A/N: Finally done. And the last two chapters are done too (they were done before chapter 2 actually).

And I actually managed to get it past 4500 without a duel. It's still shorter than the other chapters though.

Lines to Cross

Chapter 4
Wrath

Shinya waited impatiently for the city-bound train. Technology had far advanced from where it had been a few years ago, and now it was no problem to know when a train had departed a station elsewhere in the state and when it arrived, for there was an app that told it all with a few clicks. Therefore he knew the bullet train had stopped at Tokyo station and the regional train had departed from there, and if Kouichi had received Yutaka's memo and hoped to make it to Duel Academia before nightfall, there was no way he could not be on that train.

The problem with new technology though was that it still didn't account for delays en route, and so that left Shinya tapping his foot while waiting for the train to arrive. And if it did arrive without the person he was expecting on board, he'd scream at the very least.

Fortunately, the train arrived not a minute later, and with it, a tired looking Kouichi rubbing his eyes at the bright sun..

'Kouichi-san!' Shinya yelled, ignoring the startled look he received from the hailed teen and the odd looks from everyone else. 'Over here.' He waved his arms, before realising Kouichi had been staring right at him and would therefore not need the extra visual. Still, he shrugged to himself. It was always better to err on the side of caution.

At least Kouichi hurried over, and Shinya quickly grabbed the free hand and dragged him outside. He had a lot of practice with his brother after all, and Kouichi figured out the pace quickly enough to avoid stumbling the entire way.

'This way,' he said, gesturing towards his house.

'But where are we going?' The other sounded out of breath already, and Shinya laughed. 'To that small park behind my house.'

If Kouichi was completely lost by the younger Kanbara's behaviour, he didn't show it, letting the other drag him along. They got a few looks along the way – and no wonder; they couldn't loom more different – but most seemed to brush it off with little smiles of amusement. It was no strange thing, after all, to watch friends as different as the night and the day running around together.

Though they weren't exactly friends. Then again, friendship was a thing not easily defined.

Judai got off the train, stretching his legs and shaking his jacket. 'Geeze, train rides never get better.'

'I don't know,' Yubel said, amused. 'Pharaoh looks very comfortable.'

'Pharaoh's a cat,' the brunet sighed, scratching the cat affectionally behind the ears.

'And you're a human; what about it?'

Judai shook his head. Yubel could always outwit him.

'Whatever. Let's just get over to Industrial Illusions already.'

'So…why did you bring me here?' Kouichi ventured finally, after the younger Kanbara took a seat at one of the vacant benches and swung his feet.

'Um…well…' Shinya, who had been feeling very confident then, was nervous now. 'Well, I…I duelled Hideki.'

That statement had absolutely no meaning to Kouichi.

'Uh…'

'He was…well, I thought he was a bully.' It was embarrassing to talk about; it was something he'd much rather be talking about with Tomoki, but it was something he needed to be talking about Kouichi about. 'He said a few things.'

Kouichi looked at him thoughtfully. 'Unsettling things?' he asked, amusement skilfully disguised.

'Was it that obvious?'

The other laughed outright at that. 'I don't think I've ever heard you stutter before.'

'Oh.' Shinya went a little redder at that, before realising the laughter was simple amusement and nothing more. And it was amusing; he hadn't heard himself stutter in quite a while. Though if his brother or parents were there, the teasing would have continued. At least Kouichi wasn't likely to tell anyone.

Still, it didn't hurt to make sure. 'You…won't tell anyone, will you?'

'Not if you don't want me to,' came the reply, the question thinly veiled.

'I don't,' Shinya decided. 'I think I want to tell Tomoki this myself, but apart from that…' He shrugged; it didn't really matter at the current time. 'Anyway, he told me a few things.'

He had already said that, but it was a bad habit of his to repeat himself. Helped fill the empty space.

'He said he thought the deck I was using wasn't right for me.' After a small pause, he added: 'it was your deck, of course. But he said it wasn't compatible with me. You left it in the Duel Disk though.'

'I didn't build it completely on my own,' Kouichi pointed out.

'You put the cats in,' Shinya accused. 'They're hardly practical.'

Kouichi laughed again. 'Guilty as charged. I just have a thing for cats. They make me feel…well, comfortable.'

'Go figure. Cats are demons if you ask me.'

They had gotten completely off the topic, but it didn't seem to matter. And it shouldn't; they had hours to kill.

'He also said some other stuff, about babying others. How no-one will survive in the real world being babied. It was almost as if he'd drop kids on their head and I'd pick them up and we were dysfunctional parents or something.'

'Hmm…' To Shinya's surprise, Kouichi didn't comment on that, simply looking thoughtful.

'So I was thinking about that, and…how was it in the Digital World?' The question came out a little rushed, and Kouichi looked surprised.

'Haven't you asked your brother?'

'I have.' Shinya was looking at his lap. 'And Tomoki, but it was different for you, wasn't it?'

'Well, yes…but…'

'Hideki said you were interesting, but not straightforward.' Shinya tried a different tactic. 'I think that's the reason never liked you as much as Ni-san's other friends. I just never understood anything you think.'

'Neither did I,' Kouichi admitted, and Shinya found himself surprised. 'I suppose I just assumed you were jealous. A little egotistical of me, really, but for some people it's easier to see faults in others than in yourself.'

'So you're one of them?' Shinya ventured.

Kouichi didn't verbally answer, but he did incline his head slightly in what looked like admission. 'It's a long story,' he cautioned.

'I'm all ears.'

After getting his arm shook off by an enthusiastic Pegasus, Judai found himself enveloped in a warm bear-hug by Hayato.

'It's been far too long Judai.'

'Yes it has,' Judai gasped, a little pressed for air.

The other released him, unable to contain his giddiness, and behind him, Des Koala was happily chattering with the Elemental Heroes and Hane Kuriboh.

'It's been far too long since Des Koala's had someone to talk to,' Hayato commented, noting the noise that the rest of the office appeared oblivious to. Most hadn't really looked at the new arrival; Pegasus was always an eccentric guy so they didn't think much of a rugged-looking and yet handsome young adult carrying a large tabby cat around. And none of them could see the convention of Duel Monster spirits taking place on their floor.

'Makes you wonder what embarrassing stories they're sharing,' Judai said with a smile, before clasping Hayato on the back. 'But what's been happening with you?'

'I'm working on a new card series,' Hayato said proudly.

'Good for you, Hayato.'

'…and that's it,' Kouichi finished, feeling decidedly awkward after all the questions Shinya had interrupted him with. When his parents had asked, they had simply listened patiently…and as a consequence he'd left quite a bit of "unnecessary" details out. Even Kouji didn't know the details Shinya was digging out – he put a new definition to the term "curiosity killed the cat" – but even though he could have lied, he was never terribly good at that.

'That…doesn't make sense.' Shinya was frowning, trying to understand it all.

Kouichi caught himself before he could fall off the bench. 'You're kidding,' he said tiredly. 'Right?'

Shinya shrugged, then grinned. 'Guess I have to be there doing that. Still wish I was. You guys know exactly who you are now. Enough for you to leave school and have absolutely no regrets – '

'I wouldn't say that,' Kouichi interrupted, squashing that dangerous thought before it rose. 'I do regret leaving school, but I wasn't going anywhere with it. Maybe I would have done better with another school; I don't know, and instead of trying I gave it up completely.'

'That's alright though, isn't it?' Shinya asked. 'You're managing…unless you want to get married and have a family or something.' He blushed as soon as he said that, and Kouichi looked curiously at him, before shrugging.

'I don't think so,' he said. 'My current family and friends are enough of a handful.' And Shinya knew exactly how true that was.

'My brother was right.' Shinya kicked back, wincing as he accidentally hit the bench's leg. 'You do paint yourself in a worse light than anyone else, and yet you say it's easier to see faults in others.'

'It is,' Kouichi said in a matter-of-fact voice. 'How do you think that whole mess with Duskmon started.'

'Point.' Shinya rubbed his brain. 'I think I'll settle with the fact that you're a puzzle with too many pieces and leave you for someone else to solve. You're too complicated…but you're not that bad.' Realising that wasn't entirely flattering, he added: 'I guess we're not compatible either, just like I'm not compatible with your deck. But that doesn't really matter; Izumi and my brother aren't compatible either, but they get along fine. Maybe a little too fine…'

Kouichi coughed behind his hand. 'They're not dating,' he exclaimed.

'They're not?' Shinya sounded genuinely surprised. 'They fight enough.'

'Takuya's a little…oblivious.'

Shinya cracked up at that. 'He so is,' he chuckled. 'I guess I'll just have to tell him I want Izumi-chan as a brother in law.'

'When did Izumi become Izumi-chan?' Kouichi wondered out loud, before shaking his head. While Shinya was more forthcoming with the information, Kouichi had to admit he didn't really understand Shinya a whole lot either.

'You're a good kind, you know?'

'But I want to grow up!'

Kouichi had a hard time stifling his laughter at that. 'You'll get your chance someday, but in the meantime enjoy being a kid.'

'You know all the adults say that Kouichi-san. Are you sure you're the same age as my brother?'

Judai learnt that Hayato was still the cook he had been back at Duel Academia…when he wanted to be. But even a simple grilled cheese had a certain tang that takeaway food always lacked. Due to the inconvenience of carrying a portable stove around in his backpack – though he had a box of matches for emergencies – he had never really bothered teaching himself how to cook anything further than hot ramen and a cup of tea. Home-cooked meals – or even office cooked meals – were something he didn't get to enjoy often on the road, and as almost every journey he intended to make lent itself to many more distractions, it was something he enjoyed semi-frequently.

Although home-tastes differed between friends and strangers, and even between different friends. After all, Shou was still the best at making tea and Ryou wasn't prone to experimenting with meals as Fubuki was.

'Are you going to have any space when you get to Duel Academia?' Hayato asked, glad to find his friend hadn't changed at all, and even happier to see his sandwiches being so joyfully enjoyed.

'Of course,' Judai grinned. 'My stomach changes to fit my needs.'

He pointedly ignored Yubel's snickering at that comment.

'Oh come on, it comes in handy when we're stuck wandering the desert, or running all over Venice trying to escape flying dragons –'

' – which, as I recall, you were quite smitten by,' the spirit teased.

'Well,' Judai shot right back, 'I do have a soft spot for dragons.'

'Hmmph.'

Hayato didn't pretend to understand their teasing, instead venturing for a safer topic. 'So, what brought you along anyway? A social call?'

'Actually, Samijima wanted me to drop by Duel Academia,' the brunet confessed, rubbing the back of his head. 'The students that can see Duel Spirits think they're acting up around the Old Ruins. He doesn't think it's too urgent though; he arranged for me to take the ferry after all.'

'So you've been in Domino City for awhile then?'

'Well, I was visiting Shou and Ryou mostly…and I did have something to return.' At a reminding look from Yubel, he added: 'Speaking of, have you ever heard of Synchro Monsters?'

'Hmm…' Hayato thought for a moment. 'I think I might have; Kaiba Corp is looking for a new twist on Duel Monsters and they're looking at expanding your Neo Spacians' Contact Fusion. It's still in the debating stages though, so I doubt cards will be designed for them in the next few years.'

'Interesting,' Judai commented, counting the years.

'You're not the sort to think too much about what the future holds,' Yubel said quietly.

The brunet shrugged. 'Can't blame a guy for being curious,' he pointed out.

Hayato once again looked blank, and Judai noticed but waved it off. 'Just some people we met in Venice.'

'That's putting it mildly,' Yubel remarked.

'Yubel, are you trying to keep me out of trouble and put me deeper into it?'

Hayato decided he just wouldn't ask. Sometimes it was better not knowing what Judai got mixed up in.

Kouichi had left shortly after the…most enlightening discussion with Shinya; he still had his casual jobs after all, and he'd have to do them a little faster than usual since he had a ferry to catch as well. Shinya filled him in a little, and Yutaka the rest – and once they had, he could barely believe Shinya had managed to wait so patiently to tell him. All their brothers were so close – but that had explained a little more than the younger Kanbara had himself.

Yutaka just had that knowing air about him when the pair had caught up, as well as a cabinet of stuff that needed filing. He had been busy with other work, but the screen that contained their hope remained open in a corner, and he was able to switch around each time another patch was loading and add some visuals to the discussion as well. This time, not as much had gone over his head as had when Yutaka had first explained it all…but the situation now was so much more fragile, with even a card over the limit potentially disruptive to the Gate they were so close to opening.

They really couldn't wait any longer, perhaps because everything they were working towards hinged on one final duel at one final place. The only place where they'd have such fine control: where they'd set the Gate to open up.

The D-scanner was connected, and the message quickly sent. They kept it brief, as they always had. Who knew how it could affect the barrier, though the short bursts of information had been tested meticulously to pre-empt that very moment.

But science wasn't perfect, and Kouichi was one of the last people who would put his faith in science, having experienced things far greater first hand. The metaphysical, the impossible…the miracle.

It was those things he was banking on, but even such things required a foundation. And even Yutaka, a man of science through and through, trusted his fate to luck. After all, even the greatest discoveries of the scientific world began on an incidence of luck.

In retrospect, Yutaka was relieved he wasn't riding his bicycle through a kaleidoscope of colour and unbalanced vision in a too-real thriller ride home from work.

The ferry wasn't particularly packed, probably owing to the fact that school was sin the middle of a semester and therefore Duel Academia students would not be heading to or from the island. It was also not a delivery day – although those were made by air anyway. Rather, the ferry once a week wasn't even exclusive to Duel Academia, though Kaiba Seto had arranged it to always stop at the island for parents who might have something to bring up with the Principal…or students trying to run away.

Some people though Kaiba enjoyed hearing about the punishment duels dished out.

Regardless, the ferry was also useful for guests of the Academia, people like Judai who would otherwise have to arrange their own transportation to the Island.

Although, he wouldn't have exactly minded…

'Uurgh,' Judai groaned. 'It's not that I get seasick or anything, but it's a little unsettling being on such a slow boat.'

'You haven't been on one for three years, have you?' Yubel asked. Incorporeal, she couldn't feel the gentle turmoil of the ferry's floor.

'Nope.' Judai sighed and left the sea. 'I always did prefer the speedboats, and now I know why.'

Pharoah mewled at him, the yellow ball of light that was once the headmaster of the Orisis Dorm trapped safely inside.

'Yo, kid.' A few men around a table gestured at him. 'How's your draw?'

'The best,' Judai grinned, glad for the distraction. Standing watching the waves simply wasn't for him.

'Then throw down some chips. We need some new blood here.'

Yubel sighed. 'Judai, gambling is very unbecoming.'

'It's the fun of it,' the brunet shrugged, making sure to keep his voice down and lips unmoving so the sharp-eyed gamblers wouldn't pick it up. He poked around for some loose change, slapping it onto the table before accepting the cards. 'All right…'

'Do you even know how to play?'

'Of course I do.'

Yubel sighed again. 'I don't want to know who taught you.'

'Manyjoume actually.'

The spirit shook her head.

Kouichi stuck to the back of the ship; he liked watching the waves, but the front deck was always so crowded and he also liked some time to himself. Especially when his heart was beating loudly enough to drown out a quiet conversation. It matched the description his classmates used to give before an exam – something he hadn't really felt because he hadn't (though he hadn't realised it until after he left school) cared about his grades nearly as much. Still, he managed to score well enough to pass every subject, sometimes with Bs and the distinguished A, but while he could fill his head with a fountain of information it simply wasn't taking him anywhere. He'd come further in the year or so he'd spent out of school than he had with his entire junior high school education.

The water was choppy, thanks to the engine, and he watched the small bouts lap over each other in the dim light. It was something to focus on, something to distract him with. Something to take his mind away from the long journey that followed.

The hike would be something; it had been the first time after all. And then a duel at the very top, in the gates where he'd set the strange and nameless devices up. Finding an opponent up there would be a bit of a blind walk, but Shinya pointed out that all he really had to do was cause a large enough distraction to get someone up there.

In other words, he had to play the part of the villain, as crazy as it all sounded. He almost thought it would be simpler to just explain the whole story…and with Duel Academia's history, it wasn't all that farfetched. But something would be lacking then: the force that existed in all of them when they were fighting for something, that selfish reason that could turn outward into selflessness.

They just couldn't risk it. Not then. And it would be easy; too easy in fact.

The night air was cold, and he wondered if his own thoughts were making it colder…but it didn't matter. It was for his family after all: the five children dearer to his heart than anything.

And the other two were waiting as well, eyes glued to the computer screen. Their timing had to be exact, and two sets of eyes were always better after all. Three boys: three brothers, each so very different, but they would make it work.

It was near afternoon the following day by the time the boat docked, but Kouichi didn't feel rested at all. It was difficult to sleep on moving things, and it didn't help that he'd spent the previous night on a inter-city train either, but the walk up to the old ruins was good for waking him up, and he was feeling largely refreshed once he reached the top.

Though he realised how out of shape he was when he simply had to sit down once reaching the top. It had taken more out of him than he realised. The wind was a little sharper than he had realised walking, and stung his face a little – but beggars couldn't be choosers as his mother always said, and he enjoyed the coldness on his flushed face.

Until he realised the wind was wailing – quite literally – and the stinging was starting to hurt, and his eyes snapped open again.

'Kouichi!' Yutaka's voice suddenly shouted in his ear, as the elder twin stared in shock. 'What's going on there?'

'Spirits!' the other cried, tripping backwards as a shadowy hand reached for him. White – all of them were white, save the hollows that were their eyes and nose and mouth – but they were slowly taking shape, and some of the more distinguishable monsters were easily recognised. Like the pieces of Exodia. 'Duel Spirits!'

'Tell me you're joking.' There was some tapping, before Yutaka's voice returned. 'It looks like all that energy we've been collecting for the gate has riled them up.'

Kouichi winced as the wind grew fiercer, backing away. The small typhoon-like congregation remained restricted without the boundaries they had drawn all that time ago, but considering they hadn't been corporeal not minutes before, it had the potential to spiral out of control very rapidly.

It was reminding Kouichi of the labyrinth of mirrors in Cherubimon's castle, the poor mindless spirits that were incised by the presence of the spirit he carried and just harmless wraiths elsewise. Spirits that ultimately had to be destroyed because they were nothing but threads of a past that could never be restored. Spirits that silenced themselves to spare their saviours the horror of hearing that final scream…

'Try Swords of Revealing Light,' Yutaka suggested. 'There should be enough residual energy for your cards to materialise.'

Kouichi did so, and the swords shot out of the sky to trap the spinning vortex of limbs and gaping holes. And for a moment, it seemed as though that would force them back into ground, but that was when they underestimated the wrath of mindless drones.

Maybe, if they were the real deal and not shadows of a past in the ground, then it might have been the end of them as they bowed to the whims of the heaven. But as it were all they sensed was life and power, and those things drew them out of the ground and into a much larger world.

'The swords are breaking.' His voice sounded calm, but inside he was panicking. If the spirits got to the school, then a lot of innocent lives could be in danger, and he had no right to bring that sort of trouble upon them. It wasn't necessary; it was just a side-effect because they had managed to miss something. 'I can't let them past.'

'Of course you – ' Yutaka stopped, suddenly suspicious on top of paramount worry. 'Wait a sec, what are you - ?'

Kouichi ignored him, flipping through his cards as quickly as possible before drawing up the three he needed. Threads of wind broke out, one coming close to his cheek and he side-stepped it, allowing the device in his ear to be knocked out instead. It was partially incidental, but he was glad nonetheless. He knew what Yutaka would say, the same thing he had said the last time they had stood at their respective posts, but in this case there simply weren't that many options.

'Lightning Vortex,' he murmured, slotting the card into his spell and trap card zone, discarding another to the grave. The whirlwind emerged from the gigantic holographic version, but it was quickly dispelled by what looked to be a member of the Silent Magician family.

That complicated things further, and Mirror Force was taken out similarly, leaving him with only one option. If neither spell nor trap worked, then there was only one other type of card: a monster card. But for no monster on the other field to negate its effect –

He slid two cards facedown, before playing a new spell. His ritual spell: End of the World. But he wasn't summoning Ruin, Queen of Oblivion, but rather…

He took a deep breath, before calling out the card name. 'Demise, King of Armageddon!'

The fiend roared, and a few monsters immediately shrunk away in fright.

'I activate your special ability.'

The imposing figure turned, and Kouichi gave it a small nod.

2000 lifepoints, and every other card on the field would be destroyed. In a duel it could very well be a small price to pay…or a risk not worth taking. In reality, what price could it cost? A quarter of one's life-span? Or something more immediate? He didn't know, but there wasn't much else he could do but hope it was the latter and that that latter wasn't a crippling cost to pay.

'Go! Destroy them all!'

He really did pity them; they seemed even more like those wraiths from the Digital World, especially when several broke free from the destruction and reached for him.

He had Divine Wrath and Skill Drain to stop them.

Judai hadn't expected the sudden vortex of spirits at the site of the Old Ruins, though the abnormal spirit activity around campus was why he had arrived.

He quickly broke into a sprint, leaving his bag near the Orisis Dorms. No doubt whoever Samijima had sent for him would spot it…though he didn't know why the Principal hadn't been able to see him immediately. Although he was running a school…

'It seems more of an emergency than your Principal mentioned,' Yubel said, frowning.

'Yes.' Judai was confused; he couldn't see why then, of all times. 'Funny it was when we got to the Orisis Dorms.

'I'd say it was a welcome back party for you, but…' Yubel cut her sentence off as black suddenly streaked the typhoon of light, swallowing it hole. 'It's gone now.'

'I know,' Judai said quietly. 'I felt it.'

'Not the ones before.'

'No.'

Yubel slowed down as Judai clamoured over some rocks. 'I don't think they were real spirits,' she said quietly. 'I didn't feel them either; just saw them. They were just phantoms, little shreds left behind as duellists grow and change, and games evolve. Buried in the ground we walk upon until some great power or force awakens them.'

'You make it sound almost like the Dark Army,' Judai quipped, though his tone was sadder underneath. He knew well that the Dark Army hadn't risen from its slumber until his soul, filled with turmoil, had entered the Dark World.

'In a way,' Yubel agreed, 'so I wonder who that boy is looking for.'

Judai finally made it up, looking at the figure crouched near the gates – seemingly picking up something, inspecting it and then putting it in his ear – with little to no surprise at all.

'Yes, I wonder that too, but it would be hypocritical to try and stop him on an account of danger…and a little presumptuous, since we don't know that's what he's doing.'

'I think you have a gut feeling though.'

Judai straightened, dusting his jacket off before making his presence known. 'Yes, I do. I also have a gut feeling telling me I've seen him before.'

'That would be because you have,' Yubel replied as the other straightened before turning to him. The darkness was still in the sky, blackening the clouds and covering the sun, so even as the boy turned Judai couldn't see his face. No doubt if he took Yubel's vision, or even his own golden counterpart to the usual chocolate brown, he would be able to…but he sensed no malice or ill will, and well, he always preferred letting things run their natural course.

Albeit, he wasn't too keen on the waiting aspects of those. That was one part he didn't mind rushing through.