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, would you look at this. Two chapters in a day. Let's see where my muses take us now. We're starting to actually get to the plot now.
Yanagi waited fretfully in his cell. When the guards came for Yusei, saying the Warden wanted a word with him, he could see the tightness in the young man's eyes despite the outward calm. Though to Yanagi's mild surprise the tightness was from barely restrained rage, not worry. Yanagi wasn't too worried about Yusei as a result - he was worried Sonny, as he'd taken to calling his cellmate, was gonna fail to continue to show restraint and lash out. When the cell door opened and Yusei's injured and seemingly unconscious body was tossed in, it was a mix of relief and worry (odd as that was) that prompted him to rush to his cellmates side.
"You okay there, sonny?" the elder asked, careful to keep some distance and not touch. Yusei was obviously a skilled fighter, Yanagi could see it in the way he moved even before the Satellite took down Himuro with near contemptuous ease. And approaching an injured, agitated fighter when they may have been unconscious and waking up was just asking for a black eye at the least if they instinctively lashed out against a threat no longer there. Yusei grunted and turned his head to glare at Yanagi, likely warning him to keep his distance as he pulled himself up. No fool, the worldly traveler stayed back, even putting a little more distance between them, despite wanting so much to help the younger. Yanagi couldn't help but want to protect Yusei, even though Yusei was much stronger than him.
Seeing the younger man struggling, but knowing better than to help, he asked, "What did they do to you?" Yusei finished pulling himself up and sat down right next to Yanagi, looking directly at the man with none of the animosity he had just minutes before.
Yusei let out a soft breath that was likely a means to hide some pain and answered, "They looked… For the birthmark…" taking a slow breath in the middle of the sentence to ward off more pain. Yanagi wondered what had been done to cause someone he could tell had an abnormally high pain tolerance to be in so much pain, but didn't ask, knowing he wouldn't get an answer. Instead he asked, "Birthmark?"
Yusei gained a far away look as he told his cellmate, "It showed up on my arm when that crimson dragon showed up and then vanished."
Hearing a guard getting close, Yanagi placed his hands on his own mouth to stifle any sounds he would make, waiting for the guard to pass before scooting closer and whispering to the very important person sitting beside him, "You a Signer, sonny?"
Yusei had shown more interest in Yanagi's ramblings than most on the bus trip here, even asking a couple of questions after realizing Yanagi knew what he was talking about. The boy had seemed indifferent, even cold at first, but upon telling the Duelist about a traveling Psychic Duelist he had met on his own travels - one who helped both humans and Spirits, and had been for years apparently - the fighter's interest was captured. They went from talking about Psychic Duelists, to Duel Spirits, and back to the Crimson Dragon where Yanagi told Yusei about the Signers, causing the young man to fall back into a thoughtful silence, one not as cold as before, but he wouldn't be roused until they reached their cell, having gone through everything seemingly on autopilot. And that was only to bid Yanagi good night before staring at the ceiling in thought.
"I… don't know," the young man admitted quietly, looking a bit lost before the expression cleared and he looked at Yanagi with such determination, it was slightly intimidating. "But whether I am or not, Jack definitely is. I'm not letting my brother fight alone, no matter what. I came here to save him, I'm not leaving without him."
"Jack's your brother!?" Yanagi yelped, before clapping his hands over his mouth again, listening for any guards. Hearing none, he looked more closely at Yusei. "You don't look related."
"We're not. Not by blood. We had the same foster mother. Both our parents died in Zero Reverse when we were just babies. Jack's birth parents, and my adoptive ones. I still don't know if my birth parents gave me up for some reason or if they died too. Either way, when Martha told me about my parents, she hid nothing, she doesn't believe in sugarcoating things. I ran off for awhile, afraid I was cursed, and not wanting something to happen to Martha too. She found me, gave me one of her infamous guilt-tripping lectures, and had me help her cook dinner. It was a lighter punishment than I thought I would get, but she understood I had been scared and didn't need more than the reinforcement that she wasn't one to be trifled with. I pity whoever crosses her. She's a tough old lady."
Yanagi nodded at that. Family was family, and wasn't defined by blood. Seeing as Yusei was from the Satellite, that meant Jack was too. Which meant Godwin broke his own laws, not that that knowledge would help any. "I hope I can meet this Martha someday, she must be some woman," Yanagi said with a grin. Yusei just gave him a flat look and Yanagi rubbed his head sheepishly. "Just trying to lighten the mood."
"That's not the way to do it," the other stated before shifting in discomfort. The old man sighed and stood up.
"Come on, get on your bed and let me take a look. You're hurting and while I may not be a doctor, I know some things about treating injuries. Necessary skill for a traveler like me."
Yusei shifted in discomfort again, but this time not from pain, before getting up and heading to his bed, shedding his dark blue jacket along the way. "I'm not sure it can be called an injury. What's causing me pain is something I've had all my life, but it never bothered me before. It started hurting after that birthmark appeared. What Takasu did doesn't even hurt anymore, I wouldn't be surprised if I've healed already. I've always been an abnormally fast healer," Yusei admitted, pulling off his tank top and letting Yanagi see his back. The elder frowned, seeing the odd ridges between Yusei's shoulder blades and spine and noticing how they looked red and irritated. He touched one with a careful finger and immediately drew back at the hiss of pain Yusei let out.
"I'm afraid I don't know how to help with this. I'm sorry, sonny, but in all my travels, I've never seen anything like this. When we get out, I'll try to contact that young man I met before, he's more knowledgeable than I am, oddly enough. And he doesn't look a day over 19!" Yanagi exclaimed, not understanding how that boy could look so young and be so travelled. When Yanagi had commented on that, the boy had merely smirked, amusement dancing in his brown eyes before laughing out loud, chiding his duel spirit, Yubel, for whatever they had said. (Though it was clear he didn't mean his scolding at all.)
Yusei nodded, expecting that, and put his shirt and jacket back on before laying in bed, wincing as his at first laid on his back before turning to his side, back to the wall. Yanagi sighed, wondering once more at what, exactly, his cellmate could be. He had felt the boy was different since meeting him, hence why he tried so hard to strike up a conversation, but whatever Yusei was, wasn't something he had ever seen or heard of. (Because even if Yusei was a Signer, it was clear to the old man that he was also something more. What that was was still a mystery.)
The next day dawned early and gloomy as the sky was overcast. The prisoners had been let out to mingle once again, and Himura was relieved to see the kid, Yusei, was okay. He'd been worried Takasu was gonna hurt the kid, but there was no visible or hidden injuries - at least none Yusei hadn't come in with. The former Turbo Duelist had noted the hidden pain and barely-there winces when Yusei moved certain muscles in his back, but that's all that was bothering the fighter today, so Yusei must've miraculously come out of that meeting unscathed. Kid had his respect, beating Himura the way he did, not one move wasted and proving what he said about there being no such thing as a useless card. Kid had guts too, taking him down like that and then turning his back on Himura to borrow Yanagi's deck, dismissing the much larger male as a threat. He liked that. Not when someone was being cocky, but the Duelist clearly had the skills to back up his confidence, so Himura respected him.
"Yo, kid! What happened yesterday?" the spiky-headed Duelist called out to raven-haired one. Yusei paused, glancing back at Himura before turning to gaze at the high ceiling again, leaning back against the wall before subtly readjusting to keep his back from touching it. Whatever that injury was, it must be painful.
"Nothing much, Takasu was just looking for something. Didn't find it, but I'm not exactly sure where it is either, so…" Yusei said nonchalantly, and very cryptically. Himura frowned. If that was the case, Takasu likely did hurt Yusei. Was his back so bad he didn't even feel any other injuries?
"How badly did he 'educate' you?" Himura growled, suddenly very protective of the younger. Yusei may be able to handle himself, but he had gained Himura's respect, and with that respect came loyalty. The would-be thug would gladly pound in the faces of those who dared hurt the young man before him, damn the consequences. Yusei looked at him and raised a brow.
"I'm fine, Himura. I heal fast," Yusei answered, which only irritated Himura.
"Lair. You came in with an injury and it's still bothering you, don't give me bullshit about 'healing fast'."
Suddenly Himura found himself wanting to quail under the stern glare leveled his way. The fierceness and power in those eyes made him want to tremble in fear. Though just as quickly as the power showed itself, it faded, leaving just a fierceness and dimmer eyes. The proud man realized with a shock that Yusei's eyes had literally been glowing for a moment. That… What was that!?
"I don't lie, Himura. I am uninjured, however something on my back has been bothering me lately. Nothing to be done but live with it for now, hopefully a contact Yanagi has will have some answers for me when we get out," Yusei answered, voice cold from insult, before he turned his gaze to the rafters once more, a slight look of longing in his eyes now. Himura knew he wasn't welcome at the moment, the other Duelist seemed to be brooding, so he grunted and walked away, heading to the rest of his "gang". Halfway across the auditorium a surprised shout went out and Himura heard Yanagi calling out worriedly to "sonny". Whipping around, he looked for Yusei, but didn't see him. Looking to the old man, he saw Yanagi calling up to the rafters. Glancing up, Himura did a double-take at seeing Yusei walking easily along a rafter before reaching a cross-section and sitting down, letting his legs swing as he balanced with preternatural ease.
"How the hell did he get up there so fast!?" was all anyone could think as Yusei leaned back, resting his hands on the cross-section, finally relaxing for the first time since he heard the news about Kiryu.
Yeah, I've given Yusei an absolute love of heights. Fitting since he's meant to fly. Literally. Reasons why he's appeared human for so long will come in due time, don't worry. The revelation will be fun. Also, I had always been planning on bringing in Judai, but not like this. Dammit, muses! Now I gotta check if my plans need to be reworked or if this fits! Also, thanks to the cursing in this chapter, the rating will go up. You can't have a prison setting and not have cursing, that's just not realistic. There will be more swears in the future, both from the prison chapters and from Himura. Because he strikes me as having a potty mouth. Martha's gonna make sure his mouth tastes like soap until he learns not to curse around the kiddies once we reach that part.
Also, I have edited the story settings. THIS IS NOW IN THE CROSSOVER SECTION. It was always going to wind up there, but since the crossover elements weren't going to appear for awhile, I had it simply in 5D's at first. Also, I realized while editing the properties that I forgot to add characters. As of this chapter, that has been fixed. And yes, Yugi has a role. No, you don't get more than that. And he's definitely not coming in early because his first appearance needs to be in that role. *glares at her muses sternly*