Series: Deadly Daughter||Title: Cast a Reflection
Characters: Asuka, Selena, Ruri||Ship: Asuka x Selena/Selena x Asuka
Chapters: 6-10||Words: 500||Total: 3,500
Genre: Angst, Friendship||Rated: PG
Prompt: Arc-V Angst Week Day #4, Separation
Notes: This takes place in the same universe as my earlier fic Good-bye. For those who haven't read that, then the Professor chose to use Selena to find the other bracelet girls, and Asuka is her partner/girlfriend (much as Yuuri and Dennis work together in canon, only deeper).
Summary: To find one's target means going deep undeercover, concealing one's allegiance, and witnessing horrors undreamed of first hand. Asuka never suspected to find a friend with the face of her beloved, let alone have to choose between the truth of her life and truths she's just begun to learn.

Ruri wasn't there. Asuka didn't ask about her but as she explored the refugee camp and met people, she could tell that Ruri wasn't there at all. A few chance words mentioned other camps, mostly centered around other duel schools. Those, she decided, had a far better chance of having Ruri in them.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Rio asked as Asuka started to pack those few items she'd acquired during her brief stay. "You still don't have a deck."

"Someone has to get the medicine," Asuka pointed out. They needed the supplies and other camps had them, which meant someone had to go get them. "You don't have anyone else that you can spare."

Rio didn't look all that convinced, but she nodded regardless. "Then be careful and get back here soon."

Asuka didn't argue. If she found Ruri… when she found Ruri… she didn't know if she'd come back. She'd see to it they got the medicine, but after that…

She liked these people. They hated everything Fusion stood for and the longer that she stayed among them the more she understood why. What had been done here wasn't right and it didn't matter what excuses the Professor gave. If he were all that interested in a better world, he wouldn't have destroyed this one. She still had no further clues as to his real goals but perhaps finding those who wore Selena's face would help.

I miss you, she thought as she made her way through the ruins of the city. And I wish you understood what I'm going to do. She knew Selena wouldn't. Not yet. Selena grew up under the Professor's favor and with his blessings and training, given important missions and treated like his daughter. Asuka wasn't certain of what it would take to get her to see the truth.

Maybe finding those counterparts would help. As long as they didn't also fall into the hands of the Professor.

Asuka picked her way from refugee camp to refugee camp. Not all of them were open and welcoming, even when she revealed what she carried with her. Medicine, clothes, spare cards, duel disks, she took them all everywhere. Some welcomed her trade. Some barely allowed her time to rest before insisting she move on.

She didn't know how much time she spent traveling. She tried to send the occasional message to Rio but she couldn't be certain if they went through or if Rio even cared after a while.

Her main mission never changed. Wherever she went she searched and listened for any hint of Ruri. There were a few whispers here and there about who lived in other camps and how they were doing and what they needed and why – that was what she heard the most, given her wandering connections. It almost reached a point where Asuka wondered if perhaps Ruri had somehow been carded when she wasn't aware.

Until the day their eyes met for the very first time.

To Be Continued

Notes: Some day I may write about Asuka's adventures in connecting the various refugee centers of XYZ. That day is not today.