Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds: The Judgement of the World
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Beta By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
Realized she missed some mistakes: Lady Lunar Phoenix
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
"How did it go?"
The night sky was cloudy, rain clouds were slowly rolling in, but for now they were able to sit back and admire the sky. The four lawn chairs were reclined, two now empty, and there was something oddly comforting in the fluffy clouds rolling in. The empty seats a reminder that the twins had just been tucked into bed by their elders.
Yusei and Aki sat side by side, the small table holding their drinks and light snacks that Aki and Witch had made resting between them. There was no external light save what was getting past the clouds, and what the city generated. The majority of the light they were using came, instead, from the condo itself, casting the pair's faces in soft shadows. Allowing for privacy of thought, and light to not trip into the pool near by.
"About as well as to be expected, I'll have to talk to Fubuki regarding to Mr. Jounouchi's deck's request. Mr. Kaiba took it well, but he's lost a great deal over the years, his son might see more of it than us. This mysterious deck on the other hand, that intrigues me a bit," Aki answered before grabbing a chip.
"A deck that clearly has a combo meant to be performed but isn't happening..." Yusei mused aloud. 'Its probably a metaphorical flare gun to get our Yugi's attention and have him come back. But how many cards are required to make the combo 'work'? How many cards are in the deck that are designed to help bring out this particular combo?' In his mind Yusei worked to create a quick spreadsheet of how the cards could work. But...
"The probability would imply they already hit the combo. But it sounds like Yugi controls the deck and he's not trying to come back," Aki continued.
"Which we know is wrong, he, rather 'they', want to come back but can't find the correct reality. So is something blocking the combo chain from happening on this end? Which if that was the case, shouldn't Yugi... tell us? If there's a 'Yugi' for every timeline, shouldn't there be a 'Crimson Dragon' for every time line as well?" Yusei pondered as he dug out a chip as well.
"Ugh this sounds so frustrating..." Aki groaned as she briefly covered her eyes with a, maybe slightly, dramatic flare of her hand.
Yusei blinked at her before a corner of his mouth lifted in amusement, 'so its not just me feeling out of my depths. Always good.'
Quickly the pair just snacked on chips, tossed possibilities around aimlessly just to hear the others' voice and the sound of chips being crunched. Before they drifted to a far less complicated topic...
"Carly does good work," Yusei reported. "The model looks as close to spot on as possible. The original may have faded over time and this one looks newly made. Beyond that however, we've got it moving on the box. We'll be ready to give it to Patty the day after tomorrow once Jack is done with the varnish."
"That's great! I'm sure Patty will be thrilled," Aki replied, recalling easily how much effort the guys put in building this box. It had actually been kind of endearing to watch as these three former gang members sat huddled around a small box. Crow with his surprisingly good wood carving skills getting the box ready.
Carly's talent with painting figurines was already well established for Aki, but to hear Jack discussing brush types and varnish colors for the box, was an unexpected surprise. While Yusei had been cycling through renditions of the song. It was this rousing trio of guys, tossing insults, gossip, suggestions, and updates. While above floated duel spirits, including Patty's very curious Hanawata. Who, surprisingly, was the key to them solving the music conundrum simply by its exuberant dance when Yusei started playing the right song!
"I don't know if you would..." Aki shook her head as she watched a cloud drift by. "I grew up alone for so long, my power made me unique and isolated. Celebrated while under Divine, but always alone... I grew up looking at this Mark as a curse and wishing I was normal so I could have friends."
She heard him shift in his seat, but Yusei stayed quiet while she talked... "Now, here I am, I got a group of friends from school. I can think of countless people who would look down on the fact that I spend my free time with everyone. That a girl 'of my station' should be with other politicians' daughters... But I'm happy with all of you."
Yusei frowned as he saw a traitorous tear begin to trickle down Aki's face, and he wondered if it was merely the shadows cast because of the light from the condo to make her appear to be frowning.
"What if I killed someone, before they brought me back to Neo Domino? How do I get that stupid trigger sentence out of me?" Aki asked, her voice a soft trembling tone of frustration and fear. "What if it ends up being twins or Carly?"
"Aki..." Yusei pushed himself up into a sitting position, though he didn't turn his body yet.
"They took your decks and tried to destroy them, they 'broadcasted' my trigger sentence over a loud speaker! If someone resourceful enough found it, it wouldn't have to be Divine it could be anyone, anywhere!"
"We work through it, we do the research, study the methods and see if you can be freed of it." Yusei answered with a confidence that he didn't really possess. While discreetly from the corner of his eye he watched the way her bangs flowed down, now that she wasn't wearing the hair clip.
"What if we can't..." Aki asked with a weak voice.
"We create something. We don't let Divine or anyone else take you away from us again." Yuseis' answer was firm. "No matter what happens, if you're under mind control, any type of mind control, you can't be held accountable. Divine created it, he's responsible not you."
Across from her, she could see the top of Stardusts' head as it rose up from the ground. A dragon didn't have a face that really afforded a great deal of personality, yet somehow Aki could almost feel the raised eyebrow and frown on his face.
"You worry too much..."
Aki gave a wary smile before replying, "do I?"
Yusei almost asked what she meant, only to bite his tongue when he realized that there must have been a spirit around. Instead he sat back and went back to staring at the sky and thinking back on what she and the twins told him about Red Eyes. Then layered it with what Crow and Jack had regaled him about regarding that warehouse where the antidote was kept.
The strange eye staring through the television and how the Marks didn't react the way they expected. 'If this threat is not our concern I guess all I can do is entrust this battle to the ones who got stuck with that mess...'
"Thank you Stardust," Akis' voice caught his attention as he reached for his drink. She ducked her head down a bit giggling as she did so, and causing Yusei to raise an eyebrow in curiosity.
'Its not my place, if she wanted me to know she would have manifested him so I could hear him,' he decided. Instead he waited for her to return her attention back to him and went about studying the distant skyline.
"Its kind of funny how you and Stardust are born from the same soul," Aki noted thoughtfully aloud as she turned to face him.
"Are we that different?" He asked and was given a head shake for an answer.
"No, on the contrary you're alike you just word everything differently..." she mused aloud with a faint smile on her lips. Only for it to turn sad, "though that leaves him stuck with my insane dragon and I feel for him."
"Rosey's not that bad," Stardust chuckled as he disappeared.
"Well, given what everyone's told me, the Marks are quiet, we're not needed at the moment so we might as well enjoy the peace while it lasts..." Yusei finally remarked as the first drop of rain splashed into the pool. The soft natural sound causing him to raise his head, "maybe we should go inside?"
Aki blinked as she turned to the pool then back at Yusei. "So soon? Its only a drop of rain, its not raining yet."
Startled by the comment Yusei found himself studying Aki's expression, what he could see of it. "You like being caught in the rain?"
"Well, it..." she grew quiet and introspective it seemed as her arms folded across her middle as she sat there. "When I was growing up it was nice. I could cry in the rain and just say I was laughing about something, people couldn't tell the difference..." Shame began to fill her voice as she dipped her head down resting her chin on her chest.
"Now now, if you come home wet your parents are going to have stern words for Yusei. Regarding just 'why' you're wet and what was going on here..." Witch pointed out in a deceptively helpful tone. Unlike Stardust, she 'was' visible AND audible to the pair. Causing both to whip around to look at her in naked alarm as she hovered there. Wicked smile on her lips the way any possessed by an evil spirit doll would look.
"Out..." Yusei immediately replied with, his cheeks starting to burn as he instantly realized what the witch was suggesting.
"You can't order me out! We're already outside! How much more 'out' could I possibly go, even if I 'was' listening to you! Which I'm not!" Witch retorted with a cheeky grin, before pulling down her eyelid and sticking out her tongue.
"Witch, you be quiet," Aki chastised as she sat there admiring the tops of her slippers, as you do.
By now there were a few more splashes of rain. Nothing to be considered 'rain', or even a drizzle, but it was a good warning of what was to come. But there were drinks and snacks with the chairs needed to be put up! Soon the pair were forced to perform their duties as 'responsible teenagers' by putting the stuff up. Witch had guarded the food, carrying the chips inside, leaving the pair to work on the folding chairs.
When they finally got everything closed up and put away, the occasional splash became a light drizzle. In the distance over the sound of evening traffic a soft hiss heralded the sound of the approaching rain. Leaving the pair standing in the doorway safe inside the condo as an opaque curtain of rain lowered from the sky.
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ Tenjoin household \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
Rain could be heard outside the surprisingly humble Tenjoin kitchen. From the modest stove and fridge to the cabinets, everything was compact, the rest of the space of their home spent in the living areas. Soft whites and gentle edged blues all around her, there was only the soft pattering of rain and the hum of the fridge to distract her.
In the distance she could hear the television running and the soap opera that her mother enjoyed played on. Another love story that was reaching its conclusion as all soap operas tended to. Another pair of star crossed lovers, that were going to overcome... Asuka stood with her hands in gloves dipped in the sink. The heat of the water soaked into the gloves and heating up her hands. She couldn't see the sink through the watery pool of tears in her eyes, the rejection she expected, but the humiliation. That wasn't something she expected.
"Sis?" Fubuki gently nudged her shoulder, startling her into pulling back her hands and looking up at him. Embarrassment covering her cheeks in the form of a shame filled blush, which only upset Fubuki. "Its going to be ok," he tried as she rubbed at her tears with her bare arms.
"He couldn't even pretend to be my partner for a duel... I wouldn't have minded, I expected the rejection... but that..." She choked as she finally tilted into him as she began crying.
Fubuki wrapped his arms around his little sister and sighed as he rested his chin on the top of her head. 'Why did you have to like such an oblivious idiot?' he pondered as he stood there. "Well, I wasn't here for the start of your crush. Next time you find someone, you let your big brother check him out for you!"
Asuka lifted her hands to smack her brother, only the weight of wet rubber reminded her faintly that she had been doing the dishes. Instead she sighed in defeat, "So this is what it feels like to be unwanted..."
Fubuki gave her back a rub, "Maybe not wanted by one person. But there's a lot of us who want you so don't you doubt that sis. How about I help you with the dishes, I can reach the top shelf a lot better than you still," he offered.
"Thank you."
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/
Yugi simulated sitting back in Carly's apartment. The horror movie the group of them was watching wasn't bad. Granted no one save himself and Kuriboh could see the Fairies hovering about Carly. The group of them sat in front of the television, huddled against each other in the most amazingly adorable way possible to Yugi. It was a 'date' night for the couple, and the rain outside was doing an immense job at helping with the mood of the movie.
Jack certainly strove to be as close to Seto in personality and mannerisms as possible. But he couldn't imitate Seto 'all' the time. Like now, where the pair were staring at the horror, huddling close to each other. While the fairies were just as invested in the movie, causing Yugi to smile a bit at how life like they were. The fairies weren't of the pre souled set, these were new souls that manifested from their bond with Carly. Each was with their own unique personality and worked together well despite reflecting the spectrum of personalities.
Spirits connected to those who served Osiris tended to develop quickly, much like Witch of the Black Rose. But the Fairies were different, unconnected from Yugi, and evolving to the point where they were going to naturally unlock their Lady upgrades. Those ghostly images might have been hovering unseen by the fairies.
Yugi could see them.
Divine had warped them the way he had murdered Carly, the bat wings and the scythes would never leave. He saw all the possibilities the way Isis saw the future, they were more real now than when they began manifesting. Like their fairy selves they were also huddled in front of the television and if one more spirit showed up. Yugi wasn't going to see anything.
"Its nice to see them though, Carly's growing up in her own way... Its always nice when the cards don't need my touch," he mused as he forgot he wasn't there and couldn't dip his hand into the popcorn bowl.
"I CAN'T LOOK!" Carly cried out before knocking her glasses off her face as she hid her eyes behind her hands.
"Well now you're not going to see anything," Swee pointed out uselessly with a faint chuckle that turned into a shriek as the vacant stare of a ghostly woman flashed onto the screen. She fell out of the air and huddled behind the couch out of sight while the fairies flew up in disarray and Jack froze in fear.
"These kids huh Kuriboh?" Yugi noted in amusement as he glanced around him. The little spirit purred in his arms as it rested, held as a large ball of not-kitten. "It'll be nice though, they don't have anything on the docket for a good while. So they can rest on their laurels and not worry about the world ending. For now..."
He chuckled as Kuriboh settled into a nap on his lap, despite being borne from the soul of a tiny child. Even such an innocent soul seemed able to grow out of the fears of ghosts and spirits... or just got used to the real thing. 'Which one would think that these kids wouldn't be afraid of ghosts what with their experiences... I bet Mahaado would have a field day with these guys.' Yugi began smirking at the mental images of all the things Maha could have done to this little group.