Welcome back to Chapter 27! Congratulations to me and this story! We've officially gone past 300,000 words, and we're still chugging along! This story also has over 20,000 views! :D I can't believe so many people have read my story. It makes me so happy! Finally, I'm going to refer as carded people being killed, or dead.
Otherwise, onto the story!
Ch.27: The Royale Aftermath
"Yuya! Yuto! Sora!" All three duelists turned their attention towards Gongnezaka and the others. Since the Action Field dispersed it was revealed that the group was actually very close to a highway. The Xyz rebels and remnants of the Battle Royale standing and looking down at the other three from a ramp towards the highway.
"Gongenzaka!" Yuya exclaimed, before his scarlet red eyes looked over to his friend's left to see Yuzu as well. The sight of his old friend safe bringing a smile onto his face. "Yuzu!"
It was at that moment the Fortune telling duelist Aura began to awaken from her unconscious state. Dennis looking over his shoulder and asking it she was alright. The Xyz user's question was promptly tossed to the side alongside most of Dennis' body as Aura pushed him away from her to glare at Yuzu. Her apple green eyes glaring up into forest green.
"Yuzu Hiragi!" The sudden outburst gathered everyone's attention, and all eyes were on them. "How dare you! How dare you make moves on another man while seducing my Darling! How dare you cheat on him!" Aura raged, and stomped her foot down onto the ground while pointing at Yuzu.
The person who everyone identified as Yuzu narrowed her eyes at Aura's words. "What are you talking about? I am not Yuzu."
At this sudden reveal, everyone from Standard took a step back to gawk at this complete stranger. Meanwhile, the Xyz rebels were looking at everyone strangely. "You guys didn't know that she wasn't Yuzu?"
"Is Yuzu with you guys at all?" Yuto asked. Looking at each person carefully to see all of them shake their heads in denial.
"Then where is Yuzu!?" Yuya spoke frantically now. His voice tinged with fear and panic.
"I looked, but all I found was this girl…" Dennis trailed off glumly, and looked down to see Aura holding her sore head and giving a pain filled groan.
All of the breath escape from Yuya at the news. The conversation in the Jungle area with Zero and the others filling his head, and Yuya's eyes went straight towards the only other possible source of information. "Don't tell me!"
Sora's own emerald eyes widened at why Yuya was staring at him like that, and the Academia soldier quickly activated the warping system on his duel disk to return to Academia. A bright blue light covered the Frightfur duelist's frame, and Sora was quickly engulfed into blue particles and vanished.
"No wait! Sora please!" Yuya ran forward to try and catch his friend, but all he got was a handful of particles. "Please don't tell me they took Yuzu!"
"Damn. He got away." Yuto swore darkly.
"They can't have taken Yuzu!" Yuya clenched and unclenched his fists in a frenzy. "They couldn't have!"
All other thoughts wandering on Yuzu were distracted at the suddenly loud modulated scream coming from above them.
. . .
Zero and Yuri glared at each other unwaveringly. Both teens had one hand on the single Action Card, and neither was budging an inch. The two forces pulled back to get the card when it suddenly gave way.
SSHHHKKK
The sound of the fragile Action Card being ripped in half boomed over the whirling winds up in the skies above. Both opposing sides backed up on the same platform, and looked down at the piece of Action Card they had ripped under their grip.
Academia's best soldier had 800 Life Points. The damage the Gruen would deliver would only deal 600...
It wasn't enough.
Yuri cracked a grin at what this foretold. "I win."
The Guren grabbed ahold of Greedy Venom's head after finally breaking through its temporary shield. A silver capsule ejected from the silver arm, and was reloaded with another one as more red energy began to cackle and melt the organic creature ali-
'BRIIIIINNNNNGGG!'
Zero and Yuri halted their activities to look around them at the suddenly loud sound. Their attention soon turned to their monsters though as they began to vanish and change into yellow particles.
"What's happening?" Yuri asked out loud, and quickly looked over to see the Mordred and Vincent disappear from the field as well. "What's going on!" Yuri yelled in outrage. He was just about to win the duel!
"The Battle Royale… The Action Field!" Zero's masked eyes widened at the horrifying realization. "We have to move!"
"The Battle Royale is over!" The voice of Nico Smiley echoed out from around the entire city.
"Battle Royale?!" Yuri looked over at Zero incredulously. "That's what this entire thing has been about?" Zero said nothing else as he barreled past Yuri unabashedly, but his progress came to a screeching halt as Yuri grabbed ahold of the masked man's wrist tightly. "Oh no now!" Yuri smiled creepily and tightened his grip. "You're not getting out of this that easily! I would have won our little match if it wasn't for this interruption! So you can hold it right there and come with me!"
"Let go of me you damn psycho! Don't you see you're going to get us both killed!" Zero yelled and held up his captured arm in front of Yuri's face.
"You're not getting away from me!" Yuri insisted. Unaware of what Zero really meant or the platforms vanishing around them and diminishing any chance of escape. "You're coming back with me to Academia to see the Professor as I have been ordered!" Yuri's narrowed eyes had stopped glowing their magenta hue shortly after it was announced the Battle Royale was over.
"Idiot!" Zero spat. "I don't give a damn about that! Can't you see the field is-"
His modulated words were cut off as the ground beneath his feet suddenly gave way. Gravity grabbing ahold of the masked revolutionary and pulling him back towards the ground, which was a very long and fatal distance away. A small scream escaped Zero's throat at the feeling of his stomach dropping.
Yuri, who still had a hold of Zero, was thrown onto the quickly vanishing platform from the sudden development. A grunt escaping his lips as he inadvertently tightened his grip and prevented Zero from falling to his death. Shocked pink eyes looked around the area to see Miami City having returned and the platform he was on almost halfway disintegrated. "What the hell is going on?!"
Zero, in a fight for his life, grabbed ahold of the only thing keeping him from falling, which was Yuri's arm. "Fucking idiot! I told you this was going to happen!"
"You could have been a bit more clear!" Yuri shot back automatically. His mind was on other more important things like the fact that the platform was almost completely gone.
Zero pulled himself up and tried to grab ahold of the platform's edge, but it slipped in between his fingers as more particles. "Shit!"
They didn't get a chance to say anything else as the platform finally vanished with the rest of the field.
All they knew was that they were falling from a really far height.
Yuri finally threw Zero's arm back to him as both of their bodies twisted and circled in the air as they free fall. The masked man's cape spread wide and flapping in the wind with a loud whipping crack. Realizing that the situation had gotten too dire, Yuri clutched onto his duel disk and activated the wrapping feature to return to Academia once again.
"I'm afraid this is where we'll have to say our goodbyes." Yuri's voice was garbled from the wrapping process.
"Where do you think you're going!" Zero growled, and tackled Yuri from the air. Zero rather taking his chances at Academia than certain death. His attempts at salvation were destroyed as Yuri harshly kicked him in the abdomen, and closer to the ground. Zero's blank masked snapped up to meet Yuri's disappearing body.
"I suppose I'll be seeing you in hell then, Zero. Sayonara!" Yuri grinned as he waved innocently to Zero's falling frame.
"Damn!" Zero swore. Yuri was gone, escaping to live another day. The Xyz rebel leader frantically clutched onto his own duel disk to try and repeat what Yuri did. But then Zero realized that he didn't have that option installed into his duel disk. He came here accidentally.
He was dead.
Zero's body relaxed a fraction as the wind whipped past him. Terror and adrenaline screaming at him as his ears pounded like mad. Masked violet eyes shrunk into pennies and shook as they looked up into the cloudless blue sky. Not daring to look at his oncoming death, which was the ground.
"I'm willing to take that sacrifice if it means I save countless lives from you."
Zero, no, Lelouch's eyes turned into pinpricks as he saw his supposed friend Suzaku Kururugi looking down at him with pure hatred. At his masked persona. At his ideals. Goals. Hopes. Dreams.
The vision of a kinder, gentler place for even strangers.
He'd never see Nunnally's smile again. He would never see the people he so desperately cared for ever again.
Nunnally.
The Student Council.
Kallen.
The Black Knights.
Q-1.
Lelouch, Zero, the Man of Miracles, didn't realize a scream was tearing out of his throat and making it raw since he saw Suzaku's damning face still staring down at him.
. . .
"Zero!"
"Holy shit!" Sylvio cried out. Hands on his head at the small dot that was Zero's body falling from the sky.
"He's falling!" Aura screamed, and covered her eyes.
Shun cracked his knuckles at how tightly he clenched his fists. "Why isn't he summoning a monster?!"
"Someone catch him!" Serena yelled.
Yuto activated his duel disk once again to summon Dark Rebellion when his grey eyes widened in terror. "I can't-! He'll hit the ground first!"
That's when a strange two headed monster leaped from one of the buildings, form blocked out by the sun, and caught Zero for them.
. . .
Zero's body landed on something strange. It felt furry, and alive. His thoughts were hazy however, and everything returned to reality like a harsh slap to the face and kick in the gut. Everything was swirling around the edges of his hazy vision as skyscrapers and buildings seemed to suddenly tower over him.
The wind was gone.
Zero's body arched as high as it could, black gloved fingers clawing into the strange fabric holding him as he heaved in a huge breath. His lungs expanded, and it felt like he was going to be sick and vomit right in his mask.
Mask.
It felt very constricting now.
Zero latched his hands onto his mask and tried to claw it off when noises suddenly assaulted his senses and colors blocked his vision of that never ending sky. Grey, scarlet, yellow, and pink stared down at him and latched onto his arms, forcing them down.
The revolutionary didn't feel when his back finally met the smooth, cold concrete, nor did he acknowledge the words assaulting him and blending together into one chaotic mess.
"Everyone be quiet and shut up!"
Everything suddenly went deathly silent, and this time only one voice spoke. "Zero, are you there?"
That sounded like Shun and Yuto.
"I saw all of your duels, and I have to say that I am impressed with what I see." The air suddenly grew very tense, and even in his shocked state Zero knew who that was.
Swallowing his vomit, Zero forced himself to sit up and function. His exterior radiating nothing but a sense of collected cool, if only a little strained from the near death experience. Again. Everyone's eyes went to the masked man as he quickly touched his abdomen. Nobody heard the soft hiss emitted from Zero's mask as he calmly retracted his hand from the nasty bruise he now sported thanks to Yuri.
"I was wondering when you would finally show up." Zero's modulated voice broke through the tension. The revolutionary stood up on the solid ground with an exaggerated manner, and an air of charismatic nobility surrounded him. It looked like he wasn't even fazed by his brink with death, and a good chunk of people watched his fearless manner with awed enrapture.
This was what he was born to do. Never falter or trip, and keep moving no matter what.
Even if he his sense of morality, empathy and humanity, his sense of self was lost in the process. He had to keep moving.
"I'm rather glad to see you and your group have managed to survive this ordeal." Reiji Akaba spoke. His violet eyes boring down and studying each and every person that is still alive. "You've all proven yourselves worthy."
"Worthy?" Yuya raised an eyebrow with an agitated twitch of his eye. He wasn't happy in the slightest.
Sylvio looked up at Reiji with crossed arms and a smug smile. "Speaking of which, I've done what you've asked of me and disposed of those Academia creeps. Now I officially have an honorary spot in your team of Lancers."
"Lancers?" Gongenzaka repeated. Looking between Reiji and Sylvio with confusion. "What on Earth are you talking about?"
Now it was Sylvio's turn to be confused. "You mean he didn't tell you guys? This entire Battle Royale was a selection exam to see who would be worthy of joining the Lancers."
"Lancers?!" Yuya's mood darkened even more at the meaning. "You mean this entire tournament was for nothing?!" Yuya glared up at Reiji. "Because of you Michio and Teppei were-!"
"This tournament was not for nothing, Sakaki." Reiji spoke. Tone lowered dangerously at what the tomato haired teen was implying.
"The entire point of this operation was to see who would be strong enough to fight back against Academia." Zero spoke up this time. The disbelieving look on Yuya's face saying he couldn't believe the masked man was siding with Reiji. "Us from the Xyz Dimension resistance would then merge together with those left from Standard to form a stronger army of fighters that could challenge Academia."
"After we go to the Synchro Dimension to look for more allies as an added advantage of course." Reiji said whilst pushing his red glasses up his nose with one finger. "Isn't that right, Zero?"
Now it was Zero's turn to look at the CEO in bafflement. "Excuse you? I don't believe I agreed to this change of plans Akaba."
"Well, I only did just save your life." Reiji added in slyly, and that made Zero bristle all the more. "I believe I'm owed a debt, or shall we call it a favor?"
This got a rise from the other Xyz rebels. "You saved his life just to make him owe you a favor?!" Shun hissed between his teeth, yellow eyes glaring and challenging violet. "Fucking bastard."
But it was true, and nobody could deny that if Reiji hadn't acted Zero would have died today. The CEO of L.D.S having summoned his own monster D.D Cerberus to catch him. That was why the monster felt so fluffy and alive, because in a twisted sort of sense, it was.
Zero clicked his tongue in obvious distaste and disapproval. However, if the roles were reversed, he would have done the same thing. I can't use my geass without the others noticing… A clever play.
"I hate owing people favors or debts." Zero finally answered Reiji with forced respect and veiled hostility that did not go unnoticed by anyone. With a swish of his cape, Zero turned his back to the genius CEO and crossed his arms. "I'll play your game, for now, Akaba. Heading to the Synchro Dimension for more allies isn't too bad of a step in the wrong direction anyway. We would have most likely made our way over into that Dimension eventually if you look at the big picture."
Nothing made people more tense and uneasy than seeing two Alpha predators butting heads with each other and challenging the other for leadership.
"Now hold on a minute!" Yuya yelled and gathered everyone's attention. The Pendulum user's ire being directed towards Reiji mostly, but a hint of it was directed at Zero as well. "Operation? Allies? An army!?" Scarlet red eyes vibrated with silent fury that was brimming to surface. "You can't just… Just draft us into this war and use us like pawns in a sick game!" Yuya threw his arm back towards the other tournament survivors. "We have families here! We have lives that we just can't throw away like its nothing!" Yuya grit his teeth so hard it almost looked like they would break. "And because of this bullshit Michio and Teppei are dead! Yuzu is gone!"
"If you want to bring Yuzu back so badly then why are you complaining about the Lancers?" Reiji asked as he looked down to Yuya from his red glasses.
That wasn't the correct way to go as Yuya recoiled, but then lunged forward with a fist cocked back and directed for Reiji's face.
"Enough!" Zero slipped in between the two as easily as cooling water. One black gloved hand was directed at both boys, but his blank mask looked over at Yuya. The masked man caught Yuya's fist and forcefully pushed it down. "None of this arguing and squabbling will get us anywhere!"
Yuya stopped his advance, and looked into Zero's blank mask with a desperate expression. "But-! Zero!" Yuya pointed over to Reiji he as if he was a criminal. "None of this would have happened! People wouldn't have DIED if it wasn't for him!"
"You're right." Zero agreed simply, and that took some of the air out of Yuya's sails. He didn't expect Zero to actually agree with him. "It would have been much worse." Zero turned his back to the silent CEO and spoke loud enough for everyone to hear him. "Academia and Obelisk Force would have invaded this Dimension whether the Battle Royale was going on or not. Their objective was to capture Serena, Ruri, Yuto, Yuzu, you and myself. Both Reiji and I decided to create this Battle Royale for the Third Round of the tournament so the citizens of Miami wouldn't panic. MORE people would have become casualties, and Academia doesn't care to card children."
Even Sylvio looked horrified at the thought as all of the color drained from the Standard citizen's faces. "B-but Yuzu-!" Yuya began, but was interrupted once more.
"Will not be saved if we continue to fight amongst ourselves instead of taking action and DOING something." Zero interjected smoothly at Yuya's faltering attempts.
"It wasn't Reiji or Zero's fault at Yuzu's disappearance anyway." Serena finally spoke up. Her head averted from Yuya's stare as her forest green eyes looked at the ground in guilt. The runaway Academia soldier had a grip on the skirt Yuzu often wore. "If Yuzu was defeated and carded by Academia, or kidnapped as Zero believes, then the fault is mine."
"Speaking of which, who are you?" Gongenzaka added in. Everyone's attention now on the new strange girl that looked eerily like Ruri and Yuzu.
Aura pointed over at Ruri as a point. "And why do you look so much like her and Yuzu?"
In response, Serena put a hand on her chest and introduced herself. "My name is Serena Akatsuki. I was a duelist from Academia."
Dennis' eyes widened. "From Academia?! Then doesn't that mean you're the enemy?" Inside though, the Performage user wasn't too happy at Serena revealing herself. It only made things more difficult on his end.
Oh well. It wasn't like he was going to leave without gathering ALL of his targets anyway.
Sylvio sauntered over to Serena and cast a distrusting gaze towards her. "Why is the enemy here with us?! And in Yuzu's outfit as well!" The burnette clenched a fist. "Are you a spy!? Gathering information while pretending to be Yuzu!?"
Just as Sylvio was going to rail on the silent Fusion user some more, Tsukikage stepped in between and blocked Sylvio's view of her. "Don't go flying into conclusions, Sylvio." Zero's modulated voice spoke out again and gathered everybody on track. "If Serena even was a spy, which she isn't, then she wouldn't have revealed herself and put more watchful eyes on her back. No, she actually ran away from Academia to seek us out, the Xyz resistance. What Serena is looking for is answers to questions she's been asking for years."
"What Zero is saying is true." Reiji backed the masked man up, and having the two powerful leaders looking down on him caused Sylvio to back off. The two leaders challenging each other being put off to the side for now. "She is also being chased by Academia."
"Just like me." Zero pointed to himself. "Ruri. Yuto." The two averted everybody's sudden gaze. "Yuya and Yuzu." With each name he listed he pointed at them until he reached Yuzu's. "But back onto the topic of Yuzu Hiragi." Everyone could feel the revolutionary's eyes slide over to look back at Reiji. "If Yuzu really was taken by Academia. I'm sure our ally would be in more of an impatient fuss about it."
The entire group took a step back at the masked man's seemingly crazy words. However, Reiji only raised a fine eyebrow at what Zero was hinting at. "What exactly are you insinuating here, Zero?" Reiji pushed his glasses up his nose with one finger. Most certainly a reflex that was created out of habit.
He's lying.
"I'm implying that Yuzu wasn't kidnapped by Academia." Yuya's eyes widened as a small bit of hope began to rise. "You have eyes and ears all over the city Akaba." Zero began to explain as everyone remained silent. "Cameras everywhere." Nobody noticed Dennis give a very suspicious flinch at that revelation. "Its just in your nature to prepare for every contingency. Paranoia." Zero tipped his mask down just slightly. Light reflecting off of the scratched surface. "You would have seen Yuzu being taken by Academia. Yet you know of her importance as well, so you would have put a stop to it. Or at least tried." Zero stepped out from between the two rivals and focused his intense stare on to Reiji fully now. "So the real question is, where is Yuzu really?"
At the direct question, Reiji stayed silent. "You realize that what this newly forming team needs is strength AND trust, correct?"
"You also realize that what you just said is hypocritical in the fact that you are wearing a mask and hiding your face from all of us?" Reiji shot back instantly, and Zero didn't even flinch from the predictable dirty shot. Although it looked like Yuto and Shun would have tried beating Reiji up if it wasn't for Ruri's calm intervention. Yet even she see seemed to be angry as well, but it was more of the silent type.
"At least I went out into the battlefield and fought alongside my allies to prove myself. Gaining their trust through actions instead of just words." Zero fired at the CEO. The tension between the two was palpable at this rate, and Sylvio almost swore he could see it. "If the king doesn't lead, how does he suspect his subordinates to follow?" Zero quoted one of his favorite lines, and Reiji said nothing in return. Zero continued, knowing Reiji was trapped at this point. "If you want to start gaining everyone's trust. The best way to go about it is by telling the truth, and not roundabout half truths."
At this, Reiji actually gave a contemptuous snort. "Hilarious coming from someone like you." Zero said nothing. He didn't even bother to try and deny it, because everyone knew it was true. At the rather forceful silent prompt and incoming ire from more than half of the group of drafted Lancers, Reiji gave in. "If you must know, Yuzu Hiragi has not been taken by Academia, but instead she was taken by one of their lookalikes." The red scarfed individual pointed at Yuya and Yuto.
While everyone sagged with relief that Yuzu wasn't dead or taken to Academia they soon tensed up once again. Yuya and Yuto specifically wound up like a tightly coiled spring at Reiji's last words.
"One of us?" Yuto and Yuya's eyes looked at each other as they spoke at the same time.
"Okay. That was creepy." Sylvio pointed out. An involuntary shiver running down his spin at the sight of two lookalikes speaking the same thing at the same time.
"Then that means…" Yuya's eyes widened.
"Yugo took her-!?"
"Yuri got to her-?!"
Now Yuto and Yuya blinked and looked at each other with confusion. "Yuri? Who the hell is Yuri!?" Yuya broke out of the somewhat awkward and confusing silence first.
Yuto narrowed his grey eyes at Yuri's name. "He's the creepy bastard that almost succeeded in kidnapping Ruri." The Xyz user wrapped a protective arm around the Lyrical Luscinia duelist reflexively.
"He also looks like you and Yuto." Shun added with a dark scowl on his features. "Freak has been running around trying to kidnap Ruri and Zero at every single chance."
"Another lookalike?!" Gongenzaka exclaimed with disbelief.
"You've got to be kidding me! How many of you are there!?" Sylvio asked with both of his hands on his head in a freaked out manner.
"Four of each to be exact." Zero answered calmly. "But I believe I know where Akaba was heading before we got off track." The masked individual walked over to Serena, and politely guided her over to Ruri. Seeing the raised eyebrows at his actions. Zero grabbed ahold of each girl's wrist and lifted them to show their bracelets. "THIS is what the Professor of Academia is really after."
Dennis blinked down at the similar bracelets that were different at the same time. "Bracelets? Does he want to add to a collection or something?"
"If so then he's way too obsessed and needs to find a hobby." Shun spat irritably at Dennis' demeanor. It was too careless.
"No these bracelets have some form of power that even I am unfamiliar with." Zero continued on admirably. "There is a project called Revival Zero, and no this project does NOT concern me or my alias." Zero's blank mask stared down Sylvio in particular, who promptly closed his mouth and wilted away from the look. "The purpose of Revival Zero is unclear, as it only showed eight pictures and bare descriptions of the people in them." This time that blank mask looked at the counterparts. "Those pictures held four boy lookalikes and four girl lookalikes from childhood to now. They were about you four and your separate counterparts."
Everyone, even Reiji Akaba couldn't help but cringe in some form or way at the meaning. "While the girls have these bracelets I've noticed something about the boys." Zero released Ruri and Serena's wrists, and once again continued on with his rambling. It was best to have everyone informed on just HOW important these people were to everyone on the team. "Each boy has a dragon based on their Summoning Method. For example, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon both have their Summoning Methods in their name. I've also come to observe that you boys have some deeper, darker power that is released when under seemingly large amounts of stress or emotional distress. I've actually observed that phenomena much too close for my personal health on multiple occasions." Masked violet eyes stared into scarlet and uneasy grey. "Since you tend to lose yourselves and sense of humanity during these moments I've come to term it as a berserk state."
Gongenzaka cringed and Aura shivered at when they first saw that state. "You could definitely call it that." The Steadfast duelist muttered to the side.
"You say another counterpart to Yuya and Yuto took Yuzu?" Zero looked over at Reiji. The CEO giving a deft nod of confirmation. "Then I believe I know what happened."
"You do?" Yuya began to walk over towards the masked revolutionary when Yuto grabbed a tight hold of the Pendulum user's wrist to bring him back to where he was. "Hey!"
"You don't want to do that." Yuto stated seriously.
"Yuzu and Yuri, Yuya and Yuto's Fusion counterpart and top soldier in Academia, had a confrontation." Zero began, and immediately Serena became tense and swore under her breath. "It's most likely Yuzu lost, or was about to lose before somehow, someway, your Synchro counterpart Yugo stepped into the picture."
"Yugo?" Sylvio cocked an eyebrow along with most of the other people left out of the flow of information.
Zero ignored Sylvio and pressed forward. Instead he tapped Ruri's bracelet a few times. "That's when Yuzu's bracelet activated its power, and teleported Yuri away from the scene." Zero put a hand under his chin once again in thought. "However, if she wasn't teleported away as well then all of your bracelets have different abilities… Anyway. Yugo most certainly mistook Yuzu as his own Synchro counterpart and friend as Rin Kukiko." Zero raised a hand to stop Sylvio from speaking. "The fourth counterpart to the girls who was already kidnapped and taken to Academia. The two most likely talked, and then either you or Yuto came into close proximity and activated her bracelet." Zero's black gloved finger came to point at Yuya and then Yuto. "Thus teleporting Yugo and Yuzu away since Yugo must have been in direct contact with Yuzu at that moment. My guess is that they've been warped to the Synchro Dimension, which is also another reason why Akaba wants to go there right now instead of later."
Everyone blinked in the resounding silence from Zero's impromptu explanation. Before Sylvio broke it with his natural, dramatic style.
"Damn. He read you perfectly Akaba."
"So it may seem." Judging from Reiji's small frown, the CEO wasn't too happy about that. Being caught and read like an open book to a man with no face. No, the thought did not make him smile.
Seeing as Yuzu didn't SEEM to be in any true danger then. Yuya allowed himself to breathe a tiny sigh of pure relief before he went back to his interrogation. The Pendulum user was finally getting Zero to spill some answers, and he wasn't going to let this opportunity go to waste. "But why us?!" Yuya questioned once again, looking between Zero and Reiji this time. "Why the Junior Youth class?! Why did you make us fight this war of yours when you could have gotten help from the Youth class or Pros?"
This time is was actually Tsukikage who answered Yuya's question to everyone's surprise. "My brother Hikage had reported to me that we DID send out the Youth class." Blue eyes averted everyone's stare to look at the ground in mourning. "Unfortunately, he along with all expect one of the Youth class duelists were defeated, and turned into cards."
"They were wiped out?!" Dennis and Gongenzaka looked back at Tsukikage with shock. The Youth class was a tier above them for a reason, and they got wiped out?
"Yeah." Sylvio pointed to himself with his thumb. This time turning the spotlight to himself. "That's why yours truly was assigned to come out here and assist."
This was news to Zero. The masked teen tucked a hand under his chin in thought. "Hmm. That's not good."
"Not good is an understatement." Yuto ground out. If he was in Yuya's position on lack of information the Phantom Knights user would probably be acting the same way. Ruri put a comforting hand on his shoulder, and made sure to keep him close alongside Shun.
"In the end you all succeeded in fending off Academia just as I expected." Reiji brought everyone back to their original train of thought. "You people are truly our anti-Academia duel warriors!" Reiji extended his arms out towards them. "You should be glad. You've shown power that's worthy of the title Lancers."
"Screw the Lancers!" Yuya spat, irritated once again. "To be frank I don't even WANT to be apart of this Interdimensional war, nor do I want to join the Lancers." However, the tomato haired teen stopped his rant to take a deep calming breath before continuing in a much more collected manner. "However, I have no way of finding and rescuing Yuzu on my own. I simply don't have the resources or technology to travel Dimensions. So I find myself having no choice but to join if it means saving Yuzu and seeing her returned home safely once again."
Zero himself was surprised by this development. The revolutionary expected Yuya to become even more upset and even start a duel, but he instead took a step back and rationalize the situation.
Was this development because of the entire Battle Royale, or did an outside source effect the tomato haired teen. To be more specific, did Lelouch and his cold logic help Yuya to understand the situation instead of doing anything too rash?
The two leaders of the Lancers and their joint alliance looked at each other, and seemingly came to a silent agreement. "Alright then." Reiji turned his back to them all, and began to walk back to the L.D.S tower and stadium. His red scarf waving in the wind behind him. "I suppose we should get back to the waiting audience in the stadium and report the news."
With that said, everyone began to follow Reiji back towards the stadium chalk full of Miami City's people in tense silence. Some checking on their own wounds or others, but nobody dared to say a word to anyone they didn't comfortably know.
Unknowingly, Zero's masked violet eyes caught the entire situation, and he heaved a huge mental sigh. This is going to be a problem that needs to be solved quickly.
. . .
The sun was beginning to set by the time all of the survivors of the Battle Royale were gathered together in the middle of the huge stadium. There were fireworks, sparks, and the crowd was going nuts in excitement and cheering their vocal chords out.
However none of the actual contestants felt happy. The mood around them was actually very glum and depressing, yet nobody seemed to realize that and they continued to cheer.
"We're back with the Junior Youth Miami City Tournament! Our victors from the intense 24 hour Battle Royale have now returned to the L.D.S Center Court!" Nico Smiley gave his classic showmanship grin as he began to happily announce the tournament once more. The crowd cheered louder as the energy drummed around the stands. "Please welcome out remaining contestants with a rousing round of applause!"
An enormous spotlight flashed on, and underneath that light was the remaining contestants to the Battle Royale. Yet once people got a good look at the contestants, they immediately knew something was up.
Everyone except for Zero flinched under the harsh light suddenly blinding their vision, and had to blink a couple times to allow their eyes to adjust. The masked man doing nothing but crossing his arms and hiding his suit underneath his cape and intimidating aura.
Yuto and Ruri took a step behind their other two comrades. Both not enjoying the spotlight on them at all, and didn't want anyone to connect how similar they looked to Yuya and Serena even though it was near impossible to stop.
Yuya himself looked extremely depressed, and if Zero looked hard enough through the blaring lights he could make out how moist Yuya's scarlet eyes were. He was probably thinking about Yuzu. The others around them looking rather serious for becoming one of the 'finalists' in the Junior Youth tournament.
Sylvio however, instantly shot back around like a rubber band and began to enthusiastically wave back and make kissing gestures to the cheering audience.
Zero could also make out the Yusho Group cheering rather excitedly at the sight of Yuya, Gongenzaka, and 'Yuzu' still remaining in the tournament.
"Hey! What's Sylvio Sawatari doing down there?!"
"Isn't Sawatari a politician's son?"
"Oh, you mean that city councilman?"
"Using your father's influence? How dirty!"
"He must have stopped the live recording with some underhanded trick!"
That jolly smile on Sylvio's face twisted into a very angry frown as he started glaring at the crowd he was smiling for just a few seconds ago. The others in the contestant crowd looked at the now booing audience with varying emotions. Shun and Zero just glared right back at the people, not caring about them and their opinions in the slightest. Dennis was looking around nervously while Tsukikage had his eyes closed and arms crossed.
The jeering was promptly shut down when Sylvio strode forward, snatched Nico's golden mic, and yelled into the crowd. "ALL OF YOU SHUT UP! I didn't cheat my way here!"
Zero sighed, and just allowed his shoulders to sag a smidge were nobody would notice. Another sigh escaped his lips. "Sometimes I wish my plans would actually work out the way they're supposed to."
"I got a pass to participate in a revival round by going straight to Reiji Akaba! I'm standing here right now as a Lancer because I won and advanced!" Sylvio's greyish blue eyes almost seemed to stare down every single person in the crowd. "Don't you dare presume to think I would be so dishonorable as to cheat my way in! And don't you dare disrespect my father in front of me unless you want to get in trouble with yours truly!"
Now those boos and remarks turned into questions as a hush fell upon the crowd like a casted spell. "Lancers?"
"What's that?"
"What are 'Lancers?'"
Suddenly, Aura ran up beside Sylvio and spoke into the mic as well. Her arms waving frantically. "I-I Aura, am NOT a part of that! I'm not a Lancer-"
That's when the screen suddenly buzzed and switched to another screen. The video showing Himika Akaba standing in front of an L.D.S poster. "Apologizes for the sudden interruption, but as a representative of the organizer of this tournament, I have an important announcement to make for everyone here. Along with another one of our, representatives." The way Himika hissed that last word and cast a glare down towards a certain masked man proved she didn't like him in the slightest.
That's when Zero decided that enough was enough, and quickly stalked his way towards Sylvio. The burnette sensing the masked man's thinning patience, and quickly gave the mic to him without fuss before taking a step back towards the group alongside a frightened Aura. The Xyz resistance leader tapped the mic for a second, and gathered everyone's rapt attention so quickly you could actually hear a pin drop throughout the entire stadium.
Zero spoke in clear and crisp detail. "As of noon today, the Miami Championship is cancelled and will be discontinued."
Absolute instant outrage and chaos.
The crowd gawked at Zero's words. Some speaking in disbelief about how Zero was a representative or how he somehow started this whole thing to cancel the tournament. Most started to yell in anger and believed that Zero had pulled some strings behind all of their backs. The entire buzz and rage was so close to turning into an outright riot for Zero's head that security had to actually step in.
"Discontinued? Cancelled!? What do you mean cancelled!"
"I bet Zero did something to cause this! You can never trust a man who has no face!"
"I didn't spend my money to be forced to stay here and be bored for an entire day only to find out what I paid for in cold hard cash was 'discontinued'! This is bullshit!"
"BE QUIET!" Zero roared into the microphone. The sound of his modulated voice booming. Causing the speakers to give a shrill screech and almost blow from the exturted pressure. The crowd screamed in pain and shock, covering their ears at the sudden outburst.
The contestants, even the Xyz rebels, all looked to Zero, speechless. Not once did Zero yell so loudly or sound so enraged before. Even the remnants haven't heard him this angry.
It seems the Battle Royale has taken a bigger toll on him than previously thought or suspected, and the criticizing crowd had only made Zero go over the boiling point.
Zero straightened out and spoke calmly once again like he never yelled at the crowd that was frightened into silence. The irritated and coldly jaded aura coming from the masked man in waves was enough to silence any more harsh words or jeers. "Unlike what most suspect. I did not have a hand in this, and there are reasons as to why the Miami Championship is being discontinued." That was a lie of sorts, but nobody besides those with information really knew it. Nor did Zero necessarily care about the crowd surrounding him in this stadium. "In the midst of this Battle Royale, an opposing force invaded our world and interrupted our tournament. These invaders came from a place called Academia. They came from a Dimension beyond your imagination, and intend to wage war against your home. OUR home! Their vanguard, named Obelisk Force, advanced upon us with the intend to kill and card everyone in sight! They dared to use dueling and duel monsters as weapons, and attacked us with monsters summoned through the Real Solid Vision." Zero tilted his head to look up into the screen showing Himika. "That was why L.D.S decided not to show the broadcast of the Battle Royale in real time, so that the people of Miami City wouldn't panic. So that the people of the world would not devolve into mass paranoia and fear stricken fright. Correct?"
Himika gave a strained smile that no one but Zero himself noticed, and nodded. "Yes, that's correct, Zero." Icy blue eyes turned back to the crowd of Miami City citizens. "Please you must understand that what this vigilante is saying is true."
The term vigilante was a low blow at this moment in time, and it only served to cause more questions, confusion, and distrustful chaos within the crowd.
"Invaders?"
"What's this about another Dimension?"
"Using duel monsters as weapons!?"
"There's no way that's possible… Is it?"
"If you would like to see proof of what I say." Zero spoke politely, and did a quick gesture up towards the multiple screens showing him speaking. "Than watch the live footage, the proof of my words in these following segments." The revolutionary knew that no one would believe him, L.D.S, or Reiji if they didn't back it up with proof. That was another reason as to why the cameras stashed all over the city were a bonus in the masked man's efforts.
Zero knew Reiji had footage of the entire Battle Royale.
As expected, the screens fizzed out before showing an Obelisk Force member carding the three Knights of Duels. The cameras also made sure to zoom in on their terrified, carded faces to make sure everyone understood what had just happened.
"No!"
"Wha- What was that!?"
"Carded in an instant-!"
The crowd screamed in horror, and mothers and older siblings instantly reached over to block their younger children or siblings' eyes from the sight. The older people looking up at the screen with terror and grim frowns. Their eyes scrunched up as they forced themselves to watch all of the seemingly never ending footage.
Two certain students from L.D.S were looking up at the screens in shocked realization. Ruby red and light brown eyes looked at each other as Kit spoke up. Bandages from his last duel still covering his face. "Don't tell me that's why Dipper has been missing!?"
"Turned into a card, just like that?" Masumi frowned as the two realized their friend was gone and not coming back anytime soon. Her voice lighter than its usual steel.
"What you see is not a lie!" Zero yelled, and pointed up at the carded Knight of Duels. "This is reality! That is Academia's modus operandi! That is what they do, and that is the way they operate naturally! Don't try to lie to yourselves that what you just saw is fake, because it's not and people have fallen victim to such cruelty! Academia defeats their opponents in a duel, and then turns them into cards without mercy." The crowd wilted at Zero's speech, yet others were caught up in it and their anger and emotions grew. The masked man's charisma finally going to work once again. "They card everyone and everything in sight! Duelists aren't the only ones they chase for sport and fun! They go after women and children, children that are just as old as some of your own! People that you love and care for deeply like a sibling or lover! No one, not even newborns are safe because I myself have seen this atrocious act countless times first hand!"
"Can something like that really happen?" Tate spoke. His voice quaking and the grip on his second place trophy tightened.
"It's a joke, right?" Frederick spoke, for once not at all thrilled with this ordeal. Even Yoko, Yuya's mother, had a stern look on her face as the truth finally came out.
"They treat life as a hunting game!" Zero continued mercilessly himself. "They treat human beings as nothing more than rabid animals and dirt to hunt down and kill for a thrilling sport!" Finally, the revolutionary stopped to take a breath and let the people regather their thoughts for a moment. "However, you can put your worries to rest, for now. Academia and their sadistic lap dogs Obelisk Force have been repelled by everyone that you see standing here beside and behind me!" Zero extended a black gloved hand out towards his allies and other contestants. "Those who participated in the Battle Royale, we left no stone unturned and alleyway unchecked!"
Shun finishing off the enormous Battle Royale between the three Obelisk Force members with his Revolution Falcon appeared.
The crowd cheered in relief at the sight.
"Thank heavens!"
"That was great!"
"Awesome job you guys!"
"Did you see that?! They completely annihilated the enemy!"
Yuya and Yuto working together, and summoning Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon onto Yuto's field. The way Sora struggled against the enormous dragon's strength.
"Wait a second!" Shuzo leaned forward at the sight on screen.
"That's Sora!" Tate, Allie, and Frederick yelled at the same time.
"We fought back and protected Miami City! These are the heroes who helped save everyone here on this day!" Zero's words snaked their way into the hearts and souls of the crowd, and the people cheered loudly and gave their praises to these newfound heroes. "To all who stand beside me here in this stadium. All including myself shall be bestowed upon the title of Lance Defense Soldiers! We are the Lancers!" Zero threw his arms high into the air, and his cape rose up like a majestic dragon raising its wings.
The crowd went wild, fanatically nuts at the sight. The crowd cheered, and began to chant as one over to their saviors. "Lancers! Lancers! Lancers! Lancers!"
"Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!" Others also began to chant the masked man's name. The words Zero oozing out along the word Lancers. Sylvio, with another smile on his face, waved to the crowd once more. Soaking up all the attention like a dry sponge. While Yuya didn't look too happy with this development. His face showed steeled determination in rescuing and seeing Yuzu once again.
"Sora can't be the enemy!" Allie yelled over the cheering crowds, but only the Yusho group could hear her.
"That's right! Sora's one of us, and I refuse to believe that he could go so far as to card other people like a heartless monster!" Tate agreed with his red headed friend.
"But…" Tate and Allie looked to Frederick. "But Sora wasn't in the Battle Royale."
"Well." Allie smiled hopefully, but it looked somewhat strained. "Maybe he was a part of the revival round like Sylvio was."
"Oh! I wonder what Lelouch would think of this! He'd probably know who was speaking the truth at just a glance!" Frederick yelled with a pout and crossed his arms stubbornly. "I wish he was here!"
"Though we have averted this crisis for the time being. The threat of Academia still looms over all of us here around the world." This silenced the crowd in an instant. The people drew in a collective breath as one. "We won't know when the enemy will attack again. It could be tomorrow. A week from now. Maybe even a few hours!" The crowd cried out in fright at the mere words Zero was speaking. His modulated voice traversed over the entire stadium, and over the entire world. "In preparation for that, I encourage and ask those who can duel to hone your skills and grow even stronger so that you can stand up and protect the people you love!" Zero threw his arms out towards the crowd he was facing once again. "Become warriors that will stand up and fight with pride and honor to protect the weak! Become a knight for justice that cannot become corrupt and tainted like Academia!" The screen turned to a picture of L.D.S tower. "While we on the Lancers will go out and fight away from home! Those who stay will stand strong and defend your friends and families. L.D.S will provide the premises as well as the curriculum to become better as a duelist and as a warrior to defend your homes!" The crowd leaned forward from their seats as one. Lapping up Zero's words like a dog dying of thirst and in desperation to survive. "Those who become stronger and evolve in their skills as duelist may even become the next Lancer, and stand side by side with those you see before you today! You may become the next person in history to stand beside the beginning members of the Lancers!"
The crowd rallied together as one and boomed their support to even the heavens themselves within the clouds. Gods, demons, and warlords of all kinds turned their head and ears towards Zero's words that would rival the Devil's silver tongue and influence. "Join us, and you may become the next Lancer that stands side by side with us as a comrade to fight the noble and honorable battle!"
"The next Lancer, could be us?"
"Becoming a Lancer…"
"I want to become a Lancer!"
"Yeah! Where do I sign up!?"
Masumi clenched a fist, and looked over at Kit once again. "Becoming a Lancer… What do you think Kit?"
The L.D.S Synchro user turned to meet Masumi's eye, and gave a fanged smirk. "I'd say sign me up and let's get started." Kit turned his eyes back towards Zero. "Though even I have to admit, Zero has his way with words and the crowd."
"No kidding." Masumi's ruby eyes looked at the people of Miami City. Almost the entire crowd of people were standing and screaming their praises and exclamations to the world. Eyes shining and filled with pride among other emotions that Zero encouraged and wrapped them up in. "He's even got us going, huh?"
"I can't exactly lie and say no, can I?" Kit replied simply.
"The world is changing and going through a complete upevil." The screen advertising the Lancers fizzled out to show the CEO of L.D.S himself staring at the crowd with his calm violet eyes. "The peace we all knew yesterday is now a thing of the past. Dead and gone." His voice was steeled as he issued a word of caution to the enraptured audience from Zero's rallying speech. "Be aware that we are now entering an era of battle."
"War is not a game to take lightly." Zero agreed alongside Reiji. "People have lost their lives fighting valiantly for what they believed in. Some of the people within our own tournament sacrificed themselves so that we may move forward." The screen showed Michio, Teppei, and Hikage losing their duels and becoming cards through the brutality. "However, we will carry on their wills and wishes upon our own backs, and make sure to accomplish the goal of a peacefuller, gentler world." Zero spun around, one palm raised up towards the air as he addressed everyone in the stands. "A world where people will be kinder and gentler to even strangers, and in return those strangers will give kindness back!" That is Nunnally's dream, and I plan to fulfill it till my dying breath.
"From this day onward, L.D.S will be called the Lance Defense Soldiers! The organization that will rush to the front lines as our defense!" Reiji exclaimed boldly. The screen showing L.D.S' change in name.
"Our Lancers will not be alone, however, because I will fight alongside them!" Zero declared audaciously with a flare from his cape. "I will be beside our Lancers every step of the way, and I will fight until there is no enemy left to fight! Until the day has come where we can scream our triumph and victory towards the heavens and worlds themselves that we've won!"
Reiji stood up from his seat as well on the screen and raised a fist. "And I, Reiji Akaba, will be fighting alongside the Lancers you see before you as well!" The crowd ate it all up, and the Lancers' logo appeared on screen. "A Lancer wields their lance on horseback to break through enemy lines. We will eliminate the enemy by ALL means. This is a promise to not only Miami City, but to the entire world as well!"
The crowd lost their minds as the entire speech was finally over. Zero lowered the golden microphone, discreetly giving it back to Nico Smiley, and stared into the roaring crowd calmly. A masked smirk plastered on his clammy, pale, and blood soaked face. Soaking in the people cheering their throats raw and losing their voices.
"Lancers! Lancers! Lancers! Lancers!"
"Akaba! Akaba! Akaba! Akaba!"
"Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!"
. . .
It was about half and hour after the speech, and all of the newly called Lancers were inside the L.D.S tower. Zero and the other Xyz rebels left the tower quickly and without a word about where they were heading. Those belonging to L.D.S getting their temporary rooms arranged in order, or just calmly strolling around and completely processing what had just occurred in the span of 24 measly hours.
Yuya and his band of left over friends were about to make their way out of the tower to break the terrible news to Shuzo and the others. When Serena suddenly came forward to Yuya.
Scarlet eyes looked down at what Serena was presenting him when his eyes widened in shock at the sight of Yuzu's cloths.
"W-what-" Yuya began, but Serena cut him off completely before he could get started speaking.
"Thanks to Yuzu, I've seen Academia's true ugly colors." The runaway Academia soldier explained quickly, her forest green eyes truly conveying how sorry she felt for everything Yuya was going through. The Fusion user having changed into a long red jacket, white and black shirt, and white shorts. "I managed to have a quick conversation with Zero and Shun, and what Yuzu said happened in the Xyz Dimension was true." The girl looked absolutely horrified at that moment. Her entire body shaking at the life altering news that still slammed into her like a freight train.
Yuya looked down at Yuzu's clothes before looking back up at Serena with some sort of understanding and forgiveness. "It must be hard… Realizing that what you've been fighting for and believing in most of your life has been wrong. That what you've been told is a lie."
Serena grit her teeth and clenched her fists. Eyes glaring down into the ground like she could destroy it. "We spoke of justice when, in reality, we committed countless terrible atrocities and sins that I'm absolutely ashamed to be apart of!" Reiji watched in the background silently, violet eyes narrowed emotionlessly. "If Yuzu was actually captured by Academia, because we all know it's still a possibility despite what Zero thinks... I promise to give it my all to rescue her." Forest green eyes narrowed in determination. "She gave me a chance to see the truth, and in return I'm going to help your efforts and save her! As one of the Lancers, I'm going to fight Academia as well!"
With that out of the way, Serena turned on her heel and began to walk back with Reiji to her newfound quarters.
Yuya looked over at Serena's fading frame, before looking at Yuzu's clothes one more time and turning around to leave the L.D.S tower. Gongenzaka and Aura looking at Yuya with sympathy, and followed to help break the news.
. . .
It was horrible.
Yuya never felt this horrible in his entire life, and he went through a lot since his father up and vanished three years ago.
Yet, seeing the look of pure agony on Shuzo's tear stained face as he tightly hugged Yuzu's cloths carved a hole into his heart and soul. That was the look only a father or parent losing their beloved child they held in the center of their universe could express.
"I-I'll go to!" Shuzo's protective, fatherly instincts kicked into overdrive. The principal of Yusho Duel School lunging onto his only hope of reuniting with his daughter, which was Yuya. "Where is it?! Where is Academia! Please! I need to know, so tell me now!"
Yuya looked into Shuzo's desperately pleading eyes, his own scarlet ones dim and lacking their cheery excitement. "I- That- That's impossible…"
"What's impossible about that?!" Shuzo yelled back, and Yuya could only clench his teeth at the sight. It was hard enough to not break down as it was, and Shuzo cries of a parent losing their child only made it ten times more difficult. "I used to be a Pro duelist! I'll grab the culprit, beat them to a pulp, and then save Yuzu-!"
"Y-Yuzu is…" Yuya averted his eyes towards the ground that showed the sun's setting glow. "She's in another Dimension." Yuya looked back up to see Yoko and Shuzo's eyes. "That's why we Lancers are going."
Fredrick wiped his eyes, but the tears still kept flowing down his cheeks. "W-Who cares about the stupid Lancers when you couldn't even protect one of your own?" Fredrick grabbed ahold of Yuya's clothes, and beat a soft harmless fist against Yuya's chest as he cried into the clothing. "W-What kind of hero are you?!"
"If you were with Yuzu, then why?!" Allie sniffled. Her own tears starting up and run down her reddened cheeks. "Why did this happen?" At the side, Tate was covering his eyes with an arm while the other shakily held his trophy.
Winning second place didn't seem worth it anymore without everyone here.
Yuya could do nothing except look down and watch Frederick and Allie shed their tears. His own scarlet eyes once again moistened, and shedding a few tears of his own as the guilt and pain gnawed away at his heart mercilessly.
Aura furrowed her eyebrows at the children. "Darling didn't know that Yuzu was taken!"
Her other attempts at covering for Yuya were stopped by Gongenzaka. "Stop!"
"But-!" Aura turned her apple green eyes towards Yuya's only childhood friend left.
"Understand how Yuya must feel." Gongenzaka stated, and both friends looked at Yuya solemnly. The two being unable to comfort the tomato haired teen in this moment and time.
"But…" Aura looked down at ground sadly. The Steadfast Synchro user put a huge hand on the smaller girl's shoulder, and both turned around and began to walk back to their own homes.
"What would Lelouch say to this, Yuya!" Fredrick sobbed louder, but had finally stopped punching Yuya's chest and gathered better control of himself. "I-I'm sorry for hitting you."
Yuya only gave a sad smile, and roughed up Fredrick's hair fondly. "It's fine Fredrick. You're just as upset about this as me." The Pendulum user's eyes scanned the familiar faces one more time, before his eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Hey, Frederick." Yuya grabbed ahold of each of Frederick's shoulders and directed his gaze up towards Yuya's own. "Where IS Lelouch?"
Frederick gave one last sniffle, before tilting his head to the side and looking at Yuya with confusion. "Didn't you know? Lelouch said he couldn't make it to the stadium, so he stayed in his hotel for the entire Battle Royale."
The words took a minute to process, but when they did Yuya's eyes shrunk and his voice rose up into a shout. "Wait! You mean Lelouch was never in the stadium!? He was running around the city during the Battle Royale alone!?"
This caught the attention of both Aura and Gongenzaka. The latter of whom was actually walking away with his father when they heard. The two men turned to see Yuya's frightened expression. Aura, the Fortune Telling duelist having been walking home on her own, realized Yuya's words and ran back to aid her Darling.
Gongenzaka turned his eyes towards his father and bowed his head deeply in respect. "I'm sorry father, but I'm afraid this situation will have to come first before our conversation. A dear friend of mine and Yuya's could be in dangerous trouble."
The father of Gongenzaka only nodded his head in stern understanding, before pushing his son forward. "Then go my son, and lend your old friend your aid. Our conversation can wait until later tonight." The Synchro user and heir to his father's Duel School needed no further encouragement, and his stone sandals hit the ground loudly as he rushed back towards Yuya.
"Are you sure he wasn't in the stadium?" Yuya asked his mother and Shuzo this time.
Yoko shook her head. "He said he couldn't make it. Was too overloaded with work from his father's business to make it."
Shuzo extended his duel disk to show Yuya something. The principal handing Yuzu's clothes to Allie to hold momentarily. "He even texted us about it, see?"
"Apologizes for dampening your mood, but I'm afraid I won't be able to make it to see the Battle Royale in the stadium. I've been getting flooded with more work recently since I'm almost old enough to take over my father's company, so I have to work. I know you all were excited about this, and I hope the news doesn't put a sour note into your day.
Tell Yuya, Yuzu, and Gongenzaka I said good luck.
-Lelouch Lamperouge"
Gongenzaka and Aura came over just in time to read Lelouch's last message. "This was posted yesterday." Gongenzaka observed, and looked Shuzo in the eyes. "Did Lelouch send anymore texts since the beginning of the Battle Royale or throughout it?"
Shuzo gave the three a confused glance, before scrolling through his text messages for a moment. "No. That's the last text he sent. Why do you ask-?" Shuzo's question died out in his throat as he watched Yuya, Gongenzaka, and Aura sprinting away as fast as they could. The principal turned his head towards Yoko, and gathered Yuzu's clothes from Allie. "What do you think that's about?"
Yoko's stare never left her child until they were out of view. "I'm not sure, but judging from Yuya's face before he ran it can't be anything good."
"You don't think Lelouch is in any danger, do you?" Tate looked between the two adults in worry.
The only answer he got was silence as they all looked over to where they last saw Yuya and the others.
. . .
Please. Please don't let it be so. Oh please please please. First Yuzu, but it can't be Lelouch to! Yuya thought frantically as he sprinted as fast as his legs could carry him towards the huge hotel that Lelouch temporarily lived in. Even Gongenzaka and Aura were losing him the tomato haired teen was going so fast. Yuya was only a green and red blur.
Finally, after it felt like ages were his stomach had turned into an endless blackhole of emotions, Yuya pushed the door to the side harshly and ran to the front desk. The lady at the front desk looking up at the loud bang the doors gave in startled shock. However, when she saw Yuya Sakaki running towards her she gave a calmer smile.
"Why hello there. What can I do for you today?" The lady spoke charmingly.
Yuya paid it no mind and went straight to the point. "Where is Lelouch Lamperouge's room? I'm a friend of his and I need to know that he's alright."
The lady said nothing at first, and gave Yuya a strange look. "Lelouch Lamperouge? I'm afraid that I don't-" The receptionist blinked. Her eyes widening before they returned to their calm gaze. The lady's posture relaxing completely before she droned on. "Top floor. Room 486. If you have any questions or want anything be sure to call Room Service. Otherwise have a nice day." At this rate the sun had set completely.
"Thanks." Yuya thanked the receptionist naturally, and ran over to the elevator. Never noticing the red rings surrounding the girl's eyes. The teen pressed the button to call the elevator when the sign above it glowed to say it was out of order. "Damn." Yuya bit his bottom lip for a moment, before he saw the emergency stairway and began to make his long way up on foot. The Pendulum user bolting up the steps at two sometimes three at a time.
By the time he finally made it to the top Yuya was breathing raggedly and it felt like he was going to pass out. The Pendulum user leaned against the hallway wall to take a quick break and a chance to breathe.
His eyes wandered the hall, and they immediately strayed to the door that was kicked off of its hinges. Wood splintered and a chunk of the wall having been taken out by what looked like claws.
This time Yuya really did slump down to the carpeted hotel floor. "No."
Once the Pendulum user had gathered up his wits and enough strength. Yuya pushed himself off of the ground and tentatively walked into Lelouch's room.
It was demolished, and utterly ransacked.
"No. No. No. No. No." Yuya breathed under his breath. The words slowly dying out in his throat, and Yuya had to stop himself from falling by leaning on the doorway to breath. His scarlet eyes wandered through the room that belonged to his friend, hazily taking everything in.
A breeze entered through the wall sized window that was shattered. Pieces of glass scattered across the ruined kitchen and living room of the penthouse, and the wind carried it further across the ruined room. The enormous black leather couch was clawed and tipped over on the side. Stuffing leaking out from the furniture and covering the area alongside the smashed in coffee table that was at one time tipped up to make a temporary shield. The wall separating the kitchen and living room was brought down with a huge hole, the big dining room table splintered apart with utensils scattered everywhere.
The popsicles Lelouch had taken from the school lay in a melted puddle beside the ruined fridge.
The huge plasma TV had a bunch of cracked glass spiralling from the center. The plastic and glass cracked down as if someone was thrown into it. A huge mark showed where the TV made contact with the wall before it collapsed.
"L-Lelouch?" Yuya finally got control of his voice and cleared his throat to call out for his raven haired friend.
Hesitantly, Yuya stepped over the glass and splinters that crunched under the soles of his shoes. The tomato haired teen craning his neck to look down the hall holding the multiple rooms, bathrooms, and other things a rather rich person would want in their penthouse. An enormous bed was raised up to block off the last couple of rooms down the end of the hall, but there was still one room that also had its door kicked in. The door managing to stay on one hinge, and squeaked loudly as it swayed from the wind rushing into the ransacked room.
"Lelouch?" Yuya called out once again, and carefully walked to the entrance of the room. It was in just as bad of a condition as the living room and kitchen. The bed over thrown to the side blocking the closet. The tables and shelves in the room broken and destroying anything on it. The bathroom attached to the room had its mirror thrown out and shattered against the floor. While the bedside desk's drawer was forcefully opened and discarded on the floor as well.
"Lelouch? Please answer me! It's Yuya!" Yuya called out for his friend again. Walking back out of the room on shaky legs and a sick feeling in his stomach. His body moved on its own until it looked out of the broken window and down towards the wandering citizens of Miami City below.
His ears and senses didn't acknowledge Gongenzaka and Aura finally catching up to their friend until Gongenzaka put a hand on his shoulder. Aura having gave an audible gasp, and covering her mouth in horror as she looked around the demolished room that once belonged to Lelouch Lamperouge.
"He's not here. Is he." Gongenzaka spoke quietly, somewhat sternly.
It wasn't phrased as a question.
Yuya shook his head numbly, his scarlet eyes still looking out of the window. "No. I couldn't find him." Finally, Yuya tore his eyes away from the window to look at Gongenzaka. "You don't think that they- That Obelisk Force- Academia." Yuya took a deep breath, looked at the window one more time, before looking back at his friend. "You don't think they pushed him out of the window, do you?"
Gongenzaka's eyes widened at the mere thought of what Yuya just said. "Yuya-! No!" His grip tightened on the smaller form of Yuya Sakaki, and shook him as if to banish the thought. "Even they aren't so cruel as to push a teenage boy out of a window to his demise! They would have carded him, or maybe taken him captive like they attempted to do with Yuzu."
Yuya's eyes watered. "But it feels like everyone I know and care about is vanishing! All because of Academia and this damn Interdimensional War!" Yuya yelled, catching Aura's attention. The Ritual user meticulously putting a shard of shattered glass back down onto the ground while looking up at Yuya with silent pity.
"Darling…"
Tears started to pour down Yuya's face and dripped down his cheeks towards the ruined and scratched hotel floor. "First it was Michio and Teppei! Then Yuzu." Yuya wiped his eyes, but more tears replaced the others. "Now Lelouch is gone and I didn't even get the chance to say goodbye to any of them! I didn't get to say goodbye to Lelouch! And I didn't get to tell Yuzu how much I care about her before she was gone to!" Scarlet eyes met Gongenzaka's saddened ones. "For all I know you'll go missing next to!"
"That's not going to happen. Look up at me, Yuya." Yuya did as he was told, and his watery scarlet eyes looked up into the steeled ones of his friend. "I'm a part of the Lancers, and we're a team that'll work together and stick even closer. You wouldn't allow me to lose myself as I wouldn't allow you the same. We'll be there for each other. As a Lancer we'll fight together and rescue Yuzu and find Lelouch together." Gongenzaka gave a big grin and held his fist out for a fist bump. "How does that sound?"
Yuya stared at the offered fist, before wiping away his tears for a final time and giving a nice smile and fist bumping with his childhood friend. "You're right, Gongenzaka. We're Lancers now as much as I don't really like to admit it. But I'll accept it with pride and honor. For Yuzu and Lelouch along with Michio and Teppei."
Seeing the atmosphere return to something more light hearted, Aura entered the conversation. The three stewing on what could have possibly happened here to have Lelouch gain Academia's eye.
They didn't see the group four staring at them from across a rooftop, nor did they see them retreat towards the L.D.S tower. The one leading the way having their cape waving behind them.
. . .
"You sure you got everything from the hotel?" Shun asked one more time.
Ruri sighed. "For the tenth time, YES Shun. I did get all of my things." Pink eyes looked forlornly at the setting sun from the rooftop beside L.D.S tower. "It's not like I had many things to take with me in the first place."
"We won't be going back there." Zero stated sternly. "The place has been compromised."
"How did they discover where we were staying?" Yuto asked. The Phantom Knights user carefully checking his small head wound and hesitantly poked at the tender area. "It's not like we waved a huge flag and announced it to the entire world."
"I think I have an idea." Shun spoke up once again. His lips were pursed and his head tilted away from the group.
"And?" Ruri spoke up since Shun wasn't saying anything else.
Shun bit his cheek before deciding to speak. "During Yuya's duel during the second round and Yuto started going berserk." The group stiffened at the reminder of that day. "I rode on Raidraptor Rise Falcon over to our room… Someone from Academia saw Rise Falcon and followed it over to the hotel, and then they reported that to Obelisk Force."
"Shit." Yuto hissed from both his wound and the situation. "By the time the Second Round of the tournament began Sora was already back at Academia, so it couldn't have been him that spilled our location."
"So there's another spy around here in Miami City." Zero grumbled irritably. He was exhausted, wounded, and hungry, but work didn't give him any time to rest. "We'll have to report this to Akaba tomorrow. For now, you guys should go get patched up and recuperated for tomorrow." Zero turned away from the L.D.S tower and began to step towards the edge of the rooftop.
He kept his gaze firmly away from the ground.
"And where exactly do you plan on going, Zero?" Ruri put her hands on her hips as she stared into Zero's back. The masked man himself feeling her eyes boring into his back. "Let's not forget that you're injured as well. You also have to be tired and starving from this 24 hour Battle Royale."
"I'm fine."
"Tell that to us when you don't yell at the crowd in pure rage." Shun snapped sarcastically. "Even we have never seen you so pissed until then." Yellow eyes narrowed. "It's certainly a first."
"I only let my emotions get ahead of me in that moment." Zero countered stiffly. His voice showing that the revolutionary wasn't going to budge on this. "Now I'm ordering you three to go back to L.D.S tower to rest and recuperate. I'll join you three later. I shouldn't be long."
The three Xyz rebels behind him exchanged looks. Yuto decided to stand up first and make his way to the hotel. "You make us take orders at the weirdest moments. You know that Zero?" Ruri helped Shun to the tower after Yuto. "Just be sure to be extra careful. Who knows if that spy is watching us even now."
"Rest assured that I'll be fine. Unlike some I can take care of myself perfectly fine." Zero walked over to the fire escape outside of the building, and began to descend. His words almost being lost on the wind. "I'll be going in disguise anyway, so Academia can't identify me if they've never seen my face."
. . .
"Poor Darling. He must be feeling so much stress and pain right now." Aura sighed heavily as she made her way towards the front gates of her Duel School. "I wish I could help him somehow."
The Ritual user walked a few more feet towards the door. Her apple green eyes were looking at the ground glumly, before they snapped up and recognized that someone was leaning on the side of the gate with their arms crossed.
"What the-" Apple green eyes narrowed towards the tall teenage boy at the gate. "Who are you and what are you doing here?!" The girl grabbed her duel disk and activated it incase this was an Academia soldier.
"Relax." The teen spoke. His voice was smooth as silk as he pushed himself off of the gate and directed his violet gaze towards Aura.
"You're-" Aura's eyes widened in shock as she took in the boy's looks. Raven black hair that covered his left violet eye. Tall, lanky and skinny frame. Dark red jacket with a black shirt and black jeans. She saw this person somewhere before. To be more exact, Aura saw him during Yuya's duel with her before the tournament. "You're Darling's friend! Lelouch!"
Lelouch gave a charming smile down at the girl that made Aura shiver. "I'm glad to see that you've remembered me, Aura."
Aura's smile brightened. "I'm so glad you're okay! Do you have any idea how worried sick Darling has been because you've gone missing during the Battle Royale! You're hotel room was utterly destroyed! We all thought you were taken or killed by Academia!" The Ritual user quickly put away her duel disk and grabbed hold of Lelouch's hand. "Oh we need to go see Darling! He'll be so happy to see that you're alright and safe!"
Yet, when Aura tried to drag Lelouch away. He didn't budge.
In fact, Lelouch wasn't even moving an inch.
Aura stopped tugging on Lelouch's wrist and released him. Her apple green eyes looking up into the raven haired teen's own violet one that wasn't covered by his hair. "Lelouch? Are you alright?" It was only just now that she noticed how scuffed up and dirty he looked. The close friend to her Darling keeping his weight off of one leg while there was dried blood running down his left cheek. "Oh my God! What happened to you?!"
"Oh of course I'm fine. Sorry to worry you, Aura. It's just…" That raven black hair parted to reveal a glowing bloody red eye. Aura stared up at him with skittish confusion. "I need you to do me a favor… and teach my how to Ritual Summon."
The glowing red sigil of a bird in flight consumed Aura's vision, and after that all she could remember and see was black. The girl later waking up in her bed at her Duel School.
. . .
Shoes clinked loudly down the empty hallway as Zero confidently strolled through the building as if he had built it himself. The man's posture was as straight as a rod and his cape calmly following behind him at his current pace.
Zero stopped at the intersection of hallways. The masked man was currently near the top of the L.D.S tower. The full moon hanging high in the air with stars glistening behind clouds and the bright lights of Miami City.
Zero turned his blank mask up towards a small, nearly unnoticeable camera that was staring right back at him emotionlessly.
The revolutionary huffed, and began to quickly make his way through a few more hallways before coming to a halt in front of a giant door.
Without waiting for anyone, Zero promptly banged his gloved fist against the metal in the form of a loud knock.
He didn't have to wait long, because almost instantly the door was thrown open and Zero came face to mask with a scowling L.D.S bodyguard.
"Whoever you are you can just fu-" Nakajima stopped his enraged yelling once his eyes finally recognized Zero's sleek looking mask. The blank surface reflected his own face staring at him silently. The bodyguard slumped his posture just a smidge at the sight. "Oh. It's you." The bodyguard narrowed his eyes in distrust towards the masked man. "What do you want right now? Can't you see how late at night it is now. Just wait until the morning."
Nakajima went to close the door. When Zero's foot quietly wedged itself in between and prevented the door from being shut. "I don't exactly appreciate the manners I am being given. We are allies, and therefore I expect Reiji's top bodyguard to be more refined than this."
The bodyguard clicked his tongue to keep his words in check. "Whatever, what is it that you want Zero? I'm rather busy at the moment, so I don't have much time to spare passing casual words with a masked man."
"There is another Academia spy roaming around somewhere in Miami City. I believe I know who it is." Nakajima choked on his own spit for a second at Zero's blunt news.
"What the- The hell do you mean there's another spy?!" Nakajima yelled angrily at Zero.
"I'd prefer to speak about this in a more private area before we dive even deeper into the important subject." Zero replied coldly.
The bodyguard rolled his eyes behind his shaded glasses, before opening the door all the way and allowing Zero entrance into his own temporary living quarters. "Fine. Whatever. This room has no cameras or recording devices in it so just get in so we can talk. Akaba isn't in the tower at the moment so I'm afraid I'll have to refer the news to him once we finish this discussion."
"Thank you, I appreciate it." Zero spoke eerily calm, and acted way too aware of his surroundings at this time of night and for being awake for so long. The door shut with a click, and Zero suddenly spun around to face Nakajima once again. The bodyguard acting on reflect and pulling out the stun gun he had on himself at all times.
However, the action seemed rather unnecessary and embarrassing as it turned out to just be a file full of papers.
Zero tilted his head to the side, observing Nakajima's behavior. "You seem to be a bit on edge around my presence. Perhaps it's because I'm wearing a mask?"
Nakajima ignored Zero, and pushed his way through to a desk that had its light turned on. The bodyguard sat down on a rolling chair and opened the folder. The sight of a teen with raven black hair and violet eyes greeted him, and the bodyguard gaped at the familiar face.
"L-Lelouch Lamperouge!?"
In his disbelief, Nakajima took his shades off and instead put on a pair of glasses to read what Zero had compiled about the boy.
"It's rather convenient that this boy turned up beside Yusho Duel School's doorstep just a few days after Sora, isn't it?" Zero spoke, but it was mostly to himself since Nakajima was too wrapped up in reading the file. The masked man gave a modulated sigh. "It's rather obvious that he's a spy as well since they're no files on him in this Dimension."
"It does seem to fit." Nakajima agreed with the masked revolutionary in a murmur. His eyes speeding through the words quickly, and his attention still focused on the file. The bodyguard furrowed his eyebrows. "But something doesn't feel quite right about this."
Zero chuckled. The sound much more creepy and robotic than human, yet Nakajima brushed it aside to finish his reading. There wasn't much on the boy after all. "You're the type of person that follows their gut instincts, aren't you?"
A loud hiss filled the air that caught Nakajima's attention.
"Perhaps that's why you're such a good bodyguard." Zero spoke. His voice smoother than the Devil's own without that modulator blocking the way.
Nakajima snapped his eyes up to meet the single violet orb that belonged to Lelouch Lamperouge. The L.D.S bodyguard was so shocked he didn't realize his mouth was agape and that he had dropped the file. The papers spilling all over the floor. "Zero- Le- You're- Lelouch-!"
"Yes. I am Zero." Lelouch Lamperouge gave a devilish smirk as he brushed his raven black hair out of his bloody left eye. "And as Zero, I order you to obey my orders."
"Your eye-!" Nakajima stiffened in his seat, before slumping against it and asking in an almost mechanical voice. "Whatever you want, sir."
Lelouch replaced his devilish smile for a frown as he looked down at Nakajima. He just couldn't keep up that smile when he was so exhausted. "You will proceed to develop Pendulum, Fusion, Synchro, and Ritual Monster cards, Traps, and Spells for my Xyz allies. You will also develop Ritual Summoning cards for my own Deck of monsters. Once you have finished that you will send me anything that is of importance on Reiji Akaba, L.D.S, Academia, and those around him to my duel disk." Nakajima nodded. "Once you have finished with all of this you will then erase any footage or trail leading people to become suspicious of you or myself. You will also keep me updated with what Reiji is doing. If HE notifies you of something, then you notify ME of it, got it?"
Nakajima gave a stiff nod. "Yes sir."
"Good." Lelouch squinted his eyes as they began to water. "You will forget having ever met me tonight, and head to bed before waking up in the morning."
"Yes sir." Lelouch released his grasp from Nakajima, and put on his mask once more. The bodyguard got up, and stiffly made his way over to another area that most likely was his bedroom to head to bed.
Zero grabbed the papers consisting of his alter ego meticulously, and quickly made his way out of the room. The same stride he had going on before never faltering. "One more thing to do, and then I can finally rest."
If he could even find it.
. . .
"Yuto. I need to speak with you alone for a moment."
Grey eyes blinked dazedly. Yuto looked up to see Zero looking down at him from the couch. Shun went to bed a while ago. His injured ribs exhausting him to where he didn't even complain and just went to sleep. Ruri was laying beside the Xyz rebel and sleeping lightly while the TV was buzzing on to their left.
Yuto furrowed his eyebrows, before giving a soft nod and slowly getting up. "Hey Ruri, I'll be right back for a moment. I need to use the bathroom."
Yuto's whispers reached Ruri's ear, and she gave a mumbled response while Yuto carefully adjusted her on the new couch in L.D.S. The Phantom Knights user carefully tucking a blanket on top of the love of his life. Once completed, Yuto quickly brushed his black and lavender hair up with his fingers and followed the masked man into his own room.
Yuto closed the door behind himself quietly, so as not to disturb anyone else. The rebel brushed himself off and rubbed his grey eyes before looking up at Zero. "What do you need Ze-"
Yuto's arm that was rubbing his eyes went slack alongside his jaw as he looked at Zero. "W-What the- Zero- You're mask-!"
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't wake the others, Yuto." Zero spoke softly. His voice almost unable to reach Yuto's ears, but once it did Yuto shut his mouth with a click. "Thank you."
At this moment in time, Zero had his back turned from Yuto. The leader's mask having been discarded on the bed that belonged to the unmasked revolutionary. The high collar of Zero's cape being the only thing preventing Yuto from seeing his leader's identity.
"Zero." Yuto spoke quietly. The situation and atmosphere making the teen whisper. Why did he feel a sense of dread? "You're mask."
"You don't have to worry about it." Zero spoke once again. This time more confidently and less shaky. The Xyz leader that couldn't be older than Yuto himself shook. Trembled from within his caped suit. "I've been thinking about a few things lately ever since the Battle Royale ended." The teen's voice shook as well. Like he was bottling his emotions within himself.
Yuto cast a concerned gaze at his masked friend. "And?.. Are you alright, Zero?" Zero stilled. His back still to Yuto as if he didn't want to entirely go through with this. "If this is about revealing your identity. Then it's okay." Yuto averted his gaze even though it was extremely difficult. "You don't have to if you're this worried and stressed about it. Just seeing the attempt is enough for me. Besides, Shun and I have already heard your voice before."
"No." Zero spoke up firmly once again. His posture straightened and his shoulders set back. "This is something I have to do. No matter how much I hate it."
Now Yuto looked back at his unmasked leader with confusion. "Hate it? Why would you hate it?" Grey eyes looked over at Zero with rising concern. "A-Are you sure you're alright, Zero?"
Meanwhile, Lelouch stared down into his own reflection emotionlessly through a small handheld mirror that was on the table stand in front of him. Even though his body shook along with his voice. Lelouch's face held and revealed nothing. "No." A small smile finally graced Lelouch's face. "No. I'm not okay."
"Well then, what's wrong? Do you need anything? What can I do to help?" Yuto took a step closer, and tried to crane his head around to see if Zero was injured.
Lelouch stared back into his own face passively.
Into his left eye that held his geass now run rampant.
.
.
.
Silence.
Lelouch gave one huge, stuttering sigh before he finally spoke again. "I'm so, so sorry for what I'm about to do to you Yuto. I truly, deeply am."
Yuto's eyes widened as that feeling of dread pooled in his stomach. The Xyz user took a single step back. "Zero? What's going on?"
"If it had been under different circumstances. I probably would be revealing my identity to you right now." Lelouch glared into his own reflection momentarily until it turned passive once again. "Unfortunately, I find the fact that this failsafe is necessary for not only myself, but for you and everyone else as well." Finally, Zero turned around to face Yuto directly. Yet his eyes were blocked by his raven black hair. Yuto's eyes widened. "I hope- No. I pray. That if you do remember this… I hope you'll find somewhere within your heart to forgive me for betraying your trust after everything we've gone through."
Yuto had his back on the door now. One hand grabbing ahold of the door knob as his body tensed to run. Yet his grip slackened at the sight of Zero's face. Short, smooth and straight black hair. An angular face and frown that would make many girls swoon. Yet, what Yuto really noticed was the single drop of blood that ran down Zero's left cheek, and dropped onto his very damaged suit. "What're you-"
"I'm so sorry Yuto." Zero lifted his head to look Yuto in the eye. His mismatched violet and red eyed gaze staring into Yuto's frightened own. Yuto's entire frame shaking without him even realizing it. "I'm so very sorry."
Yuto's vision was completely engulfed in red.
.
.
.
. . .
I can never take this mask off again.
Tears. All I know is tears. ;-;
That's it for Chapter 27, and it ended on such a horribly sad note. 38 pages and around 15,500 words. I feel so sad. Poor Yuto and Zero. His geass has finally lost control and run rampant. Then he went on a geass spree. I also skipped a few duels. Particularly I skipped Reiji and Yuya's second duel and Yuya's duel with his mother Yoko. I'm sure it's mostly because I didn't feel like typing it down, and I wanted to do something different. I wanted to show that Lelouch's presence affected Yuya with a better ability to think in emotional situations. Also Yuri is now my favorite Yu-gi-oh Arc-V character. No ifs ands or buts about it.
Zero's plans aren't stopping there. He has one more mission up his cape before we head over to the Synchro Dimension.
Until then leave a REVIEW, favorite, and follow the story!
Let's see what'll happen in Chapter 28. Sayonara! -MoonlightWright
