D'Sceptre Inc. is back with a brand new chapter of ASPECT, folks, and this one has more twists than a screwdriver in a Gurren Lagann piercing through a toilet drain.

Main character's getting her Dueling chops in today, one of the canon protag's gonna have a crisis of conscience, and the Duel Spirits do them some world-building. Let's begin, shall we?

?/DYSTOPIA OF DESIRE/?

Trudge was the first to touch feet upon the cobbled ground of the planet. Wildly looking around, the officer could only see obsidian below his line of sight and white skies above it. "JACK! AKIZA!" But the only reply was the echo of his voice, becoming increasingly fainter as the sound waves were eaten up by the vast expanse of the Dystopia.

He stepped forward a few paces before noticing the castle in the distance that seemed to be…Floating? Am I seein' what I'm seein' here? I didn't land on my head back there on the Satellite, did I? And is it...chained to this planet? he thought to himself in disbelief. Regardless, it was the only landmark visible for miles, so he immediately set off towards it… only for three phantasmal steeds to storm past him out of thin air, kicking up a storm among the blackened landscape. Now that Trudge was where he was, he could see what it was they were storming toward as well – and the widening of that very target's eyes behind a curtain of blue hair.

"Someone! Anyone, help!" came the desperate girl's cry. Trudge's body acted on its own as he threw himself between the shaking youth and the circling bulls, shielding her from them, his trademark large eyebrows set in a hard line, daring them to try him. They didn't.

"Who're you?" he heard the girl ask.

"We can get to names later," Trudge replied. "Just tell me if you've found anywhere safe that these beasts can't get to!"

"I… I don't think there is any!" The blue-haired girl pointed to the spot just beneath the giant chain leading to the Dystopia of Desire. "And I wasn't alone, either! I saw another girl land over there!"

Trudge followed her finger until his eyes landed on a small girl with dark green hair climbing the golden chain almost a quarter mile away from their position… or at least was trying to while it shook violently from the flocks of star-encrusted birds pecking at her. "What are these things!? Are the Dark Signers back, like those guys back at the party said?"

"What's a Dark Signer?!" The blue-haired girl jumped again, this time at one of the bulls snorting angrily again. "I was just busy trying to get Jaden away from this jerk! He says they were in arms with this group called the Aspect, and-"

Trudge stopped short at her words. "Wait, the Aspect? So was I! Did this person have green hair by any chance?"

"No, it was black and white!"

A scream pierced the air. The two of them looked back at the green-haired girl, screaming in pain and terror as one of the birds circling her grabbed her hair in its beak and started pulling. "What're we gonna do?!" Blair anxiously asked. "We have to save her!"

Trudge wracked his brain. If we only weren't nearly surrounded by these bulls, I could just take this girl by the hand and run towards that other girl. But those birds would probably then start chasing us as well, so we'd only really be trading one predator for another. He looked between the blue and green-haired girls. I can't let this blue-haired girl be attacked by those birds. But I can't leave her by herself against these bulls!

His thoughts were interrupted by the charging rumbles of the ground becoming louder, a telling drumbeat to the loping gait of a white-and-maroon beast now charging their way. "Is that a Lesser Beast?" Blair yelled.

"You know of these things?!" Trudge responded, his view shifting wildly between the oncoming behemoth and his Duel Disk. But the beast was charging too fast for him to make an actual decision, so he simply grabbed Blair's hand and led her away toward the green-haired girl as fast as their legs would carry them.

"Kinda yeah, it's something called an Immortal monster! We just learned about them in Duel History class the other day!" said the girl, whipping out her Deck and Duel Disk. "So that must mean these creatures are Duel Monsters!"

"Right. And if they're Duel Monsters…" Trudge left off to put on and engage his Duel Disk before resuming. "…then we can use ours to fight them off!"

"Right!" Blair agreed, engaging her Duel Disk and immediately Summoning out one of her dragons. Trudge followed suit, conjuring one of his Pursuit monsters. The two of them then gave the order and their monsters charged at and laid waste to the herd of bulls. With the immediate threat gone, Blair pointed her finger at the birds tormenting the green-haired girl. "Quick my dragon, get rid of those birds!"

Blair's dragon turned its head towards the flock of birds pulling at Tori's hair. It was on them in a second, immolating them in flames and grasping the member of the flock with Tori's hair in its beak by the throat, forcing it to relinquish its grip right before the dragon slashed open its throat with its mighty claws.

Tori opened her eyes for the first time in a while to see the dragon. "Oh no!"

"It's okay!" called a voice. Tori looked down and saw a blue-haired girl in a red vest followed by a much taller adult man with intimidating eyebrows. "I Summoned it to help you!" called the girl. "Grab on!"

Tori pondered for a moment, then relinquished her grip on the golden chain, allowing herself to fall into the dragon's arms. The dragon flew her back down to where the other two were and disappeared, its work now done. "Phew!" gasped Tori, taking one of several sighs of relief. "Thank you both so much!"

"Don't worry about it," said the other girl. "I'm Blair, what's your name?"

"Tori."

"And I," chimed the much taller man, "Am Officer Tetsu Trudge of New Domino City Sector Security."

"Nice to meet you," said Tori. Looking around, she added, "So… do either of you guys know where we are?"

"Not a clue," said Blair, doing the same. "All I know was that a friend of mine was Dueling someone from a group called the Aspect when all of a sudden there was this huge light and next thing I know I'm here."

"The same thing happened with me," noted Trudge. "Someone I know was also up against someone from the Aspect. I shielded them from a huge light, and that's how I ended up here."

"It's the same with me," said Tori. "My friends were also Dueling people from the Aspect, and then I ended up here the same way as you guys. What do you think it means?" Both she and Blair looked up at Trudge, expecting the one adult among them to know the answer.

"Ehm, well…" stammered Trudge before collecting himself and putting his chin between his thumb and index finger. "We all got here the same way, through the same circumstances, so it's not a coincidence. But all of us only wound up here because someone we knew was Dueling someone from this Aspect group. Which means…" he frowned. "…we weren't their targets."

"You mean we're here by accident?" asked Blair, distressed.

"I'm afraid so," confirmed Trudge. "And that's all I know aside from the fact that the Aspect's real targets were – or should I say, are – the people we know. So whoever these people are, they're after our acquaintances. We just got caught in the crossfire."

"So how do we get out of here?" asked Tori, looking around at the Dystopia. "This place gives me the creeps. I can't imagine whoever was after our friends will just send us back."

"You're right, they probably won't," admitted Trudge. "And what's more, if we find these people there's a chance they'll capture us and use us as hostages since they knew we were there when they Dueled our friends."

"So what should we do?" asked Blair. "We can't just stay here. Who knows if any of those monsters might come back?"

Trudge closed his eyes. As the lone adult among them, the safety of the other two was his responsibility. That, and they'd be looking to him to get them out of here. "You're right, we can't stay out here," he agreed. "But at the same time, if we find these people there's a chance they'll overpower us and use us against our friends. But then again, they're the only people who know how to get into and out of this place, so unless we find them we're stuck here."

"Maybe we should split up?" suggested Blair.

Trudge immediately shot the idea down. "Absolutely not. As the only adult here and an officer of the law, it's my job to keep the two of you safe until you're both back home out of harm's way. Until then we stick together, no ifs, ands, or buts."

"So what, we just stay here and don't do anything?" asked Tori disbelievingly. Trudge held up his hand. "I never said that. I'm just trying to think of how I can get you both home safely without getting captured by whoever brought us here." He scrunched up his face, his mind drawing a blank. I can't do this on my own. The only people who can get them home are the same ones who brought us here. So unless I confront them and make them send these girls home, they're stuck here. He took a breath. There's only one course of action I can take.

"Alright, here's what we're gonna do," he said at last. "We're gonna find these people. When we do, I want you both to stay hidden while I go confront them. Once they're subdued, I can make them send you both home. But it's imperative you two stay hidden until I confirm that they can and will send you home, understood?"

"But what about you?" asked Blair. Trudge simply pointed to his badge. "Don't mind me. Just worry about yourselves."

As he led the two of them off, three dots of light appeared in the Dystopia's sky, crashing down to earth in different spots the moment the three of them were out of sight.

Jaden moaned in his disorientation and slowly sat up. He looked around to get his bearings and immediately jumped to his feet upon seeing the tower. "Whoa! Where am I?!"

"Not quite sure," replied Yubel in his head. "I mean, it's definitely an alternate dimension, but I don't know which one specifically."

"Oh, okay," murmured Jaden, only half-listening. He was thinking about what Ceren had said: Unlike you, I don't kill innocent people.

Yubel picked up on it. "What do you think he meant by that?"

Jaden looked at her, almost startled, not expecting her to chime in. "I dunno." He looked up at the tower, feeling suspicious and wanting to know, yet fearful of what he'd find out all the same. "But let's not talk about it. I just want to find a way out of here."

"But Jaden-"

"Yubel," interrupted Jaden, "I don't want to talk about it." With that, he set off towards the tower.

In another location within the Dystopia, Yuma rubbed his sore rump, bemoaning his landing. "Why can't I ever land on my feet?" He got up and saw the tower. "What is that?" he asked. "Besides a tower, I mean." He made sure to add, lest Astral make a quip.

"I'm not sure," replied Astral, floating gracefully next to him. "We appear to be in an alternate dimension, different than the one from last time."

"Oh, well that's good," said Yuma, looking around. "Although I don't think this place looks any better than Sargasso."

"Agreed," said Astral. "Shall we head to the tower?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Our enemy is sure to be there," Astral explained. "And I'd like to make sure they don't try anything similar to what they did before ever again."

Yuma grinned. "You took the words right outta my mouth. Let's go!"

Yusei stood up almost immediately, still in a state of alert. "Save!" he called, looking around the Dystopia. "Save, where are you?!"

Then he saw the tower. He knew she might not be in there. But then again, she wasn't outside either and staying where he was wouldn't help. So with that in mind, he set off towards his destination.

Ehris and Viral Vector watched as Akaine paced back and forth in the throne room. The salt-and-pepper-haired youth's brow was set in a hard line, though her mouth was quivering.

Suddenly, one big bright flash of white light erupted from a few feet in front of them, briefly illuminating the dimly-lit room as the other five members of the Aspect materialized from within it.

"CLEAR THE WAY!"

Before Viral Vector and her twin servants could obey the order, Akaine was barreling past them, sending the Duel Spirit to the floor. The snarl that erupted on Viral Vector's face was only obscured by the fretting of the Eternal girls behind her. But Akaine's attention was more preoccupied with the convulsing Evy. "AAAAAAAAAAGH!" she cried. "SOMEBODY HELP!"

Panic swept through the other members. "We need to get her to her room!" said Save.

With almost superhuman effort, Akaine and Tidus cradled their injured teammate down the stained-glass corridor only stopping at the door that Ehris' charge had blown open. Percy was there as well, but before the "Wait, is that EV-" could cross his lips, he quickly yanked forth a metal table from against the wall, Akaine's and Tidus' strength failing just as the green-haired Psychic was level with it.

Percy was at Akaine's side next. "Hold on while I get the suppressors!" If not for Ehris' outstretched hand thrusting a small silver gear in front of his eyes, Akaine's frantic looking around for it would have injured her neck. Wasting no time, Percy took the gear and attached it to the chest plate of Evy's armor. As Evy's armor finally powered down, Percy and Akaine let out a sigh of relief – before they heard more moans coming from inside it. "Quick, get it off, now!" urged Akaine.

"Akaine, the armor's what's keeping her-"

"NOW!" thundered Akaine as she joined the others at Evy's side. Together, they jammed their fingers into the seams in her armor and pulled with all their might in opposite directions. The armor didn't budge. "It's not working!"

"Don't give up!" yelled Akaine, "Keep going and don't stop till it's off!"

"OOOOWWW!" screamed Evy. "IT HURTS!"

"It's okay Evy, we'll get this off you! Just hang on!" pleaded Akaine.

They strained and pulled as Evy screamed, until the armor finally gave way, coming apart with enough force for the Aspect to fall on their backs. "Thank… you…" gasped Evy weakly.

"It's okay," said Akaine, holding Evy's head in her lap. "It's okay, it's over. It's off."

Fifteen minutes later, the Aspect stood over Evy's bed as Save, Tidus and Ceren ran another series of diagnostics. They'd attached further monitors and electrodes to Evy's forehead, the screens surrounding them bursting to life with her life signs; to everyone's relief, the smaller girl was both alive and conscious. "She'll be fine," Ceren announced at last. He turned to Evy. "Just stay in bed for a bit while your body recovers from going into shock."

"Okay."

"What happened to her?" asked Tidus. "Save said the armor was fixed this time."

"She also said not to overtax it," Akaine pointed out. "Which you clearly did, Evy. Why didn't you listen?"

A beat passed. "I'm fine too, thanks for asking - OW!" Ehris' slap to the back of Tidus'head rudely interrupted his attempt to break the din. "And now I'm awake! Where's Save? Why isn't she here?!"

"Because the bike I got this from is halfway in the wall of my guest room!" Ehris exclaimed, jutting out the panel that originally laid on the side of Save's D-Runner. "And I would have been able to get Save too if you hadn't told me of Evy's condition!"

"Wait, Akaine interrupted. "Where is Save now, if not here?"

"Turning my house inside out looking for that Fudo brat, apparently his ride was sliding out of control too!" Ehris started wildly whirling around. "The more pressing issue is that I have no idea where our expected guests are, either! I know they're here, but…!"

The sound of struggling cut her off. "Let me go, Ceren! If Yusei's hurt-!"

"Then your hyperventilating over it won't help him, even if we knew where he was! Calm down!"

Save strained against Ceren's half-nelson, only stopping at the threshold of the open ward door when her eyes locked on Akaine –and the still-twitching form on the table behind her. "My goodness, Akaine! …Evy? Tell me she didn't…!"

Suddenly, both Tidus and Percy couldn't tear their eyes away from the marble ceiling. Akaine, however, did not share their guilt. "Thank you, brother, now I'd like a reason why it took Ehris to power down Evy's armor and not the one who designed and built it."

Save choked up. "I… I thought you were busy with the plan. I couldn't hail any of you, there was a lightning storm flashing in front of us a…" Save tailed off. "No. I should've been here. No way was the switch thrown this early if it wasn't one of us getting hurt." She looked somberly at Evy. "And it wasn't even intentional. Evy'll live though."

Akaine sighed. "That's a relief."

"Don't worry, sis. S'a bit sudden that we've met again – but I promised, anyhow." Ceren then turned to Ehris. "I didn't think I'd meet you in the timestream."

"Yeah, I had to think fast. Several of you had some hangers-on when you were ported here. They should have been pushed back to their original timelines, though." Ehris then winced as a blaring whine suddenly cut through the Dystopia's walls, causing her and the Aspect to clasp their ears.

"Akaine, are those the intruder alarms?" Ceren asked. "I thought we had those three heroes located?"

As Ehris silenced the sirens with a wave of her hand, Akaine turned to him, just as puzzled. "We did."

"Correct," Viral added, coming in with the Eternals flanking her. "It's on the asteroid below us. Three life signs – well, besides the Immortal monsters surrounding them fast."

Then they all heard a ping. A screen appeared in front of Akaine, who looked it over and sighed, exasperated. "I've got three blips on here. They're all people from the timelines you just got back from. Why'd you guys bring these people back with you?"

"Hey, I can't speak for everyone else, but I didn't do it on purpose," said Percy.

"Me neither," put in Tidus.

"Same," said Save.

"I don't think any of us meant to," concluded Ceren.

Ehris paled. "Okay, so the separations I did may have been less a certainty, more a 'launched them in the opposite direction as all of you and hoped for the best' thing…"

"Ehris…" hissed Akaine.

"Right." Ehris turned to Viral Vector. "Thanks for volunteering."

"B-but…" Viral Vector stammered. "Would it not be better if I were here to help you all look for the heroes…?"

"Don't worry, my fellow spirit." Suddenly, Ehris was at Viral Vector's side, taking her hands in her own. "Please, just this once, no complaints, no punishment; just you, your maker, and a no-fuss favor."

"Fine, then." Viral Vector turned on her heel and left. "But I still want an apology when I'm back."

It would take half a minute for a response to this newfound meekness from Viral Vector to present itself. "Huh. Didn't think she'd play ball – didn't you say you intentionally made her to be mischievous?" Akaine asked of Ehris.

The Duel Spirit raised one finger in response. "And then I made her susceptible to the same flattery I am. I needed one escape hatch."

"Here's hoping you can do the same for our three stragglers." Akaine then started checking on Save's face. "Thankfully you don't seem too hurt."

"All the same… I'd rather not be ordered to go chase after Yusei anymore." Save began to twiddle her fingers. "Still not too sure he's… all that evil, my-" Save suddenly clasped a hand to her head, a twinge of pain shooting through her face.

"Save, you okay?" Ceren rushed to her side.

"S-sure I am! And Evy will be too. Really, my recent episodes leave me more breathless than hurt." Save responded.

Tidus idly pointed to the banded bauble around Save's neck shaped like a silver compass. "If that's the case, you might want to have that off."

Save, after giving it a long look, shook her head. "I don't have a lot of memories of my life before he came along. Gotta keep what I've got."

"Fine then. Right now, getting control of the situation is the big priority. Ehris, what's the real reason you didn't want to head out in the field?"

Just then, a shudder rocked the castle, throwing the Aspect to the ground. The shifting halls beyond the ward, however… "There's also…a reason, why everything important's at the center of the castle – including the way to the projection room above us. From there, I can ensure the 'heroes' have a reason to come to us."

Finishing the apparent remodeling of the Dystopia with a final shuddering CLACK, the Duel Spirit lifted a finger and a line of glowing steps looped around the room's walls, ending at the newly-made opening in the ward's ceiling. "It'll be just above. I'll stay with Tidus here and make the announcement."

Jaden's eyes glowed in bichromatic hue as he scanned the surrounding area. "For some reason, I don't think that escaping this dimension will be easy," said Yubel in his mind. "For starters, this is nothing I've ever seen…only the feel of the planet below us is familiar."

"Well, we're gonna have to get back soon. If the rest of Ceren's Aspect comes after us, we're in danger! And if Blair's as close to Ceren here as she was back there…"

"He'll never have the chance." Yubel hissed. "He doesn't know who I am, despite him overhearing my words. To his benefit."

"Now Yubel, none of that. We're past that, and we're gonna need a way to survive now. Besid-" With a shudder, the halls of the main castle on the floating isle started moving, the towers and grounds around them shifting with them. When the display finished, the central castle now craned forward among a raised, almost donut-like base at the bottom. "That looks like…" began Yubel.

…an apple's stem," finished Jaden. It was then, however, that he noticed a plume of smoke at the rightmost tower's base – one that its shifting had allowed to escape through its now-slotted first-floor roof. "That might be Blair trying to signal us. C'mon, let's go!"

Without a second thought, Jaden bolted, his heart beating nervously as he made his way through the tower's warped corridors. I hope it's not that, he thought to himself. That was a long time ago. Please let it not be that.

Then he steeled himself. Wait, why am I pleading? They attacked my friends; whatever reason they have won't be enough. Then the nervousness came back. Unless it is that… He shook his head. No, it can't be. What are the odds?

He emerged into a medium-sized chamber.

What's this place?

Yusei woke up in a haze – both from the impact of the wall his careening Duel Runner traded paint with that threw him to the floor, and from the smoke issuing from the back carriage that he realized was filling the room. He wildly looked around for Save, who had been next to him when the lightning struck, but disappeared behind the shadow of some mysterious figure in a psychedelic flurry of light. But his search proved fruitless.

"Save!" he yelled. "Are you anywhere around-" he stopped abruptly as the shifting walls sent him to a knee again. Thankfully, it produced two new openings for him to use: a series of slots in the roof that allowed the smoke to escape, and one door at the opposite end of the room which he quickly set for.

Then he saw him: A brown-haired boy in a red jacket and dark pants whose arm was outstretched toward the same door handle Yusei's was. When he saw Yusei's Duel Disk, the boy's face hardened. "Who're you?!" he asked demandingly as he engaged his Duel Disk.

He's not with the Aspect, Yusei realized. If he was, he'd know who I am. "Look, man, I'm not the bad guy here. I'm just looking for the Aspect."

"Wait, what?" the boy lowered his Duel Disk, the lights of which went out. "You mean you're not with them?"

"No way, man. I'm here to pay them back for what they did."

The boy blinked, then returned his Duel Disk to standby. "They attack your friends too?"

Yusei nodded. "So that means you're here to pay them back?"

"Yeah." The boy paused for a moment. "So if they attacked both our friends, then that means we're on the same side."

"Looks that way," Yusei replied. He held out his hand. "I'm Yusei Fudo." The other boy looked at Yusei's hand before shaking it. "Jaden Yuki."

"Nice to meet you, Jaden. You up for taking these guys on together?"

"I'm game if you are."

Yusei nodded at his new comrade-in-arms. Then Jaden suddenly remembered. "Have you seen my friend Blair around by any chance? She's about a head shorter than me and wears a jacket the same color as mine." Yusei shook his head. "Sorry man, I haven't. The girl I'm looking for is named…" his voice trailed off as he struggled for words. Seeing Jaden's downcast eyes, he said, "Not that I won't help you look, of course. It's just that I popped into this area by surprise, and so did this girl I had with me who was with the Aspect."

"I dropped in here too," Jaden noted. "Alongside someone else who was also with the Aspect. This girl you're looking for…" he looked up at the dark castle, directing Yusei's gaze to it. "…she have a twin?"

"Not sure what that's gotta…do…" Yusei's eyes followed Jaden's finger to the ramparts surrounding the main castle – both sloped and being slid down by another kid in a red jacket over a black shirt and white pants. It was the girl behind him – two, in fact, with horns sprouting from their heads – that were giving chase. Scrambling over the pitted ground, the teen would end up making a break for one of the towers, only for one of the two entities chasing to take to the air and make a beeline for him. "That kid with you?" Jaden asked. Yusei shook his head. "Nah, but if those monsters are after him, he's probably not with the Aspect. C'mon!" He made his beeline for the teen with Jaden at his heels.

"Ahh, get away from me!" cried the youth as the two femmes backed him into a corner. With nowhere else to go, he sighed, put on his Duel Disk and prepared to draw… before the femmes were stomped on by two large humanoid figures: One purple with a scarf around its neck, and the other white to the point of being chrome with big muscles.

"Yo!" Yuma looked up to see two other boys – one with brown hair and a red jacket, the other with crazy dark hair with yellow highlights and a blue jacket. "You okay?" asked the latter.

"I'm good so far!" called Yuma. The boy in the red jacket held his arm out. "C'mon, I'll pull you up!" Without further prodding, Yuma clasped onto the redcoat's outstretched hand. With some effort, the older boy managed to haul Yuma to safety. "Thanks!" Yuma gasped gratefully, before jerking his thumb towards their monsters. "Are those yours?"

"Yeah," said the crazy-haired boy as he and the redcoat recalled their monsters. "What were those monsters after you for?"

"Beats me, I just showed up and they started chasing me!" Yuma grinned. "I'm Yuma Tsukumo, by the way." He gestured to the glowing being behind him. "And this is Astral."

"Pleased to meet you."

"Yusei Fudo," said the crazy-haired boy, gesturing to himself.

"Jaden Yuki," said the redcoat, doing the same. "Did the Aspect come after you too?"

"Yeah, they did! How do you guys know?"

"They did the same to us," said Yusei. "And we're here to pay them back. You in?"

"Definitely."

"So what the hell happened back in those timelines?!"

Tidus recolied from Akaine's outburst. "W-what?! I have no clue what happened with Evy's armor – I thought you did!"

"I am not talking about the armor!"

"Then what are you talking about?" asked Tidus. "We did everything you told us to!"

"And several things you weren't supposed to!"

"What do you mean?!"

"I mean," said Akaine, "Somebody screwed up!" She addressed each of her cohorts in order. "I didn't tell you to flood Astral World! Percy, I never gave you the order to stalk Kite!" She turned to her brother. "And who told you to go after Jaden Yuki's friends?" Then she turned to the still unconscious Evy. "And we'll be talking about Evy's treatment of the Witch later! I expected you all to stick to the plan, and thanks to this, you made us look no better than they are!"

"Is that really that important?" asked Percy. "I can understand where Evy, at least, came from. Her life was ruined by this Akiza chick; if I were in her shoes I'd have done the same thing. Besides, Akiza and Yusei are the reason Evy and Save were nearly buried alive when we found them; Tidus's life was put in danger by the Barian wars Astral couldn't be bothered to stop waging on his city; and what Kite and his friends nearly roped me into…" His teeth bared at the very thought. "Right now – Akiza, Blair, all those other 'heroes' that enabled them? Making them as miserable as they made so many is sticking to the plan."

"What?!" Akaine looked around at her companions in disbelief. "Quick show of hands here, who agrees with Percy?"

She was disappointed at the show of hands. "Guys, we've been over this! We! Don't! Kill!" She smacked the back of her hand against her palm to emphasize each word. "Especially since from history's perspective, we'll have just attacked someone who wasn't doing anything at their point in time! We're supposed to humble these heroes, not pen their obituaries! How are we supposed to convince these people that we're worthier of being history's heroes than them if we do the exact same thing we accuse them of? Now we look like hypocrites!"

"But that's the thing though," Percy went on, "If these guys are so bad, won't history be glad we took them out? I mean, we'd be doing history a favor. I mean, the world's known for a long time now that things aren't so black-and-white like you make them out to be, Akaine. Sometimes people have to work between the lines."

Akaine took a moment to gather herself. "Have you all forgotten..." she slow asked, "...that to take Yuki, Fudo, and Tsukumo's places in history, we have to have the moral high ground? Without it, how're we supposed to convince them to let us take their places, let alone prove we're not immature brats!?" She turned to Tidus. "Especially you, Tidus! I would've thought a man of the law would know the difference between justice and vengeance!"

"Are you serious?" Tidus started yelling now, despite Ceren's renewed attempts to get him to stop. "Let me go, Ceren! I have tried with these Heartlanders! I! Have! Tried! And all they did was stonewall my investigations, taint my interviews, drag more and more innocents into their struggle… vanish Luna just as I was going to ask her to… t-to-"

A tear finally escaped the eyes at that point – a silent one down Tidus' left cheek and the floodgate down both of Save's as she wailed into his shoulder.

Akaine's hardened look cracked immediately. "Wait, Save, why are you… oh no…" Reaching out a hand as she realized the impact of her words about Save's maturity, Akaine could only watch as her brother leaped the room's length to comfort her. Instead, Akaine turned to Tidus, and despite his initial flinch, he let her wipe the tear from his cheek.

Percy would turn to Save, however. "Wait, Save, Akaine didn't mean it like that, she just meant we've been acting like-"

"No. Please don't." Akaine whispered, so low Tidus barely caught it. "I should never have said it. Save… I'm sorry. It's just that there's a way this has to be done, and now that we've gone and attacked their friends and done some very questionable things, they now have a counterargument as to why they should keep their places in history." Then she noticed some of them were rolling their eyes. It annoyed her, but she took a deep breath and relaxed. "Guys, look, I know I'm being moralistic and annoying. I know you don't want to be lectured. But if we have the moral high ground, we can convince Yuki, Fudo, and Tsukumo to let us take their places in history with minimal resistance. Out of all the possible ways to accomplish this, this is the best way." She paused. "Again, I'm so sorry for what I said."

"It's okay." Save finally said.

Ceren, breathing a sigh of relief, turned back to face Akaine. "Sis, look…"

"Tidus is right."

Everyone's head turned to witness Evy's rasped words. The Psychic duelist barely moved, yet everyone's eyes were on her – opened, twitching with pain, and yet clear as they could ever be. "You're r… we went too far. There was… so many things to juggle, we should've been better at it. And n…now, three people on the planet below us shouldn't be there. Three more are coming here to-"

It was like a shock went through the minds of the Aspect at that point. "The heroes!" Akaine cried. "I have to be there to meet them, or all this was for nothing!"

"Go!" Tidus yelled. "Percy and I will look over Evy!"

"And when Viral comes back with the stragglers, we're coming to join you!" Save yelled – once again, starling all those next to her. "We've got to make up for our oversights now, not later! If we don't, who will? And if the heroes coming to meet us could… t-then we wouldn't be here!"

"I'll be with Viral, to oversee Blair and company's safe return to their timelines! It's the least I can do, sis!" Ceren pulled out his Duel Disk. "Please!"

"WAIT!" shouted Akaine. The rest of the Aspect stopped. "There are a ton of creatures out there. We need to collect the three stragglers without losing any of our numbers to them, so here's what we're gonna do: I need every last one of you who's able-bodied to either pick these people up or greet them while they're here while Tidus and Percy watch over Evy."

"Why're we bringing them here?" asked Percy.

"Because we need to become familiar with holding ourselves accountable for our actions," explained Akaine. "And this is a good first step. Yuki, Fudo, and Tsukumo are going to use the fact that we attacked their friends as a counterargument to call us hypocrites. I'll take the full responsibility, you guys bring their friends back to them so we can reunite them. The plan is to regain our moral high ground, okay?" She saw them mull it over for a bit before nodding. "Great. Now head out please."

"What're you gonna do?" asked Tidus.

Akaine turned to the screen and looked at the three other red blips slowly converging towards the throne room of the tower. "I'm gonna go greet our guests. Alone."

The last word fell like a stone over the proceedings. With only a moment's hesitation, Ceren silently exited out the back, but not before Save gave Ceren a last-minute hug. Akaine went in the opposite direction, up the winding stairs.

Ehris awaited her at the top of the staircase in the throne room, silhouetted by the rays of starlight leaking through the open-air balcony beyond. "The Aspect looks to have screwed its head on straight again. Do tell – what happens if those heroes claim you drew first blood on them?"

Akaine marched up to her, straightened up, and took a breath. "I'm going to be accountable," she said. "That's it. They're gonna have questions and demand answers – and I'm gonna tell them everything they wanna know."

"That's admirable of you," said Ehris. "You nervous at all?"

"Oh, of course. I'd be crazy not to be. It's just that… this is huge, Ehris. After this there's no going back, and… well, I'm just preparing myself for that. Ideally, I'll be able to convince them to stand down peacefully and not have to Duel them."

"I've... also noticed you came up here by yourself. Are you planning on taking all three of them on at once?"

Akaine swallowed. "If I have to, yeah."

Ehris whistled. "I do admire your courage.' Then she remembered. "Oh, I almost forgot; I have something for you."

Akaine watched as Ehris procured a strange device from out of nowhere: A small hub of some kind attached to a long, light blue tube. Akaine realized what it was.

"Go on, try it on."

Akaine smiled as she took Ehris' gift and placed her left arm through the tube, which she realized was the wrist guard, and slipped her fingers into the glove at the end. She moved her arm about, testing the weight. "Well?" asked Ehris. "Aren't you going to see what it looks like when engaged?"

Akaine humored her, pressing a button on the device – and her jaw dropped when she saw it. "Ehris, this is amazing! This is the best thing I've ever seen! I – I don't know what to say."

"No need to say anything," said Ehris. "If you're gonna take on the three of them at once you're gonna need presentation on your side, and I couldn't stand seeing that beat-up old tournament model you keep lugging around. Seriously, that thing's on its last legs." She proudly tapped the new model she made. "That'll do you some good: It's faster, sleeker, and it just looks better." A beat. "Seriously, of all the things I've created over the years, this is my new pride and joy."

Akaine nodded in silent joy. "Thanks, Ehris. Now it's time we greet our men of the hour."

Ehris nodded and took flight. Akaine turned on her heel and walked back into the throne room.

"I can't believe I'm about to go on an adventure with Jaden Yuki and Yusei Fudo!" Yuma cried giddily as he led the way to the tower. "You guys are famous in my time! There are so many stories about you!"

"Good ones I hope," said Jaden conversationally as he fought back the sinking feeling in his chest.

"Oh yeah!" said Yuma, completely oblivious. "The story about how you faced down the three Sacred Beasts is legendary!" He turned to Yusei. "And the one where you-"

"Hold up," interrupted the older boy. "I hear something." The other two put their ears to the faint wind, and they heard it too – the sound of cackling. "Ah dammit, not those two again!" complained Jaden. But it was – the two Eternals were back, laughing like hyenas as they advanced menacingly on the three youths. "Monsters out, boys," said Yusei. "Go, Junk Warrior!"

"Go, Neos!"

"Go, Utopia!"

With a flash, the three monsters appeared and struck out against the Eternals. However, at that moment, a different type of spirit appeared before the great castle they were hurtling towards - almost the same size as it, in fact - and plucked them both out of the sky with its gleaming hands. "Rude," she remarked."But impressive, considering it was by accident."

The first of the horned girls scrambled to its feet – now on the entity's left palm – and stammered, "E-Ehris! Look, whatever that thing is, we can handle it!"

"I'm sure you can, Eternal Seeker. Now be a doll and notify your sister."

The other Immortal monster was charging at the stoic Junk Warrior again, only this time to be sent sailing again by a pair of spellcasters – one male, one female, both with all-too-familiar columned hats and sharp-edged dresses. "Who are you?!" Jaden asked the spirit above them. "And why are you here?!"

"Excuse me?"The glowing figure above them flared all six of her wings, offended. "Well, I never! That's not an attitude that'll put you off my home fast, I think. That is what you want, right?"

"Nice proposal," Yusei replied semi-sarcastically as he stepped in front of the other two beside him, his Deck fully recollected and gripped tightly in the fist now pointed at her. "Here's one from me: If you're the person who's been feeding Save those lies about me, do yourself a favor and surrender to us right now before this gets unpleasant."

"Ooh, feisty." Ehris gave a light titter at this, even as the struggling Eternal Chaser was led back to her outstretched left palm by Eternal Seeker. "Seriously; I like your enthusiasm, but it'd be better spent defending yourselves to my associate."

"We'll get to your associate in time," retorted Jaden. "Now I'll ask again: Who are you?"

"Me? I'm Ehris, Goddess of Chaos."

"What, like the Greek myth?" asked Yusei, curiously.

"Very perceptive!" chirped Ehris. "Although the Ancient Greeks wouldn't have known about me if I hadn't let them, natch."

"So what's a goddess doing here?" asked Yuma. "Wait - are you with Tidus and the Aspect?"

"Tidus?" Yusei asked.

"The Aspect?" added Jaden.

The figure laughed. "Please, gentlemen, one case at a time. Yes, I'm with the Aspect, and I know why you're all here. Just know that if the Aspect is anything…" With this, her giant right hand sank into the depths of the castle arching around her, lifted out of those halls, and opened to reveal another glowing individual, far smaller – and bluer. "…it's the bane of people like you."

Yusei and Jaden were again taken aback. "ASTRAL!" cried Yuma. "What've you done to him?!"

"It's what he's done to you that's the reason why you're both here, child." Ehris frowned at Yuma's outburst. "He's an effigy of a planet far from yours, called the Astral World," she explained to Yusei and Jaden. Looking at the latter's puzzled expression, Ehris' scowl grew. "Not far from your neck of the woods, mind you, Yuki. You and… one other infamous worldwrecker I know." Her brow furrowed and her face snarled as she said the word one. "In any case, Astral's proven just as deleterious to Yuma's world as it was to mine… and considering how many other teens his age got tied up in it, I'm far from convinced you were unwitting."

"That's a lie!" Yuma yelled. Jaden and Yusei exchanged looks and gave Yuma a wary one out of the corner of their eyes so the younger boy wouldn't notice. "I've said this to Tidus before, and I'll say it again; that war was never started by Astral! And I ended it in a way that everyone could accept! The Code's not a threat – which is more than I can say for you!"

"Your present company says otherwise," Ehris replied as she released Astral from her grip. "Regardless, today is your judgment day, and since you three each have some explaining to do, facing your successors will be the only way you leave this place. Now step on up. We'll explain all you need to know when you reach us."

"Judgement day?!" asked Jaden.

"What explaining?!" demanded Yusei.

"And what do you mean by our successors?!" inquired Yuma.

Ehris ignored them and lifted the two Eternals into the air as their hands began glowing. Before Yusei could ask about it, Ehris disappeared – and a row of steps tethered themselves from their location to the tower. "Wait!" Yusei shouted after the vanishing Duel Spirit. "What about Save!? At least let me know she's safe!"

With another flash, the Eternal Seeker was back, only nodding at the Satellite native's inquiry. Shrugging at Yusei's gaping expression, she disappeared into one of the side towers once more, leaving the three heroes alone at the foot of the stairs. The three boys exchanged looks. "What do you think she meant by all of that?" asked Yuma.

Jaden shifted nervously. "I dunno. Let's just go." He started up the steps to the tower. "I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to get out of here as soon as possible."

"Same," said Yusei, starting after him. "But we can't just beat them and go; these people have some explaining to do, and we shouldn't leave until we get answers."

"I concur with Yusei," said Astral. "Whoever these people are, their marshaled power is dangerous. This affair will not be settled quickly." With that, he floated after the two older boys, Yuma two paces behind.

"So… how long have you been at this?"

Trudge looked up for where he was digging through the ground at the base of the golden chain. "Well, considerin' there are large hordes of monsters on all the other routes, and this chained castle's the only way-"

"I… didn't mean in your search for a way up." Tori wondered. "Besides…" and she pointed on the way up to the now buzzing figures of half-bee humanoids peering down at them. "… The Pheromone Pollinators above wouldn't let us." Tori sniffled a little. "I mean… how long you've been a police officer."

Trudge finally stopped digging to fully acknowledge her. "Wait… You think I'm too green to defend you?" he asked in a joking tone, to alleviate the stress of their situation somewhat. Before Tori could say another word, Trudge's words tapered off, noticing Blair in a pit next to him that he had dug, her eyes boring into it, her hands covering toward her ears, as he realized just how loud the buzzing of the Pollinators above him was.

Without a word, Trudge got up and made his way to Blair. "Yeah… I'm a member of Sector Security. Apparently, I did some good, considering' the number of kids that wanted to follow in my footsteps." Finally reaching Blair, he quickly placed a hand on her shoulder. "But over the last couple of months… I started to have questions. Y'know, about how much was being hidden from me, about who I was apprehending, about what I was doin' it all for. One case, in particular."

Bending down to reach Blair's eye level, he finally smiled, when her eyes met his, though the smile was not returned. "But then I see those in strange places, actually trying to make it to the next day legit, being broken down an' swallowed up in the lights and darkness, and well…" Trudge then took out a card and flipped it to face her. "…I get a little bit of a clue."

Then the card glowed with furious light, and a white-robed girl with glowing tonfas sprang forth from behind the officer, scattering the Pollinators above them with a flurry of spiraling strikes. As the insectoids fell to earth, Trudge finally saw a smile cross her face. "And then I show why Sector Security needs guys like me! Jutte Lady – since we're stranded here and the only other locale's up above, knock on their door!"

Jutte Lady obeyed Trudge's order, flipping one of the tonfas into her hand and launching it at the very Dystopia itself – only for it to be caught by the hand of another monster, bedecked in a black layered bodysuit and nonplussed at the weapon she'd caught at blistering speed in her left hand. The blue-haired horn-sprouting entity behind her was rather suprised, however. "Well, hello to all of you too."

Trudge, ferrying both girls behind him, faced the new threat. "Who are y-"

"What in the-!" The entity next to her in blue hair retorted. "They've got control over Duel Spirits too! We should strike back at them! They hit us first!"

The red-haired fiendess turned to her. "Stay your hand, Malice. They've been at the mercy of the monsters of this dimension; it's only natural that they'd be a bit cautious." She turned her eyes back to the three stragglers. "Please, come along. I'm 'Lilith, Lady of Lament', and the woman besides me is 'Malice, Lady of Lament.' Despite our names, we've been tasked with getting you to the Dystopia, and you've proved yourselves worthy. I'd like to know your names, as well as how you got into a place meant for the Aspect."

"The Aspe-?!" Trudge spluttered, before composing himself. "I'm Officer Trudge. And these ladies behind me and I were brought here because one of yours went on the warpath – some Psychic Burst or whatever it's called!"

"I've no knowledge of that phenomenon, officer," Malice replied.

"You've got a Psychic Duelist in your ranks and you don't know of-"

"No, she doesn't," Lilith insisted. "You're only heading up to see the reckoning that our real guests of honor will be facing. Then we'll be off to your worlds, to spread the good word on their true saviors."

"Saviors?!" Blair snapped at last. "Like how they saved me from the acrophobia I never had by blasting me from a tree?"

"That sounds… regrettable," Lilith admitted. "Please understand that the Aspect has your best interests at heart. But they're only human, after all. Please forgive them."

"We don't plead for forgiveness, Lilith. Now, we're earning it," The two Ladies of Lament and the three stragglers Duelists looked up to see a tall youth – and familiar, to one among their number – emerge from a shimmering rift of red behind Malice. "Hey there, I'm Ceren Y-"

"You're the guy who attacked me!" burst out Blair.

Ceren was briefly taken aback but collected himself. "You're right, and that was a mistake. From the bottom of my heart, I'm truly sorry. I was wrong to do it." He gestured to the large rift and punched another key on his Duel Disk, which swung forty-five degrees forward and shifted to a rich turquoise, only shuddering slightly when he stepped upon it like a platform. "As part of that apology, we're here to take you all back to your friends. We're here to help, I promise."

Trudge narrowed his eyes. "I've known of people who've dropped our guard by those very words – how do we know you're not going to hold us hostage?"

"Because we've come to meet you, you're a grown man who can take me easy, and the Ladies of Lament were created with orders to leave me here if I do lay a hand on you otherwise, thanks to the lady upstairs," said Ceren. "You don't have to trust us. But... we've got the life preserver, and the monsters around us are still circling."

Trudge looked at Tidus, then looked out a nearby window at the Dystopia's bizarre weather. "Fine. But if you try anything-"

"Understood," said Ceren, his tone trying to alleviate some of Trudge's suspicion. "We'll give you free rein after we touch down on the Dystopia – if it's good by you."

"I'd like to wash up," said Tori. "It was really dirty outside."

"Of course. Onto the platform, keep the limbs inside, and if you're feeling wobbly, the Lady of Lament will be there to catch you."

Jaden, Yusei, Yuma, and Astral made their way to the tower's entrance. The three boys were all deathly quiet, Jaden uncharacteristically so, Yusei being in no mood to chat, and Yuma sensing this from the other two. Astral could sense this too, and since he and Yuma were already in good enough sync to tell when the other had nothing to say, they just continued walking and floating beside the other two.

Meanwhile, Akaine stood nervously in the throne room, her foot tapping away on the floor. This is it, she thought. I'm about to take three of history's biggest players to task with nothing but my cards and my smarts. It makes sense that I'm nervous.

Her heart rate picked up when she saw four recognizable silhouettes in the main archway. They're here. She set her brow in a hard line, remembering all the hours she and her team had spent preparing for this moment. This is it, she thought again as Jaden, Yusei, Yuma, and Astral entered the throne room. After this Duel, history will be changed forever - for the better. "Greetings," she said to the three of them as Ehris took her perch on the throne behind her. "Welcome to the Dystopia of Desire. I'm Akaine Yubin, leader of the Aspect. Let me just say I know why you're here-"

"Oh, do you?!" snapped Yusei. "Because I just found out that my friend is working for you under false pretenses! Where do you get off telling her all those lies about me?!"

"Hold on, let me finish," said Akaine, holding up her hands. "I know why you're here: My group made a terrible error in judgment-"

"An error in judgment?!" snapped Jaden loudly. "Your group attacked our friends when they've done nothing to you-"

"-And that was wrong of us," Akaine interrupted him, finishing. "You're right, we shouldn't have done that. As the head of the Aspect, I offer my profound apologies on behalf of my associates. Involving your friends was a mistake; one we're never repeating. That's why I sent the rest of my team to pick up the three of your friends who're lost in the wilds."

She conjured a screen, showing Blair, Trudge, and Tori being led to the washroom by Ceren, Tidus, and Evy. "Why'd you bring them here?!" Jaden demanded.

"They were at the mercy of the wilds," replied Akaine, doing her best to stay calm. "The accident that brought you all here early apparently brought them too. If not for my group, they would've had to fend off the creatures there until they were worn down enough to be done in by opportunistic predators. And even if they weren't, we're bringing them back here so you can take them home. We don't want to involve them any more than we have already, so believe me, we're not the bad guys here."

"I'm having a hard time believing that," said Yusei. "You still haven't answered my question: Where do you get off telling Save those lies about me?!"

"Because for one thing, they're not lies," replied Akaine. "I know people look up to you in your time Fudo, but believe me, your legacy's not as ideal as you think. All of you have things you need to answer for." She turned to look at Yuma and Astral. "You two already know what we think about your relationship. But did you know your friend Kite Tenjo's responsible for an attack on one of my friends' home?" she asked as the screen rose two feet above her and enlarged itself for all to see, displaying Kite striking down members of the Order of Maedas. "The House of Midas was a peaceful movement dedicated to their way of handling the Numbers. And your friend Kite wiped them out! Now I know the Numbers are dangerous-" she nodded to the surprised Yuma and Astral in a don't-ask-I-just-know sort of way. "-and that anyone hoping to keep people safe from them would no doubt have to take them away even if by force, but Kite Tenjo exceeded the level of acceptable force by taking their souls," she finished that last point as the screen showed Kite sucking out a man's essence through his tether.

Yusei turned to Yuma. "You know this person?"

"He's not the same as he was then!" Yuma responded. "I know it looks bad, but he's changed! He's on a different path now, a better one! And for the record," he turned back to Akaine "Kite's not proud of who he was back then! He goes around every day thinking his soul's bound to… you know, that place!"

"Well, you and Kite aren't the only ones we have an issue with," replied Akaine as the screen above her changed to show a picture of a girl whose hair was both pink and dark. "This is Luna. My friend Tidus has been looking for her ever since the day they ran into Shark Kastle."

"There's no way Shark's involved in that!" Yuma shot back.

"Oh?" asked Akaine. "Look, even if Kastle's your friend, that doesn't mean he's off the hook! Whatever happened to Luna, my friend Tidus wants to know! It's because of Kastle that she disappeared, and he has spent days agonizing over where she is and whether or not she's okay! Now, Tidus is optimistic, but there's been no trace of Luna ever since she encountered Reginald Kastle, and I for one think she might be dead! If she is, then your friend Kastle has to answer for it!" She then pointed an accusatory finger at Astral. "And you, Astral, have even more to answer for!"

"I am well aware of your grievance with me," replied the program. "But I in no way took advantage of Yuma! He and his friends volunteered to help me fight against Don Thousand and the Barians!"

"And you just let them?" asked Akaine. "They're children, Astral! The fact remains that they could've been killed! If you're as noble as you claim, why would you allow children to help you rather than seeking out – oh, I don't know – people from the military to help you? Or anyone better qualified? Don't you think it was dangerously irresponsible of you to involve grade-schoolers when there are thousands upon thousands of adults in professions specifically trained for what you needed?!"

"I… I…" Astral stuttered before falling silent. "Exactly," said Akaine. "You have no excuse." Then she turned to Yusei. "You're not as bad as Astral, but according to Save and Evy, you and your friends are still the cause for a lot of pain and suffering. Everyone you surround yourself with – that you refuse to properly confront for their atrocities – is what makes you as bad as Yuma."

The screen above her changed again, showing Akiza in her Black Rose mask tearing apart a building full of people. "My friend Evy lost everything to the Black Rose. She needed help for her Psychic abilities, but because of your friend, she lost the only support system she had! Without Arcadia, there was no one else to help her bring her Psychic powers under control, and her mania over Misty led her to literally tear her foundation out from under her! Do you have any idea what it's like to go through life with a condition that not even you understand, that makes you a pariah when you never wanted to be?"

"I grew up poor," said Yusei. "I don't have to imagine it. I know what it's like for people to think I'm this other because of something I couldn't control. So before you and your little group try to cancel me, take that into account!"

"Oh, I did," said Akaine. "I very much did. But we don't just have an issue with the Black Rose, Fudo: We have an issue with you. Specifically my friend Save. The girl you abandoned-"

"I did not abandon her!" snapped Yusei, finally losing his cool. "I couldn't control what happened! I lost track of Save, and before I knew it she was gone!"

"She never left New Domino City," said Akaine. "In fact, she found new friends, who protected her and enabled her to fight back against the harsh world she lived in! But one day they were all wiped out by a rival Duel Gang led by Kalin Kessler."

"Kali-oh sh…"

"Why, what's going on?" asked Jaden.

Yusei sighed. "I was in a group called the Enforcers with three friends of mine to keep order in the Satellite. Kalin was one of them. He was the leader, until one day he went too far and we had to stop him."

"You sure the day you turned him in was the day he went too far?" asked Akaine. "As far as Save's concerned, all four of you went too far the day you all buried her gang!"

"What?!" Jaden, Yuma and Astral all shared the same shocked expression.

"We didn't kill anyone!" insisted Yusei.

"Not true!" said Akaine. "Every other person in Save's gang died from the shock of those shackles your group made them wear! And ever since they died, Save had no one until we came along." She paused. "But the worst is yet to come, Fudo. It's not something you've done, it's something you have yet to do."

"What're you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the next Zero Reverse." Yusei's jaw dropped. "What?"

Akaine took a moment to calm down and lose the hostility that had built up in her voice. "I'm sorry," she said. "But… when you grow up, you start working on a new Ener-D reactor."

The screen changed to show the reactor being built before cycling through an image of an adult Yusei. "It'll be powered by the energy released by Synchro Summoning, and… something will go wrong." The screen changed again, showing – to Yusei's abject horror – New Domino City being completely disintegrated. "It'll cause another explosion – one worse than the original Zero Reverse – and it'll end New Domino City as we know it. I'd say it's not too late and that you can still choose not to do it, but you did, otherwise, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. To prevent the next Zero Reverse from killing millions of innocent people, we have to stop you and take your place in history."

Yusei could only stare in shock. "No…"

"And you," Akaine went on, the hostility returning to her voice with venom in tow as she turned and pointed accusingly to Jaden. "You're the worst out of all these people! At least Fudo killed people by accident; what you did is by far the most horrible thing I've ever seen anyone do!"

Please, no, Jaden begged silently as the screen changed. But his pleas were shot down as the screen changed to show the domineering visage of the Supreme King – the sight of whom made Yusei, Yuma and Astral all do a double-take. "That looks like you!" said Yuma.

"It is him!" said Akaine as the screen changed yet again, showing medical staff tending to maimed and disfigured people, then to a video of the Supreme King's forces decimating a small village. Jaden's heart sank as he saw one member of his former forces cut a man in half. It's that, he realized. I prayed it wasn't this, but it is.

Then they saw a part of the video where a heavily pregnant woman was surrounded by fiends wielding clubs, spears, halberds, and other assorted weapons. Yuma nearly threw up in his mouth as the fiends in the video all charged toward the woman, bringing his club down on her bulging midsection. But before the act could be shown in all its grim horror, Akaine waved her hand and changed the picture to show people in chains instead.

"I couldn't get through that," she admitted. "The first time I saw that I threw up. I couldn't believe what I saw. And then I found out the monsters who committed these atrocities worked for you," she finished, glaring at Jaden as the "camera" of the screen dollied out to where the Supreme King stood in the middle of his forces. A fiend - 'Garlandolf, the King of Destruction', in fact - came up to him. "Sire, we've just about finished," the fiend reported.

"Good," came the harsh voice that Yusei, Yuma, and Astral recognized as Jaden's. "Salt the earth, burn it all, and move on to the next village."

Yusei, Yuma, and Astral all looked at Jaden, their faces a mix of horror at the person on the screen and surprise that that person was now standing next to them. Jaden lowered his head to look at the floor; he didn't dare meet their gaze and he didn't dare say anything lest he say be interpreted as trying to justify his actions. There was nothing he could say that would make the situation any better.

"You're a monster," said Akaine. "What kind of person does those things to other human beings?"

Jaden lowered his face into his hand in shame and sank to the floor. Sure, he knew the story behind it and the events that had led up to the Supreme King's emergence – but trying to explain it without looking like he was trying to shift the blame off of himself was impossible.

Akaine cleared her throat. "In conclusion, the three of you did all this – and yet history sees you as great heroes when that couldn't be further from the truth. That's why we approached you guys, to take your places in history so that it has better heroes – ones that actually live up to their upstanding reputations – and Dueling's the only contest that's suitable enough."

"Hold on," said Yusei. "I can't speak for what Jaden did, but – I can still change things. I can always do something different for the Ener-D reactor."

"But not for Save," said Akaine. "Her friends are still dead because of your gang, Fudo. I'm sorry – actually, I'm not, that's just a thing people say for some reason – but you need to be held accountable for that." She turned to Astral. "And you need to be held accountable for recruiting children to fight alongside you in a war that could've destroyed three whole worlds. You guys can't just act like everything's okay now. You have to answer for this stuff." She took a breath to calm down. "Look, it's not too late. We don't have to fight. All you guys have to do is let us take your places in history so that it can have heroes with nothing to hide. What do you say?"

"What happens to us?" asked Yuma. "I mean, you talk about holding us accountable, but… what does that mean? What're you gonna do to us?"

"Nothing lethal," assured Akaine, taking a moment to let that sting for Jaden. "You all stay here in the Dystopia. This place exists outside of time and space, so it's the perfect place for you three to exist as we take your places and right your wrongs in history."

"Will we be forgotten?" asked Astral. Akaine shook her head. "No. We'll tell everyone about you guys. Sorry, but we have to so everyone knows the truth about you. It's part of our plan to give history heroes people can look up to. I know it sounds bad, but it's really a small price for you to pay. What'll happen specifically is we take your friends back with us to your respective timelines and leave you three here. We tell everyone about you guys and what you and your friends have done while also bringing Kite, Kastle and the Black Rose here too. Then we each go back to our places in time and do what we were gonna do before all this. That's it. We don't have to Duel. We can solve this peacefully and then we can all move on."

"We won't be able to," replied Yusei. Akaine looked at him. "That's the point," she said bluntly.

"No. You said we could all move on, but really you just mean your group."

"Your friends too," Akaine pointed out. But Yusei shook his head. "I don't want to go out like this," he said. "Sorry Yubin, but I'm not letting you tarnish everything the Signers have been entrusted with - and all we've worked so hard to build!"

"We wouldn't be tarnishing anything," said Akaine. "It's not like we're gonna tell people, 'No see, it was actually us who beat Goodwin and got this bridge built,' you'll still be the one responsible for it. All we're gonna do is-"

"That's not what I meant," said Yusei. "I've worked hard to build a life in New Domino with my friends. I climbed my way out of poverty and brought everyone else in the Satellite with me; I finally reunited with friends I thought I'd never see again, and now you're telling me to just throw all that away and just let you tarnish that life. I'm sorry Yubin. I know you mean well, but if you want my place in history you're gonna to have to pry it from my cold dead hands! My answer's no!"

"So's ours!" chimed in Yuma with a nod to Astral. "You may have all these fancy words to make us look bad, but Astral and I are good people and I'm not gonna let you and your group say otherwise! I fought for peace and happiness, and you're telling me to stay here and say goodbye to everyone I love and who love me! So no!"

Jaden wanted to say something. But his guilt was too strong. Maybe I should stay here, he thought. It'd be like prison, but… it feels like the only way to clear my conscience.

"What about your friends?" asked Yubel. "Do you really want to put them through losing you like that?"

Jaden had no answer. He wanted to make things right, to say the magic words or do that one simple thing that would take back everything he'd done as the Supreme King so that he could go back to Duel Academy. But at the same time, his conscience just wouldn't let him. You don't deserve to get off that easy, said a small voice inside him. And he agreed with it: Either he fought for his friends and got away with what he'd done, or he stayed here in the Dystopia for the rest of his life, atoning for those sins… but leaving Syrus, Alexis, Tyranno and Chazz alone to live with the pain of never seeing him again. His guilt and love for his friends clashed inside him, neither one letting the other take prominence. So in the end, Jaden said nothing, sitting motionless.

Akaine sighed. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this. But you two have given me no choice."

"You're not exactly giving us many options either," retorted Yusei, engaging his Duel Disk. "And for the record, I know I'm a good person."

"Me too!" said Yuma, engaging his Duel Disk.

Akaine took a look at the two of them. "Alright, fine. Here's how this is gonna work: Since the two of you are effectively on the same side, that means I'm facing two opponents at once, so each side will start with eight thousand combined Life Points – four thousand for each of you combined into one score, and eight thousand for me since I have to face the two of you down at once. You'll also share a field, deal?"

"Fine with me," said Yusei, putting his Deck in.

"Me too," put in Yuma, doing the same.

"Me three," finished Astral.

Akaine put her Deck in and held her arm out, revealing an elongated wrist guard supporting a circular device – her Duel Disk. The front portion of the main body shot out, revealing three Monster and Spell & Trap Zones, before an additional zone for each shot out of either end of it, forming the complete blade.

"LET'S DUEL!" three voices chorused.

"I…It all started too fast for me, once upon a time."

Tidus DeLuge's eyes, currently laser-focused on getting the last of Evy's armor off her legs, snapped up at the new statement. Evy's words had rooted him, Percy, and Save to the spot. "S-sorry. But you might wanna hear this."

"O-of course." Percy hopped off the first step and approached the bed with Save. Evy did not turn her head to meet them, but her widened smile greeted them all the same.

"I… I haven't always been as blind as I once was, but even then, I remembered that part of my life is constant. I never needed that… incident in my childhood… for life to feel like a blur to me."

Tidus once again peered up from his work, a shin-guard now disengaged and in his hand. "Save? She tell you this before?" A shake of Save's head answered that question.

Evy shuddered a bit as Tidus went to work on her other steel shin pad. "S'not Save's fault. I always hated feeling a step behind everyone else. Either I'm too young, or too shortsighted, or too… dangerous." A hacking cough followed those words. "… Anyways, that may have been why I pushed this tech past specs. And now three innocent people might suffer because of it…I mean, even that Arcadia traitor let Atlas take up the fight, I can't even get out of my own way now?"

Just as Save, on the verge of tears, looked to try and lay a soothing hand on Evy's temple, Viral Vector stomped back into the room. Her pose failed to conceal her anger. "Viral, any worries?" Percy asked.

"Besi-si-si-sides Ceren taking the Lilith and Malice and legging it to the stragglers throu-THROUGH another portal without me?!" Whatever control the Duel Spirit had over her incontinent stutter failed in the face of her tirade.

"Holactie help me, he's in that mood again?" Tidus swore. Ignoring Save's eep as she slapped a hand over her ears and Percy's disgusted glare, Tidus stood up. "Save, go with Viral to meet the stragglers the long way, see what wonderful explanation Ceren has for this stunt! Percy, take guard outside this room's new hallway – if the stragglers get away, you'll be the only thing between them and Evy!"

With the three of them rushing for the archways, Tidus wrought out his chin with the hand not holding Evy's other shin guard, and turned to Evy…

Only to see her swinging her legs over the table, still wincing but far from immobile. "Wait, I thought-"

"Yeah. Another thing I didn't like mentioning…" Evy said in a low whisper. "I can handle a lot for Akaine's sake. And even though I'm keeping to her order, the second I hear things go pear-shaped for her, both of us are going to help her."

"Wait! T-there's no way I can approve this in your condition!" Tidus stammered, marching back to face her again. "You've nearly died from shock in two different ways! I don't know what type of person you'll be if you keep pushing on with this many injuries, or if any wheelchair will be strong enough for you to use without you breaking it apart with a thought when they catch up to-"

Evy's hand shot out and knotted itself in the detective's coat, slowly bringing him the rest of the way to her visor. "Which one of us has a wheelchair in their imminent future if something of theirs keeps running, again?"

Just as Tidus was about to gulp down the breath he was holding, Evy let go of him and gave off a weak smile. "See? I'm fine enough. Besides… Akaine's been there for all of us." Her gaze turned to the opening in the ceiling, cut through by the stairs leading into it. "And it's the type of person I'll be if I'm not there for her that scares me."

"I'll go first then! My move!" Yuma proclaimed, turning to Astral afterward. "Astral, make sure those two spirits get that bike of… ah…"

"Yusei..." said the man in question.

"Yusei's, right! – over into this place, pronto!" Yuma turned to Akaine again with a wily smile. And then I'll know you're out of harm's way since Ehris is likely in here, he thought.

"Well… alright, then Yuma. I wish you good luck."

"Don't worry, she's gonna need it more!" Yuma turned to his D-Reader as Astral made for the thresh. "And with my 'Dodododwarf Gogogoglove' I've got this Duel well in hand!"

Yusei raised an eyebrow. "'Dodododwarf Gogogoglove?'"

The large-handed warrior materialized to the field at the Heartland City Champion's words. [EARTH/Rock/Level 4/0ATK/1800 DEF] "It won't be alone for long either, because its special ability, Dwarf Star Summon, allows me to Summon "Gagaga Mancer" from my hand!" A crimson sword suddenly appeared from the sparkling amphitheater above everyone's heads – only for it to stop an inch from the ground, the white-haired Spellcaster gripping it tightly by the handle. [DARK/Spellcaster/Level 4/100 ATK/100 DEF]

"Now I'll build the Overlay Network, as I combine the Level Four Dodododwarf and Gagaga Mancer to literally bring out the big guns – go, 'Gagaga Cowboy'!" Two amber pistols soon rotated in the hands of this Western-themed Xyz Monster, its bandanna-swathed face only giving the slightest amount away. [EARTH/Warrior/Xyz/Rank 4/1500 ATK/2400 DEF]

Yuma then jutted a finger to the sky. "There's more than one reason I put him in Defense Mode too! By using one Overlay Unit, I can start blasting away at that bounty of Life Points you have, Akaine! Let it rip, Gagaga Cowboy!" The entity's aim followed Yuma's finger where it aimed directly at Akaine, and soon she was lost in a hail of light. [Akaine's LP: 8000 - 7200]

Yuma immediately then swatted two further cards under the D-Pad. "And with these two face-downs, I end my turn!"

"I'm up then!" Yusei drew, looked at his hand then decided that… "And I'll continue the momentum with 'Healing Wave Generator' in Defense Mode!"

A gigantic frame of tubes and glowing cathodes surrounding the floating mirror on Yusei's field. [LIGHT/Machine/Level 4/800 ATK/1600 DEF] "And to widen that deficit between our Life Points and yours, Akaine, the Generator'll use its special ability on Yuma's Cowboy!" The glowing machine's reflection immediately turned to frame the Xyz Monster…only for lighting to spark and the Generator to turn back, the two Duelists' Life Points not a point higher for the exchange.

Finally, shock crossed the face of Yusei. "Wait, what gives?"

Yuma's face turned red. "Uh… well, see, Yuse… my Cowboy…well, it doesn't have a Level! Only a Rank." Yuma's scratched his scalp. "And, yes, well, I could have possibly maybe totally told that to ya early on…perhaps?"

Yusei's expression – caught between a pout and a frown – got Yuma turning away from the glowering Duelist.

"You got it, Yusei!" Yuma quickly agreed. Heh - suddenly, I'm a little glad Astral wasn't here to see that! he mentally added.

However, Yuma's eyes soon focused on another of the people that had tagged along with them. Yusei, despite his indignation, followed the gaze to Jaden, still seated unresponsively on the floor, his eyes not leaving his shoes. 'How could I forget him though? This fight's so he can leave too!' Yusei's train of thought stalled upon the words of Akaine past. 'And now I'm not sure just what Jaden fights for now. C'mon, man… I already lost Kalin to the darkness twice, please let Akaine be wrong about how you frolicked with it.'

Yuma was a bit more vocal, however. "Don't worry, Jaden – we've still got this Duel! And the second we win, we'll get the actual truth from this Akaine creep about you…" '… and about all of us,' he couldn't bring himself to finish.

Yusei, reassured by Yuma's words, turned back to Akaine. She had tucked a hand under her chin, the gleam of the Duel Disk under it dancing under Yusei's eyes. "I'll set two cards and end my turn!"

"Oh." Akaine's eyes finally followed the motion as she flexed her arms in front of them, the pop-pop-pops of her cramped fingers ringing through the spacious room. "I've let my curiosity get the better of me."

"From what you've bragged about, you've known all about us for some time," Yusei grumbled. "What could still mystify you now?"

Akaine, without another word, drew as Yusei had several minutes ago, her expression alone dropping the temperature. "What mystifies me is how the darkest among you was the only one who made the smart choice." Akaine's silver eyes shot their icy glare at her card as she drew it close."I bring forth my 'Eieno Negai – the Maiden of Mirth', in Defense Mode."

With a trained flick of the wrist, her card sprang forth into the light, the tiny silver-skinned cherub flitting around her form rather than on the field. It was menacing all the same, with enough sharp ridges to shame a porcupine and a spear in each of its knobby hands. [DARK/Fairy/Immortal/Level 1-5/100 ATK/1650 DEF] "Since it's on the field, its Level goes up fivefold. But it's what it'll do to the back rows that should concern you two, because my Maiden's Love Bomb ability allows me to destroy a Set card on the field, and then fill the void with an 'Eieno Negai' Spell or Trap Card from my Deck!" The Maiden obliged, as the curtain of talons that made up her dress suddenly shot out beams from their tips that cut through the 'Scrap-Iron Scarecrow' on Yusei's laser array then swept down under the Maiden as she leaped in front of Akaine, the visage of a Trap Card named 'Eieno Negai – Fleeting Love' all that was shown between the beams before the card turned face-down and the laser show ended.

"Unfortunately, my fair Maiden has to depart, as my next monster needs a sacrifice to be Special Summoned to the field. I Special Summon 'Eieno Negai – Illusionist Faceless Minister'!"

The featureless façade of gold that made up the head of the monster brought forth from the flash of crimson light the Maiden's Tribute wrought was sandwiched between the leering snarls on the two bestial faces perched where its shoulders should be. [DARK/Fairy/Immortal/Level 5/1250 ATK/2250 DEF]

"That thing's gigantic!" Yuma shouted. As soon as the words left his mouth, a terrifying chime shook the walls of the chamber as the entity itself dissolved into a giant spiked spore.

Akaine snorted. "Not as imposing as the talent it shares with the Maiden – its Immortal ability."

"Immortal-?!" Yusei uttered, only for another terrifying thought to cut him off midway. Surprised as he was by the revelation of the new ability, it was not what cut his sentence short. His mind was soon rocked by the off-white border of an invitation received in the Satellite that crept its way to his mind, as well as the event's name. "You're that Akaine Yubin? From the Akaine Memorial Tournament?!"

"I… see my name precedes me." A less shell-shocked Duelist than Yusei might have caught the somber tone in her voice. "I apparently make such an impact in my time, tournaments in yours cite my name. And yet, what happened leading up to our meeting. Still. Happened." Now Akaine's words fell like stones, her wounded tone increasing with each one. "Much like what's happened here has to happen. The Immortal ability of my Maiden of requires me to sacrifice a monster with fifteen hundred or less Attack Points that shares her Attribute, but thanks to it, the Maiden will return to my field with a new trick up her sleeve for the sacrifice."

The Maiden of Mirth popped up from the shattered husk of the spiked spore, her spears swinging above her head to form another card between them. "Its Mirthful Mill destroys an 'Eieno Negai' card in my Deck, like my Spell, 'Eieno Negai – Mark of Love'! And its destruction gives me Life Points equal to the highest amount of Attack Points among the 'Eieno Negai' monsters in my Graveyard – like the twelve hundred and fifty my Minister holds! [Akaine's LP: 7200 - 8450] However, thanks to the power of the 'Helikuriboh' in my hand…" A flash of light between Akaine's fingers showed the hint of a bichromatic furry Fiend before Akaine settled it into her Duel Disk's Graveyard slot. "…the Immortal Illusionist Minister will be brought back too!" And with the act, the titanic Fairy soon loomed over its equally-Leveled twin once more on the field.

Ignoring Yuma's gape and Jaden's momentary stare at the realization of Akaine having a Kuriboh in her possession as well, she continued apace. "See, even if I'm not up to Tributing a monster on the field by a card effect, Helikuriboh will Tribute itself from my hand instead! And thanks to its help, the Minister's Immortal talent, Illusion Implosion, will take down every Special Summoned monster that isn't an 'Eieno Negai' monster!"

The long, tapering arms of the Minister shuddered once grotesquely, then pulled up to impossible lengths as if guided by strings and clapped once in the air. The golden shock-wave they produced cut through his Cowboy like a butter knife, the resulting explosion sending Yuma sprawling onto his back. "I should mention that Helikuriboh also lets me draw a card, due to it being Tributed for a card's effect." Akaine idly took another card into her hand as Yuma scrambled to his feet. "Good, Yuma, you're up. Minister, attack him directly."

Yuma blanched at the news, but his resulting grin soon took over. "L-like you said, Akaine, it's the back row you've gotta worry about! And my Set Trap's one of them – go, 'Battle Break'! Unless you've got another monster in your hand to reveal, that Minister's taking another trip to the Grave!"

"And I assume revealing a monster allows my attack to go through unimpeded?"

"Well, I mean, yeah, but you've already put out three to make this attack possible, so-" Akaine's immediate presentation of the 'Eieno Negai – Boundless Beautician' in her hand and the fizzing away of Yuma's Trap Card wiped the smile off his face within seconds.

"Relax kid, I've got something to make sure our Life Points stay safe – properly, this time!" Yusei revealed another face-up Trap Card to greet his eyes. "I activate my Trap, 'Defense Draw!' Now every point of damage you'd take from the battle becomes zero, and I draw a card!" Yusei's hand now at four cards, the scorching waves of the Minster's Flames of Passion attack broke harmlessly upon the barrier before Yuma.

Akaine gave a small titter at the aborted attack. "I see. Quick studies, both of you. Well then, one final face-down should do it for me." Another card fizzled into Akaine's back row.

"Curious." The echo that rang through everywhere in Akaine but from her lips finally cased a surge of color to return to her eyes. "You say only Jaden made the smart decision, yet only Yuma and Yusei have gotten you to warm up."

Far as I recall, I've always been this warm when doing my duty. Akaine stood up and cracked her neck, the slightest hint of translucent silver wings and blue eyes gracing her periphery.

"Well, if it gets too tough, I'm here for you. But I'm curious for a different reason." Ehris relayed.

Well, talk. It does seem we do that a lot. A faint smile accompanied Akaine's focused thought. A word about the dangers of the Dystopia here, a hint to modify our hero-humbling plans there…

"No need to play the cryptic for my love, Yubin." And suddenly, the three wings visible to Akaine's eyes flared out. "It's not as cute when people who don't need it to survive do it."

The disembodied deity's drawl ricocheted through Akaine's mind. "And do remember, Akaine… your Aspect has the chance to save your worlds. Some of us…"And Ehris finally cast her shimmering eyes to Yuma as well. "…have to settle for avenging them."

"Yes, that's actually a five-story castle in front of you."

Ceren's rumbling voice – originally uplifted by the discovery of the three straggler Duelists alive and well – had finally been worn down by Tori's lines of questioning. It probably couldn't be helped, but after the Aspect's ooohs and aaahs, the green-haired girl's talk of where is this place at? and what keeps this floating? and were those two girls carrying a motorcycle?! the questions felt utterly overwhelming.

Especially since the answers were, as he'd had to explain in at least triplicate before, "…You'll have to ask my sister, you'll have to ask her Duel Spirit and...well, you'll have to ask those two Duel Spirits." And there went another flood of squeaks at the thought that the two girls barely Tori's height, before one of them showed off a pair of deer-like antlers and hooves as she shouldered the bike alone. The other simply swept down, widened the reach of her arms, and carried both her compatriot and the motorcycle above her head as she scampered up the glowing stairs.

"Now that is just freaky," summarized Blair.

"All of this is just freaky." The only thing more surprising than the knowing drawl pulling into Ceren's voice as he said the words was the fact that Trudge had said them too – simultaneously. Shaking his head at the déjà vu, Ceren continued the statement alone. "But that's how the Dystopia works."

"Considerin' both of my guests were next to other people when they got pulled here, I'd reconsider how 'working' applies in this place." Trudge rushed a hand through his hair at the display of the Eternal Seeker regardless.

Ceren only scoffed at the motion. "I could say the same of the Satellite, considering one of ours owes a lot of her pain to Sector Security's… previous work with the 'Satellite Scofflaw', as you called him."

"What are you talking about?! We've never worked with Yusei before the Dark Signers showed up! And considering how we've been treated since dropping in here, I'm still not convinced I should trust you!"

That caused Ceren to whirl on his heel with blistering speed. His words would follow suit with equal force. "Perfect! Now you've decided to mention the other order we owe the widening of our ranks to! I'd almost forgotten your Security's utter incompetence in reigning in the Witch that caused such havoc there and in the Fortune Cup! Somehow your city's so permissive with predators, this slipped my m-!"

Two more girls bounding toward him from the large castle cut his tirade short. "…well, then. I suppose the Aspect'll be helping you keep one of those problems contained within the hour, so excuse me for my outburst." Without another word, the black-haired Duelist turned to the arriving duo, the white suit of one of the girls immaculate and not drenched with sweat versus the other's cloak. "Save, I thought Sis said-"

"-I just had to see for myself! Viral was ready to go down to the surface and I thought we could talk to these guys first, but then you warped off with Lilith and Malice! Then Viral got real quiet, but I mean, Viral was already so helpful with my headaches earlier, maybe she was shy, and-" Then the winded youth turned to the two girls behind Trudge. "Um. Oh, hi there. Look, if it helps, you probably weren't supposed to come with us and all. Here, I mean. You know, if Ceren didn't say that already. Not that you're unworthy or anything, mind – I mean, you never would have gotten through the castle's barrier if you weren't, but…"

Finally, the figure's shoulders drooped, the exhaustion catching up to her. "Nevermind. Name's Save. Satellite's youngest Turbo Duelist. I… assume you're from there too?"

"…no, but thank you anyway, Save." The blue-haired girl was the first to speak. "I'm Blair, this is Tori…we're from different cities than the… Satellite, was it?... and this guy's-".

"-the Satellite's youngest Turbo Duelist?!" Trudge's voice betrayed his shock at his revelation. "You're Miss Haranou, aren't you? Goodness, you're not just the youngest Turbo Duelist – you're one of Sector Security's oldest missing persons cases!"

"She's been missing!?" Ceren stammered. "When? For how long? Save, why didn't you tell us before?"

"Huh?" Save paled. "But… I mean, I thought I did? Right before I got through my first round of headaches and Viral helped me with them! Honest!"

"You did no such thing! Viral, what have you been doing?!" The Duel Spirit, idly studying her nails as the conversation went on around her, jumped as the focus suddenly snapped to her.

"C-c-clearly your crash has done a bit more to you than Akaine and Ehris thought." She sighed. "If you must know however; yes, Ehris d-did endow enough medical knowledge in me to ensure I could assist you all in any wa-wawawa-way once I was… granted insight." Viral smiled. "Perhaps the moment slipped your mind, b-b-but I wouldn't be surprised. Stuff like that isn't something you'd remember talking about much – yo-yo-yo-YOU did also have a concussion when we retrieved you from that dreadful Satellite. I am… touched, however, that you were sought after for so long…"

"Well, clearly the circumstances changed there," Trudge admitted. "So if you can hand her back, I'm sure I can…"

"…though, such a concer-cer-cer-cern for your welfare before that friend of Yusei's kicked down the door to your abode and set it alight would have gone… f-f-further."

"What?!" Trudge's face turned a new shade of crimson. "Well, I'll just have to make sure Yusei explains just why an innocent like Save was in danger like that!"

Ceren cut him off at that point. "And we'd be happy to take you to him. Viral…" Ceren grasped for words. "Look, I…I knew Ehris appointed you to go retrieve these guys but…I felt after our screw-up, being upfront with 'em demanded I be there ASAP. If anything, I've saved you some work, right?"

"… You're right." Viral's voice then hit a tone that Ceren and the others interpreted as grateful realization, struggling for any other reason would it be so cheery, after this blowup. "You did save me so much trouble."

"Right then, Viral." Save chirped, turning to the three. "How about a tour, then! We'll show what a new home we've made here, then we can see the other guys!"

"I did promise they'd be taken to the three prompt-" And then Viral quickly flipped out Evy's broken chest plate within Ceren's cone of vision – one only Ceren could see at the angle the Duel Spirit showed it. "-But since everyone's accounted for, why not? Lead the way Save. "

As the entourage ventured into the inner sanctum of the Dystopia, Ceren hissed to Viral once more. "Move Evy, I'll keep them away from the room till you do. And… don't tell Akaine. She's been through enough today."

"Take pride, my f-f-fair Yubin. Everyone here is all together with the Aspect now." As Ceren finally disengaged, Viral took one last longing look at the bauble still dangling from Save's neck, and her smile widened. Do enjoy the time together while it lasts, she added mentally.

"I'll help us get back on track! I activate the Spell Card 'Onomatopick' to add 'Onomatopaira' from my Deck to my hand!" The aforementioned Normal Spell Card was in Yuma's hand within seconds. "And that same 'Onomatopaira', after I send 'Gogogo Gigas' from my hand to the Graveyard to activate it, will get me both 'Zubabababancho Gagagacoat' and 'Gagaga Head'!

Now, since you control a monster and I don't, Akaine, I can Normal Summon 'Gagaga Head' as a Level Four monster! And one good Level Four deserves another – since I control a 'Gagaga' monster, I can Special Summon 'Zubababancho Gagagacoat' from my hand too!"

Two portals immediately sprang up before Yuma, the rippling layers of blue and orange from Gagaga Head's robes only moved from their orbit by the upward swing of the Zubababancho's sword. [Gagaga Head/DARK/Spellcaster/Level 6-4/2100 ATK/2000 DEF] [Zubababancho/EARTH/Warrior/Level 4/1800 ATK/100 DEF]

"Thanks to that 'Zubababancho', I can bring out another member with its Bancho Breakout ability – like the 'Gagaga Mancer' in my Graveyard!" With a flash, the sword-swinging spellcaster was back on Yuma's field. "So once again, it's time to build the Overlay Network, and with 'Gagaga Mancer' and 'Gagaga Head', I Xyz Summon the all-powerful 'Number Thirty-Nine: UTOPIA'!"

Two brimming lights – one blue and one vermilion red – swam into the center of the star-choked nebula between the three Duelists, and even Jaden craned up an eye after the brilliant implosion at its nexus revealed Utopia. Its twin swords flashed in the air and its wings arched forward as if to shield Yuma itself from Akaine.[LIGHT/Warrior/Xyz/Rank 4/2500 ATK/2000 DEF]

"You know what would look nice besides that… admittedly impressive specimen?" The translucent spirit behind this mental echo one had two leathery wings and three dichromatic eyes to her name. "A hero from Neo Space, perhaps."

Jaden's look toward Yubel was so labored, that the spirit winced at it. "I'm… probably the last person worthy of touting heroism right now."

"Is this about what that screen-toting soapbox Sadie was rattling on about?" A snort followed Yubel's comment. "Seriously, she's like a wolf whining of how either it or the shepherd will be snacking on lamb by year's end, so them protecting the sheep from her makes them a hypocrite."

Jaden almost choked at the comparison in shock, before his sullen look crumbled into a near-hysterical one. I think the part where I rampaged through their spirit World a month prior and nearly drove them extinct for no good reason got left out of your fairy-tale, Y-

"-Just like what got left out in that little lecture to you could burn out a world-class projector…" The Duel spirit jutted a spiked digit towards Akaine. "… besides the one Dueling your new friends, of course."

C-can you try to even talk, or even act like a normal…spirit for one second?! Jaden's voice probably shouldn't have been cracking so much for how low and subdued it was, but the sorrow leaking through his eyes kept Yubel silent regardless. Akaine was right! Dead King or not, I let Brron get to me! I let my anger get the better of me and I lost my way! I took so many lives because of it, and…

Jaden finally backed up to the pitted walls of the antechamber, the spirit following him into the near-suffocating shadows it cast between Jaden and his time-shifted allies. I mean, Yubel, have you ever done something so horrid you can never make up for it, because it was so extensive? So downright evil, that even if you wanted to you could never make it right?

Jaden's first tear finally escaped at the ever in that sentence. Like…after the school day ends and you lay down to sleep, life doesn't even feel like life anymore 'cause of how bad it was, there's no hope in one lifetime of wiping the slate clean? Jaden finally wiped the tear away. Yubel, have you ever done something you can't even regret because allowing that regret allows the false hope that it can ever be… overcome?

There was a pregnant pause between both spirit and student. However, as Yubel's mouth shifted to respond, the distant shout of Yuma drew his to a close as his call for attack finished, and the downward charge of his newest Xyz Monster blazed yellow scars into its foe, the Minister soon swallowed whole by an explosion of violet sparks.

Drawing her wings in, Yubel rested her head and hand on Jaden's shoulder – or as much as she could mime it – as the shell-shocked teens took a tentative step forward. However, the now-familiar chime rang through again, and the remains of the Minister seeped into a spiked spore.

"… and with my 'Maiden of Mirth's' sacrifice, not only does my Minister rise again, but every Special Summoned monster you've got will fall again!" And the Minister's thunderous clap brought forth another wave of winnowing white –however, the impact would only take out Yuma's Zubababancho. As Akaine raised an eyebrow, Yuma pumped a fist in triumph.

"You sure tried, Akaine – but this time we were ready! Like I said before, Utopia wouldn't just be striking with Rising Sun Slash; it'd be equipped with it too! And one of the many advantages of that 'Rising Sun Slash' Equip Spell is that it's no longer gonna get wrecked by card effects!" Indeed, Utopia's glowing wings had folded into an overlapping position, the lights around its form now pulsating red. "That should be enough to end my turn!"

"And it also gives me the chance to prepare for future incursions, myself-" With a tap of a switch under her new Duel Disk, Akaine's hand swept up as if to draw back a curtain on the new card rising before her. "My Trap Card, 'Eieno Negai – Fleeting Love' is now up!"

"So's my next turn, Akaine!" Yusei's hand nearly chopped out a path through the air with his draw, quickly flitting it through the cards in his hand for his next move. "And I Normal Summon my 'Junk Synchron' to the field in Defense Mode!"

The orange-helmeted sprite popped out of a blue portal to the field, a blue aura snapping into place around it soon after. [DARK/Warrior/Tuner/Level 3/1300 ATK/500 DEF]"Not only that; I'm also gonna use its Normal Summon to Special Summon 'Turbo Booster' from my hand!" Another blast of light and smoky contrails brought the cannon-toting robot to Yusei's field. [EARTH/Machine/Level 1/0 ATK/0 DEF] "… but I'll be using my'Healing Wave Generator' to gain a few Life Points – this time, from my Level Three Junk Synchron!" [Yusei/Yuma's LP: 8000 - 8300]

As the Generator's shine faded away, Junk Synchron started the motor on its back and leapt upwards, creating a trio of speedometer rings in the sky. "And now that our Life Points got a tune-up, so will the 'Turbo Booster' and the monster that gave it to me with 'Junk Synchron'!"

Behind Yusei, but still obscured by the antechamber's shadow, Jaden's head was downcast again. Taking the opportunity, Yubel – still invisible to all but him – craned her head and pinched Jaden's chin. "Again, oh Jaden, looking at the floor won't bury your misgivings within them. We're one now, Jaden – and whatever wounds Yubin opened in you were never caused by you."

Jaden didn't respond, though Yubel felt his disbelief. Soon after, Jaden began sobbing. "Besides, you asked of me a question – if there was anything so terrifying that I've done that regret wouldn't be enough to even comprehend it, yes?"

For a second, Jaden's eyes flickered to Yubel's. Smiling, Yubel continued. "Well…there a bit in the process that made me that… I'll save for when you're in a brighter mood. But among all the people I've turned, twisted… Taken over? In this world and the next? Before you ejected me in that rocket… and before the time we finally took on the ultimate bond?"

The smile finally left Yubel's face at this. "The answer is 'no.'" Not only 'no' in regretting any route that brought us to our great reunion, not only 'no' towards conceding an inch of ground to that wretched Akaine to take away the Jaden I love… but 'no' to the thought that I can grant you the answer you seek. I have made peace with my demons – in more ways than one." And suddenly, the form of Yubel filled Jaden's vision, hands spread to show the full extent of her fiendish heritage. "And I have more than enough life in me that comparing your plights to mine – and the time it would take to assuage them – would be imperceptible."

But then that means… The shudder in Jaden's voice was palpable, even as the rings before them brought out by Junk Synchron finally started aligning – and descending. Akaine already won out, in my case. I do deserve to be here, Duel or no Duel. For my friends' sake… and my sins.

"What Akaine 'is', Jaden, is a prat." Yubel's grin finally rose. "Besides, we've already prevailed over her brother. Who's to say this wasn't her revenge? After all, the presence of a powerful enough Duel Spirit – or dimension - has swayed your Academy's rank and file before…"

Jaden's next words came as a drawl. Y… you mean like what you did. It wasn't a question.

"Which, again, I do not shy away from. And neither does she since she clearly observed your… handiwork as the Supreme King by some means. Yet how she so easily put you into this state is still a mystery. Would I be right in this woman thinking that you have never stopped being the King?"

Right now, I'm not even sure… that I've stopped being the King anymore. Jaden turned to Yubel. For goodness sake, Yubel, I liked seeing Ceren come apart after his loss and hearing what he did to Blair! What if all this was just me waiting for someone like him… to give me an ex-

"-'Excuse' is right, Jaden. Because this charade is ending now. I may not have been audience to your entire run as the Supreme King but the tail end of your reigns was open to me. So now I demand of you… are you the entity that destroyed hundreds in his path? Or, rather, are you the Duelist…" With a flourish, Yubel produced an all-too-familiar sheaf of cards and flitted them through her claws. '... that created fifty for the one you're the closest to?" The display done, Yubel's sudden presentation of 'Ruling Ritorio of Venis' in front of Jaden's red-rimmed eyes was soon silhouetted by the explosion of light threading the rings in front of Yusei. "Because only one got close enough to me to make this possible."

Jaden could only stand, eyes widened, not at the sleek silver-white dragon unfurling itself on Yusei's field but the afterimage of the card that he had indeed given to Yubel. However, the four words that rang through the amphitheater would not be the name of that very Venis monster, but the battle cry of the teen who had summoned the mighty Stardust Dragon several feet in front of Jaden-

"-LET'S REV IT UP!"

The sparkling sheen surrounding Yusei's ace monster only made its debut all the more enchanting. [Stardust Dragon/WIND/Dragon/Synchro/Level 8/2500 ATK/2000 DEF]

Unlike Save, who had previously beheld this beast, Akaine only greeted it with a slight raise of her eyebrows, followed by a rather Yusei-like smirk pulling up the corners of her lips. "Not usually the reception my dragon gets – but I'm guessing you've got a surprise of your own?" Yusei asked.

"My Minister does." And with an unearthly roar, that very Minister rose its hands again, etching circles in the air with its palms as a cloying purple aura grew around it. "See, as you may have kept to yourself before, this monster of mine was once an abandoned Normal Monster, the 'Illusionist Faceless Mage'. And in its transition to its new Immortal form, it gained a reflection of its past form's prowess on the field – because whenever a Level Three or lower monster is sent from anyone's field to the Graveyard, its Attack Points jump to double its original Attack Points for the rest of the turn – to match that of your high-and-mighty Stardust." [Minister's ATK: 1250-2500]

Yusei's gaping expression told the story: Any further attack on Stardust Dragon's part… that'll be mutually assured destruction! Yet, he held firm and responded to Akaine's smirk with one of his own. "I've got one more trick to show you then! I'll equip my Stardust Dragon with 'Silver Wing', and let those very wings bolster the flight of Stardust as it strikes your Minister with its Cosmic Flare!" And with a bound, the three-headed Immortal monster met Stardust in the sky, the flames from its loping arms smacking into the Synchro Monster in a blinding inferno. When it cleared, only Stardust remained. It touched back down on Yusei's field, kicking up feathers."But their Attack Points… they were equal!" Akaine cried in shock.

"Silver Wing keeps Stardust safe in battle twice per turn," explained Yusei as he swatted another card face-down into his Spell & Trap Zone. "Let's see how your next turn bears out!"

One of the feathers fluttering across her cheek brought her mind back to focus. Akaine, uncharacteristically, didn't say a word as she drew, simply casting her gaze to the sky upon seeing her new card – and unbeknownst to her three adversaries, into the blue eyes of the six-winged guardian goddess hovering above her. "Well since you've both brought out your pride and joy, I'd like to return the favor. First, the 'Allure of Darkness' Spell will let me dig two cards further into my Deck, at the cost of removing one Dark monster in my hand from play." With the 'Eieno Negai - Blossoming Heart' in her hand fizzling into golden sparks as she jutted it into the air. Akaine continued. "Now, since I control no monsters, the 'Eieno Negai – Boundless Beautician' can be Special Summoned from my hand in Defense Mode!"

A pair of feathered wings materialized before Akaine, and the suit-clad humanoid between them rose to its feet, the black horns sweeping over its blond hair a stark contrast to the glint in the eyes and toothy smile underneath it. [DARK/Fairy/Level 3/1000 ATK/1500 DEF] It then cut a rift above itself with the vividly golden sword in its hand. "It's not Immortal, but due to its Beautiful Bounty ability, it allows me to discard an Immortal monster – like the 'Eieno Negai – Ms. Chyff' in my hand –and replace it with an "Eieno Negai' Spell or Trap Card from my Deck, like 'Eieno Negai – Ascent and Descent! Next, I bring forth the 'Eieno Negai – Fuchsia the Flirt' in Attack Mode!"

This time, an emerald-haired girl in a heart-adorned white catsuit sprang into play. [DARK/Fairy/Immortal/Level 3/900 ATK/2000 DEF] "And her ability will take advantage of your monster's similar stats, because if you control two monsters with the same Attack or Defense Points, Fuchsia herself can trade places with one of them through her Head over Feels ability! And thanks to Yusei's 'Stardust Dragon', her target will be Yuma's 'Utopia'!" A heart-shaped rift appeared below his golden Xyz Monster and Fuchsia, Utopia's portal taking it away to Akaine's field in a purple flash as he was left with the Immortal monster.

"Not to worry, Yuma – for it's going to gift you with two thousand Life Points for the exchange-" [Yusei/Yuma's LP: 8300 - 10,300] Even as Akaine spoke, however, Utopia appeared on her field, and a twitch finally rippled across her face as her left hand slammed to her temple. Before Yusei could ask what had caused her such sudden pain, Yuma gave out a cry of "Oh no, the Numbers' influence-!" before the binary curves of the number 39 flashed onto life in the center of Akaine's palm.

"Akaine, are you okay?" Yusei stammered out. "If it's because of Yuma's monster – I mean, I'm sure we can-!"

"You'll do no such thing." Even Yuma jumped and his limbs locked at the utterly savage voice spilling from Akaine's lips as her left hand – the 39 upon it finally fading–released its grip on the crown of her head. Her silver eyes that had once so unmercifully judged them now twinkled with the rush of corrupting power from Yuma's Number. "This Duel isn't over, and unlike all but my brother, I will see it through."

Akaine then slapped another Spell into her Disk's slot. "Now, I activate the 'Eieno Negai – Ascent and Descent' I just gained! First, it'll Special Summon both the Minister and my discarded Ms. Chyff." This time, the titan was joined by a purple-skinned fiend princess, the crack of a gold-barbed whip trailing behind her. [Ms. Chyff/DARK/Fairy/Immortal/Level 2/300 ATK/1300 DEF]

"But by shuffling them into the Deck as materials, I can Fusion Summon an even more powerful member of my Immortal brigade: the Level Seven Fusion Monster, 'Eieno Negai – Haiz the Emissary of Dystopia'!"

Thunder crackled in the air, and the taste of ozone suddenly assaulted Yusei and Yuma's mouths as a coiling, formless fiend started cutting gouges in the floor of the amphitheater, spiraling in a tight loop in front of Akaine, the veil it produced suddenly whipped away to reveal a red-haired figure in a staunch pose, wicked metal curves of armor decorating his shoulders where black and red robes billowed out from and the helmet which masked his eyes from view. [Haiz/DARK/Fairy/Fusion/Level 7/2750/2350]

Akaine then pointed directly at the Immortal monster on Yuma's field. "Haiz, destroy that Flirt with your Dark Dance of Infinity!" With a flick of its wrist, the fiend coiling around it shot forth like a bullet, almost chomping through rather than on the Fuchsia in a violent burst of black flames. [Yusei/Yuma's LP: 10,300 - 8450]

"Akaine – even I felt that surge of power from your taking of Utopia! Should I merge with you? Please, answer me!" Ehris' voice rang in only Akaine's ears once more.

NO! No merging! Akaine hissed under her breath, the fury of Haiz's attack thankfully keeping her out-loud outburst from her foes' ears. But… you can help in another way, friend. Finally, loud enough that Yuma and Yusei could hear – well, as much as Yuma could hear from his damaged eardrums – Akaine's voice hit its highest treble. "Haiz's infliction of Battle Damage also triggers a different ability of its own, because much like the 'Gorz' that made it, it can bring out a Token too. Only here it's an 'Emissary of Dystopia Token', with the same Attack and Defense Points as the battle damage it inflicted to you!"

This time, pulsing waves shot out from Haiz and collected into a female figure at his side, swathed in light white-red robes tucked under white Greek battle armor and a grill-like helm obscuring its face. [Emissary of Dystopia Token/LIGHT/Fiend/Token/Level 7/1850 ATK/1850 DEF] "But Haiz's ability also allows me to conduct a second Normal Summon on the spot, and with both Emissaries as Tribute, I'll properly debut the goddess you all just met – THE ALMIGHTY 'EHRIS'!"

Finally, three pairs of eyes widened in realization as both Haiz and the Emissary of Dystopia Token collapsed into two stars – one white, one black – then shot into the ground. Suddenly, a crystallized apple burst from the ground, vines from the stalk atop it shooting into and carving holes into the ceiling above them, then widening those trenches as the fruit opened outwards like rose petals. Slowly rising from the sheen of stars surrounding it, the six-winged goddess of chaos herself expanded her wings to their full breadth. Her snow-white skin, silver hair and armor, and a pearly grin of triumph provided a stark contrast to the darkened walls of the amphitheater. [Ehris/DARK/Fairy/Level 9/0 ATK/ 0 DEF]

As Ehris' head craned down to look upon her opponents, soaking in the shock on Yuma, Yusei and Jaden's faces, moving her trident behind her as her voice came out as a devious purr. "Nice to see you all again. But I do think we've got one last attack to end this turn out right."

And suddenly, Ehris' pose faltered as Akaine's look twisted into a scowl. "Utopia, Rising Sun Slash Plus! Hit Yuma directly!"

Utopia's swords wrapped themselves in a golden hue to nearly span the antechamber's length, then rocketed in two crisscrossing lines straight into Yuma's solar plexus. Yuma was brought to the balls of his feet but otherwise kept his grounding. The decorative pillar of the room behind him, however, was chopped off its foundation with the force.

The next few moments almost brought time itself to a crawl, even as that diamond-shaped hunk of marble tumbled from its moorings and towards Yuma's head. Yusei started to scramble towards Yuma in a far-too-slow attempt to move him. Akaine's next eye-blink revealed her contracting pupils, horror gripping her at what Utopia's assault had done. Ehris' head turned to face Akaine's in shock of what her control over the Number had wrought.

But for Jaden, despite the thrice-screamed plea in his ears from his trichromatic-eyed spirit to "Help that kid!" his knees gave out and he collapsed. However, that same spirit took matters into her own hands.

So Yuma, drawing his head up from Utopia's sword strike, could only take a fleeting notice of the growing shadow under him before a heavy thump and an explosion of glittering gravel rained upon him. The two halves of what was once one pillar piece cut two more holes in the wall of the room, tumbling out of the Dystopia and toward the pitted planetoid below it.

Silence reigned once more as Yubel, fully visible to all present, finally got her wing-bearing from her mad rush. Her left hand still buzzed with the power of her lifesaving blow, and she finally quirked an eye at Yuma, just below her.

Then the pitter-patter of rushing feet broke through, and Tidus and Evy sprang onto the scene from the stairs below and behind Akaine.

Suddenly, the air sucked back into the room, and a chorus of cries rang forth.

"Akaine, what was that?!"

"Holy hell, who's that?"

"Woahwoahwoah, are y-?!"

"Tidus! EVY?!"

"We heard a crash, I thought it sounded like-"

"YUBEL!"

One word again bellowed forth from two different people. Jaden, almost mute until this point, was back upon his feet, his face a cross between amazement and heart-stopping shock. Ehris' reaction was the same for an entirely different reason.

"So I've been called!" Yubel curtained to Jaden, a smile splitting her face almost in two. "And may I say how nice it is to meet you again, Yusei, and you…" Yubel's three eyes again flitted to Yuma, his mouth moving in a voiceless attempt to make sense of the entity now settling beside him. "Actually, apologies… I truly do not know who anyone else but Akaine in this room is."

The six-winged goddess a field across from her blinked. Blinked again. Tilted her head. Then a frightening baring of teeth from Ehris nearly punctuated the air with two sets of CA-CRACKS, as the trident in her hands split from the force she was clenching it with and her jaw nearly followed suit.

"YOU…" and even that very pant of a word came out with a velocity hard enough to shatter steel as Ehris' pose tensed while she crouched to the ground her eyes never leaving Yubel's.. ""… blew up my dimension... killed the other Allmighties... you ruined EVERYTHING!"

Yubel looked at her and blinked. "I'm sorry, who're you?"

The Klang of Ehris' trident as it hit the ground echoed throughout the chamber like a gunshot. "You don't know who I am?!" asked Ehris.

Yubel shrugged. "Sorry, no."

Ehris' face went from shocked to incredulous before… returning to normal. Then she screamed, her voice reverberating throughout the room and echoing off the walls. But what stood out the most was Ehris' face, her dimples and the veins straining against her neck and forehead, her eyes narrowed and frightening.

Her trident flew into her hand. Then, without warning, she lunged at her three-eyed target.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Eieno Negai Archetype's waited long enough for your eyes to feast on: bdsceptyr/gallery/59124483/eieno-negai

Until the next chapter folks; till then, D'Sceptre Inc. is back on the grind in 2020.

And stay safe, folks.