Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Gx, or Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds or any characters from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Franchise. I do own any OCs I make, but most will be likely be minor characters (even more so than the minor characters in the show - save for Nozomi and Hiroshi. My fingers ran away with them, and I like the dynamic they made too much to change it. I find them amusing). I make no money from this fanfiction as it is a tribute to a fandom I really like and want to play around in. If you see this on a paid site, please note that someone has plagiarized me and let me know so I may take steps to prevent fines or whatever. Also, I will be using the Japanese names, so if you're only familiar with the English, 4kids swapped two names: Blitz is Nerve and Nervin is Blitz.
Well, NaNoWriMo was a bust for me, mostly because I lost inspiration for a bit thanks to having to put down my cat. She developed cancer not even 2 months before. At least she didn't suffer long. I was grieving for the first 2 weeks, then my mom needed the computer, and I literally just got it back last night. (We only have the one laptop between me and my mom. It's actually hers, she just lets me borrow it since I give it more use. I'm planning on getting my own - eventually - ...once I'm able to find a job that is. *grumbles about the job market*)
Anyway, enough about that, hopefully life won't escape her straightjacket - again - and I can actually write this story like I want to. Also, since, again, the canon duel doesn't need changing, we'll be seeing the aftermath, any differences will be told in flashback format, and checking in on the others because I'm adamant about no one being demoted to extra. If anyone winds up needing to be Put on the Bus, rest assured, the Bus Will Come Back. (For those who don't know what I'm talking about, go to TV Tropes, and look up those tropes.) So without further adieu, here's the new chapter.
The next morning (or rather afternoon - no one had gone to bed before 4, save Martha, who needed to be up to prepare breakfast for her kids) everyone gathered around the dining room table after lunch to discuss the strange phenomenon they saw briefly appear above the city. Just because Yusei was off on his self-imposed mission didn't mean they would slack in protecting what was theirs to the best of their ability. And with Nozomi and Hiroshi's secret now out, well, a serious discussion was long overdue to lay all cards on the table - no pun intended.
"Since you seem to know so much, do you know what that was, Crow?" Hiroshi asked, referring to the red, dragon-like apparition that appeared somewhere in New Domino before vanishing. Given Crow had seemed to react to it, Hiroshi felt Crow must know something again.
"Sorry, kid, haven't got a clue. Only reason I know as much as I do about occult-type stuff is because I had an interest in it for awhile. We faced a Duel Gang once that had someone that I now know to be a Psychic Duelist, and Yusei and I both decided to do some research. Yusei read stuff to me, I memorize the info on my cards, I can't read myself. Martha tried to teach me, but I've got something called dyslexia and it makes it too difficult to bother when reading's not important. Maybe I'll find a way to learn once Yusei reunites the City and Satellite, but until then, I got more important stuff to worry about. Speaking of, mind helping me establish a territory in the BAD area next week Nozomi? I wanna help the kids there, but I need to make sure the gangs know not to mess with my turf. Sorry to ask this of you, but having them think I have a Psychic Duelist attack dog is the best way to scare them off right off the bat." Crow cringed at that admission. He hated asking Nozomi for that kind of thing, it's what bred misconceptions and animosity towards Psychic Duelists, but the less time he spent establishing his turf and warning gangs away, the more time he could spend helping the kids.
Nozomi smiled at the Blackwing Duelist in understanding and nodded before turning the conversation back to the main topic. "Well whatever it was, you should be careful, Crow. You seemed to react to it somehow, and we don't know if that's a good or bad thing. I could feel the power rolling off it from here. Last time I felt that kind of power was when I was a toddler and Zero Reverse happened. I don't remember much, I was too young, all I remember is a terrifying, dark power washing over everything. Had my powers not manifested in defense, causing my Duel Spirit to appear and shield me… I was young enough I likely would have been targeted by that power for my own. I'm grateful to them even now."
"What monster's your Duel Spirit? From what I understand, they're either the strongest monster in your deck or the weakest, depending on if their a protector or a guide," Crow wondered. In response, Nozomi simply opened up her Extra Deck and pulled out the single card she had there, flipping it around to show the front. Jaws dropped as one of the most powerful Fusion Monsters was shown - the dreaded Five-Headed Dragon.
"Any wonder I'm so draconic with this as my protector since I was little? Usually a Spirit like this attaches itself to someone with enough power to actually summon it, I still don't know why they like me enough to protect me. Who knows, maybe I have more power than I have access to, their instinctive summoning when I was a toddler may have damaged my power a bit. Too much, too soon and all," Nozomi shrugs, not too bothered by the thought since less power was easier to control so she didn't mind. She placed the card back in the deck box and turned to the others, "Let's keep an eye out for anything unusual though. If history tells us anything, it's when something like that appears around a powerful Duelist, people should be alert to a threat about to emerge. Granted most don't know this history because of coverups, but my Aunt would tell stories about her days in Central Duel Academy back when they still had the three dorms. Yusei might be the next Yuki Judai or Mutou Yugi - I wouldn't be surprised."
Everyone snorts at that because they'd all be more surprised if he wasn't. Suddenly Taka perked up, "You never really talk about your family. What's your Aunt like?"
"Hmm? Well, she actually went to school with Judai. Was a fangirl for awhile, 'till she realized she had no chance and got together with a fellow fan/friend of Judai after a tag duel she had with him as her partner. Auntie Rei's stories were always seen as tall tales meant to entertain me and Hiroshi as kids, but she's the one who realized our abilities and helped us learn some rudimentary control - despite having no power of her own. She eventually managed to get in touch with Johan Anderson to train me since he's a Psychic Duelist too - and an old school friend of hers."
Whistles resounded at that. Nozomi had connections, ones she didn't use for some reason. Which begged the question, "Why did you come to the Satellite to hide when you could've called the new CEO of Industrial Illusions to help you?"
Nozomi blushed as she answered, "Because I didn't want to bother him. Plus, Johan's not as strong as Divine, and I didn't want him to get hurt like I did. Things worked out, and I'll get back in touch with Auntie Rei and Johan soon enough. I haven't yet because, well, I didn't want you guys to see me differently if you knew. I know I was an idiot now, but can you blame me?"
Chuckles and "nopes" all around as Rally glomped his "sister" to show everything was fine.
Yusei lay back in his bed, staring at his right arm. Was what Yanagi said true? Was he one of these legendary Signers? If that was the case… He really needed to get Jack back. His duel with the so-called King told him that his brother was still in there, lost and angry at the world. The City had promised an escape, only to become a cage, and Jack realized that, deep down, but refused to acknowledge he'd been tricked for the sake of his pride. Yusei would have to defeat Jack in a duel to defeat Jack's pride - as well as give him an escape from the invisible shackles by becoming the next King of Turbo Duels. Easier said than done, the Junk Duelist thought as he glared at the barred window to his cell momentarily, feeling a brief rage at the thought someone dared caged him flare up before he soothed it back. Now was not the time. He glanced over at his sleeping cellmate. Yanagi seemed knowledgeable and worldly - given the travels he bragged about, that wasn't surprising. He'd see what else the old man knew in the morning. For now, he had to find a way to sleep. The ridges on his back he'd had since birth were being annoyingly sensitive to touch since that mark briefly appeared on his arm.
Next time, we'll be looking into Yusei a bit more since there's a lot I can flesh out of his time in the Facility. If I remember correctly, it's canon he spent two weeks there, but we only saw maybe two days of that time. I'm gonna have fun with this. *rubs hands eagerly*
Also, to the Guest reviewer, yes, there will be FaithShipping. And ScoopShipping. And I'll likely have Crow with Shelly (whose role will change from canon because the butterflies will be in full flight by then allowing me to change her role to make her a definite good guy - and I can totally see Crow falling for a kickass biker girl like her). If none of that's your cup of tea, just walk away now. I'm not forcing you to read this, and I will feed any flames to Aki's Black Rose Dragon. She finds them yummy. Though be aware, romance is not going to be the forefront, and any that's done will be tasteful and unobtrusive. Like Nozomi and Taka - they're a couple in this, but it won't take over the story. Any adult scenes will be in a series of oneshots to be found on AO3 and dA only because of FFNet policies (and I'm not sure of Wattpad ones, but I don't really use that account, so I'm not gonna bother finding out).