Hello, dear "Crimson Star Priestess" fans and newcomers! Welcome to the second book of the series! This fanfic is mainly about Estelle and the Signers' adult lives; their future careers, how they will slowly settle down and start their own families, and more. This is going to be the last book before the Next Generation. Some chapters will be a bit short, depending on the ideas I have. I accept ideas to make the story interesting and intriguing, so don't be shy to share your ideas with me and I'll see if I can incorporate them.
The chapters will mainly be about Estelle and Yusei's relationship, but there will be chapters about the other couples, such as Jack/Carly, Aki/Sherry, Leo/Miyuki (Springflowerangel's OC), Luna/Sly, and a few surprises that will be revealed later.
I hope you will enjoy the second book of the series. Let's rev it up!
The chapter begins in Estelle's point of view.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 1: The New Beginning
Has anyone ever asked you if you have a wish that you want to make it come true?
Well, if someone had asked me that more than a year ago, I would have certainly said yes. But now… That wish had come true in the most unexpected way I could've ever imagined… Well, maybe I did fantasize about it when I was younger, but I slowly gave up on the dream when I became an adult.
I now live in a world that is universes away from mine. A world that I'm sure many wanted to live on and reach the goal of their dreams. I got chosen for a reason and got a role that I have now fulfilled, but I chose to stay afterward because I have found people important to me…and a lover who accepts and loves me for who I am.
No one can anticipate what the new future have in store for us, but no matter what new evil will appear and endanger our home, the Signers and I will protect the world with the Signer Dragons and their lord the Crimson Dragon.
My name is Estelle Malmström-Goodwin and this is the continuation of not just mine but my precious friends' adventures on the road of adulthood.
XXXXXXXXXX
Yusei and I drove straight to the garage after the visit at the park where we confessed our feelings to each other and had our first kiss. We were both excited to tell our friends we were a couple.
A couple… Yusei and I…
It still felt like so surreal that I was now officially together with the fictional man I had a crush on back in my world and now he was very much real and he reciprocated my feelings. I could still remember the first day we met each other and all the adventure we went through together with the Signers and our other friends. So many obstacles appeared on our path, but we pushed through and reached the finish line by saving New Domino City from the ultimate destruction.
So now, after everything that happened, I couldn't help but wonder what was coming next. I knew there was a six month time skip in the anime, but there had been clear signs of what everyone had been doing. Will that be repeated in this world? I guess only time could tell.
Yusei and I reached the Fountain Plaza and parked our Runners next to Zora's building. The shutter was open, so we could hear everyone's voices and laughter echoing from the garage. I was getting a little nervous for each second. Why, though? We were just going to tell them the happy news.
I snapped out of my trance when I felt Yusei's hand gently squeeze mine in comfort. I looked at him and saw a smile pasted on his lips. His warm eyes sent me a silent message of assurance that there was nothing to be worried about. I returned his smile and squeezed his hand in return before we stepped inside the garage.
Jack and Crow were in the middle of an argument while Aki, Leo, Luna, Sherry, and even Mizoguchi watched the boys bickering back and forth. For a brief second, I saw Bruno's silhouette among them, but a blink of my eyes caused the blurry image to fade away. The garage did feel a little empty without him, but there was nothing we could do to bring him back. I had an inkling Yusei felt the same every time he looked around in the garage. The only memorial we had left of Bruno was his visor that he threw off when he pushed Yusei out of the black hole after their Turbo Duel in the Ark Cradle, so he was still with us spiritually.
Leo was the first one to notice me and Yusei's arrival. "Hey, Yusei, Estelle!" the male twin exclaimed happily.
Jack and Crow stopped barking at each other while the others greeted us with soft waves and smiles. "How did the 'errand' go?" Aki asked with a knowing smirk when she saw our intertwined hands.
Yusei explained to me earlier he told Jack and Crow that he was going to go on an errand with me, but I guess it was obvious for everyone that the "errand" was something entirely different.
"It went well", Yusei replied with a sheepish smile.
"Great to hear that!" Crow grinned before he got a mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Anything else you might wanna tell us?"
Yusei and I exchanged a glance before we nodded simultaneously. We were ready to tell them. "We do have some news for you", I spoke up.
I could tell almost everyone was doing their best to hold back their big smiles as they were expecting good news. Sherry and Mizoguchi had good poker faces, but I could tell by the look in their eyes that they were aware of the upcoming news. Leo was the only one who looked oblivious. "What news?" he asked with his head tilted to the side.
"We're dating", Yusei announced.
It was quiet for a mere second before Crow exploded in joy. "Finally!" he cheered happily. He ran to Yusei and put him in a headlock before messing with his head with a fist. "Look at you getting your girl, Yusei!"
"Ow! Let go, Crow!" Yusei laughed as he struggled to get out of his foster brother's grasp.
"It's about damn time", Jack snorted with an irritated expression, but the right corner of his lips had twitched upward into a tiny smile.
Aki stepped over to me and grabbed both my hands with a big smile. "I'm so happy for you and Yusei, Estelle", she said.
"Thank you, Aki", I smiled. My heart sang in relief that everyone was taking the news so well. I've never had so many friends in my world nor had a boyfriend, so I didn't know how to expect everyone's reaction to the news.
"Congratulations", Sherry said as she walked to me and Aki. "I hope your relationship will last long."
Mizoguchi nodded, silently agreeing with his god-daughter.
"I'm sure it will", I replied.
Leo still looked confused while he comprehended the news. It took him a few seconds before he exclaimed in surprise. "Ehhh?! Yusei and Estelle are together?" he asked loudly.
Luna face palmed at her twin brother's reaction. "I can't believe you're that blind, Leo…", she sighed in defeat.
"What? What do you mean, Luna?" Leo asked.
"Never mind…", Luna sighed. "Now I'm really worried about Miyuki…"
"What about Miyuki?" Leo looked very confused.
Crow stopped messing with Yusei and released him before he patted my boyfriend on the back. "I always knew you'd be the first among us to get a girlfriend, Yusei", he grinned before throwing a sarcastic glance at Jack. "Jack's too stubborn to confess to his lover."
"Carly is NOT my girlfriend!" Jack roared angrily with his cheeks tainted in a soft color of pink.
"And here we go again…", Aki sighed tiredly as she rubbed her forehead.
"What were they arguing about before Yusei and I showed up?" I asked.
"Crow pestered Jack on following Yusei's example to man up and confess to Carly", Sherry explained.
"Now that I think about it, I haven't heard from Carly in a while", I said as I rubbed my chin. "I hope she's okay."
"Carly's fine!" Jack called out, obviously having overheard our conversation. "She's busy at her new workplace!"
"New workplace?" I blinked in surprise.
Jack turned away from Crow while ignoring the teasing looks from the carrot-head. "Carly's the only one who's got exclusive video footage of the Ark Cradle Incident, and when it was published by her old editorial staff she got scouted by another newspaper that has a far superior reputation than that scandalous magazine", the blonde male explained.
"That's great to hear", Aki said in a happy voice. "She's got the talent as a reporter. It was wasted on that magazine."
"Tell me about it…", I sweat dropped, remembering reading one of the low-rated editorial staff's newspaper and got disgusted by how Carly's article got edited after she had showed me the original script of an interview she had made with a popular street Duelist.
"Anyway, why're you two still here?" Crow spoke up, surprising the rest of us.
"Eh?" we blinked in surprise.
Crow started pushing Yusei out of the garage. "You lovebirds should spend the rest of the day together!" he added with a grin.
"I agree!" Aki nodded as she walked behind me and pushed me toward the exit of the garage. "The weather's nice, so you shouldn't waste it!"
Yusei and I got caught off guard by the sudden action. We were pushed out of the garage and turned around to see Aki and Crow wave their hands at us as the shutter slowly came down to block the entrance.
"Make sure to tell Martha! She'll be thrilled by the news!" Crow called with his smile still attached to his lips.
"Wait-!" Yusei called, but the shutter blocked the entrance to the garage.
The two of us were a little stunned by our friends' antics, but I guess they wanted us to spend the very first day as a couple in peace.
"Well… I guess we should…go on a date or something?" I asked hesitantly.
"Yeah…", Yusei scratched the back of his head with a sheepish look. "Any ideas?"
I hummed loudly as I stared at the summer sky with white fluffy clouds. "Do you need to buy parts for your Runner?" I wondered. "I noticed it still looks a little banged up after the incident."
"Yeah, I didn't have time to fix the frame because I was busy volunteering with everyone else", Yusei explained. "Is it okay to fix it now?"
"Of course it's okay", I smiled as I patted my boyfriend's shoulder blade. "I know how much you cherish your Runner. Let's go and get it fixed."
XXXXXXXXXX
We visited Caius and Aeon's workshop where they gladly helped Yusei fix his Duel Runner. Blaze was currently out buying supplies, so I took upon preparing some drinks for the men while they were busy working in the steaming hot garage. Caius told us they've been busy since the Ark Cradle because they got a few heavily damaged Duel Runners, caused by the falling debris of the giant structure, so they barely had time working on their project Wheelie Breakers; mini Duel Runners for children.
It took a few hours, but the result was excellent. Yusei's Duel Runner looked just as new and it even got waxed! Yusei wanted to pay for the waxing, but Caius and Aeon didn't want to accept the money. It was their thank you gift for saving the city.
With the Runner now fixed, we drove to Satellite to tell Martha about our relationship. She may be Yusei's foster mother, but she raised him like he was her own son, so of course she had to know about us.
Crow's foster siblings were playing outside when we pulled up to the house. Their faces brightened up when they saw us. "Yusei! Estelle!" they greeted and ran to us as soon as we had parked our Runners.
Yusei and I got off the Runners and removed the helmets before we greeted the children. "Hi, everyone", I smiled as Kokoro took my hands.
"Did you two come alone?" Daichi asked as he looked to the side. "Where're Crow and Jack?"
"They couldn't come today because they're busy", Yusei explained with a white lie.
Blister peeked out of the front door to see what the commotion was about. "Hey, kids!" he called from the porch with a wave of his hand. "It's time for snacks!"
The children perked up when they heard the magic word and ran to the house, thrilled to eat some sweets. Yusei and I walked calmly behind them as they scuttled inside. Blister stepped aside so he wouldn't block the way for them. Once the children were inside, he turned to us with a warm smirk. "Hi, you two. How've you been?"
"Hi, Blister", I greeted with a soft wave with my hand. "It's been good."
"Is everyone okay after the incident?" Yusei wondered.
"The kids took the whole situation well, but Kokoro and Daichi still sometimes get nightmares, so Martha and I make sure to comfort them until they fall asleep again", Blister sighed.
"It must be post trauma…", I said sadly. "For some children, such major incidents take more time to comprehend."
Blister nodded with a concerned expression before he shook it off. "Anyway, I assume you've come here to see Martha, right?" he asked.
"Yeah, is she in?" Yusei asked.
"Yep, she's in the kitchen."
Blister led us to the dining room where Martha served the snacks for the children. The kids dug into the soft pancakes and ate in delight. The foster mother wiped her hands clean with her apron before she spotted me and Yusei. "Yusei, Estelle", she greeted with her warm motherly smile. "I heard from the children you came visiting."
"Hi, Martha", Yusei greeted. "I'm glad to see you're doing well."
"I'm always well when you, Jack, and Crow come over to visit", Martha smiled as she walked over to us. "Did you come over to play with the children?"
"Actually… We have something important to tell you", Yusei replied with his cheeks turning a little pink.
Martha's eyes shone up before she turned to Blister. "Look after the kids while I talk to Yusei and Estelle, Blister", she told him.
"Sure, Martha", Blister nodded.
Martha led me and Yusei to the large living room. A major section of it was the playground for the children that were living with Martha and for other children who came to the daycare when it was open. The other part served as a living room with two couches, coffee table and a few armchairs. Martha sat down on a couch while Yusei and I settled down on the other couch opposite her.
"Now then… What kind of important news do you have for me?" Martha asked.
Yusei and I looked at each other and nodded with small smiles. My boyfriend put a hand over my left hand that rested on my lap before he looked at Martha with a serious expression. "Martha… Estelle and I are going out", he revealed.
Martha was quiet for a short moment. She didn't even look at us. Her head was bent down so we couldn't see her face. I started getting a little concerned and squeezed Yusei's hand while looking at him. He looked just as confused about his foster mother's reaction. A snort from Martha brought our attention back at her. She pulled out a tissue from a pocket of her dress and brought it up to her face. She lifted her head up and revealed a big smile with tears in her eyes.
"I… I'm so happy…", she sniffed as she gently dabbed the tissue against the corner of her eyes to wipe off the tears. "To think I'd live to the day my favorite son finds a partner…"
I relaxed my body in relief. I first assumed Martha wasn't going to approve our relationship, but I shouldn't have doubted her. Yusei exhaled a sigh of relief through his nose. He must've been nervous, but now that we heard she approved of us, we both let go of the tension in our bodies. Martha stood up from the couch and walked around the coffee table to reach us. Yusei and I stood up as well before the elderly woman embraced her foster son. My boyfriend hugged her in return while I watched the sweet interaction.
"I'm so happy for you, Yusei", Martha spoke against his shoulder. "Make sure to treat Estelle well."
"I will, Martha…", Yusei spoke softly.
They pulled out of the hug so Martha could turn to me. She gently took my hands and held them while we had eye contact. "Take good care of Yusei for me, Estelle", she told me.
"Of course, Martha", I smiled warmly.
The woman then pulled me into a hug, which I happily returned. I gently rubbed her back to reassure her that I would take care of her foster son for as long as I could, even if we would at some point break up but remain as friends. That was just a possibility, but I shouldn't think about that now.
Martha pulled out of the hug and got a lightbulb expression. "I have something to give to you, Estelle", she told me. "Come with me."
I nodded in response and followed Martha to the closed living room door. Yusei followed us silently as his foster mother opened the door. All of the sudden, the five children fell down into a pile right in front of us. The three of us looked at them in surprise. Have they been eavesdropping on us?
"What are you doing, you little troublemakers?" Martha asked in a slight stern voice.
Kokoro and Hikari got up from the pile first before Daichi and Ginga got up next, but Taiga was still lying on his stomach with his face planted on the floor.
"S-Sorry, Martha…", Daichi apologized as he looked down with sad eyes.
"We didn't mean to eavesdrop on you, but…we were curious…", Hikari explained shyly as she pushed her index fingers against each other.
Blister showed up by the corner with a long sigh. "Sorry, Martha. I tried keeping them in the dining room, but they were too curious", he apologized.
Kokoro's eyes shone brightly as she looked at me and Yusei. "Are you two really together together?" she asked.
I squatted down to her eye level and nodded with a smile. "Yes. Yusei and I are a couple", I replied.
"Yay! I knew it!" Kokoro cheered in joy. "You two always look so happy when you're together!"
I couldn't resist the urge to blush. Have our feelings for each other been that obvious to everyone around us? I turned to Yusei and he looked just as embarrassed as me.
"Does big brother Crow know about this?" Ginga wondered.
"He does, and so do some of our friends", Yusei replied.
Taiga got up from the floor with a questioning expression. "Does big brother Crow have a girlfriend?" he asked.
"No… Not that I know of", Yusei replied.
"He must be keeping his love life a secret", Kokoro commented.
I got a little surprised by her comment. At her age, I didn't know the term love life even existed. I had tunnel vision at the time and focused on my favorite stuff.
"But I thought big brother Crow was going to be the first to get a girlfriend", Taiga said. "He's always been so cool with his Duel Runner and Blackwings! And he's super nice, friendly, and funny! Why hasn't he found someone?"
Yusei got down on one knee and patted Taiga on the head. "Taiga, it sometimes take more time for some people to find their partner", my boyfriend explained. "I'm sure when Crow finds the right person, he'll introduce them to you."
"Hey, Yusei! When are you two gonna have the wedding?" Ginga asked.
"W-Wedding?!" Yusei and I exclaimed in embarrassment. That was a little too soon to ask.
"Will you invite us? I've never been to a wedding before", Daichi said shyly.
"Umm…", I didn't even know how to answer the question.
"How many kids will you have?" Hikari asked.
Good thing none of us were drinking, but Yusei nearly choked on his own spit. He coughed hard against his elbow while I patted his back. Blister laughed his butt off while the kids kept teasing us.
"How do you even get babies?" Taiga asked.
"I heard it's the stork that delivers the baby to a couple when they're very much in love", Kokoro said.
"Kids!" Martha called out in a strict voice, shutting the children up. "You're overwhelming Yusei and Estelle with all your questions. Slow it down a little. Besides, they've just become a couple, so they might have not made any plans for the future yet."
"Okay…", the children said simultaneously.
Yusei cleared his throat after finishing his coughing session and straightened up, his cheeks still a little dusted in pink. "Martha's right…", he said. "We want to take it slow for now. We've got lots of time ahead of us."
Blister snorted as he tried calming down his laughs. "S-Still… You should be careful. You don't want to have a baby yet", he teased.
"Blister!" I yelled at him, feeling too embarrassed to think about the future intimate moments Yusei and I might have if our love grows a lot stronger over the course of years.
Martha shushed the kids and even the adults out of the house before she took my hand and led me through the dining room to the kitchen. She closed the door behind her while I stood in the middle of the room.
Martha walked over to a shelf that was full of books. There were both cookbooks and ordinary notebooks in which she might have written her own recipes. She pulled out a blue notebook that she stared at for a moment before she gently caressed the surface. She took a deep breath before she finally turned around and held the notebook out to me.
"Ever since Zero Reverse, I took in orphans and raised them with the little money and food I could obtain and grow on my own", Martha said. "I always made sure to write down notes on what food the children preferred most and came up with recipes that suit their taste buds. It's always a joy for me to see the children's smiles whenever they eat my food." She let out a sigh as she suddenly looked a little sad. "I can never forget Yusei's expression when he came visiting me both after Kalin got arrested and Jack betrayed him. The first time… He looked so miserable and heartbroken. He lost the big brother figure he looked up since he was a child."
I silently took the notebook from Martha and looked at it, seeing it was labeled "Yusei's Favorite Dishes". "Was Kalin one of the orphans you raised?" I asked because that had always been a mystery to me.
"No", Martha shook her head. "Kalin was a child who lived on the streets. I offered a place in my house for him, but he declined every time. Still, he came visiting almost every day to play with the kids. Yusei, Jack, and Crow got extra close to him, hence how they formed the Enforcers. Yusei shut down for a while after Kalin's arrest, but he slowly recovered when he met Rally and the others. I then suggested he should work on a project, like constructing something big on his own. Not long after that, he built his first Duel Runner." She smiled as she recalled the happy memories. "The light in Yusei's eyes returned and I made sure to feed him his favorite dishes whenever he came over. But then Jack not only stole his first Duel Runner but also Stardust Dragon, and the light in Yusei's eyes was replaced by hurt and anger. I've never seen Yusei look so angry before in my life." The smile got replaced by a frown. "Of course, I got disappointed in Jack for what he had done, but I knew there had to be for a reason. I only learned about his achievements on the television when he became the King of Games. There were times I hoped he was going to visit me, but he never showed up…until he, Yusei, and everyone else arrived to battle the Dark Signers. By that time, I had forgiven him. He's also made up for all the time he hadn't visited me after the Daedalus Bridge got built and I'm proud to see he had changed his ways." Martha gasped softly in realization. "I'm sorry. I ended up rambling about the past", she chuckled.
"No, it's okay", I told her. "I didn't know about this of Yusei. I knew he got hurt both times, but I didn't know he got depressed after what happened to Kalin."
Martha nodded with a sad face. "Yusei may not express his feelings that often, but he gets very emotional when people hurt him", she explained. "That's why he only opens his heart up for those he truly trusts…and that includes you." She cupped my left hand and stared deeply into my eyes. "Estelle, Yusei has told me about his feelings for you a few times and how he appreciates everything you've done for him. So, please… No matter what happens, promise me you'll stay by his side."
I got a little touched after I heard that. Martha had such deep faith in me of being a good partner to Yusei. I lightly squeezed my left hand in her grasp to reassure her I was going to keep my promise. "Yes, Martha", I smiled. "Yusei is precious to me, so I promise I'll never hurt him."
XXXXXXXXXX
The sun was setting when Yusei and I drove to the harbor in New Domino City and sat on a bench to watch the sky shift into a water painting of bright colors. I leaned my head against Yusei's shoulder as my eyelids felt a little heavy. Today had been a long day full of different emotions, so my mind was a little drained.
"Are you tired?" Yusei asked as he had an arm wrapped around my waist.
"A little", I confessed. "It's been a few hectic weeks and now telling our friends and Martha about our relationship… That was the most nerve-wracking part, and we still haven't told Goodwin about us."
"Actually, I spoke to Goodwin after we made the plans to meet up today", Yusei confessed.
"You did?" I asked in surprise as I lifted my head from my boyfriend's shoulder.
Yusei nodded. "I thought it'd be best to ask for his permission first to date you", he explained. "I expected him to get a little…aggressive because he's protective of you, but he was actually calm and granted me the honor of asking you out. He did warn me that if I ever hurt you he's not going to hesitate punishing me."
"Punishing you how?" I wondered.
"By sending me to the police academy for harsh training for a month or two", Yusei replied.
"That's it?" I blinked in surprise. "I expected something worse than that."
"I guess he chose a lenient punishment because I'm the hero of New Domino City", Yusei sighed. "I'm a hero in everyone's eyes after what happened and if I get hurt and the words spread out, it might upset the whole city."
"Good point…", I nodded before I reached my hand up and traced his marker with my thumb. "You may be a hero in many people's eyes, but in my eyes… You're the wonderful man I fell in love with. A man who cherishes his friends and will do anything for them, but you must remember to take care of yourself. I don't want to see you crash and burn because of high standards you set on yourself."
Yusei gave me a hesitant smile and pulled me closer to him before he buried his face in my hair. "I'm not sure I can promise you that…", he mumbled against my hair. "I'm determined to find a solution to prevent any future disasters with the Ener-D Reactor from occurring. I won't let the future my other self experienced repeat itself again."
I pulled my head away a little so I could in my boyfriend's eyes. "I had a feeling you were going to say that and I'm not against it", I told him. "I just don't want you to exhaust or overdo yourself, like what you did with the engine project before the Grand Prix."
"I understand", Yusei nodded before he turned his eyes at the sky. "To tell the truth, I met up with Dr. Zigzix a couple of days ago and told him I'd like to contribute to the research of reinforcing the security of the reactor. He told me he'd appreciate the help and showed me around, but I quickly found out there's still so much for me to learn…" He turned to me with a serious expression. "So I made my decision. I'm going to study in the Technical University of New Domino City."
That statement threw me off guard. In the anime, it was never hinted that Yusei went to the university; he was able to jump straight into action with the other scientists to create the Fortune program in six month. I guess it was different in this world now and it did make sense. Yusei may know a lot about engineering, but that was mostly self-taught. He didn't even have a proper education.
"Zigzix forewarned me the university will be tough with lots of assignments, but it'll be worth it in the end", Yusei continued as he rested his hands on his lap. "The problem is I'm going to need to study a lot for the admission test in January, so I'll be quite busy…"
"Then let me help you with the studying", I offered my assistance. "I have high school education so I can teach you."
"Are you sure?" Yusei asked. "Won't you be busy with Sector Security?"
"I actually talked to Goodwin about it", I confessed. "Back in my world, I wanted become an author, but I never went to college because I got burned out after high school and needed some time to both recover and save up money. I still have the passion to write, but I also want to contribute to a safer future by creating new Duel Monsters cards, so I'm going to put my main dream to the side and study game design first."
"So that means…", Yusei trailed off as he may have realized where I was going.
I nodded in response. "I'll be taking the admission test for the New Domino University of the Arts, though I admit art is not my strong side", I revealed before I placed my hand on top of his left hand. "I'm certain it'll be double as tough as high school, but I'll make it. Let's work together to create a safe future for the next generations, Yusei."
My boyfriend was quiet for a couple of seconds before a smile appeared on his lips. He turned his left hand so our palms were against each other and our fingers were weaved together. "Yeah. I'll be counting on you… Teacher Estelle", Yusei said in a sarcastic tone.
"I won't go easy on you, Student Yusei", I replied in the same tone.
We chuckled at our comments before we kissed again while the first silver star of the night appeared in the midst of the dusk sky. The path is clear, so now it's time to chase the goal of our hopes and dreams.
XXXXXXXXXX
Inoue Miyuki belongs to Springflowerangel.
Caius Yamigetsu, Aeon Utopa, and Blaze belong to darkworldprince.
