Chapter 16: A Tale of Birds and Plants

"So, either of you care to tell us how this started?" Declan asked, the two people in question, Lulu and Yuri, were sitting across from him, in an awkward arrangement, Yuya, Yuto, and Yugo, along with the others, sat to the side, Ren now restrained again, and Yuya under watch.

"Well," Yuri began, "It was like any day at Duel Academy, when I stumbled across the Professor's teleportation chamber. Now, I'd only heard about the other dimensions at this point, despite being the 'left-hand-man' of the Professor, as they called me. I decided to take a walk across the dimensions, not realising that the teleporter was set to the Xyz dimension, and I ended up probably a few miles away, ruined skyscrapers towering over me.

"I walked for about an hour, and it had started to get dark, which is when I encountered a few members of the Resistance. I easily defeated them, but I assure you, I did not card them, as I find the practice barbaric, and left them knocked out close to where I fought them. After a bit more of a walk, seeing a few Chaos Giants falling, I ran into dear old Lulu here. She had just carded a few of Duel Academy's students, taking them out single handed, which impressed me. She then challenged me, so I accepted, and she ended up nearly beating me, but my trusted Starving Venom managed to put away those annoying birds," The comment caused a streak of annoyance on Lulu's face to appear, but Yuri either didn't notice, or didn't care, and continued, "As I got closer, out of pure interest, of course, SHE hit at my duel disk, hitting the emergency return button, which sent us both back to Duel Academy, given her proximity to me. We ended up surrounded by Obelisk Force members who captured Lulu here and took me to the Professor's chamber, where I was congratulated for bringing her back, while also admonished for escaping. That is where my recollection of events pertaining to Lulu ends." Yuri finished, a look of almost disbelief on Lulu's face, as if he'd gotten some details that she felt were rather important.

"It appears as though you have some objections, Ms. Obsidian?" Declan asked Lulu, seeing the look on her face,

"Well, yes," the girl said, starting her recount, "It was like any other day for me, a member of the Resistance. Wandering the streets and defeating the Duel Academy soldiers that I ran into. I had defeated probably a half-dozen at this point, which is when I ran into him. We dueled, and after he lost he dashed over to me and wrapped his arm around my neck and pressed a button on his duel disk, sending us right to the heart of the beast. Luckily, my birds managed to get me out of that infernal place, but not before a rather creepy man named 'the Doktor' saw me and explained some things I barely understood. Something about a parasite, but using the skills my father taught me, I managed to escape him. I made my way to the teleporter I'd heard about and returned here thusly, interrupting the duel just before so that I wouldn't have the guilt of not intervening in a duel emitting such a powerful dark aura. One that was oddly similar to one that I felt whenever Yuto was enraged, surprisingly, but much more intense." She explained, skipping over the stuff that Yuri had been truthful about,

"Something I noticed is that you both claim to have won the duel. If we could determine the actual winner of that duel, we might have a better argument as to who was telling the truth," Declan said passively, opening a file on his duel disk, "If you would hold out your duel disk, Lulu, I can import the duel log file and see the results. Before you interject, however, I would prefer this, because as far as I'm aware, you may embellish the result."

"Fine," she sighed, "But only the duel log, okay? I don't need some random person viewing my personal private files."

"You have my word." Lulu then held out her duel disk, and with a beep, she was allowed to pull the disk away, the files now being open on Declan's disk.

"It seems that the result is… inconclusive. Hopefully the replay file can provide some insight." Tapping the replay button, they all prepared to see what had truly happened. Unfortunately, the replay screen displayed only static, the file apparently being corrupted.

"A shame," Yuri said, "Now if only I didn't destroy my Duel Academy disk. Then we might have had a way to see the result."

"Well, in this case, I propose we take the middle ground. Yuri arrived in Xyz, dueled Lulu and regardless of the winner, they ended up in Duel Academy, which Lulu eventually escaped. These are the constants of the stories, with the details of the duel unknown. Until we find a way to find out the truth, I think that Yuri should still be thought of as an ally to our cause," Seeing another look on Lulu's face, Declan addressed her concern, "I don't ask that you forgive Yuri, as he did, by some stretch of the word, technically kidnap you, but I ask you to work alongside him, even if for the here and now."

"That's… Acceptable," The Lyrilusc duelist sighed, standing up, "I'm going to go see Yuto and then my father. I assume you have no objections?" she sarcastically asked, walking off, Declan just adjusting his glasses slightly. Making her way back into the main room, Lulu inquired as to Yuto's location, and was informed that he was with the other two boys who looked like him, Yuya and Yugo, and apparently, they were rather down about something. Putting that thought on the back burner, she walked into the room, and was immediately confronted with the fact that, yes, the boys did seem rather down. "Hey," she called out, causing the boys to raise their heads from a seeming collective discussion, Yuto's eyes lighting up a bit, as did Yugo's, strangely, "How are you all feeling?"

"Like a piece of rubble fell on me, and both Yuya and I know what that feels like." Yuto dejectedly said, the Pendulum duelist nodding in agreement,

"Oh. I'm afraid I kind of missed what happened, all I know is that I intruded on a duel with Yuya and that other guy, due to some power that I don't quite understand yet."

"Let's just say that the person Yuya was dueling dropped a massive bombshell on us. I guess it also concerns you, so we probably should inform you. Yugo, if you would, I'm rather tired." Yuto sighed, passing off to the Turbo Duelist,

"Oh, okay then, well, I don't remember all the specifics, but the gist of it was that Yuya, Yuto, Yuri and myself, along with that guy Yuya was dueling, Ren, are fragments of a duelist who did horrible things and is the reason the four dimensions exist. He also said that you, along with three other girls are the fragments of the person who stopped our previous self, who happened to be the daughter of the Professor." Yugo informed Lulu, showing a surprising amount of wisdom, the revelation seemingly having stuck,

"Wait, what? Is that why the Professor was that insistent that I stay?" Lulu asked herself, slightly shocked at the revelation, "Is that why you're all so sad? Because you found out from some random person that you are apparently fragments of a psycho? Well, I don't know enough about Yuya nor Yugo, but from what I do know, you're just as caring as Yuto, and he'd never hurt anyone who hasn't hurt him first." She then almost yelled at the boys, forcing them to lean back slightly,

"I've actually seen what this duelist did. I have his memories, and he slaughtered thousands, if not millions, just for FUN! Also, he always makes us manifest the very cards we need to win, one of which is even a Number, which I'm sure your father told you about!" Yuya shouted back, tears starting to flow from his eyes,

"A Number? Well, that certainly is something," Lulu chuckled to herself, "I'm sure you have nothing to worry about. That duelist may have been your history, but only you can define your future. That's something I learnt a little while back now. A very wise man taught me that before he disappeared during the invasion."

"Sounds like something my father would say." Yuya had a little, sad chuckle at this, remembering his father and how he'd just up and vanished one day,

"Wait, your surname wouldn't happen to be 'Sakaki', would it?" Lulu asked, a thought running through her mind,

"Yeah, it is. Why do you ask?" Yuya replied slightly confused,

"Yusho Sakaki wouldn't happen to be your father then, would he?"

"How do you know my dad?" Yuya asked, astounded,

"He was the one who taught me, along with others, how to dueltain as he called it. He seemingly just appeared three-ish years ago, and vanished not long after the invasion started."

"I knew he didn't abandon us," Yuya cried, tears starting to flow, "So he was here in Xyz the whole time, teaching others his dueling philosophy. I wish he was still here so I could speak with him."

Lulu smiled, seeing one of the boy's mood improving, even if it was slightly. She then excused herself, saying that she would be back later, and she went to talk with her father, who had apparently been awaiting an opportunity to talk with her, but knowing her father, Lulu knew he wanted a duel instead, if only to see what she had learnt and also whether or not her skills had atrophied since they last dueled.

Meanwhile, in the Fusion Dimension

"I hope you two understand the importance of this mission I'm assigning you," A voice said, cloaked in a shadow, the only signifier that a person was there being the red lens of his monocle-like lens, "The Tyler Sisters failed to bring down the Resistance, and according to the duel data there, the duelists that defeated them are likely the fragments of our enemy. You have one chance, and one chance only. Defeat the four boys and card them as soon as you can. Show them no mercy, and I will also be entrusting you both with experimental decks that our team is making. I will arrange for a quick training session for you both soon after you arrive."

"Yes, Sir." The two duelists kneeling said at the same time, bowing deeply,

"I would personally like to thank you for such an opportunity to show our worthiness by allowing us to use these new decks." The one on the left, long blond hair with light blue streaks in it falling down her back, the ornate robes on her catching the little light in the room and reflecting it off the silver filaments imbedded in it. Looking up, her left iris seemingly shattered, with blue fragments seemingly all over her eye, her pupil also heart shaped. Despite this, she could still see perfectly fine.

"I second my comrade's words, my Lord. Your faith will not be misplaced." The man said, the armour he wore also catching that light, but it seemingly absorbed it instead. A helmet on his head hid his short black hair, and his deep brown eyes showed a fervour that was rare, except among the most devoted.

"Lumos, Nox, rise and face forward to your futures, and bring those boys to me." The Professor growled, dismissing the elites at his feet. They bowed, and left, being met by scientists outside, who handed them a tightly bound package each, which contained the decks that they were being given. Soon Ray, the Professor thought, Zarc will be defeated once and for all, and then we can finally be together again, like none of this ever happened. Pulling up a screen, the man smiled, as it displayed an image, the words on it saying, 'Project ZERO – Stage 1 of 10, 90% complete'.

Next Chapter Preview: Two of the Professor's elite enforcers are after Yuya, Yuto, Yugo and Yuri. Will the boys be able to escape the clutches of the enforcers' new experimental decks?

So, there we have it. The 'filler' chapter as I'm going to crown this one. Next week will be intense, though, as two new characters, Lumos and Nox, enter the Xyz Dimension with the goal of defeating, and subsequently carding, the Yu-Boys. I hope you enjoy my attempts at writing filler, but next week we are back to the action! I would also like to gladly announce that, as I'm sure most of you have seen, we have hit over 50k words! According to a quick google, that is at the lower end of the length of average novels, and I still have so much more planned, lol.

Aquatic Dragon – Thank you for allowing me to use Izumi and her Dragon, I really appreciate it. I have been in the process of writing the cards effects out, and as such, have made a few changes, (ie Autumn Magician now having a level of 7 and a condition that treats them as a level 1 for an Xyz summon), but I need a tiny bit of clarity involving the Dragon itself: Does its standby phase effect activate only during your standby phase, or during both? That's it. Again, I thank you for your support and allowing me to use your character. Also, don't worry about adding more to her, it helps me a lot in characterising her.

I thank you all for your support, just clicking on this story does so much for me, and I'll see you next week when we see Lumos and Nox in action with their experimental decks - NightWingBOI