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Yu-gi-oh 5Ds: Rise of Darkness and Corruption (Athene/ImaginaryMuse & Razgriz)


This was so very wrong. Beyond a certain level of fucked up. Hajime and Yamichi ... why? Why had they become targets of such bullshit? The thoughts continued to torment Yuna, and it was taking all of her willpower not to squeeze down on Hajime's shoulders and further wound him. When Hotsuma finally spoke, her head lifted as the Yomi leader listened to his words. Yuna quickly shook her head. "I'm taking option C ... which is a bit of both of your suggestions."

Her head turned as she looked sharply over to Eikichi. "There's a boat outside. You get yourself and Hajme on."

When Eikichi began to open his mouth, Yuna swiftly interrupted him. "I'll be there soon. I'm going to help Hotsuma ensure Aki helps out rather than makes things worse."

" ... Alright, Yuna. We'll be waiting." Waiting for Yuna to let go of his blue-haired sibling, he picked Hajime up into his arms and ran out of the base. Luckily, there was only one boat in the docks, which made following Yuna's orders laughably simple. "We're going home, ototo," Eikichi whispered, seeking out the nearest room with a bed to help his comrade lay down and get some rest.
... He left. Didn't even pass judgment on her. Was this a good or bad thing? Aki wasn't sure. She felt ... torn. Relieved on one hand, infuriated on the other. But .... maybe this was ... for the best?

A soft sigh passed her lips as she began pulling against her manacles, seeing about slipping out of the restraints.

When footfalls arrived, however, she stopped -- just in case it was another Arcadia member.

To say she was surprised to see Hotsuma of all people would be an understatement. "Well ... it's been a while. I doubt you're here just because. It wasn't really a secret you hated me."

Annnnd, yep. Confirmed. He needed help. It didn't really amaze her to hear Hotsuma reveal Divine had lied. "Yeah. Sadly, I see everything Yuna tried to warn me about him. His deception is no longer a trait I find difficult to believe anymore. I'll help ... under two conditions. Both very small, in my honest opinion. First ... " she revealed her chained wrists to the Fiend. "Those will need to be removed. I can't help before then. They're suppressing my Psychic powers. And second ... I know Yamichi isn't going to be overly pleased with seeing me. Nor will the others, if they're still there. So just tell them I'll leave after helping .... and I'll keep to that promise. But if any of them hurt me, I will retaliate."

Her head tilted as she stared up at Hotsuma, "Are those acceptable terms to you, Hotsuma?"

Even without prying with what small amount of power she did have, she felt confident she'd get a positive answer. What would be the point in saying no when he clearly needed help, after all?
"E-Excuse me? How ... I never said my name. How do you know that?"

Freaked out was perhaps too generous of a word to use. Now she was terrified. That alone confirmed the files must have held some truth to them.

So ... then .... this whole Psychic aspects is a real thing?

It had to be. There was no explanation as to how he so easily knew not just her name, bu her occupation .... and even her co-worker, Angela. No, she wasn't freaked out. She as sincerely scared. "You're .. unnatural! No one should be able to know that much about anyone!"

Not unless they stalked them ... but that was another story.

"Goodwin's ... what? W-WAIT!"

As the last shove was thrust against her body, she tried to grab for literally anything. A ledge, even some of the intact glass belonging to the window. Something .... anything to keep her from falling. There was no way to survive a fall like this.... and that very fact made tears form in her eyes. Her mouth opened ... but no screams left. She was too shocked to make a sound. How could this really be happening? It felt too unreal, too impossible.

"Do you want to live?"

Oh god. I'm going crazy now, aren't I?

"No, you're not. Answer the question; do you want to live?"

Yes! Of course! I never wanted to die! Not like this, at least!

"Then relax. Embrace the fall. You'll wake up soon enough ... and be reborn."

... She didn't understand. But then, the past thirty seconds were a blur. Even while she was falling, it felt as if the pace of her plummeting had somehow slowed. Gulping softly, she thought about what this voice - who was it, anyway? - had said. Embrace death ... and be reborn. Was that even possible? Maybe. Maybe not. But if she could truly have a second chance ...

"Fine. I'll do it," she whispered softly, a few tears streaming down her cheeks as Carly's body seemed to resume plunging towards the concrete at the normal, quicker pace. It would take little time or her body to impact the ground ... and, if nothing else, everything was rather instantaneous. she wasn't suffering compared to if she'd been shot; something even she had to admit was a bit of a blessing.

"Good. Now, Carly Nagisa ... let your eyes close. Don't fight it."

It still felt a bit stupid to listen to this voice. But even if she tried ... she couldn't fight it. Blood was seeping from her cracked head too quickly. She was fading, quicker with each passing second. Eve if some miracle could have saved her ... it'd arrive too late. The time for second guesses was long gone, and soon, she breathed her last breath, giving into the voice and allowing her eyes to shut.
"Ahhhh! Lua, careful with that thing! Mom and dad won't be happy if you break something by being too reckless!"

A few times, Luca even went so far as to instinctively back away ... just to make sure her brother didn't risk hitting her. It wasn't that she didn't trust her sibling. Her body, however, had never been the sturdiest. It was more a precaution to ensure she wouldn't get hurt. Her own low threshold for it would make her suffer far more than she wanted to imagine.

Still, despite his rambunctious attitude, times like now were when she appreciated having Lua around the most. Flashing her brother a small smile, she slowly followed behind him, temporarily exiting the house.

"I ... I don't know. Look. That mark .... doesn't that mean he's from the Facility?" A concerned look crossed Luca's face. On one hand, she wanted to help. But ... what could they do? Also, if it were discovered they were helping a wanted person out .... that could spell a lot of trouble. Even for preteens like them. "There's .... would we even be able to get him inside? I'll admit that this is ... probably not a smart idea. But we should at least get him in. He doesn't feel ... dangerous or anything. Not even with that mark. Either way, we should try to get him on the couch or something."

Although she wasn't usually one for physical tasks, this had been her suggestion. Plus ... Lua would - even if he tried to insist otherwise - need some help. So, she walked beside the man's left shoulder, preparing to help her brother lift him up.

If her brother had any doubts on how serious Luca had been, he now knew just how ready she was to go through with her own plan.
 

Hotsuma's eyes narrowed, "Don't think I've come to like you; far as I'm concerned, you and Divine are still one in the same."

Still...He did need her help, and whether Yuna liked it or not, he would listen to her demands. Much as he despised the thought of her simply walking free, he decided to himself that at the very least she would be alone...And if they made her master run off, she would very likely never approach them again.

Still, with these types, it never hurt to be too cautious. "Fine...But I have a condition of my own. You never come near anyone, and I mean anyone, associated with our group again. If I found out you did..." He would then stop here to draw a line across his throat with his thumb, adding "I will break you in two."

It then came down to Hotsuma shifting once more, letting Aki see him in his Emperor form once more, the black mass reappearing on his right arm and after worming its way into the door's weak spots, crumpling it like tissue paper before then going to work on Aki's manacles, her wrists being freed in a matter of seconds.

"Just remember...You help Yamichi, then you get the hell out. The only reason I'm letting you leave after you're done is because you're actually offering to help...Just don't make regret letting you out." Hotsuma then reminded her, apparently intent on letting her go free.




Lua just watched the man sitting in the crumpled pile of trash; he did want to do something, but what? They couldn't just leave him here...Could they?

It would seem his sister picked up on the mark as well, "Yeah...He doesn't seem like the others. Even still...If Mom and Dad do come back and they see someone with a criminal mark on the couch..." He didn't want to upset their parents, but it seemed like his sister already had her mind made up.

"Ah, Luca! Wait, at least let me help! You're still not well!" he declared, trying to at least take most of the load off his sister's shoulders. And soon enough, the supposed criminal was laid gently on their sofa. "Thankfully he didn't actually in the garbage...Or crack his head open" Lua commented, looking Yusei over and not seeing any obvious head injuries. Definitely some scratches and tears in his clothing and skin, but nothing that a short bit of bandaging wouldn't fix.

"Well...Hopefully we can try to ask him some questions in the morning; very least we can let him rest for now. Won't lie, I'm curious now..." Lua then said, adding with a concerned but well-meaning smile "But you should go lay down, Luca. We both had a long day today. I can watch over him while you rest up too."
 

"Fine. That's fair enough."

Aki quietly, but very curiously, watched him shift into his demonic form. Huh. It had definitely evolved quite a bit since she last saw him. It was, without a doubt, stronger. If he'd improved, she felt certain Yuna had also. As the manacles were broken, Aki pulled her wrists from behind her back and rubbed them, helping blood flow through her system. "I know, I know," she reassured. "If I wanted to lie or trick you, I would have already done so and just disappeared now. I intend to keep to my word; as such, I expect that gesture to be returned."

With the first having been fulfilled, it'd be up to him to make sure Yamichi and the others wouldn't lash out at her.

Amazingly .... Eikichi and Hajime were gone, it seemed. All that remained was a very blank looking Yamichi and Yuna, with the latter barely holding back tears; something Aki could easily sense. Walking towards Yamichi, she gently placed a hand on his forehead and began to murmur something.

"Et abiit veneficus
Vos autem non estis in carmine instinctos
Aperi oculos tuos, et revertetur ad quos te proximi sunt."

While her own counter-spell began working on Yamichi, Yuna finally found her voice and spoke up. "Why?! Why did you go that far with Hajime? Was it even you?! Or did my men just relay the wrong information?"

" .... No. They were correct."

"Then why?!"

" ... Does it matter now? At any rate ... he should recover soon. I'll even stay, just to ensure nothing goes wrong. But after that, I'll keep my promise to Hotsuma and leave."

"Leave ... ??" Yuna repeated, feeling her fists clench and grab onto her pants. No. That wasn't good enough. She might not be corrupt like those Sector pricks, but she could kind of understand how they may feel when they had to accept the fact they failed to catch someone, regardless of whether the arrest would have been justified or not. But that was exactly what made it all the more worse for Yuna; she knewshe was justified! Allowing her to leave ... that would be an insult. Especially to Hajime.

"Unacceptable!" she snarled, changing back to Yuse even quicker than before.

".... Yun ... Yuse .... don't be rash."

Yuse merely scoffed, "Hmph. Like you were any better in heeding your own advice! FUCK YOU! YOU WENT TOO FAR! IF YOU THINK I'M JUST ACCEPTING THE SHIT YOU DID ... TO ME .... TO HOTSUMA ... TO MY - NO, OUR MEN .... YOU'RE A FOOL! And now ... with that stupid bomb defused .... I have no reason to hold back."

" ... Yuse ... don't. And I'm not saying it out of hoping for mercy. I'm asking for your own good. If we did go all out ... you would very likely slip into another coma."

"Perhaps," Yuse agreed, unsheathing the katana strapped to her back, "But it'd be more than worth it. Get Yamichi out of here, Hotsuma. This won't be long."
Luca smiled softly. "I know, I know. But ... still." Her eyes softened slightly. "They're gone so much ... I'm not as worried about them as I should be." She then giggled when her brother frantically hurried beside her to help the unconscious male up. "Of course. I wouldn't dare do this on my own, silly. I was just getting ready."

Yusei wasn't necessarily heavy, per se. Bu for two eleven-year-olds? Yeah ... he was. A bit. More so for Luca than Lua, with the young girl panting slightly after helping her brother get the mysterious figure inside. "Whew... that .... was a chore. L-Lua? Careful .... "

Just because he didn't seem like a criminal, that didn't necessarily mean anything. Even those who looked innocent could be very guilty. Of course, that could simply be all the TV shows she'd seen. But hey, much better safe than sorry. Taking a few steps forward, Luca stood beside her sibling, gazing with intrigue at the sleeping man.

"I ... I'm also curious too. A bit nervous ... but not as much as I probably could or should be."

Her head nodded as she placed a hand in front of her mouth, stifling a yawn.

"We should get to bed also."

Before that, however, Luca walked to a nearby closet, retrieving a blanket and draping it gently over Yusei's body. When she felt satisfied with her vital but otherwise mundane task, Luca turned around and began walking towards her bedroom.
 

As Aki began working her counter, Hotsuma could only watch as his lieutenant still held that blank stare. If she did pull through, he'd definitely be inclined to show a bit of mercy; he wasn't happy with her for basically helping Divine kidnap his people...But at the same time, she was apparently no longer under the illusion that he was the selfless individual he made himself out to be.

The guy was a tyrant in the making, and all those poor bastards his puppets. But at least he was gone now, which meant he could very well get Yamichi out of here.

Minutes ticked by, keeping Hotsuma in a state of anxiety as her chanting seemed to do nothing...However, soon enough, Yamichi seemed to come to, the light returning to his eyes, life slowly blossoming back to life as Divine's hold over his mind was revoked. "H-how...Where..." he mumbled, before long collapsing as Hotsuma reached out to grab him after having shifted back to his human form, catching the tech on his shoulder. "Yamichi! Thank god, bro...I thought I lost you." Hotsuma replied, hugging his number two. "Hotsuma...You came..." Yamichi would say right back, feeling really weak, adding "D-Divine...He made me..." but Hotsuma interrupted, "Don't worry...We know it wasn't you, he brainwashed you. But you're back, and you're going home..."

Or at least that was what he thought, looking up to see Yuse ready to tear into Aki; what the hell was she thinking?! Letting Yamichi rest on the ground for a moment to recover from the daze, Yuna would then feel someone grab the arm reaching for her sword...And if she looked, she would see Hotsuma staring right at her. "Yuna...You're pissed, I get it. But think about what you're doing...You gave me a huge lecture about changing, about me not being the man I was to you. And changed I have... So now I say to you: This isn't who I remember Yuna being, not even as Yuse."

Looking right at Aki, he would then add, "Did she screw up? Fuck yes...But so did I, and you weren't afraid to let me know. But by your logic now, you should have tried to kill me for what I did. Just as the officers were puppets, so was she...And at the very least, she tried to repent. Yuna...If you're really true to being righteous, then don't sully your hands with her blood." He didn't even know if she would listen...But he was feeling compelled to get her to leave Aki be, if only to make sure they got out of there before Sector came to investigate; he could only imagine Divine as the type to call the cops to his own building...And much as he didn't mind putting the hurt on Sector, they did have injured with them that needed a secure place to rest.
 

Yuse's eyes narrowed. Her blade wasn't that heavy. So when it didn't immediately leave, her head turned ever-so-slightly ... and saw Hotsuma keeping her from drawing her weapon out. " ... What did she just say not too long ago about listening more to her? Just get Yamichi and yourself out. WHY DO YOU EVEN CARE? Last I recall, you weren't exactly fond of her. Hell, even now, I can feel you're still as hesitant about her. "

Aki, meanwhile, had already moved her hand mere inches away from pulling her hair pin out. If this got dire enough, she would need to remove it; that was becoming more and more clear. "Yuse, I --- "

"I DON'T WANNA HEAR ANYTHING FROM YOU EITHER! SAME AS I TOLD DIVINE!"

Her body shook as she began to jerk and fight against Hotsuma's grip. "And by that logic ... you're right. I would have killed you a very long time ago .... if there were a way to separate that bastard from you. Fine! The fuck with waiting! I was gonna but screw it! You have no idea ... none of you!"

... Is this linked to you not fully embodying the word 'revenge' in your name?

"Damn straight it is," she acknowledged. The fact Yuna was able to mentally speak was a blessing in its own right. She still hadn't fully turned to Rose ... something that, for now, had been avoided. "I've dealt with it for only one reason ... and that's simply the fact he hasn't made any moves to direly wound or kill Yuna. But I loathed seeing - among all of your cards - that one daring to respond to you. And now, with all the shit he's helping you discover .... you have no idea how badly I - we - wish it had been any other fiend. He already took everything from me! And now, slowly but surely, he's doing the same with you and trying to separate you two! He can fool the both of you if he wants ... but he can't fool me!"

"YOU BASTARDS! YOU TOOK MY FAMILY, MY KIN FROM ME!"

It likely felt as if the words had been screamed years ago when, in truth, it was a month ... if even that. The words had registered to Yuna that fateful day she felt Rose call out to her ... but they had never registered.

So ... you're saying ...

"YES!" she hissed through gritted teeth, "Archfiend Emperor is the same demon who killed my clan. Every time I have to see or listen to him.... it drives me mad. But, like I said, I've been restraining myself because he's at least kept from wounding Yuna!"

Yuna inwardly groaned; why, why, why?! Why could she never seem to catch a break?

Well ... I mean .... right now, your problem seems --

"SHUT UP! It is NOT only with the Emperor, no! He is my main one, yes. But he is by means NOT my only person I have an issue with." Her irises darkened, turning a deeper hue of red. "I'm not repeating myself again, Hosuma; let me go. I mean, seriously, what did you expect? She came here with so many firearms on her. Even she came here for blood; it isn't just me. And you made no efforts to make her put the guns away. So, even if subconsciously, some part of you feels the same. Probably your demonic side. Now let go ... or I won't hesitate to be rough with you."

I can't switch! At least get yourself and Yamichi safe, please!

As if Yuna's voice had been heard over a radio or walkie talkie, the electronic device was abruptly shut off. Yuna was literally nowhere to be heard. And upon closer inspection, Hosuma would see it wasn't just the eyes that changed. Even the hair had gotten darker, as well as just a bit longer.

"Five seconds .... that's all I'm giving you to either let go ... or accept whatever will come from failing to do so. If you were smart, you'd heed her last plea and get the two of you out."
 

"Maybe I'm not...But I also don't want to hurt Yuna even more, or hurt herself for that matter; she came with guns because we were expecting to face a lot of resistance. To have to put down a lot of Divine's goons before we finished him off. But as it stands, our business here in concluded; we already have enough heat to worry about back home...Or have you forgotten we stole one of Goodwin's most expensive investments? Not to mention the fact that Yuna already killed a senior officer in plain view!"

He hopefully didn't need to remind her of that; if word got out that a Topsider was murdered and there was any evidence leading back to the Satellite...There would be a lot of unnecessary death, for both sides. And true to Hotsuma's word, whether she believed it or not, he wasn't going to let Yuna have to live with ending someone who at least tried to help them out. There was still honor to consider, despite everything he had done...Despite what she had done. She had shown there was still something worth redeeming about her.

Needless to say it got bad when Rose all but shut Yuna out; that was probably the last straw for Hotsuma. His jaw tensed as he realized what Yuna's contract had done, "How dare you..." Hotsuma muttered, adding "You might have helped Yuna out a lot, I'll give you that. I can't even begin to thank you for all the support you've given her...But I'll tell you what I told the Emperor. Hate him all you like...Hate me even for what I am about to do..."

His grip, if anything tightened on her wrist instead of slackening, "But you do NOT get to just assume control! I don't care about the history between you or him! You don't use her body for your own selfish desires, Rose!" And with a hard twist, he would wrench her away from Aki and shove her; was about all he could do. And yet...He didn't change completely, but it was evident that his demon side was starting to take over...And that this was about to get very violent. "Even worse is, you know what that does to her! Are you honestly willing to risk Yuna's life for this?! Aki might be a monster, a demon given life. I know for a fact I am, and I've probably become even worse...But I'm not letting Yuna go down that path, not if I can help it!"

It was here that all the times of Yuna trying to stop him from hurting others who didn't deserve it, all the times she had set him straight...In his mind, however right or wrong he might have been...Now he was going to return the favor.

"Boy...If you honestly intend to defend yourself, then I suggest you transform as well..." the Emperor suggested; instead however, Hotsuma would take a few steps forward and block Aki and Yamichi with his own body. His human body "Yuna...I know you're in there. I know this shit's gotten screwy...But I'm only doing this because I don't want you to turn into a demon like me! Call it intuition, call it whatever you want! But if you do this...There'll be no going back for either of us! So help me, I'll use this form...The real me...to stop you from doing this...My body as a shield, my life for yours!"

"Boy, switch! I'm not going to let you get yourself killed!" the Emperor roared, trying to assert control...But something was blocking him, and if Aki could sense it, she would see the struggle. Two souls colliding furiously, Hotsuma using his last vestiges of mental fortitude to temporarily block out the Emperor, eventually dispelling the growing aura. "You're too damn strong, Emperor; Yamichi won't be able to survive if I change...Aki...If you're true to your word...If you really want to show you're sorry...Take Yamichi and the others...Get them home."

Yamichi meanwhile, was still groggy, seeing Yuse and his boss stare each other down all the same; Hotsuma was really intending to do this? "Hotsuma...Don't leave...Please..." he whimpered, his boss giving him a sad smile, "I know this seems hypocritical, Yamichi...Really I do...But I promised to get us all home safe. And for Yuna's sake and yours, I'm not breaking it."
 

"Hah! Doesn't want to hurt her, he says. And yet, look at you. Granted, this form has a much better tolerance for pain and punishment. But she's whimpering ... wishing you'd stop. You are hurting her, idiot. You just can't hear it." A very unorthodox, sadistic smirk crossed her face. "You just said it! She killed an officer. She did ... as Yuna. No. She didn't bring guns simply as a precaution. Maybe one or two ... sure. That would make sense. But with the number she brought? No, you fool. She came here wanting an excuse to pull back on the trigger, caring only that anyone associated with yourself or her was spared. Everyone else? They'd be gone."

Rose raised her right foot and slammed it as hard as possible onto Hotsuma's own foot.

"Hmph. You're one to talk. You've let him assume control tons of times. If you had to win against Fayth ... fine. But you ... you allowed him to go overboard. He went so far as to send a completely innocent woman into the infirmary. You know, the same one they drugged her to shit. I twas a miracle Fayth avoided that sort of fate. At any rate, don't chastise me about something you've already done, you fucking hypocrite. You're far from a fucking saint!"

Turning so Hotsuma was behind her - simultaneously allowing a hammerlock to be created - she jumped backwards, aiming to thrust Hotsuma right against the wall behind him. Her focus - hinted by the impact - would primarily be on the back of his head and back, hoping to do the worst damage to those areas.

" ... She's all but already started own that path. How else do you think she killed an officer so easily? And don't say because they were with a shit organization; that's no the only thing. If you've used a gun, you know the 'do or die' moment is right before you pull the trigger. Those who actually have the nerve and will to do it begin walking down a very dark path once they succeed. Those that fail? Well, they just weren't meant to partake in such violent activities, were they? Rather ignorant about your own partner, aren't you?"

One more slam against the wall would be made ... and finally, a large surge of Psychic energy began to build up, centering around the two fused leaders.

Oh shit! Aki thought, immediately taking notice of the difference in strength. At this rate .... it was exactly as Hotsuma said. Staying here would be all but suicide, even for herself. "Hate me all you want, but we need to go. Now!" Leaning down, she helped hoist Yamichi up to his feet, and began quickly walking away with him ... running only when it was obvious he wouldn't stumble and risk hurting himself.

Luckily, the last bits of Rose's psychic blast wouldn't go off until after Aki and Yamichi were out. But when it did ... oh could the aura be felt.

Hotsuma would be thrown off, tossed into the opposite wall behind him. Dazed, if not worse. Either way, Rose would take full advantage of her arm being free to pull her sword completely free. "Fine. Since you screwed my plans up, I guess you'll suffice. Change if you want to. In fact ... I dare you. Will you be able to stop if she does collapse and go into her coma? Or will you cave in and just get rid of her? That would be one easy way for your other half to make you heed his words he said back at the Facility; to - as he so kindly put it - leave her. Let's see what you can do, shall we?"
 

Hotsuma gave a sharp yelp as she slammed his head against the wall, a small but noticeably contusion forming and making blood run down the back of his head. "That wasn't my fault!" Hotsuma shouted, getting pissed off that she was bringing up Fayth; did she not seem to recall that he actually tried to resist? Or did she not care at this point.

"WHELP! YOU ARE TOO WEAK TO FACE HER! LET ME OUT!" the Emperor roared, again trying to assume control...But Hotsuma wouldn't let him, even if it seemed the Emperor might succeed. Only when she stopped her assault, himself thrown back once more after their battle of energy ended with it in her favor. And for a few moments, he didn't move at all...Himself barely able to hear Yuse's words...No, it wasn't even Yuse anymore.

Rose...This was Rose talking.

"Boy...I am taking control. You will die if you keep up this folly! All of your work, undone! All of your sacrifices, worthless! Is that what you wish?" The Emperor tried to reason; what was making Hotsuma resist? Why wouldn't he change?!

Hotsuma breathed heavily, her attacks brief but ridiculously powerful; Rose was wrong though. It wasn't that he was ignorant of Yuna. It was that he understood the darkness all too well, even more so after being bonded with the Emperor. Those fears, they had come back...The fears of what would happen. And now he saw, staring at Rose...What it truly meant to lose oneself. And even if Yuna would hate him, loathe him and want to be rid of him for this...

He wouldn't let her become a monster. Not as he had.

Standing up shakily, his vision blurry as he tried to stand. "I'll repeat to you...What Fayth said to me. I know this isn't her...It makes anything that was said or done, easier to forgive." Bracing himself against the wall, he then added in a hushed tone, "And for the record...You would know I never claimed to be innocent. I've done horrible things...And given the choice I would do them again. But I don't do it just because beating up Sector feels like a thrill."

Laughing weakly, he would then say to Rose, "Besides...You know it yourself. For one reason or another, we're fine with killing. I've accepted that...I'm a monster. I'm a demon. But if I have to bear those sins, and carry them with me to the real Yomi..." Giving a slight grunt, he would then approach; she would see he was no threat, even more so as he gripped her katana in his hand...And pressed the edge against his throat.

"Then that is my fate...You see what the darkness has made me, Rose. You can attest to what I've become. I see it now...More clearly than ever. And I promised Yuna...That would I try. I had hoped she would see why I wanted to spare Aki..." "BOY, DO NOT DO THIS!" The Emperor shouted loudly, more than enough to even make Rose cringe from the volume; a dark aura erupted over Hotsuma, the young man grimacing as he pressed the blade edge tighter against his neck, its sharpness slicing his fingers and causing streaks of red to run down the length; his contract, however, wouldn't let him carry it through.

"I can't...fight him off much longer...Rose. End it...Kill me. And when it's over...Tell Yuna I'm sorry...For everything. She deserves someone better."



Yamichi, meanwhile, was still groggy after Aki had lifted him to his feet...Feeling himself be taken away, and soon enough, they were on a...boat? "Hotsuma...You actually used this. Was Yomi discovered then?" Yamichi whispered; it had to have been, that was the only reasonable conclusion. And when he looked up, he saw that Aki was carrying him, forcing him to move. "A-Aki...Why...Where's Hotsuma?" he asked her...Only to realize and start to struggle just before they reached the boat.

"No...No, we have to go back...Hotsuma and Yuna...They'll kill each other..." Yamichi whimpered, trying to pull away from Aki; he could feel it, both of them at each other's throats by now. And it hurt, his chest tightening as the sensation of dread grew even more. "Hotsuma...Don't do it...HOTSUMA!" he would then cry out of nowhere.
 

"Ohh? You're not letting him come out? Interesting. Bold ... but stupid. He's right to be miffed at you."

Everything had hit its respective marks, and Rose's smirk widened as she noticed the blood trickling down the back of his head. An eyebrow raised as Rose heard the recited words ... and scoffed soon afterwards. "Hmph. Forgiveness? Like I want that in the first fucking place."

Most of the rest of hsi words went ignored. It wouldn't be until Hotsuma put her blade against his throat that her attention returned to her opponent.

"... Lost your will to live?"

Rose lightly shrugged.

"Ehh. This won't be nearly as rewarding ... "

WAIT!

Mentally shoving Yuna back - god, what a stubborn bitch - she lowered the blade, placing it against his chest. "Unfortunately for you, I choose certain things. How I use my weapon is one of them. You don't get to select how you die or where I stab to aid in that."

Placing her lips beside Hotsuma's ear, she uttered one last taunt.

"Since you wanted this ... it should be over soon enough. Sayōnara, Hotsuma Oboro."

With one rough thrust, the blade went through Hotsuma's sternum; barely missing the most vital organs.

... Blood. So much blood .... it was falling down on her skin. What had happened? What she just saw ... that had all been a dream, right? As Yuna's eyes and hair finished reverting back to normal, she glanced down ..... and felt her face lose a considerable amount of color.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

There was one main blessing, and it came in the fact she'd changed. Which meant the katana was gone, and thus didn't need to be removed. That would have held a huge risk of making things even worse than they already were. But now .... she was on a timer.

"I ... no! Please hold on ... "

Her first thoughts were to get to the boat. But ... no. She couldn't face the others. Not like this. She was feeling really sick as it was, almost to a literal point.

I .... I need .... oh god, fuck me! What do I do?! Oh god!

There was only one thing, really. Easy in concept ... but this would be a bit of a chore. Ah well. The adrenaline surging through her would help Yuna out; she didn't think that, she knew it.

"Don't die on me," she pleaded softly, cautiously picking Hotsuma up into her arms. Whether he heard her or not ... she ran to the only place that could definitely help him out.

The hospital.

Sure, it was a bit risky ... but he was here for a legit reason. Also, there was the fact that even if Goodwin found out he was here, he at least would have to let him recover. That would thus give him time ... enough to get away if push came to shove.

Reaching down, she grabbed a few small pebbles and hurled them att the front doors.

Only after a nurse walked through the automatic doors did Yuna gently lay Hotsuma down on the stairs leading up to the hospital, deftly pivoting on her feet and breaking into a run.

Where to?

Even she didn't know. What she was certain of, however, was she couldn't face anyone; not her own people nor Hotsuma's. She needed to disappear ... and if not through death, some other method. Hiding, more likely than not. The 'where' part could easily be worked out later.

Right now, she just had to avoid Sector or any hospital staff to keep from being identified as the person that caused Hotsuma his dire wound.

"Yamichi! Damnit, stop squirming! Hotsuma asked me to get you out, so I am! Believe it or not, that's why I helped you get un-brain washed; because I do feel bad and stupid."

A grimace spread over Aki's face; so far, no one had walked out. For a moment, she thought she heard a pained cry - maybe two - and those sounds made her frown.

" ... In the best case scenarios, they're going to pull through, regardless of what happened. In the worst ... well ... you'll get a call confirming those worst fears. But come on! You would have died if you were inside when that Psychic blast went off!"

Wrapping her arms around Yamichi's waist, she used her telekinesis to untie the rope keeping the boat at the port. Aki then paused, working on trying to pinpoint their location. Finally, she turned to Yamichi, "You know where they are, right? Give me directions so I can get you all back."

Slowly but surely, the boat began to disappear from sight, leaving the fate of the leaders unknown .... for the time being, at least.
 

Hotsuma just laughed weakly as Rose prepared to end him; in truth, he could hardly understand what she was saying. She'd knocked him about, threatened Yuna's well-being and yet for some reason he couldn't be mad at her...Not even at the Emperor. And as much as it sucked...Not even mad at Divine; Rose was right in one respect. This was entirely his doing. Still, at the very least he could give Yuna another chance...And with any luck, she'd find someone who would do better for her.

Some people were better off alone...And as it turns out, he was one of them.

Feeling the point of her blade on his chest, his hand having been moved away, he just smirked, "You really are a cold-hearted bitch, Rose...Much respect...And thanks." And that was right before she plunged the blade through his chest, the cold steel ramming its way through. He wished he could say it didn't hurt...Like those badasses in movies and such where they could just shrug it off.

But no...This shit fucking hurt, so much so that it literally robbed him of his breath. It felt like he got hit with a battering ram in his chest, and he was so blinded by pain that all he could do was fall down; it hurt to breathe, it hurt to try and move his head. There wasn't a whole lot of bleeding, but enough to stain his shirt and start to pool under him slowly. His head swam and he honestly thought he was going to be sick...Even more so when he felt himself being lifted before being laid down again...Then picked up once more, feeling hands all over him, blurry faces moving around in even blurrier space that kept their features largely hidden to him.

Lights ran by him, the sounds and noises all muffled from his fading consciousness, feeling himself move too quickly to be walking; why wouldn't he just fade away? "Because, you worthless buffoon...I told you...Ngh...I wasn't going to let you get killed." he then heard a voice speak...And yet even that seemed kind of distorted. His limbs were feeling like lead, his whole body numb...So much going on around me, he thought...

It was then here that he felt his body start to quiet...His heart starting to beat slower....And slower...And slower still. No further thoughts passed through his head, just a weak smirk as his eyes closed completely...Feeling the sensations finally fall away as he slipped into another realm...



"No, no, you don't understand!" Yamichi cried out, trying to fight off Aki...But then he felt it. Like someone socked him in the guy, his eyes staring widely back across the way...He could feel it. He didn't know what happened, but he felt something bad happen to Hotsuma...And his head just drooped. "H-Hotsuma..." he stammered, his voice breaking a little as he tried to think he didn't feel what he thought he felt.

"Aki...I'm going to trust you. Hotsuma felt a reason to do...You better make sure he didn't do this in vain..." the tech growled, telling her how to get back. The trip was short, thankfully; and with the night-time fast approaching, it was best they got back as soon as possible. Whether she actually helped them after this mattered little to him; and if anyone asked what happened, he wouldn't be afraid to tell them.

Once they did land, they would all agree to go their separate. Hajime would be taken by Eikichi back to the base and Yamichi would follow behind them...But he needed to have a word with Aki first. "Look...I know I said what I said...And I'm still pissed at you for dragging those guys through this shit. But...Thank you. For at least keeping your word to Hotsuma...But for your sake, don't let anyone see you that's associated with them. They'll likely not care that you actually went against Divine."

And with that Yamichi was gone, having started the long journey back to the new Yomi; on the way, she had said that those two took back the Facility...Even so, he wasn't ready to believe it. Not fully anyway.
 

"Don't be stupid! Yes, I do! I also saw what started to happen! Yuna ... wasn't even Yuse. Half herself, half Rose. No, after a bit, she was only Rose. Full killer mode ... embracing and accepting her full name as the Lady Warrior of Revenge. If I went back now ... there's a very good chance you'll be hurt, if not worse." Her eyes narrowed as she glared furiously over at the tech. "Look here! I can't --- no, it's not that I can't make two of myself. But don't threaten me and go on about Hotsuma dong that fight in vain. He knew what he was doing."

And even not doing, according from wha she last saw. He didn't change ... odd, indeed.

"Don't be so ungrateful," she muttered bitterly.

Th rest of the trip would be in silence ... up until Eikichi woke up with a groggy Hajime in his arms. Both tilted their heads at the sigh of Aki, but said nothing. In fact, the two siblings waited for Yamichi to finish speaking with Aki before Eikichi would meet up with the blonde-haired Disciple.

Before then, Aki would nod and acknowledge Yamichi's words. "Don't worry. I was going to lay very low for quite some time. I may as well take advantage of Divine losing me and failing to pass judgement on me." Whatever that would have meant. Nothing good, more likely than no .... which was why, for once, she'd be fine taking up the role of an opportunist. Teleporting was always much easier with a card. Unfortunately, hers was back in her room. It'd be too exhausting to go back there then hide away. Plus, on the rare, off-chance Divine had gone back, it would be dangerous.

So, after taking a few moments to think on a decent spot, she focused on it .... and disappeared within a matter of seconds from sight.

"Oi. Yamichi? Where the fuck are Yuna and Hotsuma? What happened?" Eikichi inquired, wearing a concerned look as he began walking ... to the Facility? "What the ... ?? Heh! Did they actually break out then overthrow it or something?! Holy hell."
When morning arrived, a knock would be heard on Fuyu's door. The injuries weren't overly serious; however, she had been required to stay for supervision and ensuring none of the wounds got infected while under watch. That was fine.

With a bit of her help, she was able to assist Fayth in sending Reiji the requested videos.

"After," Fuyu whispered to Fayth, who sleepily nodded. "I'm up. Come in."

Not like it would have mattered, she doubted. The door opened anyway, ad her nurse who had been checking her vitals and up on her the past day or two walked in, yawning slightly. "Morning, Ms. Uehara. So .... " she picked the chart up, reviewing all of the data, nodding, and looking back to the Ice Barrier user. "You should be fine to leave today. However ... " The nurse paused, obviously knowing the next part wouldn't be the best news to give out. "Well ... since you had one arm wounded as well as one leg, crutches are .... not as good of an option. So ... "

A wheelchair was pushed in.

"I would very highly prefer you use this. Just for a few days."

Fuyu groaned ... lovely. Her head turned as she looked over to Fayth, wearing the most stern expression she'd had in a while. "You gonna be fine with moving me around like that?"

"Why shouldn't I be?"

... Of course. Why didn't Fuyu expect that answer. Sighing softly, she nodded and glanced over to the nurse. "Okay. Alright. I'll do it ... only because she can guide me with my directions." A clipboard holding her dismissal papers was handed over. She managed to sign everything, although it was a tad sloppy with her wounded shoulder in a sling.

"So," the nurse stated, "We've prescribed you a few minor pain killers. You may not even need them ... but they're a precaution for you. Alright! You're free to go, Ms. Uehara."

After being helped into the wheelchair, Fuyu started carefully pushing her 'onee-san' out.

"You remember the way back to your studio?"

"Well enough, yes," Fayth replied.

"Go on. You're clear. It's really early ... like a bit after dawn. No one's out and about. Unless you wanna wait till we arrive?"

"Umm ... probably."

Soon after returning, Fuyu would be pushed into the living room. Beside the couch, to be more specific. Fayth, meanwhile, actually sat on it. Tapping a few buttons on the duel disk, it woke up like a laptop would from sleep mode. Her head turned to Fuyu, who nodded and verbally confirmed, "Yes, it's still set for Reiji's number. Go on."

Fayth swallowed. She wasn't sure why ... but the whole thought of an explanation as to why she was a Signer made her nervous. Pushing down, she would hear it connect and be answered swiftly by Reiji himself.

"Morning, Fayth. I'm assuming Fuyu's nearby?"

"Yes. She just got dismissed."

"And I'm assuming nothing major occurred?" he inquired, pushing his glasses up.

"No. But the make-shift bandages ... they were good for that moment. She just needed a more professional touch."

"Very good. I understand. So .... " The pause would only last for a few seconds before Reiji would nod. "Before I say anything, just remember; this is strictly a theory. I don't have proof for it. Whether you choose to seek such proof out is up to you. But if this mere guess freaks you out too much, I wouldn't recommend it. I do indeed have a guess as to why you're a Signer. The answer is simple ... at least in concept. How this actually happened ... I'm unsure. Let alone if it did. But ... there's only one reasonable conclusion as to how you're a Signer despite not hailing from this world."

Reiji would pause once again ... before continuing his hypothesis.

"You may be like Jack and Crow, and even some of the others who are in multiple dimensions."

"So ... you're saying I'm in this Dimension also."

"Yes. However, since the Sign was on this version of you and not the Synchro one ... there's a good chance that the you in this dimension ... is dead."

"HUH?!"

Reiji held his hand up, hearing even Fuyu exclaimed with Fayth at the guess. "Well ... think on it for a bit. The Sign could have transferred to a living body. Another 'how' that I'm not certain about, but ... it's the only thing that I can begin to guess happened. Otherwise, Fayth just wouldn't be a Signer at all."

The worst part? He was right. It made complete sense. It wasn't like she'd seen anyone else remotely close to her in appearance so ... maybe he was right? Still, the thought made Fayth shudder. That was a bit much ... creepy, if she had to use just one word. "But ... Reiji? I mean ... Jack and Crow are alive in both dimensions, so .... "

"Fayth. I understand. However, what you and Fuyu pointed out is correct; all the Signers - save for you - hailed from the Synchro Dimension. This is the only way that guess could fit and work out. Like I said ... you don't have to see if I'm just spouting nonsense or not. However, given your reaction thus far, I'd highly suggest not to bother with it at all."

"I understand," Fayth replied softly.

Another moment of silence ... and finally, Reiji would speak up once more. "You do know that you could try a simultaneous teleportation if you so desired. I won't lie; it'd be very dangerous and risky. But it could work. We've tested that out over here several times to see if that would be an easy way to get you back sooner. The answer is another hard 'maybe'."

"I won't lie ... that does sound tempting. However ... given I've secured a spot in the Fortune Cup, I need to stay for at least that."

Though she couldn't see it, she definitely feltthe smirk spread over Reiji's face. "Good answer. I'm glad to see and hearing you mature a bit more, Fayth-san. No doubt part of Fuyu's help."

"Not only mine," Fuyu slyly quipped, causing Reiji to softly chuckle.

"I see. Very well ... keep whomever has been helping you out nearby, then. They're doing you a lot of good, it seems."

"I-I'll try," Fayth stammered, her face quickly going red. "Thank you, Reiji-san. Later!" Quickly pushing down and disconnecting, she looked over with an irked stare at Fuyu.

"What?" the platinum-haired woman replied, snickering. "It's true! Yusei really seemed to help you grow up ... as well as the other one who looked over you during your stay at the Facility."

"Fine. But did you have to hint that to Reiji? It's not like we're official or anything ... I doubt he sees me that way." But now that she mentioned Yusei, Fayth couldn't help but wonder how he was doing. Hopefully well ... all heroes deserved a break every now and again. He was certainly not immune to that logic or train of thought.
 

Yamichi half wanted to tell her the same thing; for whatever reason, his boss felt compelled to step in and save her from Yuna trying to kill her...And it still ate at him as he made his way back to the base; she could have at least said thanks to him or something. But...Hotsuma probably would have just gotten mad anyway; they didn't seem to particularly care for each other.

"Hotsuma...Bought us time. Yuna....she didn't act like herself. It was like someone possessed her." Yamichi explained; honestly he didn't want to talk about it. He felt...He felt like Hotsuma was gone, somehow. Like something just erased him off the map.

Takeshi was busy doing his own rotation through guard duty, when he noticed several familiar faces approaching. Getting a hold of Shivini, he told her to come down as well; however, he would notice they all looked like hell. "Yamichi!" Takeshi yelled, rushing to hug the blonde-haired tech; he quickly stopped though, when he noticed neither of the leaders had come back with him.

"Yamichi...Where's Hotsuma? Where's Yuna?" Takeshi asked, Yamichi just shaking his head, "Tak...Just don't...Please...Let me rest. I'll explain it all tomorrow; Hajime and Eikichi had it rough. Short of it is...Hotsuma and Yuna gave us the opportunity to get out." "Yuna...I don't want to believe you killed him...Please let me be wrong about that...Please don't tell me you've let your possession drive you that far." Yamichi then pleaded mentally; of course, with how things looked, and the sensation of dread that crossed his chest...It seemed to point heavily towards that.

Takeshi could see that all three of them were pretty beaten up and exhausted, his eyes narrowing as he then sighed in defeat, "Fine...But come tomorrow, I want to know everything that happened. But...First off, let me welcome you guys to the new Yomi. Short version is, old base got discovered...Yuna and Hotsuma cleared out this place and made it our new home. Even got some new friends...But I'll tell you all about that tomorrow too."



Meanwhile, Yusei would wake up the next morning; his head throbbed and he groaned, placing a hand on his head as he sat up on the couch...Wait, wasn't he on the street?! His heart rate spiked as he looked around, seeing that he was in someone's house; this was too upscale to be Saiga's place. Too...Well, modern. Nothing was run-down looking, or even remotely dirty...Except for him.

"Hey, hey, don't get up, stupid! You got knocked about pretty hard, so take it easy!" he would then hear a voice say, feeling a pair of hands push him back down to lay on his back. "Who..Who are you? What happened?" Yusei asked, the young man pointing a thumb at himself, "You're looking at Lua, the all-star of the Celebrity Twins!" before then pointing at Yusei, "Now who are you? You crashed your bike and messed up the cans for the apartment complex...Plus, you got a criminal mark, which means you're from the Satellite, right?"

Yusei blinked a few times, "I'm...Yusei Fudo...I appreciate you bringing me in...But where's my Runner?" Lua just shook his head, "Don't worry about that; I put it in our folk's garage." Yusei tried to sit up more, but found himself shoved back down, the Satellite male adding "I shouldn't be here; you'll get in trouble for harboring a branded criminal." Lua just shook his head, "Don't even think of riding it out of here! You're in no condition! So sit down and let us finish making breakfast! You're staying to heal up, and that's final!"

Yusei just smiled, "Can I at least sit up? I don't feel like I hurt too much, all things considered...That much should be fine, right?" After a few moments of contemplation, Lua would then say with a sigh, "Jeez...Alright fine, but you lay back down if you start getting dizzy alright?!" This kid is full of energy, he thought, watching this Lua walk back into the kitchen before looking around the rest of the house.

"Do you two...live here alone?" he then asked, Lua shouting "Nah, but our parents are always away on business trips. They're usually short, but they go on so many back to back trips they may as well let us live alone. Don't worry about it too much though, Luca and I take care of each other, ain't that right sis?"
 
Luca ​

"... Possessed?" Eikichi shook his head, refusing to believe that. Sure, he'd seen her ... as Yuse. But she had herself under control. What Yamichi was speaking of ... was not what saw, nor something he wanted to believe was possible. "There has to be a mistake. Right?"

Before the tech could answer, Shivini and Takeshi ran forward. His eyes stayed hardened. Full of despair and denial .... still not anywhere close to ready to accept that Yuna had changed so drastically. Even less willing to think it possible that it would lead to her not coming back. What would be the point of her making all of those promises ... and then breaking them? He was honestly relieved Hajme was still passed out. But when he woke ... poor guy. He'd take this news even worse than himself.

"Guys? Ummm ... Eikichi? What Yamichi ... ??"

The purple-haired male's moved from side to side. "I don't know .... even if she was different, she handled herself fine! She's never ..... I don't know. I ran off and got Hajime out first."

... This didn't make sense at all. Between what Eikichi and Yamichi were saying, there were a lot of details missing. But .... she noticed the same thing. They really did look like shit. And Hajime .... he was already passed out. If he'd succumbed to fatigue, there was no telling how far away Eikichi was. "Okay. Alright. Go on in and take a room. Most of the cells have had the doors removed to have a more ... welcoming appearance. But not all of them. And umm .... like Takeshi hinted, we have other .... guests. Courtesy of Hotsuma. They won't hurt you since you're with us though."

What the fuck was she going on about?

When that got revealed, it took all of Eikichi's will power not to drop his ototo. "The hell ... ??"

"I know. It freaked us all out at first. And I do mean all of us.

Eikichi merely nodded, too tired to further pry on how they'd gotten here, or even why - or was how the better inquiry? - they were so obedient to Hotsuma. Luckily, all the cells had bunk beds, like he correctly assumed. He'd lay Hajime down and cover him up before taking the top. There was no way Yuna had just up and abandoned them. Had she? His fists clenched as he punched his pillow, eventually falling into a very restless sleep.
"Lua! Don't be rude and call him stupid! Maybe hasty, but not stupid!"

The second voice would come from the kitchen .... and in case he hadn't picked up on it yet, the aroma starting to travel through the house confirmed that, yes, someone was indeed cooking breakfast. A low groan was heard as something being stirred could also be detected. "I'm so sorry for my brother. He can also over-exaggerate. He's not really an official all-star. But ... we both do duel. That much is true about his boast."

Luca lightly "Hmmmm'ed" as she heard Yusei's quip about harboring a fugitive. "I won't lie," she calmly stated, "I was worried about that also. But ... I don't think you have to worry about Sector too much. They've got enough on their plate as it is. The Facility has been overtaken. Two ex-convicts are now making it their haven. No names were given out because there's only speculation, but they think it was the Fiend and his ... partner, Yuna Takeda. That's part of the reason I was fine taking you in. You also don't feel like you're really a convict."

In fact, even from in the kitchen, she could feel .... almost a kindred spirit? Well, that was a bit odd. She literally just met this Yusei .... how was that possible. Her head shook as she realized she almost forgot her own introduction. "Oh! I'm sorry! He's Lua, I'm Luca!"

Finally, the stirring and noises would stop after a few moments.

"Lua! Help me carry the plates out! I can get two, but not three at once. And grab the syrup, would you?"

Luca would walk out, carrying two plates just as she hinted. Each had some eggs, a few strips of bacon, and pancakes on them. She took a moment to set them down first on the table before holding a hand up. "Brother's right. You do need to take it easy, so ... "

She then walked beside the couch an began unfolding three TV trays, placing one in front of Yusei, and two more near the couch. Luca then gave Yusei his plate and set one of the others down. She didn't really mind if it ended up being her own or not. In truth, this was ... something she and her brother hadn't been able to enjoy in a while; being able to eat with someone else. Sure, it was a bit foreign to eat with a literal stranger. But the sensation wasn't the absolute worst one, either.

"There's more than enough for thirds. I started cooking really early in the morning to make sure of that." Luca would wait patiently for her brother to finish up everything he was doing ... before eating once everybody had sat down.
 

"He's the one who's trying to move about all crazy like after wrecking his Runner!" Lua complained as he went to help his sister, soon giving Yusei his food along with a small bowl of fruit; he knew it wasn't polite, but even still the guy just got out of a crash with what seemed to be only minor injury.

Yusei just laughed, "It's alright...He's just trying to look out for me. Where I'm from, you can't count on a lot of people for that, so I definitely appreciate it. It's nice to meet the both of you. My name's Yusei Fudo"

Lua just laughed, "See, sis? Yusei gets it!" And it was here that he actually curious and asked out of the blue, "But hey, speaking of where you're from...Are you really from the Satellite? What's it like over there? Is it as bad as people say it is? Did you break out of the Facility too with the Fiend?"

But one thing Yusei noted was a distinct lack of judgmental tones; if anything, it was more like he was a foreigner and the kid was asking more about what his homeland was like or something. And while it was sure to receive a chastising remark from his sister, they would find he had no trouble answering Lua's question.

"Most of it...I won't sugarcoat it, is indeed run down, and there are more than a few dangerous areas. I suppose we can add the Facility too, if what you said is true, Luca; I hadn't heard much of the inmates doing anything with it. My attention...Well, it was needed elsewhere." It wasn't a lie, but he didn't really want to talk about watching a former friend throw himself into the ocean just to spite. "Anyway, it's not all bad. Lot of people just struggle and scrape by to survive, let alone thrive. We certainly don't get to have a breakfast like this every day...I can't even ever remember eating pancakes before now. But not everyone in there is cruel; most just want to live a normal life."

He then paused after taking a bite of the bacon, before continuing, "I'll try to take it easy for now...But there is something I have to see to later on, and plus I doubt you two want a stranger hanging around for too long." Lua just laughed, "Hey, we might not look like much, but the Celebrity Twins are more than most people suspect! Hey, speaking of which!" Putting his plate down, he then jumped up and stood before Yusei, "I heard a lot of people from the Satellite are really strong Duelists! So that's what I want to do, I want to see how strong you are!"

Yusei just blinked, "But wasn't it you who said..." but Lua interrupted with a cocky smile, "I mean after you rested! Not right now! Sheesh, you think I'd do that to someone? Naw, I want to Duel you while you're at your best!"
 
Luca ​

"W-Well ... that makes him restless! Hasty, like I said! Not necessarily stupid!"

A small huff passed Luca's lips as she finally flashed her brother a small grin. Annoying as he could be, they were still siblings. And because of their parents constantly being away, Lua did mean a lot to Luca. In fact .. she highly doubted she'd be able to live alone. For an array of reasons, none of which she allowed to haunt her mind. "Nice to meet you, Yusei," Luca would reply after finishing her first bite of pancakes. She managed to ignore her brother's tease about Yusei understanding Lua's concern for him. However, when he began barraging their new guest with questions, that was when Luca gave her brother a stern look.

"Geez. We didn't take him in to play Twenty Questions with. Besides, what if he doesn't wanna talk?"

But apparently ... he did. Huh. Okay, fine. So she wasn't the best at reading people.

Another brief look that silently requested for Lua to be more polite and less nosy would be all her brother would see. While Yusei relayed how life in the Satellite was, she quietly listened. "I see," she mused as he finished. "Well --- "

Her head quickly shook as Yusei tried to insist he'd hurry up and leave. "I'll agree with Lua about that much; don't push yourself to leave our residence so fast. And honestly? The extra company is actually nice."

Most of her plate was finished when Lua jumped up and mentioned wanting to duel Yusei.

" ... What he said, brother! Goodness! Do you want him to rest or not?!"

Thankfully, he did, it seemed. Luca sighed again, giving Yusei an exhausted smile. "See what I have to deal with every day? This is another reason it's nice to have someone else around. Maybe I can get a break every now and again from him. Anyway, do either of you want seconds?"
 

To say the King was a bit put off by what was revealed to him was an understatement; now he was more certain than ever about what he felt. These recent happenings weren't random unlinked occurrences. Fayth's appearing with those strange cards, the fact that the Dragon appeared where he and Yusei had shown up, all of it. But he still couldn't help wondering why he was chosen; from the sounds of it, they were supposed to be righteous warriors; he was strong, sure, but righteous he had been anything but.

"Is it really me?" he then asked as he rode on his Runner, parking in front of Cafe la Geen; almost immediately, he could feel the eyes set upon him...And for the first time in a very long while, he felt those numerous stares. And it kind of made him uncomfortable at first, something he hadn't experienced in any recent memorable period. But he decided that a cup of his favorite coffee would be just the thing he would need to calm his nerves.

Taking a seat on the outdoor section to feel the sun against him, he would then be approached by a brown-haired waitress who seemed to flush as she approached, menu in hand. "G-good morning, Mr. Atlas...W-would you like your usual?" Jack just nodded, "Yes...Thank you." the waitress taking off almost instantly. Such a strange girl, he thought; she always did this, and it almost always was her serving him.

And it wasn't too much longer before she would return with a steaming cup of Blue-Eyes Mountain, the most expensive brand they had; with his money, it was no doubt he could afford. "Uhm-uhm, w-was there..." she started to ask, but Jack raised a brow at her as if in wonder why she was acting this way, her cheeks darkening even more before she just said "U-uh, sorry, I'll just leave it to you then!" and bolted off once more. Jack just shrugged it off and took a sip; perfect as always, and he definitely seemed to enjoy it. Around the corner in the entrance, the young waitress stamped her foot once, mentally chastising herself "Urgh, Stephanie, you idiot! That was your chance!"

His eyes then traveled to his right arm, underneath the sleeve the birthmark that supposedly marked him as a Signer. "Why me though...Does this 'Crimson Dragon' truly think me worthy?" he wondered, eyes traveling back up to the clear skies overhead. Unknowing just who he would run into.
 

The past several hours had been relatively quiet. The two women had been perfectly content with simply relaxing. Enjoying the serenity and peace surrounding them. Compared to the chaos from several days ago, thsi was a nice and much needed change.

Of course, even without being a Psychic, it was obvious Fayth was thinking. A lot. Mainly about Reiji's theory. Was it worth checking out?

He had his points, like always. If she had reacted so negatively from simply hearing the hypothesis, then actively looking would just bring more angst. Wouldn't it? At the same time, it could also offer a sense of closure. Understanding.

Besides, Fayth mused, Even if that is true ... this version of you is alive. That means something ...

It wouldn't make any possible discovery any less creepy. Still ....

Before she could think too long on whether to act on investigating Reiji's speculation, she heard Fuyu wheeling herself out to the living room. "Oh? You've gotten used to moving it around?"

"Somewhat," Fuyu bitterly replied, not trying to hide she was still irked at being restrained to such a device, temporarily or otherwise. "It'll probably be easier when my arm can get out of this damned sling. Anyway, let's get out of here for a bit."

"Huh? Why?"

Fuyu smirked ... ahh. That innocence; how she envied Fayth in still being able to possess such a trait. "Because," the Ice Barrier user started to state, "If I have to be confined to this damn wheelchair, fine. But I want some fresh air. Staying in this place isn't gonna do either of us any good; not forever, especially." Sensing Fayth's hesitation, she reassured, "He's dead. Remember? If you're worried about him or anything like that repeating, don't. Just because I'm in this wheelchair, I'm not completely defenseless ... particularly if things get solved with a duel."

"T...True, I suppose." Lifting her head up, Fayth took a slight breath. She had been in the Satellite ... maybe Fuyu had a point. Exploring the Tops and getting a feel for everything that was here ... why not? Plus, if she was going to be stuck here for a bit longer, it'd be good to know the landmarks and various locations. "Okay. Let me go change real fast."

"There ya go," Fuyu encouraged, grinning as she watched Fayth leave. When Fayth returned in her new outfit, Fuyu's smirk only widened. "Ohhh? Hoping to run into Yusei? Dressing to impress?"

"Sh-Shut up! Or I won't push you!"

"... He really had an impact on you, huh?"

Fayth sighed softly, walking behind Fuyu and grabbing the handles of the wheelchair. "Look. Before you transferred here, he was the first person I met. He's .... saved me since we day one. I owe him so much."

"Hmm? What'd he save you from?"

"Some thugs. I got my Fairy deck in the Satellite so .... I learned the hard way how ... aggressive people tended to be there. Especially gang members. Anyway, yes. He does mean a lot to me ... but not like that. Now please ... just ... cut me slack."

"Okay, okay. I get it. But if it helps, you two do look cute."

The obvious answer was no, it hadn't helped. Fayth quickly blushed at the compliment, muttered something under her breath, and finally spoke after regaining her more calm attitude. "So ... where exactly do you wanna go?"

"Hmmm .... " Using her own duel disk as a make shift laptop, she started searching to see what was around. "A cafe sounds nice. Let's try this Cafe la Geen It's not too far away, either."

The two would arrive a bit under five minutes later. Naturally, Fayth wouldn't see .... but Fuyu almost immediately did. And her eyes narrowed as she caught sight of the King here.

Hmph. I shouldn't be surprised but still ...

"Fuyu? Something wrong?" Fayth inquired, feeling the aura between her and her comrade almost immediately getting somewhat tense.

"No, no. It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Fuyu chose to not reveal Jack was here. It'd likely upset Fayth ... and really, she highly doubted he'd take notice of either herself or Fayth. Even if he should, just to simply apologize. Fayth did deserve that much.

Who are you kidding though? Jack is Jack, regardless of whether he's in this Dimension or the Pendulum one.

Shaking her head, Fuyu began reading the menu off to Fayth, giving the name and a brief description of each drink available.
 

Jack could very well have minded his own business...He could just left it alone, but he had to make eye contact. There it was, the white-haired woman known as Fuyu Uehara...And more surprisingly, Fayth herself. "So...Goodwin hadn't lied when he said that the Facility had been broken out of. Hmph, well, no place is invincible forever. Especially if half the things he talked my ear off about Armstrong are true." Jack mused, taking another sip of his coffee. At first, he didn't go over there; last thing he needed to be was aggravated because she went and got herself arrested.

But...Thinking back, he didn't exactly speak up for her when she asked him to. Really, only Yusei had done anything wrong...Even if it was a stupid crime to throw him in the Facility for. Giving a dissatisfied sneer, he would then down the rest of the drink and start to sit up as if ready to leave. Even so, he did look back over at the table...Would it really be so bad of him to at least try to make amends?

This could very well backfire at him, that much he knew; Fayth nor her friend was any fan of his, and could very easily try to cause a scene just to spite him. Of course, neither of them would likely realize that many others filed false allegations against him and lost. As far as his status was still concerned, he was still the 'golden boy' of the Tops. He could just leave and they wouldn't be able to do a damn thing about it...Would certainly save him a lot of headache, especially since he didn't even call for Sector to come over and arrest them.

But...He was feeling a bit of a gnawing in his gut, and he knew what it was he had to do. Taking a deep sigh, he would stand up...And make his way over to Fayth and Fuyu's table, before giving a short cough to announce his presence. "Fayth...Fuyu..." he would then address them, asking, "Mind if I sit here?"

Stephanie, meanwhile, managed to get her bearings back together; and after smoothing out some of the wrinkles in the skirt of her outfit, decided to finally try and go back out there and be completely upfront. No more hiding, no more running away; she was going to do this! Giving herself a firm nod, she picked up another refresher for his Blue-Eyes Mountain that she had the barista inside make. "Mr. Atlas, I had another..." she started to say, but found his table empty; oh dear, he usually has at least another cup or two, she thought.

But when she looked around, she nearly dropped the beverage; he wasn't alone anymore!? If anyone could see her cheeks, she would be blushing furiously as he was now in the company of two women. "Uuuuuuuu...Damn it, damn it, damn it!" she huffed mentally, fuming even more over the fact that they weren't exactly half-bad looking either. But...No, better that she still tried anyway...Besides, if the poisonous glare the white-haired woman was giving him anything to go by, she wasn't fond of him anyway. Perfect, then she wouldn't mind an interruption.

"Mr. Atlas? I have a refresher for you." Stephanie would then walk up, placing the beverage in front of Jack, who looked up at her and said, "But I didn't order this..." Stephanie just smiled and replied with a slight blush, "Oh, some girl just thought she would send it over. Compliments of being the King." Jack seemed puzzled at first, but just said "Well, whoever it was, give them my thanks." before taking a sip.

And when she didn't leave, he looked up at her again and asked, "Uhm...was there something else?" Stephanie nodded, "Aren't your friends going to order?" Jack looked back over at them for a quick second, about to say they could pay their own tabs...But decided on a better approach. "Whatever they have, put it on my tab, would you?" he then requested, completely oblivious to the signals Stephanie was putting off; and it showed when he didn't recognize her efforts. Giving a small sigh, she then asked the pair, "Very well...What can I get for you two today? I'm Stephanie, by the way."
 

Unbeknownst to Fayth - but very much noticeable to Jack - Fuyu would watch the King with her peripheral vision. Seeing what he'd do, even daring him to do or say something. Fayth deserved something; that would be a belief Fuyu would not just up and give up on. If anything, seeing her mark activate before her and Yusei's arrest had strengthened that resolve. Fayth literally had done nothing wrong. And if trying to advocate for Yusei was a crime ... well ... then she would be very relieved to help get Fayth out after this Fortune Cup ended. This dimension didn't deserve an angel like her friend.

Of course .... she thought, noticing Jack begin to leave. It didn't amaze her that he would turn and leave like a coward. But oh did it irk her.

With the King seemingly out of the way, her concern went to the next issue at hand; was this place direly under-staffed or something? They'd been here long enough that someone should have already arrived. "I'm sorry, Fayth," Fuyu started to apologize. "If I'd known this idea would become so frustrating, I would have --- "

Fayth wouldn't hear the rest of the apology; not before the cough and next words uttered from a familiar voice made Fayth freeze. Her head looked back before shifting once again to Fuyu.

"Yes," Fuyu confirmed, "Your hearing is still as keen as ever. We've had our presence graced by Jack himself, it seems."

Oh no! No, no, no, no! Fayth literally did not want this. Her muscles tensed as she began to sit up .. but stopped as she felt Fuyu's hand intertwine with hers. It was slow - and discreet. But she could feel her finger carefully tracing a message within her palm.

He came to us. Hopefully not for the hell of it. So let's indulge him.

Nodding after comprehending what Fuyu was implying, Fayth would finally be the one to answer Jack. "Not at all. Please, sit down."

Fuyu, meanwhile, would deal with Stephanie, "Why yes, we will order. But kinda hard to do so without a waiter or waitress around to do so. Lo and behold, you're here now, so .... we'll take .... "

... Well, well. Maybe she would get her wish granted after all. Why else was Jack offering to pay for these? She doubted it was solely because he had more than enough money to deal with the drinks. Partially, maybe, but that couldn't really be the only reason. "We'll both have the caramel lattes. Kindly give my own some extra on top, if you don't mind."

I'm definitely gonna need it, Fuyu added, turning to Jack after Stephanie left. "I want to make something clear right here and now, Jack. I'm still really pissed with you. But not because of how our talk went ... but with how everything with Fayth ended up going. However ... I don't like making scenes. Not in public, anyway, so for now, I'll be civil. Now then ... you have the floor. I doubt you came over here just because, after all." Fayth would quietly nod, using the sounds of Jack's footsteps to determine where exactly he ended up sitting and looking as best at him as she could.
 

Jack narrowed his eyes as Fuyu began her all-too-clear mini-tirade, evidently 'pleased' by how they were 'graced by his presence'. I'm mad at you, Fayth didn't deserve it, nothing he didn't already expect left her mouth. "Thank you" he would reply back to Fayth's affirmation, seating himself directly across from her. It was everything he knew was coming, but as a surprise twist to an already unexpected turn of events, she would hear something that even their own 'King' had taken longer to do whenever he made a mistake.

Own up to it.

And after leaning forward, chin now resting on interlaced hands, he would begin. "And you have every right to be, Fuyu. Believe me or don't, I did not call Sector over that night, Fayth; I can only guess that Goodwin must have thought Yusei was attacking me." he would start off, adding "And...I will admit that the situation with Sector was handled improperly. Very much so...But even as such, I can only offer my apologies for everything you've had to endure."

Stephanie, meanwhile, was inside getting their drinks made up; oh, damn it, those two bitches! Completely spoiled what she was trying to do! "Well...Maybe shows you're just not meant, Stephanie. Just let it go...For now. You can ask him once they leave. The white-haired one didn't look like she even liked him, right?" she thought to herself; giving a little grin, she would decide this was the best for now. They'd leave, and she'd get her chance once they were gone.

And the white-haired one did say she wanted some extra on the top, right? Well...The customer was always right after all. And she would get extra; the amount of caramel she squeezed into the coffee was absurd, for sure; thankfully, the heat would make it melt and she'd get quite the mouthful. Happy with her work, especially after her comment about they took so long - did they not see how many people were indoors? - she would bring them back out in what was easily an acceptable timeframe.

"Here you are...Enjoy" Stephanie then said after laying the drinks before Jack's two 'friends', adding a hint of bittersweetness to the last word of her message before waltzing off, a small smile on her face.
 

"I do believe it, actually. We saw what happened." Fuyu replied.

"Jack ... " Fayth paused, trying to choose her words carefully. These would need to count, and she was also going to help elaborate on Fuyu's answer simultaneously. A slow nod left her head as she thought of a decent enough answer and began cautiously replying. "This gesture ... it is most definitely a good start. Really, it is. But .... we never did get to have our talk that night, either. Could ... maybe when we finish up here, would there be any chance you could join us at my studio and we discuss that? In private? There is a way to explain that Fuyu literally did see that night ... but it's much easier to show than explain. All of it is, really. My only request is if you accept ... don't just easily shove my words and visual proof away. Please. I understand it'll seem very hard to believe; trust me. But ... given something I may have recently learned of myself - even if only as a mere theory - we just ... we sometimes need to be more open-minded. Myself included."

"Wow. You weren't joking. Yu -- He really has made quite the impact on you. That was a very mature reply."

"Speak for yourself," Fayth muttered, "Your temper's worse than mine."

"Heh. Guilty, I suppose," Fuyu admitted, feeling Fayth's point build up as Stephanie returned. It wasn't her presence, but ... wow. Waiting for the waitress to move out of earshot, she murmured softly, "At least I'm not on the clock or at any work place. Geez. I'm getting real close to speaking with her manager."

Taking a deep breath to block out the annoying woman, Fuyu shifted her attention back to Jack, bowing her head politely as she finished taking a sip of her latte. "Thank you for covering these. Definitely a pleasant surprise. So ... is Fayth's offer fair enough for you?"

"Y-Yes. Thanks for the coffee, Jack," Fayth then opted to quietly listen. Not that she didn't care about Jack's answer ... but she also wanted him to willingly agree. Acting or sounding as if she were attempting to pressure him ... no. That would only push him away, and Fayth was definitely not aiming for that. Nor was Fuyu, she knew. The Ice Barrier user was more curious ... emphasizing and trying to persuade him at worst.

Nothing more, but certainly nothing less.
 

"So, you're better informed than I would have expected." Jack replied; honestly, it shouldn't have surprised him. Considering Fuyu had a disk that was apparently capable of turning into a phone - a feature no disk here had the capability of doing - it seemed she had the capacity of gathering relevant intelligence and executing them from the words of this 'Reiji'.

Jack raised an eyebrow as Fayth would request to continue their discussion; honestly, it would be better if they did in private. Less chance of having Sector interrupt again. He seemed to disregard Fuyu's complaint; he didn't see anything the girl had done wrong, to be fair. Except maybe her drink was too hot? Who knew, the white-haired woman just seemed ill-tempered in general, remarked as such when Fayth commented on it.

Waving a hand dismissively, he would just reply "Think nothing of it. I don't intend to buy forgiveness...But I figured a gesture such as this would go a ways to more civil discussion." Leaving his money on the counter - more than enough to cover the cost plus a substantial tip - he would then say as he stood up, "Well, seeing as I have no idea where your studio is...You'll have to lead the way there. Shall we?"

Stephanie, meanwhile, was fuming while watching from behind a doorway; now they were dragging him away? "What the hell do they have?" she mused, eyes narrowed as she ducked back. Well...Whatever, she'd have tomorrow; as it stood she had other customers to attend to.
 

Good. Glad to hear you're not that hopeful, Fuyu inwardly thought. That had been somewhat of a worry. Hearing him reassure the two that wasn't what he was doing was ... well, as Fayth mentioned earlier, a step in the right direction. She wouldn't be dumb enough to completely trust Jack right away; however, if he continued to prove himself, that could slowly be earned. Of course, her concern would always be much more for Fuyu than her own self. Still, the process would - hopefully - end up working the same way.

With Jack agreeing to accept Fayth's offer, the two opted to take their drinks to-go. Now that they were paid for, neither - Fuyu in particular - saw an issue with that.

"Before we go directly back ... Fayth? I think ... we should get those painkillers."

"Oh? Is something starting to act up?"

"Yeah," Fuyu replied with an irked wince.

"Okay .... and the pharmacy is where now?"

Between the two foreigners and whatever Jack may do to assist, it was determined they had to go past the cafe. The main drawback to this was it meant the original five or so minute walk home took much longer to complete. Almost a whole half hour, with ten of those minutes being used up ot wait in line and get the medicine. By the time the two arrived, poor Fayth was exhausted. Her whole body ached, especially her legs. But ... she doubted Fuyu had simply made an excuse or forced her to wait a bit longer. So ... her head turned as she glanced down to her wheelchair-ridden comrade. "Need .... something to swallow those with?"

"Nah. I still got my latte."

Seeing Fayth raise an eyebrow, she chuckled softly, "It's not like it's sake, okay? Then your concern would be more fair. I will agree, though, this is an unorthodox choice of drink to use. Anyway, if these are half as strong as I'm assuming, I'm not gonna be conscious very long after taking these. So .... Jack? I'm going to trust you to be around her and not set something up once more."

"Don't make me regret this choice."

"Can you get --- ??" Before Fayth finished her inquiry, she heard Fuyu carefully - and slowly with having only one good arm - wheel herself to her room. Fayth would wait a few moments, listening for a certain set of noises. The first was Fuyu plopping onto the bed, soon taking her medication. A good minute or two - three at most - would pass before there it finally was; light snoring. "So ... before we start this ... do you want water? Anything? This is going to take a lot. But umm ... " Her head nodded towards the bedroom.

"Well ... I wish I could say she's not always like that, but she is. It's only gotten worse since ... since she helped Yusei rescue me from a certain person. Someone who knew you, apparently. A man named Kiryu. The way she found me when the Facility fell .. I know she's been more on edge than usual. And to be perfectly frank? I kinda have been too. I just .... tend to control my verbal outbursts better. But she really does mean well. I swear. So ... I think more than you, she's bitter still about how that night went."

Her head shook as Fayth realized she was probably rambling about ... well, hold up. Maybe it did concern Jack, now that she stopped to think about it.

"If your sign went off a lot that same night... that's why. Mine and Yusei's both did, rather often."
 

Jack went about his business, just following wherever they decided to drag him to; honestly though, they could have at least said they had planned to stop by the pharmacy. Hell, he could even have had their order expedited. Being the King had its perks, after all, and getting store owners to jump him ahead of the others was very one of them.

But...He supposed that this was their little way to pay him back, even if she did need pain medication; he'd only been shot at, lucky enough to avoid getting hit. Even still, it was fairly obvious he was getting impatient; he'd have been happy to use the influence he had to get her the medicine the fastest she's ever seen it.

But...They finally did arrive back at Fayth's place, Fuyu wheeling herself away after making her snide insinuation. "Oh for crying out loud..." he groaned mentally; finally though, it seemed she did fall asleep. "I'll take a glass of water, if it's not too much trouble" he then requested; once everything was squared away, he would listen as she began, eyes widening as she brought up a rather familiar name. "Kiryu..." he repeated, eyes looking down at the floor. Their former leader that caused the group to splinter, him and Crow going their own separate ways and leaving Yusei to try and help the guy as he descended further into madness.

"He...was a friend of mine...And Yusei's. He wasn't always a lunatic, but he did have a chip on his shoulder when it came to Sector...As well as anyone who he perceived to get in his way at all." Jack remarked, but stopped when she mentioned the sign. That was right; she had one too, didn't she? And he was kind of starting to get what she was referring to. "I'm sorry that had to happen to you...Whatever he did." he replied, looking down at his own arm, "I was wondering why it wouldn't go away. But...Seems Yusei did his part, as did your friend. And honestly, I'm glad you're alright...You might not believe me, but I did try to point Fuyu in a legal direction to get you out of the Facility."

It was here that a rare chuckle left him, his voice somber as he added, "But...Even with all that, I can't imagine someone like Armstrong letting out an inmate who would backtalk the Judge. You opened quite a few eyes when you did that; no one was expecting it, especially not myself."
 

Actually, it wasn't out of spite like he had assumed. It was Fuyu's pride keeping her from getting it out of the way sooner. But, apparently, something had gotten too bad that she couldn't ignore the pain anymore.

"No, no. It's no trouble at all."

Walking into the kitchen, Jack would see Fayth hadn't simply insisted she was fine to make him feel less guilty or anything. She got around even smoother inside her place than out in the streets. She walked out after barely a minute passed and followed Jack's voice, stretching her arm out to give him his glass before sitting on the couch. "That's what Yusei said also; that Kiryu never used to be like that also. It's not that I don't believe you two ... but with how scary and cunning he was, I .... well .... I can't really imagine him being somewhat decent. Then again, I've only just arrived here, so ... I also didn't have a chance to see the old version of Kiryu."

Her fingers lightly tapped against her denims. More than anything, she wanted to shift topics. This one had only been touched upon because ... it was impossible for her to not be tormented by that fateful evening and all that happened. Given it'd started to pester her before explaining what she really wanted to talk about, it seemed like this was the best route to take.

Now that this much had already been revealed ... it was only right to say the next thing that he obviously didn't know about yet.

"Then ... I need to give you my condolences. I may not have any fond memories of him or anything, but I wasn't wishing for his death trap to work as perfectly as it did. Well .... Kiryu died. I'd personally argue it was more like he committed suicide with how alright he seemed to be with the concept of dying. Anyway, he set himself and me up with chains attached to anchors that eventually gave away and fell into the sea. Here's something you may not easily believe. But it is true, I promise. Fuyu ... she did actually try to save him. She'd promised Yusei to try regardless of the match's outcome. But ... well, that's why she's confined to that wheelchair. He stabbed her with a shank. In quite a few places."

It was at this point that Fayth's voice finally started to tremble.

"I should have said something. I knew he had that damn thing. It's how he forced me out of solitary when the Facility fell. But it never crossed my mind. At least .... injuries would have been minimized. Wouldn't they? That's but one of the may things that keep haunting me at night."

Her arms rose as she held herself, forcing herself to go back on track.

"I'm not sure if it was her arm or leg that made it too hard to swim back up. I just know that after almost a minute and a half passed, I panicked. I feared she was gone. The sensation I felt soon enough was ... majestic. Strong and powerful in nature. Before I knew it, me and Yusei's marks ... vanished. A splash and then a roar ... and ... somehow ... Yusei made the Crimson Dragon come to life. It's the only reason Fuyu's alive. Given how adamant he was on wanting to save Kiryu, I'm pretty sure he asked it to save him also. But I'm equally sure he rejected the Dragon's aid. I just .... I don't believe Yusei gave up on Kiryu until he was completely gone."

Her head turned as she looked at the direction where both her own and Fuyu's duel disks were resting. They had left them here before leaving for the cafe because ... well, they weren't needed.

.... Did she expect this would happen or something?

Maybe not completely, but enough to allow Fayth to have relatively easy access to it.Gently pulling both closer to her, she smirked slightly as Jack gave his reaction ot her arguing with the judge. "Well .... I simply said I control my verbal outbursts better. When I feel justified ... I can retaliate. And that 'trial' was so fake, it wasn't even funny. Really, what was I supposed to admit to? Nothing they tried to accuse me of, that's for sure. At any rate, it sounded like Fuyu was going to try that law office soon. She just ended up visiting me before then."

Leaning back in the couch, she gestured with one hand for Jack to sit if he so desired. "With all I have to relay, you may wanna sit. So ... before I jump right to what we really wanted to speak about ... I suppose just start by asking your questions. I'll answer them all as best as I can. Some may require more of a visual aid .. and that's what our disks will be for. Alternatively, if you wanna ask for some clarification with the night the Dragon appeared, we can start there before moving to me and Fuyu's origins."

Taking advantage of the pause while Jack had to think, she grabbed her latte and took another sip, setting it down when she got enough to drink.
 
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