Judgement of the World
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Beta By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Beta because I'm working on the Bible to this story's history: Lady Lunar Phoenix
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There was a different energy that could be found between hanging out with people ones own age and those who were much younger. So going from the more mellow easy flowing feeling of hanging out with Jack and Carly became spiked at the Twins' place. Their departure from Carly's place had involved an exchange of phone numbers, in case of emergencies, and plans between the girls to hang out.
Yusei drove Aki back to her home with the wind stealing any casual conversation, so he was free to focus on the road. Save for those brief moments when he would glance up at Aki's face to see how she was doing. Aki seemed to enjoy the ride, her lips quirked up just enough to hint at a smile, as the wind ruffled the collar of her top. She looked distracted by the ride and he was content with that, since she had retreated into herself after she admitted to not feeling tired. No better proof than who rode along side them, visible to Yusei's eyes despite normally being invisible.
Witch of the Black Rose, who had expressed her determination to keep Aki safe, rode along side them. Since riding ahead was going to upskirt her something serious considering how fast she would have to go to keep up with them. But Yusei didn't mind her overtly aggressive manner, indeed he welcomed that determination. He didn't want Aki to passively accept someone with a persuasive personality. If the Witch felt that Yusei was intruding, what would she think if anyone else was pushy about it?
In a sense he 'wanted' her witch self, he wanted her to be strong enough to stand up to anyone trying to treat her like an item. Yusei could see how learning just this much of her powers had left her shaken up. The vulnerability in her eyes was clear to anyone who looked there, and Yusei couldn't stay in Neo Domino yet. No matter how much he wanted to, until the bridge was completed he 'had' to stay back on his small little junk island. He didn't know how Divine dealt with Aki's powers, those secrets were still locked within the duelist. But just seeing her reaction when she realized she didn't get exhausted had been telling.
Clearly she had expectations regarding how things were supposed to work when it came to her powers and they weren't happening. Triggers were not activating and the more reason she had to doubt or distrust Divine clearly bothered her. Though the fact that she 'still' trusted him worried Yusei, then again not everyone had someone who was a past master of manipulation.
Small trips wouldn't be enough and he knew it. Helping Aki deal with her powers, figuring out what had happened to cause Power Tool to seal itself away, what happened all those years ago that caused it to happen. And Yusei was going to be stuck on an island out of range of any serious internet and unable to leave to help anyone quickly. But if Aki was close to the twins, in a way they would both benefit from the closeness, Ruka with her talent for knowing when around a threat, Rua's loudness to get the attention of those who could help them. Aki alone being able to bring down a building if a threat was there.
But what happened to those two Dragons?
Power Tool Dragon, in his memories at least, was never a mechanized machine type Dragon, rather an insect type. As it had been revealed to him, it had been next to Ancient Fairy, an earth tone dragon with wasp like wings to balance her own sky colored body and butterfly wings. The implication that the transformation happened in this life time; something must have happened to damage Rua so badly that the Dragon sealed itself. Which, just the thought of the poor lone kid looking after his sister and going through that alone. It was enough to make Yusei angry.
Then there was Aki's Black Rose Dragon.
The dragon was the plant and earth based dragon to balance Yusei's intergalactic themed Stardust, he could see that easily. But that Divine had driven her 'mad' was what worried Yusei, that a Dragon of such importance had lost her mind. After all, the way Black Rose was 'now' was how Aki, herself, was meant to become for him.
Which raised yet another question, could the Dragons be healed of their pain? Was their suffering an extension of the pain in their partners, and could a path to their healing also found there? Finding out 'what' caused the injuries wasn't going to be enough though, he was aware of that. But probably the biggest roadblock he could see was his inability to 'see'. He wanted to talk to Stardust Dragon, get the dragon's observations on the matter. But he couldn't have an indepth talk with said dragon without getting Aki or Ruka to help him. Which Ruka was out of the question by just how much it took out of her to do so.
Which left Aki, with Black Rose and that was dicey enough that he was uncomfortable to ask her to do it. And saying 'I want to talk to my dragon, but I don't want you to listen' was just out of line. Leaving Yusei to drive along the darken road towards Aki's home and pondering where he could possibly get the information he needed. Divine might have known, since he actively tried to keep Aki from joining them. But there was no way that Yusei was going to trust either the information coming out of Divines' mouth or Yuseis' ability to keep his fist from going into that smug face.
For a brief moment Yusei considered asking Ruka's Kuribon, but then he remembered that Kuribon had no mouth. In fact, as far as he could recall, no one in that particular 'family' had a mouth of their own. Which then raised a seemingly frivolous question in his mind as he glanced at the Witch of the Black Rose.
"Do the Duel Spirits eat?" He called out to Aki, his gaze on the road meaning he missed her start. Pulling her out of her own deep revere and back into the present as she turned to look at her floating spirit speeding along beside them. It was an ok question she could assume, but if they 'did' had she been starving her spirits? If so that was no good. "I was just thinking and it occurred to me that Kuribon has no mouth.. I'm sorry its a stupid thought."
Perhaps it was out of place for Yusei, but it got Aki thinking since her Witch had a mouth, and a lot of her cards had mouths or roots to plant. The mental image of a host of Duel Monsters having a tea party, while her rational mind scoffed as silly, felt warm and endearing. But Yusei was right about how Ruka's Kuribon had no mouth or roots. So if, than how, did Kuri's eat?
After all, they now knew how the Spirits used the cards as a type of portal to their particular partner, so that the world could have multiple versions of a Spirit. But did they need food? No, that had to be stupid, psychic duelists were rare, and the Spirits weren't dying of starvation. She hoped.
"Witch?" She called out and watched as her Spirit flew over to her, parking her petite self on Aki's lap.
"Yes, Aki?" two tiny feet rested on a thigh and a the witch looked up at her with her tiny hands planted on Aki's ribs so she wouldn't get smooshed by the wind.
"Ah," it was like looking at an eager kitten staring down at the Witch, amusing, endearing.. "Do Spirits eat food?"
"That's out of left field don't you think?" Her witch asked with a confused blink, but then shrugged her answer. "No, we absorb our energy a bit differently than you humans. The emotions that make us into Spirits is what feeds us as well, we live off the love and warm thoughts of our partners. And when our partners pass away if we've been together long enough we just keep on living, that's how your Dragons knew you and could find you again. For those of us who lose our partners, well," the witch looked thoughtful for a moment. "I guess it never matters much to us, because unlike Psychic duelists a majority of our partners never see us."
"I see," Aki called out. The idea that these dragons were ancient was not something that Aki regularly focused on when she thought of them. For her, it seemed ridiculous that these spirits could have existed since such times. Card games weren't that old after all, how would someone summon Black Rose or any of the Dragons without the cards or duel disks?
In the distance Aki could see the lights of her parents, of her home, she glanced back at Yusei, wondering if the silent duelist would be interested in another meal at her place. But given the group concern over the safety of the twins, it was equally or maybe more so possible, that he would go there instead. After all the twins were the ones who most ardently wanted to see Yusei and it wasn't fair to take up all that time for herself. Especially since the twins were obligated to go to school, and the first day of them hanging out included a good portion of the twins grade.
There was no further communication between three as they rode along until they passed the gates of Aki's home. Where Yusei had braked and helped Aki get down from her make shift seat. He watched as she took off her helmet and handed to him, before dusting herself off needlessly. He pulled up the seat to his ride and returned the spare helmet before returning his attention back to her. Even knowing he wasn't going to stay he pulled off his helmet, noticing how she kept looking at him with this thoughtful expression.
"Yes?"
"Yusei, when was the last time you smiled?" Aki asked out of the clear blue. The surprise that he felt internally was reflected physically by her Witch who turned and stared at Aki with a 'WTF' expression.
"What?" He asked, raised eyebrow and confusion evident in his voice.
"Smile. A honest, happy smile?" She asked, having this need to see an expression on his face that wasn't stern neutral. It was a sudden strange urge but one all the same that compelled her to ask, just to see what he would look like.
In fact she knew it would be beautiful as it was apparently a rare thing for him to do, what with the way he stared at her. That look was enough to keep her at her request and not back down as she watched him. First the expression of baffled confusion as he tried to logically understand why she would want to know. An expression that was lit by stardust, the unspoken support from Stardust encouraging her even more.
Followed up by the clear signs that he was trying to remember back farther than would be normal for most people. But it was in the way he moved, the distance in his eyes as he looked over the years of his life and tried to find the answer she wanted. Quick smiles, grins, all meant to encourage those around him when they were down wasn't what she was looking for. He seemed to realize that as he lost his stoic stillness and slowly shifted into a faint sway. Leaning a bit this way then that, and the more he thought the more embarrassed he got.
That moment seemed to shake the self induced stern expression that Yusei normally wore out of him, as his eyes softened. Embarrassment seemed to overtake him by then, his lips pulling into this soft embarrassed half smile half embarrassed laugh. The way he turned his head to the side and was still failing to find any recent real 'smile'. In that moment Aki didn't see a stern 'punk' from Satellite who was also the Turbo Duel King. She saw any other teenager she would see in school, the awkwardness and vulnerable guy.
It wasn't what most would look for in their teachers, but she had seen so much of his strength so far that it was comforting. The sight of a real teenager, more than just an image or an ideal, another layer to this unique person. Coupled with Stardusts' unspoken aid in seeing Yusei, she felt more comfortable being around him. It was remarkably beautiful actually, motes of pure light drifted down like fireflies in a field.
"Wow... so you 'are' human! I was thinking a robot like your deck," Witch of the Black Rose commented as she flew up to Yusei, startling the pair with both her presence and words. But then she flew back to Aki and even she seemed a bit more laid back. "Ok, well since he's not a machine I'm going to go back to your deck now. You have a good night Aki! Don't forget to call us when ever you need us!"
Aki nodded a bit stunned by the sudden comment, watching as her witch faded out of view before looking back at Yusei. "Maybe your stern veneer is what concerned her?" She asked with an awkward little chuckle. Backed up by how Yusei looked amazingly innocent at that suggestion, the smile on his face now one of modesty and shyness. His whole posture now was that of a nervous kid, unsure of what was going on.
Giving Aki a warm feeling in her heart as she saw such an innocent smile and knew the intense determination and strength that this person possessed. She clasped her hands before her and noticed him looking at her, as he seemed to get more embarrassed. The smile didn't fade for a bit, before he finally gave a nervous cough and moved back towards his ride.
"Good night, Yusei, safe driving!" She chirped out as she watched him pull back on his helmet.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he answered with a nod before mounting his ride. He looked back once more as the last bit of stardust disappeared in the air. Uncertainty was not something he enjoyed experiencing, the vulnerability bothered him immensely, but the look in Aki's eyes eased that irritation. The brightness in her eyes, the comment about how the Witch mistook him for a machine only to realize he wasn't.
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"You know, maybe 'you' should talk to him? You have the greater experience dealing with machines and the ilk," Archfiend suggested, casually looking over at Stardust who was staring into a deep dark cave. That stuck out like a sore thumb in a field of various color roses and other flowers, under a beautiful night sky.
"Ummhmmm..."
"Or maybe, we can find a can opener Spirit and do a claws on approach," Archfiend suggested, only to get slapped by a couple of thorny vines that shot out from the cave that Stardust was invested in. "Ow! Stop that you Lunatic!"
"Ummhmmm..."
"Or maybe I should leave the two of you alone, am I interrupting anything?" Archfiend growled as he sat there, his gaze going between Stardust and the dark cave that now sported two red glowing eyes. "You know I have more important things to do than just sit here and watch you stare into the dark Abyss of Moony Madness right?" Archfiend growled at Stardust, narrowing his eyes and waiting to be acknowledged properly. The Duel Spirit world was very beautiful when one took time to admire it rather than a 'cave'...
"Ummhmmm..."
"ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!" Roared Archfiend and with that, he reached out and began throttling Stardust in mounting fury.
"Ummhmmm..." Sounded rather interesting with a choked throat and determined stoicism as its sound maker.
While all around them black rose vines started growing up from the ground and twinning its way around their tails and legs. Black Rose watched these two idiots in front of her cave keeping her trapped inside with their stupid plan. Going off to find and try to get information out of Life Stream Dragon seemed a terribly boring thing to do. Especially since she was pretty sure the lack of a voice box in his metallic shell ensured that he wasn't going to say anything anyway.
But no, these boys wanted to go and bother the pair and that chatterbox Archfiend was too noisy for her taste anyway. So no. Though the look on his face when he tried to thrash his tail only to have the vines keep his tail down was enjoyable. Especially when he struggled to catch himself with his wings and managed to knock himself and Stardust over.
"Rosy," Stardust murmured, his eyes shifting to look over at the rose themed dragon. "Really?"
"You are irrational and strange. You can just leave those two alone, if being tortured isn't enough to get Life to talk. No amount of talking from any of us is going to get things done faster," Black Rose hissed as she walked out of her current cave. Just enough to stick her head out and look at the two trying to untangle themselves.
"You insane, rude..." Archfiend growled as Stardust planted his taloned hand on the darker dragon.
"You want to go star gazing and maybe tell me what Divine did to your partner?"
Black Rose blinked as she looked at Stardust, flabbergasted for all of a moment, her petal crest flatten down as she realized his intent. "You're an idiot." She snapped and him as she walked out of her cave and over Archfiend, which was about the closest anyone was getting to a 'yes' out of her.