"Why are there two Yuukas?" I hear Jack ask.
"Wait," Raiden cuts in. "You can see her too?"
I'm too shocked to even move, yet alone speak. The other Yuuka that appeared in the Spirit World, and all of my dreams and visions is here, right in front of me. I feel bile rising in my throat, I'm barely able to contain it before it splutters out of my mouth. Z-One, the strange man in the machine is really Yusei from the future. This Yuuka wanted to stop him, and they clearly know each other by the way they talk. That means that I…
"Yuuka, what's going on?" Aki's eyes are firmly settled on me, and not the illusion of the other me.
"Wait, if Z-One is the future Yusei, does that mean you're… the future Yuuka?" Rua asks, stepping forward slightly.
"Calling us the future versions is a little inaccurate." The other Yuuka begins to speak. Her brow furrows as she carefully chooses her words. "We're older than you are now, which I suppose makes us that. But our lives were not like yours."
"You never lived through the Zero Reverse, it never happened in your lifetime." I say slowly, trying to get the words out. Those were her memories that I was experiencing in my dreams.
"No Zero Reverse?" Crow echoes, probably imagining what that would be like.
"Yes, we're more like alternate versions of each other if you cared for specifics." She sighs and brushes her fingers through her hair that falls past her waist. My hand goes up to my hair, which now falls to the same length. It must be a side effect of her appearing. She nods at me. I blink slowly. Can she hear my thoughts? She says that she is an future-alternate version of me, whatever, but who is she really? Could Yusei and I really becoming Z-One and her if we were given the chance?
"Why are you here?" I mutter.
"To help you stop Z-One." She answers. "I attached myself to your soul into an attempt to get you to stop this. That didn't go as planned." I go to say something, but words fail me. "I thought I could guide you. I gave you some of my memories in your dreams, I sent you warnings. But that wasn't enough. I'm sorry. I only appeared now because all of the Moment energy and emotional distress. The hair is my fault." She points between her hair and mine. "The split was a bit violent on you."
"Your memories?" I mutter. "What's going on?" I press my hands harder into the ground. I wince at the pain. This is real. I repeat to myself.
"The Crimson Dragon sent me here to help you stop Z-One." She says slowly. "I tried to help you. I warned what would happen if you didn't stop Yusei. I showed you his head severed in his helmet. But that wasn't enough." She places emphasis on every word. "I told you to use every means necessary, but what did you do? You asked him not to die. He will sacrifice himself for the good of the City. You know this. I wanted you to save him. I really did."
"So I was right." Z-One's voice booms as its projected. The other Yuuka flinches slightly. She stares up at the projection with a strange expression that I can't read. "I knew a ghost had infiltrated your team."
"You're always right, aren't you?" She answers, with plenty of sarcasm to her voice. Z-One doesn't respond. "What's wrong, Z-One?" She continues. "You were supposed to have been immortal. That's all your people wanted, and you couldn't even do that." I squint at the other Yuuka, confused. Then, I realise. Her Yusei died a long time ago. The projections in the sky cuts to a shot of Yusei's face. He seems very confused. I wonder if he can see and hear what's going on down here.
"That doesn't matter now, the outcome will still be the same. Let's continue the duel. My turn." Z-One declares. "Lazion, the Timelord returns to my deck during my Standby Phase. I send Nonexistence to my graveyard to activate the Continuous Trap, Endless Emptiness. Due to Endless Emptiness, I can Special Summon a Level 10-or-above monster from my hand. But all my monsters will have 0 attack points. I Special Summon Zaphion, the Timelord(ATK:0). Zaphion, the Timelord can't be destroyed, and battle damage becomes 0. Will you be able to survive my Timelord's attack again this turn, Yusei Fudo?"
"When a Timelord is on the field, its effect won't let you summon other monsters." Yusei explains. "In other words, you can only have one Timelord at a time. If you can only attack once per turn, I can survive with Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!"
"I told you that I know everything that you're thinking." Z-One emits something like a smug hum. "I already have a method to defeat that strategy. Endless Emptiness has another effect. When this card is face up on my field, its effect allows me to summon more Timelords. So even is a Timelord is on my field, I can summon other monsters." Z-One is talking like his plan is to kill Yusei. But why? What does Z-One get out of killing Yusei? Aside from his overall plan. I look over at the other Yuuka. She's staring up at the projections with us. She looks at me but, realising that I'm looking at her, turns right back. "Due to Endless Emptiness's effect, Timelords gain infinite power. By this effect, I Special Summon Sadion, the Timelord and Kamion, the Timelord from my hand(ATK:0/ATK:0)."
"Three Timelords?" Yusei exclaims.
"Yusei's strategy depends on there being only one Timelord! If there are three…" Crow mutters.
"Sadion and Kamion can't be destroyed, and battle damage becomes 0. Battle." I flinch at the harshness of Z-One's voice. "Zaphion, the Timelord attacks Black Feather Dragon. When Zaphion, the Timelord battles, all of your spell and trap cards on your field, return to your deck."
"Trap Card, open!" Yusei interrupts as Zaphion begins to attack. "Scrap-Iron Scarecrow! It negates your monster's attack! After it activates, it can be set again!"
"He stopped the first effect activation, but there are still two Timelords." Aki walks over to me, and bends down to hold my arm. I realise that I'm still sitting on the ground. She helps me up, and stands at my side, holding my waist. "What effects could the other ones have?"
"I don't know," I answer. "I don't care. I just Yusei to win, and for this to be over."
"Battle." Z-One continues. "Sadion, the Timelord attacks Black Rose Dragon. When Sadion, the Timelord battles, if I have less than 4000 life points, my life points become 4000." Z-One regains the damage that Yusei worked so hard to deal.
"No way!"
"Kamion, the Timelord attacks Red Daemon's Dragon. When Kamion, the Timelord battles, all monsters return to your deck, and you take 500 points of damage for each one."
"What?" Yusei exclaims. The impact of the damage, leaving him at 1500 life points, is enough to send him spinning. My feet move forward as if I could stop it. I close my eyes and focus on Yusei's aura spinning around, but Z-One's aura keeps dragging my attention away from it. I open my eyes to see Yusei flying back up with the wings of red energy coming from his D-Wheel looking even bigger than before.
"You narrowly escaped death. I end my turn. Yusei, I know you're searching for hope in this situation." I barely have time to blink before Z-One suddenly appears behind Yusei. "I have zero cards in my hand. If my next turn comes, the three Timelords return to my deck. And if I don't draw any other Timelords, I will have to end my turn without summoning a Timelord. If that happens, you'll be able to attack and possibly win. In the past, I also believed it was possible to save the world. But in the end, it didn't happen as I imagined. You cannot save everyone. This is how I arrived at this conclusion. In order for peace in the future, this city must be destroyed now."
"You're wrong!" Yusei turns his D-Wheel around so that it's flying backwards. My heart rises into my throat because it doesn't seem safe whatsoever. "No matter what, I won't give up! I do not believe in saving the future by destroying the City! You are not me!" He points right at Z-One. I shake my head as I keep staring at the projections. Aki grips me tighter. My mind cycles through the imprint of memories left by the other Yuuka. There's no denying it.
"If Z-One is really Yusei, then where is his deck? Show us Stardust if you're him, Z-One!" Jack shouts.
"That card was lost." I mutter in response. Everyone turns to look at me, including the other Yuuka. "It was destroyed in a fire." I stare at the other Yuuka's neck, at the burn marks creeping up on her neck. They're connected, alright. I think Z-One lost more in that fire than just a card.
"You still deny it?" Z-One asks, moving back in front of Yusei in the blink of an eye. "Then I will tell you, the real reason why I'm you."
"What?" Yusei's hand lowers as Z-One disappears again. He appears just behind him. Did he even move just there?
"I was looking for a way to save the world from destruction. I realised something about the machine army, its power source was Moment. And what powers Moment? The Yusei Particles that were my namesake. They read people's souls, so I knew I had to make people behave morally. But the desires and negative feelings of arrogant people were things that I couldn't change with my own hands. I tried. Believe me, I did." I look over to the other Yuuka. Her eyes are closed and her head is tipped downwards, hiding most of her face. "I was Yusei Fudo, the supposed saviour of Neo Domino City. I was a legendary hero who faced all obstacles and never gave up. I knew that I had to become the hero believed me to be."
"Unbelievable," I hear Jack tut.
"Yusei Fudo, your power is incredible." Z-One continues to refer to Yusei as a separate person. Does he recognise us as being different from himself and the other Yuuka? Or is he just continuing the facade? "Eventually, my people once again remembered to help each other, understand each other, and the machine army stopped attacking us. I began to feel that the world would be saved. However... There wasn't enough time left to spread the message to everyone. Due to people's negativity, Moment finally started to spin negatively towards destruction. The affected network selected the path of destruction. In the end, I wasn't able to save a single person. I lost that which was most important to me. It wasn't possible to change people's hearts. And I reached my current conclusion. In order to save the world, I must erase the Moment that our father created and Neo Domino City from history."
"You lost the most important thing to you?"
"That's why he's trying to destroy the City?"
"That's nonsense!" Yusei shouts. "There will be many casualties! Will that truly save the world? You're fine as long as the people of your future are saved? You're fine if this City's people die in their place? There's no way that's good! I will find a way to save everyone in both the present and the future!"
"You still don't understand." Z-One rises above Yusei, fitting the godlike image he aims to achieve. "Despite my efforts, the future couldn't be saved." He points a giant mechanical finger right at Yusei. "Even though I had the power of the Crimson Dragon, I couldn't change the future from its path of destruction! The only path that remains is to sacrifice this City. Yusei, continue the duel!"
"The power of the Crimson Dragon? What does that mean?"
The brand of the Crimson Dragon on Yusei's back flashes in my mind. The blinding red that comes with the Signers' marks turning into a charred black. I blink slowly and the image fades. I look towards where the other Yuuka stood, she's gone. I place a hand over my chest. She fades back into our plane of existence, and looks at me sadly. My head tilts. When Z-One says he has the power of the Crimson Dragon, he means the entire brand. I think I understand now. The other Yuuka's memories, they feel so strong in my head. Just now, the line between hers and mine blurred. Almost as if I was Z-One's Yuuka. But I'm not, I remind myself. My Yusei is not Z-One. No matter how much those lines may blur, we are not them.
"My turn!" Yusei declares. "I won't give up on the future! I set one card and end my turn!"
"My turn. Sadion, Zaphion and Kamion return to my deck during my Standby Phase." Z-One explains. "Zaphion, the Timelord's effect activates. When it leaves the field, I can draw until I have five cards in my hand." Z-One's mechanical hand holds up a single card. "I have one card in my hand. Therefore, I draw four cards from my deck."
"No way… He has an effect to replenish his hand."
"I told you that it wouldn't go as you planned. With this draw, I added a new Timelord to my hand." He holds up his now full hand.
"I expected you to draw!" Yusei interrupts. "I flip over my trap card, Talisman of Reversal! When you add cards to your hand other than during the Draw Phase, I can draw until the numbers of cards in my hand matches yours!"
"Oh?" Z-One is perfectly emoting a fake surprise that fails to cover his smugness.
"I believe this draw will lead me to a comeback!" Yusei challenges Z-One directly. "I draw five cards from my deck! I can Special Summon this card when an effect adds it from my deck to my hand. I Special Summon Scouting Warrior in defense position(DEF:1000)! I Special Summon the Tuner Monster, Steam Synchron, from my hand(ATK:600)! I can Special Summon it from my hand when a monster is Special Summoned to my field! When Steam Synchron is on my field, I can Synchro Summon even during your turn!" Yusei circles around Z-One before shooting upwards. "Level 3 Steam Synchron tunes Level 4 Scouting Warrior!"
"Ruka, your mark!" I look behind me to see the light of a Signer mark. I focus on the projections in the sky to stop looking at the blinding light.
"Please protect Yusei!" I hear her mutter.
"The holy light of protection, shine now and become eternal life! Synchro Summon! Descend, Ancient Fairy Dragon(DEF:3000)!"
"Hm, do you think that cheap trick will work against me?" Z-One's hand moves as if it's a flourish for a bow. "I activate the trap card, Empress's Crown from my hand." A lightning bolt shoots from the card, right to his deck. "I can activate it from my hand when you summon a Synchro Monster. I draw two cards for each of your Synchro Monsters. By summoning a Synchro Monster, you've worsened your own situation. I will erase everything you can do. Due to the Continuous Trap, Endless Emptiness's effect, I Special Summon a Level 10-or-above monster from my hand." Z-One throws all five cards in his hand through the infinity symbol on the field. "Witness the infinite power of the Timelords."
"What?"
"Appear, Michion, the Timelord(ATK:0). Hailon, the Timelord(ATK:0). Raphion, the Timelord(ATK:0). Gabrion, the Timelord(ATK:0). Finally, Sandaion, the Timelord(ATK:4000). Due to Endless Emptiness's effect, my monster's attack points become 0(ATK:4000-0). Raphion, Gabrion, Hailon, Michion and Sandaion can't be destroyed by effects or battle, and I take 0 battle damage."
Z-One's field is suddenly swarmed with Timelords. I bring a hand to my mouth. My entire body shakes a little. The overwhelming power radiating from Z-One's side of the field is almost too much for me, even at this distance.
"No way! He instantly summoned five Timelords?"
"No matter what you do, you can't save this City. Yusei Fudo, that's what you will learn. You cannot save everyone."
"I can't save everyone?" Yusei echoes. "What does that mean? You said you lost the most important thing to you, is that what made you become Z-One?"
"Yes, I despaired. I lost all hope. The Crimson Dragon's power that I gained allowed me to carry out my task. To erase Moment and Neo Domino from history."
The Crimson Dragon's power? Why did it decide to gift Z-One with its power? Regardless if he was once Yusei or not, it makes no sense. The Crimson Dragon has chosen its Signers carefully until now. If the Crimson Dragon sent the other Yuuka back, why is still helping Z-One?
My chest starts to burn. Everyone's marks glow for a second before dimming. I feel the Crimson Dragon calling out to me. The other Yuuka grasps her right arm. Z-One is too powerful. The Crimson Dragon tried to take back its power, but it was too late. Z-One calls himself a god. Maybe he's right. No. He couldn't be right. Z-One was once Yusei, I can't forget that. I won't. He's only playing god. Z-One was once mortal just like Yusei and I.
"What did you lose that was so important?" There's a bite to Yusei's words. "What made you think that any of this was okay?"
There's a long pause as Z-One doesn't reply. The weight of the silence is definitely felt. I look towards the other Yuuka, who stares in the general direction of Z-One. She doesn't know. She told me that. What could cause Yusei, one of the sweetest people I've ever met, to suddenly decide that millions of lives are worth losing for some end goal? What despair could he have gone through that would cause that? What-
"I lost the love of my life."