Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds: The Judgement of the World
Written By: Lady Lunar Phoenix
A/N: Sorry everyone my health has taken a dive and my focus kinda meanders now... I'm trying I swear.
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"Zalinka, by any chance are you getting better with summoning your spirit?" Yusei asked.
"Eh, I... I don't know if I would trust myself if you ask me," Zalinka confessed. "Father explain some of it to me, my Ka isn't like the spirits around us after all. Since its not being sealed in a tablet it won't transition into the Duel Spirit World. Not unless someone turns it into a card that you can play the game with."
"So if we combine our forces we have nine people who can work each cardinal region of the city. Or we can have Aki stay here in the center to maximize her reach," Crow spoke up. "With Carly using that wheel, the twins able to talk to the spirits in the Duel Spirits world, and Junko with Momoe able to lend support here in terms of food, rest, stuff like that. We should be able to keep the locals safe and find out any information from the locals or spirits if they've seen the Gem Beasts or our missing teens."
"That would be sound, there's four of them not including any spirits. So far it sounds like Judai is staying near Jesse, and from what Yusei said, Judai doesn't like being alone. He just tolerates it, and if that's the case he's still got something left of himself," Aki agreed.
The condo was quiet for a brief time as the sun continued to sink down, finally peering into the building as it passed the heavens. Without the noise of the city, the condo felt eerily quiet, the subtle glow of the warm sun illuminated the 'trees and brush' revealing delicate lines to suggest that there were animals hiding amid the shadows of leaves.
"We can manage the central command," Momoe agreed slowly. "Once we get everything cleaned up it won't be too hard, and it is good to contribute."
"Right, this is going on for too long, and how is this going to affect Judai or Jesse? Neither of them are killers right? But if they pull a stunt that actually kills someone... is it more merciful to let them 'stay' the way they are rather than try to bring them back?" Kazu pointed out, his point causing the others to slowly nod in agreement.
"You have a valid point," Yusei began he began to say 'but we Dragons are not meant to kill', when the reminder stilled his words. 'This can't be right, but it would make sense why Yugi stated this wasn't 'our' fight. They're thinking through the hard questions.'
"Sure!" Asuka pointed out for a moment, but the expression she wore showed the lack of conviction. "We can't be at the point where throwing the life of a person away is an option. Can we?"
"We need to be if they get try to bring about another Zero Reverse," Ryo countered firmly.
"I wish I could tell you what they're like, but the Darkness is what I served and its... Well still weird to think of an 'Evil Light' out in space," Fubuki admitted as he sat there. "I mean Light and Dark, I get, but an Evil Light and an Evil Darkness? Feels like the universe started getting superficial at some point."
"They still balance. You have 'Evil Light' and 'Gentle Darkness', though its cruel to make that whole 'balance' be between a person and their Duel Spirit Partner of all beings," Carly noted as her gaze lifted up to her sleeping spirits.
"So how do you propose we ride? Wheel of Fortune is not built to carry another rider," Jack pointed out sternly. "Riding a Duel Spirit might now be accepted for Aki, but the rest of us? Archfiend is a flying 'come at me sign' which is not ideal for a situation like this."
"Fact, and I'm not asking to borrow Bloody Kiss just because Aki is stationed here, we don't have a license to drive a vehicle or a D-Wheel." Asuka announced while the others thought about it.
"Who ever partners with Jack needs a Spirit that isn't as massive as Archfiend. But Ryo's dragons are... well dragons... Unless one of the other Cybers are able..." Crow acknowledged with a small thoughtful nod. "Stealing the other vehicles wouldn't be good we could just walk the beat, like some of the Security did."
"Bicycles!" Fubuki suggested with a big, teasing grin on his face.
"I mean," Carly chuckled only to pause as the idea had merit. They were Japanese for Kami sake! They had been using bicycles for ages! "I mean why not?"
"Its certainly viable, or the D-Boards if you know how to ride..."
"I don't think they got shipped to Neo Domino, and they are still currently sized for young kids who can't D-Wheel." Ryu noted, logistics hadn't been talked about when he was back at the office. But he 'did' know about the Boards, and their sizes. "There currently isn't any discussion to making Boards for older teens either so there's not really anything back at one of the factories to be used for 'R&D'."
"We could blend the options, let the Spirits drop us off at locations and we walk the beat," Kazu suggested. While Neo Domino 'was' a large city, it did have a number of large open spaces, so there 'were' places large enough for a pick up or drop off. "Those with rides could do the outer circuits while those of us on two feet can go into the shops and make sure the locals are ok. Find out what they saw..."
"It could work..."
"Well if we're on food duty," Momoe announced as she pushed herself to her feet. "Its also going to get late so we need to start now and finish up the condo tomorrow I think."
Junko winced an apology, "yeah we got super distracted didn't we?" She stood up and joined Momoe before they headed to the elevator. "Our kitchen is cleaned up and running so we'll get something on the stove! Let us know if you plan anything!"
"Thank you for the meal!" several voices called out in preemptive gratitude.
"Ok, so me and Fubuki need to be teamed up with Jack and Yusei since Fubuki and I can actually socialize. Kinda hard to get information out of a store owner if you don't talk." Crow chirped out cheerfully.
Jack and Yusei hurled pillows at Crow while Fubuki chuckled his agreement.
"But its not balanced," Aki noted, "Yusei, and Ryo, Jack and Kazu, Fubuki and Crow, I have to go in order for Asuka to have someone experienced in combat."
Watching everyone begin counting heads and the math did make sense. For Aki to be in the center so everyone had access to her power, that left the twins as the 'Dragons'. And they were 'children', extremely hard no there. Even if they were the adults in the past, it was just that. The Past. Zalinka, while not a Dragon, was too inexperienced, she was pretty much on the same level as Asuka's group only having actual powers. Something that Carly pointed out.
"Well," Zalinka's nose scrunched a bit, "maybe a reading will work for that. Before going out, find out what my reading will be. We'll want a happy or at least a semi positive reading for these checks I would imagine."
Carly blinked behind her glasses and the idea that she could be tasked to help the group made the room explode in color. "Yeah! That's a great idea! And if the reading is bad you can let Aki go in your stead cuz nothing is standing in her way!"
Everyone began nodding in agreement before diving into who was partnering with who. Dead serious Yusei, or inflated ego Jack would 'not' be the ideal partner with the 'Kaiser' after all. Maps were being drawn up by discussion as Carly went and got a note pad.
"We need a list to prioritize the shops, the elderly keepers need more visits for their own safety after all." She had pointed out as she walked off towards her supplies.
The kids went out to check on and help Junko and Momoe in their condo, allowing the older teens to work on the list. A consuming list to try and recall 'every' single shop, or stubborn would not leave resident in Neo Domino. So much so that they didn't even initially notice the smell as food arrived.
"Hey Big Brothers and Sisters!" Rua announced as he, Ruka and Ryu appeared with large trays holding various bowls of soup and sides. Behind them a rather proud pair of Junko and Momoe followed along carrying along a pair of rice cookers and bowls.
The table was cleared off, plates and bowls were distributed as everyone came together to set up for dinner. It was literally the first time the Dragons sat with Aki's school friend group as more an extended family. The largest 'family gathering' since their time in the orphanage in fact. Plans were now in place, and the outside world felt much further now.
Between Crow, Fubuki and Kazu there was nothing quiet about the meal, the children were completely focused. Each guy talked at length about their adventures, be it in Satellite, or the antics of school.
"The Blackbird can 'fly'?! How! All that tech and the weight of a 'bike' should make that impossible!" Fubuki exclaimed, he 'had' seen the Blackbird a few times when Crow was riding by, but if those 'fins' were the 'wings'!?
"Well it glides, can't fly obviously..." Crow confessed. "But its mostly that it helps keep the D-Wheel airborne longer than normal. So you build up enough speed, deploy and you can get more distance than a normal motorcycle style ride."
"It also requires a lot of upkeep and maintenance," Yusei added over his own bowl. "You take the average motorcycle and you can just ride for months before maintenance checks, years even depending on the part. D-Wheels require regular maintenance on parts that pertain to the computer system, due to the exposure of the natural elements. Possible duels during rain, sleet, snow possibly causing rust or other damage to the computer system. Things you don't want in your computerized breaking system for auto duels. But Crow's wings require daily upkeep to avoid a wing being ripped off ."
"Like to live dangerously, huh?" Kazu asked earning a lightly embarrassed chuckle from Crow.
"Well there was a D-Wheeler that I used to look up to that created the idea that those wings would work," Crow began. Taking the gang into another long story among them when Witch faded back into view.
She found an unused chop stick and proceeded to spear the whole stack of fried tofu before disappearing! Leaving Aki and all the other girls sitting there in various frozen states of eating...
"They don't 'need' food, but they can taste it?" Ruka suggested with so little confidence. It was likely she was just spit balling a guess of what just happened.
"Take the plate, not the stack," Ryu noted in surprise as the delicate nature of fried tofu came to mind.
"You haven't given Natasha a sample have you Junko?" Carly asked, as human curious as the centaur woman 'was'...
"No, we haven't been able to get enough tofu to make it fried since this began," Junko admitted.
"Welp," several voices rose up before the girls resumed their own chat.
While the spirits...
"I'm a witch I don't need a plate," Witch retorted in defiance as the speared fried tofu was held up like some bizarre tofu trophy.
Natasha leaned in with wide curious eyes before lifting up the top slice. "Ok, so fried tofu snack? I just eat it like it is? Everyone else seems to have more stuff with it."
"This is fried tofu, same thing but can be eaten on its own. Normally humans seem to eat it with other things to add flavor," Tutu explained.
"Yes, I tried a cube once on its own and it was very bland. Asuka gave me another cube but allowed me to try it with the soup she was making. It doesn't have much taste alone but it adds texture..." Blader recalled.
Natasha stood there, tail swishing as she examined the 'fried tofu', it was a bit hot, but, "nothing ventured nothing gained!" She took a bite out of the corner and found her brain trying to find words. Not much taste true, the fried skin had some flavor to it, 'but Blader says it needs other foods. It adds 'texture'...'
"Oh I'll grab the soy sauce maybe that will help," Tutu offered before disappearing.
Moments later the group of huddled spirits could hear Asuka give a very laughter filled, "TUTU!"
When the dancer appeared again she was holding a small dish filled with a dark brown liquid that held a small abandoned scallion piece floating on the surface.
Soon all the spirits had a sample of fried tofu and was dipping in...
"Ooo salty and the crisp skin hmmmm..." Blader's eyes lit up behind her glasses after she swallowed her cube.
"Ok now I see why fried tofu is considered 'good'." Witch nodded as she nibbled away.
"I get the texture, and I kind of taste what you're talking about," Natasha mused as she stood there. "I mean its not impressing me or anything but its not bad."
Spirit of the Wind hovered there, demurely nibbling away at her little cube.
"Thank you mother," she could recall her original master in bed. His mother has smuggled these things into the hospital so he could enjoy his favorite snack...
While back with the humans, Asuka could only shake her head. "I thought we let them experience tofu before."
"But was it 'fried'?" Aki asked in amusement as she looked at the now absent spots for tofu and soy sauce on the table.
"Well it was good while it lasted," Zalinka chuckled. "We don't have tofu back home, its a pain to try and get any with the lack of Asian food shops."
"You know we've not really asked what Egypt is like," Junko turned her attention on the Egyptian, her voice growing excited. "You've heard and know about us in Japan. You must have stories from there!"
"Well..." Zalinka grew quiet as she went through the stories she had from being back home. 'Sand for as far as the eye can see', wasn't exactly exciting to her.
Yet the stories of the tribes 'was' interesting, strangely enough, to these average Japanese high schoolers.
Zalinka got to regale the group with stories about the time when the tribe was still underground. How Pegasus found the tablets there that gave rise to the Duel Monsters game that was now so popular enjoyed.
"Our dragons were never confined to tablets, I wonder how Pegasus made the cards based on them." Ruka noted as she pulled out her deck and sought out her Ancient Fairy.
"Well a lot of cards were created from just his imagination, but he had the Sennen Eye implanted into his head. So he saw more than just the myths and fairy tales around the world, odds are he found himself dreaming up Ka beasts he found in people." Zalinka explained before giving a small shrug. "But I will admit it would be incredibly strange for him to pick up on your dragons specifically given the situation. Not bound the tablets and none of you were even alive at the time he was..."
"Captain? Do you know who took over card creation for Industrial Illusions?" Rua asked turning his focus onto Ryu.
The kid shook his head 'no' before shrugging, "I know there is a team that works on making new cards yes. But I also know there are cards that were created by Uncle Yugi on a whim at times, so its always a possibility that he made the cards before he left, or put some spell in effect."
"Wait... a spell in effect... Like a blank card can just 'become' a real card?!" Crow exclaimed as he put his bowl down and pulled out his 'gift' from Yugi. "So any time anywhere, if the conditions are right a card can just spawn into exists..."
It sounded insane, magical, or maybe both. Just Crow holding that white card in his hand brought back the memory of the elevator for Yusei. The first time they 'met' Yugi and chatted with 'him', the autographs and conversations. All the while not realizing just 'what' they were getting into at the time.
"Pretty much, that's how this deck came to be." Ryu agreed as he went about pulling out the deck he carried. "Most of the cards are normal but there's multiple one of a kinds that are all tied to Uncle Kaiba and the others. There's clearly a theme and a pattern meant to summon them out but they just won't play. I've ran them through simulators for days and the cards just won't pull in that particular order."