Author's Note:
And the story continues with Chapter 28!
It's pretty long and may be a little confusing with a few storylines happening at the same time. Let me know if it doesn't read well. I've also tried to bring Yusei out of his depressive slump and bring some action back.
As always, thank you all for reading, viewing and reviewing. I can't believe some people are still reading this. You guys are all fantastic.
NineInchNailed.
"We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey."
~Kenji Miyazawa
This has already happened, hasn't it? This isn't just a dejavous. The Fortune Cup is around the corner.
"And what if it has?"
I don't want to live through this again. I hate this. These are…miserable memories. I'm so tired. Make it stop.
"But you're the one doing this."
I'm not! Stop saying that!
"No. You're the only one who can do this, Aki," Divine told her. He always looked like he was about to put his hands on her and yet he rarely did, even though she'd let him as much as he wanted.
"I don't know," she mumbled. Absently, she was looking out towards children gathered for psychic testing. They all had various degrees of psychic powers. She could see it so clearly for some of them: an aura, some more prominent and some so light and hazy it was a blur on film. There was a boy named Toby, who spoke to her a few days back too, about to start a grueling duel versus one of the seasoned Arcadia members. Divine wanted her to go down there and duel against a few of those kids, to really try pushing their limits, before he'd take them away for additional testing.
"I'm asking you, Aki," he said quietly. Firmly. "Please, do as I say."
"Alright, Divine," she agreed mechanically, feeling stupid for having begun protesting. He knew best after all. It'd be fine. It didn't matter what she thought. The day they had met, he had taken her down to Arcadia's testing arena and he had let her hurt him with the Violet Witch's attack. He walked through the pain to embrace her. He promised her peace of mind, a home to stay, love and companionship.
With him, she was the happiest she could be. She only had to obey.
The fifth day since Yusei's encounter with Aki and Jack, arrived.
On the news the anchors were saying that Dueling Academies were going to open at the beginning of next week. There was a live footage of Yeagar explaining the decision. The city council mandated that since the so-called sacrificial duels have stopped that there was no longer danger or the need for quarantine. The dueling ban was also going to be lifted.
Yusei exchanged a few courteous words with the residents of Poppo Time, grabbed breakfast to-go and ducked away into the garage. Today he felt almost completely back to normal. His phantom injury did not even hurt unless he thought about it. And even then, it was more akin to a pulled muscle.
Today he was working towards a goal of getting his D-Wheel up and running by end of day. It was a bit of an unbelievable goal but he thought he could give it a shot.
But things did not go exactly as planned.
Around noon, Carly walked in through the door, as quiet as a mouse. She sat down on the stairs and folded her hands neatly on her lap.
He didn't fail to notice her and that something wasn't right. "Carly. What's wrong?"
"I'm sorry for bothering you, Yusei. But I have no one else left to whom I can talk about this," she said in an unsteady voice. "It was always Aki and then it also became Jack but now…"
Yusei put down the tools and gave her his full attention.
"I saw Jack an hour ago," she said.
"Where?"
"I hung around the FDA… just outside. And then around 10am he rolled out on Wheel of Fortune, I guess to begin looking for people he could force into duels. He saw me, Yusei."
"What happened?"
Carly's bottom lip trembled. She started sniffling. "He saw me but he said he didn't know who I was. I- I ran over to him, you know? Tried to talk to him. He looked at me but like, saw through me, you know? Like I wasn't there. Jack didn't recognize me!"
She doubled over and sobbed then, face in her hands. Yusei walked over and put his hand on her shoulder.
"I-I-I tried to tell him, maybe he was confused or something? But…but…but then he called me a groupie and told me to fuck off and not stand in his way. And then he drove away like…like it was nothing," she finished in-between her weeping.
"I'm so sorry, Carly."
"I just don't know what happened, Yusei. We just had a stupid fight, you know? It wasn't supposed to be this way. Something is just so wrong. Why did this have to happen?"
"We'll get them back," he said to her. An empty promise or the strength of his conviction? Perhaps if he said it out loud to others, enough times, he would start believing in it too.
Carly nodded. She took a little time to calm down, apologizing for taking his time and then thanking him for listening. Before she left he asked her to stay away from FDA and from Jack, in the meantime. Whatever was happening, it was still dangerous. She mumbled something about trying her best but that she couldn't promise.
Yusei returned to work. He quickly became absorbed in it, however his day wasn't yet free from other visitors.
The next person to come was Sherry LeBlanc.
Dressed in her riding gear, she showed up unexpectedly and completely caught him off-guard. Truth be told, he hadn't thought of Sherry in quite a long while. Seeing her now, he realized that he must have assumed that she'd gone back to France. An impossible amount of time seemed to have passed from when he and Aki have gotten together. It was as if a world away. And once he and Aki became a couple, he hadn't given too much thought to anyone else. He had forgotten about a lot of things. In the face of the new enemies and new destiny, having Aki by his side made everything else become so unimportant.
He had been so selfish.
"Yusei, it's been a long time," Sherry greeted him as she made her way down the stairs to the garage. Rua or Ruka must have let her in. "You never called or even bothered with a text!"
"How are you, Sherry?" he asked in his indifferent manner, now semi-permanent.
She smoothed her blonde hair, disheveled from the helmet and the flaws invisible to all but her. "Very well, but it appears there is a lot going on these days. Yesterday, Jack Atlas followed me as I was returning home and tried to force me to duel him."
"Did you?"
"No, I didn't feel like it. So I drove until I lost him."
"Very good."
"What the hell is he up to? I also saw on the news that you were at the hospital a few days back. What's been happening, Yusei? And are you okay?"
"It's a long story. I'm better. Thanks."
Sherry approached and paused with a hand on her hip. She appraised the D-Wheel in repair. "What happened to it?"
"Part of that long story," he answered.
"Was it Jack?"
"Him…and Aki," he said and felt a jab of pain through his estranged, numb state.
"Aki?" Sherry was confused. "Is she out there challenging others to duel too?"
Yusei did not know what to say or where to start, even.
Sherry's next words gave his voice back. "Did the two of you break up or something?"
"No," he said sharply. "She…" She's gone, she's dead. No. No, I don't believe it. I don't believe it…today. But what about tomorrow? Or even in an hour? "-She was taken away. She's no longer herself."
"How is that possible?"
"The same way that Jack had turned against us."
They couldn't continue the conversation because the upstairs door had opened and Ruka peaked in. "Um, Yusei," she interrupted shyly. "Some people are here to see you."
He nodded and excused himself to Sherry. As he neared the door, Ruka quietly and guiltily reached to touch the sleeve of his shirt – the smallest and the shyest of touches – and elaborated: "Yusei…they are Aki-san's parents."
Yusei felt a wave of anxiety rush over him, his unemotional and disinterested mood suddenly scattered. Aki's parents here? To see him? He didn't know how he could possibly face them. If they were here to ask about Aki? What could he say to them?
Nonetheless he made his way to the Poppo Time's living room where Ruka had welcomed them. Hideo and Setsuko Izayoi were sitting side by side, sipping tea and conversing quietly with one another. When he walked in, Senator Hideo got up to greet him and shook his hand.
"Yusei, how have you been? How is your health?" Aki's father exclaimed and Yusei saw that both of them were genuinely glad to see him. They really were nice people. It was also only then that Yusei realized that he was covered in some motor oil and other garage soot, not having paid mind to his appearance. He marveled how Hideo had not recoiled or wiped his hand after their exchange, but he was likely too well-manned a man to do that.
"Well," Yusei responded and greeted Aki's mother who smiled warmly at him.
They all sat down. Hideo, a busy man, cut straight to the chase: "Setsuko and I were hoping to see Aki today. We've been in touch every couple of days since she moved here. But she hasn't been responding to messages from us. So we stopped by."
"Darling, I'm still certain that she is having a lot of fun with her friends and has just forgotten about us. You know how these things are," his wife asserted.
"Oh I'm sure but I would still like to see my daughter. She said when she moved out that she'd come visit at least once a week," Hideo insisted. He was clearly upset that Aki had broken that promise to them.
Real Aki was probably going to. But now… Yusei thought with anguish. He didn't know what to say to these people.
"Yusei, so we take it that our daughter is out right now. When is she coming back?" Aki's mom prompted him.
I don't know. She may never be coming back, he thought. He had respectfully listened and faced them when they spoke even though all he wished to do was not to have to do this. And the worst thing was – he knew he couldn't look into these good people's eyes and lie directly to them. Not when they were so worried about their daughter. He would need to tell the truth or at least attempt to.
"Hideo-sama, Setsuko-sama. Thank you for coming today," he started. "I'm afraid that Aki isn't here today." He paused then, as speaking her name brought him pain and constricted his throat. He swallowed and resumed: "And I don't know when she will be back."
Hideo frowned and his jawline set sternly. "What do you mean? Where is my daughter?"
This is a nightmare, Yusei thought, agitated, but nonetheless he gathered some of his recovered strength and persevered: "She is-"
"She's gone to my French villa yesterday evening and I'm going to meet her there tomorrow," Sherry interrupted as she pranced into the living room.
Yusei took advantage of the interference to get up and pour himself a much-needed glass of water.
"What?" Hideo looked even more confused. "Who are you?"
"I'm Sherry LeBlanc, one of Izayoi Aki's closest friends! It's so nice to finally meet you," she bowed her head, all charisma and bright smiles.
"But Aki never…" Setsuko Izayoi attempted.
"Mentioned me? Doesn't surprise me at all! That girl… Well all these guys are usually the ones taking up all her time," she gestured around the room, at Yusei who sat back down silently, as well as at Rua and Ruka who had been hiding around the corner but have now been called out. The siblings quickly jumped out and waved at the parents, embarrassed.
"Well she always talks about the two of you! Constantly! So I'm glad we finally got this chance," Sherry carried on with her act, a true natural.
"Why did she go to some French villa and not tell us anything?" Hideo asked unhappily but no longer suspiciously.
"It's not some French villa, it's the training spot for the best duelists in the world!" Sherry exclaimed. She had already produced business cards that she had handed to them, further explaining: "We pride ourselves in producing the top results. Anything they teach you at Dueling Academy we improve on. It's especially a place to be with the current dueling ban in Neo Domino right now. Surely you understand? A lot of skill is lost if it's not practiced regularly."
"But why didn't Aki tell us before she left on such a huge trip?" Hideo turned to Yusei again for answers, as if asking why he just let her go while he stayed back. Yusei, sitting and paying close attention to Sherry, was still at a total loss of words.
"Oh it was kind of a rush, that's all," Sherry came to the rescue again. "We have a special promotion in place – I came to a Neo Domino to persuade the whole gang. Crow and Jack went as well but Yusei here insisted he doesn't need the extra training. Oh Yusei. You can be so conceited sometimes," she let out an exaggerated sigh and smiled at him.
"Well, you know me," Yusei succeeded in saying something.
"I do and I know you're King of Games and think you can't be toppled over but just you wait! Once Iz- once Aki, Jack and Crow are back from France, you better watch your back! You may lose that title in no time."
Hideo and Setsuko were listening attentively.
"And again, I'm sorry you couldn't come, Rua and Ruka," Sherry turned and acknowledged them with a genuinely sad expression. "But your passports are expired and your parents weren't here to take care of them… Hopefully you two can come next time!"
Rua and Ruka started nodding along enthusiastically.
"Hmm, okay, we understand," Aki's mother sighed and spoke to her husband, "You know how Aki is about her dueling, Hideo. Plus her friends went there too. I'm disappointed she left without telling us but I'm sure she will get in touch with us soon."
"Right. When is she supposed to be coming back? Yusei said he doesn't know when," Hideo asked.
"Oh, they'll be probably done soon," Sherry was avoiding putting a timeline on this and Yusei was thankful for her efforts.
"When?" Hideo pressed.
"Oh, probably by next week. Maybe sooner! But likely next week," Sherry gave up and conjured a date but quickly rambled on. "And you know, I just bet she'll write something to you soon but hey, the way we run that program – they train day and night. And they're having so much fun I bet they forget. Did Jack or Crow get in touch with any of you since they left?" she turned to remaining Signers for support.
Ruka blushed. Yusei still could not force a direct lie out. But Rua was fast on his feet. "No! And you know Crow, he's constantly texting us all his updates – if he doesn't say a thing for days, you just now they're all having a blast! Ugh," he exclaimed in frustration and grabbed his head. "I'm so upset we didn't have our passports!"
"Hopefully you both can come in the next couple of months," Sherry encouraged.
"Okay, I guess we received our answers," senator Izayoi stood up and Setsuko with him. "Thank you all for your hospitality and for watching over our Aki. We did hope we'd see our daughter today, rather than hear that she'd just get up and leave the country without telling us… But I guess that's what young people do these days," he looked sadly at his wife who smiled compassionately and took his arm.
Yusei looked away. His heart broke seeing them and hearing them. If only they knew the truth. Aki would have never done this to them.
Hideo sighed and studied the business card. "Well, we'll give this number a call, just in case. Maybe they can put us through to Aki. I could use the sound of her voice. Thank you all again and have a good rest of the day."
All the Poppo Time inhabitants walked them out and promised to reach out as soon as possible when they'd hear from Aki (except for Yusei who was a tight-lipped ghost) and watched them get into the limo and depart.
Once the vehicle was out of the view, Yusei turned to Sherry. "Thank you."
She combed her hair with her fingers and smiled at him. "Don't mention it. I thought you could use some help."
"I did. I owe you," Yusei agreed. Then he simply turned and started making his way down to the garage again, only detouring by the kitchen to grab a bottle of water.
Rua and Ruka left him alone, knowing his new routine, but Sherry followed after him. He was hoping to continue working in peace so he pulled on a torch mask, still keeping the visor up, and turned to look at her. It was clear she still wanted something. "What can I do for you, Sherry?"
"Are you just going to work on your D-Wheel?" she asked. "What else are you doing to get Jack and Izayoi back?"
"There is nothing I can do right now," he said with some effort but he had to admit weakness if he were ever to get back to the way he used to be.
"Izayoi's parents won't be convinced long. You have maybe a week," she estimated. "Sorry but I couldn't make up an extravagant amount of time."
"No, I understand. Thank you."
"Then what are you planning to do?"
"I won't know until I finish fixing my D-Wheel." Once I can do that, I can begin thinking of what we can do. One thing at a time. It was as Martha had always said: being physically active takes your mind off your problems. If you move your body and work, the pain of a broken heart doesn't hurt at all. And the people of Satellite have always been experts when it came to overcoming sadness and pain. He had to finish this task before he could move on.
"It looks like it will take you a week."
"No. I'll be finished by nighttime."
"You sure?" she raised her eyebrows, appraising the broken machinery.
"It may not look like much but the engine is running."
"Then maybe you can do something for me, Yusei. You owe me for what I've said to Izayoi's parents."
"What do you want?"
"If you finish your D-Wheel tonight, come with me to FDA."
"What do you know about it?"
"Well, the most exclusive hot dueling club in Neo Domino and I've never been. Besides," she smiled. "Won't we find Jack and Izayoi there?"
He did not return a smile. "Yes."
"Then let's go take a look. I'll be back by nighttime. You better be ready, Fudo Yusei," she waved and turned to leave. "I still need to give Mizoguchi a call and coach him with answering the phone properly when senator Izayoi calls asking about his daughter and this training facility. Maybe you should also mention to Crow that he avoids being seen around the city to help my story."
As the Fortune Cup approached, it was a day as any other day for Aki. She had begun living at Arcadia headquarters. They had given her a spacious room, food, ability to do anything she wanted and, most important of all, acceptance. Community. By day she studied and dueled, as freely as she was always meant to. She grew stronger and her skill advanced every day.
By night she continued hitting the dueling underground but she had never felt afraid again. She was stronger than anyone else. She was untouchable.
That evening she thought she would visit an area on the outskirts of Neo Domino that was infamous for its regular street duels. There was even talk of some Satellite escapees attending there while on the run from police.
"Be a bad girl today, Aki," Divine had whispered into her ear as she prepared to leave. He had stopped her in the lobby while she was fastening the hooded cloak about herself. His breath tickled her and she kept her eyes lowered the way she'd often done around him and the way he once told her he liked.
"Will you be bad or good?" he teased.
He baited for her to disagree and see how that would turn out. "I would be bad, as you've asked me Divine."
"Excellent," he smiled. "Because when you're bad you are at your most beautiful."
"Thank you."
He remained standing behind her, not doing or saying much. Just standing close, as if deciding what to do next. She waited resigned a few seconds but then fixed the cloak about her and walked away, giving him a fleeting smile. "I'll be back soon, Divine."
He nodded and watched her as she left.
She made a grand entrance at the street when she arrived. If anyone wanted to be challenged, this is how they'd know who this was.
"It's the witch!" the pathetic squeals and screams have started just as she had summoned the Black Rose Dragon. The dragon spread its wings wide and bellowed, sending shocks of wind and rabble, antennae breaking through the asphalt on the street.
"It's her, it's the Black Rose Witch!"
"Run, run for your lives!"
Aki stood, laughing silently behind the mask, watching the panic and fear with glee. Yes, be afraid. Run and be afraid. Sniveling and useless, every single one of them, none brave enough to challenge her.
The revolting red mark which ruined her life, burned and pulsated a crimson light on her forearm, the way it often did when she exercised her powers. If there was anything she wished at times like these, was to perhaps flay her skin and to get rid of it. At least the pain hardly bothered her. You can get desensitized to everything, huh?
Her dragon hovered by her side. Debris flew. There was smoke in the air. Screams. She observed with pleasure, a small pained smile hidden behind the mask. To induce fear in others was her ultimate power, Divine had told her and she believed him. She had a purpose in this world. And so she had begun enjoying the fear she elicited from ours. She embraced it. She'd accepted being a witch, Arcadia's pawn, and a monster unlike any other.
A figure had appeared amid smoke. Ah, finally, a challenger. Perhaps he was trying to test his own bravery. Her smile grew wider imagining how she'd destroy any and all duelists in her path, starting with this one today. She held her duel disk, cards in hand, ready to battle.
The figure ran out and stopped, some six metres away. A few others joined by his side. Dust and smog dissipated. It was some guy. Wild black hair, a criminal marker on his cheek, a serious expression on his face. He looked to be one of those Satellite residents rumoured to be loitering here today; he's done prison time too. Importantly though, he wasn't holding a duel disk? What gives? Did he treat this as a joke?
Aki was about to order Black Rose Dragon to attack him regardless (Aki, you must attack even when they've surrendered, even if they don't want to fight, please promise me that you'll never show mercy, Divine had whispered heatedly to her) when a flash of bright red suddenly froze her in place and she had gasped.
His arm. This random guy's arm. He had the mark – the same one as hers. It shone just as brightly, just as scorching.
"You…too?" she mumbled despite herself, shocked to the core.
The guy appeared to have understood and glanced upon his forearm. Then he faced her.
"You too?" he echoed her words. And then he began walking towards her.
Aki felt monstrous crippling panic the way she'd never felt before. She couldn't let him near her! "The detestable mark!" she screamed and slapped a Magic card on her duel disk, summoning a column of light. She let the gale and wreckage blow about her and used the diversion to run away.
She ran until her lungs felt like they would burst and her breath came in short wheezing gasps. She turned to an alley, pressed her back against the wall and slid down. A shaking hand reached for her mask and she removed it, trying to calm down.
The guy had this cursed red mark. That same mark that she got when she was eight years old and her powers had manifested for the first time. The mark of the evil Crimson Dragon that Divine had told her about, the mark which was an ugly part of her.
This random duelist from Satellite was like her. He shared this with her.
He was more like her than anyone in the Arcadia Movement. Or in her whole life.
A few hours had passed by the time she had returned. She was confused, agitated and yet somehow exhilarated. Thoughts were spinning in her head.
"That took a long time, did you have some good duels?" Divine had asked her when she walked into his office to check-in before bed time.
"Um. Y-" she stopped. That was the first time she'd attempted lying to Divine but she had thankfully caught herself in time. What might he have done if she did? "No. Sorry. Something else had happened." And she told him about her evening and what she had seen on that unknown duelist.
Divine didn't seem awfully impressed, at all. "And you retreated?" he asked, focusing on one part of the tale. "You didn't show off Arcadia's power the way I had asked you?"
She had lowered her gaze and folded her hands obediently in front of her. "I'm sorry, Divine. I had only started. But then I saw that mark and I-"
"The Fortune Cup tournament is coming up and we have a mission," he interrupted strictly and got up from his desk, approaching her. "If they don't know what Arcadia Movement is then how can you win against King Jack Atlas? How can you help me fight against Yliaster? If they don't know what you're capable of then they won't care and they won't be afraid."
"I'm sorry," she repeated in a small voice.
He sighed. He took a little time to pace about while thinking. Then he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Alright. Just don't let this happen again. Forget about that mark… The mark of the evil Crimson Dragon that Yliaster is looking to use for its own gain. It's no surprise that some others have it. But you have to remember, Aki – they are all on the side of Yliaster. They have all been brainwashed. Arcadia is the only one who knows the truth. Right?"
"Right."
"So forget about it today. Stop thinking. And tomorrow, make sure to duel the way you were supposed to, okay?"
Aki nodded and he let her go.
It took a long time for her to fall asleep that night. She tossed and turned, replaying the strange events in her mind. Divine was right, there shouldn't have been anything different, there wasn't anything special that had occurred, she shouldn't have panicked and ran…
And yet. The red mark. It had appeared on someone else. He had felt its pain too, she saw it on his face. They were connected somehow. Even if he was part of Yliaster…even if he was the enemy… Did this mean that there were others out there? Maybe others who had been branded in the same traumatic way as she had been? Was it possible that there were other people to whom she was more connected to, on a psychological, almost primitive level, than Arcadia?
No. It couldn't have been. It was sinful to think that way, especially about the enemies of Arcadia. She had to stop. She had nothing in common with anyone else. She was all alone.
She had rolled over and buried her face in the pillow. She forced herself to begin breathing slowly. To relax. To purge thoughts from her head. To have nothing remain. Until she had finally succeeded and fell into uneasy sleep.
At half past ten in the evening, Yusei and Crow stood waiting outside of Poppo Time next to their perspective D-Wheels. Unfortunately Crow had come home, interrogated Yusei until he revealed Sherry's plan for tonight, and insisted on tagging along. Thankfully Bruno was around and was able to conjure up a fake ID for him on the spot. And Yusei did not have energy to fight him about it anymore, especially not after their recent talk. He supposed he could use his remaining friends' support during this difficult time.
Sherry pulled up on her bike and laughed at their disguises: Yusei still wore those inconspicuous clothes that Bruno got him but Crow, on short notice, tied a dirty bandana to hide the entirety of his bright hair, hung an old pair of Carly's glasses on his nose, and pulled on an extra-large flannel shirt he dug out of the corner of the garage that could have belonged to Bruno or to some nameless hobo who used to inhabit here.
"You both look ridiculous. Especially Crow. What's with those glasses?"
"Hey, I got home ten minutes ago, I had to improvise! Yusei, you sure she's not blacklisted like us?"
"I'm sure," Yusei answered distantly.
"Anybody else coming with us?" Sherry asked, looking around. "The rest of your roommates?"
"I didn't keep it a secret from them but Rua and Ruka didn't seem interested in trying their luck," Crow provided answers. "Bruno is already sleeping and Carly…probably also."
"Well okay, I've got my necessary entourage," Sherry smiled and began driving away. "Let's go!"
Crow gave his best friend another anxious look. "You're certain you want to do this? Even your D-Wheel is still not 100%."
Yusei pulled on a helmet. "The engine is running the same way as before. The outside will be smoothed out later."
"What about seeing Jack and Aki?"
Yusei sped off without providing his answer. Crow had no chance but to follow suit, marveling that Yusei did not lie to him as the bike was as fast and efficient as before.
They eventually caught up to Sherry and then soon neared the enormous abandoned building that belonged to Free Duelists Association. In the back of the building, there was a massive expansion in progress. Cranes, bulldozers, construction workers still occupied in the late hours. How were they doing this without somebody noticing and flagging to the City Hall?
The three made it inside without any trouble. Sherry marveled at the dueling stadiums taking up multiple stories, the shops and the mall this appeared to be. Late in the evening it was still very alive and full of duelists but lesser than during usual hours.
"This city has been so boring with a dueling ban. I wish I had come here sooner!" Sherry sighed.
Yusei was glancing around for anyone recognizing them, on high alert for Jack and Madhi in Aki's body.
"See them?" Crow mouthed to him.
"No."
Sherry strutted over to the ranking console and looked herself up. "Ranked number 7! That's outrageous! Oh but I have a bunch of pending dueling requests. Let's see if there is anyone here worth my time."
"Sherry, are you actually considering a duel today?" Crow was amazed. "Knowing that this place is, you know, evil?"
She shrugged. "Why not? Would be fun. My last days in Neo Domino this year. Might as well try to make them somewhat exciting."
"If you're comfortable here, can I leave?" Yusei spoke up. He was acutely tense and on edge.
Sherry looked surprised and a little upset. "You hate it so much you can't stay even for one of my duels?"
Yusei didn't get a chance to respond because an excited voice exclaimed, "Yusei, it is you, isn't it?"
He turned and saw a boy, well, a teenager, who looked familiar. Another few seconds and he placed him: the boy whom he dueled what felt like eternity ago in his first sacrificial duel. Whom he and Aki took to the hospital and were able to save in time.
"Takashi!"
The boy beamed. "You remembered me!"
"How could I not?"
"Well a King meets a lot of people I bet," Takashi smiled bashfully. "I thought it was you! But you look so different with that hat."
"I'm not exactly allowed in here anymore," Yusei explained and gestured to Crow and Sherry. "Takashi, these are my friends."
They all properly introduced themselves to the young duelist who continued radiating happiness at meeting friends of his idol. "Are you sure you're sixteen?" Crow asked him.
"Not quite," the teenager laughed. "You can still get a fake ID these days." Crow joined in on the laughter and high-fived him.
Takashi then promptly asked Yusei: "So I did see you removed from the dueling list. Have you actually been banned from here, Yusei? How can that be! You're the King!"
"I'm…in disagreement with the owner of this place."
"Who, that Higuchi official? Why?"
The two Signers exchanged a quick look amongst each other.
"Sorry, Higuchi who?" Yusei inquired from the boy, carefully.
"Higuchi….ummm…Tetsuo, I think?"
"We don't know who that is," Yusei answered.
"But that's the owner. Who else? I think he's doing something in politics, a senator maybe. See, there he is," and Takashi pointed at the announcer's box on the top level.
They all quickly turned to look and Yusei felt his insides turn cold. Up there, behind the glass, was a tall businessman, likely somewhere around sixty years of age, dressed in a pristine gray suit. His hair was entirely white gray. He was standing and speaking to a frail red-haired girl, dressed in black riding gear.
"Say, Yusei…isn't that your girlfriend?" Takashi's voice reached him from great unspeakable distance.
Dark Aki had sat down sideways on the cozy chair and elegantly folded her legs over the arms. She was nursing a permanent headache that at moments felt like an ice pick behind the eye. It left her muddled and irritated, more than usual at least.
And right now it made her want to rip Higuchi Tetsuo's head off.
"I...I don't know if I want to do this anymore," Higuchi protested. She thought his whining and backpedaling was the most irritating thing.
"After I had lost my son…after you took him away from me," he resumed in an emotional voice.
She rolled her eyes. "I did no such thing," she laughed. "He was chosen to be my vessel. I had triggered his awakening. Now, I wasn't expecting that body to become a casualty. That surprised me. But it's lasted long enough to help achieve our goals."
"I don't want those goals of yours anymore!" Higuchi yelled. "You killed my son!"
She leapt from her seat and was suddenly at his throat. Even though it was in another body, that of a delicate-looking girl, that creepy primordial strength still pumped through. "Screw you, Higuchi. You told me what you wanted and I worked my ass off to make it happen for you. Not my fault you're suddenly soft the second destruction hits close to home. Oh but when I had poured myself into sacrificial duels and killed everyone else to help you on your path, suddenly it's a no go?"
Higuchi tried to push her away but she laughed at his futility. Maybe now he wished he didn't leave his bodyguards outside!
"Are you in or are you out?" she hissed. "The show can go on without you. I don't need you. You need me."
The older businessman tried to say something but he was choking. She wouldn't let him go until she heard something resembling, "In." Then she released him and he gasped for breaths, pulling off the tie. His face had turned maroon by this point.
"Now, it's time for you to make a speech. They're returning dueling back to the city starting Monday. You need to convince them why your technology is better than the outdated Kaiba electronics from 2000s. It's time for technical evolution."
"But what will happen when duels are legal? Why would they want to continue coming here, using my tech?"
"Are you stupid? We talked about this. I'm restarting the sacrificial duels to aid your cause. They won't use it if they're afraid of it."
Higuchi had caught his breath and fixed his tie back. Then slicked back his hair. "Fine. When can I speak?"
"Go there and get it over with. The presentation has already been set up," Dark Aki gestured to an exclusive balcony just outside and rubbed her hands hard over her forehead.
Higuchi went out and was greeted by his bodyguards.
She continued rubbing her face, not reacting when Jack Atlas neared her. "What are you doing?" the dimwitted blonde jock asked. "You don't look great."
"What does it look like, you nimrod? My head fucking hurts."
"Ever heard of painkillers?"
"Fuck you, Jack. I took plenty. What do you want? Don't you have some kingly duties to attend to?"
"True," Jack agreed and departed in the direction of his own private throne room.
"You're welcome," she hissed under her breath.
Higuchi took the platform and spoke into a microphone that boomed over the multiplex, asking for attention and for duels to come to a halt.
"For those of you who do not know of me. I am senator Higuchi Tetsuo. I have created the Free Duelists Association. Thank you all for being here tonight and for supporting the true cause of freedom and dueling! This place couldn't have been such a success without every single one of you!"
All the crowds cheered and whistled.
"Today is a momentous occasion. I am here to announce a new alternative to Momentum, that we have been developing for the past two years! Come Monday, it will become available exclusively to FDA members."
This announcement was met with some applause but mostly with murmurs.
"As you all know, our city – the most beautiful city in the world – has been riddled with disasters for many, many years now. We can all pinpoint it to a single source. A single cause. Momentum."
Crow glanced over at Yusei whose expression was as stoic as ever. He was listening to the man speaking but paying close attention to the figure of Aki on the far distance. She'd just gotten rid of Jack and was lounging about, holding her head.
"Momentum was supposed to bring renewable energy and enhance the dueling experience," the FDA owner went on. "But it is a fickle technology that is riddled with errors. And a single error brings with it unspeakable disaster. The way it started was with Zero Reverse. Already from its birth Momentum brought destruction. Families devastated. Children killed. And with it rose the poverty, the ghettos."
Yusei had to tear his eyes away from Aki and to stare at the ground. He suddenly wasn't feeling great. It felt like his blood pressure had begun dropping…about a hundred points.
"Now you say to me that it has been fixed. That the city has been reborn with the connection of Daedalus bridge and Neo Domino and Satellite districts. That poverty is at all time low, that economy is booming. That Momentum has stabilized and brought the renewable energy we all enjoy today. But that's not true. It's all an appearance hiding the true nature of what's happening to the city. Our city has a disease. It's been hidden beneath the surface but it has begun rotting at this city, poisoning all of its citizens from the inside."
"What the hell is he ranting about?" Crow whispered to no one in particular and chuckled. "He's a nutjob like Mahdi. Birds of flock stick together, huh?"
Yusei said nothing but directed a still gaze at the spokesman.
A large screen detracted from the ceiling as Higuchi resumed speaking. He began showing images on the main TV and which also multiplied across all the screens in the building.
Images of some diseased people flashed, some quite disturbing, and this drew anxious murmurs from the crowd. "Genetic disorders on a rise. Cancer. Mutation," Higuchi emphasized each word with an array of corresponding photos. "Of course, psychic duelists also. The sudden appearance of their powers. A mutation in the brain, triggered by the radiation of Momentum." He flipped through a series of previously high security Arcadia photo archives, showing duelists who used Monsters to hurt others, experiments on kids, and in one of the images it was possible to catch a glimpse of Aki from years back, in the background.
"What a load of crap, huh, Yusei?" Crow nudged him but was met with silence. Sherry and Takashi were also ignoring his comments.
"And so many others," Higuchi said with a dramatic sigh of frustration. "And how many other diseases and events do we not know of? Here is the most recent one. I bet all of you know someone who was affected by this." He changed the slide and showed a duelist inside a Sutek Sacrifico seal, bleeding and laughing at the expense of his dead opponent. "Doesn't this look familiar to everyone?"
The stadium broke out in conversation, some yelling. The senator let this go on for awhile, basking in the feedback while deliberately going through images of the deadly duels and then the aftermath of corpses and crying families inside hospitals.
"I can't believe I've tried to do that," Takashi whispered in a nearly inaudible voice, face flushed from shame. His eyes were disturbed from the content they were all shown and from his own recollections.
Yusei placed a hand on his shoulder. "Don't."
"Momentum has brought all of this. It's a disease," Higuchi barked with genuine disgust. "It's spread its radiation like a virus and it's affected everything in its way. How many other cases do we not know of? How many of you are sick without knowing RIGHT NOW?"
The panic and commotion was rampant in the multiplex. It was hard to tell who was genuinely affected by this presentation or who disagreed but it all took on a cacophony of upset noise.
"So as you can see it's not just the errors of that technology that are dangerous – the biggest danger is that it's been slowly impacting everything on the molecular level. It is dangerous. Archaic. And this city is in peril every day that it runs. And as you probably heard, the municipal government disagrees. Mayor Yeagar mandated that it is safe to use, that dueling is not dangerous despite all the evidence to the contrary. Despite so many people who suffered. And who knows how many more people will start up those sacrificial duels once the dueling is made legal again? Who knows how many had their brains scrambled with Momentum?"
There was a murmur of agreement within all the noise and Higuchi had to speak up over it as people would not calm down.
"Now, we are here to discuss a new alternative to Momentum. It exists and it is safe and entirely error-free. There is no radiation, nothing. Momentum that was supposed to help run Solid Vision is faulty and dangerous. Today, I introduce to you Freedom Forward."
With that the images on the screen changed and began showing a massive energy source transmitter that looked a lot like Momentum, albeit wider and shorter in volume and its electric particles were red unlike the clear white and purple Momentum rays.
"It is situated right below, in the sublevels of this building. It has been appreciated as a 100% safer, environmentally cleaner and an error-free system. And it will be live on Monday!" he exclaimed and started applauding to himself.
The crowds weren't as enthusiastic as he was but the majority joined in after awhile. The Signers and their friends did not move a muscle.
"But here is an additional benefit that Freedom Forward provides that Momentum doesn't. Kaiba Corporation has introduced the technology of Solid Vision but it did not improve it. Now with Freedom Forward, coupled with Arcadia research, the dueling experience will be better than ever before."
He proceeded to show a video of some unknown duelists trying out duel disks powered by Freedom Forward. The duel disks glowed red with the new technology. But what was remarkable was the power generated by them. The duel monsters looked more real than ever before, it was noticeable even through the video. And while they were not 100% materialized, they were very close – the screeches and flights of monsters sent about real gusts of wind. That appeared to be the direct contribution of classified Arcadia research in this.
"It's exactly what you see!" Higuchi talked excitedly. "Freedom Forward helps materialize Solid Vision in a safe and exciting manner – which enhances the dueling practice but does not cause any danger whatsoever. Brighter colors, louder sounds, no glitches, effects that are almost real, sending slight vibrations and wind as you play. It's a new technology and a new way for the new generation!"
The stadium has started cheering again. This was very exciting indeed!
"And come Monday, I encourage all FDA members to attend and to partake in the first live duels with Freedom Forward!"
The cheering resumed and got louder.
"Thank you, I thank all of you very much. Your support and participation will not only make this city a safer place but the best city it can be!" Higuchi applauded himself and wrapped up. "Thank you! See you all on Monday!"
And with the crowds still showering praises and excitement on him he turned off the presentation and was escorted by his bodyguards back into the controlling room.
"Wow…I don't even…" Crow mumbled. "After all that. It was a sales pitch. For some new bullshit tech."
"What did you make of it, Yusei?" Sherry directed her attention only to him.
"Looks like they had to act fast with legalization of duels next week," was his input.
"What did you think?" Higuchi asked the deity which used to possess his oldest and now deceased son and had now migrated into a poor girl.
"You've laid on the information too thickly and jumped into self-promotion too quickly," she grumbled, holding a wet cloth over forehead. "You've lost some of them this way."
"Once we launch officially it won't matter," Higuchi answered, wiping sweat off his face with a handkerchief. "Word of mouth will spread."
"And it will be harder to keep Public Security and the City Hall off our backs. You can't pay off everyone for long. They will come here."
"They don't have a monopoly over dueling and technological invention!" Higuchi growled. "Let them come and see what I have achieved. On Monday, a new world order will begin. And they will all see how wrong they've been about me."
"You're a reckless idiot, Higuchi, but whatever works for you," she said while absently studying the list of ongoing and upcoming duels, on the wall.
"I have attained more success than they could have imagined. You know what, I wish they'd come here now to see the FDA and Freedom Forward and the crowd that adores this."
She hummed some agreement distantly.
"I'm a busy man, so I must depart to attend to other affairs now," Higuchi concluded and looked at the dueling list alongside. "Is Sho in battle? Do you see him anywhere on cameras? We have to leave."
She did not hear him. Instead she jumped to her feet and suddenly screamed: "What the hell?"
"I think this is exciting!" Takashi exclaimed. "A new way to duel, that's also safe from Momentum!"
Yusei said nothing but Crow came to defense. "Takashi-kun, that was all crap and cheap scare tactics. Momentum is not dangerous. They made all of that up."
Takashi stared in disbelief. "Why do you say that? They had pictures."
"Of unrelated events!"
"I almost died if it wasn't for Yusei saving me in time! Are you saying those creepy duels did not happen?"
"They happened because those people up there made them happen!" Crow exclaimed and pointed up at the announcer room at the top of multiplex, not realizing that their bickering was starting to attract attention from bystanders.
"Crow, stop it," Yusei hushed him.
"Yusei, it's the truth!" Crow snapped.
"It's not important right now."
"He's right, it isn't," Sherry joined in, having returned from the dueling console, having departed while they were arguing. "What's more important right now is whether or not you guys stay while I try this place out. I'm starting a duel in Arena 5."
"I'll stay but I'd rather go see if I can find Jack," Crow said. "Maybe talk to him."
"Don't," Yusei cautioned.
"Hell if I don't even try, Yusei!" Crow snapped at him again. "Somebody needs to give that brainwashed mule a good punch to the face. He'll wake right up."
"I think I'm gonna go and find my friends now," Takashi announced, starting to feel clearly out of place.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" an accusing, harsh (but oh, so hideously familiar) voice sounded and they all saw Aki approach them.
Yusei recoiled almost as if he was shoved away. Crow stepped back also. Sherry remained in her spot, proud and straight in posture.
"We're here to talk to Jack," Crow found words to respond to that thing.
"Was I talking to you, Hogan Crow? Shut your mouth," she snarled and faced Sherry. "Why are you here, Sherry?" Crow in the meantime reluctantly pulled off his ridiculous glasses and bandana, disguise futile now.
The blonde beauty laughed and glanced over at shell-shocked Yusei. "Are you sure you've got it right? Are you sure that's not Izayoi after all?"
"You look at me when I talk to you," Dark Aki hissed and stepped forward. "And stay away from him."
"You know what, maybe we all could just leave right now. What do you think, Yusei?" Crow piped-in, having decided that perhaps they should all get the hell away and come up with a plan of sorts for next time.
Yusei said nothing, heard nothing, he only continued staring at Aki, eyes large. Didn't she look a little thinner, a little gaunter, just a bit more crazed and a lot less Aki? Only five days…what did this thing do already?
"You can't tell me what to do, Izayoi," Sherry said proudly, "Yusei brought me here. I'm on the dueling list."
Dark Aki glared angrily and then frowned and suddenly looked perplexed. "What?"
"That's right, I'm on a list and I'm about to duel someone," Sherry replied.
"Who cares," Dark Aki mumbled astonished. "I don't even know who you are!"
Sherry stepped back at this point, closer to Yusei and subtly put her hand on his elbow. "Yusei, what's wrong with her? Is she crazy?"
Crow joined in on the huddle, put his arms around both of them and declared under his breath: "I'm still of opinion that all of us should get the hell out of here today. Yusei?" – he looked directly into his frozen, wide-eyed stare, still locked upon their ex-teammate – "Yusei. Snap out of it. Hey."
"I don't want to bail on my duel," Sherry said loudly, shrugging off Crow's arm.
"Then don't," Dark Aki answered and turned around to leave. Just as quickly she turned back. "Duel me."
"What the hell is wrong with you, Izayoi?" Sherry demanded.
Dark Aki laughed and it was a melodious dark sound. "What's your name again, girl?"
"You know who she is," Crow intervened. "You said her name earlier. Sherry LeBlanc."
A slow crooked smile. "I don't know you but this previous form does. This dead girl had negative memories of you. They've seeped through and clouded my judgement," she giggled and nodded at Yusei's direction. "A duel unfinished. Where he came to your side and stopped her from hurting you. From defeating you."
"Is she talking about that night…" Sherry trailed off.
At this point Yusei stepped up in front of Sherry, as if shielding her. "There will be no continuation of that duel."
"You're hurting my feelings again, Osiris," Dark Aki grinned. "Don't you remember how unfair it was to take Sherry's side? Don't you remember how you made her cry?" she laughed and taunted: "Poor, misunderstood Izayoi Aki. At least you made up to her later that night. Made her feel all sorts of new things. Even made her cry a little, again. That good, huh?"
Yusei paled noticeably.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…okay," Crow jumped out in front of Sherry and motionless Yusei, the person between them and Dark Aki. "You know what, all is cool right now. We're leaving, Aki. Call it a night? Cool."
"Hogan Crow, do you ever know when to fuck off?" Dark Aki yelled. "None of this concerns you. Ever. Why are you always putting your nose where you don't belong? Why are you always around? For fuck's sake!"
"Okay, that's it," Crow lost it, face red, and almost launched at her (he wasn't even sure what he'd do, whether to yell at her face or to push her) but Yusei's hand shot out to his shoulder and stopped him in his tracks.
"We are leaving," he said to the one who'd stolen the person who mattered the most.
"You and Hogan Crow, get out and let me never see you here again," she agreed and nodded towards a bouncer. "But Sherry stays and duels me in my new form. You see how gratious I am? I'm making my dead host's wish come true!"
"You lie through your teeth," Yusei finally said quietly, dangerously. Aki is not dead. I believe this. I believe this. I believe she is not gone, he repeated to himself as he faced those wild, foreign eyes staring back at him from the face he had loved.
"Oh but I do not. Her whole body has drowned in her poison," Dark Aki giggled. "She's let it saturate into her pores. She's gone but these memories remained, twitching like reflexes of the nervous system. Like a body convulsing after beheading. All of her has breathed-in her memories and I have seen them." She placed her hand seductively over the left breast. "The very heart circulates longing for you, Osiris, throughout this dead flesh. It thumps, oh so sweetly."
"I'll duel you," Sherry spoke up for herself and muttered under her breath, "crazy bitch."
"I will kill you!" Dark Aki exclaimed happily and gestured at the two Signers to the approaching bouncer. "These are trespassers, get them out of here and do your job better next time: never let them in here."
"No," Yusei did not move a muscle, still standing on guard in front of Sherry and hanging on to Crow who was shaking from fury. "Duel me. In her place." Aki is alive. She's in there. I'm going to save her. Tonight.
Dark Aki frowned. "You? No. I don't care about that. She's the one I'm going to kill today."
"Yusei, let me at her!" Sherry said angrily. "You don't need to protect me from this little bitch. I'll defeat her in my slee-"
Yusei turned and gave her such a sudden look of ferocity that Sherry's voice failed. "You and I," he said to Dark Aki and faced her again, a glare of cold steel in his eyes. "We duel. Just you and I, again."
"Why should I? You lost to me once already. You were so weak and pathetic, falling off your D-Wheel. Why should I waste my time with your nonsense again?"
"You lost?" Sherry breathed out in shock and Takashi, who had stayed back after all, gasped out loud.
Yusei ignored them. "You will be free to challenge and duel whomever you want to afterwards."
"Not enough. I can do this anyway, right now. Come on, stop wasting my time."
Yusei hesitantly reached into his duel deck and produced the Sky Dragon of Osiris. "You can have this, if you win."
"Ha!" she laughed hard. "I could have taken it from you last time but I left it for you! I don't care about it. I never needed it once I found who Osiris was. Its power is useless. It's the weakest of all Egyptian Gods, just like you."
"Then," he brought out the card that held his heart and soul. "This one?"
"Stardust Dragon," she uttered, eyebrows raised. "It's even weaker than the Egyptian God card. It's nothing to me. What are you trying to pull?"
"It's capable of performing miracles. It is everything I stand for. It leads my Signer destiny. Don't you know this?"
"So what?"
"Because when I use it today, I will destroy you and I will save Aki."
She laughed hard. "You really believe that? How stupid, how naïve. I told you she's dead. You have nothing to fight for."
"Are you afraid of losing?"
Her jaw set sternly. "I'm afraid of nothing. Especially not you. Especially not of that useless, weak card."
"Then duel me and if you win, you can have Stardust Dragon. Without it, I am nothing."
"You're nothing with it, too," she giggled but waved at the security guard, so he'd go away. "Alright. But when I win, not only will that ridiculous card belong to me – but I also want you to do something."
"What?"
"When I win I want you to rip it apart with your own hands, into as many pieces as you can," she grinned. "I want to watch you rip your soul apart, Signer. The destiny to which you've held on so strongly, which you've preferred over our primordial conflict. When you lose, you will rip it all apart – and only then, will I agree to this waste of my time."
"Yusei, come on…" Crow muttered, worried.
"Yes, I can handle her myself," Sherry piped in. "I can duel her."
"Deal," Yusei nodded.
"Shake on it?" Dark Aki held out an elegant hand.
Yusei hesitated and then slowly, cautiously reached. When he touched her he winced as if she were made of fire. But she gripped to his hand in a deathly hold and pulled him to her, grinning at him. "Maybe kiss on it too?"
He jerked back and pried his hand out with such speed and strength that it surprised even her, summoning a wave of laughter. "Oh lover, you're so afraid of me. It's almost cute."
"Do we have a deal?"
"Yes. Follow me," she turned and started walking.
"Crow…" Yusei attempted.
"We're not going anywhere anymore," the fellow Signer answered. "We'll be right behind you."
Sherry nodded her accord, too. Yusei only noticed then that Takashi was still with them. "I don't know what's going on, Yusei," the boy said, "But she used to be your girlfriend, didn't she? I remember her."
"Yes."
"You must not lose to her. Not just to save your card. But I think something bad would happen."
"I know."
"I think you can save her," the boy said with conviction and this summoned from him a shadow of a sad smile, the first in days.
"You can!" the boy insisted. "You're the one who can do it, Yusei. You're the true King of Games! My idol! And you saved me."
When Yusei had reached and ruffled the boy's hair, Takashi added, somewhat embarrassed: "Because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. And I'm going back to school on Monday and I will never put myself into trouble like that again!"
"Takashi, then can you leave this place? Don't come back here. This place is trouble."
"But…my friends and I have been coming here every day."
"I can't force you. But this place is bad news. Just try to stay away for now. Can you try?"
Takashi sighed. "Okay. I'll try, Yusei. I'll go find my friends and we will leave now. And hopefully we can meet again. And duel! Properly. The third time!"
"I would be honoured, Takashi. And…thank you."
"What for?" the teenager laughed with surprise and then turned to depart, "Bye now, everyone!"
For being another person who believes in me, Yusei thought and waved. And if he had others' beliefs, it would be the strength he'd need to draw if he were to be victorious today.
"Why the fuck are you still standing here?" Dark Aki returned, seriously angry and starting to mirror that psychotic anger that was characteristic to Mahdi. "I'm leaving. Let's go."
"I need my duel disk."
"I'll give you one."
"I don't want that…new technology."
"You wish," she laughed. "I wouldn't give you one. It's not ready yet. No, good old Momentum-running disk from the son of the man who bestowed that gift upon the world. And cursed it."
He held his tongue and obliged her this time, with Crow and Sherry tagging along with their silent support.
Dark Aki took them to the top floor of the building where there was a large dueling platform for standing duels only. It didn't appear to have been used by other duelists yet. There, they could see the stars and the silver shine of the moon through the extensive glass ceiling.
"Pick up your duel disk there," she pointed at a batch hanging on the wall for any duelist who needed to borrow FDA property for the duel. She picked up one as well and headed to the other side of the field.
Yusei (who'd taken off the masquerading jacket and cap at this point) studied the devices in front of him. He wished he'd gone back and got his own dueling gear but he supposed he could survive without it one time. Or could he? The confidence that he'd gathered begun deteriorating now that he was faced with the actual reality of dueling her again.
"Yusei, pick one," Crow surfaced next to him.
"Which one, do you think?" he asked with some difficulty.
"They're all exactly the same, Yusei. All standard. Exactly like the ones we have."
Yusei couldn't make a decision. He was suddenly frozen in a spot. A cold numbing sensation had coiled, slimy and nauseating, in the pit of his stomach. He had come to realize that he'd begun trembling. "I don't know if I can do this, Crow," voice barely above a whisper, revealing his fear.
"Yusei," Crow's hand fell on his shoulder. "You can do anything."
Yusei placed a hand over his eyes, struggling to compose himself.
"That's not Aki. You know it's not. It doesn't even look like her anymore. But she's still in there. You believe that, don't you? She's not dead. That thing is lying. She's alive and there must be a way to reach her."
"What if I can't?"
"Will you give up already without trying? After the brave speech you gave earlier on? That's not the Yusei we all know. Do you want Jack to overhear this defeatist shit from the King of Games? He'll never want to return either."
Yusei slowly opened his eyes and smiled, almost invisibly.
"Are you gentlemen done? I don't have all day," Dark Aki called out impatiently.
Crow picked a duel disk and fastened it to his arm. "Look. You've seen it, haven't you? Black Rose Dragon. You've seen it in your deck."
"You know?"
"I saw it when you told me to look for Ra. Well, then that means something, doesn't it? Aki left it for you before she turned. To tell you she's still in there. You believe that, don't you? How can you not? How can you harbor any doubts after you've seen Black Rose Dragon? You know Aki is still in there. Don't listen to what that thing says to you, if it tells you otherwise."
Yusei nodded. He could never find the words to be thankful enough to Crow.
"You know the truth. Now go and fight for it!"
So there was a bunch of plot exposition in this, spliced with Aki's memories that are swirling around in Madhi's head. I hope it wasn't too confusing, maybe I'll try cleaning this up a bit later. But more will be explained later, about FDA and how it all came about and what's Set's involvement is in this.
I brought back Sherry, as I want to give her some closure and a little something to do before I get into the final chapters stretch.
Finally, I also wanted to bring Takashi back briefly, to tie everything back to the beginning of how this fanfiction had started. I don't think he'll be coming back again after this.
I hope I can get the next chapter out soon, but I worry that because it's a duel (and I hate writing duels) it may take longer than usual. Let's see…