Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds: The Judgement of the World

Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix

Beta By: Lady Lunar Phoenix

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Much like during a duel, Stardust began sinking into the ground, symbolic of being lowered into a grave. He had spread his wings around Black Rose and was pulling her down with him, all the while whispering to her. Ever patiently coaxing the raving dragon woman down from her ranting, her vines slapping away at Stardust in some attempt to break free.

Once the pair was finally gone, it left a resounding stillness in the air around them. Even if the only ones who understood what was being said was both Aki and the Djinn. There was 'no' way to mistake the powerful roars that Black Rose gave off. She was angry, she was dangerous, and she was utterly mad in both senses of the word. With only the veil of light that was Stardust protecting them from that rage.

Both humbling and terrifying it gave a lingering clue for Aki to puzzle through, something to help her understand 'why' Black Rose was insane. But that she wasn't just an insane dragon, her personality and thoughts were a type of 'copy' of Aki's old life one. This raging screaming mess of a dragon 'was' Aki. It was all Aki could do to keep the tears from falling down her face as she stood there trying to catch her breath.

"That... well... so he's... what based off Yusei? Stardust I mean..." Djinn began, trying very hard to find her confidence once more. Easy to be arrogant and proud when one wasn't facing insanity and power combined. "And... uh... I guess he was betrayed and killed, so I guess I kind of get it..."

The other Spirits looked at Djinn, grateful to turn their attention to someone so well adjusted and not inclined to kill them on sight. Given what Djinn had been giving very brief translations for the group as well.

"Well, its clear that the two of them are lovers, so this is nothing surprising." Phoenix pointed out, his voice quivering just slightly before he cleared it with a small cough hidden under a raised wing. And despite the fact that Aki, by proxy of reincarnation, was older than him, he decided to try and play off his older, mature voice. "Look my dear, that was a bit of a shock I confess. However; love 'is' known to cause strong reactions out of people, so don't be too hard on her ok? Those times were dark I'm sure, with lack of computers and things we have in this age, so..."

"Thank you," Aki replied, saving Cyber Phoenix from having to force himself to go on. "I understand where you're coming from. Its, just still a bit of a shock you understand I'm sure." She was still facing where the pair of dragons had been. Mentally banging her head against the wall wondering why she couldn't be a normal person.

Such grief and rage..

Apprehension became the buzz word, as the feeling hung in the air while Aki hobbled her way along through the corridors. Her cumbersome attire making it difficult for her to speed up and away from where that whole... thing, happened. She forced herself to fixate on moving one foot forward through the thick coat of dust on the ground. Stay upright and walk like a person if not with the normal dignity and grace she had been taught.

As she walked though, she noticed something that stuck out to her below. Through one of the walls Aki could see a dragon down below. Nothing about the dragon fit the description of any of the Signer Dragons, too thin to be Black Rose, Ancient Fairy or Archfiend. Far too dark to be Stardust or even the illusive missing Life Stream Dragon. The dragon was near bone thin, dark and seemingly standing guard further below.

But as she passed one hole she caught a glimpse of its face and was struck by a memory. The memory of the night with Yusei, how this dragons' face looked a great deal like the mask that Fubuki wore. If she could get down there and talk to the dragon, maybe she could find out where the mask came from? With that lonesome feeling that seemed to permeate from the dragon, a spark of hope blossomed in Aki's heart. If only she could talk...

"Cough..." it was polite, more a clearing of the throat than a cough and one not belonging to anyone in her current group.

It startled her out of her thoughts, and it was the first flung up mote of light that she caught sight of before Witchs' wand washed it out. Then slowly, Stardust began raising his head up from below, first the top of his head so they could see his skull. Then followed up by the top of his muzzle and so on until his head was fully visible. "I'd like to apologize... for earlier."

It was almost comical. Stardust filled out almost the whole tunnel with his head, they would have to crawl over it to pass him by. Were he physically in the room with them, as it was, he appeared as a talking, living head. His yellow and gold colored eyes blinked sheepishly out at them, and he was keeping his voice low enough that they weren't constantly bombarded with a display of his teeth. He even kept himself far enough away that his beakish muzzle wouldn't brush against them.

"You needn't, I mean, uh..." Aki flailed as the others backed up a bit behind her.

"Chickens." Black Rose Witch hissed at them as she saw the others move back. "He's harmless! He's just a part of Yusei."

"Oh so 'now' you like us? You little Blossom," Stardust began chuckling in good humor, striking Aki with that thought. Stardusts' personality was a copy of Yusei. Meaning he behaved as Yusei did and yet he was so... relaxed... so...

"So..." Aki began unable to figure out where to even go with this.

"So..." Stardust echoed his voice going back to this slight awkward tone. "I guess I should start about our personalities.. Rosy isn't entirely wrong, but she's not..." Stardust paused as though shrugging, but if he had Aki couldn't see it in the tunnel. "See its not so much that we're 'copies' its just the easiest way to explain it." He started before giving a faint, disheartened, "she's not good for long conversations anymore. You'd think she'd try for a seed reference..."

He took another breath before resuming, "we are born from the souls of those who summon us. I was born from Yusei's soul for example. So the shape of his soul, as it were, is me with the appearance of a dragon. Why I can talk? Well, all dragons can talk to each other, Crimson gave Fairy the ability to talk to others and it was a gift meant for 'all' of us, not just Signer Dragons. All dragons. Rosy being right about there just not being time enough to pass that ability on to others. But we're 'not' copies of you, we hold the memories of your past lives. So that you can live 'this' life free from those battles. Rosy... that's, well this is just how she's been trying to cope with..."

Stardusts' voice shuddered, his breaths were drawn in with a trembling touch as he fought down emotions. "I'm a part of Yusei, the shape of his soul and I am fully aware that you're holding yourself up to Rosy and getting horrified. I see it in your eyes right now, you're getting upset and I really don't want that. Its why I'm here right now. So you can understand because Rosy clearly wants you to. She doesn't want to hurt anymore, and you don't deserve to be hurt. But she's trying to heal by ripping up the roots of her pain and I don't think she's considering your..." His head tilted to the side a bit as he awkwardly finished, "instabilities..."

He closed his eyes and sighed, opening his eyes as he steeled himself for the memories he often didn't like touching. "We didn't all come from the same tribe, nor was the tribes we came from large. We returned in victory, you and Yusei promised yourselves to each other for marriage. But when he arrived, he was not considered worthy of you. In this day and age news spreads easily, but back then they didn't know about you, they knew of us dragons, as well as the Earthbound Gods. But not that we came from you, since we were called forth by the Crimson Dragon. So a high priestess that the Gods listened to, marrying some warrior from another rival tribe? They didn't know about Yusei. Didn't care... What they 'did' care was that he 'was' a warrior. As high priestess it was your sacred duty to make sacrifices to the Gods of your Tribe, human sacrifices. And you didn't know..." He stopped and watched as Aki started turning white. 'I can't stop here. I can't afford to leave you to your imagination and I'm so sorry for this.'

"You wiped out your tribe in less than an half hour. No one survived it. Jack and Rua found you... and they looked after you for the rest of your life after that..." Stardust finished as well as one could given the story. The Spirits behind Aki were dipping in and out of the tunnel, possibly looking to study the place or maybe looking for their partners. But they weren't afraid of his presence the way they were of Rosy. "When you are raised being given nothing but praise, with the ability to point your finger and say 'I want that' and have it without question. Be in food, clothes, or men, and finally find one you want and..." Stardust began trying to justify why Aki had lashed out back then. Knowing that these ancient memories were never to be a part of the future incarnations of themselves.

But he cut himself off, it wasn't his place to beg or plead, and it was clear that both Rose needed help because of their past. As Aki did because of her current life, "Rosy tried to process all that. Like the ground she tried to absorb all those tears... But... every time you two talk, there's anxiety between you. I'd talk to Yusei if he had your abilities and could hear me, but I can't. So I can easily understand how frustrating it is to see a form of help and not get it. I'll be honest, I don't know what Divine did to you. She used to be normal unless those days were brought up, but somehow Divine has made her like this 'all' the time."

'We were... Oh... Oh Black Rose...' Aki thought, as she stood there with the pricking pins around her eyes. It was a great deal to process, more than she had expected as she stood there and at such an awkward time to tell her. Mr. Jounouchi needed them and here she was fighting down tears to keep her vision from being blurred. "I-I thank you Stardust."

What a time for the universe to once more drop the 'hey just to remind you, Divine was a Dick', sign in her face. 'I'm connected to Black Rose, she's a part of me. But given how she behaves, that it was Divines' actions. I want to appreciate at least the home he gave me. But.. Yusei and I were going to get married? And I was made to sacrifice him? I guess I wasn't able to see his face because I'm sure that I wouldn't have killed him if I had known.. I. I killed people. Oh Gods...'

'I don't mind what he did to me, and I suppose if I said that to the twins or Yusei it would upset them. But I honestly don't mind, but Black Rose. Did he know about her and work to do this to her directly? Was it accidental? I mean my past memories... my past. She's hurting because of those memories and she doesn't deserve that.' But what Black Rose Dragon 'deserved' was her marriage to Stardust.

"So, just to let you know, your friends aren't down here here, they went down a tunnel and are starting to duel that Fubuki kid at this weird dueling field. But yeah, I just thought I would clear up a few things. Now before Rosy does anything I should go..." Stardust confessed before sinking back down into the ground. Not waiting for Aki to gather her wits or maybe having taken longer than he should have.

Witch watched Stardust leave, his quiet rumbling voice not the least bit threatening. So she gathered herself up and floated her way besides Aki's head so they could see each other. "You ok Aki?" Her partner's face was pale in the light of the wand, colored only by the dust that had collected on her face over time. Turning her rich auburn hair into a muddied shade darker, her lips and eyes were pinched and she looked ready to cry. So Witch, with her small hand, reached out and she tugged at Aki's sleeve.

"So... ah... turns out you can't be mean to Yusei anymore," Aki began, clearing her throat from the thick pain that was closing it up. "Since he was going to be my husband way back in the day..."

And Witch of the Black Rose fell out of the air through the floor thus pitching the room instantly into darkness. The space on the other side of the walls were lit up by the light from the Witch, giving Aki some light to see by. Illuminating the dragon below more and the stone platform that jutted out of the wall.

"Waiiitt... You and that guy?! Seriously?!" Witch proclaimed as she flew back into the hall with the others. "What were you thinking?!"

"Apparently that he would make good husband material?" Aki offered, Witch's outrage helping to distract her.

"Or he would make a good bed warmer and ride..." Djinn added.

Because unlike everyone else, Djinn didn't have the common decency to not speak dragon. With every spirit in their group who was in ear shot suddenly rushing back into the tunnel. In most cases over shooting in their curiosity and sailing across the tunnel. A bright rainbow of colors that comically raced across Aki's vision. Yet for all their, almost teenage, giddy amusement, she found herself finally able to push back the shock of what she had learned. 'I can wait until we get Jounouchi and Fubuki out of here, then I can focus on that.' Maybe that was why Stardust came back, if they had been lovers in the past, of course he would know what it took to snap Aki out of states. Like now, when she needed to help get Mr. Jounouchi out of the volcano and check on the others.

Thankfully Stardust had already given her an idea of where to go, so she resumed her trek. Confident that the others would fall in behind her. Behind her and whispering.

Below where the rope ended, the Red Eyes Black Dragon sat. It sat in this relatively large area, a slab of stone that jutted out of the wall. There was this sense of melancholy from the dragon that seemed to hang in the air more stubbornly than the dust that was already there. He moved, in as much as to watch as she began her wobbly descent into the large open space.

Not the least bit threatening, in fact he came off almost with a growing interest. The longer she walked the more he began to study her, leaning his head closer. 'That's right, the gang mentioned I was coming, so he must be wondering if I'm the person they spoke of!' Aki thought and began trying to look around the dragon. Hoping to catch some glimpse of Mr. Jounouchi, as she didn't want to call out into the empty space.

Cyber Phoenix had taken wing and circled the space, eventually swooping down next to Aki. Seemingly coasting on air before asking, "Ah, Aki my dear.. I think we are going to go ahead and find our partners, it seems that the others brought him with them."

"Wait, what?" Aki blurted out as her hand went down to where the stick she had been carrying this whole time rested. It had been modestly thumping against her leg as she waddled along, as reminder that she was helping an injured man by bringing it.

So where was he?

In fact... Aki began to give the room in question a more critical look with greater scrutiny, recalling what she could find out from Phoenix about how it was supposed to look.

"This... this looks like where the gang stopped and spoke to Mr. Jounouchi, doesn't it?" She asked Witch.

"Hmm..." Witch looked about drifting away from Aki just enough Red Eyes space. So that she could get a better look at the stone ledge. She could see the foot prints that traced the ground, the semi circle they formed around something on the ground... "This looks like the spot, and this dragon is here so..." Her lips twisted into a half frown as she tried to figure out what happened.

The light revealed a near pristine platform, caked with dust and marred only by a few stones that had fallen over time. On the ground there was a dark stain that had seemed into the ground and even above just barely visible to her eyes.

"Aki?"

The young woman blinked in surprise at the sound of her name. Witch had dragged the word out, going higher in pitch with ever passing second. It was how Rua sounded when he was unsure and worried that he might get in trouble. "Yes, Witch? Is something wrong?" Aki turned her gaze, not to her partner, but rather up at the dragon who was studying the two of them now.

"Um... I think we should go see the others... I..."

Witch clutched at her staff, frowning deeply at the human shape she could now make out, sitting with its back to a rock. She turned and flew back to Aki, ascending halfway up the path that the duelist had been taking. 'This doesn't make sense, the others couldn't have been mistaken, even the Cyber Dragons noted that there was someone here.'