Chapter 5
The opened heart
After hearing all that Sayer had said Akiza began to cry and fell to her knees. Her whole world once again had just shattered. She had finally found a place to call home and a place she could always return to and now it was gone! She shook her head violently back and forth trying to shake the reality that had happened. Everything she had thought she had and hoped to keep was now far from her reach.
"It's not TRUE! Sawyer would never do that to me! This is just a bad dream!" She cried out is denial. Yusei couldn't bear to see Akiza like this and decided to try and get closer to her one foot at a time. He dropped his duel disk and proceeded to walk up slowly to where Akiza was on her knees in tears. The twins who were with him were feeling the same as he was but they were to scared to move.
"Yusei? Leo whispered. What are you doing?"
"Just stay behind me you two and don't move." He turned showing a serious expression.
"Alright. Just be careful." Leo warned him with nothing but fear coming from his voice.
"Akiza. I'm sorry that you had to hear it that way. But there is nothing to we can do about it now." He spoke softly trying to keep her from crying.
"NO! I won't believe it!" She stood up and her power erupted sending Yusei ten feet back. The twins froze behind Yusei with Luna's mark burning in pain. Luna then looked at Akiza with a pained expression. 'Akiza… You are in such pain right now. I can feel it through this mark. Please let us help you. Let Yusei help you.' Luna kneeled in a praying position with Leo's arms wrapped around her tightly to protect her from the wind.
"Akiza! Please calm down! U have to control yourself!." Yusei said loudly over the sound of the wind.
"Go away! LEAVE ME ALONE! You are just making my pain worse! You and that girl who bear this wretched mark! I want you all gone from here and my life!" She roared as the wind grew stronger shaking the building to its foundation.
"I can't do that! I won't leave you when your in pain!" Yusei then continued to try and get closer to Akiza with her powers only growing stronger.
"If you won't listen…I'll remove you by force!"
"I don't want to duel you Akiza! I'm just trying to be a friend to you. Please let us help you." He told her calmly while trying to keep his balance.
"Lies! You are just like everyone else Yusei. You think you can understand someone until they show you their true selves, and then you abandon them like old clothes!"
"I have never nor will I ever do that! I know what's it's like to have nothing. I know what it means to be without family and friends and I know it's a hard and painful feeling. But if you shut yourself in your own world and don't let anyone in then you truly will be all alone!" Yusei explained as clear as he could. Akiza slowly stopped crying and lowered her head. The wind was dying down with the twins sighing slightly in relief. Yusei then stopped and stared at her trying to figure out what she was doing when she suddenly began talking.
"I don't care anymore about anything in this world. My home and family are gone, my parents are gone and now my place in this world is gone as well. I have nothing, and you are still torturing me with these lectures? How dare you?" She then clenched her fists tightly and shook slightly.
"Akiza! Please, just let us help you like you tried to help us!" Luna called out from behind Yusei.
"Forget it Luna. She sobbed. There is nothing any of you can do for me now!"
"Akiza, if duelling you is the only way to open your eyes… Yusei then grabbed his disk and put it back on his arm. Then so be it!"
"Then show me how far you will go for those around you Yusei! She said turning on her disk.
"Very well." He replied doing the same.
"DUEL!"
Akiza:4000lps Yusei:4000lps
"Ladies first! I summon Evil Thorn in defence mode! Lv1 att300 def300 And now its effect activates! I can tribute this monster to deal 300 points of damage to you!" Thorns burst from the plant which hit yusei in the chest.
Yusei:3700pts
"I felt that." He said putting his hand on his chest.
"Your about to feel a lot more. When Evil Thorn uses its effect it summons two more to the field with their effects negated! I set two cards face down and end my turn." The twins who were watched in the background were not sure about what to do.
"Luna? Leo asked still frightened. Shouldn't we be getting out of here while she is distracted?" Leo questioned his sister while looking at the elevator.
"No Leo. I can't just run and abandon her like this. If I do that then I will truly be no better than anyone from her past. I to know the pain about being different and I can understand some of her pain. That's why I'm going to stay and support both Yusei and Akiza." She spoke her words firmly and proudly. 'I know there is good and kindness in you Akiza. I felt it when you tried to comfort me when Leo was unconscious. I know that Yusei will get through to you!' Luna then continued to watch with Leo who was at a loss for words at his sister's determination decided to stay as well.
"I draw! I summon Speed Warrior in attack mode! Lv2 900att 400def. I activate its effect when this monster is summoned its attack doubles during the battle phase! (900att-1800att) Now attack her Evil Thorn!"
"I activate Negate Attack! Now your battle phase ends." Akiza smirked back at him. Yusei grunted in disappointment but he knew full well that this duel was going to be much harder than that.
"Very well. I set two cards face down and end my turn."
"So this is all u have to offer Yusei? I thought you were going to help me in this duel!" Akiza said with an evil tone.
"Akiza…"
"Shut up! She snapped sharply. I draw! I summon Twilight Rose Knight! Lv3 1000att 1000def. I also activate its effect! It can summon a level four or lower plant monster from my deck and I choose Dark Vergure! Lv2 0att 1000def.
"It's coming!" Yusei screamed in his head.
"This ain't good! Be careful Yusei!" Leo called out covering his head with Luna giving a frightened look.
"I tune my level three Twilight Knight with my three monsters to synchro summon: BLACK ROSE DRAGON!" Lv7 2400att 1800def. The dragon appeared in a pillar of green light and let out a mighty roar which shook the building and caused the marks on all the nearby signers to react, Jack who was searching for the twins felt his arm burning.
'Yusei is fighting. It seems that that Akiza person is fighting him with all her might. U better win Yusei, because I am the one who should beat u.' He than began to proceed faster down the stairs until he ended up behind Leo and Luna. Leo then turned around and saw Jack panting behind them.
"Hey! Your that guy Jack Atlas! The King of turbo duels!" Leo shouted in happiness till a piece of wall fell ten feet beside him caused him to jump and kneel down covering his head. Yusei and Akiza both also noticed Jack as well.
"Yusei…" He let out still panting from running.
"Stay back Jack. I have to do this alone. Get the twins out of here and somewhere safe alright." Yusei didn't even look at Jack and continued to watch Akiza and her dragon. Jack noticed the serious tone in Yusei's voice and decided to let it be.
"Fine. I'll give you what you want this time but you owe me for this Yusei." Jack warned as he walked up to the twins. "Let's go. I don't need him telling me a second time." He then extended his hand to Luna. She took his hand and smiled at him. She knew that she could trust him since Yusei trusts him.
"Thanks Jack. But I want to try and stay near Akiza and help her." Luna explained calmly to Jack.
"Are you kidding Luna? Leo asked completely shocked. We have to go now or we might get hurt and I can't let that happen to you!"
"But Leo-" She was then cut off by Jack picking her from behind and holding her under his shoulder.
"Trust me on this one kid. We can help from the OUTSIDE of the building." Jack told Luna somewhat annoyed at the fact that he had to somewhat force her to leave. Jack then proceeded down the stairs with Luna praying hard for Yusei and Akiza 'Please everyone! Stop all this fighting! I don't want anymore pain or suffering for anyone! I just want us all to be happy as friends together!' Meanwhile back at the duel…
"Now that they are out of the way, I can go all out at teaching you a lesson in pain Yusei." Akiza glared with a evil aura of emptiness surrounding her.
"I won't run from you Akiza. I will stand and fight until I get through to you. I will open your closed off heart regardless of what you do to me! He stood up tall and prepared for the rest of Akiza's turn.
"I activate Black Rose Dragons effect! I remove my evil thorn from play to reduce your monster's attack points to zero! (Speed Warrior 900att-0att) Now my dragon attacks!"
"I activate my Scrap-Iron Scarecrow! It will negate your attack and re-set itself!"
"So you saved yourself this time Yusei. But I won't let it last for long. I end my turn!"
"Akiza. Why are you so angry? I can tell your mad at something and its not just me. Your anger comes from something deep within you. Please tell me what's hurting u!" He begged her honestly.
"Your all talk Yusei! You can't help me! U don't have the power to help me!" She said as she started to cry again.
"Then I am just going to have to prove u wrong! My draw! I activate Graceful Charity! I draw three cards and discard two. I send Quillbolt Hedgehog and Sonic Chick to the grave. Now I summon Junk Synchron in attack mode! Lv3 1300att 500def. With its effect I bring back Sonic Chick from the grave! Then I revive Quillbolt Hedgehog through its effect. I now tune my level 3 junk synchron with my level two Speed Warrior and level 2 Quillbolt Hedgehog and level 1 Sonic Chick! I synchro summon: STARDUST DRAGON!" lv8 2500att 2000def. As the dragon descended onto the field the marks of all four signers burned even brighter than before. Jack and Luna who were watching with Leo both noticed the burning growing stronger as the two signers dragons roared at each other.
"Akiza, I will remove all your pain and sorrow from your heart with mine! Stardust dragon attacks!" In a flash of light Black Rose Dragon was gone.
Akiza:4000-3900
"I activate my face down" Call of The Haunted to bring my dragon back! Black Rose Dragon reappeared and roared greatly causing the wind to rage out of control. Akiza and Yusei were too focused on the duel to notice the cracks forming in the walls around them. And now with my dragon's effect I can destroy all cards on the field Yusei!" The dragon then beagn to create a twister that covered the field. Yusei braced himself hard and decided to make sure this wind didn't get worse.
"I activate Stardust Dragon's effect! By sacrificing itself it can negate your dragon and destroy it!" Stardust wrapped itself around Black Rose and Both vanished from the field along with the wind.
"Yusei, I knew you were predictable. I play a spell card known as Synchro's Backlash! When a synchro monster is removed through a card effect I can deal half its attack points as damage to you!" A beam of light hit Yusei dead on causing to fly backwards and landing hard. Luna and Jack who had just gotten outside along with Leo felt the surge of pain that Yusei experienced through their marks. 'Yusei. Are you ok?' Luna worried starting to tear up at the thought of Yusei being hurt. 'You had better be ok Yusei. I don't want to be the bearer of bad news for these kids or Martha!' Jack thought looking up at the building from outside.
Yusei 3700-2500
"I set a card and end my turn!" Yusei stated shaking as he struggled to get up and saw Akiza crack a smile.
"Something funny?" He asked on one knee cringing in a bit in pain.
"Yes… YOU." She bluntly let out while pointing right at him with a glare.
"How so?" He asked back on both of his feet.
"Because you say one thing but your eyes say another. You say you will help me but your eyes say u hate me. You are looking at me like everyone else used too. You truly are no different from any of them!"
"Your wrong Akiza. That's how you see us looking at you. U can't see anything past your anger and hatred. Your heart is still closed and I still fully intend to stay by u until it has opened again!"
"Yusei…" Her eyes shot open at those words. Was he right? Was she just seeing things how she wanted to see them? 'NO! My parents abandoned me! I was alone and had nothing! That was REAL!' She thought angerly
"Yusei…I'm going to silence you!" She shouted angrily. Her hair brace fell off whic caused her powers to strengthen causing the wind to pick up again even stronger. Yusei struggled to keep his balance as the wounds from the duel were starting to take there toll on him. He then looked around and noticed the buliding was starting to creak and crack around him and knew he had to finish this quickly for both their sakes.
"When Stardust uses its effect it returns at the end phase!" In a flash stardust reappeared on Yusei's field. He then dropped his head making Akiza tilt her head wondering what he was doing.
"Your right Akiza." He let out directly.
"Excuse me?"
"I can't help you as you are now because you don't WANT me to help you, do you?" He asked raising his head to see her eye to eye.
"I what?" She froze in bewilderment.
"You don't want to open up your heart because your afraid to be hurt or be used again by others. SO you figure that as long as you have those powers which you call a curse helping you hurt others you will be fine because you know that you will be able to use those powers as an excuse as to why your alone."
"That's not true!" She snapped back.
"It IS true Akiza. It is your fear that is keeping you from seeing the truth, not your pain. I don't know what has happened to you Akiza. Yusei then put his hand to his chest and stood up proud. but I promise that if you give me and my friends the chance we will make sure to not make the same mistake as those who hurt you in the past did!" Akiza couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't understand why Yusei was so determined to help someone like her. As she stood and looked at him she saw that he truly had no intention of leaving her or turning away from her.
"Yusei? What am I to you?" she asked with her head down.
"What do you mean Akiza?" He replied back confusion.
"Am I just someone you pity? Some little girl who can't be helped so your trying to be the big hero by helping her? Or am I just another duelist for you to beat to add to your victories?" She turned serious again as she asked the latter questions.
"You are none of those." He responded bluntly Which made Akiza gasp. "You are someone who I want to be friends with. You like me have had a rough life and I understand that to a point. That loneliness, despair, and pain. And I know what it is like to have nothing and to be alone. That's why I will NEVER abandon a friend in need who is crying for help from the heart!"
"Yusei…"
"I will save you Akiza… from yourself! My draw! I activate the equip spell Megamorph to Stardust Dragon! When my life points are lower than my opponents the equipped monsters attack points double!" (2500-5000)
"What the…?"
"Now my Stardust Dragon Attacks you directly!"
"I discard Hedge Guard from my hand to cut the damage in half!"
Akiza: 3900-1400.
"Akiza I won't ever abandon u. I will always be there for a friend when they need me. I promise that on my soul!" Akiza couldn't understand Yusei at all now. She couldn't understand anything now but something from her heart was saying that Yusei was telling the truth. She had never felt this confusion before in her heart and as she held her hand to heart and looked at Yusei.
"Why? " She asked crying. "Why do this all for me?"
"Because you are worth it." She gasped as she heard this and her mark glowed a bright red. However the pain was gone. This feeling was warm and soothing. She sensed Yusei feelings flowing into her from the mark and the duel. She then realized he wasn't lying at all. She now knew that she could have friends if she just let go of her past and start fresh with Yusei and Luna who was still praying outside. 'That's right Akiza. We will be here for you if you ever need friends' Luna smiled feeling Akiza's heart soften.
"Yusei?"
"Yes?" he asked as he saw her drop her arms to her side.
"End this duel and my pain." She said with a smile and tears of happiness in her eyes.
"I shall. I activate the spell card: Synchro Detonator! By removing a synchro monster from my field and giving up 1000 points I deal its attack points as damage!"
Akiza:1400-0 With the final blast played the two marks vanished and Stardust smiled before leaving the field. Akiza then began to fall forward exhausted from the duel with her powers completely subsiding. Yusei then ran over to catch Akiza gently in his arms. The marks on Jack's and Luna's calmed down as well which told them the duel was over.
"It seems that Yusei has finished what he came here to do." Jack mentioned with a smile.
"So then he won?" Leo asked happily.
"Yes Leo. Yusei truly is a great duelist and friend." Luna smiled. Back in the buliding Yusei had Akiza in his arms as she slowly opened her eyes to see him over her.
"Yusei..?" She weakly spoke out exhausted from her powers being used so much at once.
"Yes? I'm here Akiza." He said laying her head down on his lap. She smiled up at him which caused him to blush a little as he smiled back as well.
"Thank you." She smiled gently before fainting.
"Your welcome." He whispered back. Yusei then gently lifted her up in his arms and carried her down the stairs and out the front where the twins and Jack were waiting, Leo jumped ecstatically and ran straight for Yusei with Luna right behind him. Jack stood and smiled watching them run.
"Yusei! You won?" Leo asked with a scream.
"Yeah Leo, I'm ok. Thanks for asking." He replied sarcastically.
"Very funny. I knew you would be fine."
"Sure you did kid. That's why you were latched to your sister like a leech." Jack teased in the background.
"I was not! I was just looking out for Luna." Leo retorted trying to change the subject
"Is Akiza alright?" Luna asked looking worried.
"She is fine. She just wore herself out from everything."
"Well if your not too comfortable with her being in your arms, we should really get somewhere safer." Jack joked with a smirk.
"Very funny Jack. She was tired and I let her rest on my lap for a bit that's all." He sighed annoyed at Jack's remark.
"Sure whatever. Then can we go?"
"Yeah I don't want to stay here a minute longer!" Leo shouted beside Luna.
"We can hear you fine WITHOUT the shouting Leo." Luna sighed with her ears covered.
"Sorry." He apologized rubbing his head.
"Well lets go then." Said Yusei lifting Akiza up.
"Where are you taking her?" Jack asked as they went towards their duel runners.
"To Martha's. She can rest there for now."
"Who is Martha?" Akiza asked waking up slightly.
"Oh your awake." Yusei said looking down at her sleeping face.
"Yes but I'm still tired. I would like to rest up some more." She yawned half asleep.
"Well when we get to Martha's you can have all the rest you need. Martha is the woman who raised me and Jack as children growing up. She is a good person." He smiled reassuring her. Akiza looked at Yusei's smile. She felt the warmth and honestly from his voice which was what saved her in the first place. She knew that if he could say that about Martha with that smile she must be a good person.
"If you say that Yusei then I believe u." Yusei slightly blushed at her honest words. He didn't know why but she seemed prettier and more womanly than before. He shook the feeling form his head when Jack spoke.
"Well then I'll take these twins back home and give you two lovebirds your time together." Jack said smirking which caused Yusei and Akiza to blush bright red.
"Jack!" Yusei screamed with Jack laughing lightly.
"Thanks again for everything Yusei!" Luna thanked him waving goodbye as she got on Jack's runner with Leo.
"You still owe me a duel!" Leo shouted as they drove off. As Jack left with the twins hanging off him as he slowly drove of Akiza looked back at Yusei with a confused look.
"Umm, Is Jack always like that? Akiza wondered as Yusei let her get on her own feet.
"No. it's just because I've never been close to a girl before that he thinks now he can be funny about me being close to one. He just wants to give me a hard time." Yusei sighed as he got on his runner.
"Oh I see. Has he ever been close to one?"
"Do his adoring fan girls count?"
"Uh, no." Akiza gave a slight chuckle.
"Then nope, not at all." He smiled and laughed back.
"So how am I getting to this Martha persons house?" Akiza asked confused.
"I'll take you there on my runner." Yusei bluntly let out not realizing what that implied. Akiza blushed as she heard him say that. She could tell just by looking that she would have to hold onto him to stay on the runner.
"I can't go on that with u! There is no where to sit for me." she pointed out.
"Just hang on tight to my waist then." He directed her.
"Can I at least catch my breath first. I've just gone through a lot in case you forgot." Yusei froze at her words and remembered that she was right. She had just lost her home and adopted family in one day. He frowned to himself for not thinking about Akiza's feelings about all this.
"Your right. I'm sorry. I was just thinking that you would want to just want to get some rest as soon as possible." He apologized sincerely.
"That's ok. I'm happy to hear your concern." She thanked him politely while still nervous about getting on his runner.
"So then, are you ready to go?"
"Alright. But nothing better happen to me on the way!" She warned him as she was slightly shaking while averting her eyes to his runner. Yusei cocked his head in confusion looking at Akiza and back to his runner and suddenly realized what she was truly worried about.
"Akiza, are you scared of being on a duel runner?"
"Yes, ok I admit it. She freaked out. I have never been on one and I haven't exactly ever really wanted to be on one either." She huffed at him blushing hard. Yusei laughed at Akiza's outburst with Akiza crossing her arms with a pout realizing what an embarrassing moment she just had.
"That's fine. I'm not about to let anything happen to u. I promise" He assured her and throwing her a spare helmet.
"Alright I'm going to hold you to that. But I better be ok when we get there." Yusei just chuckled at her demanding tone making Akiza turn away annoyed. As they started to drive off Yusei felt Akiza's chest press against him which caused him to blush badly himself.
"Maybe this WASN'T such a good idea after all." He thought to himself. Akiza stayed quiet the whole ride thinking about what had happened to her today. The man she thought was her friend was only using her and the man who she thought she hated became the man who helped her. Her mind was spinning out of control as she tried to just block it all out. After riding for about 15 mins came to a stop in front of a larger white house with two stories. It was in great condition with a huge flower bed in the front of it.
"This is Martha's house?" Akiza asked all around at the house.
"Yep. This is it." He replied getting off the runner. He then helped Akiza off the runner and remove his helmet and shook his hair loose. Akiza did the same which made a slight blush come from Yusei's face. 'She's pretty cute when she does that.' He quickly tried to erase the thought from his head and got back on topic.
"It's nice looking. So this is where you grew up as well Yusei?"
"Yeah for a while. I still visit every now and then. Martha was always good to me so I try and be there if she needs me." Akiza looked at Yusei as he stood in front of Martha's house and saw a smile run across his face of happiness and calmness. She still wasn't sure how to take everything that happened today but something inside was telling her that she was in good hands.
'Yusei. You truly do care about others more than you do yourself. I wonder how you can be so kind to those you hardly know so easily. I want to know more about u Yusei.'
A/n:Well that is the end of the Arcadia Movement arc of my story. Now it starts to get interesting. I will continue to make the chapters longer for everyone. If anyone has any ideas for what they might want to see... R&R. Though no promises as to what i will acually put ;)