Disclaimer: I do not own YGO 5Ds.
A/N: This is the first chapter title in a while that I decided on before finishing the chapter, yay!
When a larger atom is split into smaller atoms, a part of it becomes energy. This is what we call nuclear fission and is the basic idea behind both nuclear weapons and nuclear energy. That's all the science mentioned in discussing the Momentum, in case you're not familiar with the idea.
I realized that for an unspecified period of time, I uploaded the first chapter into this chapter. To anybody who read that instead of this actual content, I apologize.
Crow had left to babysit, Ara had left to sort out another accident, and I was hoping to leave too.
"Yuki-sama," Blizzard handed me a tablet before I could escape, "Nervin said you needed to finish with the promotions and assignments by the end of the week."
"Thanks," I grabbed it out of his hand, "I'll put it with all my other tablets."
Given the technology available, personal digital assistants have been extremely cost-effective to produce (vs paper, which was expensive) and soon became one of our core products. Storage though, remains a problem, so most of PDAs reserved for our own use only has room for a couple of assignments.
As such, our work tablets have no games and can't connect to Wi-Fi (also we didn't have Wi-Fi), so as far as I was concerned, they were useless. As a result, they have been piling up on my desk, each with one or more things that I was supposed to do.
Looking at the stack of PDAs, I whimpered, and decided to take a nap instead.
We still didn't have a sofa, but the workbench is beginning to look very comfortable.
"Yuki?" The blue-haired ex-Enforcer who had disappeared for the past ten days entered the warehouse, "I thought I'd find you here."
"Kalin," I returned, "Thanks for nothing."
"What-?" Kalin blinked, not understanding my resentment at him having successfully and obliviously avoided the work that the rest of us had to toil through for the past week and a half.
"But now that you're here, we must make up for lost time..." I chuckled ominously, stuffing into his hands two of the many PDAs from my pile. "So we're planning on a second road that intersects the first roughly at a right angle to maximize coverage, find out where it's supposed to be."
"What are you talking about?" Kalin asked blankly.
"Design the second road," I pushed him to sit down at my seat, "It's gotta be in an area that we can control, and otherwise reach as many people as possible, per area constructed of course, so keep population density in mind. Avoid all bomb shelters, pipelines, major Sector patrol routes. Try not to have it cut through buildings," I added as a second thought, "but if it has to, that's fine, we'll deal with it."
"Wha-" Kalin sputtered.
Well, he wanted to fix up the Satellite, this is fixing up the Satellite.
Not defeating vague, untold forces of darkness, but rather endless tedious paperwork, followed by a grueling execution process, followed by more paperwork.
"Yuki, stop joking around," Kalin ignored my annoyance, "This is serious."
I arched an eyebrow sarcastically and waited.
"Roman is suspicious of me, he's been acting strange for the past two weeks, I barely managed to sneak out today. Listen, there will be a war in the Satellite very soon, you need to get out of here, all of you, immediately."
"In case it skipped your attention, we don't have the luxury of moving around anymore." I gestured vaguely to my surroundings.
However, I was concerned about giant monsters roaming the Satellite at the end of the Dark Signer arc, which really wouldn't help our (re)construction plans.
"This is serious!" Kalin sounded almost desperate, "Incredible powers will battle here soon, obliterating everything in their path."
"He's right you know," a portentously menacing voice came from the entrance. Roman Goodwin walked in a god stepping foot onto mortal realm. He stood at the doorway, casting a long shadow into the room, splitting the outside light into two as it entered the room (yes, we still rely heavily on natural lighting). When I first looked at Kalin, I felt like he would hide from the Light. But I suspected if it could, Light would hide from Roman Goodwin.
I looked at the approaching man with reluctant respect. Cutting off your own arm for the good of humanity is one of those things that automatically makes you a BAMF. Meanwhile, my hands still shake when I'm trying (and often failing) to pop zits.
Upon close inspection though, I couldn't help the question.
"Why does he have a mullet?" I asked Kalin, not bothering to whisper. Roman's intimidating expression froze. "I mean, isn't Roman Goodwin in his forties or something? And a mullet takes maintenance, who does he go to where he sits down at the barber's seat and be like, 'business in the front, party in the back'?"
"Dark Signers are technically dead," Kalin hid his laugh behind a forced cough and said as though it was self-explanatory, "his hair doesn't grow anymore, and his body hasn't changed since Zero Reverse."
"Immortality," I mused. If it weren't for the 'something else taking control of your body' thing, I'd be tempted. "I guess he doesn't shed either, else he'd be bald by now."
"Yuki Tono." Roman Goodwin interrupted, his eyes seemed to look through me at something far more powerful.
"Roman-," Kalin stepped up cautiously, temporarily at a loss to explain himself, then recovered quickly. "You said the fight is just between the Signers and the Dark Signers."
"This satellite is of no interest to me, I merely seek the source of your recent distractions." Roman's voice boomed through the empty warehouse (Blizzard ran as soon as he saw Roman, at least he took Zigzix with him), "But the time for words have passed Kalin, now is the time for action."
"I am prepared for the Final Battle," Kalin looked the leader of the Dark Signers in the eye, "I've been waiting to duel Yusei for the last two years."
"That's not enough, Kalin," Roman replied, "Not only do you need to destroy Yusei Fudo, you need to destroy him as an emissary from the Shadows, a true Dark Signer in both mind and soul."
"What do you mean?" I cut in, Roman's words gave me an ominous feeling.
"You need to refocus your energies," Roman approached Kalin slowly, I tried to pull Kalin with me as I retreated, but he was rooted to where he stood and refused to waver no matter how hard I pulled.
"You need to renew your beliefs," Roman reached a hand out to grasp Kalin on the shoulder, I let go and hastily backed away. Kalin remains frozen to the spot, I didn't need to see his face to know the vacant expression that comes from being brainwashed by Roman Goodwin.
"You were resurrected into the Shadows, let it wash over you, cleanse you of all these childish dreams and ideals. For in the end, only the darkness shall remain." Roman's free hand clutched Kalin tightly by the throat and lifted him up in the air, the younger man hang limply in his hands.
"Only then, shall you be reborn into your Destiny." After what felt like an eternity, Roman let go, dropping Kalin unsteadily onto his feet.
Kalin suddenly started, waking up from his trance. He shook his head like a wet dog, looking completely disoriented, "Roman? What are you doing here?"
"I came to make sure you're still one of us," Roman said like nothing had happened.
"Of course I am," Kalin replied naturally, I could only hear sincerity in his voice and Kalin wasn't that good a liar.
"What did you do to him?" I demanded.
"Yuki? What are you talking about?" Kalin asked me in the same easy tone, "Roman didn't do anything."
"I merely reaffirmed the beliefs he had from the very beginning, vengeance and justice." Roman said.
"You can't go on like this," I sighed, Roman was too far gone but maybe I could still get through to Kalin. I tried to hold on to his arm only to grasp thin air as the real Kalin appeared half a foot away.
"This whole 'serving an unknown monster from another dimension to get revenge' thing isn't healthy and you know it. I mean, it even sounds fishy." From the point of view of an impartial observer, it really did.
"I've never been better, Yuki," Kalin's voice was beginning to regain its hyena-like quality, "this is what I've been waiting for all this time, to destroy Yusei for his betrayal!" He took a hard look at me, "I have enjoyed the time we spent together, but you're not going to stop me from fulfilling my purpose in life!"
"I don't want to stop you," I messaged my temples with enough force to bruise the skin, god I didn't have enough sleep for this, "you know I'm on your side. If you want revenge against Yusei, I'm with you all the way, but you have to let me free you from this Dark Signer thing."
"I don't need your help!" Kalin exploded suddenly, I just realized his sclera was pure black, though his iris remained the color of the sun. "I am free! I'm doing exactly what I want to do!"
"And you can continue to do that," I assured him, "without the help of the Earthbound Immortals."
Kalin turned away from me, signaling the end of our conversation.
Oh well, it was worth a try. But I would be lying if I said I wasn't prepared for Kalin going crazy again.
But I wasn't too concerned. The anime was pretty clear on the next steps to take, I just have to defeat him in a duel and wait for him to be resurrected at the end of the arc.
Oh, and upon further examination of what plot I could remember, apparently nobody dies from a Shadow duel, you just get absorbed into limbo or something, and be released when Good eventually triumphs. How convenient.
"So, how 'bout we set up a time for a card game," I offered cheerfully, "Like now? If I win you go back to normal, right?"
"A duel with you is merely a waste of time," Roman said those words are a mere statement of fact, "Dark Signers' Fate is to carry out the Destined Battle between Light and Darkness, only after you become a Signer might you merit a duel." Rex has been trying to activate the mark of all Signers, Roman thought he'd lend his brother a hand. "And it's only fair to let you know, if you win, he dies." Roman continued impassively.
"Death?" I repeated, successfully masking my contempt at a 'magical death'.
"Indeed," Roman agreed, he then turned to Kalin "Given your recent incident+, I have made certain precautions for his protection in case his other opponents are not so careful as to ensure your survival."
Right, when Kalin technically didn't lose the duel to me two weeks ago. God has it only been two weeks?
"I installed a safety device on your duel disk that would detonate before you lose a duel, to ensure the destruction of your mortal body and therefore soul before it can be taken by the Shadows."
"Wait just a sec here," I interrupted hastily, "You installed a safety device that would blow him up before he lost?"
"It's the only way to protect his soul from the reaches of our Lord and Master should he lost another game." Roman replied without even looking at me.
It made sense, in a messed-up sort of way. If lose a Shadow duel really did send Kalin to Hell (whatever Hell is in this world), and killing him beforehand would prevent it, his 'safety device' is actually protective. Then again...
"And you serve this thing, why?"
"Leash your tongue, child!" Roman boomed. "You shall not display such disrespect for our Master!"
Kalin was pale after Roman's words but he looked resolute, "This is the path I chose, Yuki, let me finish it."
"I would, except then you'd be finished." I pointed out the obvious. "And your 'Dark King' isn't invincible, else it wouldn't need Dark Signers to do its biddings. There has to be another way."
"We mortals cannot even begin to understand the powers of these beasts," Roman sneered, both the iris and the whites of his eyes a solid black, looking a lot like he came from a 3rd-rate horror movie, "they have no form, they do not exist in the same plane as us, they are not even made of matter but rather of the darkest energies of the universe."
"Huh…" I paused, an idea was stirring furiously at the back of my head and I can't quite place it.
"If it's so powerful, where is it now?" I asked trying to hide my distraction.
"Our Ruler is sealed away by the Crimson Dragon 5000 years ago, but he would return and rule this world once again!" Roman replied quickly, obviously something he had rehearsed before.
"Sealed away you say?" I repeated slowly, finally getting a hold of the idea.
It was crazy, possibly my craziest idea yet and considering all the ideas I've have so far, that's really saying something, "In the Shadow Realm I presume. And it was sealed away or something so it can't wreak havoc in the Shadow Realm either?"
My heart pounded so hard against my chest I was surprised Roman didn't hear it.
"The bonds that contain our Dark Ruler weakens by the second," Roman sounded smug, "Soon he will again be free to roam this world and the next!"
"In other words not yet," I replied flatly, be still my beating heart "Right now, he's still trapped, confined, vulnerable… Localized even."
"Our Dark King is never vulnerable," Roman completely missed the point of my comment, "at least not to mortals like us."
I nodded solemnly, acknowledging the powers of these beasts, "So the Ruler of the Underworld has no physical form and is made of dark energy?"
"And as such, he's beyond reproach by mortal means!" Roman replied indignantly.
"I see," I agreed, trying to lead the conversation without seeming too obvious, "The purest dark energy?"
"Of course," Roman looked a little suspicious, but I honestly doubt he'd guess my nefarious plans. "It is from the darkness that all life originated, and to the darkness they will return. The Ruler of the Netherworld is made of the essence of that Dark Energy."
Excellent.
You see, I came from an era where Energy is King, so you can't blame me for making the connection. The Ruler of the Netherworld is, if Roman spoke correctly, energy. It really doesn't matter to me what kind of energy, at the molecular level, energy is energy.
Normally, I'd have no use for that energy and there's nothing I can do to it – I have no way of storing or redirecting that amount of energy potential safely. But if what Zigzix said was true, the Momentum is capable of absorbing energy from mythical creatures to restructure the soil...
And we have a vast store of energy conveniently immobilized, we just have to get it across a measly dimensional barrier, and that's all that stands between me and real tangible food. (And a better world in general, but I wasn't thinking about that at the time)
I think it was Zigzix who said, in the original anime, that the Crimson Dragon had filled up the Momentum with enough energy to power Domino for 100 years just by showing up for like 10 seconds. Its arch nemesis, the Ruler of the Netherworld should be almost at powerful, so imagine the amount of energy we can get if we went straight to the source!
Forget Roman Goodwin, an army of Blue Eyes White Dragons wouldn't be able to stop me.
"Goodbye Yuki," Kalin smiled as he turned to leave, "and take my advice before it's too late."
He waited until Roman Goodwin started leaving before following behind.
I waved absentmindedly.
I wasn't entirely confident about my idea to use a monster destined to destroy the world as essentially fertilizer, but if nobody came from the future to try and prevent it, how bad could it be? After all, they tried to prevent duel monsters. The Crimson Dragon did request this 'war' be ended without relying on card games, I think this fits the bill.
Then again, I'm not comfortable with the idea of destroying the Ruler of the Netherworld like what happened in the anime, leaving this world with only Crimson Dragon as its unopposed God.
Waiting until the hopefully-soon-to-be-irrelevant Dark Signers to get out of sight, I raced back in search of Zigzix and Nervin, the two people in the Development who knows anything about technology (and I'm including myself in that statement).
I found both men with a frightened Blizzard in our first warehouse and current residence- good choice, it's probably the safest place we have. Blizzard had already hotwired Vincent's duel runner, apparently determined to bolt at the first sign of trouble.
"Scram," I glanced at Blizzard. Seeing whatever situation had obviously been resolved, he abandoned the duel runner and scurried out the door.
I took a deep breath and turned to Zigzix.
"You are aware of the power surge last night?" I asked a little awkwardly.
I knew all about the Dark Signers but my information came from a completely different source. The whole light and dark business remains a mystery for most of the population.
"You mean the Crimson Dragon?" Zigzix's red eyes practically glowed with excitement, "Of course I did! Oh it was everything Director Goodwin said it would be! Even from this distance, my satellite picked up incredible power!"
Satellite?
Hamster wheel, Nervin mouthed.
Right.
"If there's another monster like that, could the Momentum drain its energy?" I asked, fervently wishing that the Netherworld monster isn't omniscient, but I didn't want to talk in circles and risk getting something mixed up in communication.
"You mean like how we reconstructed the soil using energy from the Momentum so Director Goodwin could have a garden?" Zigzix asked innocently.
"You removed pollutants from the soil to make a garden for the Director?" Nervin interjected, recalling our previous conversation. "Then can you do the same for the entire Satellite? So the earth beneath us could again support life?"
"I don't see why not, as long as I drain enough energy from this monster you're talking about, I can do that for the entire world." Zigzix replied easily, "Or the Crimson Dragon would work too, or any other monster!" He suddenly got excited at the possibility.
"No, no, nothing except what I specifically tell you to target, okay?" Draining the Crimson Dragon thereby dooming the entire world is not exactly part of my grand scheme/sinister plan.
"Exactly how does the Momentum work to eliminate pollution?" Nervin interrupted skeptically. He was obviously conflicted about restoring the machine that destroyed the city and creating a machine that, if Zigzix's words were to be believed, would restore mass scale agriculture. I don't think I can overstate the importance of that. I mean it's food, all the more vital because we don't have much right now.
"Oh it's simple really," Zigzix grinned for the first time since I met him, ecstatic over the prospect of getting his Momentum back.
"As you know, the challenge in current pollution treatment is mostly radiation and heavy metals," Zigzix began casually.
I did not know that but sure.
"It's been a problem for centuries, but not anymore, thanks for Professor Fudo's Yusei particles!" The brunette continued. "These planetary particles can induce the heavier metallic elements to collide causing them to split up and become different elements, so they're no longer a source of pollution."
I ran his words through my head a couple of times- something felt a little off, but I can't be sure because I didn't really understand what he said.
"I'm most proud of our success in splitting lead into iron and calcium, both of which are natural, healthy components of the soil."
And that's when I understood what he was talking about.
"Nuclear fission! You're talking about mass-scale nuclear fission!" I screeched.
I haven't touched this stuff since high school, but 'splitting atoms' is really a dead giveaway.
Zigzix nodded with wide-eyed innocence.
"And you're using this kind of technology to clean Goodwin's garden?" I could have put hyenas to shame.
"I assure you," Zigzix looked confused at my (entirely justified) outburst, "The Yusei Particles create a very stable environment, we can control the energy absolutely and direct it anywhere we want. It's completely safe. We've been doing it for the last 10 years."
He sounded indulgent, like explaining why planes wouldn't fall down to a 5-year-old.
I wasn't comforted at all. The keyword in his sentences though, is can, as in do not have to. I want a machine to destroy a powerful monster, not the rest of the world with it!
I grew up in a reality where most new advances in technology are immediately studied for its potential for killing the human race, so you'll forgive me if my thoughts naturally leaned in that direction.
If my memory serves, the lack of adequate raw materials (i.e. plutonium & uranium) is the main reason why most countries did not have nuclear weapons in my previous reality. There are no such restrictions for heavy metals like lead and gold. That means literally any comedic caricature of a cartoon villain (god knows there're a lot of them here) can built their own nuclear weapon using Yusei Particles, the science behind this is so simple even I knew it.
If I were on a 'the world must end' path like Roman Goodwin, I'd be really excited.
"Nervin, would you mind?" I gestured unsteadily towards the door, "Just make sure nobody's listening in on us."
The inside of the house is swept daily, but the outside remains a risk. More importantly, I didn't want Nervin to hear what I was about to say next.
The spider-haired man nodded understandingly, going out and closing the door from the other side.
"When you say can redirect energy," I lowered my voice to barely a whisper as though the act would afford us better security, "how far can you redirect it?"
I held out my hand in front of me and saw it shaking uncontrollably. Whether it was in fear or excitement, I couldn't quite tell. Yes, at least part of me was excited, namely the seven-year-old who wanted the rule the world.
"You mean weaponize it?" Zigzix replied didactically, blind to my growing agitation. "I suggested as much to Director Goodwin, but he rejected the idea."
Oh thank god! Good job Rex.
"I can't imagine why," Zigzix continued with the neutral tone of pure scientific curiosity, "An explosion could put half of Australia under water, or all of Southeast Asia if you'd like."
I'm not sure but I think we're in Southeast Asia.
Fear, I decided, I was definitely more afraid than excited.
The world is never short on crazy idiots trying to destroy it, especially not this world. The Dark Signers being shining examples right here in the Satellite.
With our new and improved Momentum, they don't even need a magical lizard or children's trading cards.
Nonetheless, this machine that could very possibly destroy the world might also be my best chance at defeating the Ruler of the Netherworld, the monster that would, one way or another, bring about the end of this dimension.
And I'll admit, I was really glad that there was an alternative to me risking my live six (seven?) times to defeat each Dark Signer.
"So how do we build the Momentum?" I asked, hoping this wasn't going to be one of those questions where future generations would point to when they're trying to pin point what destroyed the human race.
"Build the Momentum?" Zigzix repeated, dumbfounded, "Whatever gave you that idea? The Momentum was built by the Legendary Doctor Fudo, I can't possibly recreate his masterpiece! Or I would have built it weeks ago!"
"Then what was all this talk about Momentum for?" I asked irritated.
"Well," Zigzix coughed discretely. "If you could get the Momentum Core, that's the heart of it all," He gestured something slightly larger than a microwave, "Then I can build my, I mean our own Momentum! And I can see the magnificent machine again!"
He looked more excited than I did, which was a little disconcerting, since having our own Momentum literally meant I didn't have to risk death.
"You want me to steal the Momentum?" I repeated.
The machine that blew up half the city by accident and can sink half a continent if we put a little work into it? Neo Domino must guard it like nuclear launch codes. As you can imagine, it's fairly unlikely for a small local anti-government group to steal something that could destroy the world, and for very good reasons.
Wait, I corrected myself, he's not asking me to steal nuclear launch codes, he's asking me to steal the actual nuclear weapon.
"Do you have another idea?" I asked sarcastically.
"The Old Reactor would work too," Zigzix apparently didn't understand sarcasm. "It would be a little harder to remove, but I think I can manage."
The Old Reactor, aka the headquarters of the Dark Signers.
So if I want to avoid facing Roman in a children's card game that may kill me, I must first build the Momentum. To build the Momentum, I must first get into the Old Reactor by defeating Roman, the easiest way to defeat him is to face him in a children's card game that may kill me.
My mind got trapped in the spiral for a second before reasoning its way out.
"We'll steal it!" I decided, decisively if I may say so myself. How hard can it be to steal from a dead 40-year-old with a mullet? Even if he could summon magical monsters.
It might work, it might not, but it doesn't hurt to explore all my options when trying to prevent destruction of the dimension.
Although, if this does work and what I built to prevent the apocalypse ended up causing it like in some sort of twisted Greek mythology, I'm going to be very, very pissed off.
Congratulations! You have unlocked special ability: Destroy the World. Continue?
A/N: Ahahahahahahaha.
This is the true origin of the story.
I did distinctly remember Zigzix's comment. And so when I saw the Goodwin brothers sacrificing themselves to destroy the Ruler of the Netherworld, I thought to myself, what a waste of perfectly good Dark energy. So this story came to me. :P
I realize nuclear fission may seem a little out of place in a fanfiction about card games, but I think it works pretty well with the general techno theme of the anime. And I had to weaponize the Momentum, I just had to! It was the only realistic thing to do.
And no, things wouldn't be that easy, obviously. What would be the fun in that XD
So let me know what you think, especially if you didn't really like it. I'm looking for feedback on this chapter.