bopdog111: Been too long here, almost 3 years since we last got on this when it was what made us meet Dust in the first place.
Ulrich362: True, it's been way too long, but it's finally time we get back to... well actually we're getting into Yoko's history this time... along with the dangerous Pendulum Gods.
bopdog111: We were bummed that we almost decided to drop this fic as this was the only fic where we used the Pendulum Gods. Thankfully, Dust helped with motivation by creating a remastered image of Hikari.
Ulrich362: Exactly, and that combined with new motivation has led to us continuing it. Apologies for the wait but hopefully it won't have as long a hiatus again.
bopdog111: Well let's finally delve over the Pendulum God's creation shall we?
Ulrich362: We shall, enjoy the chapter.
Disclaimer: We don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V but we own the OCs!
Yoko sighed as she looked from Yuya to Hikari before she turned to Kosa who gently nodded. "Alright, well I suppose the place to start is that this isn't the whole world... it's only a small piece of it Yuya. Only a fifth of the whole world."
"Fifth?" Yuya blinked hearing that surprised.
"Yes, a long time ago the world was much different than it is now." Kosa explained calmly as he closed his eyes. "Your mother and I were very different people in our childhoods, along with a friend of ours known as Hoshikage... and, Akuma."
"Akuma..." Hikari trailed off recalling the person she had seen back there. "Was that who I saw?"
"Yes, and he's incredibly dangerous, even when we were children he was... off." Kosa frowned.
"He was also... my brother." Yoko admitted towards them much to the shock of the two in front of them.
"Wait you have a brother?" Yuya asked in shock. From his entire time growing up with his parents, he never learned the person his mother was otherside that she used to be in a biker gang that she retired after she met Yusho so this is surprising. "But you never mentioned that before!"
"With good reason, Akuma was always... well I guess the best place to start would be the beginning... Akuma, Kosa, Hoshikage and I were all grew up together in the original world before it was torn apart. We were mischievous kids and to anyone who looked there would be no reason for us to be so close." Yoko admitted closing her eyes. "A reckless tomboy girl who got into fights and her brother who was always muttering to himself and looking into ancient legends and rumors, a ninja who was always quiet and just watching, and if you'd believe it a shy boy who always hid behind his mother's leg."
"You were... intimidating back then." Kosa frowned a bit but couldn't hide the chuckle in his tone at the memories. "Back then none of us knew the truth, that the entire world swayed back and forth, teetering on the edge of destruction."
"So then... how were the Pendulum Gods born then?" Hikari asked wanting to know the point of this story as the four Gods that should surpass the Egyptian Gods must be possessed by Duel Academy.
"Who can say? A cruel joke played by the spirits themselves, a way of keeping humanity in check and warning us how far we can go before reaching our inevitable destruction? Their origin isn't important, what is important is that our families were close to keep a close watch over them... in case they ever escaped."
Flashback to a small peaceful looking down at the foot of a large mountain with an elaborate temple:
YOKO: Back then, the only reason Akuma and I knew Hoshikage or Kosa was because our parents all served as guardians of the four Pendulum Gods, though to us it was just our parents having a secret job they never talked about... so I spent a good amount of time riding my bicycle around and trying to entertain myself... a habit I never fully broke.
A younger Yoko who looked to be around twelve was racing along on her bike with a smirk.
KOSA: She had stumbled upon the temple that our parents were at to keep the Pendulum Gods contained.
The younger Yoko blinked as she got off her bike and walked towards the temple only to hear an old woman's voice.
"You've felt it haven't you? The pulses are getting more frequent, and with the growing excitement of Duel Monsters they're beginning to awaken once again." the old woman mentioned. Yoko looked into it seeing some people talking with an older woman wearing priest clothes while having a familiar necklace on her neck. They all are gathered to a black box, the same one that Akuma stole. "If this continues... our rituals may not be enough."
"But we can't stop them, everyone clamors for duels, the tournaments are getting more and more attention and then there's him." a male voice that Yoko recognized as her and Akuma's father pointed out. "I've seen his work, if he were to somehow unleash them through his actions we'll all suffer the consequences."
"So what do we do?" a voice who was Hoshikage's father asked over what they need to do about this kind of problem. "If the seal breaks, they will be unleashed, and everything we had done will be for nothing."
"It's simple." the voice of Yoko and Akuma's father answered. "The spirits aren't able to act if the cards are..."
Suddenly a small crash alerted the group as they turned and saw Yoko just before she tried to hide behind a stone pillar.
YOKO: Unfortunately in my curiosity I forgot to stabilize my bike and it fell getting their attention.
"Yoko!?" was the voice of Kosa's mother with widen eyes. "How long were you there for?"
Yoko frowned coming out of hiding. "What's going on, why are you all acting so strange... what consequences? Does it have to do with that funny looking box?"
"Yoko this isn't something a mere child should..." a man who looked like an older Akuma started only for Hoshikage's father to raise a hand.
"While this isn't ideal, we all know they'll be taking our place one day and better to inform her now before the worst happens." he pointed out. "Yoko, get your brother, Hoshikage, and Kosa and bring them here."
KOSA: Yuya, it should be mentioned that our elder, the woman who was going to change our lives forever... she wore your pendulum... as it was passed down from generation to generation.
YUYA: She was the one who had the Pendulum before? So then... why did you give it to me mom? Or actually does dad know about this?
YOKO: I gave it to you because your father's words are true, a Pendulum swings both ways... while things can be sad and upsetting they can swing back and become joyous again... holding that, you'll always be able to overcome any adversity and swing back to a brighter future. But we're getting distracted.
KOSA: Yoko was... very adamant about the three of us joining her, but as we did we all felt it, a strange pulse... something trying to break free... imagine the most terrifying sensation in your life then multiply it by one million and you might have a vague idea of what this chill in the air felt like.
The younger Yoko with a younger Akuma, Kosa, and a star patterned ninja boy all walked in together, and freeze when they gotten closer just staring at the box with there parents, and the elder. The spot where the lock is, is glowing red.
"You feel it don't you? The pressure weighing on the very air itself?" the old woman asked them.
"Yeah… it's kind of hard to breathe." Akuma shuddered.
"That's true, and for the time being at least that sensation is only in this chamber." Yoko's mother explained. "But soon you'll feel it everywhere."
HIKARI: Wait, what was the Original Dimension like! What kind of place was it?
YOKO: Well... a place where you can see people dueling for fun, and using all different summon methods. We will explain more soon.
"So... what's in the box?" the young Hoshikage asked them staring at the box.
"Pure evil." his father answered. "Four creatures that have the power to completely destroy this world... gods, but not benevolent ones. Gods that seek only destruction, our ancestors risked their lives to seal them away."
"Gods? Like... the Egyptian Gods?" Kosa asked if they are card Gods like the original set.
"Nothing like those weaklings... true the Egyptian Gods are powerful but they can be slain... these gods are truly immortal." the elder told him, that these are stronger then the Egyptian Gods. A fact that shocked the four children.
"Immortal?" Akuma asked as his eyes widened slightly. "That's impossible."
"These gods return from death, come with me... you'll understand if you see it first hand." the elder mentioned.
KOSA: She led us to an inner chamber with a large pool of crystal clear water, though with every one of those pulses the water rippled as though connected to them and soon an image was shown to us, a city that in a mere instant was enveloped in flames.
The elder guided the four children until she is at the otherside of said pool Kosa mentioned, and made it ripple showing them images. An image about a city before it then burst into flames.
"Wh... what happened!?" Yoko cried in shock seeing that as the image transitioned to a man with his eyes glowing red and green as he laughed with four cards seemingly burned into his very skin as a deafening roar knocked Kosa off his feet as he trembled.
Kosa's mother walked softly hugging him to comfort him.
"That roar, was the cry of the most destructive of the four gods, the Odd-Eyes Divine Dragon... a being of pure destruction." the elder frowned explaining about the roar. "They each represent a different apocalyptic event, and the dragon simply embodies the destruction of everything."
YUYA: Wait did you say Odd-Eyes?
YOKO: Yes Yuya... but unlike Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, the Divine Dragon is something different. Destructive, ruthless... uncontrollable.
Hikari's eyes widened hearing that, it sounded a little like the dragon she knew but as dangerous as it was that dragon wasn't a god... right?
KOSA: The dragon was just the beginning though, the others were equally as terrifying.. A fiendish creature that controlled life itself... turning everyone into its puppet... the Abyss Actor God Manager.
The pool rippled again showing a large demonic looking creature waving its arms over a city as the people were toyed with like puppets, as though their very lives were just a game to it. They watched as the people danced by it's moments directing over as it cackled moving them around to it's personal enjoyment.
YOKO: It was terrifying, but I made the mistake of looking away and... the sounds of bones shattering still echoes in my ears, it didn't care about us as long as it had its enjoyment.
Screams of terror echoed in the pool as it rippled, showing a this image this time of a large clown of some kind with flames in its hands as people were screaming at seemingly nothing. The clown cackled as it generated flames as it moved around forming into different shapes.
The people trembled and cried out as the flames seemed to show visions and illusions of terrifying creatures and unnatural worlds that caused the people to slowly lose their minds.
YOKO: Performage Holy Illusionist, death would be a mercy if it meant being freed from the mental torment it placed its victims under, your very mind was a plaything for this god as it could create any thought, any image it wanted to trick your senses... sight, sound, taste, touch, smell... all of them were just another toy for that being to break your mind for fun.
HIKARI: And... this last one?
KOSA: D/D/D Divine Executive Kobra, a god that reveled in torture... but as a god, it wouldn't allow its victims to die as it tore them apart, burned them in flames... any physical suffering you could imagine but it kept death away... an escape that would never come and if you were unlucky enough to lose consciousness it would restore your damaged body... to have a new canvas to torment again... for eternity.
The ripple appeared where a multiarmed demon with red eyes was going over victims checking over with glee watching them get messed up in torture over all methods it can think of. Seeing one about to die, it generated magic where it restored the complete health of that victim, as they begged for death. Though it just laughed as it started over, twisting the young boy's leg around completely as he screamed in agony.
YOKO: It was only a brief glimpse, but it was enough... if any one of them were to break free it would be the end of the world, and that man we saw... that's what makes them even more dangerous... their host.
KOSA: The elder informed us that one human with pure evil in his heart will become the host of the Pendulum Gods, a living being that serves as their vanguard. Power beyond imagination, and you won't be placed in any of the four gods agonizing fates... however your mind will be gone as you become their puppet forever.
HIKARI: What happened to that Vanguard? If he's there host, then he must be around somewhere.
YOKO: We were never told, though if I were to guess... he was killed to try and stop the madness.
The rippling end as the four children were a bit shaken. The Elder looked over towards them. "The madness, you had seen... it is the evil that all these years we are containing so it may never break free. There will come the day, where you four will take your parent's place. But understand that if released... then may God have mercy on our souls."
Yoko shuddered. "I'd rather they didn't but... can't you destroy the cards?"
"We've tried many times to destroy them, but gods cannot be destroyed... only sealed away for eternity." the elder answered.
KOSA: Hoshikage, Yoko, and I should have realized it then, but Akuma changed the day he heard that. And not for the better.
Unaware to them all he had a smirk over staring towards the chest. Powerful Gods, that can never be destroyed... and able to use all of that for there personal enjoyment... he knew he is the one to possess them... with them he will become all powerful, and no-one will ever defeat him. Not even his sister, Kosa, and Hoshikage.
YOKO: After that day I devoted my time to trying to enjoy what I could before the Pendulum Gods were unleashed... I may have rebelled a bit much and started learning to ride a motorcycle despite my young age, though Akuma... he seemed dedicated to protecting everyone and started to go with our parents to learn all he could about what the Pendulum Gods had done in the past, how they were sealed, anything he could learn.
KOSA: His dedication was shocking, and we assumed that when the day came he would be the one to lead us in keeping them sealed away... at least until the elder's death... of all places it was when we finally convinced our parents that seeing one duel wouldn't be the worst thing in the world... a simple duel, I remember it well... Madolche vs Gladiator Beasts... it was... enjoyable. Until the elder's age finally caught up with her and she closed her eyes peacefully... we didn't even notice at first. We weren't fully naive but we were young.
Right now a duel is happening where everyone is watching the match.
"You're pretty good, but it's over now I can summon my ultimate monster by combining five Gladiator Beasts!" a young man with long dark hair grinned. "Come forth Gladiator Beast Claudius!"
(Attack Position)
Gladiator Beast Claudius
DARK
Level 12
Beast/Fusion/Effect
ATK: 3700
DEF: 2600
5 "Gladiator Beast" monsters
Must first be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) by shuffling the above cards from your field and/or GY into the Deck/Extra Deck. If Summoned this way: You can conduct your next Battle Phase twice. Once per turn, if your opponent activates a monster effect (except during the Damage Step): You can activate the following effect depending on whose turn it is;
● Yours: Special Summon 1 "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Deck.
● Opponent's: Special Summon 1 Level 11 or lower "Gladiator Beast" monster from your Extra Deck, ignoring its Summoning conditions.
His opponent, a girl with dark green hair frowned.
"Your monster's strong but even if you attack one of my Madolche Queen Tiaramisu the other one will shuffle your monster back into your deck."
"Wrong, since I Contact Fusion Summoned this monster I can conduct my battle phase twice, so I get two attacks!"
YOKO: That was when the elder peacefully passed away, as we saw the end of the match.
The monster charged in attacking over destroying both Tiaramisus, and winning the match.
"Oh wow, that was amazing." Yoko smiled seeing that as she turned to see what her parents thought of the match.
They were all frozen at feeling something. Then Hoshikage's father rose up looking alerted. "Elder!"
KOSA: She looked so peaceful it took us a moment to realize what was going on, she had a smile and her eyes were closed so gently.
They were all at the location where the elder was. She was in her bed with a soft smile, and eyes that can never be opened. In her hands was the Pendulum she had one as they watched. When the kids realized it Kosa, and Yoko started crying a bit while Hoshikage bowed his head in respect. Akuma had a slight smirk on his face.
Hoshikage's father gently said a few words before taking the Pendulum. "Don't worry... grandmother, we'll continue your legacy."
"You four..." After wiping her eyes Yoko, and Akuma's mother turned to the children. "Now you four... your start to being Guardians of the Pendulum Gods begins now. It's up to you to defend them when the time comes, and make sure they are never unleashed."
"Of course, I understand completely." Kosa nodded.
YOKO: For a time it was... well not peaceful since the threat of the Pendulum Gods was always looming over our heads but then a demon was born. A being that wasn't a god but sas as dangerous as one. A dragon... and then it happened.
Passed a few years, and an older Yoko was looking at her motorcycle only for Hoshikage to walk in.
"Are we alone?" he asked her.
Yoko turned over confused before she softly nodded. "Yes, Hoshikage. What is it?"
Hoshikage handed her the Pendulum. "Take this, take it and run. I gave the box to Kosa to hide... we don't have much time."
"What's going on?" Yoko blinked seeing the Pendulum. She then looks to Hoshikage. "Why are you giving me this, is something happening to them right now?"
"It's your brother, he tried to attack me for the key." Hoshikage frowned. "I can try and hold him off but... you need to keep this from him with your life."
"Akuma did what? Why?" Yoko has a pretty good feeling but is in too much shock her brother is doing that.
"Why else? Power, he wants the power of the vanguard of the Pendulum Gods and he's willing to kill for it." Hoshikage frowned.
Yoko soon shook her head. Her brother is all she had left, maybe she can get him to stop. "No, Hoshikage... I can get him to stop! He's my brother, I can talk to him so he can learn what he is doing-"
"He killed your parents in cold blood!" Hoshikage told her.
Yoko froze hearing that. Her brother... no that can't be, they both owe a great deal to there parents! Akuma can't have killed them. She had tears in her eyes before looking at the Pendulum. If Akuma really was gone like Hoshikage claimed... she can't stay here. She looked towards him before saying. "You better come find us." Moving she got on her bike, and with tears down her eyes rode out.
YOKO: I wanted so desperately for Hoshikage to find us again but... I knew in the pit of my stomach there was only one thing that could happen... Hoshikage was killed.
KOSA: Meanwhile, I worked to try finding a way to hide the Pendulum Gods. I managed to find a large boulder at a mountain. I had hollowed it, and hide them there so they can't be found. But something had happened, the splitting of the world.
Kosa, and Yoko were together near the boulder where Kosa hid the Pendulum Gods only to notice multiple colors all around flying around them.
"What in the world?" Yoko asked in shock seeing the colors as she looked to see a massive dragon roaring in agony.
Just then the two witnessed the dragon split, and some dragons flew towards the colors as Kosa, and Yoko yelled out growing unconscious from the colors.
The two slowly woken up looking around confused but they see the hollowed out boulder. They turned to each other before walking together to somewhere to investigate.
YOKO: We woken up but we didn't know where we are... we realized the world was split years later.
KOSA: The Pendulum Gods followed us, but we didn't seen Akuma anywhere. We thought he must've gotten blown to another world somewhere but he's back, and found them. I kept guard over the Pendulum Gods often visiting there location for years. Yoko, made her living in this city to try living a normal life where she met Yusho, and had Yuya.
End Flashback...
Yuya looked stunned hearing that as he looked at his Pendulum. "That... but what if the Pendulum Gods get free somehow?"
"Ever since the world split apart, they've been quiet, at least that's what I thought until Yoko told me about your cards Yuya." Kosa answered.
"When you first Pendulum Summoned, I knew it must be some kind of connection." Yoko spoke recalling the duel Yuya had done with the Sledgehammer. "I don't know if it's something from the Pendulum Gods, or what else but I do know that it should mean that soon they will be free even if we are trying to prevent it."
Hikari frowned, if they were as dangerous as they said could the Professor even control them?
Yuya looked down uncertainly. "What if you dumped the box in the ocean? Nobody could get it right?"
"The box was designed to be indestructible. Nothing can destroy it. So there wasn't a need to place it in the ocean, the only way to open it is with the key." Kosa spoke over to him.
Yuya frowned as he gripped his Pendulum.
"As long as Akuma doesn't have that, he can't open the box." Yoko told him.
"But he will come to look for it." Hikari spoke that he will look for it, and lives can be in danger cause of it.
"I... what if we destroy the Pendulum instead?" Yuya asked nervously.
"Hikari already asked us that question. It will disrespect the history of our ancestor when the Pendulum Gods were first sealed as it carried high significance." Yoko explained over to Yuya.
Yuya frowned before his eyes widened. "What about Allie, Frederick, Tate? What if Akuma goes after Zuzu!?"
"It's possible. But we will do our best to protect them. Right now Akuma knows nothing of them, or has a reason to be after them. He's after us, those who witnessed him, or has what he wants." Kosa answered assuring Yuya that as long as his friends don't know about Akuma, they'll be fine.
Hikari frowned. "I... I should go, he'll be after me right?"
"He will. But he will be after Kosa too alongside Yuya." Yoko said to her. "It be better if we stay together so we can stop this madness."
Hikari frowned a bit, she needed privacy to message her sisters and the Professor. She then gets an idea getting up.
"Where you going?" Kosa asked her.
"Bathroom."
"Just up the stairs in the hall to your right." Yoko called where it is.
"Thanks." Hikari nodded going upstairs to the bathroom and activated her Duel Disk.
She manages to make a connection, and messaged over first to her sisters.
"Grace, Gloria... I learned something unbelievable... the five dimensions were originally one, and in that original dimension, and the Standard Dimension there are incredibly dangerous gods..." Hikari started as she explained what Yoko and Kosa told her before pausing. "I don't know if I have time to message the Professor but please let him know, I'm not sure what to do regarding them, but I have found the target... though it's possible she may be attacked by this Akuma."
She waited before then they responded.
"They sound dangerous. You better get them, and keep that girl safe." Gloira.
"The Professor trusted you girl, so do well. *wink emoji*." Grace.
Hikari blushed a bit before nodding and responding with an ok.
Walking down she sighed. "Thank you miss."
"So... we just wait for him?" Yuya asked them.
"Unfortunately we don't know where he's at." Kosa admitted. "So waiting is our best bet."
"Oh, what about that large building I saw?" Hikari asked them. "The... LID building?"
"He can't have been there..." Kosa trailed off cupping his chin.
Meanwhile...
A glasses, silver haired teen was working in his office before a man walked in. "Mr. President?"
"Hm, what is it?" the teen asked calmly.
"We are detecting a huge amount of Pendulum Energy... much more about 4 times as much as when Yuya first Pendulum Summoned." the man said almost in disbelief in what he said.
The man handed him a tablet that the President takes seeing it. Like he said, the Pendulum energy they are detecting is going through the roof... and steadily climbing.
"Where is this coming from?" he asked.
"We are unaware right now... but we do know for something, someone isn't dueling to release it." the teen told him.
Hearing that the man looked at the tablet and frowned.
Ulrich362: Again apologies for the delay.
bopdog111: And sorry about no duels for three chapters in a row. That will change next chapter.
Ulrich362: In a big way, with multiple duels. That said, hopefully it won't be as long a wait. See you in the next chapter.
bopdog111: Be sure to review!