Okay, I think I've put off the main plot of the arc long enough. This chapter, at least the majority of it, should get the ball rolling!
Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Hope of Six
Chapter 66: Demon Arc – Part 4
Around the time of Shun and Akari's date, Droite sat on her living room couch, drinking tea while reading a book. This always helped to relax her in the evening when she felt stressed. It had indeed been a stressful day. Gauche had a run in with a crazy fan during a convention and Droite had to "smooth things out" (aka, she called the police and had him dragged off). She needed some serious downtime after that and was relieved when she left for the day and returned home. She sighed while reading her book.
"I kinda envy the main girl here. At least she's bold enough to tell the man she loves how she feels." Droite said to herself. She still longed for Kaito, to be recognized and accepted as someone more than just a girl he knew from his youth. To be his…. "Oh, who am I kidding?" Droite said before slamming her book shut. Her eyes closed tightly with anger at herself for being a coward. But, she knew Kaito just didn't see her the way she wanted to be seen. "Give up that fantasy already, Droite. It's just not going to happen. Kaito and I will never…"
Droite stopped herself when she heard a knocking on her front door. The woman looked at her watch to see it was just after 8 pm. She wasn't expecting anyone this time of night. Both curiously and cautiously, Droite approached her door and checked through the peep hole. She gasped when she saw who it was. It couldn't be! She must be imagining things! She had to be! Her visitor was none other than…
"Droite, are you home? It's me…" Droite unlocked and opened the door before he could finish his sentence. It truly was him. Beside him was his faithful multifunctional robot, Orbital 7.
"K-Kaito?" She gasped. Kaito nodded, confirming his identity.
"Hello Ms. Droite." Orbital 7 said with a friendly wave, making sure he was not be ignored.
"Yes, hello Orbital 7." Droite greeted before returning her attention to her crush. "What are you… doing here, Kaito?" She asked, nearly breathless at being caught off guard by his unexpected visit. Kaito Tenjo took a deep breath and gave his answer.
"I… wanted to see you. May I um… come in?" He asked in a slightly nervous tone.
"Yes, of course." She then stepped aside, allowing her guests to enter before closing the door. As long as she knew him, Droite had never known Kaito to be nervous. Why would he nervous about visiting her? "Can I get you something to drink?" She asked politely.
"Just a glass of water please. If you… don't mind." He responded.
"Not at all. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be right back." Droite said before proceeding to the kitchen.
"I will be right here if you need me." Orbital 7 said as he moved himself to a nearby corner before entering his standby mode, shutting off most of his systems.
As he took a spot on the nearby couch, Kaito continued to ask himself why he was doing this. He had known Droite since the two of them and Gauche were training to become Duelists by Mr. Heartland. He never saw her as more than a childhood friend. But when he saw Droite cry as she was leaving the camp site, as well as her angered responses to Luna, Kaito started to wonder if what Luna said about her was true. He then thought back to his conversation with Luna about an hour earlier…
Flashback
Kaito had just left Haruto to nap in his room and was on his way to the lab to assist his father with the dimensional portal machine. On the way, he saw Luna exiting the bathroom. She seemed to be heading back to the direction of her room as she spotted Kaito. "Oh, hi Kaito." She said with what seemed to be a friendly smile. "Did Haruto like his little birthday gift?" Kaito smiled back.
"Yeah. He loved the new interactive butterfly game father and I made for him. Thanks for the idea."
"It was no problem. Glad he likes it." Luna told him. "Well, I should go. Talk to you later." She then turned to walk away, rather hurriedly. That was when Kaito decided now was as good a time as any to clear up something
"Wait." Kaito said suddenly, stopping the girl. "I have a question to ask you."
"What is it?" Luna asked, turning back to him.
Kaito hesitated, not knowing if he should ask what he was going to ask. But he had to. "Is Droite… in love with me?"
Luna was completely taken aback, looking flustered. "W-Why are you asking me? Isn't that something you should ask… Droite herself?"
"I'm asking you." Kaito said pointedly. His expression told her he wasn't going to expect anything except the truth.
The girl stood silent for a long moment. She didn't appear comfortable telling someone about another person's feelings toward that person. The fact that Kaito was the one asking such a thing made things even more difficult. Also, if Droite found out she told Kaito of her feelings for him, she would no doubt make her regret it. She shouldn't tell Kaito. On the other hand, Luna didn't really want to get on his bad side if she refused. What should she do? "Kaito, I… I really don't know what…" She stopped when Kaito held up a hand.
"Your reaction was all I needed. The thing is… I overheard you and Droite talking that day, about me."
Luna gasped. "You were there?"
"It wasn't something I intended. I was helping Haruto find that butterfly he liked when I heard Droite snapping at you. I was listening behind a nearby tree." Kaito explained.
Luna now looked extremely uncomfortable. "I don't really want to talk about that."
"Then don't." Kaito said. "It really is something I should do myself… with Droite." He then lifted his wrist. "Orbital 7, meet me at the front door right away."
"I will be there momentarily, Master Kaito." Said a robotic voice coming from the watch band Kaito was wearing.
"You're going to…?" A surprised Luna started to ask.
"I'm doing what I feel I should." He said plainly. "Tell father and Haruto I'll be going out and I will be back soon."
"Oh, sure. I'll do that." Luna told him.
Kaito nodded before he turned and began to walk away to the front entrance. Suddenly, he stopped and looked back to her. "By the way… have you talked to Shark yet?"
Luna frowned and shifted her gaze elsewhere. "No." She said so softly Kaito could barely hear her.
Kaito narrowed his eyes. "Luna, it's been a month. I'm sure he is concerned about your well being. We all are. You should at least let him know that…"
"If you're going to meet with Droite, you shouldn't wait too long. Don't let me delay you." She advised quietly, cutting him off. She then quickly headed back to her room without another word.
While her words concerned him, Kaito knew Luna was right. He should leave before it got much later. So, with no more reason to wait, Kaito made his way to the front door, where his silver robot stood waiting. "Where are we going, Master Kaito?" Orbital 7 asked.
"Switch to jet pack mode. We're flying to Spartan City."
Flashback End
Kaito became more worried about Luna. Her last response during their conversation was quick and emotionally detached. She had become very isolated ever since she moved in with him and his family. As far as he could tell, she had not even attempted to communicate with anyone on the outside, not even Yuma or Shark. When Kaito got back home, he should let those two know what was going on with Luna. If she was not going to reach out…
"Here." Kaito returned his focus to the present as Droite handed him a glass of water.
"Thank you." He said before taking a sip.
"You're welcome." Droite replied before sitting down next to Kaito. She then quietly waited for her guest to explain why he had come all the way here to see her. It made her more than a little nervous herself.
After a few minutes, Kaito set his glass down on the table in front and turned to fully face the woman sitting next to him. "Droite. I need to discuss something… very personal with you."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"What… is this place?" Yuto asked himself as he looked around the empty area he was standing in. He had found himself in this strange place since he fell asleep in his bed. There was absolutely nothing to see, anywhere. "Hello! Anyone here?" He called out. No one answered. No response whatsoever. The young teen was all alone. Or so he thought.
Yuto nearly jumped when he heard a familiar roar behind him. He turned around and gasped. A moment ago, there was nothing to see. The next, he saw his faithful, and currently missing, dragon standing before him.
"Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" He shouted with joy and relief. "You're alright!"
"Your dragon is perfectly fine." Yuto looked to see a hooded man in a silver cloak step out from behind the dark and purple dragon.
"Who are you? What is going on?" Yuto asked, unsure of what was happening.
"I can't tell you who I am, at least not yet. As for your dragon, that I will explain." Said the cloaked man. "You didn't lose Dark Rebellion. I asked your dragon to be with me for a short time, and it agreed."
"Why would my dragon go to you?" Yuto questioned, suspicion evident in his voice.
"For it's own protection." The unknown man patted one of Dark Rebellion's legs. "You see, Zarc still wants the Four Dragons. He still believes they belong to him and not his fragments. Your dragon is aware of this. To keep Dark Rebellion safe, it will stay with me temporarily."
"You don't believe I can protect my own dragon?" Yuto asked, sounding a bit defensive.
"I fear the way Dark Rebellion would be taken is beyond your capability to repel. The safest place your dragon can be is if it remains by my side. You must trust me on this, Yuto." Said the stranger.
"How do you know my name anyway? Have we met before?" The weary and troubled teen asked. The unknown man hesitated.
"Let's just say we both care about Dark Rebellion's safety. I know you don't like it, but it has to be this way. Trust me. Please, Yuto."
Yuto frowned with disapproval. It was bad enough that Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon was taken from him without his knowledge or consent. He was also just told that his dragon would be in the hands of a complete stranger for an unknown amount of time. Dark Rebellion had been with him as long as he could remember. He hated the idea of parting with it like this. However, despite his severe reservations, Yuto actually felt the sincerity from the stranger's words. He felt the cloaked man could be trusted to keep his word. After a moment, Yuto thought more clearly and understood what he had to do. It was hard, but he knew it was necessary. "Alright. I will put my faith, and Dark Rebellion itself, in your hands. Please make sure nothing bad happens to it."
The silver cloaked man nodded. "Thank you, Yuto. I will." He then looked up at the dragon now in his care. "Would you like to help ease your master's pain of missing you?" Dark Rebellion growled as it glowed a dark purple. At the same time, the stranger's chest glowed gold with the shape of Yuma's Emperor's Key. Yuto watched in utter amazement the stranger took some of Dark Rebellion's power, meld it with his own, and was forming something in his hand.
"Wait! Why does the glow of Yuma's Key appear on you? That's his power alone, isn't it?" Yuto asked, stunned and confused by what he witnessed.
"I have my own connection to it." The man said, smiling beneath his hood. Once the process was complete, the stranger walked up to Yuto and held out the glowing dark purple card in his hand. "Here. Take it. This was created from Dark Rebellion and my own power. I have a feeling you will need this sometime soon."
After a moment, Yuto took the card. At that instant, the card's glow faded to reveal it's true form. The teen gasped by what he saw. "This card…"
"I'm sure you will find a way to make good use of that." The stranger told Yuto.
After that, both the unknown man and Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon began to be obscured by thick mist. "Wait! Tell me! Why are you doing all this?!" Yuto demanded.
The stranger smiled once more as he was becoming harder and harder to see. "Because… it is the right thing to do. Your dragon believes that, and I know you believe that too. Protect those close to you with your heart and soul. Until next time, farewell Yuto…
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Yuto gasped as he woke up with a start. He gazed around and saw he was back in the room he shared with Yuma, who wasn't in his bed. Yuto guessed he had gotten up already and didn't want to disturb his roommate. He also saw that it was morning, since the sun was shining through the closed curtains. "What… what a dream. Did it actually happen?" He got his answer when he found a facedown card laying next to him. He picked it up and saw to his shock that it was the same card that the silver cloaked man had given him in his dream. "No way. Just who was that man?" He asked himself in wonder.
"Who was who?" Yuto looked up to see none other than Yuma standing at the bedroom door. He gave his older roommate a curious look.
Yuto quickly hid the card in his pajama pocket before the boy could notice and put on a pleasant smile. "Yuma! Good morning. What time is it?" He asked.
"It's a little after 10. Me and the family were about to eat breakfast, but Akari told me to make sure you were up. You hungry?"
The older teen realized that now he was awake, he felt a rumbling in his stomach. He gave a little chuckle. "I guess I am. I'll be right down." He replied, getting up from the bed.
"Great. Everyone's waiting downstairs. Oh, hey Yuto." Yuma said, interrupting him. "You didn't answer my other question. What were you talking about before? Something about a man?"
Yuto thought quickly. He didn't want to explain the dream he had just yet. "I was… asking myself about a man I dreamed about that was… dressed up like Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon." He made up.
Yuma tilted his head, an eyebrow raised. "That's a… weird dream." He commented. His roommate shrugged with an innocent smile.
"Yeah, it was. So Yuma… what's for breakfast?"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"My omelettes and French toast are ready!" Ruri proudly announced as she served her breakfast dishes to her brother and two guests sitting around the dining room table. Small bowls of fruit and glasses of juice were also available. After sitting down with her own plate, the four began to eat.
"Thanks. I love your cooking, Ruri." Rio commented, enjoying her omelette.
"After a month, I have to say I'll never get tired of your cooked meals." Shark added with a smile after taking a bite from his French toast.
"My little sister is a natural in the kitchen." Shun said of his younger sibling. Ruri beamed from everyone's praise.
"Thank you!" She said gratefully.
From a nearby table, Earth observed his friends' eating. "Consuming organic substances appears to be quite pleasant." He said.
"If prepared just the right way, then yes it is." Shun told him while taking a sip of his juice.
"You've watched us eat for a month, and you're just now noticing?" Shark asked the Earth Ignis with a deadpan face.
"From my observations during meal times at your school, I learned that not all food is "pleasant"."
"Cafeteria food is not technically the best, but that doesn't always mean it's bad." Rio pointed out.
"I also observed one time that food can sometimes be used as fun projectiles." Earth said. Shark groaned while the girls giggled.
"Hey, that guy started it! I never meant to get involved!"
"And yet you responded when his plate got splattered behind your head." Shun said calmly with a small smile. Shark glared at him.
"Throwing food at one another does seem to be quite amusing for humans." Earth said. "I was pleased to witness one."
"Oh you found it "amusing", did you?" Rio said amusingly, enjoying her brother's torment.
"Yes. Seeing your brother engaged in a food war with another student appeared… entertaining."
"Food fight." Shark corrected with a groan. "Honestly, I am seriously regretting having you stay with me personally."
"On the contrary, Ryoga, I have learned a great deal of human behavior by attending school with you." Earth said. "Your social awkwardness around others has taught me much." Shark banged his head on the table in frustration.
"Oh, just shut up." He told him. Everyone laughed.
"Okay, I think my brother has been tortured enough." Rio said.
"Same here." Ruri said before turning to her own sibling. "Please big brother, tell us about your date with Akari last night."
"Yeah Shun. All you said when you got home was that it was "fine". Come on. Tell us all the juicy details." Rio said in a teasing manner. Shun closed his eyes and tried to appear neutral.
"There is nothing "juicy" to tell, Rio. Akari and I drove to this restaurant, ate there, had some nice conversations, we left, she dropped me off back here, and she drove herself back to her home." Shun did not want to bring up what Akari did before leaving, for risk of being embarrassed. But more importantly, he really didn't want to talk about the encounter with the Number holder, Vlad. Not yet at least. He did not believe it was something that should be discussed that night or during breakfast time. He advised the same thing to Akari before driving back from the restaurant.
Rio pouted. "That can't be all that happened."
"It was not." Earth interjected. Everyone instantly turned to their digital friend.
"You… saw something?" Shun asked nervously. Earth nodded.
"Please Earth, do tell us what our dear friend here left out." Shark insisted with a sinister grin.
"Very well. I was watching from a window when Akari and Shun returned here last night. The two of them appeared to have exchanged some words. I could not hear what they were saying, for they were too far off and the window was closed. But I did witness Akari pressing her lips on Shun's cheek before she reenterded her vehicle and departed."
Shun cringed as he slapped a hand over his blushing face. 'So much for keeping that one under wraps.'
Shark snickered. Ruri and Rio both gasped.
"She kissed you?!" Rio exclaimed. "Why would you not tell us that?!"
"Oh Shun! I knew Akari liked you!" Ruri said happily.
"Definitely sounds that way. Did you like it?" Shark inquired.
Shun's expression became more defiant as he crossed his arms. "No comment." Shark snickered more while the girls giggled some more.
"Shun did appear pleasantly surprised by Akari's action. While walking back to the house, he put a hand to where Akari had kissed him and…" Earth stopped abruptly before he stood rigid and widened his eyes.
"And… what? What else did Romeo here do?" Shark asked, wondering why Earth ceased talking like that.
"Earth?" Rio asked, but got no response.
"Are you feeling okay?" Ruri questioned, her concern growing.
All four now gathered around the Earth Ignis, wondering what was going on. "Something's not right. Could he be malfunctioning?" Shun wondered.
After a long moment, Earth finally replied. But his response was not an expected one. He clenched his fists tightly. "No. This is… not good." He spoke in a very troubling voice.
"Earth, what is wrong? Please tell us." Ruri asked, desperate to know the answer. Earth looked around at his human companions.
"We must find Yuma and Astral immediately. They need to know what I have just learned."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Shun and I had a fun time last night." Akari said, telling everyone at the table about her date. Even though she tried to deny it before, there was no fooling her parents that Shun was her date. True to her word, Akari did not bring up the whole Vlad situation. She protested, but eventually agreed to not bring it up until later in the day. "We really got to know each other better."
"I'm so pleased to hear that, sweetheart." Mirai said with a warm smile.
"I agree." Kazuma added. "I like him. He's a good person and is very dependable."
"Not to mention he's quite a cutie." Haru noted pleasantly, to the embarrassment of her granddaughter.
"Grandma! Please don't say stuff like that!"
"Yeah. It's not like those two are going to get married or anything." Yuma said. "They only dated because of a deal they made." That comment earned him a death glare from his sister. If their parents weren't present, Akari would bonk Yuma on the head right there and then.
"It doesn't matter how it happened, Yuma. I'm just glad those two did have a good time." Haru told her grandson.
Throughout the family discussion, Yuto kept quiet as he slowly ate his scrambled eggs. He couldn't keep his mind off that dream he just had. Not only that, but he still told no one about Dark Rebellion disappearing. He didn't know how he would explain it. He was very deep in thought when he heard his name being called.
"Hello! Yuto! You there?" Yuto brought himself out of his thoughts and stared up at the boy, who was waving a hand in front of his face (they were sitting next to each other).
"Oh, sorry Yuma. My mind was elsewhere. What were you saying?"
"You just seem really distracted. Are you okay?" Yuma asked, showing concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Yuto told him before he resumed eating.
Akari didn't seem convinced. "But Yuma was saying that he heard you searching your room frantically for something last night and never found it." Yuto nearly chocked on his egg bite from that statement.
"Did you lose something?" Kazuma asked.
Yuto looked anywhere but every person at the table. All eyes, full of concern, bore into the teen. He felt shame at being unable to admit that his most valuable and precious card was taken from him, even though he knew said card was in safe hands. The fact was that Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon felt like a vital piece of himself that he shouldn't feel separated from and that piece was now elsewhere. He felt vulnerable without it. The new card he was given didn't give him the same feeling, despite it being a part of Dark Rebellion. It just didn't… not yet anyway.
"Yuto?" Yuma asked, appearing more worried than the rest of his family.
Yuto closed his eyes tightly and hung his head. 'I don't want to admit it, but since it's come to this…' The battled hardened teen was preparing to confess his loss when they heard frantic knocking on the front door.
"Yuma! Open up! You in there?!" Yuma and the others were surprised to hear Shark's voice. And from the way he sounded, it seemed like something serious had just happened.
"Shark?!" A startled Yuma said as he jumped out of his chair, ran to the door and opened it. To his and everyone else's further surprise, he saw Rio, Ruri, and Shun standing with his rival.
"Ruri?! Shun?!" Yuto exclaimed, also surprised as he went to join Yuma.
"Guys?! What's going on?!" Yuma asked.
"Earth's got something big to tell you and Astral. We had to find you asap." Shark explained as he and the others walked in and gathered in the dinning room.
"Earth?" Yuma said.
At that moment, Astral emerged from the Emperor's Key. "What did he say?" He questioned.
"We don't know yet. Earth wanted us to track you two down first before saying anything." Rio said.
"Where is he?" Akari asked.
"I am right here, Akari." Earth spoke, his voice coming from Shark's D-Pad, which Shark placed on the table. Once in position, the bulky Ignis rose up and faced the crowd. "Greetings, everyone. It is pleasant to see all of you again."
"Likewise, Earth." Kazuma said with a smile.
After he received the others' greetings, Earth turned to the two individuals he wished to see. "Yuma. Astral. I am pleased to have found you. We must speak."
"Sure, of course. What's up?" Yuma inquired.
"Has something important taken place?" Astral added to the inquiry.
Earth nodded. "Yes. Just recently, I have been given a very important message from Ray." This got everyone on alert.
"Ray? It's been a while since we heard from her. Is she okay?" Yuma asked.
"She is fine. But the message I have received from her was… not as fine."
"What did she say?" Yuma questioned.
"She said that Ai was able to find the Numeron Code and deliver it to safety." This made everyone smile.
"Yes! That's awesome!" Yuma cheered before turning to Astral. "Ai did it!"
Astral nodded. "Yes. This is very good news. But then…" the energy being frowned before focusing back on Earth. "Why did you say Ray's message was "not so fine"?"
Earth then stared down with a sad look in his eyes. "There is more. Ray also told me… that Ai was unable to return from the Astral World."
"Why not? What happened to him?" Ruri asked, dreading the answer.
Earth looked up at her. "Ai was attacked by enemy forces and could not escape." He looked back at Yuma and Astral. "Ray fears that Ai… may have perished." Everyone gasped in shock.
"He's dead?!" Yuma yelled, unable to accept what he heard.
"Oh no." Rio muttered softly.
"Damn." Shark cursed. The others said nothing to this awful news.
Astral digested this news very solemnly. He knew the Astral World had become a very dangerous place, but he never expected this. "Does Ray know that for certain?" Astral questioned, not quite believing it.
"Yeah, I mean he can't really be dead… can he?" Yuma asked, hoping that there was still a chance.
"Ray says the two of you must come to Cyberse World at once. All will be explained there." Earth replied.
Yuma and Astral nodded at one another. "We shall do so without hesitation." Astral said as Yuma ran to get his D-Pad.
Within seconds, the young Duelist was back with their means of going to their destination. "Ready to go!" He confirmed.
"We will be here when you get back, Yuma." Mirai told her son.
"We all will." Rio said in agreement, with everyone else agreeing.
"We'll be back as soon as we can!" With that, Yuma pressed the gold button on his D-Pad and the pair were gone in a flash.
"I can't believe this has happened." Ruri admitted sadly.
"It is just one thing after another. The Astral World, the Numbers, now this. We just can't seem to get a break." Yuto admitted.
"Not to mention what Luna's going through." Rio said, reminding her brother. He nodded.
"Yeah." Shark couldn't help but think that their friend had her own problems, since they have had no word from her for a month. 'Luna…'
"Um, speaking of the Numbers." Shun started slowly, getting everyone's attention. "There's one thing Akari and I left out from our date…"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
When Yuma and Astral arrived on Cyberse World's central stone pillar, they discovered that they weren't the only ones to have shown up. Standing alongside them were Yugi, Judai, and Yusei. "You guys are here too?" Yuma asked.
"Yeah. Aqua told me and my friends about Ai. She was really upset about what happened to him." Yugi said, remembering how much the Water Ignis was crying.
"We also got word from Flame on my end. He definitely wasn't happy." Judai said.
"Neither was Windy when he told us." Yusei said.
"Hey guys." The protectors turned to see Ray Akaba walking toward them. "I'm sorry to have the Ignis bring the news to all of you. It really is upsetting."
"Hi Ray." Yugi greeted, along with the others.
"Yeah. I really liked Ai. He should be here." Judai said, not sounding happy himself.
"Ai did not deserve what happened to him." Yusei replied.
"Especially after he went through the trouble of getting the Numeron Code." Yuma added.
"Ray. What happened on the Astral World? How did Ai not make it back?" Astral asked, wanting to get to the exact details of the incident.
"If you guys don't mind, please wait a little longer. I'm still expecting one more to meet up with us." Ray told them.
"Who?" Yuma questioned. The answer became clear as a portal appeared next to the group and a familiar individual came out, riding a hoverboard.
"Playmaker!" The Four exclaimed in stunned surprise.
"I'm glad you could make it, Playmaker." Ray said as she greeted him. Playmaker nodded to her and the others as he got off his hoverboard before it disappeared.
"Hello everyone. It's been a while since we all last met like this." He said.
"Sure has." Judai said.
"Ray contacted you as well?" Yugi asked.
"Yes." Playmaker confirmed. "I was having lunch with my friends when I got Ray's message, letting me know about Ai." He stated while lowering his head, frowning deeply. "I can't believe that… I may have lost him again." He admitted softly.
Ray placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm truly sorry, Playmaker."
"You were really close to Ai, weren't you?" Yugi deduced. Playmaker nodded.
"We were. Closer than all of you realize."
"You said you may have lost Ai "again". What did you mean?" Yuma asked.
Playmaker hesitated before looking to Ray. "I think it's time to tell them." She told him. The digital Duelist sighed. Perhaps that time had come…
"Tell us what?" Yugi asked.
Playmaker turned to the Four, his face full of sadness. "When Bohman perished, Ai and I assumed the other Ignis had died with him. Distraught of his failure to save them, Ai left to be on his own. A short time afterward, he returned… but as an enemy."
"An enemy?!" The protectors were shocked.
"Ai attacked two people in charge of a company called SOL Technologies in order to take control of the company himself. One of those people …" Playmaker hesitated before revealing, "was Blue Maiden's older brother."
"Her brother?" Judai said. He then recalled the awkward reunion between Ai and Blue Maiden. "That's right. Ai did something to her brother, but she wouldn't say what it was."
"Blue Maiden's brother had one half of a code key needed to access SOL Technologies' mainframe. Ai had already claimed the first half when he revealed himself as our new enemy." Playmaker explained. "Ai dueled him and Blue Maiden to get the second half of the code key. Ai won, but took more than just the code key half. He also took Blue Maiden's brother's data… essentially, his mind and consciousness."
"Why would he do that?" Yuma asked, stunned by the Dark Ignis' actions.
"He wanted Blue Maiden to feel the pain he felt when he failed to save the other Ignis. That's what he said at least." Playmaker said.
"Damn." Yusei cursed. He couldn't believe the friendly Ignis they briefly met would be capable of such a cruel act. "The Ai we talked to didn't seem like the type to hurt anyone."
"Ai was in a lot of pain and extremely isolated. Those experiences influenced his actions during that time." Ray said sadly.
"That they did." Playmaker said before continuing. "After Ai had taken full control of SOL Technologies, he fired all the employees and made duplicates of himself. He did it so that he wouldn't feel so alone anymore."
"That's so sad." Yugi said.
"Very sad indeed." Atem murmured.
"It wasn't long after that that I met up with Ai at the factory where his duplicates were made. Unable to convince him to stop, I was forced to have a Duel with him to undo everything he did and save Blue Maiden's brother. I eventually won and saved her brother, which resulted in Ai being deleted, along with all his preprogrammed duplicates." Playmaker said, deep sadness in his voice.
"But Ai came back. Ray revived him." Judai pointed out.
"She did. Which was around the time I met Ray herself." Playmaker revealed as he closed his eyes, remembering that fateful day…
Flashback
Playmaker was riding his hoverboard, traveling in one of the many digital worlds connected to LINK VRAINS. The one he was currently occupying looked he was traveling through outer space, several unknown stars and planets covering vast blackness all around. The sights fascinated him, like the other worlds he visited so far.
Eventually, Playmaker came to a stop on a nearby asteroid. After landing on it, he stepped off his hoverboard (which disappeared from sight) and gazed around. Even though this interstellar digital world was vast, he knew that they were all empty of life. He sighed as he sat down, feeling the strong sense of loneliness he carried in his heart since he defeated Ai three months ago. He was staring at a particularly large planet that seemed to be covered with volcanoes.
"I wonder how Ai would react upon seeing this one." He smiled to himself. "Knowing him, he would want to take a much closer look, even if it risked him getting roasted." He sighed deeply. He missed AI's company. His antics. His friendship. He missed a lot of things about his old partner. He hated what Ai forced himself to do, just to ensure humanity's survival. But he mostly hated he had to do it to make sure Playmaker himself didn't die. "Ai… you shouldn't have had to go through all that. You deserved better. Your fellow Ignis all deserved better." He sat in silence for a few long minutes, lowering his head and closing his eyes. "I wish things could have happened differently. Maybe if the other Ignis had survived, you wouldn't have had to…" He stopped himself. He knew dwelling on the past wouldn't change anything, no matter how much he wanted to. And yet, he couldn't help but wanting a different outcome from the battle against Bohman. "I have no doubt a much brighter future could have been there for the Ignis if not for Lightning's machinations." He sighed again, holding a hand to his face, his body starting to shake. He felt he was close to breaking down again, like on the day Ai was gone from his life forever. Even after three months, Playmaker's pain from that day still lingered. "Ai… I wish you and the other friendly Ignis were given another chance to live. A chance to peacefully coexist with humanity, like you were originally meant to do…"
"That wish has been granted."
Playmaker instantly jumped to his feet and turned around, surprised at being caught off guard like that by some unknown voice. He was stunned to see a tall young woman in a golden body suit with maroon hair. She was smiling serenely at him, standing close to where he was. "Hello. I have been waiting a long time for this. It's an honor to finally to meet you, Playmaker."
The legendary hero stood agape at the beautiful stranger. He assumed he was completely alone out in this place. He hadn't met anyone since he started his long solitary journey. And yet… "Who are you? How did you find me here?" He asked, weary and full of suspicion. The woman continued to smile.
"My name is Ray Akaba, and I'm not your average logged in avatar. From the beginning I have observed all your actions here in LINK VRAINS, seeing you protecting it and the people that maintained it. And of course, your efforts to protect the Ignis."
Playmaker felt unnerved of how much Ray knew about him. The fact that she even knew about the Ignis only made him even more cautious. "You've been watching me. Why? And why wait until now to reveal yourself?" He asked, still keeping his guard up. He was somewhat pleased to see Ray frown instead of smiling.
"When I first came here, in your world, all I could do was watch and listen. I couldn't talk or interact with anyone. No one could even see or hear me. I was only a mere phantom to everyone. It wasn't until after you and Ai's victory against Bohman that I was able to fully materialize myself here."
This confused Playmaker. What Ray had just said made no sense to him. "What do you mean you couldn't be seen or heard by anyone? Was there a problem for you when you first logged in?" Ray then laughed.
"It's actually a lot more complicated than that. I'd be happy to fill you in, but if you don't mind I'd like for us to continue our discussion elsewhere."
"You mean at your home, back in the real world?" Playmaker asked.
"At my place, yes. But it's not where you think." To the young man's amazement, Ray waved a hand to her right and a golden portal appeared beside her. "Follow me through here. My home is just on the other side." She said, holding a hand out at the portal.
Playmaker narrowed his eyes. This seemed like a setup for some kind of trap. He knew nothing about this person and was extremely reluctant to follow her anywhere. And yet, despite his mistrust, he couldn't help but feel pure goodness radiating off of her like heat. He actually wanted to trust her, to believe no harm would come to him if he went with her. He didn't know what he should do. Ray must have sensed that as she spoke again.
"Look, I know I'm asking a lot. A complete stranger pops up out of nowhere and invites you to some unknown location for a private talk. But know that I have no intention of harming you, Playmaker. All I ask… is that you give me a chance. You will not regret it. I promise you."
Playmaker still appeared uncertain. He then remembered the first thing she said. "Earlier, you said my wish was granted. What exactly did you mean?" Ray's smile grew even warmer and more inviting.
"Come with me, and you will know." With that, she stepped through the portal and vanished.
The digital Duelist hesitated for another moment before making up his mind. The only way he was going to get any answers was to follow Ray Akaba to wherever her home was. If this was a trap, he would have to be prepared for anything. Then at last, Playmaker walked toward the portal, stopping just before touching it, and then stepped through it like Ray did.
After arriving on the other side, on top of a huge stone pillar, Playmaker stood in astonishment at the sight before him. Ray Akaba stood beside him, pleased by his reaction. "I'm glad you've decided to come, Playmaker."
Of all the worlds he had seen throughout LINK VRAINS, this one topped them all. It looked liked a world where several different environments coexisted at the same time. He saw an ocean in one location, a volcano on another, a green valley elsewhere, a bunch of mountains in another spot, a bottomless gorge on a far end, but the sixth and final location was the most breathtaking. It was a grassy plain filled with pink flowers with different small birds flying everywhere with occasional gusts of wind, all underneath a huge full moon. Playmaker shook his head in wonder. "Where… am I?"
Ray turned to face him, an amused gleam in her eyes. "This is my home, away from pretty much all prying eyes. And believe it or not, this place existed long before I showed up. You've probably heard of it, though you've never seen it, not like this. I believe it is called… Cyberse World."
Playmaker snapped his head at her, shock plain on his face. Did he hear her right?! "Cyberse World?! As in… the home of the Ignis?!"
Ray nodded. "You got it." She then gazed around. "It's pretty amazing, isn't it?"
Her guest nodded back as he looked around again. He couldn't deny that. He heard stories from Ai of how beautiful and wonderful Cyberse World was. He never once dreamed he'd ever set foot here. It was even more incredible than he ever imagined. Then he remembered something else. He frowned as he turned to the woman. "But Ray, I heard Cyberse World was heavily attacked and all that was left was nothing but a ruined wasteland. How were you able to restore it like this?" Ray turned back to him.
"It was pretty messy a while ago. It took a ton of time and work, but we got it done. Now it all looks like how it should be."
"We?" Playmaker asked, not missing that one word.
Ray just smiled as she moved her eyes behind Playmaker.
He followed her gaze and gasped at what now stood before him. Or rather… what floated before him. "It… can't be."
"Playmaker… long time no see." Flame said, sounding pleased.
"It is good to see you again." Aqua greeted warmly.
"We were wondering when you would stop by." Said Windy.
"Welcome to our home, Playmaker." Earth added.
Playmaker looked at from one Ignis to the other, not believing it. "You're all… alive? How?"
The four Ignis turned to their newest resident. "It's all thanks to Ray. She saved us." Flame revealed.
"It is true. We would not be here without her." Aqua said. "And that includes Ai as well."
"Ai?! He's alive too?!" Playmaker turned back to Ray. "How is any of this possible?"
Ray sighed heavily. "It's a really long story…"
Flashback End
"Ray then told me how she came to be on Cyberse World and how she saved Ai and the other Ignis. I was floored by everything she revealed that day. That was when Ray and I agreed to keep the Ignis' return a secret, to protect them. Even from those… closest to me." Playmaker said, remembering how even Soulburner and Blue Maiden were kept in the dark before he felt it necessary to tell them.
"Man, Ray sure knows how to shine some light in the darkness, doesn't she?" Judai complemented. Ray smiled, feeling very touched by his words.
"Thanks Judai." They all smiled, but then Playmaker frowned again.
"Yes, but my happiness of learning the Ignis being revived was dampened when I learned of Ai's self imposed exile for his past sins. I wanted to go to him, to help him, but Ray and the other Ignis told me that he wanted to see and talk to no one. Not even me. I understood why, but I still didn't like not being able to do anything for him. Reluctantly, I gave Ai his breathing room." Playmaker sighed. "And now, after he said he was ready to face the world again, Ai went off on a very dangerous mission… and did not make it back."
They all stood in silence, mourning the potential loss of their friend. A minute or two passed before Judai broke the silence. "So, where are Daitokuji and Pharaoh anyway?"
"They are keeping our new guests company in my section." Ray answered. This surprised everyone.
"Guests?" They all said in unison.
"There are other beings here on Cyberse World now?" Astral asked.
Ray looked over at him, then to Yuma, and finally to all the others. "Come with me, guys. You should hear it from her."
"Her?" Yugi questioned. Ray said no more as she beckoned the group to follow her. With her power, she lifted the Four off the ground and carried them alongside her. Astral merely floated by Yuma's side and Playmaker got back on his hoverboard.
Once they have arrived at Ray's part of Cyberse World, the group were surprised by the sight that awaited them. But none were more surprised than Yuma and Astral, the latter of whom smiled with undisguised happiness.
"What the heck are they?" Judai asked, having never seen a bunch blue skinned humanoids before. Neither have Yugi, Yusei, or Playmaker.
"Astral. Are they really…?" Yuma started to ask.
"Yes Yuma! There is no mistake! They are… from the Astral World!" Astral shouted with joy.
Yuma saw that they were definitely people from the Astral World. He had met them before the first time he went there to find Astral, who went missing prior. He then noticed a very familiar figure conversing with Daitokuji. "Wait! Is that…?" Upon further observation, he saw that it was definitely his old friend that he had been recently worried about. "Enna!"
Enna, who was also holding and petting Pharaoh, turned her head and saw the young human that had helped save her world in the past. "Yuma!" She answered back, showing immense happiness to see him once more. Yuma then ran over to her. Enna placed the big cat back down before hugging the youngest Duelist when he reached her. "Oh Yuma! It is so good to see you again! I am glad you are here!"
"Me too!" Yuma replied, glad that Enna was okay.
At once, the rest of the Astral World survivors all saw the return of their world's savior. "Look! It's him! Yuma Tsukumo!" One of the younger Astral World boys shouted. The group gathered around Yuma and Enna, wanting to greet him themselves. Yuma himself was also happy to see them again.
"Wow. Yuma's pretty popular with them, isn't he?" Yugi noted.
"He most definitely is." Daitokuji said as he floated over to the other Duelists. "Hello again, my friends. You as well, Judai." The spirit greeted his old pupil.
"Hey Daitokuji." Judai replied.
"Good to see you too." Yusei said.
"Are those people really from the Astral World?" Playmaker asked. Daitokuji nodded.
"That they are, Playmaker. Enna has just explained to me how Yuma saved her people and their world from dying out by reintroducing them to the power of "Chaos", revitalizing it. That boy is legend to them."
"Enna… Hold on." Yugi suddenly remembered. "Wasn't she the woman that dueled against Masumi and her team in Maiami City?" Daitokuji nodded again, but without a smile that time.
"The very same one, Yugi. And believe me, she has shown great remorse for that dreadful event."
"She was also the one Yuma asked Ai to find when he left for the Astral World." Yusei also recalled.
"Correct again, Yusei. She has quite a bit to say on recent events." Daitokuji said while looking back at Enna.
After ending the hug, Yuma looked up at his old friend. "Enna, I heard what happened with you. Are you okay?" He asked. Enna's features were now filled with regret.
"I am alright, Yuma. But… I feel terrible for what I did to those humans. Please understand. I never truly meant to hurt them. I just..." She stopped, unable to finish with her cracked voice.
"I believe you." Yuma said quite truthfully. "I know you would never do such a thing by your own choice. I don't blame you at all." Enna smiled and her eyes became moist, threatening to shed tears.
"Thank you. Ai told me you wouldn't think the worst of me. Hearing those words from you… brings me such enormous relief." She said while wiping her eyes. Yuma smiled back, glad he could help her feel better. After clearing her eyes, Enna noticed the rest of the group that came up from behind the boy. Of all of them, she only recognized one. "Hello Astral. I am glad to see you too." A smiling Astral nodded.
"You as well, Enna." The energy being wanted to ask Enna about the Numeron Code, but he chose to wait until the other introductions were made. Enna then glanced at the remaining Duelists with Astral.
"Yuma. Those other humans. Are they friends of yours?" Enna asked, pointing to them. Yuma nodded.
"Yep. That's Yugi Muto, Judai Yuki, Yusei Fudo, and Playmaker." He said, pointing to each one as he identified them. Enna gasped.
"Of course. Ai mentioned all of you, especially you Playmaker." The Astral World leader approached him. "He said that you were the closest and most important person to him."
"Yeah. I was." Playmaker sadly said.
"Ai wanted me to tell you… that he completed the mission he came to do." Enna said. She then turned to the other survivors. "He did more. He also saved my life and the remaining lives of my people from certain doom. We are all indebted to Ai. Though…" Enna looked sad herself. "I doubt we would ever be able to repay him… if he is truly lost." Playmaker didn't respond to that.
Astral decided now was the time to get answers. "Enna. You just said Ai completed his mission. The Numeron Code is…?"
Enna nodded as she placed a hand over her heart. "Right here." The glowing green card showed itself once more, allowing everyone to see it to their amazement.
"So that's the Numeron Code?" Yusei asked in awe.
"The one and only." Yuma told him.
"Then your memory has returned?" Astral questioned further.
"Yes. Ai defeated me in a Duel and as a result, my hidden memories were unlocked." Enna answered as the card she was charged with protecting disappeared back into her body.
"My apologies for making you forget. Eliphas and I both believed the best way for you to keep the Numeron Code safe is if you could not recall it's exact location." Astral said with regret.
"No apologies necessary. I understand, Astral." Enna replied. She then sighed deeply. "I'm sure Eliphas would be pleased knowing how things worked out the way they did."
"Who?" Judai asked.
"Eliphas is the living embodiment of the Astral World itself. Enna and her people created him to be their symbol of strength." Daitokuji explained.
"Is Eliphas alright?" Yuma asked. Enna's lips quivered.
"Eliphas… is dead." Yuma and Astral were shocked, as were the other Duelists.
"No! Not Eliphas!" Yuma yelled in dismay.
"What happened to him? Enna, please tell us everything that transpired on the Astral World before and after you met Ai." Astral firmly demanded. He waited for a month to learn the truth, and he felt the time was now to hear it all.
Enna took a deep breath and released it before telling the group about the nightmare that took place on the Astral World, and the one responsible for that nightmare.
To be continued.