The Numeron War devastated, Yuma was forced to duel and pushed beyond what he thought he was capable of. In the end, only him and Kotori remained. Astral resurrection wasn't perfect and he finally passed on after the battle with Don Thousand. Kaito took his last breath on the moon and Shark…. Yuma could still remember how his friend looked as he turned into star dust.
He had to leave Kotori behind to enter the heavenly gate, only one can enter at a time and Kotori insisted that she'll be fine.
There was this sense of hope when he saw the shifting card, each of its many parts shines and chased away the weariness in Yuma's body. The Numeron Dragon declared that even the code of unlimitless had its price but Yuma could care less.
At that moment Yuma had lost so much that all he could do was be selfish. So when Numeron Dragon asked for Yuma in return for those he cared for there was no other answer than yes.
Yuma faced death with a hopeful acceptance (he had already fought gods for his friends, death was nothing). He didn't expect the Numeron Dragon's mercy, he didn't expect to be taken to another world.
Sometimes he wondered if it would be kinder for him to just die.
(--.--)
Yuma moved on with his life with nothing but the clothes on his back and the gentle reminder that everyone he loved is safe and happy. He wished he was allowed to have his old deck.
He certainly would be less numb then.
His integration into New Domino city was a blur. It was nothing like the Domino he'd heard of, being split into two because of a tragedy Yuma was sure never happened in his own world. Still Yuma made a routine out of it. Late night jobs, even later grocery runs, dodging around the Daimon Area and all of its less than nice inhabitants to go back to his cramped apartment.
He walked aimlessly around New Domino city a lot. It was a step better than laying in bed all day. But even as he flowed along the stream of people all he could think of was the time he spent with his friends and family.
Dueling didn't enter his mind for months, until…..
"What's that?" The man on the tv screen summoned his monsters as he rode his motorcycle. Dragon and fiends flew alongside the speeding vehicle, sending flames to the unfortunate driver behind them.
"A turbo duel, what else?" One of the onlookers answered.
Yuma stayed and watched as the man in white decimated his opponents. Jack Atlas, the King. The man looked so free when he dueled and Yuma desperately wanted to know what it felt like riding a Duel Runner.
(He wanted to be a duel champion)
And thus his routine extended.
(--.--)
The deck came to him by pure chance. Yuma was itching for a duel, itching to rid himself of this dark hole within his heart. So at the first chance he got Yuma purchased a deck at a yardsale, ignoring the too eager seller basically giving him the deck for free.
The thing was cold to the touch, even through the thick wooden box, but Yuma didn't care. He eagerly went through the cards once he got home. His hands were numb by the third card but Yuma felt like he was five again receiving his own duel monster cards for the first time. The sense of giddiness continued as he picked up one of the clear white cards.
"Trishula, Dragon of of the Ice Barrier." He read out loud.
Yuma had no idea how to summon the dragon nor what a tuner was. But he could learn.
The first duel he had with the Ice Barrier was a dud. The swarming aspect was there but Ice Barrier favors sealing off his opponent's choices more. Synchro was a different beast from Xyz and involved a bit more math. It wasn't until the fifth duel that he managed to bring out Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier. He didn't win per say, still getting used to the new playstyle, but he managed to force it to a draw. The deck felt warm for the first time.
(--.--)
Yuma was dueling Astral again in his dream, their friends cheering all around them. It was strange standing on the opposite side of Astral after all that time as partners. He wasn't sure why they were dueling in the first place but they were having fun.
And Yuma wished, not for the first time, that he could freeze this moment and make it eternal.
Except not all duels were meant to last forever, before Yuma knew it he landed the last hit and Astral fell. He catches Astral before he could hit the ground but it was too late. He could only shake as tears fell down his cheeks. Astral fades into snow, scattering the white landscape.
The icy wind roared around him and snowflakes scattered, fleeting just like this dream. With that Yuma woke up, a tear frozen upon his face.
(--.--)
The air shift when Yuma summoned Trishula, it grew colder with each snap of the dragon's jaws. Tentatively Yuma reached out to touch the hologram and was surprised when his hand touched the ice cold scales.
"Is there something wrong?" He asked the dragon. By now his opponent had already left, frustrated that Yuma wouldn't make his move. It was fine, Yuma had other things to worry about.
The ice dragon whipped its tail and snarled at him. It wiped its sharp claws at him. Of course Yuma couldn't make monsters physical and the hologram technology was nowhere near the ones back home so it didn't hurt.
It was freezing.
Yuma refused to move, he didn't even flinch.
Trishula ran its call through him again, Yuma only smiled softly. "You're angry, right? That's okay."
Three sets of eyes narrowed and the dragon coiled away before shattering leaving only snowflakes.
(--.--)
A stack of yen, which Yuma had exchanged from the multiple cans of coins at the supermarket only an hour earlier, were slid across the table toward the hacker. It took Yuma all night to count them as Trishula watched quietly from a corner of his room. The hacker, Blister, who was previously dismissed Yuma was now pouring his attention at the boy,
" I need something to prove that I had always lived in Neo Domino." He told Blister. Yuma wasn't sure what exactly that he needed. Birth certificate? Passport? Yuma had no idea, hopefully this man does.
Blister just sighed and pushed the money back to him. "Keep it, kid. Mind giving me a name to put on the file?"
By the end of the hour Yuma shared more personal information to a stranger than he was comfortable with but he legally existed now. His life should be somewhat easier.
(--.--)
He thought he saw Kotori as he walked down the street, a glimpse of green amongst the crowd. He had paused in his step and searched in vain for her but it only made his heart heavy.
He laid sleepless in bed that night, staring blankly at the ceiling before deciding to cut his loss and watched some rerun duels instead. Jack Atlas was no Thomas Arclight but the skills of a champion were there.
He watched as Jack fusion summoned Multiple Piece Golem, damaging his opponent with it before returning it and using its materials to synchro summon Red Dragon Archfiend And steamrolled his opponent. He shuffled his own deck as the duel went on, trying to pick out some sort of counter play he could do.
Yuma would like to think that Akari would love Turbo Dueling. Despite what Akari sai, Yuma knew his sister loved dueling too. The fast pace and adrenaline filled Turbo Dueling would be right up her alley. Not to mention she already has her driver license so that was like, halfway there, She just neededg to get a duel runner. Speak of which….
(--.--)
Blister looked at the list of parts and then back at Yuma. "You do realize you're too young to Turbo Duel, right?"
"Sooooo you CAN'T sell me the parts?"
A sighed echoed through the room. "The best accelerating chip I can offer is a Reynold, not the best thing in the market but anything better then you'll get notice."
(--.--)
" It's my Hrk-" Choking on bugs was a horrible experience. Yuma swore he could still feel their tiny legs in his throat. At least he didn't crash his Runner again. "I draw!"
His opponent laughed at his misery, but not for long.
"Since Warlock of the Ice Barrier is on my field, Speaker for the Ice Barriers gets to join the field." A young blue haired girl joined the older spellcaster in kneeling by Yuma's side. "And last but not least, get ready for Hexa Spirit of the Ice Barrier!"
The final member of the crowd was a tiny wide-eyed sea serpent, like an eager puppy the creature ran happily toward Speaker who gently pat him.
"Ha! that's your best shot? My Giant Ushi Oni will squash all of them next turn!" Bolt Tanner declared.
"Then it's a good thing you won't get another turn." Yuma replied. " Because my level 1 Hexa is going to tune with my level 3 Warlock and my level 4 Speaker. Synchro summon! Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"
The wind grew as the white dragon materialized, Yuma shivered when one of the heads let out a noiseless roar.
"Now Trishula, do your thing!" The three heads of the ice dragon snapped at Tanner before one by one they each let out a beam of pure cold, banishing a card each from the man field, hand and grave giving Yuma the perfect chance to end the duel.
Just as he declared the last attack, sirens ripped through the beaten path they were dueling on. The onlookers scattered and in their place, Sector Security poured in.
"Shit!" His opponent yelled, echoing Yuma's own thoughts.
The duel broke up then as the two of them split, security hot on their tail. Yuma weaved through the empty street but here was the thing. Despite Blister's minimum help and Yuma's best effort, his Duel Runner was still built by the hands of an ameture using scraps.
At some point, Yuma could smell the smoke from the Runner and knew that he had no choice left. So with security closing in, Yuma slowed down his Duel Runner.