Parallel World Fusion

I : Gravitation de Terre Ferme

"Yes, yes!" Nathan clapped his hands gleefully. "Now, I'll be going on a business trip to Neo Domino City. Ms Joubert has also persuaded me to bring along Handsome and Tiger to help out with the negotiations for setting up a Hero TV franchise there. Are there any questions?"

"I refuse!" Kotetsu Kaburagi shot back. "I've never heard of such a thing! Why the hell do we have to follow you?"

"It can't be helped, Tiger~ After all, I'm paying."

"Neo Domino City!" Ivan echoed. "That's the world capital of Duel Monsters! I want to go..."

"Anyway, why are we going, Nathan?" the other half of Apollon Media's Second League hero duo spoke up. "Normally Agnes-san would just send the production team to negotiate it..."

"Good question, Handsome," Nathan clapped his hands. "Even across the Pacific Ocean, the name of Neo Domino City must catch your attention somehow, right?"

"I can't say that I pay much attention," Barnaby agreed. "But Kotetsu-san is right, unfortunately."

"O- Oi! Bunny!"

"Why would anyone deliberately send three Heroes, especially powerful NEXT like us?" Barnaby continued. "Maybe the reason Hero TV doesn't want to send its production team is much deeper. A population against the integration of NEXTs, for example."

"Well, as for that... Ivan can give the answer," Nathan considered Origami Cyclone, who immediately produced a projector that flashed against one wall of the shared Justice Tower gym.

"Neo Domino City is the world capital of Duel Monsters," Ivan explained as pictures of elaborate monsters and warriors and mecha and other things fought at the directions of men and women against each other. "With Kaiba Corporation's infamous Solid Vision holographic system, the game of Duel Monsters is a fast competitor for entertainment channels, though it doesn't really catch on in a city-state like Sternbild. Neo Domino especially is famous for its Riding Duel scene, where Riding Duelists participate in Duels of card games on D-Wheels."

"... I think I get it," Kotetsu nodded as a dragon started chomping on several large insects to screaming crowds. "With Clash of the Titans available for cheap in stadiums, it's hard to compete."

"It's just a game," Barnaby scoffed. "With a lot of special effects and holograms, but just a game."

"About that..."

Ivan paused, before switching to another video, this of a street lined with buildings on either side. Except that most city streets were not being torn up by gale force winds, formed with a backdrop of a dark dragon with outspread wings. A dreadful, inhuman bellow filtered through the speakers and the shaky footage dropped, as if the cameraman had given in to fear.

"That dragon tore up the place?" Kotetsu voiced, stunned.

"Perhaps it's a NEXT power," Barnaby volunteered.

"And then..." Ivan pulled up another video, this one of a shapely woman in red racing on an equally carmine motorcycle against a man. She played a few cards, said something, and then a black dragon with scarlet petal wings shimmered into being overhead. Despite the ferocity of that same dragon, the crowd cheered; clearly, this was another part of the Clash of the Titans that Kotetsu had derided. "Now compare the two."

"They're similar... almost the same," Nathan gasped. "Ah, how scary~!"

"But, to get so much research on this topic, you must be pretty interested, Origami," Kotetsu remarked.

A flash, a tower insignia that topped a website, and a Tube channel revealed more, now with a variety of monsters and commanders. "Japan's NEXT policy is interesting, especially with regards to Neo Domino City. Around the same time as the first wave of Noted Entities with Extraordinary Talents forty-six years ago, certain individuals gained power that allowed them to damage and hurt people via the medium of Solid Vision."

"So that monster is still a hologram that coincidentally damages things," Barnaby noted. "It acts like a dragon, destroys things like a dragon... it's like calling Kotetsu-san a tiger and expecting him to act like one."

"Yeah- Oi!" Kotetsu protested. "Bunny!"

"Because of the conflation of Solid Vision and KaibaCorp's iron hold on the Solid Vision technology, these individuals became known as Psychic Duelists; that is, players of Duel Monsters who can inflict real damage through their cards," Ivan steam-rolled over the impending argument. "They faced much of the same circumstances as NEXT, but banded together to form the Arcadia Movement, headquarters in Neo Domino City. After some rocky management, scandals, criminal investigations, and a period of time where the name lay defunct, it was resurrected under new management, and expanded its activities to provide refuge to a host of powered individuals across the world. It hit the news again when its leader, Diana Hunter, was assassinated and the leader's daughter took over."

"Assassinated?" Kotetsu echoed. "That's terrible! Is that the Japan I know?"

"I remember meeting her," Nathan commented. "A thoroughly... unsettling woman. I'd like to be thankful that she's gone, but with people like that, they're always more troublesome dead. At least it's now probable that this is the reason why Ms Joubert insists on sending Handsome and Tiger."

"Why?" the old veteran asked. "'Cause Bunny can charm people into the best deals?"

Nathan's wide lips curved into a large smile. "Perhaps."

"Mayor, I think that I should step aside..."

"Nonsense!" Yeager snapped back. "Helios Energy's owner himself is visiting our Neo Domino City for the Momentum reactor alone! As the head of the research team, you have a duty to be here!"

In the background, one of the interns leant towards another intern. "Why is the Mayor dragging Chief out?"

"Apparently there's a big-shot visiting and they want Chief to meet him."

"Poor Chief..."

"I really think that you don't need me," MIDS Chief Researcher Yusei Fudo protested. "I'm just a researcher, there's a lot of work to do. Chairperson Kaiba could send someone else!"

"Don't give up, Chief!" another researcher called.

"Fight! Don't be shy, Chief!"

"Your subordinates said so!" Yeager snapped, dragging the taller researcher out of the large, vault-like sterile laboratory and down a hallway. "You should be familiar with this process already, really... if you didn't skip out so often."

"I just don't get business politics," Yusei groused, now glaring down at him. "You too, you've got an ulterior motive by dragging me along."

"If Helios Energy is interested in even a little bit of the Momentum reactor, we can set up another line to Sternbild City," Yeager commented as they approached a corner. "The increased interaction between one of the Pacific's richest city-states and Neo Domino City would bring millions in revenue."

"But usually they're the ones visiting the reactor-"

"Ah," the purr came once the door to the visitor's lounge crashed open. "Bonjour, monsieur bel inconnu. Comment ça va? Oh, wait, my Japanese is a bit rusty..."

"Er, I can speak English," Yusei blinked as the dark-skinned man with the electric pink buzz-cut invaded his personal space. "Um... nice to meet you."

"Mr Seymour, this is the Momentum Investigation and Development Section Chief, Dr Fudo," Yeager introduced. "Chairperson Kaiba is currently not available, so he shall show you around instead. Yusei, this is Mr Nathan Seymour, owner of Helios Energy in Sternbild."

"Well, I've heard of the genius Yusei Fudo, but to imagine that he'd be so handsome," Nathan blew a kiss.

"He sounds like Kaiba-san... but it's not Kaiba-san..." Yusei pondered. "Erm... shall we begin?"

"Now if only it could be a bit sexier," Nathan lamented. "Then again, that straight-laced charm works... shall we do it?*"

A thump sounded, and both taller men just stared at Yeager's prone form. "...apologies, Mr Seymour. I'll call someone to bring him to the infirmary first."

"Take your time, Doctor," Nathan winked. "It's a shame, though, that you're already married."

"Ah, yes..."

"You have children?"

"Two of them... well, sometimes it feels like there's more," Yusei pondered. "My friends are married too, and his son's my godson..."

"Missy, it looks like the Hero TV proposal is making the rounds once more. What should we do?"

"... open an investigation," the childish voice replied. "If it runs along any lines like a reality TV show, open all obstacles to block the proposal and sink it."

"As you wish. But... I really think that it might be a good proposal. At least, our members wouldn't feel bored."

"Nakamura-san. This Arcadia Movement was formed to integrate Psychic Duelists back into society. That means, there is no obligation for our members to become public spectacles. That policy will not change. With that said-" She was interrupted by the ring of the telephone, immediately jamming a button. "Hold on, Nakamura-san."

"Yes."

The button was depressed. "Arcadia Movement Central, Shimotsuki speaking."

"Setsuka?" a woman's voice cut in.

"Izayoi-sensei," she acknowledged. "Is there something I can assist you?"

"I'm at the Neo Domino History Museum with Seika, at the new Durga exhibit," came the fast explanation. "There are several people trashing the exhibits and barricading the museum. I can't take all of them alone."

"Reginald and Glen shall be with you shortly, we'll patch you to them at first opportunity. Please remain calm. Do you have your DuelDisk?"

"Y- Yes," there was gagging over the telephone. "They're... zombies? I think? It looks like someone's reanimating corpses... I'll meet those two around the main entrance."

"I will assist you. Well, then."

The receiver was dropped back into the cradle, and another button pressed.

"Patch Siegfried and Spark to Izayoi-sensei immediately. I will be attending to a sudden crisis at the Neo Domino History Museum. Bushido and Spirit of the Books will share command. Polaris, over and out." A black jacket pulled on over a buttoned white shirt before the girl picked up her DuelDisk and headed for the window. "I'm going out. Would you hold down the fort for me, please?"

"It's been a year... yes, Missy."

"Thank you." Then the girl leapt out of the window.

*This is different from the previous proposition. 私たちは始めるましょうか？vsやらないか?

This story takes place post-5Ds and pre-Rising → N.C. 1979. That is, 46 years after the first appearances of NEXT.

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