms. They cried together. Schmitt watching miserably.
Yusei didn't have to try too hard to find the source of the crying. He came in looking refreshed. New, clean clothes free of bloodstains helped.
The others greeted him with thin smiles and weak waves. Trudge and the boys were too busy crying.
Just when Yusei was going to step in, Aki and Lise joined everyone in the dining room.
Yusei's entire face turned vermillion. All thoughts to focus on defeating the Dark Signers abandoned him.
Aki smiled at her handiwork. She'd found an orange, off the shoulder top for Lise, and accessorized it with a metallic, arm cuff. Asymmetry was in style after all. Even though Lise had squirmed through the process, Aki had insisted on drying her hair to slip the headband from the twins back in place. She'd also given Lise the chance to cover up the growing curse mark with a light weight jacket. Black with pockets to slip her hands into, and long, red sleeves. The sleeves kinda hid a bit of the handiwork, as did the black fingerless gloves, but Aki understood wanting to hide the curse mark. After all, she'd wanted to do the same with her dragon mark.
Besides, Yusei's reactions to all of Lise's looks were priceless. She winked at Fish, who was snickering in the corner to herself. To her, Yusei looked like a sad, lovesick tomato.
All eyes had flickered to Lise and Aki when they walked in anyway. Lise waved awkwardly at the few people who caught her eye: Crow and Mikage.
"That's enough!" Jack growled, banging his hands on the table.
The action shocking enough to pull everyone back to reality. Yusei, Lise, Schmitt, and the twins startled enough to jump at least an inch.
"Knock it off you dolts! Stop trying to take credit for everything!"
Yusei shook his head. Focus.
"What he means is you're not the ones to blame. This is all the Dark Signers doing. They've taken Martha and our friends. We're not gonna sit around and blame ourselves for things they did.
"We're gonna defeat the Dark Signers and get everyone back."
"Are you really saying that?" Dr. Schmitt asked. "How is that possible?"
"You can really get Martha back?" John's eyes were wide with hope.
"And everyone else?" Taka's little face looked to others for confirmation. "What-What can we do to help?"
"Yes, I promise," Yusei smiled as best he was capable of, thinly, at John.
Lise knelt down to Taka's eye level. "You've already helped us. But now we need you to help by staying here with Doctor Schmitt. Okay?"
"But-"
"If things get bad, they'll need someone to keep them together, Taka."
The little boy sniffled. He stepped back and saluted. "Yes ma'am."
Trudge watched the boy rejoin the doctor and the children. The kid could make an amazing cop one day.
"We've gotta head out soon, but I promise we'll be back. Thanks for everything," Yusei said.
"Of course," Schmitt replied. "We're counting on you. Please be careful."
Yusei nodded and patted Mitch's head. "Try to get some sleep."
"So. That was quite the promise you made," Jack said when the door had closed. "We defeat the Dark Signers, and then everyone who disappeared will just magically reappear. You don't know that that's true."
"I know." Yusei stared down at his shoes.
"So why lie?"
"Look, that's just something I need to believe."
"What about the kids?" Trudge persisted. "They deserve better than that, don't they?"
Lise's hand went to her cursed arm. "It is true. Souls are…a precious resource. The Dark Signers can't risk destroying the source of their power."
"That's great!" Aki exclaimed. "That means Yusei wasn't lying!"
"So we can move on now?" Jack asked grumpily.
Crow cleared his throat. "What I wanna know is why everyone seems to have a specific Dark Signer? Like they've targeted everyone, but Lise is the only one going up against her family. And why now? Why didn't Roman end things sooner?"
Fish took a deep breath. "I think I know why."
Suddenly every eye was on her, and, for once, she didn't seem to be enjoying it.
"Shortly before we were born there was this… prophecy… The Oracle lived in Yliaster before it merged with me, and someone from Yliaster must have leaked the prophecy to Roman."
"Do you happen to know the prophecy?" Crow asked gently, filling the silence.
Her eyes closed and Fish's voice took on a serious tone.
The first to answer the Call
And a child born of a Signer under the January rain
Shall raze the path for the God of light's downfall
Out ripples the Dark Spider's reign of pain
Creating destruction and splitting the lands
Sun Child and Moon Father shall meet twice more
Cursed equals that duel to live or to die by Destiny's hands
For Light or Dark to triumph forevermore
The little color Lise had regained after Roman's attack quickly drained from her face. "He thinks… the prophecy meant one of us has to die?"
Fish shifted position. "I'm really sorry."
"No, no, don't be."
Yusei nodded. The wetness in his eyes fading to a hardness that wouldn't yield. "No one else is getting absorbed and no one is going to die tonight."
Tight lipped smiles met his proclamation. No hopeful eye contact. Lise even zipped up her jacket.
It was absolutely possible not all of them would be standing at the end of this. The had hope to all be okay, but it was slim.
"I have a question," Blister piped up for the first time since Roman's attack. "Ruka said Devack told her they'd be waiting at the 'four stars of destiny.' Does anyone know what those are?"
"My guess is he was referring to the four control units that were built to maintain the original reactor," Mikage responded.
"According to our reports, they were the first systems to break when the Reactor, er, reacted. During development, each individual control unit went by a code name-Ccapac Apu, Ccarayhua, Aslla Piscu, and Cusillu. In the Keshwa language they mean the Giant, the Lizard, the Hummingbird, and the Monkey."
"The Nazca Lines," Aki remembered.
Ruka raised her hand. "Isn't there a spider too?"
"The Spider is Uru, which was the code name for the Reactor itself. In order to reverse the Reactor and reverse the flow of negative energy, you have to go to each of the control units and turn them on."
"How are they supposed to turn on the control unit thingamajigs?" Blister asked next.
"The dragon cards in your decks," Mikage answered swiftly. "Those were the cards used to power up each of the control units. So Ruka, it's very important that you get the Ancient Fairy Dragon back from Devack."
"How do you know all this?"
"Because Professor Fudo entrusted those cards to Director Goodwin."
"My father had those cards?" Yusei exclaimed, eyes wide. "So Roman was lying about my father looking the other way?"
"He's lied about a lot of things," Lise said softly.
Mikage cleared her throat, sensing some kind of tension between Lise and Yusei, and decided to break the silence. "The Director told me that Professor Fudo did everything he could to prevent the Reactor's explosion. He also said that he recovered the dragon cards and managed to get them to the Director."
"Did Goodwin mention anything else about my father?"
"Not that I can recall."
Blister was doing some critical thinking. "So if Goodwin had those cards, how did everyone else end up with them?"
"Well, technically he released the cards 'into the wild.' He said he wanted to see if destiny really was at work. It was successful; the people meant to have those cards ended up with them, and here we are."
"Well, since Goodwin knows so much about destiny, he must know how this whole thing is gonna turn out, right?" Jack said sarcastically.
"It doesn't work like that. He doesn't know the future. There's no telling what could happen, but Goodwin is done playing his part. The task has been passed to you, all of you. The fate of the world has been put into your hands."
Mikage unfolded a map on the table. The entire island of Satellite depicted with a river and the reactor explosion hole as natural landmarks. Four red x's marked in pen.
Everyone, Signer or not, gathered around the map. They were so close to each other that one wrong step would squish another's foot and send them all tumbling like dominoes.
"Here's the locations of the four points." Mikage pointed to each of the red X's. "Giant, Hummingbird, Lizard, and Monkey. They're pretty spread out."
"What's the plan, hit all these units up one by one?" Trudge said.
"That would be a huge waste of time," Jack replied. "Besides, a duel is one-on-one. We're gonna have to split up and go solo. Four Signers, four control stations, it's a no brainer."
Trudge tried to redeem himself with a much more relevant question. "Who's going where?"
"The Mark of the Giant is Kiryu's, so I'll go there," Yusei answered immediately.
"The Lizard is Misty's mark," Aki said. "I'll head over to that station."
"Devack is the monkey and…I have to get Ancient Fairy Dragon. So I'm gonna go take him on."
"And I'm gonna go so I can root for you!" Rua exclaimed.
"So the Hummingbird must be…that other girl," Jack finished quietly.
"You kids wanna ride to your battle in a sector patrol car?" Trudge smiled at the twins, who nodded earnestly.
"And if it's okay, I'll go with you, Aki," Mikage offered.
"Sure."
"Guess I'm stuck at home again, watching the kids. I hope you all have fun saving the world." Blister waved a pitiful farewell.
"Wait, what about you guys?" Rua pointed at Crow, Fish, and Lise.
The three of them shared a look.
"I think we'll be scouting the area out first," Crow decided.
Lise tapped the map with her fingertip. "We'll need to be ready for Roman." Her eyes fell on the center of the four points: the Old Reactor Site.
/
"Are you ready, Ruka?" Yusei leaned on the police car door.
"Yep!" She offered him a thumbs up. Her brother seated beside her did the same.
"Good luck," Yusei smiled softly at them and returned the gesture. They were the youngest, and this fight would be hardest on them.
"Remember, guys," Yusei addressed the entire team, helmet in his hands. "
We're in this together. If you're ever up against the wall, just think of your friends and I know we can ALL make it out alive."
Lise rose into the air and waved weakly. "I hope you're right."
Yusei waved back, slipped his helmet on, and gunned his runner's engine.
"And if any of you loses your duel you'll have to answer to me," Jack added before he sped away.
I'm coming to help you, Carly. Cuz when I was hurt you took care of me, and when I was down you picked me up. Now it's my chance to return the favor.
The others peeled out for their destinations as well. Everything was being set into motion, into play, for better or for worse.
Rua watched the darkness shift around the police cruiser. Black birds of an unidentifiable type flapped noisily in the distance.
"Hey," Ruka said, touching her brother's shoulder.
The boy completely flipped out, screaming and flailing. "Don't scare me like that!"
"You scare me when you scream like that."
Rua sighed. "Sorry but I'm all wound up and those are the creepiest birds I've ever seen."
"You shouldn't have come with me."
"Nah, don't worry about me! I was just pretending to be scared so that you don't have to be! Yeah that's it. I'm just pretending. See check it out!" Rua held up his duel disk before triumphantly placing it on his arm. "Ta-dah!"
"And what's the point of you wearing a duel disk?" Ruka groaned exasperatedly.
"I'm getting ready. All right Dark Signers come on and get some!"
"I'm the one who's gonna be dueling, not you."
Ruka inhaled sharply. She'd heard something.
"Something wrong?"
"What was that screaming just now?"
"What screaming? I didn't hear anything."
"I figured," Ruka said. She leaned forward, concentrating, closing her eyes and rubbed her temples gently. "But I just thought that you might've heard it cuz it was so loud and powerful. I think someone from the Spirit World is calling out to me or something."
"What does it sound like? Is it Ancient Fairy Dragon?"
"Hey, what's with all this Spirit World talk?" Trudge said.
"Ruka can talk to Duel Monster Spirits from the Spirit World," Leo explained.
Trudge feigned surprise and then rolled his eyes. "How stupid do you think I am?"
"No!" Rua insisted. "It's really true!"
"Right, of course, and my sister can fly. She's got magic wings made of gold," Trudge scoffed, focusing again on his driving.
"Jerk," Rua griped. "Ruka can talk to Spirits. You're just jealous because you're a boring ordinary guy with no special powers!"
"Huh?" Ruka opened her eyes to find the bright light in front of her was actually Kuribon. "Kuribon what's wrong?"
The little duel monster hopped about alarmingly, trying to convey his message.
"Something bad is happening in the Spirit World, isn't it?"
Trudge glanced warily into his rearview mirror. "Who're you talking to?"
"Be right there."
Ruka glowed bright white. The light caught the other passengers off guard. The light extended into a huge beam that parted the night sky for miles.
Rua screamed and covered his eyes. The light faded quickly and Trudge pulled over. Tire wheels squealing in protest.
"What're you kids doing back there?!"
"It's Ruka! She's gone!"
"What?!"
"That big bright light just now; I think it took her away!"
Trudge rolled his eyes. "Oh right, let me guess, she was transported to the Spirit World?"
"Exactly!"
"She wasn't beamed anywhere," Trudge said through his teeth. He let himself out of the car. "Come on, let's look for her."
"But-"
"Ruka!" Trudge was already calling and searching.
"Man grown-ups never listen," Rua complained. His expression softened. "But if she is wandering out here all alone, that wouldn't be good."
"Ruka! Where are you?"
"Ruka! You're not here, right?! If you're not here say something!"
"Whoa!"
Rua breathed when he rounded a corner and came face to face with what appeared to be a rather strange looking fork sticking out of a small tower. Carvings lined the entire surface, but one was slightly familiar.
"That thing's pretty big… There it is; the mark of the monkey. This must be the control unit thing Mikage was talking about.
"Hey, Dark Signer monkey guy, are you in there? Hello I'm ready to duel!"
"I've been waiting for you Signer…" Devack's ominous voice called out, startling Rua.
Purple fire spread out in all directions. In seconds, it surrounded Rua, trapping him. The monkey geoglyph shone purple in the dark sky.
"So if I'm in the middle of this monkey barrier that means…"
"Who are you?" Devack glared. "What's going on? You're not a Signer. What're you doing here?"
"I'm here to duel you!" Rua decided. "That is, if you're strong enough to take me on!"
Trudge ran up a nearby junk pile. Below he could see the shadow duel about to take place. "Rua!"
"Is this some kind of joke? Where's the little girl? Why isn't she here? I told her to come."
"Yeah, well, she's busy. You're gonna have to duel me instead, mister. I may not be a Signer, but that doesn't mean that I can't rock a deck! Now come on! Let's see what you're made of!"
"I applaud your enthusiasm, I really do, but I'm afraid that you simply do not have the power to match me, boy," Devack warned, but nevertheless activated his duel disk as Rua did the same.
"You don't know that!"
"If you insist on being destroyed, so be it…"
"Let's duel!"
Rua: 4000
Devack: 4000
"Rua, get out of there! Don't be stupid!" Trudge called down to the twin, but his words fell on deaf ears.
Yusei pulled up and parked right behind Trudge. He took off his helmet and ran up to the overlooking ledge.
"What're you doing here?"
"I turned around when I saw that light. What's going on here?"
"Well, first Ruka disappeared to who knows where…"
"She must've gone to the Spirit World for some reason."
"Great, now you're babbling about the Spirit World and fairy tales too."
"It's not a fairy tale, it's real," Yusei replied, completely serious. "Ruka must've gone to rescue Ancient Fairy Dragon."
"Ancient what?"
"I'll explain later, but right now we gotta stop this duel! Hey Devack! That kid's not a Signer. You can't duel him!"
"I warned him, and once a shadow duel begins it cannot be stopped."
"Let's get this battle going," Rua declared. "It's my turn! I draw!"
He looked at the card. "Awesome! I summon Morphtronic Magnen in defense mode!
"With Morphtronic Magnen in play, you can't attack any other monster on my field. Now I'm placing once card face down and ending my turn."
Rua bit his lip, anticipating the next play. With my Morphtransition trap card face down, I can trigger its effect and negate an attack that my monsters might take. And then if I'm able to summon another Morphtronic Magnen next turn, I'll create a magnetic lock that'll stop him from attacking completely.
"Rua stop this! You've gotta find a way to get out of this duel!" Yusei shouted.
"No way!" Rua yelled back. "Don't you get it? If I defeat Devack, Ruka won't have to duel him!"
Devack snickered menacingly. "I draw and summon Magician Ape in attack mode!"
(Magician Ape: Atk: 800 Def: 1200)
"I now activate Magician Ape's special ability, which means that once per turn, if I take one card from my hand and send it to my graveyard, Magician Ape is able to take control of one of your monsters."
Rua gasped as his magnetic monster was forced onto Devack's field.
"And with that out of the way, Magician Ape attacks you directly!"
Screams filled the air as the electric power from the monster's staff inflicted real damage to Rua. A shadow duel hurt. Really hurt.
Rua: 3200
Devack: 4000
"Now you know the true power of a shadow duel. Don't worry, I'll send you to the Netherworld with as little pain as possible. That is the only mercy I can spare you."
Rua gritted his teeth.
Ruka...
And somewhere in the back of his mind, he heard an answer…
Rua…
