Witness A Starry Evolution Of Our Identities

by MoonlitSpectrum

Sora visits Yuzu with a smile as he holds a matryoshka doll, person trapped inside of a person like she is. How he stays with the doll, even if he can't tell who it is while loving all the different people in it and keeps them as precious works of art in his room is reassuring. Coming back with Ruri, Rin, Serena, and Ruri in her makes life hard. Cross posted on Archive of our own

3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Hello again, hope you all are having a great day. I make a lot of mythological references as you can see throughout my fic. I find there are many surrounding Sora and Yuzu and I just want to explore them all. Also my chapters range between either very short in length or long as you can see (I'll bounce back and forth but really I just do whatever I feel captures characterization well enough regardless of what the word length is). I do whatever I feel developed the character interactions in a way I wanted. I find it rather odd that the narrative seems to mention Yuzu is depressed but never explores reasons why. She calls You Show Duel School depressing in the episode Yuya duels Sora for the first time but no character asks why she feels the way she does about You Show Duel School ever in the span of the entire story. When Shuzo does remember Yuzu after losing his memories of her, the narrative chooses to show us a picture of Yuzu while crying. Ok...but why? Why is she crying in the past? We never get a reason on why. By the way, what triggers this memory is the lemon on the end of her fan her dad specifically calls an Iyokan. An Iyokan is a homophone for good feeling, a homophone meaning a word that has same pronunciation but different meanings like "new" and "knew" (they both sound the same, but what they mean are different. One is about gaining more info you don't know which is new and the other, knew, is about being connected to past knowledge). So I was wondering, is the Iyokan a homophone because Yuzu doesn't truly feel good and happy (or honestly that's the implication narrative gives when they go from Iyokan to picture of Yuzu crying)? There are a lot of mysteries surrounding Yuzu that I wanted to explore. (Like why does Flowering Etoile Melodious Choir have two En Flower bracelets on her wrists and why does Yuzu come back in the last episode without En Flowers bracelet?) I like her character a lot but I feel like there are certain aspects about her that get mentioned but not..explored which I wanna try exploring.

As for why she's crying in the past when her dad remembers her, (yeah maybe that could have just been about the whole deal with Yuto as well as not knowing who he is because she confused him for Yuya but honestly the narrative never specifies at what point of time this is so like this could have been before Sora came along and she was just..sad?). If Yuzu and Ray are the same person, then well..the implication to their depression also exists in the card, Pure Ray, which is the antithesis to how Smile World operates, and then there's also the fact that "Carve an arc of light across the Ether" (Yuya's words when he Pendulum Summons but also since Pendulum comes from En Cards which Ray uses which means I will characterize Zarc's Pendulum monsters as also reflecting Ray in personality, then the implication of Ether which is an alternate spelling of the Greek god Aether who is the god who gave birth to mourning really adds to the idea of depression the narrative implies with Yuzu's and Ray's character. Furthermore, the narrative has Lyrical Nightingales (Ruri's deck and possibly Ray's deck in the past?) and nightingales are typically associated with sadness in Greek mythology too (look at Philomena in Greek mythology if you're curious for me.)

Then you have extra content of Arc V Manzai's (one of them being between Serena and Sora where Sora makes a line of "If you just wanted the sweets, you could have just said so. You're reminding me of Yuzu there") and I find this interaction amusing but it also made me wonder, "ok, but..why is Yuzu, as you're implying Sora, someone who doesn't say what she wants? Why does her last name even mean False Holly, the plant (Osmanthus Heterophyllus)"? What is false about her, or is it just what she talks about is false?" I'm so curious about all of the symbolism surrounding YuzuRay and decoding their characterization.

Something I'm currently trying to look into: Laureate François the Melodious Maestra (also called Shopina Melodious Maestra). This card is odd and intriguing because like...it's only used in Episode 21 and NEVER in duels and the only person Yuzu ever uses this around is Sora. Lauerate is connected to Laurus Nobilis, a plant that means True Laurel (the antithesis to Yuzu's False Holly in her name) and I always wondered..huh, what's the implication in this card? Like..Yuzu saying she feels like her truest self around Sora? Also Pendulum Summoning is so intensely based on scales, but so many of the cards are against scales when you have them. Laurus Nobilis is a plant negatively impacted by Scale Insects so are most citrus fruits by the way. Entermate Trump Girl for some reason has no Pendulum Scales, (also why does Trump Witch need a counterpart? Not that I'm knocking it. I love the designs, but I keep looking at Flowering Etoile which has two En Flowers bracelet and then at Trump Girl plus Trump Witch, and I just stare at them like "Ray, why do you keep making duplicates of things, lol?" Anyway, Trump Witch is another word for tramp, (another term for vagrant), so it's discussing a homeless person, but maybe Trump Girl was made to break away from being homeless? Laurus Nobilis is connected to Greek god, Daphne, who ran from the god, Apollo. Rin's tower was guarded by Apollo who Yugo fought. Hmm..maybe if I study Rin's deck more, I'll understand hidden codes in how Lauerate relates to Yuzu and Ray as well as Rin. Tower symbolism is what both Yuzu and Rin are linked to as well as Sora (so maybe..I'll get more hidden messages studying them there). (Oh..you'll get more on what I mean with tower symbolism when you read this fic.)

The only other card Yuzu has that doesn't attack is well..Score Melodious Diva (by the way using Duel Links effects not anime effect for that). In this fic cards will have both anime and Duel Links effects. I choose whatever effect I feel suits the characters in personality and allows me to explore their ideologies.

Anyway, I'd say more but that might turn into an essay at this rate. My brain is always finding multiple ways to examine the characters so I'll end the author note here. Thanks for clicking on this fic and reading though.

Chapter 3

Ray is the savior of a killer. She let Zarc live. But..it's not like Zarc couldn't learn to not hurt people even if he had killed people in the past. Whether Zarc or Yuya were the same person or different, Yuzu would like them both, wouldn't she?

"You're not a devil, Yuya!"

Yes, Yuzu had believed that and reassured Yuya with such words while he was trapped in Zarc's body and Yuzu was trapped in Reira's body.

"Just look at you", Ray had said, inside of Yuzu's bracelet, the inner world of it reflecting the sky on every side from the floor to the walls to the ceiling and Yuzu knew why. That sky..that sky of a thousand untold feelings. She was always sent inside the inner world of her bracelet after Ray defeated Zarc and she would be reborn in another lifetime where Ray would inevitably have to face Zarc again. How tiring. Yuzu just wants to live her days in peace but..Yuzu can't forget the last conversation she had with Ray inside of her bracelet.

"You can't fully love Sora the way you are. After all, you called Yuya's past self Zarc a devil after you learned of the many people he killed and back in the Synchro Dimension, you pleaded Yuya to not become that same devil as he fought against Sergey and Barrett. You said you were scared to see him as angry as Zarc, remember? So why would you think you could accept Sora after learning of his past self who killed many people for Academia? Sooner or later, you're going to reject him, afraid of him and all he's done."

"I won't!" Yuzu shouted.

Because truthfully, she wouldn't. Sora is..someone she's always chasing after. When he went missing for days at Miami City because he was pursuing Reiji, she sought him out, missing seeing him at school.

"Really?"

Ray didn't believe her.

"I may have been surprised by Zarc at first but..I'm not adverse to learning about him, whether he's Yuya or isn't. I don't..even know who he is. He kept insisting he wasn't Yuya when you fought him while using Reira as your vessel."

"But you're the one who said Sora shouldn't go near Yuto because he's dangerous back in Miami City because he almost threw a spear at Sawatari that could have hurt him..because he seemed violent to you? You're the one who avoids people who seem dangerous..who seem violent like Zarc. Yet..you think you won't do the same for Sora? You're the girl who chose to not come back with your body because you were afraid of me who saved Zarc, a killer, and who has done so for so many lifetimes. You don't understand why I keep saving him when he hasn't changed. When you heard all of the people carded across dimensions while you and I inhabited Reira's body saying you being alive would lead them to become cards again because my father would try to revive me through carding lives after he found you, you thought of not returning to Earth so no one would be hurt but also because you were afraid of my existence and the pain it caused both you and everyone else in life. After all, my existence was the reason why my father tried to erase you, why your new adoptive father, Shuzo Hiragi, had to see you gone. You thought if my father loses you four girls: Ruri, Rin, Serena, and you, who he needs to resurrect me, then he can't revive me. You hate me, Ray, don't you, Yuzu?"

"I…"

Angry? Fine, yes, Ray's existence does make her angry because it's been multiple lifetimes and even if it isn't Ray's fault, she's still the reason why Leo Akaba tries to make her not exist so Ray can be alive. At the same time, she does want to know Ray because when she isn't busy being condescending to Yuzu and skeptical of her inside of the En bracelet she usually meets her in, Yuzu can see…Ray is just lonely, always looking for people to confirm they hate her because that's what she's used to, but she doesn't want people to feel that way towards her. She didn't want people to avoid her like they did because she didn't support violent dueling and cheer on Zarc's dueling; because she always protested against the dueling they adored. She didn't want to feel alone. Yuzu has a feeling maybe Serena, Rin, Ruri, and herself were created just because Ray thought she couldn't be accepted for who she is. That maybe why each one of her Melodious cards is labeled illusions is because Ray always put on a false self, no different from how Yuzu does, acting as someone else rather than herself in her duels. That maybe the reason Yuzu was born with the last name, Hiragi, meaning False Holly is because a true holly in the language of Hanakotoba seeks love much like Ray does, but Ray didn't want to admit such a truth, hoping to be a False Holly.

"Whatever idiotic ideas you're thinking, please stop. I don't want to be near anyone, Yuzu."

"You..can read my thoughts, Ray?"

"Of course I can. How do you think I wiped my dad's memories of me so he couldn't recall me for a while? That's an ability of the En Cards. You have no idea how many times I've had to remind you I could read your thoughts, do you?"

Yuzu scowled and yelled, "I'd appreciate it if you didn't do that! It's invasive you know."

"I have to do that, Yuzu. I need to ensure you don't have a Parasite in your head, or worse..that you're not planning on killing Ruri, Rin, or Serena, all three of them or one of them, to ensure I don't come back as a result of you thinking it ensures none of the citizens in dimensions being carded if my dad lost one of you four girls: Ruri, Rin, Serena, or Yuzu, which he needs to revive me and expecting him to give up on finding me and hurting people as a result."

"...I..only tried that in some lifetimes. Even then..I couldn't go through with it."

"Yeah, of course not."

"It wasn't because Sora got in the way or tried protecting Rin, Serena, or Ruri. I can defeat him! It was because.."

"Because you didn't want to see them hurt. I know."

Same stoic unreadable expression on Ray's face as always, but..that stoicness is fading a bit, a wry smile on her lips, like she's amused by Yuzu, but Yuzu never knows if Ray is mocking her inwardly or genuinely fond of her. With Ray, it could be both. Usually, Ray seems..highly frustrated with her.

"I..don't get why that matters to you. You don't want Ruri, Rin, Serena, and I to exist, right? So..why stop me from getting rid of one of them, Ray?"

"Yeah, you're right. I don't care if either of you are gone. If you did come back on Earth, it's really because you four girls willed yourself back through your existence through using the En Cards power of life with Yuya only reviving you in some lives since he has half of the En Card's power to revive lives which went into Pendulum Summoning."

Ugh, confusing again. Then why is she doing what she's doing is what Yuzu wants to know!?

"So, then…why did you..come alive sometimes and stop me from hitting the carding function then? Why did you..stop me from carding Ruri, Rin, or Serena?"

"Cause I knew it would be something you'd regret, idiot. If I have to come back with you in Reira's body or in my own body while I fought Zarc again and hear your thoughts of you moping about how you regret how selfish you were being in trying to get rid of the other girls when they also tried to get rid of you just because you all were tired of being inside of the Revival Zero machine, I'm going to go insane in aggravation. Unlike you, I don't really care if someone else's life has to be sacrificed for me to come alive, believe it or not. I wish you would keep that remorse for the dead to yourself."

"Does she only wish that because she's tired of constantly seeing people who die for her and wishes her father would stop killing them or does she really not care that they're dead?" Yuzu thought.

"But you gave your life for your dad to be safe, Ray."

"...I wonder. Well, that was halfway the intent, yes."

"Halfway?"

What did Ray mean..halfway?

"I don't care about him as much as you and Zarc think, Yuzu. Don't you think I would have kept my memories of him in you, Ruri, Serena, and Rin if I did? But I didn't which is why my father who tried searching your heads didn't find them. Or don't you think that I would have you, Rin, Ruri, and Serena be born alongside him when you all were first created?"

Well..that still didn't mean…Ray didn't really feel apathetic to her father's existence, did she? Yuzu couldn't understand it. What daughter wouldn't miss her dad? Maybe she can't understand it because she would do anything to keep Shuzo, her dad, not Leo Akaba safe.

"Your thoughts when I was inside of Reira..you said..the reason why your father couldn't find your memories in me, Ruri, Serena, and Rin is because..you didn't see any of us as who you are, that we're..different people from you..that you hate people so much including your dad that you wouldn't even want to be reborn beside him nor would you want to exist in the memories of anyone else if that's what it takes to be away from people forever either."

"Yes, that's right, Yuzu."

So yes, it's still a struggle for Yuzu to comprehend that Ray feels nothing towards her father. Is that really true?

Ray doesn't want to have this conversation again, exhaustion already sweeping her nerves.

"But…is that true or are you just..denying who you are? You also said..Yuzu, Ruri, Rin, and Serena are the kind of people you would like to be, but not who you are. However, I..don't see a difference, at least..not right now I don't. If we're the kind of people you would like to be…with the personalities you desire, aren't we still..you in a sense?"

"...I don't know, Yuzu."

Yeah, Yuzu didn't know either.

"But..as of right now, I don't want to be you and I don't see Ruri, Rin, Serena, or you Yuzu as me either. Maybe that will change in the future and maybe it won't. People..change. Although..I didn't believe that at first. You don't want to be me right now either, do you?"

Yuzu couldn't lie. "No, I don't."

"Then..we can be whoever we want to be, right?"

"..Yeah. Maybe."

"Yeah, I'm not sure either so maybe."

Yuzu is confused.

"But..you saved your dad. I don't understand saving him if you didn't care about him."

"...A person's duel monsters reflect who they are, right?"

Yuzu didn't know. All of her duel monsters were labeled illusions. Everything about her seemed..fake.

"Well, I don't really know either if they do, but..if they do, I would think you would understand I don't really care if someone else's life is sacrificed to keep me alive whenever you see Score Melodious Diva and any Melodious monsters she defends. While Score Melodious Diva dies, other Melodious monsters are protected by her, staying alive. So of course that begs the question: which one am I? Score Diva willing to sacrifice herself to save another or the Melodious monster who didn't die after Score defended her? I'm the one who stole Reira's body and was alive while I inhabited it. I'm the one who has come alive in my own body before in past lives with carded people inside of me and as terrible as it is, it made me happy to do so because…I was taken a bit too early before I had a chance to do what I wanted in life but..another part of me was sad that I was glad to survive off of the deaths of other people. At the same time, those carded lives...were the same people who cheered on Zarc's dueling of people being hurt..who had actually aggressively attacked people in duels leaving them with injuries and I thought..it doesn't matter if some of them have changed from how harmful in their dueling they were in the past, because they should be dead for taking delight in watching innocent people be harmed and I couldn't help my joy in them being gone."

A sinister smile graced Ray's lips and Yuzu felt a pit of fear in her stomach as he saw it but then that smile disappeared to a more sad expression as Ray admitted, "Yet..another part of me thought it was wrong to have them dead..especially when they weren't harming people after being reborn even if they had cruelly hurt people in their duels in the past."

…Ray sure is..full of mixed feelings. This is..the most she's ever talked to Yuzu. Usually, she tosses her out, tells her to leave, that the very sight of her annoys her, that she didn't intend for he to be here and the bracelet is malfunctioning which is why Yuzu is here. But..Ray took the energy of the En Cards inside of her body before she died so..what if they operate off feelings she carries inside of her? What if..she does want Yuzu alive?

Score dies while other Melodious monsters live.

Yuzu can see Leo Akaba again pleading, "Ray, you have to live because the future needs people like you!"

"I won't lose my father!" Ray shouts.

Score and Melodious monsters..a constant battle of sacrifice. Is the Melodious monster Score defends Leo Akaba or Ray? Is Ray Score who dies but is fine with protecting someone else like she did with her father? Or is Ray the Melodious Monster Score protects and Score is her father? Her father who was willing to give his life while thinking of Ray being alive?

"Have you…always been recreating your final moments before dying through Score Melodious Diva and the Melodious Monsters she defends?" Yuzu asks, a worried expression on her face now.

The shocked wide eyes Ray has and then the angry expression as she clutches her fist are enough to tell Yuzu she hit the mark.

"So..you don't think it's fair, right? You're wondering why you and your dad couldn't have both used the En Cards against Zarc. Why your dad made the En Cards have the side effect of killing their user's life."

"Even if I lose my life, I'll have to use the En Cards, Ray because…"

Even if he loses his life. Yuzu hasn't forgotten Ray's memories and her dad's words. But..he can control how the En Cards are created? So why, Yuzu wonders, why did he make the En Cards have the side effect of wiping away his life then? Was that just his way of atonement? Did he really think his death was the only way to make up for hurting people and didn't want to work to make inventions that didn't hurt anyone?

"Your dad decided he couldn't change to make inventions that helped people so he chose to die instead through the En Cards. Or..maybe he did think he was changing..that atonement came through dying. You're still angry that he tried to die, aren't you and you..you hate the En Cards don't you? That's why..in some of my lives..even when I was temporarily missing from Earth while Yuya looked for me, I didn't come back with my bracelet. You..wish the En Cards were gone..don't you? And..you didn't want to see your dad throw his life away but you felt like you had no choice but to use the En Cards so he wouldn't do that, is that it? That's why..you didn't want to be reborn beside him. You don't think it's fair that someone helps you without you helping them in return, is that it, Ray?"

Yuzu was like that with Yuto wasn't she? She was annoyed when he fought for her to defend her from Sawatari, when he told her she didn't have to fight and dueled for her. She appreciated his intent to help but..she doesn't like seeing someone hurt while she doesn't protect them..while she's the only one saved. The whole reason she went to fight Sawatari was to make up for how she didn't protect Yuya while she was stuck on that tower as he fought against Sawatari to keep her safe.

But Ray..Ray didn't think it was fair either, right? Her dad was helping her live while he didn't help himself, losing his life. Why couldn't her and him both fight against Zarc as a team? Why couldn't they both protect each other?

"Hey, we did a good job against those Security guards in the Synchro Dimension, Yuzu!"

A cheery grin and Sora's voice as he gives her a thumbs up morphing into Yuya's worried expression as he told her while he stood in front of Sergey with chains wrapped around his chest, "Stand back, Yuzu. I don't want you hurt."

Again, she's being the only one saved. Yuto, Yuya, and Leo Akaba are all saying she has to stand back while she doesn't protect them through not fighting with them as they duel for her and they protect her. Why can't they duel together against their enemies as a team? While they risk being hurt and expect her to watch, how can they expect her to do that? She can't let this continue. Ray never could do that and this ire she feels..why won't anyone understand she doesn't want to be the only one saved?

"You're going to keep carding people until I'm alive!? Why am I the only one saved!? Why do I have to come back like this!?"

"Ray, why can't you understand..I've never given up on reviving you no matter how many lives I've been reborn because the only way for you to come back alive is for people to be carded!?"

She did care. This bracelet couldn't hide her memories after all. Just now..the walls had morphed into Ray yelling at her father in front of the Revival Zero machine.

"Why am I always the only one saved!?"

The room inside of the bracelet turns black.

The voice doesn't sound like Ray's voice anymore though. It sounds like Sora's. Why?

Yuya told Yuzu not to duel when he was fighting against Sergey. Yuto had also told her to not duel. Leo had also not wanted Ray to duel as he tried to fight Zarc. But Sora…didn't do that.

"It's better when we fight to protect each other, don't you think, Yuzu? Besides..I know how you are."

Sora then forehead flicked her as he said, "You're the type who blames yourself if you think you're not being helpful while someone else is. Man, you used to complain all the time that you should have not lost to Masumi when LDS challenged You Show Duel School, that you weren't useful to You Show Duel School because I guess you get how stupid those words are now, right? Cause in the end, you've always been and still are dependable."

Sora smiled and said, "No matter what happens, I'll be relying on you just like you are with me."

…She seems to never forget his words to her in the Synchro Dimension after they fought the security officers no matter how much time passed.

Right. Yes..Sora was scared, had doubted himself before, even thought of sending her back to the Standard Dimension because he didn't want to risk her being severely injured like she could have been after she fell from her duel with Sergey and Yuzu had of course stopped him, grabbing his wrist, as she yelled, "I can't be the only one saved!"

But those words she said…yes, those words were how Yuzu felt but for the first time, she felt another's presence that wasn't her own..and she was wondering..was that Ray? Ray remembering her dad trying to save her only while he gave up his life and only she lived? Ray who couldn't stand someone helping her while she didn't help them either? Ray who wanted to scream to her dad she couldn't be the only one saved and that they should fight together as a team against Zarc rather than him giving up his life after fighting Zarc? Ray who…felt happy as Yuzu fought beside Sora, that Sora didn't let her be the only one saved because he fought beside her and he let her fight beside him..Sora saved her while she saved him through them protecting each other. Fusion Fright Waltz resembling the shape of the En Flowers bracelet…was because..Ray felt a connection with Sora, didn't she? This kind of salvation is what Ray has been seeking. A salvation built from mutual cooperation with someone else, not sacrifice. Yuzu didn't realize it but…Ray has been drawn to Sora for a long time, hasn't she?

"You can't just help me only, and not yourself too! If you go back to Academia, you're just inviting yourself to fight in more duels where you could be carded, Sora!"

Yes, Yuzu was worried about that fate happening for Sora, but so was Ray. Ray and Yuzu were both speaking to Sora back in the Synchro Dimension.

"What, and you think I didn't accept that fate when I gave you Score Melodious Diva?"

Yuzu was surprised at first when Sora gave her Melodious Fusion cards after she asked to learn Fusion from him. Surprised when he confessed, "I always had a Melodious deck before meeting you just so you know. I just..never used them. I have lots of cards that I keep but don't use. I guess that makes me..strange."

But..why did he pick Melodious cards? What did he see in them that reflected who he is?

"Score Melodious Diva and the Melodious Monsters she defends are monsters who's survival is dependent on the idea of sacrifice no different from who I am, Yuzu. I've always carded people to ensure I survived, Yuzu. Whether the reason I carded them was to make sure they didn't card me for ending the lives of the people they cared about and are trying to avenge or whether I did it to make sure the Professor wouldn't card me for disobeying with his orders, protection and loss have always gone hand in hand for me. Yet..the first time you asked to learn Fusion, I wondered..am I allowed to do that? In my mind, I knew if I taught you Fusion, I could be carded by the Professor for providing knowledge of Fusion to a citizen of a dimension that I was supposed to invade because that is the punishment dealt to people from Academia who help their enemies but I accepted that risk, deciding to teach you Fusion even if that meant I might be carded. In the end, I was no different from Score Melodious Diva in that regard."

So..just like Ray, just like Score..he would give up his life if it protected someone and yet..a life built around sacrifice birthed despair for him. But..what about saving yourself? Was Yuzu the only one who sought salvation for herself?

"..Then, all along, you were.." Yuzu began, eyes wide and heart full of shock.

Sora taught her Fusion despite knowing his life could be lost but..that was just what he had been taught, isn't it? Leo Akaba raised him believing he had to duel even if he could be carded..that he was helping Leo even if he gave up his life. Yuzu knows that Sora like her wants to be as helpful as he can to somebody. That as wrong as he knew it was, another part of him delighted in knowing him carding people revived Ray, that at least..it helped someone, her, somewhat by giving her a life. She knows that..because Sora had been one of the many carded lives she received the memories and feelings of when she was in Reira's body while Ray fought Zarc in her past lives.

Yet again, Yuzu is a complicated matryoshka doll, and Sora is one of the many people who have lived inside of her. Does he even realize her name is his name? That the purple cloud his last name means, that the concept of Raigō he thought his parents had in mind when they gave him that name and the Buddha Amitābha connected to her name, Yuzu, through the Buddhist concept Yuzu Nembutsu where she recited Amitābha's name? But she knows Sora. Sora would think elsewise, that the yuan of his last name is the yuan of Shangyuan festival and the Will-O-Wisps her and him are chasing after is a lantern that will gift them a new self to be whoever they want as they run across a field of Fairy Lantern flowers (Calochortus albus). Those are the thoughts she's received from Sora after all. Maybe..he's right. Even if Yuzu thought of her and Sora as mirror images of each other, they still retain their differences and aren't the same person. Even if she admires him and did want to be like him in the past, she won't become him. Because she likes who she is and Sora did too.

"Why am I the only one saved!?"

Again, the voice that asks that question sounds like Ray briefly before it turns into Sora's voice. Because..Ray is wondering why did her father think she would be fine with her disappearing while only she lived and Sora is wondering after carding so many people to survive, why is he the only one saved, that same survivor's guilt hitting Yuzu hard as he thinks he doesn't deserve to even be alive and chasing after a dream he wants to follow along with living life how he wants when he took away other people's abilities to live how they want after he carded them. That anguish of stopping someone from living how you want while your life moves forward..Ray and Sora share it together, and Yuzu is feeling it right now.

Yuzu gets it. She understands some of the reasons behind Ray's interest in Sora, but only some.

The first words Sora said as the Pendulum carved an arc of light across the Aether he is were, "Life is hell but so is dying! In the end you gotta go! Witness, Frightfur Meister!"

Then, the Windwitch who adored the goddess Kali and Nirvana Paladin carried on Ray's feelings towards life, didn't they? As she sought Moksha, Ray was caught in between a love and hatred for living and dying combined no differently from Sora.

Not all of Ray's feelings are coming through because..it's just like her to hide her feelings but still, Yuzu thinks she's learning more about Ray.

"..But you don't have to stay at Academia! You can save yourself too, Sora!" Yuzu had protested to Sora.

"I'm not like you. You save yourself, Yuzu. You always have. Even when Masumi knocked you back, you caught a rail and didn't fall in your second duel with her during the Miami Championship, remember? You've..always been different from me. I have to go back to Academia, Yuzu."

Yuzu is different from both Sora and Ray too it seemed. Ray threw away her life for her dad to live but...didn't care about her own salvation. Is that really who Ray is? That's not..who she wants to be, is it?

"Get out," Ray demanded, and Yuzu disappeared in a flash but that time..she felt like she actually came close to understanding Ray because inside of that bracelet, she had received some of Ray's feelings.

"Not like me? What do you mean, Sora?"

"Because..back on that tower you were on during Yuya's duel with Sawatari, you were restricted on where you could go but you still saved other people, preventing Ayu, Tatsuya, and Futoshi from falling as you held onto them," Sora said.

"Back then, I was spying for Academia's sake as I was expected to investigate the dimensions and learning about Standard Dimension when I first saw you. I felt restricted on where I could go to just like you because I felt like Academia was a tower confining me every time I thought of the students who tried to escape it but only turned into a card..of how I'd probably turn into a card too. I was in the same situation you were in with Sawatari, with the Professor being like Sawatari in trying to limit where I could go..in trying to keep me confined in one spot at the prison at Academia and yet I didn't save other people like you could do even when someone like Sawatari cut off your paths to escape. I just carded people to stay alive. So..I'll admit. From the very beginning I saw you, you gave me hope."

Sora then smiled as he held Frightfur Kraken up, reading the piton labeled on it. "I felt like crossing the ocean near Academia was no different from drowning from the Kraken. That I couldn't make it and then you came like a piton, preventing anyone from falling..reassuring anyone..reassuring me as well that a path was available for me even when I felt like there was no path open! Even during your second duel with Masumi, you caught the rail when she tried to cut off any paths for you, yet again being a piton who refused to let yourself fall."

"Yuzu, seeing you and being with you gave me hope that I could protect people even when I felt no roads were available for me like you did because that's all I've ever wanted to do in my life. I was saved by you as you stood on that tower even if you told me during our Fusion lessons that you felt like nothing but a burden during that time. That's why I know..no matter how bad of a situation we encounter, I'll always be safe when I'm with you. Maybe..that's why..our Fusion we shared together led Mieru to the Tower tarot..as Rune Eyes Dragon was born."

In Serena's memories which Yuzu received while in Reira's body, she remembers Yuya fighting against Reiji to not join the Lancers, of Reiji's words that maybe Sora's power went to protect Yuzu and Yuya when Yuya summon Rune Eyes Dragon..of Reiji saying this in the Heartland Sora fought Shun in during the Miami Championship..of the tower that fell atop of Sora during the duel..of the tower tarot that flipped over Yuya's head..of Sora telling her in other lifetimes even when she was under the Parasite and the doctor mocked her, laughing as he yelled that she's the one who leads her friends to die as she carded some of the Lancers and struggled to not fight against Sora, of her hating people to be hurt around her, Sora still said while he dueled against her with scratches over his face as he lied on the ground and smiled, "Stop listening to him. I've never thought that you're the reason why I'm tossed into a troublesome situation, alright? Even now, even if you don't get why, I still feel saved by you, because you're still the girl who showed me even when I feel like I can't escape to anywhere new, I can help someone and so the Fusion I gave you to card people led me to protect you and Yuya, my first two friends. I'm glad you know. Because you're the one who always tries to escape even in a world where people could capture you. It's why you avoided Academia for so long in the Synchro Dimension. And I wanted to be like you and flee Academia. So the more I watched you, the more I was starting to think maybe I could and stop worrying that I won't escape and that I'll be carded."

It didn't make sense to Yuzu. The situation was terrible and Yuzu could have carded him while the Parasite threatened to take her sense of control away. His life points were decreased. Furthermore, if anything Sora was not saved in the situation he was in now even if he said he was because Yuzu wasn't saving him, but..those words had made her feel the Parasite's control lift. Because..Yuzu has been reborn in multiple lifetimes with Leo Akaba constantly carding people to revive Ray and Sora knowing that she's connected to Ray, the girl he could have lost his life for each time he fought for Academia because he was carding people to revive her and people who tried carding him out of avenging the people Sora carded somehow didn't hate Ray despite the stress of having to always figure out if he would or wouldn't survive war that she unintentionally put him in.

"What idiocy is this!?" the Doctor yelled, kicking Sora in the stomach and leaving him to groan. Yuzu gasped before frowning, rage burning in her chest as she called, "Sora!", before gritting her teeth. How dare the Doctor treat Sora like that!?

"Finish your job of carding him like you did with the other Lancers! Do you even understand the situation you're in now, Sora!? Your life points are close to zero and you're spouting nonsense that this girl under my Parasite's control saved you!?"

Why couldn't this damn Doctor stop ordering her around!?

Yuzu's arms moved against her will, her hand trembling. No. No, no, no, not Sora. She's not going to hurt Sora. She can't hurt Sora. She's not going to card him.

It's harder to breathe. She feels herself hyperventilating. Shun is gone. She carded him. Crow is gone because she carded him. Sawatari is gone, but Reiji isn't. She almost turned Yuto into a card but she didn't. She turned Tsukikage into a card. She turned Reira into a card. She turned…

The death count piled up, but when she thought of Sora turning into a card in front of her, she felt her world crumble. She's not going to do this, not even as her fingers hover close to the duel disk.

In between coughing as Sora was still recovering from the brutal attacks of Yuzu's Melodious monster's attacks, "I understand that Yuzu isn't someone who easily listens to someone's orders so your Parasite is useless! It doesn't matter how trapped you try to make her feel. After all…she pushed Jean down to warn the city of danger even while in handcuffs. Yuzu can and will get out of Academia with Yuya by her side. Just because that Parasite controls her to stay here in this damn prison doesn't mean she will stay."

"Big meaningless talk for a mere child I've used the Parasite on in some lives before to prevent you from escaping Academia," the Doctor stated.

"It's worked before and it can work again. You think you have any choice in the matter? You never have a choice, Sora! Even if you're not under the Parasite's control, you'll be reborn without memories of your past lives, serving Academia again!"

"All of the other students..you think they can honestly defy the Parasites in them and leave Academia of their free will? You knew about the Parasites but you didn't leave, Sora! But that's because you wanted to stop thinking, always tired of your nightmares of whether you would survive or turn into a card. In the end, you were thankful to the Parasite for relieving you from thinking such painful thoughts. No matter what you or anyone says, my Parasites are the greatest contribution to Academia and not even you can deny that, Sora Shiunin! And you..your nonsense that she'll leave Academia doesn't make sense. Even if she does, she won't ever be free! She'll be just like you with people preventing her from going where she pleases! You were useless in helping Asuka as she fought against Yuri, locked behind bars because you chose to save Reira but you always have been the sacrificial self to your own disadvantage, haven't you? And during your time in trying to assist Yuya Sakaki in fighting against Barret and Sergey, Yuri's Antique Gear Hound locked your arms and as Yuri reported, you were a useless duelist who couldn't help anyone. Don't you get it? You're never free even when you're not at Academia just like this girl, Yuzu, who keeps running from Academia across dimensions and even ends up trapped by Jean isn't!"

Yuzu clutched her head, the headache to control her thoughts and not fall under the Parasite's control driving her mad.

"...I had thought..it's easier to not think..because all of my thoughts are just reminders of all the XYZ users and Synchro users who said I should be gone for hurting them..and I didn't want to think about the painful memories of all the people who disappeared under my hands and feel guilt," Sora confessed.

Sorrow floods Yuzu's heart at Sora's confession.

"I've never wanted Yuzu to live life like I had. When I saw her in the Synchro Dimension and tried to help her escape Jean, she..reminded me of myself in the past and one of the students I had stumbled across when I tried to look for her at Academia after I realized she went missing during the Miami Championship. They were both locked up without hardly any access to anyone. I remember..the Professor used to do the same to me, until I was driven mad with the isolation while other students could at least interact with each other but me..I just stayed alone, not differently from how Serena lived at Academia. It was a miracle I even got sent on a mission. I thought..it's really lonely living days without anyone around you..and yet..Jean had subjected Yuzu to that same loneliness...to that same prison of living while being alone that I suffered. I hated him. So I thought..this time for sure..I won't lose to an illusion of Heartland like I did to Shun when I saw a fake image of Heartland's tower falling but..in the end, I wasn't like Yuzu. She was able to win through Melodious Illusion and beat Masumi. But..I couldn't even beat Jean, a fake illusion. I wanted..to help Yuzu like she always helped me."

Oh. Sora had been looking down on himself for that, hadn't he? He shouldn't have. Nothing that happened was his fault. Yuzu never thought it was.

"But you came for me. I'll always appreciate that, Sora."

"Thoughts piled up," Sora continued. "Awful thoughts about how all I do is hurt people and even when I do try to help, I don't help. I thought life would be better if I didn't have control of my thoughts because when I did think all I did is fill my head with harsh experiences I don't want to recall. I don't want to remember the fear of thinking I wouldn't survive in a battle. So yeah..for a while, I did think your Parasite had helped me by stopping me from having to think. I've always followed the Professor's orders..so it was easier to let another person..to let another monster like the Parasite have control of me when I always did as told and then I remembered…no, it's not. The reason why I rejected serving under Edo…it's because I didn't want to follow his orders and I didn't want to follow the Professor's orders as well. Even if Academia's teachings taught that Fusion is only to be used to hurt people and card them, I went against their teachings and taught Yuzu to use Fusion to protect people! Who I've been..who I am now..has and always will be someone who can't live under anyone's authority except for my own!"

Sora smirked, a fire in his eyes as he said, "In the end, even if in all of many lives…the Professor tries to decide who Yuzu is through making Ray return while Yuzu ceases to exist..even if the Professor has tried to decide who I am just like you've tried to decide who I am though you two both forcing me to stay a soldier in Academia when I didn't want to be..even if you try to shape Yuzu is into this cruel killer she isn't..even if the Professor tries to shape who Ray is never considering whether she saw Yuzu, Serena, Ruri, and Rin as herself or she doesn't see them as her, no matter how many lifetimes Yuzu, Ray, and I have spent with anyone trying to choose who we are, we've always been people who decide who we are for ourselves and live how we want! That's why..Yuzu, I want you to join my side right now. Let's fight the Professor together and not against each other."

"You really are insane!" the Doctor shouted. "This same situation..it will probably repeat in another one of your lives! You're asking her to protect you when she's unreliable due to the Parasite! Still, this duel has taken far too long! I'm tired of waiting for her to finish you off, I'll do the job. She's sure to not disobey me after that."

The Doctor's hand hovering over the carding function is enough to make Yuzu's heartbeat pound wildly.

Not Sora. Not Sora. Not Sora.

The closer the Doctor's fingers creeped, the more Yuzu felt herself closer to her breaking point.

"Get off of Sora!" Yuzu shouted fiercely before saying, "I'm activating the Spell card, Bird Primrose of Adam's laburnum's Chimera!"

"A bird known as Porzana Carolina confusing itself as a lion in Leo Constellation scrambled the letters of his name to become Rosa, imitating a Crystal Rose lost in imitation of everyone else but himself. The Will-O-Wisp shifts between an impossible dream and a lantern of a new self breaking away from the past within Shangyuan festival comes forth as Oenothera deltoides reveals its true self."

Yuzu set the card which summoned forth a white flower with petals that wilted as a blue bird flew upwards, flapping its wings and disappearing in a blue puff of smoke that revealed a giant bird cage that landed down on the Doctor and wrapped around his torso so he couldn't use his monsters. Her card reminded Sora somewhat of Barret's card, his chains wrapping around Yuya's chest.

"Let me go! Even if you confine me, you can't reject the Parasite! You insolent girl! You.."

"Sora, let's hurry!"

"Please..you think I'll let you two escape? It will be just like when Yuya fought against Ruri and Serena when they were under Parasites! This whole room..I'll swarm them with Parasites. That boy Yuya may have resisted its control when one snuck into his ear but you two won't be the same! You two.."

"We're not going to be controlled," Yuzu cut off firmly.

"..What?"

"It's like Sora said. Him and I..we'll fight anyone and live for ourselves."

Yuzu smiled. "In the end, that's just who we are."

Right. In the end, even if there had been some lives where Yuzu didn't return on Earth, where everyone forgot her, where she thought it was better if she was gone so no would be hurt and carded while Leo tried reviving Ray if he lost her who he thought he needed to make Ray's revival possible, even when Yuya couldn't bring her back, she came back alive through using the En Cards because she didn't want to be far from her family and friends. She wanted to live for herself, not give up her life for anyone else.

Melodious Capoeira Dancer clad in her martial arts uniform with her hair tied back in a brunette ponytail held her Berimbau steady, her arrow launched far from its bow decorated with Ceiba pentandra flowers. The tip of the arrow burned with a flame breaking down into fireballs at the Parasites flying towards Sora and her. Frightfur Chimera roared, its fiery breath burning the Parasites.

"Sora, let's go!"

"Yuzu, you did it," Sora said, smiling. "I knew you'd overcome the Parasite's control. I'm so.."

Exhaustion was hitting him though. Yuzu had hit him far too aggressively during the duels, her Jellyfish Sprite which electrocuted him as it wrapped its tentacles around his body while he screamed. Didn't help that it could perform multiple attacks. Honestly, she's amazed he lasted this long but seeing him like this..hurt her a lot. Honestly, her head hurt too much. She wanted to lie down somewhere and rest with Sora, but there was no time for that.

"Proud of you," Sora trailed off, his eyes shut as he fell unconscious.

She needed to move fast. If she had her bracelet, she could teleport away but Leo confiscated it.

She decided to carry Sora piggy back style while looking for an exit. She looked around the room before sparing a final glance to Melodious Capoeira Dancer, feeling sad that it was that monster specifically that she had thought to use to finish him off under the Parasite. She reminisced back to the first time Sora gave her Melodious Capoeira Dancer during their Fusion lessons together.

"Capoeira?" Yuzu repeated, never hearing such a thing, as she stared down at the monster.

"What's that?"

Sora grinned as he said, "It's an Afro-Brazilian dance style that mixes in martial arts which I'm fond of. Although, some could also argue based on its intent, it's not a dance. I learned about it during my travels. The style has even been incorporated in some fighting videogames from what I've seen."

She noticed his grin seemed brighter than usual. He must really love..dancing. She knew he was fond of waltzes when she came across Fusion Fright Waltz and Sora had told her he originally planned to have a deck based on the art of Fusion dance, a style of dancing where different styles of dancing is celebrated. What Yuzu finds confusing is why he didn't go through with creating the deck.

His smile though carried a tinge of sadness before he directed a more sober expression towards her as he said, "It's a dance all about freedom, Yuzu. Capoeira is a word meaning grass that grows even when you cut it and round forest. To avoid punishment from Europeans who outlawed martial artists, enslaved Africans relied on the art of dancing. Slaves used to practice in the forest to practice fighting but it was forbidden to do such an act so they had to disguise they were fighting by dancing instead. To escape their slaveowners who came after them, they relied on a mix of their dance and fighting they used to attack the slaveowners known as Capoeira. The berimbau warned that a slaveowner was approaching and they needed to escape. So..Capoeira is a dance of truth and secrets battling each other. About the peace of dance and the tension of fighting. It's sad that people are being subjected, but there's also a hope of liberation in Capoeira through them refusing to be under another's authority and going where they want. Today, it's still practiced by different people across the world with acknowledgement of its sad history but also a respect for the fortitude of the people who created it to make new futures where they grasp liberty. Sometimes you're pitted against the partner you're practicing with and sometimes you're cheering them on as you play the berimbau. Unison and solitude just another part of it."

Yuzu felt concern for all of the people who suffered under the hands of another but at the same time, a hope to be grasped from the dance, Capoeira, like Sora said. A smile formed on Yuzu's face.

"It sounds incredible," Yuzu admitted.

"And..you've practiced Capoeira?"

"Yeah, I have!" Sora shouted, toothy grin and all.

"You're..really fine with me having this, Sora? It feels so important to you."

"I want you to keep it. It suits you."

But..did he just give up Caopeira dancer because he never believed he could escape Academia? Yuzu hoped that wasn't the case. It suits her? He had always wanted her to be free, no matter who tried to hold her captive, didn't he?

"Well, if you're sure, I'll keep it then. But..if you like dancing so much, why not have a deck full of dancing monsters, Sora? Don't most people carry decks based on what they like?"

"Because where I come from, dancing is forbidden when it could be used like Capoeira for those who refuse Academia," Sora thought.

"Although that doesn't really stop Serena from using a Dancing deck. Then again, Serena as always marches to her drum and does whatever she wants. It would be nice..if I could be like that too."

Sora is similar to her, Yuzu noticed. She has a deck full of Melodious monsters that mean illusions..a deck where the illusions carry their secrets and for Sora, dancing, still hides who he is to some extent. She gets the feeling that his passion for dancing which he tries to conceal is not one he can hide. She wonders..if that's the truth of the dance he was referring to. Looking back on it, Yuzu realizes now that the Capoeira dancer was always just Sora fighting to be free and away from the prison Academia is. But she..she was about to end the duel with such a monster, use that same monster to attack him. How harsh. Beating him with the monster both Sora and her sought freedom in.

Sora smiled as he said, "Well, I could ask the same of you. Do you like music or your deck? What are the illusions in your deck about?"

"That's my…"

Secret or none of her business is how Yuzu would have finished it but…she decided not to. Because something about Sora always makes her behave differently, makes her want to not avoid answering him.

"If you really want to know, every musician has their own musical cryptograms to decode, Sora."

An invitation.

"Yeah, I figured you were like that, Yuzu. A true mystery writer with your music like Edward Elgar with his "Enigma Variations" and Robert Schumann with his "Masquerade Ball", is that it? Well, I'll have you know that I'm good at solving codes."

"Elgar accepted none of the solutions to the hidden melody in his work, Sora. In fact, he called the secret of his music a dark saying that should be unguessed, you know."

"Yeah, but doesn't that just make you more curious about it? I wanna solve what the mystery of his Enigma is. Aren't you curious too?"

Curious. Yeah, honestly she is. She always has liked studying the unknown both in music and people.

"Yeah, I am, Sora."

"Then after our Fusion lessons, let's try to solve it again. Oh and..let's try to solve Puzzle Canons too! You're pretty good at guessing where their entrances are on the music sheets."

Yuzu has never really shared her interest in music so deeply before with anyone outside of her father like she has with Sora.

"We can do that, but..I'm really surprised you know."

"Surprised."

"Well, when I asked to learn Fusion lessons from you, I didn't expect you to have owned a Melodious deck like me. You said..before meeting me, you always had one but never used it. So..you really like music too, right?"

Why didn't he use the Melodious cards too?

"I do. I'm skilled on the piano. Learned to play while traveling."

"...Well, show me how good you are."

"Huh? Right now? Weren't we supposed to be starting Fusion lessons? That's the reason why you called me to your house isn't it?"

"We can still do them tonight. Are you shy about performing?"

"Ah, well..it's not that..just..look I'll only do it for a while. Then you need to stay focused on your Fusion lessons, Yuzu!"

"You say that like I haven't been concentrating."

"Well, you were freaking out over not summoning Melodious Schuberta last time and you forgot to put your Fusion monsters in your Extra deck yesterday."

"Ah that was..that was a mistake! I won't do it next time!"

"..Just a mistake? Well, when you first requested to learn Fusion from me, the very first thing you asked me is Fusion monsters remain in the Extra deck. You're normally very observant so.."

Did he think she was lying? Looking back on it, Yuzu wouldn't be surprised if he had thought so because even though it loathes her to admit it, she does lie often. That she was just making excuses of not understanding Fusion to make sure he stays around, but..truthfully, she had actually forgotten that little detail about Fusion monsters being in the Extra deck. When her dad had asked her why she was suddenly interested in XYZ Summoning after her encounter with Yuto who fought Sawatari before LDS challenged You Show Duel School, she lied and said, "No reason", even though the truth was she did have a reason with her latest encounter in Yuto but..at the time she thought Yuto was dangerous when he came close to almost impaling Sawatari with a spear so she told her dad nothing about him, not wanting him to be hurt by getting involved with him. When Gongenzaka asked her after Sora's duel with Shun if she doubted Yuya when he said he wasn't the culprit behind attacking LDS officials, she lied and said, "Of course not!" even though after her first match with Masumi all she could think of is how she doubted Yuya and how ashamed she felt for doing so when she wanted to trust her friend.

"You're doubting me, Sora? I'm telling you I forgot. That's all there is to it."

Sora sat down on the piano stool in front of Yuzu's piano that she hadn't practiced on in awhile she noted, pausing as he thought of what next to say, his gaze pensive as he bit his lip while his fingers hovered over the keys.

"Alright, I'll believe you then."

Did he really? That's too easy but Yuzu would take it.

Sora smiled and said, "I'm sure next time you'll pull off a Fusion Summon successfully."

He keeps saying that. Yuzu doesn't really understand why though. She keeps failing, if she's keeping count, she's failed thirty times, but..Sora still grins and says, "You'll get it next time" and he doesn't sound like he's pretending to be nice when he tells her that. He sounds like he honestly believes she'll succeed despite her always failing and she doesn't understand why he doesn't doubt her. Yuzu on the other hand doubts herself, wondering if she'll ever get Fusion right.

"Yuzu, you..asked me in the last lesson we had if you wanted to try a tag duel with me. I'm honored but..usually I duel alone because I..I don't like letting people down, ok? Trusting other people is..hard. I'm not like Yuya ok? I thought Gongenzaka would lose the last time he fought against Yaiba to protect You Show Duel School from LDS but..Yuya didn't doubt him. Me on the other hand, well..I'm not that trusting or..cooperative, ok? Trusting people is..hard for me."

Did he think that would deter her? She wanted to duel alongside him. Of course, she would respect if he didn't want to too though but she didn't mind his inexperience with other people.

Yuzu sat down on her pink fluffy rug, sitting cross legged with her cards scattered over her floor.

"Yeah, I don't mind that," Yuzu said, surprising Sora as he stared up at her. "Trusting people..is hard for me too. I don't have as much faith as Yuya does in people just like you don't either, Sora. We're the same in that regard which is why I thought..we could work well together because we understand each other. When that XYZ user fought Sawatari and kept losing life points, I told him that he should just let me take over and duel because I thought he was going to lose. Even if he was offering me help, I didn't really want it..and honestly, I just wanted to duel alone. Just like you, I'm not..normally one to ask for help and it surprised me I even asked you for help with Fusion but.."

Yuzu smiled and said, "Well, your way of dueling drew me in. I wanted to learn more about it. I don't know so many people who fight with their opponent's monsters like you did through Scissors Bear and Frightfur Chimera but..through getting your opponent's monsters on your side, it's like you're always making connections with someone else and not only yourself, paying respect to the strength you see in their monsters as well as your own monsters, so I always got the idea that your dueling was all about saying you're never alone, that no one is ever alone. I thought..that's so cool! With the way you duel, both you and no one else will ever have to feel lonely!"

Sora's jade eyes were wide, his mind thrown into a stupor. His..dueling had always been used to tear people apart, their screams resounding in his head as he saw them turn into cards while he looked at all the bonds he broke, and yet..Yuzu thought..he was making connections. He stared down at the piano, before thinking that it's a nice thought to think he could get along with someone but he couldn't really, not will all the damage he's caused to other people. But..

"I want my Entertainment dueling to do the same too! To bring people together in love and joy so no one and both myself never feel alone, so when I watch you I always feel inspired and like I can't go forward in that goal!"

"...Inspired?" Sora thought, perplexed because he couldn't think of anything interesting about his dueling, nor did he think it brought people together but…a new unidentifiable emotion was growing in his heart.

"So if you're afraid to work with me because you think you'll let me down if I mess up, don't worry," Yuzu stated, her smile soft and reassuring towards Sora. "That's not a big deal to me and besides, you've always been there for me no matter how many mistakes I made with Fusion. I wanna help you just like you've helped me."

"Ah but you're not obligated to repay me just because I taught you Fusion, Yuzu, and…"

"It's not about obligation!" Yuzu shouted earnestly, closer to Sora's face now and throwing him back in shock. She's..too close again, like she was when she first asked to learn Fusion from him.

"I want to work alongside you because I want to! It's as simple as that!"

What is it..he's feeling right now is what Sora wonders, searching for the answer.

"And then…that first time Yuya summoned Beast Eyes Dragon during his duel with Gongenzaka, I..I know Yuya told me he was going to evolve Pendulum Summoning with his own hands alone, but..I doubted he could do that just like I doubted him during my first match with Masumi," Yuzu continued. "I kept looking at my Fusion card and thinking, maybe he should have held on to it after all..that he needs my help to win. I couldn't believe Yuya could evolve Pendulum Summoning on his own like he promised. You remember what you said that day though?"

Yuzu smiled and imitated Sora as she said, "Yuya exceeded my expectations after all! I was..happy to hear you say that Sora but I was also thinking..I wish I could be less doubtful of people like you are, like how your trust in Yuya winning through his own power didn't waver..like how you haven't doubted that I could beat Masumi and that I can Fusion Summon but then..I was also a little annoyed. You told Masumi when we ran into her again while she was looking for Marco that I'm becoming a new me..that I'm changing because I know Fusion isn't a threat and I was so happy to hear you say that but..I was also angry because I kept thinking I don't just want to change into someone stronger. I want to become someone a friend can depend on..someone who doesn't doubt her friends. That's how I want to change. When I'm with you, I think that's possible so..please, just have one tag duel with me where you show me your Fusion Death Waltz."

To her surprise, she did become that friend in the future, not that she knew she would at that moment. Because in some of her future lives where she couldn't bring herself back to life as her body didn't return to earth, where she had to trust Yuya would revive her, she believed he could so much so that each time she came back she announced, "I knew you could bring me back."

But..she was still learning. She wanted to learn how to trust Ruri, Rin, and Serena too…to be friends with them. Slowly but surely, she would.

"Sora, if you don't like tag dueling with me, then.."

"Let's do it," Sora interrupted, bangs covering his eyes, his heart rate erratic for reasons he didn't understand. He smiled at Yuzu as he said, "If you want to tag duel so badly, I'll team up with you."

That unidentifiable feeling he felt..was it joy? Joy that for once he wasn't hearing someone tell him to be gone after he was carded? Joy that Yuzu wanted him around, wanted to spend time with him..to work alongside him? Joy that he didn't have to fight alone for once?

He didn't know yet, but he would find the answer.

"You will!? Yay, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you Sora!" Yuzu cheered, hugging her arms around his neck, a bright grin growing on her face and Sora blushed as he said, "H-Hey, it's not..that big of a deal is it? I'm not that impressive of a duelist and.."

"You're the best duelist I've ever come across," Yuzu admitted happily and Sora's heart pounded faster. "I'm so lucky!"

Yuzu praises him so often and part of him is always glad to receive such praise but the other part of him tells himself to not grow attached to hearing it. Because once Academia invaded her dimension, Yuzu would have nothing but insults and hatred for him as he should. She wouldn't be as fond of him as she is now and maybe that's why Sora can sometimes stop himself from growing attached to people when he knows he won't stay close to them forever but…he doesn't want to think about how Yuzu and him will separate eventually..of how their friendship might end. Instead, he just wants to focus on happy he is to know she appreciates him as much as he cherishes her. Though..it's hard to think..especially when her arms are wrapped around his neck and her knee is pressing into his hip. And she doesn't get off either because this is Yuzu who unlike Sora isn't shy about close contact. Instead, she sits on his lap, smile bright as she nuzzles into his neck and he thought of telling her to move, but he paused when he saw her smile. It's..nice seeing her happy like this.

Yuzu turned to the sheet music resting on the binder on her piano, seeing Sora had apparently turned the pages to…

"Oh, you chose The Flower Duet by Léo Delibes. The opera with the goddess, Lakshmi? Good pick, Sora."

Yuzu had many choices of songs he could chose from, all lying in that black binder, and depending on how good Sora was, maybe she'd ask him to play another one.

"You know of it, Yuzu? Its ending is..tragic. Lakmé loved a man from a different place no different from Otohime, but they didn't stay together."

"Then..you're familiar with Otohime from the fairytale, Urashima Taro, then?"

"Yes. I am. It's one of the fairytales that I always reread as a kid. Well, that and Cinderella but..Cinderella as the opera, La Cenerentola. A play was released of the opera's version I saw. Both Lakmé and Otohime loved a man who's identity was unknown. The fisherman Otohime loved couldn't even remember he had a family until he opened the box she gave him. Cinderella did too and then she led a prince to her with her bracelet. I'm not sure why..but I guess it's how many of the characters in the fairy tales had unknown identities that drew me in. So..why did you call your monster, Prodigy Mozart, Otohime?"

Yuzu doesn't tell Sora that Otohime unsettled her. That she didn't like how in control of the flow of time in another's life she was like how she had sealed the fisherman's old age in a jewel box or that she didn't like how secretive Otohime was, telling the fisherman to not open the jewel box. But..she also found her confusing. The tamatebako wasn't like Pandora's box. It's a natural part of life. Everyone would grow old at some point so why tell the fisherman to not open the tamatebako? Him growing old wouldn't hurt him.

But Yuzu is well aware..she can control time just like Ray could use the En Cards to rewind time so Reira was a baby. In her head she thinks..if she rewinded time and made Sora younger, he could have a chance at a childhood where he didn't suffer the fear of war just like Reira got a second chance at a childhood where he didn't have to panic in war and could have more time to enjoy his youth peacefully as he should have. Was that..Ray's intent with Reira and Sora living within her heart now? Was that why..she felt like Otohime in holding the time of another's life and deciding whether someone was young or old?

Either way..Sora deserved to have a happy childhood. That much Yuzu would never deny whether she is or isn't Ray.

"The reason why I called Prodigy Mozart Otohime? Well, I..liked the idea, Sora."

"What idea?"

"Not knowing someone but eventually learning about them and who they are."

He was silent as he sat on the piano stool, fingers placed atop the keys before he asked, "Is that..how you feel about Yuya? Like…on days where he's wearing fake smiles instead of telling you how he feels?"

Ah right. Sora never got it. Always assumed she was romantically attracted to Yuya. They're just friends. Although, maybe Sora just was viewing their relationship through a platonic sense for once.

"Does that matter?"

She sounds defensive, irritation in her voice clear. Even before his duel with Ishijima, Yuya still wore his goggles in front of her to hide his tears and his first reaction after losing to Reiji the first time he dueled them was to run away, not telling anyone his feelings. So..she's disappointed because she wants Yuya to know he can talk to her and tell her how he feels, that he can be his real self around her because she will accept him, but he doesn't. Sure..sometimes she wonders..are they really friends? But she pushes that doubt out of her head.

Sora doesn't look at her, eyes staring at sheet music, but he's delicately considering his next words.

"Sorry. You..seem sad sometimes. Yuya told me you found You Show Duel School depressing. I just..wondered why."

Oh right. She had said that about You Show Duel School on the day Sora first fought Yuya now that Sora reminded her.

"And I was wondering..why stay somewhere if it makes you feel sad to be there? Then again, I..do the same thing just like you do with You Show Duel School and since starting Fusion lessons you haven't gone to You Show Duel School so I thought…"

Thought they were similar. That..they could connect in that.

He was talking about the sad place he stayed being Academia, not that Yuzu knew that at the time. He stayed at Academia because he would be carded if he left it, but being there..made him sad, an agonizing loneliness there.

"..I just..wanted to know what you're sad about, Yuzu. Wanted to say I'd listen if you wanted to speak about it."

"...I don't want to talk about it. Not now at least."

Because there were multiple reasons why she felt down but..it's nice that Sora cared enough to ask about her wellbeing.

"...Where do you stay that makes you sad, Sora?" Yuzu asked. "Have you..felt that way about our school? Is that why you haven't come to it?"

"I don't feel that way about You Show Duel School," Sora confessed. "I just…feel that way about other..places. Traveling a lot..you never stay in one place. You start missing where you've been and not missing the places you've gone to simultaneously. It's not like you stayed long enough to grow attached if that makes sense."

"Your school lets students travel to other places to meet new duelists across the world like LDS, doesn't it?" Yuzu asks. He never told her the name of the school though saying it didn't matter anyway as he would like to leave it one day so Yuzu assumed he planned on transferring out of it.

"So..why not just tell your parents you don't want to go to it anymore if you're not into the traveling it demands?"

Sora smiled sadly and said, "I..don't think they would listen."

Because he didn't have parents to begin with, not that he could tell Yuzu that and Yuzu frowned.

"Well, they should. I think you should try talking to them. If you like going to You Show Duel School and want to stay, then…"

Yeah, if it was that easy but..Yuzu isn't aware of his life so Sora says nothing.

"Aren't you and your dad mad that I'm not like the other customers who pay for your classes? I mentioned my family couldn't send me any money to give you but..it's rather strange how you two aren't so upset about it."

"We don't mind. It's nice having a new face."

"But you and him need money so he can pay for rent right? And not many customers have been paying for classes since Yuya's dad left. Your dad seems..stressed. I'll be sure to find some way to send money to you."

"Oh, it's alright! I mean it when my dad and I.."

"..I'll repay you. It's kind of you to let me live with you, though I don't understand why when I told you I had a hotel I could go to. Besides..you two are spending extra on dinner with me around, aren't you? You two have your hands full it seems."

"You're making it sound like you're a burden. Neither my dad and I think that."

"Besides, you rarely go to that hotel because I know you have dinner at Yuya's house," Yuzu thought. "He's always texting me about it. Then again, you do have weird instances where you go missing. You went missing not just after LDS challenged You Show Duel School but sometimes Yuya says you're not at his house on some nights. "

Sora smiled as he said, "No, of course not. You two are too kind to think elsewise. Thanks..for giving me a home, Yuzu. I've enjoyed my time with you and your dad."

Yuzu blushed, feeling too warm now that Sora sent a smile her way before she said, "Ah..no..that's..it's nothing really."

But for Sora it wasn't nothing because Yuzu would understand one day that he's always had a hard time understanding what home meant. She would understand why the Fusion he gave her carried on his feelings when it met Trump Witch who called herself a Tramp for a Sora bird (Porzana Carolina) is just a vagrant like a tramp and Rune Eyes Dragon was born for the runes to tell their mysteries of how the Arc of light carved across the ether (aether) Yuya discussed swung Sora's way because in the Japanese philosophy of Godai, another way of saying Aether was just Sora after all. Maybe he wouldn't lose to an illusion in his future lives. Maybe he would win through one.

"I can't exactly play with you on me like this, Yuzu. That being said..I just got an idea. Why don't we play Flower Duet together?"

Yuzu blushed and moved off.

"Ah sure..that's fine, Sora."

She sat next to me, eyes directed on the sheet music.

"Ready Yuzu?"

"Yes!"

Sora smiled, fingers gliding across the keys in a peaceful manner while Yuzu followed along, surprised by how well in sync she was with Sora. She hadn't practiced in a while but..it felt easy to perform with Sora, and she felt herself smiling, excitement growing within her.

As she played Yuzu thought about the opera attached to the piece. Lakshmi is a confusing but fascinating goddess. She's associated with Maya, a god of illusion. Her husband is Vishnu and when he sits on the serpent Shesha, he dreams the world into reality, while Lakshmi accompanies him. Illusion and reality intertwine.

Yuzu used to view bonds as a Melodious Illusion. People are a collection of musical notes that they're connected but they're not. Maybe she liked seeing them like that because they reminded her of how she's a Matryoshka Doll that wants all of the different people trapped in her to get out. For Yuzu, music is the illusion that saved her. It's why she always feels at peace within it.

But what is music for Ray? Is it just the concept of Musica Universalis, where nature exists not to be heard but to be felt? When she created Pendulum, did she think of the musical composer's Steve Reich's Pendulum Music where microphones swing back and forth but no voices speak into the microphones? Did Ray feel like a voice no one heard lost in time as they ignored her while she protested Zarc's dueling or did she just want to show the world that she isn't a microphone for someone else to speak through her when she can talk for herself?

Sora is an illusion for Aether is the god of Deception. Sora and her had always been fighting with illusions when they dueled, gaining victory. No matter how many illusions they faced, whether it included Yuzu fooled by an Action card, whether it was Yuzu relying on her magic card Melodious Illusion, whether it was Yuzu putting on a different self that wasn't her when she acted as her dad and Futoshi through her duel with Chojiro, whether it was Sora being fooled by a fake image of Heartland or the illusion Jean is, Sora and Yuzu always found each other.

But..there's a secret in the illusion of False Holly Yuzu loves the most that makes her grin. The secret of false flowers is the best and she's looking forward to hearing it when Rune Eyes Dragon comes with her runes to make more mysteries of what the future will bring within runes, bringing their runic songs. Ray and Sora connected in the Runic Song of Kalevala, brought together through shaping the world with her creating the four dimensions and Sora merging the four dimensions to bring back Ray's home.

Yuzu will never forget Sora's words about False flowers that he told her in each one of her past lives during their Fusion lessons. They helped her a lot.

"People can tell a false flower isn't imitating the flower it pretends to be and just like that it becomes proof that even when you try to hide your real self, you can't, Yuzu," Sora continued.

"Even if a False Dandelion (Hypochaeris Radicata) calls itself a Dandelion and pretends to be a true Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), it's not a true Dandelion. So if you're afraid that your identity will be replaced the more you try to act like someone you're not or the more similar you make yourself to someone else and other people the way False flowers try to be the same as true flowers, then don't worry because your identity won't be lost. False flowers are the world's best illusions that can save people by reminding them to value who they are with love."

Sora then smiled and said, "Isn't that what the illusions within your Melodious deck means?"

"Your identity..won't be lost even under your imitations of another," Yuzu thought, Sora's words sinking into her, a new incredible revelation flooding her mind.

Whether Sora realized it or not, his words had helped her, helped remind her that one's real self can't be lost, even if the way he thought about words were always as a metalepsis, even if paradoxically he changed a truth to mean a lie while a lie means a truth. The thing is..for Yuzu who was afraid she would never find her real self the more she acted as someone different like she did when she turned into Miss Ishijima while fighing Yuya, because the crowd didn't like the real her: angry Yuzu who they said should leave, and really..she was used to people being appalled by her aggressive nature or not liking her, especially when she didn't join in criticizing Yusho like everyone else did just because he didn't appear to fight Mr. Ishijima. Sora reassured her that her real self couldn't be lost. That she could perform in a different way where she didn't have to throw away who she is and act differently through turning into someone else while entertaining the crowds. The first time Sora and her did a Fusion Death Waltz with Bloom Prima and Frighfur Chimera dancing together, it was the first time she entertained crowds without acting. The first time she felt like she was her real self in a duel. The first time Sora showed her another side: truth: to the illusions always accompanying her.

She always used Laureate Melodious Diva only around Sora, watching the True Laurel flowers the Diva was named after bloom. Sora unveils the truths in her she hides away.

Yuzu can't stop smiling, growing happier as she plays the piano along Sora, and Sora smiles, feeling just at ease. She wants this peaceful day of playing with him to last forever.

The next life approaches and Yuzu hopes to take that memory of playing the Flower Duet with Sora to the next life with her.

Author's Note: Ok done. Thank you folks for reading. I love the tower tarot symbolism so much and aaah, the piton metaphor..it makes me so happy, eeee I love YuzuSora so much!

By the way, about how I portray YuzuYuya in this fic, I just want to clarify this fic isn't meant to be Fruitshipping bashing by the way and if you ship them or like them as friends, that's awesome (and I hope we can get along while respecting each other even with our different opinions) but while I was going through the narrative, even if the narrative seems to really try to push YuzuYuya as friends, I just always felt like, "Yeah, but I don't see it" which is why their bond in this fic feels..distant? (Like I won't characterize them as criticizing each other but I'm going to write them as close either, also they're just a small part of the fic so won't focus on them as much as YuzuSora, RaySora, and other ships.) (If you're wondering why bother including YuzuYuya bond then it's because it does play a role in developing her character and understanding her personality better as I think one of the possible reasons Yuzu might be depressed as she states when she says You Show Duel School is depressing is because she doesn't feel connections with people but wants them, including Yuya which I will get into. Reasons why she might not feel connections is due to one, I'm assuming that many people just don't get close to her because she supports a school that Yusho built who they view as a coward, two: people were not fond of Yuzu's aggressive nature in the very first and only duel we see with her fighting Yuya, even telling her to leave, three: Yuya doesn't really show his real self as he hides his feelings so she doesn't really feel like they're friends because he's not comfortable being his real self around her but she wants to be friends with him.)

If you're curious on why I don't view YuzuYuya as friends, I'll explain why down below in my analysis of them across episodes.

I just personally don't see Yuzu and Yuya as friends as Yuya seems to still put on his fake smile, hide with my goggles persona on with Yuzu in season 1 (like first episode he was doing just that before he dueled Ishijima) and I'd think if he was comfortable with her and they were friends, he wouldn't do that as much. I'll get on why I view both Yuzu and Yuya problematic for each other.

On why I think Yuzu is problematic for Yuya: I just think Yuzu reiterates a lot of the problematic mentality Yuya faces of "Smile when your sad" which his dad spreads. Yes, she means well. I'm not trying to demonize her. I think she genuinely wants to help Yuya but her dialogue the first day Sora arrives to You Show Duel School of "Don't look so down since You Show Duel School is naturally depressing" to Yuya and her telling Yuya to smile during his first duel with Reiji when he's annoyed his school might be lost just..rubbed me the wrong way and felt like she wouldn't really encourage him to be his real self (or care about hearing his feelings which is..problematic for a friendship. Sora also makes a weird comment when he first agrees to teach Yuzu Fusion Summoning if it's a secret she's learning Fusion from him, implying Yuzu usually keeps secrets from Yuya for some reason.) People need to get out their sadness and express it, (Yuya does in my opinion because he tends to crack under the false smile persona and feel high anxiety but well...Yuzu doesn't encourage him to break that persona with her comment "Don't look so down since You Show Duel School is depressing". In fact, Yuya still has instances where he doesn't rely on anyone to discuss his feelings with, like..he chose to run away after his first duel with Reiji because he was angry about Pendulum Summoning not being his anymore until Shuzo caught his wrist and then like before Miami Championship starts again Yuya is anxious about performing but decides "Yep, not gonna tell anyone where I'm going or talk about my anxiety so I'm gonna go somewhere off by myself" and all of You Show Duel School goes looking for him. I feel like..if Yuzu and Yuya were close, we would just have more scenes where he goes to talk to her about how he feels when he sad not runs away and deals with his feelings on his own.)

I get that Yuzu probably tells Yuya not to look so down at You Show Duel School because this is Yusho's advice and she doesn't want Yuya to feel down about his dad being gone. Him following this advice is like having his dad around, so she means well, but I do think the nature of her advice is still problematic and Yuzu is flawed, a double edged sword for Yuya of both helpful sometimes to him and not helpful to him other times that I'll explore (more in small portions though as main focus is Yuzu x Sora x Ray with partial Bracelet Girls x Sora. (I also don't really like the moment of Leo telling Yuzu about the past where Zarc existed in the episode where he reveals Ray's existence and why he's carding people, only for Yuzu to say, "It can't be", towards learning Yuya might be Zarc as it really did give off the vibe she doesn't possibly accept Yuya fully through implying she denies his past self Zarc exists and there is also the issue of Yuzu always gets uncomfortable when Yuya is in Berserk mode (a mode where Zarc's feelings are possibly flaring up or just Yuya's anger is rising for understandable reasons) but during Yuya's duel with Sergey and Barrett (go back and watch episode 92 if you're curious) when he got in this mode, she said this specifically: "The way you were acting before, you were so scary, I didn't recognize you. It was like you had become a different person. I don't want to see you that way again". I have never liked the implication of this scene, that Yuya going into Berserk Mode because the anger of everything he has to do in Synchro Dimension is getting to him or returning to Zarc who might be his real past self and Yuzu saying she doesn't want to see him like that just gives off the vibe, "Yuya, I don't accept your past self (Zarc) because he's a different person I don't know or your understandable anger and sorrow you have over the war so go back to being happy" and yes, I get the narrative is pushing that peace is important through this scene (not saying that's a bad message to send and I appreciate the intent) but again, Yuzu sounds so dismissive of Yuya's feelings here like he doesn't have the right to have them when he does and it makes her sound highly apathetic to Yuya which I dislike about this scene. Like yes, you can still have joy, even if there is sorrow in life and it's ok to express your sadness sometimes, (which I think Arc V's theme wants to be about) but this scene here with YuzuYuya does a terrible job on executing that concept and gives off an awful implication that your sorrow is something you should take shame with which I don't like.

As for Yuya and Zarc, whether they're the same person or not, I don't know. Maybe they're not the same person so Yuzu isn't rejecting Yuya's real self (Zarc) like I thought. Narrative is in my opinion really unclear on if Yuya and Zarc are the same person (like Zarc denying that he's Yuya in his duel with Ray/Reira for an example but then there's also Duel Links content where Yuya is like I'm Zarc, and Yugo is like "Yeah, I'm not Zarc" but Yugo and Yuya were both born from Zarc so it just creates confusion on if Yuya, Zarc, and Yu boys are same person or different people. If you view Yuya, Yu boys, and Zarc as same person, cool. I don't know if they are, and if you want to share your reasons for why you see them as same, go ahead, but just don't expect me to convert to your opinion or be mad if I find I don't agree. We can all have different opinions and get along respectfully while having them.)

Ok,in terms of Yuya and how he may be problematic for Yuzu: I just feel like...he's also somewhat dismissive of Yuzu's feelings too like she is with his feelings. Yuzu said You Show Duel School is depressing and not going to it during her time while learning Fusion for Sora implied..she possibly dislikes going there and I don't know..for Yuya who's passion is all about You Show Duel School and wants people to go to his school..I never liked the implication she might just be going to You Show Duel School not because she wants to but rather to maybe make Yuya happy who is upset about lack of customers there (as Arc V Manzai even implies Yuzu will be unclear on what she wants) and then..even though Yuya knows it makes her depressed to be there, he still during Yuzu's Fusion lessons is like "Anyway, come to You Show Duel School". I just..think it's a bad thing for a friend to take their friend to a place that makes them sad (Yuya to Yuzu basically) but also Yuya never even asks why Yuzu finds You Show Duel School depressing, why she's sad so he just feels not attentive to her feelings. My implications of Yuzu going to You Show Duel School just to make Yuya happy might be wrong. Maybe she's just upset that there isn't many customers to talk to and feels lonely. (There's also the issue that Yuzu's run-in with Yuto has been making Yuzu act odd, Yuya points this out before the LDS vs You Show Duel School showdown starts, and yet..he never pushes for more questions about why she's acting odd or on who Yuto is (instead it's Sora who actually asks these questions.) There's also the issue of I don't think Yuzu likes people who even if they mean to help her, don't let her fight alongside them too. Like..she seemed annoyed that Yuto interrupted her duel with Sawatari, even trying to be like "Ok, so uh..let me duel!", and then Yuya goes and does the same thing with him in episode 92 by being like "Stand back Yuzu, don't fight". Yuto and Yuya mean well and I'm not criticizing them helping Yuzu, but I'm just saying Yuzu herself seemed happier when her and Sora were tag teaming together, when she's helping people as they help her and it's not just a one sided deal of where she's only helped while she doesn't help the person helping her (like Yuya and Yuto do with her by dueling for her while she doesn't duel beside them) because the whole reason she even sought Sawatari is to help Yuya who had helped her by defeating Sawatari plus she constantly seems depressed that she lost to Masumi and didn't help protect You Show Duel School like Yuya who won.) This idea of not being the only one helped and helping people just like they help her in a relationship may stem from Ray who's relationship with her father included him helping her only when he planned to sacrifice himself for her while only she lived or it could just be how Yuzu is personality wise.

Even if Yuya went to go travel dimensions for her, I read the Yuzu and Yuya relationship more as Yuya going to find her not because they're friends but rather he's sad he pushed Yuzu away never letting him see his real self because he was afraid of losing her like he did with his dad and didn't want to experience the pain of being attached to someone only to miss when they're gone but then when Yuzu left at that moment he thought..oh, actually it's a lot more sad I didn't take the chance to spend time with Yuzu while she was here. Basically, he wants to find Yuzu again to restart their relationship, to have a second chance where they actually grow close to each other, to promise he won't push her away and tell her how he feels. Yuzu feels drawn to Yuya because she wants to learn about him but she never did. Revisiting a point I made about the "I can't be the only one helped" mentality Yuzu has earlier in next paragraph.

Despite Yuzu and Ray sharing this similarity of wanting to help others that help them and not stand back while someone else duels for them, there is still that difference between them is the idea of salvation where Yuzu actually tries to save herself but Ray doesn't. I find exploring what salvation means for the two of them to be endlessly fascinating as well as other differences within their personality.

As for Sora, don't worry. I have many thoughts about Sora I will eventually share (because I love his character so dearly and symbolism surrounding Sora is HIGHLY complex) and I'll type up in an author's note but right now, I'm focusing on fleshing out characterization of Bracelet Girls. Whether you support my views on characters and ships in this fic or don't but came for the plot or for whatever reason, I hope you enjoy reading nonetheless. Thank you for reading along this story with me. Have a nice day.