Hi, everyone! Thank you so much for your patience for the continuation of my Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's fanfic series! I've finally come back; ready to write exciting chapters for you to read.

This arc will be quite short, but it is important to me to show you guys how Estelle and the Signers are faring in their new lifestyles.

From now on, the chapters will be written in third perspective.

Special thanks to CitrusUnshiu who is my beta-reader!

Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!

Chapter 15: Yusei's New Roommates

There was a tickling sensation in Yusei's belly he hadn't experienced before. The only way he could describe it was excitement and eagerness. It was just days away before he would start attending Technical University of New Domino City and he was already a small nervous wreck. He forgot to buy some stuff so he rushed to get them. He almost drove over poor Zora who wanted to remind him about the arrival of his new roommate.

Yusei heard little about his potential roommate from his landlord shortly after Team 5D's had their last ride. With her son's help, Zora advertised her garage and vacant bedrooms on different websites for students who needed a close place to stay so they could commute to their universities in the city. Zora was very strict with the rules so she rejected many applicants after looking up their background. That was until she came across a young man from Poland named Anthony Kowalski.

Anthony was supposed to move into one of the bedrooms that stood empty after Crow and Jack moved out, but Yusei needed to get his stuff or else he would forget about it. Speaking of, he spotted Zora speaking to Anthony outside of her property when he returned from his brief shopping.

Zora adjusted her glasses when Yusei parked his Duel Runner in front of the clock shop. "That was a quick trip, Yusei."

Yusei climbed off his ride and removed his helmet. He could only see the large back of his new roommate. "Yeah, I quickly got what I needed. Is this Anthony?"

Anthony turned around and Yusei felt his heart almost stop in his chest. In front of him stood a carbon copy of his once-friend later-enemy Bruno. He had almost the exact same body structure, hair, eyes and even his smile.

"Yep, it's me!" Anthony smiled. "I'm Anthony Kowalski! Nice to meet you! You're Fudo Yusei, right? My roommate?"

Yusei stared at the hand offered to him. He shakily reached for it. "Y-Yes. That's me."

Zora hid a sigh. She could tell meeting Anthony caught Yusei off guard like he was seeing a ghost from his past. She knew about Bruno's passing, so it was shock for her too when she saw Anthony face to face for the first time through a video chat when she interviewed him.

"I watched the World Racing Grand Prix last year", Anthony spoke with Yusei, his eyes bright by admiration. "I saw you and your team win the tournament! Your Duels with Team Taiyo, Team Ragnarok and Team New World were amazing! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! I didn't think you'd win for your team all three times! You are an elite Turbo Duelist!"

Yusei flushed by the compliments. He rarely got them, so it made him feel a little awkward. "Thank you…"

"I saw the part when your team was presented that nice trophy", Anthony continued. "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw one of your pit crew members looked just like me! I thought I had found a twin brother I didn't know about. Are you still in touch with him? I'd like to meet him."

Yusei's mood turned sour at the reminder of his deceased friend. Now Anthony noticed his seatmate didn't look so well. "Are you okay? You look a little pale."

Yusei clenched his hands, tightening his grip on his cloth bag. "My friend… Bruno… He passed away…a while ago."

Anthony felt a gasp in his throat, feeling terrible for being so insensitive. "I'm so sorry for your loss. Did it happen when that huge fortress hovered above New Domino City?"

The Ark Cradle became worldwide news while the cameras were still rolling when it appeared in the sky. Not much was seen after they shut down during the outage, but words were easily spread on social media with videos and pictures taken by smartphones.

"Yes…", Yusei nodded.

Anthony's lips dropped even deeper, guilt washing through him. "Man, I'm sorry… He must've been a close friend to you."

Yusei nodded apathetically. "He was…"

Zora clapped her hands loudly to break the tension between the young lads. "Enough with the sad talk! Anthony, you still need to pack up your stuff! And Yusei, you're going to help him and then you both need to set up rules now that you're roommates!"

"Right, Zora!" Anthony nodded with a sheepish grin. "I almost forgot I still need to unpack my suitcases! I got to prepare my stuff for the university!"

"Which university did you apply for?" Yusei wondered, the sad haze in his mind fading away, while he followed Anthony inside the garage.

"Technical University."

"Seriously?" Yusei's eyes widened. "I'll be going to that university too. So what are you going to study?"

"Computer science", Anthony said with a big smile. "What about you?"

Yusei returned the smile. "Then that means we're going to be classmates!"

Anthony's smile grew even bigger. "No way, that's awesome!"

Anthony's aura was bright and lifted up the mood. That side reminded him of Crow whenever he was in a good mood and wanted to spread that sunshine grin to other people. "If you want we can compare our schedules tonight," Yusei suggested.

That evening, Yusei and Anthony went through their schedules and made up rules about the household. As soon as they were done with the boring part, they reviewed some of the basics in their books and memorized them before their first week in university. Conversing with Anthony was like talking to Bruno in Yusei's mind. It was like he never left, but he knew he couldn't use Anthony to replace his lost friend.

XXXXXXXXXX

Yusei and Anthony stood in front of the open gate to Technical University of New Domino City where students were hurrying to their lectures. Their very first day in said university was about to begin.

Yusei woke up one hour early and made sure he got everything he needed for his lectures. Books? Check. Pencil case? Check. Lunchbox? Check. He and Anthony put together a couple of sandwiches and some fruit after breakfast since they didn't want to spend money on food in the cafeteria. It was way cheaper with homemade meals.

The duo found out they had the same first class, so they hurried to their lecture room and took a seat in the back. Yusei packed up the books required for his physics class and sharpened his pencil beforehand so he wouldn't disturb his classmates with unnecessary noise.

A young woman around his age came up to him with flushed cheeks. "Umm… Excuse me…"

Yusei looked up from his pencil. "Yes?"

"Are you…Fudo Yusei, New Domino City's hero?" the girl asked shyly.

"Yes, that's me."

The girl shrieked like a fangirl. "Thank you so much for saving the city! I'm so glad I get to be in the same class as my idol!"

Yusei held back an uncomfortable grimace. He had expected some kind of fan base after his heroic efforts months ago plus his history of winning the World Racing Grand Prix with Team 5D's. He was clearly one of the popular men in the city, but much to many women's disappointment he was already taken.

"You're welcome", the Signer responded.

The girl blushed. "I'm sorry I bothered you, but I really wanted to say thank you. See you later!"

Yusei gave his fan a light wave as she scurried to a group of female friends who waited to hear all the gossip from her. He was relieved she didn't end up sitting next to him.

Anthony chuckled at the small interaction. "You must be popular, Yusei."

The Signer shrugged his shoulders. "I don't care about it. All I wanted to do was to protect my home for everyone's future."

"That's what makes you noble", Anthony pointed out. "But you've got a girlfriend, right?"

Yusei smiled at the thoughts of his lover. "Yes. She's very special."

"I can tell by your face you really love her", Anthony chuckled. "Is she going here too?"

"No, Estelle's currently in art school", Yusei explained.

"Estelle…", Anthony hummed, tapping his forehead. "Is she the brunette I saw among the pit crew of your team?"

"That's her."

"Is it true she has Blue-Eyes White Dragons but she's not related to Kaiba Seto?"

"That's a…complicated situation", Yusei held back an awkward grimace.

"How did you two even meet?" Anthony wondered.

"It's a long story", Yusei replied. He knew he could trust Anthony, but maybe it was best to keep his past as a Signer a secret just a little longer. He had only known his roommate for a measly few days. "She's coming over this Friday to cook dinner for us. You can meet her then if you want."

"Of course I want", Anthony nodded. "I want to know my roommate's girlfriend and I get to eat a nice home cooked meal!"

XXXXXXXXXX

Keeping her words, Estelle came over on Friday with two bags full of groceries that she was eager to cook with. "Good evening, gentlemen", she greeted the roommates who studied together in the living room.

Yusei dumped his pencil and got up to greet her with a kiss. "Hi, Estelle. How was your day?"

Estelle put the grocery bags on the kitchen counter and returned her boyfriend's affection. "Pretty good. I made lots of progress for the current school project." She threw a glance over the Signer's shoulder, having been forewarned about Bruno's lookalike. "Is this your new roommate?"

Yusei nodded. "Yes, this is Anthony. Anthony, this is Estelle, my girlfriend."

Anthony stepped forward with a smile, holding his hand out. "Nice to meet you! I've heard about you from Yusei."

Estelle hid her surprise well. She hadn't expected to see somebody who looked exactly like Bruno in this timeline. "Same here", she shook hands with the newcomer. "Thank you for looking after Yusei."

"Oh, he's the one who's looking after me", Anthony chuckled. "We have only known each other for a week, but he feels like an old friend to me."

Yusei and Estelle shared a mutual glance, knowing they needed to speak in private later. The brunette cleared her throat and put up a soft smile. "Yusei is a very special individual and I'm honored I got to know and love him."

Yusei turned away with a light flush on his cheeks, hiding his embarrassment. "A-Anyway, what will you cook for us?"

"I got a discount on pork in the supermarket, so I thought of making pork cutlet", Estelle replied.

Anthony nodded eagerly. "Sounds good to me!"

"Alright, then I start preparing the food", Estelle said. "I need to pack up the ingredients."

XXXXXXXXXX

Anthony washed the dishes while Yusei walked out with Estelle so they could talk to themselves after dinner. They sat down on a bench in front of the fountain in the plaza with the sun halfway down the horizon. "You weren't exaggerating about Anthony looking just like Bruno, Yusei", Estelle spoke up first. "If you hadn't forewarned me, I would've thought Bruno had returned alive."

"I had the exact same feeling when I saw him the first time", Yusei nodded, hands tucked in his pockets. "Were there any indications that Bruno might have had an ancestor in this timeline?"

Estelle spoke up after a brief moment of silence. "No. All I know is that Bruno was an android based on his human self who was known as Johnny. Johnny was a survivor of the Meklord Emperor Genocide rescued by…your future self. It's possible Anthony is Johnny's ancestor."

"So… Anthony and Bruno are really two separate individuals."

Estelle could tell Yusei was still confused by the revelation, and she couldn't blame him. Bruno became one of his closest friends, even though he got sent to their team by Z-one to help him achieve Clear Mind, and they had so much in common until the truth was unveiled in the worst possible way.

She gave him a light hug. "Yusei… I know Bruno meant a lot to you. It must hurt being reminded of him whenever you see Anthony, but remember they are not the same person. If you want to be friends with him, don't use him to replace Bruno."

Yusei leaned into her warm embrace. Her presence eased his concerns about his new roommate, but it couldn't erase the void in his heart. "I know, but it's hard. How was your day in art school?"

"The classes are getting harder now and we got a couple of new classmates too. Some still give me strange faces, but I ignore them."

Yusei wrapped an arm over her shoulders and pulled her so she rested her head on his shoulder. "But nobody is bullying you, right?"

Estelle let out a soft chuckle. "Right. I think they are mainly scared to get punished because I'm the mayor's daughter."

"I think that's just partially the reason", Yusei said. "You are a force to be reckoned with when you get agitated."

Estelle shoved Yusei playfully with flushed cheeks. "I won't hesitate dealing with you too if you dare doing something against my will, Fudo Yusei."

"Is that a challenge?" Yusei smirked.

Estelle tilted her head with a mischievous gleam. "Maybe."

Yusei's fingers were about to cup her cheek when his smartphone notified him of an incoming message. He held back a small growl as he reached for his cursing device. Estelle pulled back while he read his message. "What is it?"

"It's from Kalin", Yusei replied. "He's wondering if Toru can come over next weekend."

"Toru? From Team Icy Scrapwatt? What for?"

"He's looking for a new place to stay."

XXXXXXXXXX

Toru was truly grateful to Yusei for giving him a chance to look around in the garage. The landlord of the garage he currently stayed in had decided to raise the rent that made a huge hole in his wallet. He was in desperate need to look for a cheaper place, so Kalin suggested trying out the garage in Zora's clock shop. Anthony was away that day sightseeing the city on his personal Duel Runner that his parents helped him transport by paying some of the fee.

"Thanks for showing me around, Yusei!" Toru smiled. "I couldn't find any other options, so Kalin suggested your place."

"No problem, Toru", Yusei said while they walked down the stairs after checking the last vacant bedroom. "I should also thank Zora for giving me permission to show you around before you make a decision. Jack's bedroom has been empty ever since he left the country."

"Yeah, I heard he and Crow joined Duel Leagues overseas", Toru nodded. "How are they?"

"So far so good", Yusei replied. "So… What do you think of this place?"

"It's a dream garage!" Toru exclaimed. "I'd very much love to move over here until I get a stable job. How much's the rent?"

Yusei hesitated for a second. He and Zora made an agreement he didn't need to pay rent as long as he lived here, but it was probably a different case with a new roommate the landlady was unfamiliar with. As for the deal between Zora and Anthony, he had no idea what they agreed on.

"I think we have to discuss it with Zora", the Signer said.

"Fair enough", Toru nodded. "You've lived here for years now. You and the landlady must have a personal agreement."

The two young men walked back to Poppo Time where Zora waited for news about Yusei's potential roommate. Lyndon was fixing an old clock in another room, but his ears always stayed sharp if somebody dared harassing his mother.

Zora's lips exploded into a large smile when she saw her favorite tenant. "Ah, Yusei! Have you showed your friend around?"

"Yes, Zora", Yusei nodded. "And he seems interested living here."

"He's right!" Toru grinned.

"I see", Zora hummed. She studied her potential tenant up and down. She was a little suspicious about the Turbo Duelist because of his delinquent appearance, but Yusei clearly trusted him, so she decided to trust him as well. "Well, you don't seem malicious compared to a certain redhead who was so rude the first time he came here asking about my garage."

Yusei muffled his chuckle, remembering the first time he and his foster brothers visited the clock shop after Martha's recommendation. Crow had stepped up to the counter and asked somewhat rudely about the garage. They ended up getting chased out by Zora hitting them with a very dusty broom.

"I promise I won't cause too much noise", Toru laughed sheepishly.

"Oh, I'm very much used to it", Zora cackled softly. "Yusei and his friends made such terrible noise when they messed with their engines for the Grand Prix."

"Sorry about that, Zora", Yusei apologized.

Zora checked some paperwork Toru was required to bring along to verify his track record. "Well, I see nothing wrong here, so I'll rent out my last bedroom to you."

Toru's eyes lit up. "Really?"

Zora nodded, but then gave him a stinky eye. "Yes, but make sure not to bother Yusei and Anthony too much, you hear me? They're studying in university and need all their concentration on homework."

"I promise I won't", Toru grinned. "How much's the rent?"

"Zero."

Toru froze as he was about to bring out his wallet. "W-What?"

"As long as you behave, you don't have to pay me a single yen", Zora replied. "I have the same deal with Yusei and Anthony."

Toru's jaw almost dropped to the floor, but he pulled it back when he came over the tiny shock. "T-Thank you, ma'am!"

Zora opened a drawer and gave him a key. "I'll have your bedroom ready the day after tomorrow. Be patient until then, young man."

The sandy brown haired man stared at his copy of key when he and Yusei walked out of the shop so Zora could take care of a customer. "You okay, Toru?" the Signer wondered.

"Okay? I'm more than okay!" Toru exclaimed eagerly. "I feel like I'm on cloud nine! I couldn't have found a better place to move into! Thanks, Yusei!"

"I'm glad I was able to help", Yusei smiled. "I look forward being roommates with you."

Toru gladly shook his hand. "Same, bud! And I'll make sure not to bother you and Anthony if you need to study."

"I appreciate it."

XXXXXXXXXX

Yusei caught up with Misaki and asked her if she knew about Toru's moving. He had a hard time finding her because she was in a year above him, so they met up at the cafeteria where they had lunch. Anthony was going to catch up with them after a quick visit in the restroom.

"Toru told me and Cassy already…", Misaki replied in her infamous monotone voice. "You two are becoming roommates?"

Yusei nodded before he swallowed his food. "Yeah, he started bringing his stuff over this morning."

Misaki stabbed a cherry tomato with her fork like it was the culprit of Toru's troubles. "That landlord…never really liked Toru. He treated him like he was a delinquent, judging him by his appearance."

That statement reminded Yusei of the old times when he and his friends looked for cheap places, only to get denied because they were from Satellite. The discrimination had decreased now, but there were still ugly people out there who looked down on the weak and poor.

"Toru said he'd like to host a small housewarming party after he gets all his stuff over from the old garage", Yusei said. "I'm certain he's going to invite you, Kalin and Cassandra."

"Obviously…", Misaki hummed. "Good luck having him as your roommate. He's loud…"

Yusei chuckled. "I've dealt with worse."

Anthony looked around for his roommate and swiftly found him. "Hi, Yusei!"

Yusei's lips curled into a small smile. "Hi, Anthony. You okay?"

"Yeah, just needed a leak", Anthony said before he turned to the bluette. "Who's this?"

Misaki froze when she made eye contact with Anthony. She heard about Bruno's passing, but now she thought she saw his ghost.

Yusei could tell the young woman was very confused of seeing Bruno's doppelganger so he quickly introduced them to each other. "Misaki, this is Anthony, my new roommate. The two of us share many classes. Anthony, this is Misaki, a member of Team Icy Scrapwatt. She's one year above us."

"Ah, so she's our senior?" Anthony smiled warmly and reached his hand out. "Nice to meet you! I'm Anthony Kowalski. I've come all the way from Poland to study in one of the best technology universities on the planet."

Misaki stared at the hand in front of her before she shook it. "Aoyama Misaki…"

Anthony sent her a wide grin. "That's a pretty name!"

Misaki flushed lightly. "Thank you…"

The trio conversed about different topics which Misaki gave them some advice since she had covered the basics from her first year. When they were done with lunch, Anthony went ahead to his next lecture while Yusei and Misaki stayed behind.

"H-How…", Misaki spoke up after several seconds of silence, still troubled by Bruno's mysterious doppelganger.

If Yusei didn't know better, Misaki must have had a crush on Bruno before he left their world. And now she was obviously perplexed after meeting his doppelganger. "I was just as flabbergasted as you when I met him, Misaki", he said. "But he's not Bruno."

Misaki nodded very slowly. "I know…"

XXXXXXXXXX

That weekend, Toru hosted a housewarming party with Anthony and Yusei's help. He invited his teammates and Kalin while Yusei invited Estelle, Rally and his adult roommates slash guardians. Everyone held a plastic cup of their chosen beverage while Toru and Anthony both held short speeches to formally introduce themselves to both new and old faces.

Yusei couldn't help but reminiscent the old days he had his friends over while he observed the guests. He thought he would remain living alone, but now with the addition of Anthony and Toru the garage seemed a happier place like when he lived here with Jack and Crow rather than a gloomy and cold cave.

Perhaps his university years wouldn't be so lonely now.