Yu-Gi-Oh GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V 1. The Future's Florida?

_I never in my life thought that I'd ever get around to writing a Yu-Gi-Oh fanfic. Arc-V, I fully blame this one on you._

_Initial setting: Two and a half years before the start of the series, six months into the disappearance of Sakaki Yusho._

_**Last edit: August 22**__**nd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- The Future's Florida? -V-**

**-V-**

Monday had passed ordinarily enough. The same couldn't really be said for Tuesday.

Most people would probably have experienced a nervous breakdown upon getting thrust into the distant future or parallel dimensions. However, to Yuki Judai ‒ a fun-loving and talented duellist and Duel Academia graduate ‒ it counted as a normal Tuesday. Almost.

Perhaps young Yuki Judai had simply become jaded in a matter of speaking ‒ as far as spatial displacement was to be concerned at least. When it came to the temporal aspect of things, one might say that he was still seated on the fence.

Having been transported ‒ on a more or less voluntary basis ‒ to alternate dimensions of reality was hardly something unusual in his case. It had kept on happening time and again during the course of his school years, and it had certainly left its mark.

As such, temporal displacement on top of the spatial one was probably to be considered the next stage of Yuki Judai's general displacement. Perhaps this had also ensured his relative lack of surprise upon encountering Paradox. It had also made it easier for him to then accompany fellow duellist Fudo Yusei to the past, picking up _the_ Muto Yugi ‒ _the_ _King of Games_ ‒ before engaging in a three-way duel with the evil, time-travelling megalomaniac.

Following the defeat of Paradox and the restoration of a previously crumbling reality, Judai had returned to his time and to his drifting lifestyle and thought little more of it. And then, on this one regular Tuesday, he'd once again ended up displaced ‒ nothing unusual, per se, disregarding the fact that he had apparently been thrown _for_wards in time rather than _back_wards. It proved a quite novel experience, to say the very least.

Thankfully, he isn't alone. Yubel is always with him, their souls fused together as they are. Besides, there's also Pharaoh, as well as the cat's former owner, the incorporeal Daitokuji who used to be his teacher and dorm leader back at the academy.

Had Judai been completely on his own, then he might've worried. Now however‒ "Alright, let's have a snack and then go see what's up."

There is no reason to panic after all. It is only Tuesday.

**-V-**

The distinct lack of D-Wheelers, or Duel Runners, pretty much rules out Fudo Yusei's world; his era at any rate, but not necessarily his dimension. Then again, since Judai's apparently landed in some place that looks and sounds very familiar to Miami, perhaps it is indeed too early to be passing judgements.

The lack of card games on modified motorcycles comes as something of a disappointment; the lack of Fudo Yusei as well. Frankly, Judai would've loved to just drop in and said hi to the guy; to freak him out if nothing else. Oh well, Judai supposed that he could look into the matter once he'd figured out more about his current situation.

On the other hand, even if duel running didn't seem to exist in this Maiami place, Synchro Summoning apparently did. Naturally, so did a bunch of other summoning techniques; his favoured Fusion included. They also had something called XYZ Summoning; he'd have to look into it later, but first, he had to figure a few things out for himself.

Duelling seems to be a pretty big thing. Judai had become very intrigued when he had first caught wind of these Action Duels. When he'd first seen one, he'd been blown away ‒ figuratively speaking, of course. Converting _solid mass_ into _Solid Vision_? Now, that's the kind of science fiction technology that Judai'd like to experience firsthand, unlike those energy-stealing Dis-Belt things that Professor Cobra had brought along.

Ugh, just thinking about them leaves a bad aftertaste in his mouth; the incident had after all left a quite negative impact on his personal life for the months to come, putting it mildly.

On the plus side of things though, Judai had been able to reunite and eventually reconcile with Yubel as a result of Professor Cobra's interference.

On the minus side of things, said reunion had nearly resulted in the destruction of the universe as he knew it as well as in the permanent death of his then thought-to-be-dead comrades.

This was not to say that Judai was blaming Yubel for her role in the whole ordeal. If anything, then he was just as guilty, if not even more guilty. Besides, it was all in the past now ‒ even farther off into the past than usual, actually.

Oh well, it is only Wednesday. There's no need to panic if it's only Wednesday.

**-V-**

By Thursday's breakfast, his provisions run out, meaning there's a need to _worry_ but not to _panic_.

With Pharaoh and his other unseen companions by his side, Judai spends a few hours on a park bench contemplating his next move.

There seems to be a whole lot of duelling going on, so maybe he could investigate it further than he already had. If so, then he would most definitely have to update his duel disk; it is highly unlikely that it would be compatible with recent systems after all.

But, in order to attain a duel disk, he requires more funds and as far as money is concerned, securing provisions definitely outranks securing a new duel disk. It kind of sucks actually, being hungry and broke and all.

"_Hungry…"_

Yubel and Professor Daitokuji are spirits, so they are less hungry and more exasperated at how long it has taken Judai to properly consider his situation. Pharaoh however, like Judai himself, is a living being and one with quite an appetite at that.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he readily agrees as the cat mewls discontentedly. "But we haven't tried fishing yet…"

In the end, they don't need to fish.

In the end, the combination of a pitifully mewling Pharaoh and Judai's own rumbling stomach has a pretty blonde lady pause in her steps.

The pretty lady turns out to be Sakaki Yoko, known to strangers for her recently missing husband and to others for her habit of picking up strays, a habit that has recently come to include human beings.

Judai doesn't mind though. Temporally and spatially displaced or not, he's getting pancakes.

There's really no need to panic after all. It's only Thursday.

**-V-**

It takes three days for him to start settling, three months for him to gain acceptance and just five minutes to screw it all up. He leaves then, leaving the Sakaki family and Maiami city altogether behind on his search for a way back home.

After two and a half years and no proper leads, Judai makes a decision. Actually, it's more of him giving in to Yubel, Professor Daitokuji and Pharaoh's nagging that he head back and face the music. He gets a bit sidelined though, unwittingly timing his arrival with Sakaki Yuya's real-time invention of Pendulum Summoning.

Thanks to monitors all around the city, Judai catches the end of the duel. Strong Ishijima doesn't stand a chance.

If anything though, what strikes him the most is not the power surge he picks up from the summoning but rather the confusion displayed by Yuya in the post-duel interview. It is subtle and swiftly covered up by a façade; Judai knows it well, having seen and used it more than once himself. It is definitely more subtle than the other's earlier clownish demeanour, something which had served as the ignition point of them falling out with each other.

The confusion and the behaviour preceding it raise a definite suspicion in him, but Judai opts against a direct confrontation with Yuya. Contemplating his next course of action, he returns to the park to think and communicate with his spiritual and less spiritual companions.

As things have it, Sakaki Yoko is out walking her dogs, passing by that very same park.

Pharaoh recognises her.

Yoko recognises him.

His ears still ringing from the slap to his face, Judai wonders whether he ought to laugh or cry when she grabs him by the collar and effectively manhandles him back into the Sakaki household.

Apparently, he deserves it. Yubel and Professor Daitokuji are in rare agreement.

Sakaki Yoko is a strong woman, her physical and mental strength by no means diminished compared to earlier. Her pancakes are also as good as they were years prior, something that he brings up, albeit carefully. To his relief, she responds only with a smile and a second serving.

**-V-**

Sakaki Yuya is both surprised and unhappy at first glance, but like his mother, he holds onto few grudges for long. "You're back."

Judai resumes the task of repairing his jacket. "Apparently."

"Why?" Yuya asks, obviously suspicious.

Judai shrugs mildly at that. "I missed the pancakes."

"_My_ pancakes."

"Cheapskate."

**-V-**

The next morning, at the breakfast table of the Sakakis, Yuya finally asks if he is there to stay.

Judai shrugs mildly, claiming he'll be in town at the very least.

Yuya looks to his mother. "I thought we had agreed to draw the line at picking up humans."

Yoko smiles right back at him. "Yuya, rules have exceptions. Besides, Judai's your older brother."

Obviously surprised, Judai looks to Yuya. _"Brother?"_

"You're like an older brother to me," Yuya clarifies, focusing intently on his serving of pancakes. "Like Gongenzaka, only less reliable."

Within Judai's mind, Yubel snickers. Outside it, the incorporeal Daitokuji congratulates him on gaining yet another makeshift little brother. Judai himself quietly ponders how words can be so wonderfully nostalgic yet simultaneously chill-inducing. Ultimately, he opts for a compromise. "Don't call me _aniki_."

"Duel me," Yuya retorts. "Judai-_aniki_."

"Only if you stop calling me that."

**-V-**


	2. Brothers with Bullshit Excuses

_**Last edit: August 22**__**nd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- Brothers with Bullshit Excuses -V-**

**-V-**

Whatever Sakaki Yuya expects to see when he returns home after defeating Strong Ishijima, this definitely isn't it. "You're back."

Judai pauses in the task of repairing his jacket; Yuya swears that it's that very same red jacket. It's the same model at any rate. "Apparently."

"Why?" Why is he back, after all this time? Why is he able to return, when Yuya's father is not‒

"I missed the pancakes."

‒ And he's back with a bullshit excuse as well, because Yuya knows as well as anyone that Judai very much favours deep-fried shrimp over pancakes. Actually, coming to think about it, Judai doesn't seem to have all that much in common with sweets to begin with, or maybe that's just Yuya's misunderstanding. Judai also, peculiarly enough, hardly seems to have aged a day since Yuya last saw him ‒ he looks _weary_, yes, but not _older_, but maybe that's just Yuya imagining things again. "_My_ pancakes," is the best response that he can think of; it's childish and rather lame, but it's _something_.

Judai calls him a cheapskate.

Yuya calls _him_ a freeloader.

Judai concedes his point, shrugging mildly.

Neither of them comments on the slight bruise adorning the freeloader's cheek. They merely glance at Sakaki Yoko where she stands humming over by the stove and then exchange a look of mutual ‒ albeit somewhat reluctant ‒ understanding.

Judai staying for dinner is treated as a definite nonissue. "It's more fun eating together, right?" is all that Yoko says, settling the matter once and for all.

Judai staying the night is treated in a similar manner, but Yuya's got too much on his own mind to care all that much about it.

**-V-**

Over the breakfast table on the morning that follows, Yuya finally pops the question whether or not Judai's planning on staying around.

Apparently, he'll be in town. Apparently, Judai is also allergic to giving specific details as far as his own future is concerned.

Already knowing what his mother is thinking, Yuya speaks first. "I thought we had agreed to draw the line at picking up humans."

Yoko smiles right back at him. "Yuya, rules have exceptions. Besides, Judai's your _older brother_."

Judai looks at Yuya then, as if seeing him for the first time. Then, he points to himself, chopsticks and everything._ "Brother?"_

"You're _like_ an older brother to me," Yuya clarifies, focusing intently on his serving of pancakes. "Like Gongenzaka, only _less_ reliable."

Judai continues to look at him strangely, even though Judai's actually the strange one as far as Yuya himself is concerned. "Don't call me _aniki_," the other decides at last, halfway between a threat and a dare.

"Duel me," Yuya retorts, stabbing into his pancakes. "Judai-_aniki_."

**-V-**

There's a huge line of people assembled outside of the You Show Duel School, and Judai doesn't turn up at first on grounds that he's got something else to deal with. As such, Yuya decides to go ahead without him and to duel Yuzu and to show off Pendulum Summoning that all those hopeful applicants had really only arrived to see. It figures that he wouldn't be able to pull it off, simply because he got too sure of himself.

As the last of the disappointed applicants disappear out the door, Judai enters, wistfully taking in the people who're still in the waiting room: besides Yuya himself, Gongenzaka and Yuzu, there's Ayu, Futoshi and some new kid named Tatsuya, who still seems unsure of whether he should stay or not.

"It's not working," Yuya says before anyone else can really say anything.

Undeterred, Judai flashes him a slight grin and puts his duel terminal on standby. "Let's try again then, now that it's less crowded in here."

In the duel that follows, Yuya is able to pull off a successful Pendulum Summoning. He still gets owned however, because while definitely unused to playing with Action Cards, Judai is apparently some type of Fusion genius. Well, the latter doesn't exactly come as a surprise to Yuya, but it certainly does to some of the others. The ever passionate Hiragi Shuzo fetches not one but two application forms and practically forces the second on a still smiling but increasingly uncomfortable-looking Judai. Though mildly frustrated by his loss, Yuya can't help but find some degree of pleasure in it all. "You should just give in already, _aniki_," he advises the other.

Immediately, Judai snaps his head around. "We duelled, so you don't get to call me that."

"_Brother_ then," Yuya remedies, and Futoshi and Ayu cheerfully agree.

Gongenzaka and Yuzu also seem to approve. The same seems to be the case with the no longer wavering Tatsuya. Shuzo meanwhile is positively beaming.

Judai gives them all their share of an exasperated look and then pulls off a strategic retreat, plucking the application form from Shuzo's hands with the words that he'll think about it.

By the time that Yuya arrives home, he finds the form neatly filled out ‒ largely by his mother, going by the neatness of the hand.

Judai doesn't join them for dinner either, having eaten first thing as he got back and then crashed on the living room couch. Curled up around him are the vast majority of the former strays of the Sakaki household, the rest joining them after dinner's been dealt with.

"He must've been tired," Yoko notes from over by the sink as Yuya moves to peer down at him from the couch's backrest. "He didn't have all that much of an appetite either, now that I think of it. Do you think he's ill?"

Yuya quietly returns to the kitchen table. "He looked fine this afternoon."

Yoko however seems concerned. "He's a good actor, whether he's aware of it or not."

Yuya pauses at that. On one hand, it makes sense. On the other though‒ "He doesn't seem to like crowds, and he doesn't seem to care that much about the audience."

"One can still be a good actor without being a born performer," Yoko gently reminds him.

Yuya supposes that there might be some amount of truth in that.

**-V-**

It's only when he returns from the turbulent duel with Sawatari Shingo that Yuya finds himself face to face with a Judai who looks entirely recovered and seems to be on his way out on some new adventure, considering the pack slung over his shoulder. "Judai, can we talk?"

Judai seems surprised, but makes a seamless recovery. "We can talk while we walk. Or jog. Or run. I'm open for suggestions."

Five minutes later, they're in more appropriate training attire, jogging.

Since Judai hasn't said anything for the first couple of minutes, Yuya takes it as an invitation to start. "I had a duel today. Over at the LDS."

Judai hums thoughtfully at that but does little else, prompting Yuya to continue.

"A guy named Sawatari challenged me," he tells him, vividly recalling the event. "He stole my Pendulum Cards."

Judai's retains his steady jog, but shoots him an evident look. "He what?"

"I got them back," Yuya swiftly remedies, slowing to a final halt as they reach the bridge overlooking the seafront stadium. "But not before he'd managed to pull off a Pendulum Summon."

Judai shoots him a look but says nothing, slowing to a halt himself and leaning against the railing. "So what if others can use it? You pulled it off first, and you pulled it off well."

Yuya joins him, slumping slightly in his posture. "You were watching?"

Judai stretches and yawns, looking towards the stadium out in the bay. "I only saw the end of the duel, but I was impressed."

_Impressed?_ "Why are you impressed? You beat me, barely even breaking a sweat. You would've crushed Strong in just a few turns."

"I suppose." Judai shrugs mildly at that. "But that's not Entertainment Duelling, is it?"

Well, Judai has a point. But‒ "You still would've won. Probably."

Sighing, Judai turns his back to the sea and leans against the railing. "To entertain the audience is also an integral part. Making people smile and whatnot."

_What?_ "I thought you said you disagreed with my father's kind of duelling."

Judai shoots him a somewhat exasperated look. "I don't disagree with your father's duelling. I just happen to disagree with a few of his other principles."

"Why?" Yuya asks. "If you stay sad and cry about things, nothing good will come of it. So what's wrong with laughing when you feel like crying? That way, you'll be able to go forward."

Judai shifts his gaze from the landscape to Yuya, wistful. "Sometimes, it's better to cry, I think."

Yuya stubbornly returns the look with one of his own, demanding answers. "Why?"

Judai says nothing for a long while, turning back to stare out at the sea glimmering in the setting sun. When he speaks, his voice is surprisingly soft. But even with the cries of seagulls and sounds of passing traffic in the background, Yuya has no problem hearing it. "You might end up breaking apart from pressure otherwise."

"Breaking apart?"

Judai shoots him a brief look before once again turning his attention out towards the sea. "You really shouldn't worry too much about other people being able to use Pendulum Cards. You created the summoning method, and no one's able to take that away from you."

That's‒ "Easy for you to say."

Yuya actually gains a slight laugh in response to that. Surprised, he turns to Judai who's looking at him now, a small smile still playing on his lips.

"Once, back in school, I met another guy who used the same type of deck as I did at the time," Judai explains and looks to the horizon anew with a strangely fond expression. "We duelled and I lost, and after that, I couldn't duel for a while."

_What?_ "You wanted to give up duelling?"

Judai sighs, but his expression retains a strange kind of fondness. "Later on, yes, but back then, I honestly _couldn't_ duel. I looked at my cards, at my trusted deck, and all I saw was blank pieces of paper."

_Blank pieces of‒_ "How did you get back from that? Back into duelling?"

"Well…" Judai shoots him another look, outright grinning this time around. "Would you rather have a long and outlandish tale or a short and believable one?"

_Long and outlandish or short and believable? _"Which one's the truth?"

If anything, then the other's grin widens. "The long one."

"Then that one."

Judai shoots him another look and then looks back out towards the sea again, undeniably drawn towards it. "My duelling school was out on this island out at sea, and I really felt like I had to get away from it all," he explains. "Basically, I borrowed a boat and took off."

_Huh?_ "You borrowed a boat?"

"Yep."

Borrowed. A boat. "You could just do that?"

Judai laughs. "Pretty much, because the headmaster let me get away with all sorts of things."

To Yuya, that sounds like an outright understatement. "What then?"

"Then I got knocked over by a small meteorite, woke up in outer space, talked to an alien two-legged dolphin, got told I was the Chosen One, got sent back with a new deck and woke up beached on Academia Island."

Gobsmacked, Yuya doesn't even take the time in appreciating how the other had been able to say all that whilst retaining a straight face. "You can't _honestly_ expect me to believe that."

Taking his scepticism in stride, Judai just shrugs mildly. "You know, my friends said the same thing."

_No shit._ "They must've thought you were crazy."

"The thought might've crossed their minds once or twice," Judai smiles, as if the mere thought of it somehow amused him.

For the sake of his own sanity, Yuya opts not to delve any further into that. "Would you like to go back there, to this Academia place?"

Momentarily, Judai appears puzzled by the question. Then, a shadow crosses his face and he turns his head slightly, staring somewhat forlornly out toward the horizon. "Nah, I've since long graduated and it's the same with my friends. Besides, a lot of things happened, so I'm frankly a bit awkward about talking to them."

_A lot of things?_ "You did something incredibly stupid, didn't you?"

"Simply put, I screwed up royally and put them all ‒ as well as myself ‒ through a whole lot of suffering," Judai sighs, sending Yuya another glance. "Tell you what: no matter how badly you will ever screw up, I will have screwed up at least four times as badly. I might be a decent duellist, but as a person, I'm far from perfect. But that's basically why I can't accept that you should try to laugh away your sadness. You can laugh and smile all you want but if you never allow yourself to properly grieve, then you might fall prey to anger and do something irreversible."

Yuya actually isn't entirely sure as to how he ought to react to that. "You did something irreversible?"

There is mild discomfort at that. "Kind of," Judai eventually agrees, wistfully. "Well, it wasn't as bad as it initially seemed, and I got a second chance to make things right. One might say that I fixed everything but my relationship with some of my best friends. No one was really the same afterwards, myself included."

_Hoh?_ "So you stopped being friends?"

"Not the way that we used to be." Judai tiredly shakes his head. "They didn't agree with my earlier decisions and I went on to isolate myself, simply because I didn't want them involved in any more trouble."

It's an uncomfortable topic for him; Yuya can tell that Judai doesn't like being reminded of it, but he's curious and he really can't help it. Absentmindedly, he wonders if said friends might have something to do with Judai's obvious aversion to being called _aniki_, but for now, he leaves the matter for later. "Where are they now?" he asks instead, deeming it a fairly neutral question to ask.

Judai shrugs mildly in response. "Who knows?"

_Who knows?_ "You mean you don't know? You mean you don't keep in touch?"

Stifling a yawn, Judai checks the time before answering. "We did, but a lot of stuff happened. My phone stopped working shortly after I left Maiami, so…"

Again, a lot of stuff. "So?"

Judai starts walking back. "I knew a guy who'd probably be able to help me out, but couldn't find him either, so…"

"In other words," Yuya says, catching up with him. "You ran out of friends and leads and that's why you're back."

For whichever reason, Judai snorts at that. "Actually, I came back because two of the friends that I've remained in touch with overruled me, saying I might as well head back and start over."

_Oh?_ "Then why are you living with us and not with them?"

"Circumstances," Judai responds, picking up his pace somewhat.

Yuya follows him. "Do you miss them a lot?"

"Not really. We talk so often it feels like we're together all the time."

They continue onward in relative silence, Yuya with some suspicion that he's just missed out on some type of inside joke. Knowing Judai, it's definitely possible after all.

They're almost back home by the time Yuya recalls another thing that he'd been meaning to bring up before getting distracted by Judai's weird recollections. "You know, at the end of my duel with Sawatari, he tried to get his underlings to steal my cards again, but this kid turned up out of nowhere and knocked them all down, just like that."

Judai actually looks mildly puzzled at that. "O‒kay?"

"And then he announced that he was going to be my apprentice and stuff."

Judai tilts his head slightly to one side before directing his eyes back forward. "Hoh, your apprentice?"

"I'm not making him my apprentice," Yuya announces, just to clarify.

Judai just hums thoughtfully in response. "Well, if you say so."

**-V-**

"Say, Yuya…" Judai says, lounging on the sill of the window overlooking the driveway whilst surrounded by the cats of the Sakaki household. "That wannabe apprentice of yours…"

"What about him?"

"Blue jacket and blue hair that looks kind of like a pineapple?"

Yuya's attention is immediately drawn away from the television. "How did you‒?"

Judai's response is to point out in direction of the driveway, where Yuya is not late to spot Shiunin Sora chatting up his mother.

**-V-**

"Mom, I thought we had agreed to draw the line at picking up humans. _Seriously!_"

"But Yuya, he looks so lost and hungry." As ever, Sakaki Yoko remains steadfast to her principles. "Aw, come on, honey. The more the merrier."

Frustrated, Yuya tears his eyes away from his mother, passes right over the deliberately puppy-eyed Sora and lands finally on Judai who is still surrounded by cats.

"Well, I can't really argue with that," Judai finally announces, scratching one of the still nameless newcomers beneath the chin.

Exasperated, Yuya quietly resolves to steal the coveted red jacket still in the drier.

**-V-**


	3. The Meaning of Red and Blue Jackets

_**Last edit: August 22**__**nd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- The Meaning of Red and Blue Jackets -V-**

**-V-**

Whatever Shiunin Sora might've expected as he wormed his way into the Sakaki household, this definitely isn't it.

"Hey, Pineapple Head. Pass the soy sauce."

Yuya, seated across from the speaker, covers his mouth and turns away, shaking with restrained laughter.

Also, completely unbeknownst to Sora, there's a spirit watching him and with narrowed eyes at that.

Yubel ‒ a Duel Spirit as she may be ‒ can recognise trouble from a mile away; she's after all well acquainted with trouble and causing it, as well as with dealing with it. She is also determined to protect Judai, and by extension, the things that Judai has decided to protect. For now, the members of the Sakaki family are included in this, meaning that Yubel will ‒ if somewhat reluctantly ‒ look out for their wellbeing as well, because if something were to happen to them, then Judai most certainly wouldn't be happy about it.

Besides, her peculiar stray-hoarding tendencies aside, Sakaki Yoko had provided Judai with a roof over his head, with meals and with clothes on his back, and this has Yubel holding her in fairly high regard. As a spirit, she can only do so much after all, even in a materialised state. As such, she is thankful that there is someone more corporeal looking out for Judai's wellbeing, and back when they had first arrived in this time and place, Yubel had been even more thankful because they had been lost and in unfamiliar territory at that. The past was after all one thing and the future another.

Naturally, Yubel had never had any doubts that Judai would come to adapt to his new surroundings even without Sakaki Yoko's well-meaning intervention. However, knowing that Judai would not have fared too well spending too long with only a cat and spirits as company, Yubel had at the time reasoned that Judai might as well accept the offer.

If the woman proved harmless, then Judai and Pharaoh would have a roof over their heads and meals to go with it. And, if the woman had any ulterior motives that displeased Yubel, then it would've been a problem easily dealt with.

As had been proven though, Sakaki Yoko was a creature of goodwill, so far at any rate. She ‒ and by extension her family ‒ also provided the kind of stability that Yubel knew would benefit them all and prevent Judai from doing anything too reckless in an attempt to change his situation, because as far as Yubel herself could tell, they were more or less trapped in this timeline, especially so without _Winged Kuriboh_'s assistance.

On occasion, she curses its mere existence, asking herself what use the meddlesome fluff ball is when it's not around when one actually needs it.

Sometimes Judai overhears her, going by the amused snort that occasionally follows.

**-V-**

"Hey, Yuya. Have you seen my jacket?"

"Which one?" Yuya evenly responds, having recently gotten back home.

Judai's actually in the kitchen, in the process of frying eggs. "The red one."

"Maybe it's in the washing machine? Or in the drier?"

Yubel snorts at that; at the sheer audacity involved in it.

Going by the brief look that Judai sends her way, there is no need for additional clarification. "Yuya," the reincarnated Supreme King utters, mildly exasperated. "I _know_ that you've seen my jacket."

'_And taken it too,'_ Yubel quietly comments at the same time as Yuya gives a dismissive wave along with an equally dismissive "I don't know what you're talking about, _freeloader_."

Really. Yubel ought to throttle him.

"Okay, _look_," Judai says, turning around with the spatula in his hand, using it as a makeshift pointer. "It's important to me. Now where is it?"

"What makes you think _I_ have it?" Yuya shoots back, mildly annoyed.

"Intuition," Judai deadpans, and Yubel nods sagely at that.

"Well, maybe you're _wrong_."

Yubel scoffs at that. Judai shoots another look her way, clearly amused as he renews his efforts not to burn his afternoon snack. "Well, maybe you're just doing this because Yoko invited your wannabe apprentice for dinner."

"And breakfast," Yuya tacks on somewhat sullenly.

"And breakfast," Judai remedies, poking at the sizzling egg. "Why does this translate into you stealing my jacket? If you wanted my veto on this, consider my situation here. In the end, I'm also a stray that Yoko brought in."

"So you think that Sora should stay?" Yuya asks.

"I'm not saying that," Judai deadpans.

'_Then what __**are**__ you saying, Judai?' _Yubel asks, and moments thereafter, Yuya unknowingly repeats the question aloud.

"I'll get you an answer if you'll get me my jacket," Judai responds, without skipping a beat.

"Answer first, jacket later," Yuya states, mildly exasperated.

"Jacket _now_," Judai deadpans with an air of finality, tacking on "Or I'll start wearing yours" for good measure.

"It's part of my school uniform, you know?" Yuya protests, although Yubel hardly takes note as she is at the time occupied by the thought of how much she doesn't want to see Judai dressing in something so white.

"So is mine."

Well‒ "You've graduated ages ago. You said so yourself."

_He does have a_‒ "I happen to like it. So sue me."

_Judai__**‒**_ "People who've already graduated shouldn't go around wearing school uniforms."

There, someone has finally said it. Though still somewhat peeved by Yuya's childish behaviour, Yubel is quietly relieved by the fact that someone else has brought up the matter about the uniform.

And, with the extended silence following the mentioning of the matter, Yubel is rather pleased about having dodged that same bullet herself. As things turn out though, it is bound to be short-lived.

"It's already fairly worn out, so…" Juday comments at last, putting the last of the fried eggs onto his plate.

"So?" Yuya asks, the oblivious child he is. Yubel resists a sudden urge to slap her own forehead in exasperation and directs her attention back towards Judai who switches off the stove before making his way over to the kitchen table, holding the plate.

"It's a keepsake. It reminds me of my days back at Academia."

"It's in my closet," Yuya finally sighs, sinking into a kitchen chair. "Should I go get it?"

Shooting a definite look in Yubel's general direction, Judai smiles. "Nah, it's okay. My friends have told me that I've got an unhealthy attachment to it."

_Hoh?_‒ "So I can just throw it out then?"

"Nope."

"And if I do?"

"Then I'll return the favour."

Yuya looks uncertain as to whether Judai's kidding or not. Yubel's certain that it's the latter.

"I duelled Sora today," the boy offers up instead, pulling out his deck and shuffling it. "He kept following me around until I agreed to duel him. Basically, if he won, I'd have to become his teacher."

Judai hums somewhat thoughtfully at that. "Strange logic," he eventually notes, stabbing his fork into one of the fried eggs. "But you won?"

"I won," Yuya affirms as Judai wolfs down what little still remained on his plate. "And he went _'Then, I'll just be your friend'_ on me instead."

"And this is a bad thing how?"

Yuya looks decidedly exasperated at that. For once, Yubel can very much relate.

"Okay, never mind that. The duel?"

"Sora uses Fusion," Yuya notes, drawing a card and looking at it. "And he doesn't seem to be very used to Action Duels. Rather like you actually. And so, I asked him where he'd learned Fusion Summoning."

Judai makes no comment at that, twirling the fork between his fingers for a bit before putting it back down onto the plate where it belonged. "So?"

Yuya looks even more exasperated at that, although going by the look in his eyes, the exasperation is directed towards someone who isn't with them in this room. "He got really vague and said that everyone uses it where he comes from and wouldn't say anything more than that," he says at last, pausing in his shuffling to level Judai with a considering look. "Could he be from your Academia?"

Judai kicks up an eyebrow at that. "_My_ Academia?"

"Your old school," Yuya clarifies, leaning forward in his seat and lowering his voice ever so slightly, halfway between a normal speaking tone and a conspiratorial whisper. "Did they teach you Fusion Summoning over there?"

Judai blinks at that, mildly puzzled by the question. "Fusion's pretty common knowledge where I come from," he comments at last, sending a discreet look Yubel's way. "I knew it before I went to school, so‒"

"So is Sora the same as you then, an Academia graduate?"

Actually, that _is_ an intriguing question. They had gone out looking for Duel Academia after all, finding the island and the ruins and all, but little beyond that. Even their search for dimensional rift activity had proven inconclusive and ultimately fruitless, ruins or no ruins.

The lack of a functioning Academia along with the lack of evidence of such having existed at any point in time pointed to them being not only in the future but in a parallel universe of some sort as well. But still‒

"Seems a bit young for that," Judai notes, idly observing the cards laid out on the table. "Even if you're good at duelling, it'd still take three years to graduate. Besides, it's a boarding school."

"A three-year boarding duel school?" Yuya gapes, as if the mere concept is barely within his realm of comprehension.

Nevertheless, Judai humours him. "It's a school that teaches duelling among other things. Our curriculum was a bit on the broader end, now that I think of it. I had a class called Alchemy, and the teacher was also my dorm leader. Ah, fun times."

Once again trapped within Pharaoh's stomach, the ghostly professor isn't around to hear it. Yubel however wrinkles her nose at the statement.

"You studied _alchemy_ at school?" Yuya asks at last, with some disbelief.

"Well, kind of," Judai readily admits, taking the opportunity to snatch up a bunch of Yuya's cards to scrutinise them further.

Too caught up in Judai's pace, Yuya hardly seems to notice. "So after you graduate, what do you do? Go pro?"

Judai shrugs mildly at that, browsing through his latest catch. "Well, some do. A few of my friends did."

"And you?"

There is a slight pause at that. "I travelled the world," Judai says at last, deliberately vague.

Yuya however proves persistent. "And did what?"

"Helped people out."

"With _what_?"

"With issues."

Very, very persistent. "That's awfully _vague_, you know?"

Judai shrugs at that. "I'm a medium of sorts, I suppose."

"A medium?" Now Yubel has to resist a sudden urge to throttle _him_.

"I share a deep connection with this world, the world of humans, and the other world, the world of spirits."

"You mean you can talk to ghosts?" Actually, on second thought, she'd throttle them _both_ if possible.

"Well, that too in some cases, but one might say that I've got another area of expertise."

'_Judai,'_ Yubel warns him, just as Yuya asks about it. Annoyingly but also not very unexpectedly, Judai ignores her. "You know the Destiny Draw, right? Basically, if you believe in your deck, it'll come through for you in the end, right?"

Yuya nods.

Yubel sighs.

"What if I told you there are sometimes real spirits it?"

_Judai_‒ "Real spirits?"

"Back where I come from, we call them Duel Spirits."

_**Judai**_‒ "Duel Spirits?"

"Ugh, it's difficult to explain." Judai rubs his temple and sends another look Yubel's way. "Basically, when you duel, you summon monsters, and in some cases, you get more than just a programmed hologram."

Yubel rolls her eyes at that, just as the other brat dutifully repeats "And that's Duel Spirits?"

"Well, that's one way of putting it," Judai offers up in response, shrugging a tad helplessly. "I'm not very good at explaining this, am I?"

"I take it that you've never really had to explain this where you come from."

Yubel shoots Yuya a brief look before glaring outright at Judai who continues ignoring her.

"Pretty much. I mean, it's not common knowledge or anything, but there are more people who can see and interact with the spirits."

_Judai, you‒_ "Friends of yours?"

Judai gives a somewhat dismissive wave, likely intended for them both. "Well, there's Johan and Manjoume. Oh, and Hayato as well."

With a scoff, Yubel folds her arms across her chest, more or less washing her hands of the matter by the time that Yuya dutifully asks who Johan and the others are.

Judai smiles broadly at that. "Hayato and Manjoume are former room- and dorm mates of mine. We were in the Red Dorm together. And Johan's my best friend. He was a transfer student from North Academy."

Yubel rolls her eyes at that, experiencing a sharp tinge of bitterness at the evident nostalgia.

Yuya asks about the Red Dorm.

"The Red Dorm's for _Osiris the Sky Dragon_." Judai shrugs mildly, continuing to browse through the cards that Yuya still hasn't asked him to return. "There's also Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue."

Surprisingly, Yuya catches on rather quickly. "So your jacket's red because you were in Osiris Red?"

"Yep," Judai nods, staring curiously down at the card of the _Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon_.

"Why the colours?" Yuya asks, clearly too caught up in Judai's pace to notice which card he's holding.

"Ranking, I suppose," Judai responds, staring down at the card with a decidedly thoughtful look on his face. "When you're first admitted, depending on the scores on your entrance exam, you get placed into a dorm. If you do well afterwards, you might get _pro_moted. If you screw up, you might get _de_moted."

"Did you get promoted into Red? Is that why that jacket's important to you?"

Yubel snorts as Judai himself starts sniggering, finally handing the card back. "Nope, I was a Red when I got there and a Red when I left; the only one, as a matter of fact."

Yuya appears a bit thrown off by that, taking the card. "What happened to the others?"

"The others either dropped out or got promoted into Ra Yellow or Obelisk Blue, like Sho." Judai grins widely at that; Yubel suddenly wants to punch him.

"Sho?" Yuya asks, unknowingly headed right out into a figurative minefield that still isn't quite cleared.

Judai's grin diminishes. Yubel's urge to punch him is now lesser than that to hug him aggressively.

"He and Kenzan kept arguing over who could call me _Aniki_," Judai says at last, mildly uncomfortable. "And then they both ended up doing it."

"Is that why you're so against being called Judai-_aniki_?"

_No_‒ "It's awkward, especially being called that by someone who's practically your own age."

"Does that apply to me as well?"

_Yes_‒ "Yes."

"Even though you're clearly older than me and also my makeshift brother?"

Judai concedes his point at that. Yubel doesn't. "I'd prefer Judai, but I'd rather be your brother than your resident freeloader."

This time around, as he should, Yuya concedes to Judai's point. "So, why were you in Red anyway?"

"I liked it. It was cosy. Besides, I hated studying." Judai shrugs mildly at that, amusement once again evident. "You might say that I'm more into the practical stuff. And besides, I still got chosen to represent the school."

Yuya blinks at that. "Out of how many students?"

"A few hundred-ish, I suppose."

"You mean you don't know how many there were?"

Judai offers up yet another shrug in response. "I had other stuff on my mind."

"Oh, right." Yuya shifts a bit guiltily. "We've talked about this."

Judai dips his head once. "Yep."

"And we're not talking about it again?"

Judai leans back in his chair, looking up at the ceiling. "Not today."

Yuya's standing right in the middle of the figurative minefield now, and he's very much aware of it. "So, you see spirits? Duel Spirits, I mean."

"Yep," Judai readily responds, putting his elbows into the table and leaning forward to stare intently at him.

"So you can communicate with them?" Yuya asks, understandably sceptical but deciding to pursue this topic in favour of the much more volatile one he had just encountered.

The smile sent his direction is full of mischief. "Would you like a demonstration?"

_Demonstra‒?!_ "Demonstration?"

Judai pulls out his own deck and places it down onto the table in front of them. "Pick a card. Any card's good as long as it's a Monster Card."

The look sent his way is curious yet at the same time concerned. "What are you gonna do?"

"Pick a card and I'll show you," Judai responds, clearly amused.

_Judai, you_‒ "Any card?"

_Judai, you can't honestly_‒ "Any Monster Card."

_**Judai, I swear**_**‒** "Then this one."

Yuya presents _Card Excluder_, alternately known as _Card Ejector_. Receiving the card, Judai asks why.

"She's cute, and she's a _Spellcaster_."

To Yubel, it's a flimsy reason. Judai nevertheless accepts it.

"Come to think of it," Yuya says, watching curiously as Judai holds the card up and closes his eyes in evident concentration. "Your deck's mostly _Elemental Heroes_ and _Neo-Spacians_, isn't it?"

"That's rich, coming from a person with _Performapal_ and _Pendulum Monsters_," Judai readily counters, his eyes still closed in concentration. Yubel can feel him calling out to the card's spirit, peeved yet at the same time relieved that she is not the one being summoned.

"Sora had some really creepy monsters up his sleeve," Yuya notes quietly, waiting. "If you come by You Show, he'll be more than happy to duel you."

Judai hums thoughtfully at that, opening his eyes at last. "Hoh?"

Yuya nods. Yubel quietly resolves to keep this from happening.

"Are you ready?"

Although evidently hesitant, Yuya nods. Yubel reaffirms her resolve to wash her hands of it all.

**-V-**

"Judai."

Seated on top of the roof of the Sakaki house, Judai turns his head to face her. "Yubel."

"Aren't you telling him a bit too much?"

Judai lies back down, staring up at the darkened skies. "You mean Yuya?"

"Who else is there?"

Decidedly unbothered, Judai covers up a slight yawn. "He would've found out sooner or later, so he might as well get it from me."

"_Naïve."_

"Yeah, I thought you'd say so, Yubel."

"I personally think you did well, Judai," a newly liberated Daitokuji interjects, materialising beside them.

Judai nods in acknowledgement.

Yubel scoffs. "Just so long as you won't blame me if it blows up in your face, Judai."

"I atone for my own mistakes, got it. I'm glad we can all agree on that."

_Judai, you_‒ "You better not tell him ‒ or anyone else for that matter ‒ about the Supreme King…"

"_Gotcha."_

For a while, they remain there in silence, all of them looking up at the dark skies that are largely devoid of stars, no doubt due to the light pollution.

"By the way, Yubel?"

"What is it, Judai?"

"Still no sign of _Winged Kuriboh_?"

"If there were, then I would've already reported it."

"As I thought," Judai sighed, sitting himself up slowly. "I've tried calling for him, but there's no answer."

Without a card at hand, summoning becomes difficult. Yubel knows that as well as anyone, and with Judai effectively having returned the card to Muto Yugi, there is little that they can‒

"What are you going to do about those men sneaking around?" Daitokuji asks, evidently curious.

"Ah, those?" Judai smiles, looking toward the illuminated tower visible in the distance. "Nothing as of yet."

"Why not?"

"They're probably investigating Yuya. He did invent a whole new type of summoning after all."

"Isn't it the same with that boy Sora?"

Judai pauses slightly at that, looking at Daitokuji and then at Yubel. "Probably, all things considered," he decides at last, evidently thoughtful.

"That boy's not from around here," Yubel notes.

Judai nods. "I know."

"That girl's also‒"

"I know." There is no actual need for elaboration. Even Daitokuji, otherworldly as he may be, ought to be able to tell.

"If they're not from around here, then they must've come here in some way. Shouldn't you be looking into that, Judai?"

Wordlessly, Judai lifts his wrist and points to it. "There's Yuya's pendulum too though, along with the _Pendulum Cards_."

"I can clearly see why you're _intrigued_," Yubel drawls in return. "But shouldn't you focus more on getting back home?"

Judai shrugs mildly at that. "I've been here for close to three years already. What's the hurry?"

She scoffs at that. "You sense it too, don't you? The oncoming storm."

He nods. "I can sense it alright, and I've got a feeling that Maiami City will be at the very centre of it."

"You should let the people native to this realm deal with it. You're just a visitor here after all."

Judai sends her a somewhat pointed look at that, but she doesn't back down; she's right after all, as usual. "This world and its inhabitants have treated me well so far. It's only fair for me to return the favour."

She doesn't say anything; she doesn't need to. Besides, since Judai already seems to have made up his mind, it would've been a waste of effort.

"Entertainment Duelling." Judai looks back up towards the skies, his expression thoughtful. "_To duel for the sake of making others smile_. It's a nice thought though, don't you think?"

"It's naïve," Yubel notes.

"Naïve or not, it's Yuya's wish. I suppose it's selfish of me to want to watch over it while I still can."

"Judai…"

He gives a dismissive wave at that. "I'm not saying I'll fight all his battles for him. I'm merely making sure he's strong enough to stand on his own when he has to."

"It's been months, not years," Yubel deadpans. "Just how attached have you become to this child?"

Again, and quite infuriatingly, Judai offers up a mild shrug. "He reminds me a bit of myself actually."

"Of you when you first arrived at Academia?" Daitokuji quips, earning himself a nod. "Now that you mention it…"

Yubel scoffs openly at that. "That thing and Judai? It isn't even a comparison."

"Yubel, he's got a name…"

He does, but that's beside the point.

He also does remind her a bit of a younger Judai, but that's also beside the point.

The point being?

He attracts trouble.

Knowing Judai's luck, they'll end up right in the middle of it.

"Judai."

Judai hums thoughtfully in response.

"You better include _Non-Fusion Area_ in your deck from now on."

"Way ahead of you."

**-V-**


	4. Counterpart Encounter

_**Last edit: August 22**__**nd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- Counterpart Encounter -V-**

**-V-**

Hiragi Yuzu had heard of Yuya's brother ‒ the rumours at any rate ‒ and had as such expected a whole lot of things.

First of all, with the guy's return after an approximate two-year-and-three-month leave, Yuzu had expected to pulling out her fan to dish out some long overdue justice.

Second of all, Yuzu had expected to dislike him.

Watching the guy waltz into You Show in the aftermath of Yuya's failure to perform another Pendulum Summoning, Yuzu had been half a mind to walk up and forcefully evict him from the premises.

In hindsight, she is decidedly glad that she didn't, remembering all too well the calm and patience with which Judai had handled the situation.

All in all, Judai's first visit to You Show Duel School had proven very informative, to Yuzu at any rate. Afterwards, she knows that Judai isn't just a talented duellist who favours Fusion, but also that he dislikes being called "_aniki_", in addition to crowds and unwanted attention, the latter of which is a huge divide between him and Yuya, who positively craves the limelight.

When asked about it, Yuya just shrugs and says something about not everyone being born performers. Hearing it, Yuzu cannot help but wonder if she ought to have prevented her father from pretty much forcing the application form on Judai, because whether their duelling school is struggling or not, forcing someone to join really isn't the way to make it any better.

Sora had definitely joined up readily enough, but Yuzu cannot help but ponder how things would develop from this point onwards.

Thankfully, Yuya doesn't seem to have taken all that much psychological damage from their ordeal with Sawatari Shingo over at the LDS tower, even with the knowledge that others can also use Pendulum Summoning. Yuzu likes to imagine that he had talked it all over with Judai, and that the guy had handled the unfolding crisis just as he had the previous one. But with Judai not turning up at You Show, she hasn't really had any decent chance to ask about it.

The matter is far from her mind though, when group pressure sends her and Ayu out to buy ice-cream, Yuzu herself grumbling that the boys ought to go buy their own.

The weather's pretty nice though, and though it's highly unfair that she and Ayu have been put up to this, Yuzu still finds it in her to relish the calm as they make their way back. You Show has after all become far livelier as of late, which is a great thing but nevertheless a bit trying in its own way.

Her peace isn't long-lived though, as they soon notice that Sawatari guy's goons. Yuzu pulls Ayu along to hide while they pass overhead, chatting fairly openly about how Sawatari's going to get back at Yuya by striking at his weak point and whatnot. Actually, they probably say things beyond that, but that's the part Yuzu latches onto and the one that awakens her ire.

That Sawatari guy; how dare he?!

In short, this is why she opts to stalk Sawatari's goons like prey, morbidly hopeful that they will lead her to the bastard himself.

She shadows them, seeing them enter one of the warehouses belonging to the LDS. She hesitates briefly and then reminds herself that it's do or don't, now or never. Besides, if she doesn't put an end to this now, then Sawatari will be back and cause Yuya more trouble. If she doesn't do this now, then‒

Mind made up, she instructs Ayu to get back to You Show before leaving her temporary hiding place to steadily advance on the warehouse that she has just seen Sawatari's goons enter. Once at the entrance, she gathers herself, checking that she's brought her deck and duelling terminal along before reaching out to push the huge sliding door open.

Unbeknownst to her, she is being watched.

**-V-**

Sawatari isn't very happy to see her. Yuzu isn't very happy to see him again either, but considering the alternative, then she would deal with this sooner rather than later and shame this hundredth-rate duellist to the extent that he isn't going to get within twenty feet of Yuya ever again. Quite frankly, Yuzu's there to kick his arse, but as it turns out, other people disagree with this.

A dark-clad mask-wearing duellist appears, butting right into her business and challenging Sawatari in her place. She isn't very happy about that, but the mysterious stranger seems familiar somehow, which throws her off more than just a bit.

It turns out that the masked duellist uses XYZ Summoning.

It also turns out that Sawatari doesn't stand a chance, despite initial impressions of the opposite.

What initially strikes her the most however are the surges of wind ripping through the air; massive effects considering the fact that they're not duelling within an Action Field.

What strikes her the most afterwards is the seeming identity of the one running interference, made apparent as they pull off their goggles and mask. As far as realisations go, it's outlandish at best, but even if she blinks repeatedly or rubs her eyes, it remains the same. _"Yuya?" _

The other looks back, apparently somewhat puzzled but not in the way that Yuya does it. It's eerie at best; frightening at worst.

"You're Yuya, right?" She is more hesitant this time around, growing increasingly uncertain. On one hand, there is what she sees. On the other, there is what she‒

The sound of the door being pushed back open tears her attention away from the thought as all those who're still awake and aware turn their attention to this newest arrival, standing frozen in the doorway with a somewhat odd expression on their face that lasts a whole second before gradually dissipating. "Well, this is new."

_What's he doing here?_ That's Yuzu's immediate thought. Then again, she reasons as she directs her attention back to Yuya, Judai being there is the least strange thing about this whole scenario, watching as Yuya's face darkens and his posture shifts, body language signalling that he is ready to launch himself right into another duel at any given moment.

Remaining close to the doorway, Judai looks at him, frowns, and then looks at Yuzu. "Yuzu. You're safe and sound, yes?"

She nods, only really then taking note of the fact that Judai appears to be on the phone with someone. "Yeah, I think so."

"She looks like it and says that she is, so there you have it, Yuya."

_Yu‒_ _"Yuya?!"_

"Yes, Yuya," Judai affirms.

Wide-eyed, Yuzu throws a glance at the guy standing next to her. "But then he's…" She trails off when he looks back at her briefly before once again focusing the brunt of his attention on Judai, apparently hostile.

Judai himself appears to be taking it all in stride though, still keeping up the conversation on the phone.

"Hang on a sec." He accompanies message with a slight gesture. "Yeah, so are you guys all back at You Show? No, stay there, we'll start heading back in a sec. Yeah, sure, I'll ask."

Yuzu isn't quite sure as to what to believe, so when Judai throws a question at her, she is mildly startled. "Hey, Yuzu! Sora's whining about melted ice-cream, so Yuya's asking if it's alright with you to buy a replacement."

She agrees; her mind's far too numb with eerie realisation to tell them to get out and buy their own ice-cream. She looks at the guy standing next to her again, decidedly uncertain, and he looks back briefly before once again staring at Judai, obviously wary of the other's presence.

"She said yes, so we'll see you in a bit. Yeah. Cheers." Ending the call, Judai finally moves further into the warehouse. "So, curious question: Which one of these is that Sawatari guy?"

He makes a vague gesture towards the bodies scattered about, two of them knocked down by purely physical means and another one or two knocked down and out in connection with the duel.

Since the Yuya-lookalike remains still and tense as ever, Yuzu takes it upon herself to point out Sawatari Shingo.

Judai lays eyes upon Sawatari and whistles, clearly impressed. Then, wearing a somewhat mischievous expression, he reaches into his pocket, advancing on Sawatari.

Next to her, Not-Yuya grows even tenser, shifting his position ever so slightly so that he now stands firmly between Yuzu and Judai. On some level, Yuzu sees past her confusion and realises that the other's attempting to shield her, much like he had shielded her from the brunt of the shockwaves released from the duel. On her mind are two things, simultaneously: 'Who are you?' and 'I know you'.

Judai crouches down where Sawatari's slumped against the wall. A sharp click resonates within the warehouse, and at least to Yuzu, it is a very familiar sound. Heck, even Not-Yuya seems to recognise it to some degree, if the slight drop in tension serves as any kind of indication.

_Is he really‒?_

Judai looks towards her, black marker still in hand. "So, I'm pretty open for suggestions. XYZ-guy, Yuzu?"

They look at him like he's from another planet. All things considered, maybe he is?

Since neither of them brings anything to the table, Judai apparently deems them a lost cause, sighing as he turns back to Sawatari, marker still in hand.

Not long thereafter, Judai straightens and turns his attention to Not-Yuya, who visibly tenses at the renewed scrutiny. "So, XYZ, huh?"

"What about it?" the guy asks at last, repositioning himself so that Yuzu still behind him.

Expression perfectly neutral, Judai looks past him. "Hey, Yuzu."

"Yeah?"

"Do I even want to know what you're doing in a darkened warehouse with a dark lookalike of Yuya?"

"Idiot! It's not like that!" she sputters, stepping away from the Yuya-lookalike; away from the both of them actually as she starts pointing fingers. "He's the one who‒ He's the one who butted in and challenged Sawatari to a duel!"

The Not-Yuya sends her a brief look before redirecting his attention to Judai, standing with his arms folded across his chest with the marker capped but still at hand. "I look like someone you know?" the guy asks at last, his voice low and controlled.

"Yep." Judai unfolds his arms, stuffing the marker back into his pocket with one hand and covering up a big yawn with the other. "That having been said… Yuzu, let's go."

"But‒ Yuya's‒"

Judai waves dismissively, stepping past them like he isn't affected by the current situation at all, turning his head to look back at them only when he is already at the door. "Yuya doesn't know how to XYZ Summon. Also, I just spoke to him on the phone, and he's definitely back at You Show."

"Then who is‒?" Yuzu points to the lookalike.

The lookalike looks at her in return with an unreadable expression. "Yuto."

_Yuto?_ Yuzu is confused yet also peeved. "Why did you interfere?"

The expression remains unreadable. "You looked like someone I knew."

She is less peeved and more confused ‒ confused and curious. "Who?"

Their dimly lit surroundings make it difficult to tell, but she thinks she glimpses a shadow crossing the other's features as they answer. "My best friend's sister, Ruri."

_Ruri?_ Yuzu points to herself. "I'm Yuzu."

There is a beat of silence, followed by a quiet response. "I realise."

"And you're Yuto," Yuzu repeats, trying to grasp the concept herself; to separate from the initial notion that he and Yuya was one and the same.

He dips his head in response, affirming the statement before once again shooting a fleeting glance at Judai, who is slouching in the doorway, looking thoughtfully out into the surroundings bathed in twilight.

"You look a lot like my friend Yuya, Judai's brother," Yuzu explains, inwardly wondering just how said brother can act as carefree as he does.

"You're Judai?" this Yuto guy asks, drawing Judai's attention back towards them.

Judai flashes him a slight grin in response. "Yuki Judai, at your service."

Yuzu's half a mind to pull out her fan and beat some sense into him. Before she can act upon the notion however, there is a gust of wind and when she looks back at Yuto, he's nowhere to be seen. Bewildered, she looks to Judai, finding that he is staring up at a particularly shadowed nook of the warehouse's ceiling. "Man, Yuto, you're like a bat."

Yuzu stares from one to the other. Truth to be told though, she can no longer see the latter. "Huh?"

Instead of explaining, Judai motions for her to get going. She grudgingly obeys, throwing one last look this Yuto guy's probable direction before dashing off to catch up with Judai, fully intent on picking his brain for answers. Such is her intent anyway, but by the time she catches up, her mind is too rife with jumbled up questions that she doesn't quite know which out of the bunch are the most important.

As such, they make their way back to You Show along the walkway by the riverside all while the sun sinks deeper towards the horizon. "So, what made you decide to go challenge that Sawatari all of sudden?" Judai asks at last, evidently calm about it all.

"I overheard his minions talking, saying he was plotting to take revenge… that he was going to target Yuya's weaknesses and whatnot…" Yuzu trails off, because that's where the certainties end; she'd overheard Sawatari's goons talking and gone off to challenge the guy and‒

"In other words," Judai interprets, shooting her a sideways look. "This pissed you off, making you leave Ayu behind to go deal with the guy before he got around to harassing Yuya?"

Putting it like that‒ "Yuya's my _friend_," she snaps right back at him, defensive. "I don't want to see that guy do _anything_ to him again."

Judai nods sagely at that, clearly knowing what she's on about.

"I told him that we shouldn't have gone in the first place, but he was all giddy about the chance to duel the guy, so he wouldn't listen," Yuzu intones, earning a hum of agreement in response. "And then Sawatari and his _thugs_ stole the cards and forced Yuya into a duel. And now Sawatari's pissed off about Yuya beating him? That cowardly hundredth-rate‒ He definitely got what was coming, but why did that Yuto guy‒"

Judai's response is surprisingly serious, considering his carefree attitude. "He mistook you for someone he knew and moved to protect you."

Yuzu already knows that much herself, but can she truly trust her own impressions? "Protect me? From _Sawatari_?"

Judai shrugs mildly at that. "You were a lone girl in a darkened warehouse with at least three guys."

Stunned, she stares at him. He looks at her then, one part surprised and the other unreadable. "You don't have a whole lot of crime in this city, do you?"

_Crime?_ Realising what he's more or less implying, Yuzu cannot help but feel slightly sick. "You mean that they would've‒"

"This Yuto guy might've interpreted the situation like that," Judai corrects, looking out into the distance. "It might've been something else though, but he was obviously concerned for your safety."

Safety…

Yuzu looks to Judai, his clothes, hair and skin oddly radiant in the twilight. "How did you find me?"

"Ayu ran into me on her way back to You Show," Judai responds with little to no hesitation, keeping his eyes ahead as they walk. "I promised I'd take care of it, and give Yuya a call when I found you."

Yuzu cannot help but study him, even out of the corner of her eye. Absentmindedly, she wonders how old he is, being so childish at times yet so grownup at other times. More than his age though, she wonders about his origin; where he'd been prior to getting picked up by Sakaki Yoko and also where he'd gone after first leaving the Sakaki household.

After all, one would think that a duellist of his calibre would've already sent noticeable ripples throughout the world of professional duellists, yet to the extent of her knowledge, Judai hadn't even taken part in any official duels in Maiami City back when he'd first come to town.

Despite not being too used to dealing with crowds and entertaining them, Judai obviously enjoyed duelling; that much was obvious to anyone with a functioning pair of eyes. However, it wasn't like people actually had to be so all-out on entertaining the audience like Yuya was, so why hadn't Judai opted for a more active part in the duelling circuit?

There were some pretty strict duelling schools out there, so maybe he'd been a member of one and had dropped out or run away, leading him to Maiami City and to taking up residence with the Sakaki family? Or maybe he had disagreed with the plans others had had for his future, getting himself dispelled from school or perhaps even disowned by his own parents ‒ _if_ he had any in the first place, considering how Yuya had never said anything about it. Or maybe he'd‒

"Judai."

He pauses in his step, directing his eyes towards her. "Yeah, what's up?"

"Have you ever thought about going pro?"

He looks mildly puzzled for a second and then shrugs, covering up another yawn. He definitely looks tired, as though he hasn't been sleeping properly as of late. Is it their fault? Is it their fault for putting pressure on him to join You Show?

"The thought might've crossed my mind," Judai says at last, looking towards horizon and the sun as it continues sinking into it. "In the past, I didn't think about much beyond duelling. Now I know there are things more important than that."

Lapsing into silence, they get to a nearby convenience store. Yuzu buys the ice-cream while Judai waits outside, seemingly engaged with someone over the phone. Yuzu wonders if it's Yuya again or if it's Yoko, or if it's someone from Judai's past life checking in to make sure that he's doing alright. Her stomach goes into a slight knot at the mere thought of it, although she isn't quite certain as to why.

"All done?"

She nods and holds up the plastic bag as proof. "All done."

"Then let's go."

As they head back to You Show, Yuzu resolves to ask Yuya about Judai's former life; if he'd mentioned something to him about his past as of late. In a way, she wants to ask the guy directly, but as things are, she'd rather have a bit more information first. Before that though, there's another matter to be addressed. "What do we tell Yuya and the others? About that Yuto guy?"

Judai is quiet for a moment, evidently thoughtful. "He didn't seem to have very bad intentions, and seemed pretty keen on keeping a low profile, so maybe we shouldn't say too much at all," he eventually concludes, to Yuzu's surprise. "But we should definitely give a heads-up to Yuya that he's got an XYZ-using counterpart running around."

"_Counterpart?"_ The wording is peculiar, to Yuzu at any rate. After all, wouldn't _lookalike_ or _doppelganger_ be a more accurate description than counterpart? A counterpart described a relationship of correspondence, like two pieces of a whole, didn't it?

Judai shrugs mildly in response. "The face was a mirror image, but the hair, clothes, accessories and attitude were all off, so that's why it's counterpart. Besides, he used XYZ, and Yuya's into Pendulum. Imagine if there were other lookalikes who used Fusion or Synchro. Imagine what their hair would look like, if Yuya's like a tomato and Yuto's like an eggplant."

One: Judai's understanding of the word counterpart is decidedly odd.

Two: Yuzu could've done without that particular mental image.

Three: That's actually quite an interesting way of putting it.

"If Yuya's a tomato, then what am I?"

Chewing on what remains of his ice-lolly, Judai considers it. "Raspberry?"

"Ayu?"

"Strawberry."

"Tatsuya?"

"Blueberry."

"Futoshi?"

"Pass."

"Sora?"

"Pineapple."

Suddenly, the image of Sora twitching and Yuya doubling over with laughter at the sight of the pineapple slices offered as refreshments earlier makes an awful lot of sense.

Out of curiosity, Yuzu asks about Sawatari Shingo.

Judai's response is deadpan. "Banana peel."

Yuzu is almost willing to bet that's what's now written upon the guy's face in permanent marker. Almost. "Cowardly hundredth-rate banana peel duellist."

Yep, it definitely appeals to her. Yuzu's definitely calling him that from now on, pun or no pun.

**-V-**


	5. You Show, Up for Confrontation

_Yuki Judai's pretty laid back about a whole lot of things, but if you manage to piss him off, you'll probably end up wishing that you hadn't. Akaba Himika makes the mistake of trying to take over You Show. Judai strongly disagrees._

_**Last edit: August 22**__**nd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- You Show, Up for Confrontation -V-**

**-V-**

Especially in hindsight, it is bloody obvious that the events that took place at the You Show Duel School that afternoon would upset its fair share of people, most of them members of the LDS. Then again, it could definitely be argued that it was the LDS's own damned fault for starting up that duelling war in the first place. But let's get back to the beginning.

It would suffice to say that the members of the You Show Duel School are somewhat surprised by the sudden arrival of the LDS chairwoman Akaba Himika, three of her underlings, and a sudden proclamation that she wants to take over their school. Really though, it isn't as though Yuya would ever allow for that happen, _right?_

And so begins the duelling war, leaving the future of their duelling school at the hands of whoever opts to duel the LDS representatives, because apparently, according to Akaba Himika, it would be the only way of doing things.

"If your party wins, then we'll ignore the Sawatari incident. But if we win, we will make You Show Duel School a part of the LDS."

Such is the ultimatum presented by Akaba Himika, to the amazement and rage of those around to hear it. Gongenzaka in particular is enraged.

Then, as the woman goes on to tell them about just how she intends to utilise Pendulum Summoning, Yuya cannot help but feel a sting of discomfort and rebellion.

None of this is technically Yuya's fault, despite Sawatari Shingo's claims. Still, though this situation is actually more or less the result of the actions of an XYZ-using lookalike and the misunderstandings stemming from it, Yuya cannot help but feel slightly responsible for it and for the trouble that it's causing the duelling school and his friends.

Duelling is after all not meant as a tool for fighting, and though that lookalike of his might've had his reasons to act the way that he had, that doesn't in itself justify the action. Despite the severity of his ‒ of the school's ‒ situation, Yuya hopes Sawatari hadn't been too injured in the incident; Yuzu and Judai hasn't mentioned anything of the sort after all. He pushes the thought out of his mind though, focusing more on what's currently at hand: protecting the school.

"My dad created You Show Duel School to teach Entertainment Duelling; that duels should be enjoyed both by the duellists and the audience. I don't want to give it up to someone like you who think that you can control everyone with your money and influence."

"Well said, Yuya." Gongenzaka puts a hand on his shoulder. "This man, Gongenzaka, agrees wholeheartedly. I'll fight along with you to defend the You Show Duel School."

"But you're an outsider, aren't you?" Sora quips. "If it's between You Show and the LDS, Yuya, Yuzu and I should do it, right? I want to duel an LDS student."

Technically speaking, Sora has a point. Still‒ "There's Judai."

Previously on the verge of bristling, Gongenzaka settles down somewhat, clearly recognising the validity of Yuya's argument. Sora meanwhile looks put out and somewhat irritated. "But he's not here now, is he?"

Then, as if on cue, the door is pushed open to reveal Judai, who gives the LDS people a cursory glance and then looks to Hiragi Shuzo, kicking up an eyebrow. "What did I miss?"

Yuya is on the verge of answering when Akaba Himika gets up and gives Judai a clearly assessing look. "And who are you?"

Judai gives her a searching and then equally assessing look. Then, as per usual, he looks to Yuya and the others, clearly expecting them to explain the situation to him.

"The LDS has issued a challenge," Yuzu readily explains, although she looks pained to do it. "If we win, they'll leave us alone and not pursue Sawatari's accusations that Yuya attacked him. If they win, then You Show will become a part of the LDS."

Judai actually frowns at that. Then, there is a flash of something in his eyes as he steps further into the room, moving so that he is solidly on the You Show side of things before directing himself towards Akaba Himika, who is still stood up and watching him with a decidedly disdainful look on her face.

"You know," Judai says at last, pensively. "You people have terrible double standards."

"Double standards?" the chairwoman echoes a tad haughtily. "To what could you possibly be referring?"

Judai gives Yuya a short look before returning his attention to Himika, who looks decidedly less secure about the situation than she did moments prior. "One: This isn't about Sawatari Shingo. You're just using what happened to him as an excuse to get your hands on some Pendulum Cards. As for Pendulum Cards, you've already got some, since that Sawatari guy stole Yuya's cards a while ago and took his friends hostage in order to force him into a duel in the LDS tower."

"This is a question about our school's reputation," Himika responds, equally haughty but obviously taken aback as Judai points at her.

"If you'd want to clear up your damned reputation, then you should first deal with those card-stealing, hostage-taking compulsively-lying duellists of yours!" Judai snaps in response. "As for Sawatari's opponent, I was talking to Yuya on my phone when that went down, so unless you mean to say that Yuya can be in two places at once, your case is weak."

"Sawatari Shingo and his friends‒"

"I was _there_," Judai snaps right back at her to the surprise and shock of several of those present to hear it. "I know what I saw, and Yuzu knows what she saw, and on top of that, here are five people here who can account for Yuya's whereabouts at the time of the events."

He makes a sweeping gesture towards Ayu and the others. Yuya cannot help but stare; to be startled by Judai's decidedly unusual, confrontational behaviour. Going by what he can read in the face of the others, he isn't the only one.

"So you mean to say that you were present at the scene?" Akaba Himika asks at last, voice carefully controlled.

"I've just told you that," Judai retorts, withdrawing his hand in favour of sticking it into his pocket, pulling out his marker and twirling it between his fingertips, evidently calmer now but still on the exasperated side of things. "I arrived at the scene, found Sawatari and his goons strewn about in _lala_-land and Yuzu and that XYZ guy talking. I even talked to the guy. You'd think that I'd be able to tell if I was talking to my own brother. "

Akaba Himika looks like she might have had something to say about that, but instead she turns to Shuzo. "It seems as though your students' feelings align."

Shuzo tears his eyes away from Judai in favour of looking at the LDS chairwoman. Then, he folds his arms across his chest, his expression determined. "Mine as well. We're not handing You Show over to you."

She sighs at that, though at the same time, she remains evidently amused. Yuya notes this only as an afterthought though as he's still a tad perplexed by the subtle but still evident hostility Judai's projecting said chairwoman's way.

"Well then, shall we begin?"

**-V-**

Minutes later, they're in the Duelling Field, the LDS people on one end and You Show on the other.

"Three versus three. The first who gets two wins is the victor. Is that alright with you?"

There are no objections. For the first time in minutes, Akaba Himika looks decidedly pleased. "Who wants to start?"

Sora definitely seems keen on the challenge, but is physically pushed down by Judai, who plants a hand firmly on top of his head. "Yuya?"

Yuya nods and steps forth. "I will."

"Of course," Himika says, evidently condescending as she lets her eyes sweep across the room, lingering briefly on Judai before finally settling on Yuya. "The rest don't seem very reliable. If you'd want to finish this quickly, then no other choices re‒"

Sora once again looks keen on going for the bait, but surprisingly enough, he goes quiet as soon as Judai, a hand still firmly on top of his head, gives his hair a slight tug.

"Less evil monologue, more getting things over with," Judai comments, his grin back in place but definitely looking sharper than before. "Yuya goes first, Yuzu second. If needed, I'll go third."

Again, Sora looks ready to protest this, but Judai quietly says something to him that makes him go quiet and relax his posture. "Well, I suppose."

As if once again reminded of Judai's presence, Himika turns to him, ever condescending. "You're not a Junior Youth Class Duellist though, are you?"

If anything, Judai's grin returns looking even sharper than previously. "You're the one bringing along the aces of each LDS course," he readily offers up in response, keeping his hand solidly planted on top of Sora's head. "Consider it evening out the odds."

Normally, Yuya would've expected Sora to be indignant about having to suffer through this treatment. Whatever Judai's doing and whatever he's saying though, Sora apparently approves, going by the devious smile that spreads across his features.

There is a brief pause; a beat of silence in which Akaba Himika sends Judai another dark look before moving along, turning to Yuya. "Sakaki Yuya, you'll be up against Shijima Hokuto of the XYZ course."

As expected, Tatsuya and the others over by the wall are quick on the uptake, looking the guy up. Yuya doesn't quite pick up on everything they say, but Futoshi's "A winning percentage over ninety percent?!" definitely catches his attention.

Ninety‒ "Ninety percent, huh?"

Shuzo places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it slightly. "Ace and potential champion or not, don't let it scare you. Show him your abilities, Yuya ‒ they're burning and hot-blooded!"

Though some part of him feels almost sick with a sudden bout of anxiety, Shuzo's words and actions definitely give him a warm feeling on the inside. And, seeing a newly released Sora skipping over to join the ones over by the wall, Yuya keeps a smile plastered across his face and turns to Judai. "Yo, got any brotherly advice for me?"

Judai doesn't hesitate. "Believe in yourself and in your deck."

"And?" Yuya asks, because he knows there is more.

"And bring the Constellation Guy back down to earth," Judai readily responds, pointing to the guy over his shoulder. "Between you and me, he looks pretty spaced out."

Between the two of them, Judai should probably be the last person to point fingers at others for being spaced out. "Only you, Judai."

"Only me." Judai grins, this time with genuine warmth.

**-V-**

In the end, it doesn't matter that Shuzo unwittingly ends up choosing Shijima Hokuto's favourite Action Field, spurring a bout of laughter followed by what Judai would probably refer to as an evil monologue of sorts. Thinking about that, Yuya cannot help but smile.

"What's done is done," Yuya comments and flashes Shuzo a smile and a slight wave to show that he doesn't have any hard feelings about it. "And besides, facing me, he'll no doubt need every advantage he can get!"

With Field Spell _Cosmo Sanctuary_ in place, he can only have one Action Card on hand. It looks tough, but nevertheless, he's got the vote of confidence.

**-V-**

"He's looking quite energetic, but how long will it last?" Akaba Himika notes, earning herself quite a few nasty glares from those present.

"It'll last longer than your evil monologues, and that's saying something," Judai mutters under his breath to the obvious delight of Sora and the tittering amusement of Ayu, Tatsuya and Futoshi.

Himika shoots them a look of evident irritation. "Now Hokuto, show us your abilities."

"Understood, chairwoman," Shijima Hokuto readily responds from inside the Field. "I'll be taking the first turn."

Hokuto summons _Constellar Algiedi_ to the Field, using its Effect to Special Summon _Constellar Kaus_ in Attack Mode, activating its Effect to increase the Levels of _Constellar Algiedi_ and _Constellar Kaus_. Then, seeing that they're both at Level 5, he Overlays them, XYZ Summoning _Constellar Pleiades_ in Attack Mode.

"That's a whole lot of shit in a single turn," Judai notes while the rest of the You Show crew are all in awe of what's taking place out on the Field. Besides him, the only exception is Sora, who's in the middle of unwrapping a lollypop.

"A Rank 5 2500 ATK Monster in the first turn," Sora notes, clicking his tongue as he pockets the candy wrapper. "Not bad."

"Ranks? Not Levels?" Tatsuya asks.

"What? You don't know?" Sora scoffs, pulling the lollypop from his mouth. "When you XYZ Summon, you use multiple Monsters of the same Level which allows you to Special Summon a Monster from your Extra Deck with a Rank equal to the Level of the Overlay Units."

"Overlay Units?"

"Those lights." Judai points to them, because even though he's certainly no expert on XYZ, he knows at least that much and then some. "You use them to activate Monster Effects."

The peanut gallery seems genuinely impressed.

As Hokuto finally announces the end of his turn, Sora finds himself eyeing Judai with renewed interest.

Meanwhile, Yuya starts of his turn by setting up the Pendulum Scale with _Timegazer Magician_ and _Stargazer Magician_, Pendulum Summoning _Performapal Sword Fish_ and _Odd-Eyes Pendulum_ _Dragon _in Attack Mode.

"Odd-Eyes right off the bat, not bad," Judai notes and there are cheers from the peanut gallery.

Meanwhile, that Hokuto guy asks Yuya if he's not going to use XYZ Summoning.

"How the heck are you supposed to XYZ Summon when you don't have any XYZ Monsters in your deck?" Judai notes, sounding just a tad exasperated.

Meanwhile, Hokuto makes statements along the lines of Yuya not being a challenge to him, announcing his defeat right off the bat.

"This guy's annoying," Sora notes.

Judai nods sagely in agreement.

Meanwhile, Yuya activates the Effect of Sword Fish, temporarily decreasing Pleiades' Attack Points to 1900. Then, he attacks with Odd-Eyes, only for Hokuto to make use of one of his Overlay Units to return Odd-Eyes to Yuya's hand and then intercept Yuya as he scrambles for an Action Card, repeatedly even.

After yet another monologue by Hokuto, Yuya sets a card and then ends his turn. Unsurprisingly, Hokuto dives right into it, attacking and destroying Sword Fish with Pleiades, reducing Yuya's Life Points to 2100 before setting a card, looking evidently smug.

"Memorising everything about a Field," Judai notes. "This guy has no life."

Next to him, Sora sniggers. "Not outside the Field anyway."

Yuzu and Gongenzaka, who had previously been discussing what's happening out in said Field, turn to glare at them somewhat angrily for making jokes in such a dire situation.

Out in the Field, Yuya Pendulum Summons _Performapal Turn Toad_ in Defence Mode and _Odd-Eyes _in Attack Mode.

Sora sighs. "Come on, Yuya! You've got to be more entertaining than this!"

"It's not the time for that now!" Yuya responds, looking unusually grim. "I can't afford to lose this duel!"

Judai narrows his eyes slightly. "Not good."

Several eyes flicker to him before they're once again drawn to the duel, where Yuya mounts Odd-eyes and makes another dash for an Action Card.

"Such a bold duellist, showing his back to the enemy," Akaba Himika notes.

Judai looks to her and then back at the Field. "Well, you're not wrong."

"He is still losing though."

At that very same moment, Hokuto detaches his remaining Overlay Unit to activate Pleiades' Effect.

Odd-Eyes disappearing has Yuya falling off of the edge of the platform, barely managing to save himself with _Performapal Revival_, Special Summoning Sword Fish from his graveyard.

"That guy! That timing! He did it on purpose!" Gongenzaka yells, enraged, and he isn't the only one.

Ayu comments on the danger, Tatsuya on Hokuto being willing to do anything to win and Futoshi on it being a dirty tactic.

"It's Solid Vision, so it's more than a dirty tactic," Judai notes, seemingly struggling to control himself. It takes a few seconds, but then he looks up and straight at Akaba Himika with an expression that is far cry from the Judai that's familiar to the people of the You Show Duel School. "So the LDS is not only willing to resort to thievery, hostage-taking and blackmail to accomplish their goals, but also to _attempted murder_?"

Akaba Himika is stunned, yet at the same time at a loss. She's even more at a loss though when Judai directs himself towards a nearby corner, addressing it without hesitation. "Akaba Reiji, if you don't learn to control your students or your own mother, I'm going to start retaliating."

Moments later, a hooded figure with shaded glasses steps out from behind the corner.

Out in the Field, the duel continues to play out. Little attention is being paid to it though.

"You know me?" asks the presumed Akaba Reiji, the chairman of the LDS, removing his hood as he speaks.

"Not personally no." Judai snaps right back into the irritated state he'd first been in when speaking to Akaba Himika. "And having met your people, I don't really want to get to know you either."

How he'd known that Akaba Reiji was lurking around the corner is anyone's guess. Sora's definitely intrigued yet at the same time drawn back to the duel, where Yuya's just activated the Action Card _Twinkle Comet_, reducing Hokuto's Monster's Attack Points from 2700 to 1700 and inflicting Direct Damage, dropping Hokuto's Life Points from 4000 to 3500. "Judai."

Judai narrows his eyes at Akaba Reiji and then readily returns his attention to the ongoing duel, just in time to watch Yuya's Life Points drop from 400 to 200 courtesy of Continuous Spell Card _Constellar Tempest_.

"This isn't good," Yuzu notes, attention flickering between what's taking place in the duel and what's taking place amongst those watching it.

Gongenzaka solemnly agrees, all whilst Hokuto remarks that Yuya's going down in the next turn, no matter what.

"What do you think a Duel is?!" Futoshi shouts, and Ayu readily agrees with his protest.

"Silence!" Hokuto yells at them, declaring that a duel is a fight, and that in order to win, one can't be picky about tactics.

Yuya meanwhile yells that he's wrong and that no one should be hurt.

"Hundredth-rate," Judai comments.

"No, thousandth-rate," Yuzu comments, raising her voice. "Yuya! Don't you dare lose against this thousandth-rate duellist!"

Yuya, looking a tad worn and even a bit bruised, readily salutes them and then launches right into his regular spiel, announcing that the fun has just started. He summons _Performapal Trampolynx_, activating its Effect in order to return Stargazer Magician to his hand. He replaces it with _Performapal Turn Toad_, to the surprise of many.

Using the new Pendulum Scales, Yuya Pendulum Summons _Stargazer Magician_ and Odd-Eyes. Predictably, Hokuto immediately uses Pleiades' effect to return Odd-Eyes to Yuya's hand, announcing that "Showtime is cover" and whatnot.

"The main event's right ahead actually," Yuya shoots right back at him, using Stargazer Magician's Effect to Special Summon Odd-Eyes to his Field.

"Yes! Using Odd-Eyes' Double Damage Effect, he can defeat Pleiades!" Futoshi shouts, earning himself another exasperated sigh from Sora.

"Honestly, as I've told you already, XYZ doesn't have Levels but Ranks."

"Double Damage only applies to Battle Damage," Judai helpfully adds.

"Then he can't win?" Ayu wonders anxiously, arms folded across her chest.

"Yuya himself said the fun's just gotten started," Sora notes, right before Yuya announces that it's time for the climax.

Activating the Pendulum Effect of Turn Toad, Yuya switches the Attack and Defence Points of Stargazer Magician. "In addition, I activate _Magical Star Illusion_! As long as Stargazer Magician remains on the field, the Monsters on either player's Field will until the end of the turn gain Attack Points equal to that of the sum of the Levels of the monsters that each player controls times a hundred."

In total, this gives Yuya's Monsters a 1400 ATK bonus.

"But won't that‒"

Sora looks ready to snap out another reminder that XYZ has Ranks and not Levels, but the peanut gallery figures it out on their own, yelling out the answer for all to hear.

Meanwhile, Shijima Hokuto is in obvious disbelief, tears streaming down his face. "What did you say?!"

Yuya attacks Hokuto's _Constellar Ptolemy M7_, dropping his Life Points from 3500 to 2300 and then, using Stargazer Magician, he destroys Pleiades and drops them from 2300 to 1000. Finally, now that Hokuto has no Monsters remaining in his Field, Yuya has Trampolynx attack him directly, eradicating the Life Points that had still remained intact.

"That's one win!" he announces to the audience, receiving plenty of cheer in response.

Judai also flashes him a thumbs up and then, he turns to the Akaba pair, arms folded across his chest. "What's next then? Fusion? Synchro?"

**-V-**

The second opponent is Kotsu Masumi of the Fusion Course. "So, which one of you will be my opponent?"

Yuzu looks at Judai, who nods. "I will," she then announces.

The Masumi girl chuckles, obviously not viewing her as a challenge.

"Yuzu."

She turns to Judai, who motions for her to come closer. "What is it?"

She does, and since Judai's standing with his back to the LDS people, they can't really see what he's doing and what he's doing is holding a card out for her to take.

She looks at it and then at him, her eyes going wide. "Judai, this is‒"

Judai winks. "It's called evening out the odds."

"But what about‒?"

"Then next one's Synchro, so if it comes to that, it won't be of any use." Judai reassures her. "Take it. Teach her not to underestimate Entertainment Duellists."

**-V-**


	6. You Show, Up to Defeat?

_**Last edit: August 22**__**nd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- You Show, Up to Defeat? -V-**

**-V-**

Akaba Reiji isn't just a man with a plan. Akaba Reiji is _the_ man with _the_ plan, said plan including raising enough talented duellists so that they won't be completely overrun in the upcoming battle against invading parallel dimensions.

Obviously, the aforementioned plan is not without its more recent modifications. The emergence of Pendulum Summoning for one thing has definitely evened out the odds a bit, because with the possibilities Reiji sees in it, it definitely has the potential to give them an edge against the invading forces of Akaba Reo.

Of course, said new technique's possible connection to the missing Sakaki Yusho is a bit worrying. However, with no actual proof that the man had gone off to join with the enemy, Reiji feels like he can hold onto his respect for the man for just a little longer and that he can focus more on the son for now; on the supposed creator of Pendulum Summoning ‒ or is he really its creator or merely its first known user?

Pendulum Summoning had made its first appearance in Maiami City towards the end of Sakaki Yuya's duel with Strong Ishijima. However, that was not to say that Sakaki Yuya is necessarily its inventor.

Going by the reports from the people Reiji had sent to investigate Sakaki Yuya and Pendulum Summoning, there is another probable suspect in the case: an older teen, initially taken in by the Sakaki family a few years prior, who had apparently returned to town on the day Yuya had pulled off his first Pendulum Summoning.

Naturally, it is indeed very possible that the timing had just been a case of eerie coincidence. However, with the evident increase in irregularities since Yuya's Pendulum Summoning and this Judai person's return, Reiji finds himself believing that it is more of a pattern than a string of actual coincidences.

In addition, there is the curious testimony of Sawatari Shingo who insists that an XYZ-using Sakaki Yuya had attacked him the previous night. Looking at the readings on the city's sensors, the XYZ part had definitely been accurate. However, even though Reiji has learnt to expect a whole lot of things from the people in his surroundings, Sakaki Yuya going around attacking people using XYZ isn't one of them.

Something that Reiji has learnt to expect however is that his mother, briefed on the situation by Nakajima, would make an attempt to use it in order to further their mutual goals.

This is why he pulls on a hooded sweatshirt and puts on shaded glasses as he heads out to monitor things in person. It's not much for a disguise; then again, there are not all that many people who know what he looks like either. For once, Reiji figures that he might as well go out and monitor things in person, if for nothing else then in order to make sure that his mother Akaba Himika doesn't do anything that'll end up sabotaging his forming plans for Sakaki Yuya and the people surrounding him.

As things turn out, she probably already has.

The first duel, featuring Shijima Hokuto and Sakaki Yuya, has already started by the time Reiji gets there. All in all, it goes pretty much as he would have expected with only a few surprises along the way; Yuya using his _Stargazer Magician_ as a Monster on the Field instead of in the Pendulum Scale being one of them.

Rather, it is the words and the interactions of the people watching the duel that catches the young chairman's interest, a few of them in particular.

One is Shiunin Sora, wearing the Obelisk Blue.

The other is Yuki Judai, wearing a jacket of a red hue that inevitably leads the thought to Osiris Red.

Shiunin Sora is obviously a scout sent out by Academia who had infiltrated You Show and the Sakaki household, presumably in an attempt to investigate Pendulum Summoning. Then again, there's also Yuki Judai living under the same roof, isn't there?

Yuki Judai had first appeared in Maiami City about six months into the disappearance of Sakaki Yusho. Then, at some point, he had left town only to recently make his return from who knew where and with impeccable timing at that.

On top of that, Reiji has heard rumours that he is some type of Fusion specialist.

From the reports Reiji has been given, the Fusion-using pair doesn't get along very well. The interaction he sees and hears in the spectator area of You Show definitely speaks against this; Sora is actually submitting to Judai's authority, just like the rest of them.

While the other members of You Show are evidently distraught by Hokuto's tactics, Yuki Judai sees straight past the Solid Vision and the duel itself. Duelling with Solid Vision does have its risks, and technically speaking, intentionally putting one's opponent in danger could definitely be viewed as an attempt on their life.

Having Yuki Judai throw this into his mother's face is in itself a novel experience as far as Reiji is concerned, much like the revelation that Judai has apparently known Reiji has been listening in on their conversation all along.

The words are a definite warning, and with Reiji himself being addressed right off the bat, it is because Judai knows who is really in charge.

"You know me?" Reiji asks simply, even though that much is perfectly obvious.

Yuki Judai knows him, and with recent actions taken to antagonise and endanger the members of You Show, he is not very far from retaliating, as he himself had just put it.

Meeting him face to face, Reiji understands two things.

First of all, he is able to confirm what he has already been suspecting for a while now and particularly during the course of these last couple of minutes; Yuki Judai isn't someone that Reiji wants as his enemy.

Secondly, he realises that Judai is challenging them; challenging him.

In the end, Judai doesn't care about the duelling war; Judai has seen actual war, and going by the look that he gives Reiji, he knows that no matter the result, the deal will be null and void the moment Reiji says so.

Reiji looks on as a grinning Judai discreetly bestows a card upon Hiragi Yuzu.

In the end, Judai and Reiji appear to share one particular ambition: raising talented duellists ‒ but for what purpose? And, in the offhand case that Judai does have something to do with Pendulum Summoning, why had he attached himself to the Sakaki family? Had Yusho sent him? Had Akaba Reo?

Reiji resolves to deal with the matter at a later point in time, because there is a duel to be played out and it features Hiragi Yuzu who bears an uncanny likeness to Serena, the girl that he met over in the Fusion dimension years prior.

**-V-**

The Field Spell is _Crystal Corridor_, chosen by Hiragi Shuzo.

Somewhat aware of Kotsu Masumi's deck and preferences as he is, Reiji finds this a rather favourable turn of events from the viewpoint of the LDS; much like the Field Spell had definitely been in their favour in the previous duel.

It is not as though Reiji ‒ or anyone else for that matter ‒ has reasons to believe that Hiragi Shuzo is actively sabotaging his own school; it's rather the man's well-meaning but thoughtless actions that seem to harm his own students the most.

"Next time, let's go with random selection," Yuki Judai comments, earning a bunch of nods in agreement.

As Kotsu Masumi engages in a few verbal punches with Hiragi Yuzu down on the Duelling Field, Reiji keeps most of his own attention on the You Show part of the audience and on the taller one in red in particular.

If Yuki Judai had indeed been sent to stay with the Sakaki family under orders of Akaba Reo or a Fusion-allied Yusho, then that probably doesn't bode well for Reiji's tentative plans.

After all, with Judai already exerting this kind of influence over the members of You Show, if he is indeed up to no good, then the thought that the members of You Show could very well end up spearheading an anti-LDS assault in the near future doesn't seem all that unthinkable anymore.

"First a spaced-out Constellation Guy and now a lustre-obsessed Gem Girl? What's next? A Synchro-using Beast Guy?" Judai asks somewhat rhetorically, earning himself a few snickers along the way.

Down on the Field, Kotsu Masumi accuses Hiragi Yuzu of being lustreless and indecisive. In return, Hiragi Yuzu tells her to cut it out and that she'll prove herself in this duel.

As the duel kicks into gear, Masumi claims the first turn. "I activate the Magic Card: _Gem-Knight Fusion_ from my hand! With this card, I'll be able to perform a Fusion Summoning with any Gem-Knight Monsters currently on hand."

There is evident surprise amongst the members of You Show. "What?!"

"A Fusion with Monsters that haven't even been summoned yet?"

Somewhat predictably, two of them are not all that surprised.

"It's a Magic Card that allows you to use Monsters in your hand as Fusion Materials. It's called Hand Fusion," Shiunin Sora informs the rest of them, opening up a bag of candy.

"Hoh, quite the specialist," Yuki Judai comments, smiling.

Wordlessly, Sora offers him candy. Wordlessly, Judai takes it.

Meanwhile on the Field, Masumi fuses _Gem-Knight-Emerald_ and _Gem-Knight Tourmaline_ to summon _Gem-Knight Topaz_.

"She's managed to Fusion Summon on her very first turn," Yuzu notes, her confidence wavering already.

"It seems even with those lustreless eyes of yours, you can understand the greatness of Hand Fusion," Masumi offers right back at her, positively preening.

"But, it's only 1800 ATK. It's not an undefeatable Monster," Yuzu frowns, obviously a bit unnerved by Masumi's demeanour.

"You shouldn't underestimate it. How you deal with this Monster will decide your fate," Masumi responds, setting a card before ending her turn.

Yuzu starts off her own turn by activating the Magic Card _Solo: First Movement_, which allows her to Special Summon _Aria the Melodious Diva_ in Attack Mode. In turn, this allows her to Special Summon _Sonata the Melodious Diva_. Using them, she Tribute Summons _Mozarta the Melodious Maestra_ in Attack Mode and using its effect, she Special Summons _Canon the Melodious Diva_, also in Attack Mode. Using Mozarta, she destroys Topaz and then uses Canon for a direct attack, reducing Masumi's Life Points to 1800.

"It's looking good, Yuzu!" Yuya shouts amongst the cheers from the rest of You Show.

The previously laughing Masumi is still smiling condescendingly as she gets up from the ground and brushes dust off of her clothes, whipping her hair about. "It looks like you've got some skill, but don't think you've won just yet."

Yuzu comments that she seems like a sore loser, to which a still smiling Masumi responds with a simple "You'll understand whether I'm a sore loser or not in the next turn."

Yuzu looks seemingly unnerved at that. Then, taking a deep breath, she looks at her hand, obviously pondering her next move. Then, after a quick look towards the audience, she bites her lip and picks a card from her hand. "I set one card, change _Canon the Melodious Diva_ into Defence Mode and end my turn."

Masumi draws a card, taking it in with some sense of triumph. "I summon _Gem-Knight Alexandrite_ from my hand and activate its Effect! By sending this card to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon one Gem-Knight Monster from my Deck! I summon _Gem-Knight Crystal_!"

At 2450 ATK, _Gem-Knight Crystal_ is a fairly formidable opponent. In terms of Attack Points though‒ "Mozarta's still‒"

It's Hiragi Yuzu's loss.

Masumi snickers as she activates her Trap Card, _Fragment Fusion_. "By banishing the Fusion Material Monsters from my Graveyard, I can Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight Monster!"

Again, a large part of You Show Duel School's students are startled by this revelation. "Wha‒From the Graveyard?!"

"I choose to banish all three, _Gem-Knight Alexandrite_, _Tourmaline_ and _Emerald_ from my Graveyard!" Masumi announces, to the great dismay of several of those watching.

"She's looking pretty good now," Sora notes, munching on some candy.

Yuki Judai actually chuckles, earning looks of surprise and dismay from those closest.

"You've activated my Trap Card!" Yuzu shouts from down on the Field, interrupting Masumi mid-rant and immediately returning all attention to the ongoing duel. "_Non-Fusion Area_, activate!"

_Non-Fusion_‒ "_Non-Fusion Area_?!"

Reiji isn't the only one who is surprised; aside from himself and the other members of the LDS, the members of You Show seem equally baffled by this latest turn of events. "_Non-Fusion Area_? I've never heard of it before," someone mumbles. For once, Reiji finds that he is in the same boat as the rest of them.

"_Non-Fusion Area_," Yuzu clarifies to a similarly dumbstruck Masumi. "When this card is in effect, neither player can Fusion Summon."

A Trap Card that seals Fusion Summoning?

Reiji looks towards Yuki Judai, forced to re-evaluate his earlier notions. Going by the look that Shiunin Sora gives the person in question, he is not the only one re-evaluating things.

**-V-**


	7. You Show, Up for Defeat?

_Why did I write this when I could've written about Yugo's mishaps across time and space (and franchises)? Oh well._

_**Last edit: August 22**__**nd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- You Show, Up for Defeat? -V-**

**-V-**

As an agent of Duel Academia on a covert mission to the Standard Dimension, Shiunin Sora isn't doing too well. Whatever he might've expected as he latched onto Sakaki Yuya and wormed his way into the Sakaki household, this definitely isn't it and he definitely hadn't expected there to be someone else ‒ an outsider ‒ who had managed to infiltrate it beforehand. In short, whatever Sora might've expected and to some degree anticipated, the presence of Yuki Judai comes as an intriguing but nevertheless uncanny surprise‒

"Hey, Pineapple Head. Pass the soy sauce."

‒An intriguing, uncanny and decidedly _annoying_ surprise.

However, because his furiously ongoing investigation into the matter has so far only turned up with evidence to suggest that Yuki Judai most definitely _isn't_ XYZ scum, there is little that Sora can do but to lay low and plot his revenge in ways that won't necessarily include turning the other into a Duel Monsters playing card. Now if only the guy would slip up or unknowingly make use of the summoning method so that Sora would be able to Card him and claim it as a precautionary measure to prevent his own cover from being blow‒

"Hey, Pineapple Head. Soy. Sauce."

Of course, it doesn't help Sora's mood that Yuya's doubled over in a fit of barely restrained laughter. Sora stabs his pancakes with all the more fervour, taking great pleasure in slicing them to pieces whilst imagining that they represent Yuya's annoying older brother. Finally, Yuya comes out of it, reaching out to grab the requested item and handing it over to Judai who accepts it with a smile. Sora meanwhile continues stabbing his pancakes with immense concentration.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Sora says at last, in-between bites.

Similarly in-between bites, Judai gives him a short look before refocusing his attention on the deep-fried shrimp halfway to his mouth. "Nope."

"Travelled far then, have you?" Sora presses on, stuffing another bite into his mouth whilst trying to act casual about it.

"Preeeeetty far, yeah," Judai readily admits, clicking his chopsticks together. "You?"

Sora technically isn't supposed to answer that. Still‒ "I'm new in town."

Brown eyes flicker briefly his direction. Sora pretends not to notice.

**-V-**

Sora spends the following days on gathering information, all while trying to figure out just what kind of a unit the Sakaki family is. It takes an absolute minimum of effort for him to ascertain that the guy posing with a much younger Yuya in the picture on the wall is Sakaki Yusho, allegedly a legendary duellist and also missing for almost three years. A basic Internet search confirms it, and then some; Sakaki Yuya is supposed to be an only child. Hiding behind a mask of childish curiosity, he asks Yoko about it.

"My husband's only got one son," Yoko tells him, making more pancakes. "I decided I wanted two."

Sora shifts his attention from the merrily humming woman to the wall again, taking in the frame hanging below the one with Yuya and his father. In it, there is a photograph of a younger Yuya along with Judai, looking about the same age as he looked now, both of them looking immensely concentrated as they were right in the middle of a video game of some sort, Yuya with a smaller cat on his lap and Judai wearing that tabby cat of his like a hat. "Why that guy though?"

She doesn't hesitate. "The more the merrier."

That doesn't really answer his question, but all things considered, it's probably as good an answer as he's going to get.

**-V-**

Though Yuki Judai has a definite habit of not turning up at You Show, Sora has already developed a number of hypotheses as to his actual identity by the time that the LDS makes their move.

Some members of You Show are more liberate with their information, talking excitedly about some duel Yuya had with him recently. From this, although Sora has never seen Judai duel, he has been able to learn that Judai is ‒ according to You Show, at any rate ‒ some type of Fusion genius fully capable of defeating even a Pendulum-using Yuya with relative ease if the witnesses were to be believed.

As for Sora, he is decidedly sceptical but definitely more willing to consider it when Judai arrives just in time for the start of the duelling war with the LDS, his attitude doing if not a one-eighty then at least a fairly sharp turn when he is told just what the LDS is planning.

Sora, though slightly peeved at being passed over in favour of another and thereby deprived of his chance to duel the LDS, finds himself strangely excited when Judai engages in a verbal duel with Akaba Himika because although her face and demeanour are still condescending on the outside, Sora can tell that on some instinctual level, she is coming to the realisation that she is face to face with a superior predator.

Of course, her instincts are probably quite dull going by the fact that she cannot properly discern just how dangerous Sora is, but with the ‒ for lack of better terms ‒ killing intent Judai is releasing, Sora doesn't fault her because she is certainly not the only one who finds their gaze drawn towards Judai, some of them quite taken aback by what they see, confirming to Sora that this is a side of Judai's personality that is previously unknown to them.

As Judai correctly deduces that the LDS is really after Yuya and his Pendulum Cards, Sora has to admit to himself that Judai has a definite point; allowing the LDS to monopolise Pendulum Summoning for themselves probably wouldn't be such a great move, especially not when Sora wants in on a piece of the action. Obviously, Sora's mission to track down the XYZ scum hiding out in Standard takes priority, but when he returns to Academia, being able to give a thorough report on this new summoning method is obviously an incentive to continue his undercover mission tailing Yuya ‒ that and the pancakes, obviously.

There is also the chance of gathering information to make a report on Yuki Judai, should such a thing prove necessary in the future.

As things are, Sora wonders if Judai may or may not already be an undercover operative of Academia himself; the shade of his jacket obviously suggests a connection of some sort, but with the time the other has spent with the Sakaki family, Sora finds that he can only guess.

Then again, with Yuki Judai apparently turning up months into Sakaki Yusho leaving his family, perhaps the guy had sent him to stay with his family in his stead, or perhaps the Professor had sent him out to keep an eye on the guy's family for who knew what reason. Considering the fact that Sakaki Yuya had apparently managed to create a whole new summoning method, it had obviously been a good call.

As for whoever had made it in the first place, Sora is still looking into the matter.

One thing is for sure though, and that is the fact that the LDS is not responsible, because to them, Judai is a clear obstruction.

There is also the fact that Judai doesn't seem overly confused by his alleged encounter with Yuya's XYZ-using counterpart, which points to definite knowledge about the different dimensions.

Sora finds the other's apparent lack of antipathy for said XYZ user a tad confusing though; XYZ users are weak and meant to be hunted after all, yet Judai mentions talking to him as opposed to confronting him in a duel.

Then again, with Hiragi Yuzu present at the scene, it is decidedly possible that Judai had foregone a direct confrontation so not to make Yuzu, and by extension Yuya and the others, suspicious about his own reasons for being there.

Of course, if Judai is indeed a fairly long-term undercover agent, then there is the obvious risk of him having gone native, but Sora can at the same time view his actions as sensible in case they are to protect the position he has made for himself, in the Sakaki family but also more recently at the You Show Duel School.

Evidently, Sora's own experience with his presence in the latter is fairly limited, but going by what he has seen and heard before this and by what he is seeing and hearing now, the respect and even outright awe the members of You Show have for him is fairly obvious, to Sora at any rate.

However, since Judai has done little to earn Sora's own respect, Sora doesn't feel like joining up with the rest of them. So, when that chairwoman from the LDS asks who wants to go first, Sora is obviously keen on taking her up on the challenge. It appears to have been anticipated though, going by the hand on top of his head physically pressing him down. Thus, it is with ever increasing agitation that Sora tries to pry the offending hand away from his hair, only to wince as fingers interlace with it, tightening their grip as Judai rather predictably nominates Yuya to go first.

Knowing that he cannot very well blow his own cover by causing some major scene this early on in the game, Sora settles for sending the guy a glare before the chairwoman once again speaks up, condescendingly noting that the rest of them don't seem very reliable and that Yuya better finish it quickly because of it.

Naturally, Sora is all for going for the bait; it is a matter of pride after all and the LDS has no business calling him a second-rate duellist with all the pride they take in their measly XYZ course. Judai however is not so much for that, going by the tug that the guy gives his hair.

"Less evil monologue, more getting things over with," the guy then comments, grinning now and with definite sharpness at that. "Yuya goes first, Yuzu second. If needed, I'll go third."

Again, Sora is ready to protest this, but Judai apparently has a plan in mind.

"_They_ need the experience," Judai quietly tells him. "_We_ don't."

Sora can somewhat agree with that, but he obviously detects something else there as well, an implied message not to show his own hand before the time is right. Besides, using the high and mighty LDS and its representatives to strengthen their own faction makes sense.

"You're not a Junior Youth Class Duellist though, are you?" the chairwoman asks, and Sora waits, anticipating the even sharper grin that breaks out on Judai's face.

"You're the one bringing along the aces of each LDS course," he readily counters, keeping his hand firmly planted on top of Sora's head even though it's hardly needed now that he has clued Sora in on his latest plan. "Consider it evening out the odds."

There is terrible irony in that statement and Sora cannot help but smile deviously at it, because the LDS takes pride in XYZ Summoning and XYZ users are trash and Judai's jacket is the colour of Osiris Red. In other words, evening out the odds is what Judai considers giving the LDS aces opposition in the form of two relatively inexperienced students and himself, an Osiris Red, but only in case he's needed.

Naturally, Sora is the only one who catches the insult and inside joke for what it is, simply because it takes knowledge of the Academia's ranking system to get it. Sora nevertheless takes great pleasure in it, because Judai is basically telling him that the LDS representatives are unworthy opponents. It appeals to Sora and it appeals to him very much, despite the fact that he's been terribly bored as of late due to a decided lack of strong and focused opponents.

Duelling Yuya had been fun and all, but even if it was in a sense fun and quite interesting, that Entertainment Duelling skit definitely took away a whole lot of the serious action Sora had found himself craving as of late.

Yuya's opponent is the XYZ user, who apparently thinks that he's some hot stuff just because he knows how to XYZ Summon.

Sora, immensely satisfied that he might get to see something interesting, skips over to join the peanut gallery by the wall as Judai gives some last words of advice to Yuya, telling him to drag the 'Constellation Guy' back down to Earth. _'And stomp on him as well,'_ Sora mentally adds to it as they make their way to the spectator area.

As the duel kicks into gear, Judai continues to exchange verbal punches with Chairwoman Akaba Himika, all whilst Sora himself is forced to educate those You Show duellists on the mechanics of XYZ Summoning; they indeed lack a whole lot of experience and knowledge, and though XYZ Summoning is a technique used by trash, the You Show crew obviously needs to know what they'll be facing. That Shijima Hokuto guy also turns out to be just as annoying as Sora has anticipated and even redefines what it means to be seriously lame. Going by Judai's comments on the matter, he definitely agrees.

Yuya appears to be struggling a bit though.

"Not good," a narrow-eyed Judai comments, and shortly thereafter, the XYZ scum does something that incurs the wrath of more than just a fraction of You Show and its associates.

There are various comments on the danger, the dirty tactic and whatnot, but Sora doesn't really care about that; Sora's decidedly more interested in Judai, who even though he disguises it well looks just about ready to tear someone's throat out.

"It's Solid Vision, so it's more than a dirty tactic," Judai notes instead, giving Akaba Himika a look that sends a slight chill down Sora's spine. "So the LDS is not only willing to resort to thievery, hostage-taking and blackmail to accomplish their goals, but also to _attempted murder_?"

Well, that definitely shut up that LDS chairwoman, but adding insult to the injury, Judai dismisses her completely and addresses the LDS chairman, Akaba Reiji, who has apparently been standing behind a corner listening in on them for quite some time, basically telling the guy that he needs to get his rabid dogs under control unless he doesn't mind Judai doing away with them.

Naturally, Sora is delighted and he is even more delighted when Judai in turn dismisses Reiji, returning his attention to the duel at Sora's suggestion.

In the duel, Shijima Hokuto continues his habit of engaging in evil monologues, even getting into shouting matches with the audience as the You Show peanut gallery disapproves of his stance on duelling. Sora actually agrees with the core principle of doing whatever one needs to do in order to win, but stooping so low as to rely upon XYZ Summoning? Hah, yeah right.

"Hundredth-rate," Judai comments.

"No, thousandth-rate," Yuzu counters before raising her voice and telling Yuya that he wouldn't dare to lose against such a thousandth-rate duellist.

Shortly thereafter, Yuya turns his situation around and makes quick work of the thousandth-rate XYZ scum, although not before Sora is once again forced to educate the You Show crew on XYZ mechanics, which is annoying but probably worth it in the longer term.

In the duel that follows, Hiragi Yuzu faces Kotsu Masumi of the Fusion course, yet another person with a bloated ego just because she happens to know how to Fusion Summon, and not even properly at that. Before that though, Judai gives Yuzu something; a card of some sort, though Sora is too far away to tell what it is. He is undeniably curious though.

As the duel starts, Sora becomes painfully aware of the fact that the You Show crew is not only lacking in terms of their knowledge of XYZ, but also in terms of Fusion. Really, now he fully understands what Judai had meant by them needing the experience, because they obviously do.

In addition, having a shot at random selection is bound to have a more favourable outcome than having Hiragi Shuzo make the pick the Action Field, because that spells disaster. It does also spell additional excitement due to unfavourable odds, so as far as Sora is concerned, he can deal with it either way.

The duel progresses largely according to Sora's expectations, but there's still the card from Judai in Yuzu's deck. As Yuzu takes a deep breath and glances their way and then sets a card, Sora has another weird chill run down his spine.

Reassured of her own victory, Kotsu Masumi activates her Trap Card _Fragment Fusion_, banishing all three Gem-Knight Monsters currently in her Graveyard

"She's looking pretty good now," Sora comments, and Judai chuckles in response.

Moments thereafter, it becomes obvious why as Yuzu interrupts Masumi mid-rant, activating a Trap Card of her own. "_Non-Fusion Area_, activate!"

_Non-Fusion_‒ Sora's mind skids to a temporary halt, apparently along with those of several others. "_Non-Fusion Area_?!"

"When this card is in effect, neither player can Fusion Summon," Yuzu explains, both to a dumbstruck Masumi and to an equally dumbstruck audience.

A Trap Card that seals Fusion Summoning?

Sora looks at Yuki Judai with new eyes, forced to re-evaluate his previous opinions. The red jacket and the alleged specialisation in Fusion Summoning definitely points to either an Academia student or‒It strikes him.

Meanwhile, in the Duelling Field, a somewhat shaken Masumi reinforces her determination to win and launches for an Action Card. She manages to grab _Extreme Sword_ and equip it to _Gem-Knight Crystal_ that is still on her end of the Field, which gives its 2450 ATK a temporary boost to 3450 during her Battle Phase, which she uses wisely to destroy Yuzu's _Mozarta the Melodious Maestra_, making a substantial dent in Yuzu's Life Points as they go from their original 4000 down to 3150.

What ensues shortly thereafter is a mad scavenger hunt for Action Cards, but Sora is far too distracted by his own thoughts to pay that much attention beyond the fact that Yuzu is ultimately brought down not so much by any attack by Masumi as by bad luck as the Action Card _Great Misfortune_ has her take 800 points' worth of damage, allowing Masumi's remaining Monster to finally take her out.

As the rest of You Show quickly files away to comfort Yuzu, Judai mutters something about Action Duels and how they take some time getting used to. Sora dips his head once but offers little more than that, still a bit wary of him now that he has come up with new ideas.

Probably a minute or so later, the rest of the You Show crew arrive with Yuzu in their midst.

Wearing a smile completely unlike the one he had worn facing the LDS, Judai steps up to her and gives her a slight pat on the head, surprising her as well as others. "Don't mind it, don't mind it. We're at school, so it's all part of the learning experience, right?"

"But everyone was counting on me," Yuzu counters, holding the card out for him to retrieve.

Judai nods. "We were all counting on you to put up a decent fight, and man, I got chills down my spine."

"But your card‒"

"‒Is just a card. You're the one who went up against one of the LDS aces and nearly won, even without a special summoning method up your sleeve."

"_But‒" _

He finally plucks the card from her grip, giving it a cursory glance before slipping it into his pocket. "Let me ask you one thing, Yuzu," Judai offers, lowering himself slightly so that they are on the same eye level. "This duel, did you think it was exciting? To me, it looked like you had all of us on the edge of our seats right up until the very end."

Yuzu seems to consider it for a moment. "I suppose it was exciting. I still lost though."

"And next time?"

What still remained of Yuzu's frustration at her loss dissipates at last, burnt away by renewed determination. "Next time, I'll definitely win."

"Hah!" Kotsu Masami sneers from across the room. "As if you'd ever stand a chance, you lustreless‒"

Judai snorts loudly at that, attracting the already flustered duellist's anger. "My best friend's huge on precious stones, so he's really the expert on that. But even an amateur like me can clearly see the difference between a diamond in the rough‒" He gestures to Yuzu and then fires an outright grin in Masumi's direction. "‒And a polished quartz crystal."

Going by the way in which Kotsu Masumi's face changes, Judai had just mortally offended her. Despite having more important things to consider, Sora along with others finds himself unable to tear his eyes away from it all.

"You bastard! Duel me!" Masumi demands, the other representatives trying to hold her back. "I'll show you who the quartz is!"

To Sora, she looks just about ready to pounce. Though he is still on the fence with the issue of the Fusion-sealing card, it occurs to him now that the LDS has not only a bunch of XYZ users but also a bunch of Fusion users that may decide to oppose Academia in the future. But in such case, then why out it now? To play mind games?

Judai, still grinning, looks ready to say something but cuts off right away when an upbeat pop song starts playing. While the rest of them ‒ Sora himself with a new lollypop in his mouth ‒ look on, Judai hauls out his Duel Terminal that also doubles as his phone, checking the display before taking the call. "Hey Yoko, what's up?"

'_My mom'_, Yuya mouths to the rest of them.

"Nothing much, _mom_," Judai goes on to say with a slight grimace. "We're in a bit of a Duelling War with the LDS and‒Yeah? Uh-huh? Yeah?"

There is a slight pause. Judai appears too into his call to notice that everyone's staring at him. "Wai‒wai‒wait, Pharaoh did _what_?"

'_Pharaoh?'_ Tatsuya mouths to Yuya who mouths back _'Judai's cat'_.

Again, there is a slight pause as Yoko talks on the other end. "He bit him?" Judai says at last, pinching the ridge of his nose. "He scratched him, bit him and chased him up a tree? And he's still up there?"

Again, there is a slight pause before Judai finally lifts his head, looking mildly exasperated. "Yeah, Pharaoh does that. He lives steadily by the principle of biting the hands that don't feed or scratch him and occasionally even the ones that do. The Professor said the same thing."

_The‒_

Judai's eyes snap to him, resting there momentarily before moving onto the LDS faction. Out of the corner of his eye, Sora notes the definite change in the facial expressions of the Akaba mother and son.

"Okay, I'm on it." Judai ends the call. Then, he sighs and crosses the short distance between himself and Gongenzaka, putting a firm hand onto the guy's shoulder. "Gong, my man, you've got this one right? I have to go save some guy from my ferocious pet."

Sora is sorely tempted to follow when Judai moves to leave. He even attempts to do so, only for Yuzu to grab him by the back of the collar, hauling him right back.

"So much for the reliable older brother," Yuya smiles as the door closes and then gives Gongenzaka a pat on the arm. "Gong, we're all counting on you."

**-V-**


	8. You Show, Up to Perplex?

_**Last edit: August 22**__**nd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- You Show, Up to Perplex? -V-**

**-V-**

They don't honestly know what to expect. Obviously one of them in particular isn't all that surprised that Judai has to leave right in the middle of things; Yuya is fairly familiar with Judai and the way the universe seems to work around him. From what Yuya has gathered so far, Judai's got matters other than duelling on his mind, which is why Yuya isn't overly surprised when Judai easily skips out of his duel before it has even begun, summoned away by a well-timed phone call.

Truth to be told, Yuya is all the more surprised by what follows.

They're all fairly tense, knowing well just how much is riding on the outcome of the still ongoing duel between Gongenzaka and Todo Yaiba, and that's probably part of why quite a few of them startle as the door is pushed back open.

"Yo, I'm back," Judai proudly announces, holding Pharaoh in his arms. "I've brought company."

Initially, Yuya thinks Judai's referring to Pharaoh. Then some tall guy turns up in the doorway, and Yuya isn't quite sure as to what to think. Neither is anyone else, going by the facial expressions as Judai, still holding Pharaoh, walks over to rejoin the You Show part of the room, all while being tailed by the other guy who is looking around curiously.

The guy's jacket is part blue; that's the first thing Yuya notices after the shock of teal that's apparently his hair. Next, Yuya takes note of the guy's slight tan along with the sizeable Band-Aid slapped across one cheek. Obviously, there are also the eyes and the way that the guy sticks fairly close to Judai, which is puzzling if the guy is indeed the same guy that had been scratched, bitten and chased up a tree by Pharaoh.

"Okay, the duel's still on, so let's hurry up with the introductions. You Show, this is Pharaoh, and the guy in blue is Johan." Judai nods to Yuya. "Johan, that's Sakaki Yuya, my younger brother."

"Another little brother?" The guy in blue, Johan, looks both curious and mildly exasperated at that. He smiles though when they lock eyes, giving Yuya a slight wave. "I'd shake your hand, but you know…"

Yuya understands perfectly, because the guy's hand is all wrapped up in a handkerchief and he looks a tad pained merely by waving it around a bit.

Despite Gongenzaka's valiant efforts, the duel ends in a draw. As such, the end result is a win-loss-draw, which means that they have neither won nor lost as of yet; a tiebreaker is needed, and Yuya feels a knot in his stomach at the mere thought of them losing it and as a result You Show to those guys in the LDS.

"A tiebreaker huh?" Judai utters somewhat thoughtfully, largely restored to his usual laidback self now.

Somewhat restored to her usual condescending self in Judai's absence, Akaba Himika suggests that the winners ‒ that is to say Yuya and that Masumi girl ‒ should duel each other. Yuya honestly isn't too keen on that and Masumi is even less keen on it.

"Chairwoman, would it be possible for me to choose my own opponent?" Masumi asks, more controlled now but her eyes ablaze as she looks to Judai who obviously notices and shoots a slightly wolfish grin her way. "There are scores to settle after all."

"I don't see why not," the chairwoman comments, her condescending eyes now looking to You Show. "Unless You Show minds, of course."

If anything, Judai's grin becomes even sharper. Even that Johan guy is throwing worried glances his way now. "You know that Gem Guy I mentioned? He's here now," Judai comments with a slight nod at the obviously confused Johan. "Besides, he's pretty new to Action Duels, so I might as well show off a bit."

'Show off' is an understatement. Judai hands Pharaoh over to Yuya and then enters the Field, and within just a small number of turns ‒ three or four, Yuya thinks ‒ Judai has _Non-Fusion Area_ in play and _Elemental Hero Neos_ and _Yubel_ on his side of the Field, sending them to the Graveyard to Special Summon _Neos Wiseman_, a Level 10 Monster with 3000 ATK and 3000 DEF, a Monster that cannot be destroyed by any Card Effects and that if attacked will inflict damage equal to the attacking Monster's ATK and grant the one controlling it a boost to their LP equal to that of the attacking Monster's DEF.

It's actually a quite terrifying card; Yuya realises as much now. Kotsu Masumi doesn't stand a chance.

"You're actually a quite decent duellist," Judai offers to a shell-shocked Masumi who's down on her knees. "But if you rely too much on one summoning method, then you'll end up meeting someone capable of sealing it."

"Why can you Fusion Summon even with Non-Fusion Area in place?" she asks at last, her frustrated anger making its return if somewhat muted now compared to earlier. "Why can you‒?"

"It's called Contact Fusion. It's something of a speciality of mine."

Yuya knows that. Most of You Show technically knows that as well, having seen it in action before this. As for the rest of them though, this Contact Fusion definitely stirs up a reaction.

"_Contact Fusion?"_ Sora mumbles, making this really weird face. ""He can Fusion Summon without a card effect? And he can do it even when Fusion Summoning is sealed?"

"Is that really something special?" Yuya asks at last, bringing Sora's ‒ among others' ‒ attention to himself. "Because he can also Fusion Summon using his opponents' Monsters as material."

Plenty of people look towards him then, perplexed, with one notable exception.

"He started with Contact Fusion after he gained his new deck," Johan comments softly, bringing the attention towards himself instead. "As for that other thing, yeah, he does that."

"Still, Judai, I'm surprised that you'd keep that card in your deck," Johan goes on to say as Judai rejoins them. "Did _she_ put you up to it?"

Judai smiles knowingly in response.

"She?" someone finally repeats.

Judai shrugs mildly, shifting his gaze slightly off to the side and then back again. "My girlfriend? Kind of? Partner? We are promised to one another after all."

There is a beat of silence; of bewilderment.

"‒Judai," Yuzu speaks up at last. "Isn't that a fiancée?"

Again, Judai gives the air a weird side look, making Yuya wonder if the Duel Spirits are saying something to him. Johan is also looking without being too obvious about it, and Yuya only then recalls Judai having mentioned something to that nature.

"I suppose that would be one way of putting it," Judai offers up at last, folding his arms across his chest and turning his head to look at the part of the room that's still occupied by the representatives of the LDS. "You came here to pick a fight. Well, you've got one and you've lost."

Verbally, the LDS doesn't have a lot to say to that. They are saying a whole lot of things though, going by their postures and facial expressions alone. The scarf guy Judai had identified as Akaba Reiji is nowhere to be seen, and Yuya vaguely recalls the other leaving the room in the middle of things to take an urgent phone call and that he hasn't returned since. Either way, it's all the same though, because You Show is safe again.

"By the way, Yuya," Judai says once the LDS people have left, and Yuya instinctively knows that he isn't going to like whatever Judai's going to say. "Mom's invited Johan to stay with us. I was told to convince you."

"_What?!"_

**-V-**

Of course, Yuya knows better than to be surprised. It is starting to get a bit cramped around the kitchen table though.

"Johan, try this next!"

And Yuya's mother has gone from fawning over Sora to fawning over Johan, moving from one blue-haired and blue-jacketed guy to another. Not that Yuya is complaining though, at least not about anything beyond his mother's ongoing habit of picking up strays. Besides, unlike Sora, Johan isn't exactly using compliments to manipulate Yuya's mother into doing what he wants, so that's a definite plus in Yuya's eyes. Still, being forced to house complete strangers all of a sudden is kind of‒

"Yuya, right?"

Sora has just snuck out, and Yoko has just dragged Judai along to the convenience store to buy more groceries, leaving Yuya alone with Johan, Pharaoh, En, Core, Kilo and Watt. In other words, Yuya's stuck at home with two cats, three dogs and a stranger who is apparently his brother's best friend. "Yeah?"

Johan is looking at the picture frames on the wall; he's been doing that for a while now, standing there in quiet contemplation. "When did Judai first come here? Two years ago?"

"About two and a half. What about it?"

"Has he been here the whole time or‒?"

"He stayed three months and then left. He got back maybe a week ago."

"Well, it's no wonder then."

That isn't even an explanation. "What about it?"

Johan shrugs mildly in response.

Again, that isn't really an explanation.

"Say," Johan says at last, looking over his shoulder at Yuya who looks back in turn over the edge of the backrest of the couch. "How much has Judai told you? About his past?"

What kind of question is that? Still, considering what Yuya has so far understood about Judai's life, perhaps such a question is indeed valid?

"I know he went to a place called Academia on an island, that he hates being called _aniki_, that he once wanted to quit duelling, and that he claims to have been abducted by aliens and sent back with a new deck‒"

Johan actually snickers at that, prompting Yuya to ask whether it is actually true or not. "That was before my time, but if Judai said that, then it's probably true," Johan smiles. "He already had the Neo-Spacians when we met."

"When did you meet?"

"Third year."

Yuya absentmindedly wonders whose third year in school Johan is referring to. "If you're really his best friend, then you have to know what he did, right? He did say that he screwed things up pretty badly and stuff."

Johan's face darkens, but he looks far more sad than frustrated. "Yes, I do know," he says at last, looking towards the picture on the wall again. "I did play my part in it after all."

"Your part?"

Johan makes his way over, sinking into the couch next to him. "My part."

Yuya isn't entirely sure as to what to say to that. "You don't have to tell me," he decides at last, even though he is evidently curious. "It's not like I have to know or anything."

Johan gives him a clearly considering look. Yuya tries his best not to squirm.

"You already know about Duel Spirits, right?"

Yuya nods. "Judai told me. He also showed me."

Pharaoh jumps up on the couch and lies down in the spot between them. En, Kilo and Watt are all snoozing in a pile off in the dog bed, and Core soon joins them on the couch, jumping up to claim the lap of an initially surprised and then somewhat pleased Johan, who scratches him beneath the chin.

"Judai's always had a strong connection to spirits," Johan says at last, staring thoughtfully down at Core who squeezes his odd-coloured eyes shut and purrs as Johan moves on to scratch him behind the ears. "It wasn't until a few months into third year that we all realised just how strong it was."

Yuya figures that something had happened during Judai's third year, and he does want to know about it, but on the other hand‒ "Back at You Show, you asked Judai if _she_ put him up to including _Non-Fusion Area_ in his deck. Who's _she_?"

Johan blinks. _"Non Fusion Area?"_

"Then which‒" It suddenly occurs to him. _"Super Polymerization?"_

Johan nods once and then resumes petting Core, now curled up on his lap. "It's a useful card, but he's had to pay a great price to get it. We all did."

"All of you?"

One after another, En, Kilo and Watt raise their heads, suddenly alert and initially wary. Johan also looks up, tensing at first and then relaxing. Then, Yuya notices him move his hand up to pet the air on his shoulder, speaking quietly to it. "Ruby, it's just _Yubel_."

Yubel. The Level 10 Fiend/Effect Monster that stands out a sore thumb amongst the mainly Light- or Elemental-themed Neo-Spacians, difficult to destroy and capable of dealing a great deal of damage to one's opponent despite having 0 ATK and 0 DEF points. Yubel, that Judai rarely summons except to summon his ace monster. Yubel‒ "Who's Ruby?"

Johan looks mildly surprised at that, looking from Yuya to the space right by his shoulder and then back again. "_Ruby Carbuncle_," he says at last, retrieving his deck from his pocket. "My partner."

Yuya leans closer in interest to look at the card. "If this is your partner, is Yubel‒?"

Johan's attention snaps towards the door, and soon thereafter, the dogs all rush off to greet Yuya's mother as she enters, followed by Judai.

"We're back now. Who's up for snacks?"

In the end, Johan never answers the question; not about _Super Polymerization_ or about _Yubel_.

**-V-**

That night, Yuya has trouble sleeping. As he lies there in bed and stares up at the darkened ceiling, he recalls the conversation he'd had with Judai on the day he'd duelled Sawatari.

"‒_Sometimes, it's better to cry, I think."_

"‒_You might end up breaking apart from pressure otherwise."_

Pressure. Friends thinking he'd gone crazy. Academia. Alienated friends.

"_Simply put, I screwed up royally and put them all ‒ as well as myself ‒ through a whole lot of suffering‒"_

"‒_I can't accept that you should try to laugh away your sadness."_

"‒_You can laugh and smile all that you want but if you never allow yourself to properly grieve, you might‒"_

Done something thought to be irreversible, but not completely.

"‒_I got a second chance to make things right. One might say that I fixed everything but my relationship with some of my best friends. No one was really‒"_

No one was really the same afterwards...

"_Judai's always had a strong connection to spirits‒"_

"‒_It wasn't until a few months into third year that we realised just how strong it was."_

A strong connection to spirits. Someone telling Judai to put a card in his deck; not _Non-Fusion Area_ but _Super Polymerization_?

"‒_It's a useful card, but he's had to pay a great price to get it. We all did."_

A great price, paid by Judai as well as others. No one was really the same afterwards.

"‒_Not the way that we used to be."_

"‒_They didn't agree with my earlier decisions and I went on to isolate myself, simply because I didn't want them involved in any more trouble."_

Johan, Judai's best friend, capable of seeing spirits. The friends Judai had lost touch with.

"‒_A lot of stuff happened."_

'_Why is he here? Why now?'_

Yuya sits up at last, resolved to go wash his face or something. As soon as he leaves his room though, he forgets about it altogether, because Judai and Johan are down in the living room, talking quietly amongst themselves. He isn't able to listen in for long though, as first Judai and then Johan snap their heads around.

There is surprise and then there is something else, something that Yuya cannot quite place. Johan looks to Judai though, but Judai doesn't look back. Instead, Judai's looking up at Yuya, and Yuya's looking right back, knowing well that he's interrupted an argument of sorts.

Then, Judai makes a slight gesture while mouthing at him to come down. Meanwhile Johan exchanges an exasperated look with the air.

That is how Yuya, still in his pyjama, finds himself joining the others around the couch table with a glass of water in his hands and the novel experience of listening in on what appears to be an argument mixed with a strategy meeting between at least three or four participants of whom Yuya himself can only see and hear two of them.

"It's too dangerous," Johan intones, pointing demonstratively into the middle of the scribble-covered paper laid out on the table. "I'm definitely against it."

Judai's attention darts from Johan to the air and back again. "Why?"

"_Why?!"_ Johan hisses in seeming disbelief. _"We're technically not even supposed to be here!"_

"Well, we're here now! It's got to mean something!"

Again, there is a slight pause and further looks are exchanged with the air.

"I agree with Yubel on this one."

"Well, the Professor's with me, so that's two against two."

The Professor?

The memory is faint, but Yuya does recall how Sora, Akaba Himika and that Reiji guy had reacted noticeably when Judai had mentioned the Professor. "Who's the Professor?"

Instantly, the pair visible to him snaps their eyes to him, as if only just then remembering that he's still there. Then, they look at each other. "Oh right, coming to think of it," Judai says at last, reaching up to scratch the back of his neck. "Professor Daitokuji was already disembodied by the time I met you, wasn't he?"

Disembodied? _"A ghost?!"_

"_Shhhh!"_

Soon, Yuya is able to learn that Professor Daitokuji is apparently the disembodied spirit of Judai's late alchemy teacher who died and got his soul eaten by his cat. It's not on the scale of getting abducted by aliens and being sent back with a new deck, but in Judai's weird life of spirits, Yuya figures that it's probably just a day like any other.

"So," Yuya asks at last. "What's really going on here?"

In hindsight, some part of him wishes he hadn't asked.

**-V-**

After they ‒ well, mainly Judai ‒ have finished their explanations and talked about various theories about the state of things, Yuya's own response is surprisingly quiet and controlled. "You can't be serious."

Judai smiles apologetically yet also not so apologetically, and Johan makes a slight grimace at the air again. Still smiling, Judai shifts his attention to the same spot, quirking an eyebrow. "Yubel, we've talked about this."

"What did Yubel say?" Yuya asks, temporarily putting the matter about different dimensions aside for more imminent matters.

"Yubel's asking Johan to grow a backbone and to drag me back home before the storm hits," Judai easily responds.

"She's right though," Johan responds. "We're not supposed to be here."

"Well, we're not the only ones. Besides, I got here first."

The storm? Not the only ones? "You mean that Sora's‒? And that Yuto guy too?!"

Judai nods solemnly. "Probably. There are more though."

"_More?!"_

"Long story short, there are at least two factions here besides us who're not supposed to be here; another Academia and an XYZ-faction."

"_XYZ-faction? Another Academia?"_

"Simply put, it's complicated. Johan?"

Johan folds his arms across his chest, shaking his head. "I've been here for two weeks, and I don't have Yubel's abilities at my disposal."

"Right." Judai smiles a tad sheepishly before leaning closer to Yuya, offering up a slightly conspiratorial whisper. "You remember the Scarf Guy getting a call right in the middle of my duel with the Gem Girl and leaving, right?"

Yuya nods.

"The Professor was kind enough to follow him and to eavesdrop on his conversation."

Yuya isn't surprised, not really. "Then the LDS is‒?"

"The XYZ faction seems to have it in for the LDS, and the LDS is monitoring the whole city for energy fluctuations. Apparently, some LDS guys got hit by an XYZ user."

"Got hit?"

"Well…" Judai exchanges a slight look with the air, just in another spot this time around. "Professor Daitokuji's exact words were 'turned into cards'."

"_Turned into what?!"_

"Turned into cards," Judai affirms, eerily calm while Johan looks on, evidently grim. "It's not unheard of where we come from, but going by what I heard, this isn't just a question of people stealing people's souls and sealing them into cards but actually about them _literally_ turning people into cards."

Again, Yuya is painfully reminded that Judai's past experiences have made his definition of what's to be expected severely skewered at best. Normally, people would‒

"Normally, you can't do it without something like a Millennium Item either," Johan fills in, still grim but also puzzled. "Normal duellists shouldn't be able to‒"

Normal. Yuya dimly wonders if duellists from parallel dimensions still fall into the definition of normal in their eyes.

"Yeah, but normal people can't exactly materialise Duel Spirits either, and we could all do that back in the Dark World."

Yuya's had enough surprises for now; he's not going to pursue what the Dark World means, because the name alone and the looks Judai and Johan exchange say more than enough about the place. "You mean that the Yuto guy you and Yuzu ran into is‒?"

"Probably not." Judai shakes his head. "From what I got, Yuto only attacked Sawatari because he thought he'd harm Yuzu. In other words‒"

"There are more of them," Johan hisses, slapping his own forehead in exasperation. "And you've got a stupid idea to get in touch."

"What?" Judai shoots him a pointed look. "They've got the means to travel between dimensions and to make people into cards. Of course I'm interested."

Normally, another reaction would have been more appropriate. Judai is Judai however, and Judai is not exactly normal by normal people's standards. Heck, even amongst the not so ordinary, Judai seems to be the exception, going by the mischievous smirk that spreads across his face and the look of distinct displeasure that crosses Johan's.

"Judai, it's too dangerous," Johan says. "If you get yourself carded, we're all screwed."

"Who says they get to card me?" Judai intones in turn, smile turning decidedly sharp. "See, Yubel agrees with me."

Johan gives the air a brief look and then averts his eyes with a sigh. "Honestly, if O'Brien were here‒"

Yuya doesn't know who O'Brien is, but going by the way that Judai's smile goes out briefly only to return at full force, there's definitely history there.

"Well, O'Brien's not here now, so let's do what O'Brien would do if he got himself stuck in this kind of situation."

Johan looks decidedly more exasperated. "O'Brien went head-to-head with the Supreme King. NO."

Yuya files the names away for later, downs what still remains in his glass and then moves to rise. "I've got school in the morning. Will you be here then, Judai-_aniki_?"

"I promised I'd to stay in town, right?" Judai smiles reassuringly. "Besides, eating together is more fun, so we'll probably be here for breakfast as well."

"What about Sora?"

"If possible, I'd like to keep the stuff discussed here between us. Basically, the less people who know the better at this stage." Judai gives the air beside him a slight look and then looks back at Yuya, his expression friendly but more pensive now. "That guy will probably tag us both as connected to Academia, and that technically isn't wrong. Rather, it's convenient for us if he thinks that for now ‒ he along with others. It's as Johan says, we're not actually supposed to be here."

Yuya considers it. "Promise me three things," he decides at last. "One: You won't lie to me. Two: You won't disappear again. Three: You'll teach me how to Fusion Summon."

Judai doesn't hesitate. "Deal."

Johan gives Judai a look that's displeased at the very least. "Judai, you‒"

"It's not our world, I know." Judai gives him a somewhat dismissive wave. "But it's my brother's world and family's got to stick together, right?"

Johan gives Yuya another look, narrowing his eyes slightly. Then, he looks back at Judai, shrugging mildly. "I owe Mrs. Sakaki for taking you in. Besides, she makes excellent food."

"If you like her food, you should taste her panca‒"

"_My_ pancakes!" Yuya hisses before retreating back to his room and into his bed, where he soon thereafter falls asleep wondering what it is between dimensional drifters and his mother's pancakes. After all, Judai doesn't even‒

"I should've made him promise to stay away from the pancakes," Yuya mutters to himself, largely unheard save for Core, who lazily cracks his oddly-coloured eyes open and then squeezes them back shut.

**-V-**


	9. Chasing Rainbows

_**Last edit: August 23**__**rd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- Chasing Rainbows -V-**

**-V-**

The world had gone to Hell on a Sunday. Truth to be told though, it had started its downward spiral long before that.

"Still nothing?" He looks from the dry landscape to his companion, paying particular attention to the device they're holding.

"I'm picking up some unusual activity, but nothing out of the ordinary." O'Brien frowns down at said device. "How about the spirits?"

Johan exchanges a look with Ruby, listening to her response before responding to O'Brien. "Ruby says that we should go to the geoglyphs."

"Glyphs?" O'Brien checks his GPS. "Cook and Manjoume investigated the area about six months ago, and there haven't been any strange shifts since. Besides, before that, Muto‒"

"O'Brien."

They exchange a look, both of them weary.

The climate doesn't bother O'Brien too much, but Johan truthfully isn't adapting too well, especially now that he's flown from a wintry Trondheim first to the US and then further onward to Peru, landing in Lima. There, he had met up with O'Brien, who'd arrived about a week prior and already scouted out a few locations. It is a familiar routine; they'd done this on and off for more than two years now, investigating unusual rift activity.

The world had after all only gone to Hell on a Sunday; the events that eventually led there had taken place on a Tuesday.

That day had started out ordinarily enough. Johan had had a duel scheduled in the Nordic pro duelling circuit. He'd only just returned to his apartment when he'd been suddenly overcome by a feeling that something was terribly wrong. Going by the way the Gem Beasts had reacted, they had definitely felt it as well. Then, hours later, a phone call had informed them what they in a sense already knew, making sense of the wrongness that was gradually becoming apparent to all of them.

"_Judai's gone. He's no longer in this world."_

Judai going not only missing but disappearing altogether with barely a trace is bad enough; it's like the Dark World incident in reverse and even now, it leaves a bad aftertaste in Johan's mouth. Besides, it's not just Judai who's missing. Without the Supreme King's stabilising influence, the worlds are once again growing unstable; the balance has been broken, and they all have to deal with the consequences.

Of course, nothing major has happened as of yet, but among those in the know, more than a few are holding their breath. It's not a question of _if_ anymore; it's a question of _when_.

Standing on top of the foothills overlooking the Nazca Lines, Johan finds himself overlooking the place pointed out to be Yuki Judai's last known location. Actually, it is his last known location; in this world, at any rate.

"Over there." O'Brien points out a spot close to one of the geoglyphs. "Back when I first got here, there were still impressions left on the soil, but mostly just residue. The readings I took then were higher than the ones that Jim and the others got, and there haven't been any physical tremors either."

So, it is either the calm that follows the storm or the calm right before one.

Approximately two years and six months prior, Johan had for the first time spoken with the King of Games at any length. Before that, they had exchanged greetings at best. Then, hours after Johan had first experienced that sickening feeling, he'd received a call from the King himself and about Judai at that.

"_Judai's gone. He's no longer in this world."_

"_We don't know where, but we could use more people in tune with the spirits."_

And so, Johan had found himself partnered up with O'Brien, because in the end, modern technology could only do so much. A small number of other Academia graduates had also pitched in to help out, but as a whole, the issue had been kept under wraps. Even now, years after the fact, only select individuals connected to Industrial Illusions and Kaiba Corporation had been clued in on Judai's disappearance and of the increased instability of the dimensional rifts.

Manjoume, now a successful pro and company executive, had concluded his part in the search with the visit to the Nazca plateau six months prior, claiming that he only had so much time to waste on an idiot like Judai, who would probably turn up any day now, wondering what they were all freaking out about.

In a way, Johan supposes that Manjoume has a point. Still‒

"Johan?"

Manjoume had reported nothing out of the ordinary after his visit to the location, and Jim Cook hadn't picked up anything particularly noteworthy either. That had been six months ago though, and now, standing on the foothills overlooking them, Johan wonders if they had either missed out on something big or if the change had begun and escalated at some point in the time in-between then and now.

The device in O'Brien's hand makes a strange noise before short-circuiting altogether, and the sweat assembled on Johan's face and neck turns cold, because beneath them, the geoglyphs are ‒ at least to Johan's eyes ‒ becoming outlined with ominously glimmering purple.

Obviously, one doesn't have to be incredibly in tune with the spirits to know that this probably isn't a very good thing.

"We should go." O'Brien's already struggling with his phone to make contact with his employer, physically dragging Johan back towards the jeep. "This place is dangerous."

Of course it's dangerous, but it's been more than two years and unlike Manjoume, Johan isn't ready yet to simply give it up and call it a day while hoping that Judai will somehow find the way back on his own. After all, the last time Judai was lost and left to his own devices, the world nearly got destroyed.

Of course, this time around, Judai has Yubel, the Neo-Spacians and the Elemental Heroes, and presumably also Pharaoh and the spirit of Professor Daitokuji accompanying him. Still‒

As the ground starts shaking and Ruby materialises next to him, Johan knows what to do. Ruby's sudden appearance and the escalation of the situation provide the lapse in attention that Johan needs in order to pull himself loose and to set off down the hill, which is difficult in itself because the ground is shaking so much.

O'Brien curses and moves to follow, but Johan's already got his Duel Disk out and slams his Deck into it. What he's planning on doing isn't normally possible with the rules in play, but in this kind of situation, are rules even‒

"Johan!"

Card already in hand, Johan snaps his head around to O'Brien where he stands, looking surprisingly steady on the somewhat rocky incline with his headset in place.

"Industrial Illusions and KC will be tracking your signal, but you'll probably have to find a way back on your own! And make sure to bring Judai back with you! He's got an awful sense of direction!"

Johan probably shouldn't be making promises, but he does anyway. "I will!"

Those are the last words they exchange, but hopefully not the last words they will ever exchange.

Johan wakes up to the incessant calls of Ruby and the other Gem Beasts, with the feeling of pine needles and moss against his face. So yeah, Johan finds himself in Norway, but it's not the same Norway as the one he'd left behind.

Still, on the plus side, Johan's got his family with him.

On a less positive note, he's only the clothes on his back, his Duel Disk and his deck, a passport and some money in different currencies. There's Nuevo Sol, USD, Euro and Norwegian kroner, but hardly enough of anything to take him very far.

Thankfully, Johan finds that he hasn't landed too far away from civilisation and from a local library. Libraries have computers and access to the Internet, and a few Internet searches should be able to tell him more about where he's ended up.

The Gem Beasts have already told him that this place feels different from Johan's own world, so Johan's not too surprised to learn that Academia doesn't exist; neither does Northern Academy nor any other branch for that matter. A great number of duelling schools do exist, but no Duel Academia, which comes as a bit of a disappointment, because that would've been a good place to start looking.

Once made aware that his alma mater probably does not exist in this place, Johan starts making searches on names instead. When that yields nothing useful, he starts using the computer to look up info on duelling, because duelling seems like a good place to start whenever Judai's concerned.

Apparently, the LDS is both the Industrial Illusions and the Kaiba Corporation of this world, its branches spreading way beyond its roots in some place called Maiami City. Johan looks it up, coming across multiple newspaper articles on a new summoning method that was allegedly created by some Maiami native, a fourteen-year-old boy named Sakaki Yuya, apparently the son of some pioneer in the Action Duels that people seemed to favour around here, some pioneer who'd apparently gone missing three years prior.

Of course, it could be just a coincidence, and it's still six months off from Judai's own disappearance, but there's similarly no guarantee whatsoever that time flows the same over here and that Judai would've turned up in this world at the exact point of the other's disappearance. After all, they could be completely unrelated and Johan doesn't even know for sure if Judai's even in this world to begin with, but… it's worth a shot.

This is why Johan jots down _Maiami City, Pendulum Summoning, Sakaki Yusho_, and _Sakaki Yuya_ on a note before moving along, launching into a search for unusual activity. As things are though, the Internet can only tell him so much and if the LDS is the same type of organisation as Industrial Illusions and the KC, it is very possible that they might be keeping information about irregularities under wraps.

Johan supposes that he could just make contact and ask, but for now, he knows far too little about them and their motives, and he doesn't particularly fancy the idea of them knowing about his presence either. He is an alien after all, in the sense that he's from a parallel dimension and probably also from another timeline.

Obviously, he is somewhat aware of the issues of time travel and paradoxes and all, but with things as they are, there's little to be done about it. After all, he wouldn't even be here if it hadn't been for Judai's disappearance.

Still seated in the library before the computer, Johan contemplates his options, recalling his conversation many months ago with Muto Yugi, known internationally as Yugi Muto, who'd said that _Winged Kuriboh_ had told him Judai was in the future rather than the past.

Yugi had even commented, half-jokingly and half-sincerely, that Judai's always been prone to ending up in parallel worlds and that he supposed time slips were the next natural step.

Getting caught up in time slips is hardly the next natural step to anything, but because it's Judai, Johan rests his case. If Winged Kuriboh had said that Judai is in the future, then Judai is probably in the future, and if it's the same future and the same dimension as the one Johan's currently in, then that'll definitely make his job easier. But first, Johan obviously has to find him.

Sighing, Johan pulls out his phone. Predictably, it doesn't look like it'll function as more than a clock and a camera, but for Johan, that's good enough. Even so, he turns it off, because he didn't exactly bring a charger along for the trip. Impulsive, yes, but after two years and six months of virtually no progress and no actual way of knowing whether or not the phenomenon would reoccur, Johan had trusted his instincts.

Coming to think of it, Johan does hope that O'Brien didn't get dragged into it by accident; that he had made it out alright and could return to Industrial Illusions, and that their attempt at tracking the signal would prove fruitful. Still‒

First and foremost, Johan has to consider his own situation, because even if O'Brien did get dragged into things, O'Brien has a particular set of skills that wouldn't make it too difficult to survive even in a foreign environment. Now Johan himself on the other hand‒ would rather not think of it actually.

It does take its fair share of effort, a great deal of cunning, some amount of conning and a great deal of friendly chatting to get from Point A (Bergen) to point B (Maiami City). It involves a lot of convincing, a fair amount of hitchhiking and a heavy reliance upon his alleged powers as a medium.

On a positive note though, as he's making his way through Florida, Johan does encounter an old lady who claims to have not only seen but actually spoken to a young man matching Judai's description several months ago back when she and her retirement club had gone off on a trip to fly over the Nazca Lines, and that does make a great deal of sense, considering the role said lines had played in causing this mess to begin with.

Said lady doesn't quite remember much of what Judai had said, but what she does recall is all the more useful. Apparently, she'd told Judai about living in Miami, to which he'd commented that he'd been staying in a place called _Maiami_.

_Amethyst Cat_ says something scathingly about Judai's sense of humour and about what an amazing coincidence it is, and though Johan disapproves of her tone, he rather agrees with her standpoint. Still, as things are, it has just potentially made Johan's search a whole lot easier.

Still, Johan isn't entirely sure about what to expect when he, roughly two weeks after ending up in a forest close to the outskirts of Bergen, enters Maiami City. Obviously, he knows better than to get his hopes up beforehand, knowing well that Judai might've moved on again. Still, considering Judai's confessed association to the place, there simply had to be some spirits and even people who would be able to recall him and in the longer term tell Johan where Judai was headed next.

That is not the only potential problem however, because Maiami City is large enough to get lost in and has enough duelling schools to leave Johan winded at the mere thought of investigating them all. Judai is probably in one after all, or at the very least in the vicinity of one.

The task is still a bit daunting though, so Johan settles for the next best thing; he parks himself on a park bench and asks Ruby to keep an eye out, keeping an eye out himself for any spirits.

What he finds is not a spirit though ‒ well, at least not in the sense that he had anticipated. What he finds is actually a spirit orb and it's soon thereafter devoured by a leaping tabby cat that is looking all too familiar. _"Pharaoh?!"_

It has to be Pharaoh; there cannot be that many soul-eating tabby cats in the universe ‒ past, present or future.

Hopeful, Johan looks around for Judai, but he is nowhere to be seen. Still, Pharaoh's there, which means that Judai logically cannot be that far away and that one ultimately leads to the other. And, since one thing ultimately leads to the other, this realisation ultimately leads up to Johan being scratched, bitten and chased up a tree.

It is not a very dignified position to be in, but Johan's decidedly keener on keeping his limbs intact rather than his dignity. Besides, a few minutes along the line, Judai does appear, summoned there by the blonde lady walking three dogs.

For a good moment, Judai just stares up at him in seeming disbelief. Then, as Yubel confirms it for him, he moves closer to the hissing and ominously growling Pharaoh, looking up at Johan where he's straddling a tree branch, partially obscured up there in the canopy. "You know, Johan, I don't think he recognises you."

There is a bright grin on Judai's face even as he picks up the still ominously growling feline. Pharaoh is displeased but accepts his new position halfway up Judai's shoulder, though he's probably digging his claws into it, going by how Judai's grin turns slightly strained.

Johan takes a moment to digest the fact that Judai looks pretty much the same he did back when Johan last saw him, in a somewhat grainy video call many months ‒ years ‒ prior. The changes to his appearance are minute; the clothes are new and there is a trace of weariness to him, but other than that, it's all the same. Frankly, it is eerie but not all that surprising.

"I'm sure we can get reacquainted," Johan says at last, getting down from the tree now that Pharaoh is no longer out to get him. "Judai, you're pretty damn difficult to find, you know that?"

Judai smiles sheepishly; it's familiar and it's definitely a good sign. Something that is not familiar however is the blonde lady with the dogs, watching their exchange with keen interest.

"So, he scratched you, bit you and chased you up a tree?" Judai asks at last, as if there is even a need to make sure.

Johan holds up his hand in response; the scratches to his face are fairly minor, but his hand is still bleeding.

"Oh my," the blonde lady gasps, stepping closer to them.

The dogs are obviously curious about Johan yet at the same time decidedly keen on greeting Judai while their owner ‒ or at the very least their _walker_ ‒ turns over the leashes to Judai and reaches into her handbag. "Honey, why don't you introduce your friend?"

_Honey?_

"Okay, Yoko‒"

"_Mom,"_ the woman intones, pulling out a handkerchief.

Judai's grin turns even more sheepish. "‒_Mom_, this is Johan." He gives Johan a slight nod before nodding off in direction of the woman, who has now seized Johan by the wrist. "Johan, this here is Sakaki Yoko."

Sakaki Yoko. Temporarily at a loss as to what to do and respond, Johan allows her to wrap his hand, looking to Yubel for an explanation. He gets one. "Ah, nice to meet you," he smiles somewhat nervously at the woman, now checking to see if the makeshift bandage is tight enough. "I'm Johan."

"Charmed," Sakaki Yoko responds, positively beaming at him and still holding onto his hand in a weird handshake. Then, still not relinquishing her grip, she turns to a still sheepish-looking Judai. "Judai, you've never told me you've got such handsome friends."

Judai returns the smile. The moment she turns back to Johan, Judai locks eyes with him, gesturing that he's sorry but only a little. Meanwhile, Johan would very much like his hand back.

"Johan, have you found a place to stay yet? Would you like to come and stay with us?" Sakaki Yoko asks, pulling out a sizeable Band-Aid.

Again, Johan looks to Judai for guidance on how to deal with the situation. Thankfully, this time around, Judai actually clears his throat, bringing the woman's attention back to himself. "Mom, I think Yuya would do terrible things to me if I'd let you take in another stray."

Sakaki Yoko pouts, but finally lets go, allowing Johan to reclaim his now bandaged hand. "Well then, son, I guess you'll have to convince Yuya then."

"Or else what?" Judai challenges, handing back the leashes.

"Or else no deep-fried shrimp."

"I shouldn't have asked." Judai actually sighs at that, but recovers quickly. "Well anyways, Johan, got any requests for dinner? I'm sure Mom will be delighted to cook up anything you want."

Johan looks from one to the other; he even looks to Yubel, but she turns away, which leaves him between the two of them.

"Well…" Sakaki Yoko seems to be considering the matter. "Well, only if you reveal all of Judai's embarrassing secrets," she decides at last, giving Johan a slight wink as Judai, still holding Pharaoh, steps up to grab him by the arm, physically hauling him away.

"Sorry Mom, we've got to get back to the duelling war with the LDS now."

If not for Johan's preliminary investigation into this world and its major players, then he would've been at a complete loss. The LDS part is evident enough, but what's this about a duelling war?

"Make sure you get home in time for dinner," the woman calls after them.

Johan is confused, but waits until they're out of earshot and by default also the part before asking questions. "So what's this duelling war? And the LDS?"

"Really Johan?" Judai gives him a sideways look. "How long have you been in town?"

"Three hours, give or take." It's actually less than that.

"And how long‒?"

No further elaboration is needed. "Roughly two weeks."

Judai frowns slightly at that. "That's weird."

"_There have been dimensional disturbances all around, so it's no wonder," _Yubel notes.

Well, there is obviously that, but also‒ "I landed all the way over in Norway, so‒"

"Well, there's no place like home, right?" Judai comments, his voice flippant.

"Except when it _isn't_ really your home. Geez, if Ruby and the others hadn't been there, then I would've freaked out big time." Not a lie, technically speaking.

Judai just hums thoughtfully in response. "So," he says at last, giving Johan another look as they keep on walking. "What are you doing here anyway, Johan?"

That… is a decidedly stupid question. "I'm here to find you, obviously."

The look Judai gives him is decidedly puzzled. "You've found me. Now what?"

Again, that is a very stupid question. Johan's itching to grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him, but Pharaoh's there and for now, Johan would like to play it safe, taking out his frustration verbally as opposed to physically. "Judai, do you have any idea just how worried everyone's been? It's been close to three years, Judai, _three_ _years_. You skipped out on the graduation party and left, but since you're you so it took a while before we figured out that you hadn't just gone off and forgotten about the time." Technically, it had taken Johan less than twenty-four hours, but for the ones who hadn't gotten get a call from Yugi himself, it had taken much longer.

"I did call you though?"

Johan shoots him a pointed look, and Judai finally averts his eyes, dropping the cheerful façade for the most part. "So," he says at last. "What tipped you off exactly?"

"The King contacted me."

"The King?" For a brief moment, Judai looks decidedly puzzled. "Ah, him."

Judai's obvious detachment is more than just a bit worrying, but he's Judai and decidedly casual about a whole lot of things. Besides, if he's really been in this place for as long as Johan suspects, then Judai detaching himself emotionally from the memories of his own time is a very probable defence mechanism. Still‒ "He's told me all about your little untimely misadventure. You never did properly explain that deal over in Venice."

Judai offers up a slight shrug at that, a cat on his shoulder and everything. "You haven't explained how that Paradox guy got a hold of your ace card either."

It's a fair point, and Johan is not late to admit it.

"Paradox must've wrecked something," Judai comments at last, picking up his pace a bit. "I hadn't even been back for a month before I ended up here."

Johan asks if it had been just out of the blue, simply as a test.

"Well, not exactly?" is Judai's response, which is good, because then the stories still align.

"Okay, look: I talked to the King," Johan presses on, lengthening his stride in order to keep up. "You gave him _Winged Kuriboh_, remember?"

Judai shoots him a slightly considering look before returning his attention to what's still ahead of them. "The card was originally his anyway. Besides, Winged Kuriboh's abilities are dimensional."

"Exactly; that's why you should've kept him with you. Then again, if you had, then it would've taken us much longer to track you down." Or even figure out that he was missing in the first place before major things started happening.

Judai actually snickers at that. "You call this tracking me down? It sounds to me more like you got down to investigating dimensional rifts and ended up here just the same way I did."

Judai has a point. Still‒ "Let's go home, Judai."

Again, Judai gives him this look, like he's not completely sure as to what to make of him and his words. "We'll talk later," he nods in direction of the building just ahead of them. "I've got to show you what I've been up to as of late."

**-V-**

With the way that the universe seems to work around Judai, Johan is not entirely surprised when he enters the You Show Duel School and is introduced to Judai's little brother, who is none other than Sakaki Yuya, the inventor of Pendulum Summoning.

"Another little brother?" Johan looks more closely at Yuya and hides his surprise with a smile, because up close, the weird feeling that had been nagging at him since entering the room is all the more apparent. "I'd shake your hand, but you know…" he trails off, wincing slightly as his hand aches; the wound's not too deep, but the pain helps distract him from the sheer outlandishness of it all and hides the true extent of his bewilderment.

A lot of the ongoing Action Duel more or less passes over Johan's head, with Synchro Summoning and Action Cards and whatnot, and by the time it ends in a draw, Johan's still not over his initial first impression. Sakaki Yuya looks tense, and Johan can very much understand why, having received a rudimentary explanation of the situation from Yubel. Still‒

Out of the corner of his eye, Johan takes in the people from the LDS as the matter of a tiebreaker is brought up.

The woman in red ‒ _Akaba Himika_, Yubel helpfully supplies ‒ suggests that Yuya and the girl who'd won the previous round should duel. The girl ‒ Kotsu Masumi ‒ requests to settle some score instead. As Johan has already anticipated, said score turns out to involve Judai, whose grin turns decidedly sharp at her request and it being granted.

"You know that Gem Guy I mentioned? He's here now." Judai nods to Johan, who is both confused and mildly worried about this latest turn of events. "Besides, he's pretty new to Action Duels, so I might as well show off a bit."

Johan's confusion lessens as his worry increases, because the look on Judai's face doesn't bode very well for his opponent. It's mischievous yet had a definite edge to it. "What did they do, the LDS?" Johan asks quietly, partially to those closest and partially to the spirit orb of Professor Daitokuji floating close to the ceiling, keeping well out of reach of a Pharaoh recently handed over to Yuya.

The members of You Show all offer up similar explanations. They give him a general idea as to what's happened and as to what's going on, but he still looks to Daitokuji's spirit orb hoping for an explanation.

"_Yuya's opponent deliberately tried to injure him in order to win,"_ the spirit responds, and that does explain some things but not others, such as why‒ _"The LDS has had it in for You Show ever since Yuya invented Pendulum Summoning. Earlier, they've taken his friends hostage in order to force him into a duel."_

"It's no wonder then," Johan notes, because that does explain a lot. It certainly explains the use of _Neos Wiseman_. It doesn't explain why Judai's playing with _Non-Fusion Area_ in his deck though.

It is a bit on the ruthless side of things, but it's not devoid of Judai's regular goodwill. Simply put, it's a demonstration of power and it's definitely a foreign thing as far as Johan's impression of Judai goes.

Obviously, there is the fact that barring from a video call, it's been close to three years since they'd last seen each other and then only briefly. Before that, there had been the incident with Darkness and the events of the Dark World, and before that, there had been‒Well actually, Judai had gone from virtually zero ruthlessness to about a hundred back in the Dark World, all because the opponent had gone after people Judai cared about, so if the LDS had been harassing Yuya on repeated occasions, perhaps this is simply Judai's way of telling them to back off?

If so, then in a sense, it is a pity that the guy who's apparently calling the shots is only there for the duration of the first turn and for part of the second one before getting a phone call and apparently finding it more important than to stay for the rest of the duel. Johan probably wouldn't even have paid much attention to it, had it not been for him seeing Daitokuji's spirit orb darting off to follow this Akaba Reiji guy out of the room.

Down in the Duelling Field below, Judai's frustrated opponent asks how he is able to Fusion Summon with a card like _Non-Fusion Area_ in place.

As expected, Judai tells her. "It's called Contact Fusion. It's something of a speciality of mine."

Going by how about half of the room reacts, Contact Fusion is not common knowledge around here.

"_Contact Fusion?"_ Johan's attention darts to the blue-clad, spiky-haired boy standing a bit to Yuya's left. "He can Fusion Summon without a card effect? And he can do it even when Fusion Summoning is sealed?"

Academia. Johan catches himself thinking it, probably because of the jacket. It's blue, much like Johan's own jacket is part blue, but unlike the cut of Johan's own jacket, it definitely looks like a uniform of some sort, and the first thing that comes to Johan's mind is Academia and Obelisk Blue.

"Is that really something special?" Yuya asks, drawing attention to himself. "Because he can also Fusion Summon using his opponents' Monsters as material."

"He started with Contact Fusion after he gained his new deck," Johan offers up in response, drawing the attention towards himself instead before Yuya can unwittingly reveal more about _Super Polymerization_. "As for that other thing, yeah, he does that."

He could do that. Still‒ "Still, I'm surprised that you'd keep that card in your Deck. Did _she_ put you up to it, Judai?"

Judai smiles knowingly in response. For them, there's really no need for additional clarification. For the others though‒ "She?"

Judai exchanges a look with Yubel, decidedly amused. "My girlfriend? Kind of? Partner? We are promised to one another after all."

They're essentially joined at the hip, only on the soul level of things. It's not like the others know about that though. Still, the thought of Yubel being Judai's fiancé has Johan sneaking another look at the pair, realising that yes, Yubel is indeed flustered.

All in all, despite knowing that Yubel is now free of the twisting influence of the Light of Destruction, Johan cannot help but find it a tad outlandish. Still, it is better than what had been before; that's for damned sure.

"I suppose that would be one way of putting it." That would definitely be one way of putting it. Oh, and Judai's definitely picking a fight with the LDS; he's practically goading them.

The LDS people are tense and evidently frustrated. The members of You Show meanwhile, with one notable exception, relax visibly, Sakaki Yuya most of all as the LDS pulls off a stiff and dishonoured retreat.

Of course, it's at this point that Judai sees it fit to inform Yuya about Sakaki Yoko's decision and to convince him to agree with it. In Johan's opinion, it's not convincing as much as telling how it's going to be though.

This is how Johan finds himself seated at the Sakaki kitchen table, sampling all kinds of things. Truth to be told, it is a bit overwhelming, but as usual, Judai appears to be taking things in stride, like the fact that that Sora kid is putting chocolate sauce on everything.

On the other hand, putting chocolate sauce on everything isn't on par with being from another dimension or another timeline altogether, is it?

**-V-**

"Yuya, right?"

Sora's left, and so has Judai and Yoko; Ruby confirms it. This ultimately leaves Johan alone with a fourteen-year-old Sakaki Yuya, three dogs and two cats now that Professor Daitokuji has once again been devoured, leaving Johan without much desired elaboration on just what has been going on around here. "Yeah?"

Johan finds himself eyeing the pictures on the wall, doing the math while he's at it. "When did Judai first come here? Two years ago?"

"About two and a half. What about it?"

Two and a half sounds just about right, taking what Johan knows into consideration. Still‒ "Has he been here the whole time or‒?"

"He stayed three months and then left. He got back maybe a week ago."

Well‒ "Well, it's no wonder then."

"What about it?"

Johan shrugs mildly in response, because he isn't entirely sure as to how much he's allowed to say. For one thing, Johan isn't entirely sure about how much Yuya already knows, so he chances a question to find out just how much Judai's told him.

Yuya looks a tad puzzled by the question, but makes a swift recovery. "I know he went to a place called Academia out on some island, that he hates being called _aniki_, that he once wanted to give up on duelling, and that he claims to have been abducted by aliens who sent him back with a new deck‒"

‒In other words, Judai's probably told the other just about everything besides the fact that he's a time traveller and probably from an alternate dimension. Good call.

Yuya asks whether it's true or not. Johan smiles. "That was before my time, but if Judai said that, then it's probably true. He already had the Neo-Spacians when we first met."

"When did you meet?"

"Third year." Such a long time ago.

"If you're really his best friend, then you have to know what he did, right? He did say he screwed things up pretty badly and stuff."

"Yes." Johan knows far too well. "I did play my part in it after all."

"Your part?"

Johan leaves the pictures on the wall, joining Yuya on the couch. "My part."

Yuya looks a bit lost at that, curious but at the same time wary. "You don't have to tell me. It's not like I need to know or anything."

Johan considers him. It's been nagging at him for a while now. Yuya doesn't seem to notice it himself, and Johan finds himself noticing it more and more now that they're more or less alone; now that Judai's presence is fainter.

Even so, Johan isn't entirely certain as to what he's picking up on, but there's definitely something there that whispers to him, along with an underlying current of danger. It's very faint though, and had it not been for Johan's own connection to the spirits, then he would probably never have picked up on it the same way that the Gem Beasts obviously had. "You already know about Duel Spirits, right?"

Yuya nods. "Judai's told me. He's also showed me."

He'd showed him, huh?

Pharaoh joins them on the couch, along with the other cat, the odd-eyed one. The latter claims Johan's lap for itself. Ruby makes a slightly irritated sound, but doesn't move from her perch on Johan's shoulder.

"Judai's always had a strong connection to spirits." Johan stares thoughtfully down at the cat, moving to scratch it behind the ears. "It wasn't until a few months into third year that we all realised just how strong it was."

"Back at You Show, you asked Judai if _she_'d put him up to including _Non-Fusion Area_ in his deck. Who's _she_?"

Non-Fusion‒ _"Non Fusion Area?"_

"Then which‒_Super Polymerization?"_

Johan nods once, still pondering the matter. How much would be wise to tell? Judai's already hinted at a great deal of things, but still, Super Polymerization is‒"It's a useful card, but he's had to pay a great price to get it. We all did."

"All of you?"

Johan doesn't say anything more to that, because he's momentarily distracted by the dogs as they react to something. Ruby's also reacting, growling quietly. "Ruby, it's just _Yubel_," Johan offers up, trying to reassure her and the others as well, because although it's faint, he can sense them stirring.

Obviously, they are just as aware as he is that Yubel is no longer the same as back then, but the scars and the memories won't fade away that easily, and while Duel Spirits can forgive, they seldom forget.

The Gem Beasts and Johan have more than enough reason to not like Yubel. But knowing what they know now and with Yubel and Judai being inseparable in a very real sense, cooperation is definitely preferable to the alternative. After all, Yubel is more concerned about Judai and Judai's safety than anyone.

"Who's Ruby?"

Retrieving his deck, Johan shows Yuya Ruby's card. "_Ruby Carbuncle_. My partner."

"If this is your partner, is Yubel‒?"

Judai's and Yoko's return puts an end to their conversation. Johan is more than willing to let it end there, because obviously, he and Judai have things to discuss.

"We'll talk later," Judai had said, and so, when Yuya and Yoko have at last gone off to sleep, they finally get down to it.

"So, you do know about the Paradox thing, right?" Judai asks quietly, taking a seat on the floor next to the couch table. At Johan's curt nod, he continues. "Well, here's my theory: Paradox's time travelling stunt wrecked the timeline, or at the very least screwed up the balance. Basically, I caught wind of some crazy rift activity, but with that Paradox incident and all, I thought I should let someone in on what I was doing."

"And you chose the King?"

Judai shrugs mildly at that. "He was close, and _Winged Kuriboh_ told me to."

"And then you decided to leave Winged Kuriboh with him? Even though he's got dimensional abilities?"

There's another shrug at that. "If it's about crossing dimensions and such, Yubel and I can manage that on our own, though it's obviously easier to exploit already existing rifts than to tear up new ones. I left Winged Kuriboh with Yugi in case something happened. What can I say; I had a weird feeling about it."

"And then you ended up here?"

Judai nods. Yubel also acknowledges it as fact. "More or less."

"And you've remained here since?"

Judai pauses slightly at that. "Not in town, but in this world, yes."

"Why?"

"_It's too risky," _Yubel elaborates. _"We're already lost, and we don't know what's on the other side."_

Indeed, if one is already lost, getting even more lost doesn't seem like such a great idea. Still‒ "Academia doesn't exist over here. In other words, we're in a parallel dimension. Of course it'd be risky to move, but‒"

Judai goes quiet at that; Johan can tell that he's deep in thought. "Yoko found me," Judai says at last, still somewhat lost in thought. "On a Thursday, two days after I came here. I think stayed three months, and then I left to look first for Academia, and then for just about anything familiar; ways of getting home. Like you said, our Academia doesn't exist here. Here's the thing though‒"

"‒_There's supposed to be only one world, connected to eleven dimensions of spirits."_

Yubel should know, because Yubel once tried to combine them into one using the power of Super Polymerization. Johan looks from one to the other, his eyes widening slightly. "Then‒"

"As I said, my guess is that Paradox or someone else screwed things up royally." Judai waves a bit dismissively at that. "It's just a theory, but what if the world's split between different summoning methods? It was actually Yuya who gave me this idea, asking if Sora was from _my_ Academia. Well, I suppose it was Yuya and certain events..."

"Certain events?" Johan repeats, looking to Yubel for an explanation. Yubel simply looks to Judai who in turn shrugs, producing a pen and paper, making a few scribbles.

"We met this XYZ guy who looked just like Yuya. What can I say; he had an otherworldly vibe about him."

Otherworldly? "And that Sora guy?"

"If there's a place for XYZ, there's likely a place for Fusion, and if Sora's from there, there's probably an Academia over there; possibly even ours."

It should be a reassuring statement, yet it somehow isn't. "Well, there's the issue of time."

Judai makes another note on the paper, adding Synchro(?) to the already finished Fusion(?) and XYZ(?). "You know about Paradox, and you got your _Rainbow Dragon_ stolen by him. That motorcycle thing, that's a Duel Runner. That Yusei guy also had one."

Of course, Johan has heard about Yusei from Yugi, who has in turn had bits and pieces added to the story by Judai. Because of that, Johan knows that a guy calling himself Fudo Yusei had come crashing right into Venice accompanied by a crimson dragon, giving Judai a lift to the past and back again. Arriving in this world, Johan had even looked for signs of these Duel Runners, but finding nothing, he had instead focused on tracking Judai.

The seeming lack of Duel Runners does lend some credibility to Judai's theory that the world could've been split up along the lines of various summoning methods. In such case though, how far does it extend? If there are Fusion, Synchro, and XYZ, then are there more of them? And which dimension are they in now?

"Well, you know, Johan, we could just ask."

That has got to be the stupidest idea out of the bunch. Johan is just moments away from ripping it to pieces when he notices Judai looking at something above and snaps his own head around just in time to confirm that indeed, there's Yuya, looking down at them from above. And of course, Judai motions for Yuya to come down and join them, and he actually does.

"It's too dangerous," Johan intones, because it obviously is; both making contact and inviting Yuya to take part in their discussion. "I'm definitely against it."

"Why?" Judai asks with seeming innocence, pretending not to know how acting carelessly might tear up the whole time-space continuum which is already more than a bit frayed around the edges.

"Why?! We're technically not even supposed to be here!"

"Well, we're here now! It's got to mean something!"

Yubel calls in favour of Johan, whilst a newly liberated Professor Daitokuji calls in favour of Judai.

Yuya, still there, asks who the professor is, forcing Judai to explain Daitokuji's disembodied situation. Of course, Judai does fail to mention that Daitokuji, as Amnael, had also been a part of the Seven Stars Assassins, aiming to revive the _Sangenma_; the Three Phantom Demons or Sacred Beasts sealed beneath Academia.

"So," Yuya asks at last, taking it with surprising cool. "What's really going on here?"

Judai tells him about Academia and about the dimension theory. He leaves out the time travel. It's probably for the best.

"You can't be serious," Yuya says.

Judai smiles. Johan really can't do the same, especially not hearing what Yubel has to say for him. She is nevertheless right though. "We're not supposed to be here."

Judai actually scoffs at that. "Well, we're not the only ones. Besides, I got here first."

Judai goes on to further explain the situation at hand as they know it, barring the time travel of course. Instead, he mentions the LDS having problems with the XYZ faction, even going as far as to mention the fact that people are apparently being turned into cards sans Millennium Items, even making a reference to the Dark World, and to his idiotic plan of getting in touch with the ones responsible. As Johan comments on this, Judai shoots him a decidedly pointed look.

"What? They've got the means to travel between dimensions and to make people into cards. Of course I'm interested."

They've also got knowledge concerning the different dimensions, so while Johan himself is more focused on the risks, he does grudgingly admit that there are certain merits to the idea. However‒"Judai, it's too dangerous. If you get yourself carded, we're all screwed."

Honestly, if O'Brien were there‒

"Well, O'Brien's not here now, so let's do what O'Brien would do if he got himself stuck in this kind of situation."

Well, the last time O'Brien got himself stuck in a situation of similar proportions, he had‒"O'Brien went head-to-head with the Supreme King. NO."

Then, suddenly, suspicion sneaks up upon him just as Yuya gets up, murmuring something about having school in the morning. Johan dimly registers the exchange between Yuya and Judai, reacting only when Judai, without even the slightest bit of hesitation, agrees to stay around, to not lie and to teach Yuya about Fusion.

"It's not our world, I know. But it's my brother's world and family's got to stick together, right?"

Grudgingly, Johan plays along, because in a sense he does owe Sakaki Yoko for taking Judai in. If she hadn't, then who knows whether or not Johan would've found him. Then again, it also poses a problem because now Judai's too tangled up in the Sakaki family to leave it behind. Still‒

Yuya leaves, and as he does, Judai scribbles one last note on the paper and closes his eyes, simply sitting there in a meditative state for several moments. Then, finally, he looks up at Johan, odd-eyed.

"Are you sure?" Johan asks, tapping the paper.

"No." Judai's eyes fade back to brown as he shoots another glance up towards the upper floor. "That's why I'm asking you to keep an eye out. If it's really like that, then‒"

"‒We'll risk far more than a simple paradox," Johan finishes for him, because if it is indeed so, then it's not just bad but actually really bad. Even so‒ "Where and when do we start?"

Judai grins. "Tomorrow. Shopping."

Johan should have known better than to be surprised.

**-V-**

"You know, O'Brien would've just knocked you out and dragged you back home."

Judai quirks an eyebrow at that. "Really? That guy still owes me a favour though."

Johan watches him move with ease between the racks and shelves, more than just a bit exasperated himself. "O'Brien owes his employer more. Apparently, he wouldn't shut up about the importance of bringing 'Judai-boy' home, and he's put quite a bit of money into it."

Judai smiles, retrieving yet another piece from the clothes rack. "And the King?" he asks quietly as he adds it to the pile of clothes Yoko has already insisted upon.

Really, though Johan is certainly fitter than he was before, he can feel his arms tiring from holding up such an accumulating weight, gritting his teeth as Judai adds yet another article of clothing to his burden. "The King says he'd rather not have a repeat of the whole Paradox incident."

"Yeah, and that wasn't really my fault now, was it?"

It technically isn't, but‒ "He's still right about that, and O'Brien, his boss and everyone else agree with him. Heck, the last thing I heard, even Misawa had gotten in touch, stressing the importance of bringing you back."

For the first time during this quiet conversation, Judai looks a tad surprised. "Misawa did? From all the way over‒?"

He doesn't finish the question; he doesn't need to. "Yes! And everyone over there agrees with him! Geez, Judai, don't you understand your own importance?!"

It is decidedly difficult to look imposing when your face is gradually becoming obscured by various articles of clothing that people seem to think will fit you. As things are though, Johan's got a few centimetres on Judai now, which is why they need to buy clothes in the first place.

"My own what now?" Judai asks at last, blinking.

Johan's about to say something about that but then Yoko finally returns, approving very much of Judai's choices before ushering them towards the checkout point. Thankfully, Yoko has another appointment to keep and offers to get the purchases back with the car, seeing that Judai apparently has more things in mind as far as shopping goes.

"Okay look, Johan," Judai says at last, speaking very quietly as they move between the shelves of some sports shop. "Third year was a major screw-up, with the Dark World, the Supreme King, Darkness, and all that. If it wasn't for me, none of that would've happened, and even if we did manage to avert the worst, everyone couldn't be saved."

Johan gives their surroundings a sweeping look before settling on the section Judai's apparently interested in. "You mean like Amon and Echo?"

"Well, them and countless others," Judai notes, checking out the selection.

"Amon had it coming. Echo was unfortunate, but it's not your fault Amon decided to sacrifice her in order to gain more power. As for the others, you‒"

"‒The Supreme King, yeah, I know."

They probably shouldn't even be out here, discussing these things. Still‒"It's my fault everyone ended up there in the first place."

"No." Judai shakes his head, looking a bit tired. "It's my fault. Yubel only went after you because of me, and Yubel only became like that because I‒"

Johan exchanges a brief look with Yubel above Judai's head. Resigned, Johan leans closer, checking out the selection more closely himself. "Judai, you were a child, and Yubel, no offence, was hurting the people around you. I won't say that it was your parents' fault either for convincing you to send her away, because how could they've known about the bond between the two of you? They had your memories manipulated in order to protect you. If the connection had stayed in place, would you really have been able to stay sane?"

"I very nearly got you and everyone else killed though," Judai counters, picking out a pair and inspecting them closely. "You just got in the way. That's all."

Obviously, Johan isn't in the least satisfied with that. "I'll get in the way again, to protect you."

"I hardly need protection though, Johan." Judai grins, selecting another pair. "I've got a guardian who's more than capable."

Yubel looks a bit proud at that; at having been acknowledged. Still‒"When you're left to your own devices, you tend to do some really crazy things. Besides, I obviously can't go back without you."

"Can't or won't?" Judai challenges, checking out a third pair.

Well‒"I could certainly try. But without you, there wouldn't be much of a point, would it?"

Judai levels him with a definite look at that, returning the third pair back to the shelf.

"Judai, it's not just me. Thunder and the others are also‒"

"Geez." Judai picks out a fourth pair. "Don't you people in the pro circuit have careers to worry about?"

Geez. "I quit."

Judai looks up and then at him, evidently surprised and also a little displeased. "When?"

"The day the King called."

"You didn't."

Johan shrugs mildly at that. "I was intending to, but I got convinced to take an official leave instead. Family reasons, you know."

"Family?" Judai repeats, puzzled.

"Family," Johan affirms, because just as the Gem Beasts are his family, Judai's also‒

"So, should I start calling you _aniki_ or what?"

Anything but that.

Judai picks up a fifth pair and apparently likes what he sees.

"So Judai," Johan asks at last. "Why are we out here buying goggles?"

"Peace offering," Judai offers up in response as the sleepy-looking cashier rings them up.

Really, if O'Brien were there, then he would've‒

"_Let him do as he wishes,"_ Yubel offers up with a snort. _"And if it comes to that, then you know what to do."_

On one hand, it's nice to know that he's being trusted and relied upon. On the other hand, it is a very heavy responsibility to bear. "Judai, at least tell me we're not doing this today."

"Of course not, Johan." Judai offers up in response as they head towards the exit. "We'll need some proper bait before that."

On one hand, Johan's definitely curious. On the other, he isn't quite sure he even wants to know.

**-V-**


	10. Tag

_**Last edit: August 23**__**rd**__** 2015.**_

**-V-**

**-V- Tag -V-**

**-V- (You're It) -V-**

**-V-**

Coming to the Standard Dimension, Yuto had expected a whole lot of things. A cityscape unmarred by fighting was one of them. An uncarded and lively population was another.

When it had come to answers though, Yuto had been decidedly less certain. After all, he and his friend, Kurosaki Shun, had come to Standard to investigate the LDS, a brainchild of Akaba Reo before the man had moved onto bigger, dimension-conquering endeavours.

Truth to be told, Yuto has become more worried about Shun than about the LDS. From what Yuto has been able to observe, the LDS students lack both the discipline and the ruthlessness of the Fusion invaders. Shun isn't listening to any of that though; he goes out to hunt, manically searching for answers as well as for someone to blame for his sister's disappearance.

But the days had gone by and their investigation had yielded next to no results, so Yuto had gradually found himself losing hope.

Then he had encountered the girl, Hiragi Yuzu, and mistaken her for Ruri. It had hurt to realise that it wasn't her, but it hadn't been the fault of her Standard counterpart. Even if she hadn't been their Ruri, Yuto certainly didn't regret standing between her and the students from the LDS. He still hasn't told Shun though, not quite trusting him not to do anything rash in his current paranoid state.

Shun is gone now, but he'll be back eventually. This is still their base, and he has to eat and sleep sometime, if only in slight amounts. They've got enough cup ramen to sustain themselves for a few days yet. It's not terribly luxurious, but they're not terribly used to luxury either.

After all, compared to how things are back home, their life in Standard is only a step down in the sense that their surroundings are foreign to them. Otherwise, compared to what still remains of Heartland, Standard is deceptively peaceful, and full of people who have never known war.

Thinking this, Yuto cannot help but wonder if this Maiami City will one day meet the same fate as Heartland, raided and burnt by the forces of Duel Academia. The thought does not sit well with him, but in the end, if they could not even save their own home, how could they ever save this place?

Some distance away, there is the LDS tower, towering over the city. Seated upon a warehouse roof, Yuto looks up at it, wondering if the answers and the people they are looking for were ever in this world to begin with.

**-V-**

"Additional lunch boxes?" Sakaki Yoko peers at her foster son from over by the stove, alternating her gaze between the grinning Judai and a decidedly exasperated Johan, arms folded across his chest and leaning against the wall. She is surprised, yet at the same time not very surprised, and also quite suspicious. "It's not that I mind, but what for?"

Judai's grin widens a fraction. "Feeding the homeless and weary?"

Yoko gives him a pointed look that tells him to cut the crap. Judai remains entirely unapologetic. Really, Yoko ought to grab him and give him an earful. "Hoh?" she says at last, humouring him. "Just in general or do you have any specific stray in mind?"

"Maybe?" Judai most certainly has, because otherwise, he wouldn't have asked. After all, Maiami City is not typically known for its homeless strays; it is a fairly big city, so there is probably a few out there somewhere, but for Judai to make such a request now, someone really has to have caught his interest.

Yoko shoots him another look over her shoulder. Again, Judai remains entirely unapologetic.

Yoko returns to her cooking. "Is he cute?"

She blatantly assumes that it's a guy. If it wasn't, then Judai would've asked for her to come along. Then again‒

"You'd probably think he's cute. I'm pretty sure he's about Yuya's age. He seems to have been through a lot though and has a lot of trust issues, so…"

Yuya's age. Fourteen. "Is it just him? Alone?"

Even without looking, she knows that there is a slight shrug at that. "I do believe that he's got a friend, possibly a few years older."

So, two teenagers with trust issues. In a sense, Judai's tone and words already invoke a surge of motherly instinct that Yoko has to quell; she hasn't even laid eyes upon them yet and she already wants to hug them. "Two extras then."

"Start with one extra. It's a trial run."

Yoko recalls the time when she herself had picked up the stray that now sits at her kitchen table. Even now, she is able to recall the event in vivid detail.

Perhaps her own past was ultimately what had made her so open to the thought of picking up various strays; of giving a home to those no one cared for or needed. It had also been a good way of keeping the house lively after Yusho was no longer around; something to distract both herself and Yuya from the fact.

Naturally, she had known well that Yuya was reminded more than enough; his demeanour had told her as much. As much an actor as the kid aspired to be, hiding things from Yoko would never be his forte. The same could probably be said about Judai, although the boy retains a strange ability to conceal things with that grin of his.

Pretty much from the very start, something in Judai's demeanour had reminded her of Yuya, but at the same time, she had been able to see herself and even a lot of Yusho in him as well. Perhaps that had been why it had seemed so natural for her to take him in, despite him being a complete stranger.

Yoko knows plenty of people would no doubt have disapproved, because even in a relatively safe city like Maiami, things still happened on occasion. She had liked him though, from the very start, and the dogs had also been extremely quick in warming up to him. Animals did tend to have good instincts in terms of which individuals could be trusted, and as far as Judai was concerned, they hadn't been wrong.

Contrary to popular belief, Yoko does pay a fair deal of attention to what goes on in her son's vicinity and in her own home in particular. Even after disappearing for quite some time, Judai had been nearly instantly accepted back into the pack. Johan had also been readily approved, even though he had seemed less sure about how to handle it.

In contrast, the pets of the Sakaki household had never really bothered with Sora, regarding him with a mixture of wariness and curiosity. From what Yoko herself had seen so far, Johan seems to have adopted a similar stance on the issue, while Judai on his end remains cordial and affectionate, if a bit disapproving.

"Why that guy though?" Sora had asked her when she'd told him about wanting two sons.

Yoko hadn't really answered him then, not truthfully at any rate. As for what the truth is exactly, she herself still isn't entirely certain. But perhaps it had been because of the timing and because he had just so happened to fit fairly well into the empty space left behind by her husband.

Humans were different from stray pets though. Usually, they had a home to return to, making them lost rather than actual strays. And, like in the case with lost pets, they would eventually have to return or be returned ‒ unless they themselves actively oppose it, that is.

Yoko had always known that Judai's past would come for him sooner or later, be it in a benevolent or in a not so benevolent form. Of course, she hadn't quite expected it in the shape of Johan Andersen, but she hadn't been wrong either.

Having Judai tag along with her to the convenience store, she had casually interrogated him about the nature of their relationship. Johan did seem to be perhaps a few years older. Then again, with Judai's own appearance having changed very little since he'd first arrived, perhaps they were even the same age? Judai had said that he and Johan had met at duelling school when she had asked, adding that they had both been duel-obsessed idiots back then. He hadn't said anything further though, which ultimately left Yoko to arrive at her own conclusions.

Naturally, Yoko had posed the question to Johan as well, receiving affirmation that he and Judai had indeed met at school, becoming fast friends and even best friends. "Because we're both idiots."

It was both interesting and a bit cute how they had both used that phrase, the slightly fond look accompanying the statement indicating that they had heard it more than once. Then again, that did leave Yoko wondering about Judai's other friends and even more so about his family, which had never come up in conversation. Yoko had wondered, but knowing that it could be a sensitive topic, she had never really forced the issue. But now, with Johan turning up with the obvious objective of finding Judai, her curiosity on the matter had been rekindled.

Johan had looked decidedly troubled when the matter of parents had been brought to the table. "Judai's parents? I honestly haven't met them, and most of what I do know comes from third-hand sources. I only know because Judai's former dorm mates told me, and they in turn got their info from the headmaster who'd been in contact with Judai's parents."

There was undoubtedly some history there, and Yoko recalls Judai's slightly awkward yet easy acceptance of her as his 'mom'; a history of neglect perhaps, if not in a physical sense then perhaps in a psychological one? Abandonment?

From what Yoko had managed to pry from a decidedly reluctant Johan, odds were that Judai hadn't been in contact with his parents for the last three, possibly even six years. Of course, Yoko knows as well as anyone that there are duelling schools out there with pretty strict rules, but from what she has understood from Johan, Judai had already graduated and still hadn't gone home since.

"He doesn't know how to face them," Johan had said, obviously pained. "And they probably don't know how to face him either."

A lot of things could probably change during the course of three whole years, but still, to not even make contact?

According to Johan, there had been little use forcing the issue. Yoko obviously doesn't approve, but on the other hand, she understands. Still, should she ever get the chance to meet Judai's actual parents face to face, then she would no doubt pounce at an opportunity to give them a piece of her mind.

"Yuya said you'd promised to teach him about Fusion." She gets a somewhat sheepish grin for that as she finishes packing up the last lunch box, handing it to him. "Don't forget about it."

She doesn't tell them to be careful; they're both old and travelled enough not to get into trouble that they cannot get out of. Well, that's what she hopes at least.

Once they leave, Yoko is left to ponder other things. After all, though she is decidedly curious about the parents of Judai and his friend, fact remains that they are both young adults or at least close enough to it. Shiunin Sora is another matter altogether, because going by his looks and behaviour, Yoko has him pinned down as being Yuya's age, or even slightly younger. This of course brings about the curious question of where in the world Sora's parents are and why they would allow him to come all the way to Maiami City on his own.

For several reasons, strict duelling schools and limited parental contact lie close at hand, but if so, then Sora had most certainly run away or dropped out of one. Going by the borderline familiarity that seems to exist between Judai and Sora, perhaps they had attended the same school, only at different points in time? If Johan's penchant for blue was similar to Judai's penchant for red, then maybe there had been some sort of division, much like the LDS had courses in Fusion, Synchro and XYZ Summoning? If so, and if the colour indicated the course into which they were enrolled, then it made little sense; Judai, who favours red, obviously favours Fusion, along with Sora, wearing blue. Or maybe all three of them were proficient in the art of Fusion Summoning?

Recalling past musings, Yoko puts down a mental note to look further into the matter.

**-V-**

"So?" Yoko asks later that day when Johan is assisting her with clearing the table, while the rest of them are in the living room, discussing Fusion. "How was the turnout?"

Johan shoots a tentative look in direction of the living room. When he speaks, his voice is quiet. "As expected, there are some serious trust issues. It's hardly a wonder though."

Yoko nods in understanding. "They've had it rough, huh?" she sighs. "What else? Any food allergies? Preferences?"

Johan considers it, before seemingly arriving at some sort of conclusion. "Personally, I think variety is important. From what I understand, their diet mainly consists of cup ramen."

"Cup ramen?" Yoko makes no attempt at hiding how scandalised she feels, turning the tap on to fill the sink with water. "Honestly, where are those parents?"

"We're still looking into it," Johan explains, pulling out a kitchen towel while Yoko starts doing the dishes. "Can't say it seems very easy though."

Yoko hands over the first plate for Johan to dry and put back into the cabinet. "If I met them, then I'd want to take them in. Yuya would have a fit."

Johan responds to her easy smile with a somewhat half-hearted one. "We're imposing upon your hospitality already as it is, Yoko."

"Nonsense," she scoffs in return, handing him another plate. "Family's family. And a friend of the family is practically family."

On one hand, Johan seems relieved. On the other, he seems decidedly troubled. Again, he looks to the living room. "I suppose."

"And I suppose," Yoko says at last, handing him another plate. "That Judai will be busy with teaching Yuya and the others tomorrow, and that you wouldn't mind accompanying me."

Yoko has questions and Johan has answers, some of them at any rate.

Going by the look on his face, he too is very well aware of this.

**-V-**

It is in the buzz of the recently announced Maiami Championship that they are walking the dogs through the park.

Informed of Yoko's plans, Judai had done little to rescue his friend from her grasp; not entirely unexpected, all things considered. Instead, he had taken Pharaoh and merrily left to help Yuya and the other get a better grasp on Fusion Summoning, leaving only a muted half-hearted apology to said friend. Though not entirely pleased, Johan seemed to have come to terms with his fate.

"So," Yoko wonders just how spot on her womanly intuition is. "Is the red and blue merely a question of personal preference or do they actually mean something?"

Looking like he has more or less expected this turn of events, Johan looks to the side and then back at her, resigned. "What is the real question, Mrs. Sakaki?"

Cutting to the chase already, huh?

Yoko smiles, satisfied yet at the same time a bit bummed out on the fact that it didn't take more than that. Then again, with the time spent in the Sakaki family, Johan obviously has quite a good grasp on its dynamics, meaning that he knows that Yoko alone reigns supreme. "Well then, Johan. I know you and Judai know each other from duelling school, and my womanly intuition's got the impression that you both know Sora, not personally but by association. How's that for starters?"

Johan once again looks around, his gaze lingering on one particular spot before he directs his attention back to Yoko, heaving a sigh. "We're not completely unrelated."

"You're all from Duel Academia, right?"

Johan gives her a look of definite surprise. "Judai said that he hadn't‒"

"The uniform jacket," Yoko comments as she pulls him towards an empty bench with the dogs in a tow. "The name was printed on the washing tag."

Stunned, Johan takes a seat and just looks at her for several moments as she lets En, Kilo and Watt off their leashes. "I had considered the Duel Disk, but not that."

"Ah." There had been that as well. If she recalled things correctly, that had only said KC, which honestly didn't give her a lot to go on.

"So," Johan says at last, resigned. "I guess you tried to look up Duel Academia."

"Pretty much," Yoko readily admits, because indeed she had, back in the day. "So, I do know that there are some pretty strange and strict duelling schools out there, but where is that Academia of yours?"

Johan smiles somewhat morbidly at that. "It's located on an island far out at sea. Really far out."

"It's even farther than that though, isn't it?"

Again, Johan looks slightly to the side. "It is."

"How far?"

"Out of this world far."

Well‒ "That explains a lot actually."

Johan folds his arms across his chest, looking decidedly uncomfortable.

"Will you get in trouble for telling me this, Johan?"

He heaves a sigh at that and looks back at her, still uncomfortable but with definite determination. "Right now, there are worse things. I can't go into detail on everything, but‒ something big is coming, something bad."

Yoko honestly isn't too sure about to how to respond to that. "Well, let's start with the small things, shall we?" she says after making sure that the dogs are still within her line of sight and not bothering anyone. "You don't like Sora."

Johan doesn't hesitate. "I don't."

Yoko had already figured as much, but at the same time, she is undeniably curious. "Why is that? He's so cute."

Johan actually pinches the ridge of his nose at that, screwing his eyes shut while seemingly trying very hard _not_ to say the very first thing that had apparently come to mind.

"Yoko," he says at last, looking like he's regretting it already. "There is someone that I think you should meet."

**-V-**


	11. Counterpart Confrontation

_**Last edit: August 23**__**rd**__** 2015.**_

_Timeline: partially overlaps chapter 10._

**-V-**

**-V- Counterpart Confrontation -V-**

**-V-**

"I honestly cannot believe this."

Hauling the lunchboxes along, Judai looks much too pleased with himself. A decidedly exasperated Johan keeps up with him.

"I honestly cannot believe I let you talk me into this."

"You're the one who insisted upon following me here," Judai quips, not sorry in the least. "If you don't like it, then you can go home."

"We both know what happened last time."

Judai shrugs mildly at that, more or less conceding his point. "True enough," he comments, glancing towards the street camera on his left, noting its movements. "Is the high route okay with you? I feel like avoiding traffic."

Johan's exasperation increases. "You do realise that this isn't like that time in Venice, right?"

"You weren't even there!" Judai responds, slightly annoyed. "Besides, Venice was awesome up until that guy decided to show up and ruin it in his attempt to kill me."

Johan just sighs heavily at that. "Judai…"

**-V-**

Sakaki Yusho only has one son, but Sakaki Yoko had decided that she wanted two of them.

Akaba Reiji is using the street cameras to keep track of the more recent acquisition and said acquisition's acquaintance. Yuki Judai and his friend, Johan, are weaving their way through the Maiami streets. Shiunin Sora isn't with them, but Reiji honestly isn't too sure as of yet whether or not this is a good thing.

The pair displayed on the main monitor is aware of Reiji's scrutiny, but much like him, they seem to aim for subtlety. Or at least they do, up until the point when they're about to pass off into territory where street surveillance ends. There Judai turns his head slightly, flashes a grin and a victory sign at the camera and then disappears from view, soon followed by his companion.

On one hand, Reiji considers the merits of a direct confrontation. On the other hand, Reiji considers the latest encounter and decides surveillance is enough for now. After all, the ones attacking LDS duellists are XYZ users, and Yuki Judai's uses Fusion. If Reiji's theory about an Academia connection is indeed true, then the odds are that Johan is a Fusion user as well.

There is something decidedly off about it all though.

The colours and the affinity for Fusion, especially in combination, obviously point to Duel Academia. However, even with the offhand reference to the Professor, the values seemingly held by Judai points in another direction.

After all, the Akaba Reo that Reiji knows would hardly have bothered with cats. Rather, if bitten, then he would probably order for it to be euthanized. Actually, the thought of an Academia student keeping a pet seems a bit odd. The thought of someone who is not a student on the other hand is less odd but still leaves Reiji wondering what he could possibly be dealing with.

Shiunin Sora is obviously a student, but Yuki Judai and Johan are both too old. Graduates then? Reiji has to admit that it is an intriguing thought, because he had merely assumed that all Academia students became soldiers sooner or later. Perhaps Akaba Reo's control over Academia is not as absolute as Reiji had initially assumed? If so, then any dissidents would be highly useful to Reiji and his cause.

Yuki Judai at the very least could probably be persuaded to fight for Standard, going by his seeming attachment to the Sakaki family. Of course, there is still the chance or rather the risk of him protecting Sakaki Yuya merely because he still needs him for later. Still‒

The monitors displaying the energy readings light up to indicate a sudden spike.

Arms folded across his chest, Reiji waits.

Fusion or XYZ; such is the question. The answer? Neither.

Intrigued, Reiji listens to his subordinates calling out that Normal Summoning has been carried out, giving off a highly disproportionate reaction. Still, in regards to who is responsible, Reiji doesn't have to wonder; the readings largely match those recorded from Yuki Judai in his latest duel.

Still, why Normal Summoning of all things? A Monster summoned by normal means hardly stands a chance against an XYZ Monster, even using some type of Special Effect.

As the minutes tick by, Reiji waits. As expected, there is another strong summoning reaction, this one XYZ. Reiji fully expects a Fusion reaction to follow. Instead, they both disappear, first the XYZ reaction and then the other.

Reiji stays for more than an hour, but nothing new occurs. Reiji is back at his office when the first reports arrive, informing him that Yuki Judai and his companion have been spotted downtown.

"Nakajima." He turns to his subordinate, having arrived at a tentative conclusion. "Get someone to monitor the movements of Shiunin Sora."

"What about Yuki Judai?"

Yuki Judai is an unknown, but he has a definite link to the Sakaki family, and is as such unlikely to stray very far from them without good reason. Shiunin Sora on the other hand is a wild card, a scout from Duel Academia. Reiji already has the XYZ rebels to deal with, so for now, he needs to play his cards right and collect more information. Besides, Judai obviously knows about Reiji's attempts at keeping tabs on him.

Yuki Judai isn't someone Reiji wants as his enemy; such was the realisation that had come to him back when they were all at You Show, because beneath the oftentimes grinning exterior, there is a definite edge and it is razor-sharp. Besides, he is knowledgeable about Fusion, and knowing what they'll be facing‒

"I will confront him directly."

**-V-**

Elsewhere, Judai sneezes.

**-V-**

Coming to the Standard Dimension, Yuto had expected a whole lot of things.

Yuki Judai is not one of them.

First, there is Yuzu, Ruri's doppelganger, and then there is Yuki Judai, apparently the brother of Yuto's Standard counterpart. Yuto honestly hadn't thought that he'd see either of them again for quite some time, if at all.

Yuto had gravely miscalculated.

Yuto had also gotten slightly careless.

As usual, he had been keeping an eye out whenever he was not working on securing more supplies, trying not to think about Shun's increasingly erratic behaviour. At this rate, his best friend would either crash and burn or get himself caught by the LDS, something that Yuto had tried to convey to him but as usual, Shun hadn't been receptive to reason.

_I better go look for him_, Yuto had thought, but he had barely risen to his feet before catching sight of something utterly peculiar.

It was roughly the size of a housecat, purple, four-eared, with a tail that had a huge chunk of red on its end. Its eyes were a similar ruby colour and disproportionately large, much like its ears… all four of them. Simply put, Yuto had never seen anything like it, not outside of a duel anyway.

Yuto should have known better than to follow it through the slightly open warehouse door, but he'd done it anyway; curiosity had gotten the better of him. Granted, he _had_ known better than to run into it unprepared, having readied his Duel Disk just in case.

The strange creature ‒ Duel Monster Spirit ‒ quickly scurried over to the person standing in the warehouse's midst, climbing up their legs and back before finally settling on their shoulder.

Yuto spots the blue jacket, thinks Academia, and then, out of nowhere, he gets shoved inside and is barely able to react before the door is pulled shut and locked from the outside. Bewildered yet at the same time grimly determined, he readies his Duel Disk.

Despite obviously aware of his presence, the other looks up only then, green eyes regarding him through teal-coloured bangs. Then, the other shifts their stance, their activated Duel Disk glimmering ominously. It's not Academia-issued one; even in this kind of situation, Yuto notices that.

"Just for the record," the guy deadpans, setting three cards. "Not my idea."

Yuto doesn't get it, but summons Level 3 _Phantom Knights of Rugged Glove_, Special Summoning Level 3 _The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots_ immediately afterwards. Overlaying them, he XYZ Summons Rank 3 _The Phantom Knights of Break Sword_.

The teal-haired guy in the blue jacket does nothing.

The natural thing to assume is that one, if not more, of the set cards are traps. Still, the lack of aggression proves decidedly confusing, especially since they ‒ Yuto has reasons to assume that there are more of them ‒ had effectively lured him there themselves.

"Whose idea was it?" he asks at last, because unlike Shun, he has qualms about attacking when others have made no move to attack him. "Just for the record."

The guy shifts his gaze to a point slightly behind Yuto, prompting him to turn around. An eerily familiar grin meets his eye, along with oddly-coloured, smiling eyes. "Yo, Yuto."

"Yuki Judai," Yuto responds, because even though the eyes are different, the rest is the same.

Then, as if only to screw with him further, Yuki Judai holds up a lunch box, still grinning. "Hungry?"

**-V-**

It has to have shown on his face, because later on, when Shun returns, he asks if something had happened. He doesn't ask about the new goggles, as one would have expected; probably presumes they are stolen, and as such doesn't bother.

In the time that has passed since Academia first had started wreaking havoc in their hometown, they have done plenty of things that they are less proud of. In the end though, no one really has the right to blame them. They can only blame themselves for not being strong enough.

"Yuto, you're not eating."

He is not eating because he is unusually full, both with food that isn't cup ramen and with information and theories and possibilities. Frankly, he is full to the extent that he is feeling a bit nauseous.

"Is it that dream again?"

It isn't the dream of their hometown ‒ of everything and everyone ‒ getting destroyed or taken. "Yeah."

Obviously, Yuto wants to tell Shun, but now is not the time, because knowing Shun, he'd‒

"Shun."

Shun stops chewing and levels him with a look.

"The LDS is onto us."

Shun scoffs at that. "That's what we want. How else are we going to lure Akaba Reiji out into the open?"

Akaba Reiji isn't the enemy, they had said. Or, they had remedied, he is at least the enemy of their enemy, Academia. Still, explaining to Shun just how he had managed to get hold of this piece of info isn't easy, because Shun is paranoid and impulsive, and given this piece of info now, he would no doubt go out and do something irreversibly stupid.

Yuto knows that he will eventually have to explain the situation to Shun. He still needs some time though, in part to verify the info that he can verify and in part because he needs to figure out just how to explain the fact that he'd been ambushed, treated to lunch, given a pair of goggles to replace his old ones and given good advice on how to keep a low profile in town.

"_Yo, new goggles. Yours got wrecked in that duel, right? With Sawatari, you know? The banana-peel with the attitude?"_

Apparently, that Sawatari guy had mistaken Yuto for his Standard counterpart, Yuya. In turn, the LDS had used his testimony as an excuse to start a feud with the You Show Duel School, seeking to obtain a new summoning technique invented by said counterpart.

Whoever they were, Judai and this Johan guy did seem to have a rudimentary grasp of the different dimensions, which explained Judai's relative lack of surprise at the time of their initial encounter. They, or at least that Johan guy, hadn't seemed particularly familiar with XYZ though. Unfamiliar and wary, but by no means hostile. Instead, there had been the unmistakable look of dislike crossing his face when Judai had mentioned the Academia scout, Shiunin Sora.

Either there was an anti-Academia fraction in Fusion, or these people were Standard citizens that had somehow ended up with knowledge about Academia. Yuto honestly cannot say which he is hoping for. Besides, Academia already has its pawns in the Synchro dimension, meaning that even with Standard's peaceful exterior, it is entirely possible that it had long been infiltrated by Academia spies.

If so, then indeed, there is reason for them to exercise caution.

Yuki Judai obviously knows that it's just Yuto and Shun now, so if he had been an operative himself, then he wouldn't have had any reason to pretend otherwise. And without Yuto, Shun would have become even more reckless and an easy picking.

**-V-**

Shun lingers longer in the morning, commenting that Yuto's colour is off and that he should stay hidden and rest. Clearly, Shun hasn't looked properly at his own reflection for a very long time.

Against better judgement, Yuto lets him go. In the end though, it proves a very good call.

"_Yuya?!"_

There is a woman, tall with long blond hair. There is also that Johan guy from before, looking like he's very much regretting coming there already.

"Yoko, this is Yuto. Yuto, this is Yoko, Yuya's mother."

**-V-**

"_Well, that wasn't very smart of you, was it?"_

Even from a bit of a distance, Yuto can hear Yuki Judai's comment to what Johan had just told him over the phone.

"Of all people, I really don't want to hear that from you," Johan comments in return, sending a brief look Yuto's way before returning his attention to the ongoing call.

"_Still, Johan, what were you thinking?"_ Judai quips, disapproving yet strangely amused.

"No, no, Judai, what were _you_ thinking?" Johan snaps right back at him, decidedly exasperated. "You're the one who got outed by a washing tag!"

Yuto gets temporarily distracted by Yoko, who keeps fussing about his health and eating habits.

"_Geez, Johan. It wasn't like I was even planning on it. I got lost. It happens."_

Looking like he has been dealing with far too much shit as of late, Johan heaves a heavy sigh. "Only you, Judai. Only you."

"_Besides, it softened the impact, didn't it? Saved you some trouble too."_

Johan lowers his voice significantly. "Something tells me I wouldn't ever have been through this much trouble if I hadn't befriended you."

"_Says the guy who followed me all the way to town."_

Johan pinches the ridge of his nose, seemingly having forgotten about his small audience. "Say Judai, how's Fusion training going? You're all over at You Show, right?"

You Show. Yuto remembers the girl, Yuzu. Even though she isn't their Ruri, her using Fusion doesn't sit too well with Yuto. On the other hand, from what Johan had said, it is the perfect excuse to rope the Academia agent into teaching, giving him less time to track down Yuto and Shun.

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer and preferably busy.

Apparently, it did help that the agent believed himself to be amongst friends. But obviously, it is a game that cannot be played forever.

"_We're making progress. It's something."_

"Will you make it to the Maiami Championship?" Yoko asks, clearly listening in. "The deadline's coming up."

There is a slight pause. Johan switches over to speaker phone.

"_Probably. Right, and Yuya's got that Smiley guy to arrange some official duels for him. The rest are also in on taking part in the championship."_

"What about you then, Judai? How about it?"

Again, there is a slight pause. _"Me?"_

"Yeah, you. Youth Division. How about it?"

"_Mom, not that it wouldn't be fun, but I've honestly got better things to‒"_

"Honey."

There is a heavy sigh from the other end. _"Yeeees?"_

"Fried shrimp."

Yuto wonders if it had been some sort of code word, because soon thereafter, Judai goes_ "Fine, whatever, I'll compete"_, as though he had just been given an ultimatum, ending the call soon thereafter.

Next, Yoko returns her attention to Yuto, a slightly troubling smile on her face. "So Yuto, what's your favourite dish? How about your friend? Preferences? Allergies? How about hygiene products? Clothes? Yuya'll surely let you borrow something, and as for your friend‒"

**-V-**

"Yuto."

Yuto acknowledges the newly returned Shun with a look. The tone used indicates that it is a question, so Yuto looks to the spot indicated by a slight hand gesture. "Your share. I've had mine."

Shun narrows his eyes rather suspiciously at that, but nevertheless opens up the sizeable lunch box to have a look. "Looks home-cooked."

"_Is_ home-cooked."

There is a slight pause, stemming from evident confusion. "Where did you get it?"

Yuto understands Shun's confusion; he feels it himself, to a lesser degree. "Does it matter?"

"_Yes_, because I told you to stay put and out of sight."

He had stayed put. It hadn't helped him much. "I did. They're the ones who found me."

Shun looks positively alarmed at that, alarmed yet at the same time confused. "They? The LDS?!"

He shakes his head at that.

"Then who? What? Yuto!"

Yuto wonders how to properly explain things without having it all blow up in his own face. "Eat," he decides at last. "Eat and I'll tell you."

**-V-**


	12. A Matter of Skill

_Very long time no see. I've been busy. I'm even busier now to be completely honest, having graduated and started working. A lot. Like mornings, days, __**and**__ nights. Ugh. _

_Anyways… I have been receiving a whole lot of anonymous reviews to this story as of late, containing both tips and questions. _

_Tips about duelling are always welcome (remember: I am a plotter, not a duellist). I have, as plenty of you have already pointed out, glossed over quite a few duels that occur in canon. I do intend to write out more detailed scenes in the future (when it serves the plot), so let's just say that I'm saving up on time and detail for that._

_As for the questions, it's kind of difficult to answer them directly when they're anon. This chapter will probably answer a few and possibly create a few new ones though._

_(That having been said, I'm not entirely satisfied with this, but I figured that I might as well release it now before I get buried in work again…)_

**-V-**

**-V- A Matter of Skill -V-**

**-V-**

"Well, that wasn't very smart of you, was it?"

Judai is smiling, the light tone in his remark making it obvious that he's speaking to Johan as he sits cross-legged on the sidelines with Futoshi, Ayu and Tatsuya, watching the spectacle that is a frustrated Sora trying to teach Yuzu how to Fusion summon properly.

Yuya meanwhile finds his attention drifting from the spectacle to Judai's call. Futoshi and Ayu are both close enough to catch some of Johan's response, going by the muted snickers and giggles. Judai's smile broadens slightly, but he gives the pair a somewhat dismissive wave, rising to his feet with the phone still pressed to his ear. "Still, Johan, what were you thinking?"

By now, Yuya is fairly familiar with the process of Fusion summoning, struggling only with some of the practical stuff. The style of Fusion summoning Sora uses is after all different from Judai's preferred technique, which cannot really be copied. Judai is nevertheless quite knowledgeable about Fusion, teaching them the basics while leaving whole a lot of the practical stuff to Sora. To Yuya in particular, this is kind of unexpected, seeing that Judai himself has admitted that he's never been very into the theoretical stuff and all, but all things considered, he probably has his reasons.

By now, Yuya is also close enough to hear part of the rebuke. "_‒Judai, what were __**you**__ thinking?"_ is the snappish and decidedly exasperated response, followed by _"‒You're the one who got outed by a washing tag!"_

The latter means nothing to Yuya. As for the former, it's nice to know that even Judai's best friend doesn't know what he's thinking all the time.

"Geez, Johan," Judai comments, keeping an eye on Yuzu and Sora's progress or relative lack thereof. "I wasn't even planning on it. I got lost. It happens."

There is a sigh on the other end. If anything, the smile on Judai's face broadens. "Besides, it softened the impact, didn't it?" he says, lowering his voice ever so slightly. "Saved you some trouble too."

The response is too quiet for Yuya to hear, but Judai snorts, clearly amused. "Says the guy who followed me all the way to town."

Yuya can already imagine the look of exasperation as Johan's voice is heard again, asking about the progress of their Fusion training. Judai tells him they're making progress, glancing towards Yuzu and Sora again.

_"Will you make it to the Maiami Championship? The deadline's coming up."_

It's his mother's voice; distant yet recognisable all the same.

Judai scratches the back of his head, exchanging a look with the air. "Probably. Right, and Yuya's got that Smiley guy to arrange some official duels for him. The rest are also taking part in the championship."

Though vaguely hopeful, no one had really forced the issue of Judai participating. Shuzo had had an expression which indicated that he thought of it as an outright shame for Judai not to take part. Ayu, Futoshi and Tatsuya had seemed disappointed upon first hearing it. Sora meanwhile hadn't asked, either because he had blatantly assumed that Judai would participate or because he had blatantly assumed that he wouldn't.

On one hand, Yuya had been disappointed. On the other hand though, it isn't as though he doesn't understand why, because with parallel dimensions, people getting turned into cards and whatnot, getting hyped over some tournament is a little‒

_"What about you then, Judai? How about it?"_

"Me?" Judai actually winces. "Mom, not that it wouldn't be fun, but I've honestly got better things to‒"

That's right; even though it would be fun, it would be selfish and irresponsible to‒_"Yeah, you. Youth Division. How about it?"_

Of course, Yuya's mother wouldn't have cared about that even if she had known about all that other stuff, which is probably why she is willing to resort to threats of never again serving fried shrimp if doing so will get Judai to reconsider. The threat definitely works though.

Judai ends the call, having promised to compete. "Geez."

Geez. That's exactly the word for it. All things considered, his highly ambiguous age aside, Judai is probably too old to participate in the Youth Division, but‒ "As usual, Mom's got you beaten, Judai."

Yuya gets a somewhat pointed look for that, but it softens quickly. "She's a formidable opponent."

"Who's a formidable opponent?"

Sora and Yuzu have stopped what they are doing and the others are there too, devising their strategies. They have all looked up, intrigued by the mention of a formidable opponent. Sora is the first to ask though.

Yuya looks to Judai who smirks, folding his arms across his chest. He better not be planning to‒"Yeah, a formidable opponent. An absolutely terrifying one."

No way. "Judai, don't you dare‒"

"Who?! Who is this absolutely terrifying opponent?! Let me duel them, Master!"

Somewhere along the way, Sora has taken to calling Judai 'Master'. It doesn't happen all the time; only when duelling is involved and Sora wants something. It's still pretty weird though and definitely on the embarrassing side. It hadn't taken Judai very long to adapt though.

"It's still too early, dear disciple," he says, waggling a finger at him. "To face an opponent of that calibre and win, we all need to work harder, right?"

"Right!" everyone agrees, barring Yuya and Yuzu, who exchange an exasperated look and sigh before delving into the unfolding madness.

**-V-**

They arrive back late, exhausted, but Yuya's mother hardly seems to notice where she stands humming by the stove, cooking. "Welcome back. This will be ready in just a minute."

Johan is nowhere to be seen, but since Judai doesn't ask, Yuya doesn't either. Besides, the table is already set for five, so he's probably around somewhere.

Yuya considers heading up to his room for a bit, but since dinner will be along in just a minute, he joins the others in the living room. Core mewls in greeting, scurrying over to Judai; it's stupid, but Yuya cannot help but feel the sting, because these days, it's almost like‒

There is suddenly a hand in his hair, ruffling it. Instinctually, Yuya reaches up to swat it away but pauses midway, locking eyes with Judai. The hand doesn't retreat, both steadying and weighing him down. "Yuya, you‒"

**-V-**

Dinner is an unusually quiet affair in comparison to how things have been lately. Heck, even Sora appears to be looking away from his chocolate-drenched fried shrimp, taking note of Yuya's mood. "It's just nerves," Yuya hears his mother's voice conclude softly as he leaves the kitchen before any of the others. "He's got an official duel tomorrow after all."

It's not just nerves, but Yuya lets them believe what they will, climbing up to his room. It is his intention to spend the rest of the evening there, trying to sort out his deck as well as his feelings for the future. He wants to be left alone, and the others seem to get that, at least initially. Even so, Yuya cannot turn Johan away when the guy comes knocking.

"Was it anything in particular that you wanted, Johan?" Yuya asks at last, sneaking a glance at Johan where he sits on the bed, sorting through his own deck much like Yuya is doing, sat at his desk.

"Nothing in particular," Johan responds, staring thoughtfully down at his deck.

Yuya turns slightly in his chair, looking at him with a slight frown. Johan continues sorting through his deck, as though somehow ignorant of it all; had Yuya not known about the other's ability to see spirits then he would probably have found the seeming obliviousness highly convincing. Now however‒

"Are you also taking part in the Maiami Championship, Johan?"

It isn't really the question that Yuya wants to ask, but at least it has Johan's attention flickering towards him. "Me? No." Johan smiles a bit at that. "I already went pro back home and besides, I'm a bit too old for it, I think."

Yuya turns a bit further in his seat, narrowing his eyes a fraction. "How old?"

Johan's smile softens slightly, as if the guy is somehow aware of Yuya's actual question. "I was active in the pro circuit before graduating the academy, and it's been a while since I graduated for real."

"A while?" Yuya echoes, noting the deliberate vagueness of the statement.

"By your standards, Judai's probably pretty old to be participating in the Youth Division," Johan volunteers somewhat surprisingly, looking thoughtful. "With his looks and behaviour though, it's doable. As for me on the other hand‒"

Yuya ponders the statement before arriving at a tentative conclusion. "In other words, he's childish enough to pass for being younger?"

Johan dips his head just a fraction, and after exchanging a look with the air to his right, a decidedly wry look appears on his face. "He isn't as bad as back then, but‒Well, he's got his reasons; his circumstances and whatnot. You probably think he's some kind of indestructible idiot genius or something, but once something gets under his skin, it bothers him a lot, especially if he can't do anything about it."

Yuya recalls that short moment before dinner, when he had slapped the hand away and trudged over into the kitchen, how Judai had gone quiet instantly, making no move to stop him. "Are you telling me to go and apologise or something? For taking out my frustration on him, I mean."

Johan shrugs mildly at that, exchanging another look with the air. "Judai's kind of overwhelming, so it's not weird if you feel like he kind of smothers you with his presence, getting you caught up in his pace and whatnot. He doesn't always realise it himself, I think, the impact of his actions."

That isn't really an answer. "So?"

Johan smiles a bit sadly at that, eyes averted. "If that's the way you feel, then you shouldn't have to apologise for it. Judai can be a pretty frustrating guy when it all comes down to it. But, even if he can be pretty frustrating with his happy-go-lucky attitude and reckless decisions, it's difficult not to get attached, even if he doesn't realise just how many people are still out there, actively looking or waiting for his return."

Waiting‒ "Are there really that many of them?"

"There are." Johan is looking straight at him now, his gaze unwavering. "Myself included."

**-V-**

Inspiring some sense of guilt may or may not have been Johan's actual intention, but Yuya still finds himself out of bed that night. He can't sleep, and since Judai doesn't seem to intend to sleep either, Yuya might as well make use of the opportunity.

"Are you sure you should be up here? You've got a duel tomorrow morning, right?"

He does, but that's beside the point. "Can we talk?"

Judai wordlessly extends his hand. Yuya grasps it, allowing himself to be pulled up onto the roof, taking a seat beside him.

"So?" Judai says at last, once the silence has lasted long enough. "Feel free to talk. I'll listen."

Yuya wonders where to start, his eyes scanning the cityscape in search of inspiration. "I saw that some of my clothes are gone. Did she raid your wardrobe as well?"

Judai shrugs mildly at that. "Apparently, I wasn't the right size."

"She's met with that Yuto guy, hasn't she?"

"That's right."

"Oh."

In spite of Johan's earlier words, Yuya finds himself revisiting the thoughts that had occupied his mind both before and since, because in some ways, it really is like he is slowly being replaced.

"You know, no one's really here to replace you."

That's‒"Easy enough for you to say."

Judai shrugs mildly at that. "I suppose, because I've never really worried about that kind of thing."

"Never?" In a way, Yuya supposes that is to be expected; it is difficult to imagine after all, that there would be someone out there who could ever‒

"I'm me, so I don't imagine anyone could really pull it off," Judai hums. "I don't imagine I'd be very good at being someone else either. Heck, being me is complicated and exhausting enough. As for Yuto, he's got his own problems to deal with. Besides, you're you. You're not that easily replaced."

As expected, he can't‒ "Is it really that easy to tell what I'm thinking?"

The response isn't immediate. It's preceded by an arm slung across his shoulders, dragging him closer. "To a certain extent, I suppose," Judai says, flashing a smile when Yuya shoots him a mildly irritated look. "Looking at you, I kind of remember what it was like at that age."

What it was like‒? "I thought you‒"

"I was alone a lot, growing up," Judai interrupts, and Yuya goes quiet, startled by the sudden confession. "It wasn't always like that, I suppose. My parents had work and weren't around much and I used to spend my days duelling the neighbouring kids, and it was fun, but‒ Stuff kind of happened, and I was mostly alone after that. Then I came to Duel Academia, met Sho and the others, and after that‒ well‒"

Judai trails off, and Yuya takes the opportunity to dislodge the arm.

"Why?" Yuya asks at last, glancing at him. "Why do you duel, Judai?"

Judai hums thoughtfully, looking towards the LDS tower glowing in the distance. "You know, we all duel for different reasons. Money. Fame. Conviction. Necessity. Survival. You duel to entertain, but also to protect. There's nothing wrong with that. Back when I was your age, I did it because it was fun. I never questioned it; it was fun, so I did it. A bit flimsy, I suppose, compared to the motives of others. Meeting Johan, I came to envy him."

Yuya looks towards him, but Judai's eyes remain on the horizon. "Envy?"

"Yeah, envy," Judai affirms, looking back at him with a smile. "He seemed to know what he was doing; why he was duelling and all that. I hadn't even thought about it before Sho asked."

"And now?"

Judai doesn't hesitate, not in the slightest. "To protect. And because it's fun, of course."

"So it's alright then, to duel for the fun of it?"

"It's alright," Judai offers up with a mild shrug. "Of course, I've taken part in several duels that haven't been very fun, but that's life, I suppose. Seriously though," he pauses slightly at that, regarding Yuya with a serious look. "Make the effort, but make sure you know when it's more important to focus on other things than on providing maximal entertainment. When it all comes down to it, protecting people and surviving is more important than clinging to ideals."

Surviving‒ "So you're telling me to throw away my dream; Dad's way of duelling? What exactly do you expect will happen here?"

"It's not like that," Judai protests, frustrated. "I'm just saying, in a worst case scenario‒"

Yuya grits his teeth and then forces himself to relax, to breathe and calm down; he is being both selfish and childish. "I'm sorry," he mumbles at last, averting his eyes. "I made you promise to stay and never lie, but I‒ I made you stay here and help us out, even though so many people‒"

"People?"

Yuya's attention snaps back to Judai, who in turn regards him with a mildly surprised expression. "But Johan said‒"

Judai's eyebrows furrow briefly. A quick glance to the side follows before his expression melts into one of understanding. "Ah, I guess," he says, looking a bit sheepish. "Going by what Johan tells me, they're making a pretty huge deal out of it."

"But‒"

Judai waves his concerns away. "They've waited this long. Besides, I can't very well leave before I know you've gotten the hang of Fusion, can I?"

Yuya is moments away from calling bullshit on that, because that is hardly the only reason. Still‒ "You're planning on taking part in the championship too though, representing our school no less. You're not planning on dropping out halfway or something, just because I get the hang of it, right?"

Again, Judai is dismissive of his concerns. "No worries, no worries. I'll stick around. Besides, if I'm going to duel anyway, I might as well make it as entertaining and memorable as possible."

Yuya kicks up an eyebrow. "Entertaining?"

Judai smirks. Yuya decides it is better not to ask.

**-V-**

Climbing back into his room through the open window, Yuya sees something on the desk that wasn't there prior to him exiting; a card, right next to his deck.

Even in the dark, Yuya sees it, and though he is getting tired, he flicks on his desk lamp to see what it is, taking a moment to adjust to the brightness.

It is a _Polymerization_ card, and attached to it is‒ "A good luck charm? Honestly, Sora…"

**-V-**

"Geez, Yuya. Of all days to oversleep."

Geez. Of all days for his alarm clock to malfunction. "If you're already up then wake me up on time, really!"

Judai laughs. "If you hurry up, you can still make it. I'll take you."

Yuya doesn't ask where his mother is, or for that matter where Johan or Sora is; they've obviously gone ahead or‒ "_You_'ll take me? Can you even drive?"

Judai looks vaguely offended, jiggling with some keys while making a meaningful gesture towards the window. Out in the driveway stands a familiar red and purple motorbike; the sight of it has Yuya choking on his toast. _"No way!"_

"Yes way, I've got permission," Judai counters, heading for the door. "Come on!"

**-V-**

By the end of the day, Yuya's terribly exhausted and more than just a bit exasperated with things in general. On a positive note, he has experienced new things and learnt from them; Mokota Michio's cooking and duelling skills are both admirable, and Judai's driving skill is both formidable and terrifying. And at the end of the day, Yuya is glad that he hadn't had all that much for breakfast, because even though he's used to Action Duels and the acrobatics that go into them, Judai's driving is really‒

"No dents. Not even a speeding ticket. It's a skill, I tell you."

"Still in prime condition," his mother preens with pride, ruffling Judai's hair. "As expected of a son of mine."

"I've learned from the very best!" Judai easily agrees, his smile broadening.

Honestly.

**-V-**

"Geez, Yuya," Sora admonishes him after dinner as they're both out in the living room, sorting through and readying their decks. "This time, you better include the _Polymerization_ card. There's no use having a skill if you won't use it, right?"

Yuya hums noncommittally in response, checking to make sure that everything is included.

"Tell you what," Sora ventures, rifling through his deck before pulling out a card and handing it over, lollypop still in mouth. "Use Polymerization and that in the next duel and I'll teach you a few neat tricks on how to deal with XYZ-using trash."

Yuya accepts the card, albeit reluctantly. "Are you sure? I might not get to play it anyway."

Sora dismisses his concerns with a slight wave. "Keep it in your deck just in case. You can return it once you've qualified for the Maiami Championship."

"No pressure, huh?" Yuya notes.

"Obviously, because I'm still itching for a rematch." Sora's grin broadens slightly. "And we've got to repay those LDS people from before, right?"

Somehow, Yuya has got a bad feeling about this.

He is hardly the only one though.

**-V-**

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yeah."

"Are you really, really, _really_ sure about this?"

"Uh-huh."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Judai…"

Judai grins. "Aw, come on, Johan. It'll be fine. Fun too. I mean really, this much is to be expected."

Johan sighs. "I'll be watching."

"You do that. That Smiley guy went through the trouble of arranging it, so I'm definitely giving those people a run for their money."

"Really?"

"Of course."

"Really."

"Yep." Judai puts the finishing touches on his latest project, holding it up to scrutinise his needlework.

Yoko had helped out with most of the groundwork, because though Judai knows how to repair things made out of fabric, actually making them in the first place is still beyond him.

Judai holds up the relatively finished costume. "So?"

Johan looks from the costume to Judai and back again, his attention flickering briefly to Yubel, who stands off in the corner, her arms folded across her chest and her odd-eyed gaze exasperated and amused in equal amounts. "What exactly do you want me to say?"

"What do I want you to say?" Judai repeats, sounding just a tad exasperated as though it is somehow Johan and not he who is absolutely insufferable. "Some constructive criticism would have been nice. The last time I did this kind of thing, I basically threw together some parts from four different costumes."

Johan kicks up an eyebrow. "Four different costumes?"

Judai looks at his costume again, knitting his eyebrows together as he notices a slight mistake that he soon moves to correct. "_Saggi the Dark Clown, Breaker the Magical Warrior, Obnoxious Celtic Guard, Gearfried the Iron Knight_… Yep, those were the ones. It was a thing for the annual school festival or something."

Johan cannot recall having attended any school festivals back when he himself had attended North Academy. Coming to think of it, had that place even‒? Well, it hardly matters at this point; barring the inevitable emergence of extreme danger to one's life and self, Johan had always liked the atmosphere over at Duel Academia way more than the dull competitiveness that existed over at North Academy.

Coming to think of it, Johan had definitely seen some pictures of that school festival at some point, either back when they were all waiting for Judai to return from the Dark World or in connection to the festivities of the graduation party Judai himself had skipped out on. "Speaking of festivals… Coming to think of it, why did you merrily skip out on the graduation party anyway? Not that anyone was really surprised, but‒"

"Sentimental goodbyes and whatnot aren't really my style," Judai comments, checking his progress. "Besides, the King had plans. Kind of."

Though curious, Johan doesn't comment; he can ask about that later on. "Why the mask though?" he picks it up and scrutinises it, because while it definitely isn't a bad idea to wear some type of disguise, Judai spontaneously deciding to do so is surprising.

Judai positively grins at that. Within moments, the mask is in his hand, Johan's fingers grasping only air. "Isn't it obvious?" Judai smirks, looking at Johan through the eyeholes. _"Mask Change."_

Johan lowers his hand. "And the cosplay?"

Judai holds up the index finger of the hand not holding the mask in place, grinning widely now. "Entertainment."

**-V-**


	13. A Matter of Consideration

_Long time no update. My original plan actually included a duel, but my time ran out, so… no duel this time around. Cheers._

**-V-**

**-V- A Matter of Consideration -V-**

**-V-**

Few plans survive their first impact with reality. Akaba Reiji knows this better than most people. As such, his plans are constantly undergoing changes. Most changes are minute, but some are more significant.

The emergence of Pendulum Summoning had been a pretty major thing, but other things had already impacted on Reiji's initial plans.

For one thing, given the likelihood of an inter-dimensional war within the foreseeable future, it made sense for them not only to refine the talent they already had at hand but also to scout for new potentials, even if only a few duellists had the potential to be part of the Lancers; Reiji's planned defence force.

Lancers. Lance Defence Soldiers.

Now, it only remained to see just who and how many would qualify. Maiami Championship was just the first step in the selection process. After that, it remained to be seen just who and how many of them had the mental fortitude in case of an actual invasion. After all, as had been proven as of late, many of the LDS elite had already been taken out, and not so much by an army as by a few XYZ users. Though it was a decidedly pathetic outcome on their part, it showed their unpreparedness.

The XYZ rebels are few, but given that they had managed to not only survive but also make it to Standard, they ought to be quite strong. Reiji knows there are at least two of them, and that one of them bears a physical resemblance to Sakaki Yuya. Going by the evidence they have, it's the other one who is doing the carding. Otherwise, Sawatari and the others would have been carded like the rest of them.

Granted, Reiji's mother had gotten ahead of herself with the whole Sawatari incident; she had only seen the possibility to monopolise Pendulum Summoning for the LDS. Reiji meanwhile had moved onto other things. For one thing, they already had access to Pendulum cards and had already started refining the process of creating them. Granted, the output of these cards still left a lot to be desired, but there was still time before the Championship.

No, what Reiji had come to consider was another thing altogether; the proof that Yuki Judai had already made contact with the XYZ rebels, and that the guerrilla attacks on LDS members had practically ceased, at least for the moment. Reiji finds this a curious fact, though he would still very much prefer it if he could get the XYZ remnants into the LDS; they can hardly join You Show after all, given Shiunin Sora's presence.

All things considered, Reiji would very much like to know Yuki Judai's motives. Confronting him within the imminent future had been on Reiji's agenda, but other things had come in-between. And now that his schedule had finally cleared, the situation had changed once again, taking quite an interesting turn.

It had not taken long for the rumours to reach him; rumours of Nico Smiley reaching out to various Duel Schools, asking if they would consider taking on a You Show Youth Class duellist in an Official Duel.

Knowing quite well that there was only one likely candidate, Reiji had been rather pleased.

Before long, the LDS had deceived direct word as well. In their case though, the request had been issued as more of a challenge than a request. There had really been no shortness to those who had expressed an interest in it though; there were scores to settle, as his mother had so eloquently put it.

In order to qualify for the Maiami Championship, the option lay between having a winning percentage of at least sixty percent out of at least fifty duels the latest year and winning six consecutive Official Duels.

Barring his earlier victories, Sakaki Yuya has so far won one of his scheduled Official Duels; the one against Michio Mokota. Next up is Eita Kyando of the Clarity Duel School. After that, it would be Hochun Miero of the Unno Divination School. Lastly, there would be Steadfast Duellist Gongenzaka Noboru of the Gongenzaka Dojo.

Reiji is by no means worried however. Sakaki Yuya will definitely clear the conditions; if he grows quickly enough, that is. And he will; of this, Reiji is fairly certain.

Yuki Judai meanwhile is skilled, if a bit unconventional. By and large, he lacks an official record; one that the LDS has been able to uncover at any rate. He is a definite irregularity and his motives are still vague, though they have become clearer. It is a tad worrying however, the insight Yuki Judai seems to have into Reiji's affairs. That in itself points to there being an informant of sorts, and Reiji has looked into the matter. That being said though, he has found neither solid proof nor the slightest hint of a trail leading in that particular direction. Reiji has found plenty of other interesting leads though, although he has filed most of them away for later processing.

Despite not having much of an official record, Yuki Judai does have an unofficial one. With Reiji's mother travelling around the world buying up duelling schools, it had only been a question of time before they found a few duellists who claimed to have had past encounters with a duellist who fit Yuki Judai's description.

Nothing mentioned in the report really contradicts what Reiji already knows about the other's character. It is a welcome addition however, to have facts corroborated by other sources. Knowing one's potential allies is after all just as important as knowing one's enemies. Besides, odds are that Yuki Judai already knows far more about Reiji than Reiji does about him, which is a cause for concern. However, as much as Reiji would have liked to confront the other directly, it would be beneficial to do so only after gathering a bit more intelligence on their style of duelling.

Besides, recent events indicate that Yuki Judai seems to be willing to play by Reiji's rules, at least for now. This in turn gives them more time to collect data, and for Reiji to oversee both the creation of new and improved Pendulum cards.

That having been said, the challenge does have another major upside.

Sakuragi Yuu, the previous winner of the Junior Youth Division, has just left Reiji's office.

Pitting Yuki Judai against a skilled XYZ duellist like Sakuragi serves multiple purposes. First and foremost, it serves as an excellent opportunity to gauge their respective abilities and adaptability. It would also prove an excellent opportunity to get better readings on the cards in Yuki Judai's possession. If they could manage to replicate just a few of those, then things might even turn out favourable for them.

**-V-**

"The LDS, Cloud Dragon Form Duel School, Kabuki School, Psycho Duel School, Gongenzaka Dojo _and_ Ryozanpaku?"

Judai's attention flickers to them briefly. Then he looks back down at the screen of his phone, frowning minutely. "Yeah, so?"

Ayu and Futoshi apparently fail to notice, but Tatsuya definitely does. Tatsuya cannot really hold it against them though, because the thought that Judai is going to win all of his matches is decidedly outrageous, whether he is some Fusion genius or not.

"The LDS aside, isn't Ryozanpaku that school with super violent martial artists?" Futoshi notes, saying what Tatsuya already knows.

Judai hardly seems fazed though. If anything, then he seems mildly surprised, looking up from the screen. "Really?"

"Wha‒?! You mean you didn't know?!"

Their bewilderment is perfectly justified. After all‒ "Crazy martial artists, sumo wrestlers, kabuki actors, psycho duellists… I'm shivering!"

Heck, even Tatsuya finds himself shivering, albeit not from excitement but rather from something far less pleasant. Ayu seems to share his slight unease, unlike Judai, who grins. "Sounds like fun, I think," he says, largely unconcerned. "A bit challenging perhaps, but still fun."

Calling it _a bit_ challenging is a definite understatement, but Tatsuya simply has to let it slide. "When's your first duel?"

"Tomorrow morning," Judai immediately responds, having gone back to texting.

"And your second?" Tatsuya presses, suspecting‒

"Tomorrow afternoon," Judai responds, shooting him a brief look before looking back down at the screen.

"Are you really sure that's such a great idea?" Tatsuya presses onward, and the others nod in agreement. "Having two big duels on the same day, I mean."

Judai smiles. "Nah, it'll be fine. It's hardly the craziest thing I've ever signed up for."

Somehow, Tatsuya doesn't doubt that. Still‒ "Are you sure?"

Judai flashes them an easygoing grin. "It'll be fine. I promise."

Though Tatsuya has no actual reason to doubt Judai's promises, he cannot help but wonder.

"But then we won't be able to see both you and Yuya duel," Ayu remarks, evidently disappointed. "Yuya's got a duel over at Clarity Duel School tomorrow."

Judai keeps smiling. "Yeah, I know."

"But‒" she insists, but he gives her a somewhat dismissive wave.

"I'll be fine," Judai says, with no doubt whatsoever. "There'll be other chances."

Futoshi snorts. "Tch. To think we'll miss out on your first Entertainment Duel."

"Only my first official one," Judai counters, his smile broadening a fraction.

"Which makes it even more of a shame," Futoshi counters in return. "Someone should record it."

Someone really should, but Tatsuya cannot help but notice that although he is still smiling, Judai doesn't seem to be all too keen on the idea.

"Nah, I'd rather not," he says, scratching the back of his head. "I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise."

"Surprise?"

"For the others, I mean," Judai finishes and just a tad awkwardly at that. Surprisingly, no one besides Tatsuya seems to notice.

"Coming to think of it," Futoshi notes, craning his neck. "Where's sis and Sora?"

Judai blinks. "Sora and Yuzu?"

"Yeah," Ayu latches on and quite intensely at that. "Are they off doing some special training or what?"

Judai puts his phone back down, scratching the side of his neck now. "Nah. Sora's got a few Duels and Yuzu's tagging along to watch Fusion in action."

Yuzu and Sora. It's a quite unexpected combo in Tatsuya's private opinion, given Sora's gravitation towards Yuya and later also Judai. Of course, given that Judai had pushed Sora into acting as Yuzu's personal coach, maybe‒

"How come they didn't tell us?! We could've used some extra training as well! Sneaky!"

Judai looks mildly uncomfortable that, though it hardly even shows. Tatsuya only notices because he's paying close attention. "My guess is that Sora just assumed you'd stick with Yuya," Judai offers up at last, fiddling with his phone again. "That's what I assumed, at least."

Well, that is true. Still‒ "Still, he could've asked."

Judai levels them with a definite look. "Is Sora really the type to ask such a thing?"

Well‒ "Well… Not really, no."

"So there you have it," Judai notes, back texting again.

"So there we have what?" Futoshi retorts. "Did you mean we should ask him?"

Judai kicks up an eyebrow at that, tilting his head slightly. "For me, the question is, do you need to? We've already gone through the basics, both in theory and in practice. The rest is up to you, really."

It's easy enough for a master to say.

"Isn't there more to teach though, Judai bro?" Futoshi insists.

Judai tilts his head further, mildly confused. "Such as?"

"Your special techniques," Ayu pipes up.

A look of understanding enters his expression, and he regards them somewhat wistfully. "Those can't really be taught though."

"But‒"

He lifts his hand, halting the oncoming protests. "Look," he says at last. "I'm probably not the best person to talk about this kind of thing, but let me say this anyway: There are many different styles, and not all of them mesh very well with your personal style of duelling. Of course, you can copy someone else's techniques. However, if you really want to make them work for you, you must figure out a way to make them your own. I for one favour Fusion, and another Summoning method wouldn't work very well for me, because my Deck's geared towards Fusion. I mean, sure, I can technically add cards so that I would be able to use Synchro or XYZ Summoning, but‒ I trust my Deck, and because I believe in my Monsters, they will come through for me in return. Of course, that's not to say that I won't ever change the composition of my Deck; I do tune-ups all the time, but the core composition seldom changes very much. If I switched out everything, then it really wouldn't be the same."

"Of course," he adds, grinning now. "If you think _I'm_ on the conservative side, then you should really see Johan; he's barely changed his Deck at all since we first met, and that's saying something. I for one‒"

"Where _is_ Johan though?" Futoshi interrupts, bringing up a very good point. "_And_ Yuya for that matter? Weren't we supposed to meet up like half an hour ago?"

"No worries, they'll be around in a minute," Judai responds with absolute certainty while exchanging an evident glance with the air. "Still‒"

He rises. "Let's go meet them halfway, shall we?"

The rest have no objections to this, Futoshi and Ayu walking a few steps ahead. Tatsuya meanwhile‒

"Say, Judai, can I ask a question?"

Judai hums thoughtfully in response, slowing his pace until they are walking side by side. "Sure thing. What's up?"

Tatsuya privately wonders just how to breach the issue at hand. "About that thing you said earlier‒that thing about your Deck…"

"My Deck; what about it?"

Well‒ "You did say that you don't change its core composition much but‒"

"‒But?" Judai lifts an eyebrow at that. Then, moments thereafter‒ "Ah, you mean this?" he asks, one hand resting on the card holster strapped to his belt. "Since I decided to try my hand at Entertainment Duelling, I figured I need to make a few adjustments."

"Adjustments?" Tatsuya repeats, keeping his voice quiet.

Judai offers up a mild shrug at that. "Fusion is my speciality, and I don't have any plans on using Synchro or XYZ Summoning for now. As for Pendulum, who knows, but at any rate, I'll have to up my game if I want to stay on top."

But‒ "How?"

Judai smiles. "Easy. I'll transform."

"Transform? Into what?"

There is no answer, and just then Yuya and Johan finally show up, both looking somewhat exasperated and the latter carrying a sizable bag.

If anything, Judai's smile only widens. "You're late, Yuya, Johan."

"And whose fault is that?" Yuya retorts, slightly out of breath.

Johan meanwhile sighs, looking somewhat winded himself, and holds out the bag. "We're here now; that's what counts." He pauses, giving Judai an evident look. "Judai, we've been over this before, but… Are you really, _really_ sure about doing this?"

"Really Johan?" A scoffing Judai retrieves the bag in order to check its contents. "Did you really think I would've gone through all this trouble making a costume and asking Smiley to arrange some Duels for me if I wasn't serious?"

"I wasn't asking if you were serious; I was asking if you're really sure it's such a good idea," Johan dryly counters, arms folded across his chest.

"But it is such a _great_ idea," Judai counters, flashing a smile in direction of Tatsuya and the others. "Don't you agree?"

Ayu and Futoshi both agree. Tatsuya meanwhile ponders why Johan, allegedly Judai's best friend, seems to be so utterly against Judai's participation in the Maiami Championships. After all‒

"It's not a bad idea, per se, to participate," Yuya admits, having mostly recovered his breath. "But why Entertainment Duelling? You certainly kick ass without it."

Judai's smile broadens a fraction. "Then all the more reason for me to up my game and kick ass while providing entertainment, don't you think? Besides, I'm the only Youth Class representative from You Show, so I'm aiming to make a lasting impression."

He actually winks at that last part. With a mixture of confusion and curiosity, Tatsuya sees how Yuya and Johan both pull a slight grimace at that.

"If that's what you're aiming for, then you'll surely succeed," Yuya sighs. "Still, why was there a need to drag me out here? I've got a Duel tomorrow, and I still need to work on my‒"

Judai kicks up an eyebrow at that. "And miss out on your older brother's first Entertainment Duel? I guess I'll have to look for another opponent then."

"Another opponent? What is that supposed to‒?"

Judai flashes an easy grin. "Me. You. Unofficial Entertainment Duel at You Show. You and the others won't be seeing most of my official ones, and I need some practice before the real thing. So, how about it? I've received permission and everything."

**-V-**


	14. Ready, Steady, Go

_Long time no update. Life happens and keeps on happening._

_If not for the duel, then I would probably have finished this about six months ago._

_Odds are that I probably screwed up somewhere, but if so, then I'll be back to fix it once I have time..._

**-V-**

**-V- Ready, Steady, Go -V-**

**-V-**

Allegedly, Judai's aim was to make a lasting impression. Tatsuya had no doubts, because Judai surely had not been kidding about the transformation part.

Granted, for a costume, it wasn't too over the top; it had the same colour as his usual jacket, even if the cut, the length and other details made it somewhat different. There was something to it though, something subtle yet not so subtle. Looking at it, Tatsuya was oddly reminded of dragon scales and wings.

"Whoa, I'm shivering! This is gonna be so awesome!"

He and Ayu are both a tad more restrained in their enthusiasm than Futoshi. "I sure hope so. Still‒"

Having just started up the Solid Vision system, Futoshi turns around to peer at them both and at Tatsuya in particular. "Still?"

Tatsuya wonders if he should actually say anything or if it is better to keep his thoughts to himself. "I don't get it; the costume, I mean," he clarifies at last, nodding to the ones down in the field.

"Well, coming to think of it‒" Futoshi starts, exchanging a look with Ayu. "It reminds me a bit of Odd-Eyes, but Odd-Eyes doesn't have‒"

Behind them, Johan makes a slight sound, something in-between a cough and a small laugh.

"Johan?"

"It's nothing," he says, averting his eyes with a smile tugging at his lips. "Carry on."

"It's not nothing!" Ayu protests at the same time as Futoshi says "Don't leave us hanging, man!"

Johan opens his mouth to respond. But then a voice carries over from down below.

"Hey!" Judai calls. "Are you guys done up there? We were thinking about starting!"

The attention of Ayu and Futoshi is immediately redirected. Tatsuya also turns, at least partially. However, his attention still lingers on Johan, even though he is not quite certain as to why.

"Which Action Field should we pick?" Futoshi asks.

"Pick Random Selection!" Judai shouts back.

Out of the corner of his eye, Tatsuya sees Johan move. The latter lifts a hand as if to brush something away from his shoulder. He doesn't though, and the hand just briefly lingers there.

Tatsuya gets the impression that there is something riding on his shoulder, and then feels stupid for thinking it.

**-V-**

Outlandish. Standing out there right before the Action Field materialises, Yuya cannot consider the situation anything but outlandish. As the Action Field materialises around them, revealing pillars and starry skies, the feeling only grows stronger. Cosmic Sanctuary popping up in random selection seems like an odd coincidence, yet it also seems like the exact type of coincidence likely to occur in Judai's general vicinity.

"_Cosmic Sanctuary_? Really? What are the odds?"

Yuya takes note of the surprise; it feels good to know that even Judai sees the strangeness in the situation. Still‒ "Must be because I'm playing you. Aliens and all."

"Not today, though," Judai responds good-naturedly, shifting his stance slightly. "Ready?"

Yeah, as if. "Whenever you are."

They start the opening chant, aided by a small but vocal audience, completing the movements fluidly. "ACTION‒"

"‒DUEL!"

Above them, the Action Cards scatter.

Even so, they remain right where they are, sparing a moment to size each other up.

"Will you start?" Yuya finally suggests.

"You're the expert here, remember?" a smiling Judai reminds him. "You've gotta show me the ropes, Yuya."

Somehow‒ "Somehow, hearing you say that doesn't make me happy in the least."

If anything, Judai's amusement only increases. "Really? Could've fooled me."

**-V-**

Truly, what were the odds of Yuya playing someone again in this field, and Judai of all people at that?

Granted, the pressure Yuya feels now is different from the one he had felt back then. This time around, there is only some amount of pride at stake. Furthermore, as he begins his turn, Yuya finds _Timegazer Magician_ and _Stargazer Magician_ in his hand, as well as _Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon_. The last time around, he had also had _Performapal Sword Fish_ on hand, but‒ "I set the Pendulum Scale with Timegazer Magician and Stargazer Magician and summon Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon in Attack Mode! I also set one card before ending my turn."

Yuya is definitely aware of the spectators; as an Entertainment Duellist, it only makes sense. For some reason though, Yuya finds it difficult to focus much on them, because even while idle, Judai commands attention. While this isn't exactly news to Yuya, the getup along with the scenario at hand makes the feeling a bit different somehow.

"Let's go! Draw!"

Even in that getup, the unwitting elegance of the movement is the same as ever. As Judai's eyes flicker to the card he has just drawn, the amusement in them becomes decidedly more pronounced. "I activate Spell Card _E - Emergency_ _Call_!"

There is no real need to elaborate on it; the Spell Card is familiar, and so is its Effect. Judai adds another card to his hand. Something is coming; Yuya can feel it.

"From my hand, I activate _Polymerization_ and fuse Elemental HERO Avian and Elemental HERO Bubbleman‒"

_Elemental HERO Avian_, Level 3, 1000 ATK, 1000 DEF.

_Elemental HERO Bubbleman_, Level 4, 800 ATK, 1200 DEF.

"Come forth, Elemental HERO Great Tornado!"

_Elemental HERO Great Tornado_, Level 8, 2800 ATK, 2200 DEF.

"In addition, I activate his effect, halving the Attack and Defence Points of any Monster currently controlled by my opponent."

Yeah, trust Judai to pull off a Level 8 Fusion Summon with 2800 ATK in his very first turn, and one with a quite troublesome Effect as well. The blast of wind is no joke either as the newly summoned Fusion Monster readies its stance.

"Go for it," Judai says. He is immediately obeyed.

Normally, having Odd-Eyes face a monster with 2800 ATK wouldn't have been the end of the world; the Battle Damage would have been relatively small, just 300, but with the Attack Points halved‒

Odd-Eyes' normal ATK is 2500, but due to Great Tornado's Effect, it has currently gone down to just 1250. If he took an attack head-on with those numbers, then his Life Points‒ with 1550 points worth of Battle Damage, wouldn't his Life Points drop all the way down to 2450? "I activate the Quick-Spell _Hippo Carnival_!"

Three Hippo Tokens materialise in the field, and one is immediately destroyed. If anything though, Judai seems happy that his attempt had been foiled, and, using Great Tornado as his springboard, he launches himself into the air. "I set two cards and end my turn!" he announces, still airborne. "Now let's liven things up, shall we?"

Above their heads, the light of a meteor shower illuminates the field, indicating the location of Action Cards. Yuya jumps up onto Odd-Eyes and sets off, determined to make good use of his own turn.

**-V-**

"Go Yuya bro! Go Judai bro!"

The duel has barely even started, yet there is no mistaking the excitement from the spectators. There is Futoshi as well as Ayu, and of course Tatsuya as well; he won't deny that, because even if his own outward reactions are not as extravagant as those of the others, his pulse has definitely picked up speed.

This is a Duel, he thinks. Of course, Tatsuya has seen a number of duels in the past; other than the ones he has watched from the sidelines, he has also seen a number of those aired on the TV. His parents had never quite seen the appeal of it all, but they had never really stopped him from pursuing it either. In fact, they, particularly his mother, had been fairly surprised that it had taken Tatsuya this long to join an actual duelling school.

"_You Show is well-known and all, but why not try for a school that has greater prospects to offer? If you really want to pursue a professional career, then why not join the LDS?"_

At first, Tatsuya hadn't had a very good answer as to why he had picked You Show over the LDS. Truth to be told, he hadn't had a very good answer to it until recently. Now however, after encountering a number of LDS students as well as the leading forces of the Leo Corporation, Tatsuya knew. You Show Duel School might not be perfect by any means; it was plain as day that they were struggling but‒ people still did their best, not just to win but to also include others in the fun. Entertainment Duelling wasn't just about winning; the people at You Show did not duel because they wanted to make someone experience defeat. Instead, it was a nice, warm feeling.

"Looks like they've just about finished warming up, huh?" Tatsuya comments softly, but Ayu and Futashi are both too absorbed in what is happening out in the field to hear him. Tatsuya really doesn't mind though, not really, because he knows how easy it is to get drawn in by it all. In fact, he is just about to join them when something, movements out of the corner of his eye, draws his attention away from the field once again.

Johan is standing there, just a few feet behind them, and he is partly facing away from the duel. Tatsuya considers saying something, asking something. He ultimately holds himself back though, noticing the seemingly troubled look on Johan's face and the way the other keeps looking off in direction of the door.

Briefly, Tatsuya wonders if it might be the LDS. Maybe Sawatari has decided to seek revenge? Or maybe that Chairwoman Akaba is back to‒

Tatsuya's thoughts are cut short as Johan suddenly looks his way. Briefly, they lock eyes, and then Johan smiles. The smile seems genuine enough, but‒

Then Johan steps closer to the viewing window, turning his back fully on the door. The cat, Pharaoh, yawns from its position on one of the couches; it doesn't seem to be overly concerned with the situation, so that should mean that everything is all right, right? Tatsuya had heard from somewhere that animals supposedly had quite good instincts when it came to stuff like this.

"Looks like they're having fun," Johan calmly observes, his voice soft.

Tatsuya glances up briefly to catch his expression; the earlier tension has, for the most part, given way to contemplation. "Yeah, pretty much."

**-V-**

Truth to be told, Yuya hadn't been entirely sure as to what to expect. First and foremost, the fact that Judai had shown an interest in trying out Entertainment Duelling had been relatively exceptional in itself. It hadn't been unbelievable per se, just somewhat surprising, considering everything. Granted, Judai's style of duelling had always featured some element of fun, but‒

For a brief moment, Yuya had thought that Judai might actually try to go easy on him, but now, such worries seemed to have been unnecessary. Yuya doesn't fault him for that though. If anything, then it is really the opposite; his future opponents will likely be tougher than ever before, and if Yuya manages to overcome this obstacle, then he will be far more ready to face them.

"I summon _Performapal Drummerilla_ in Attack Mode and end my turn."

Now he needs just one more card.

Judai draws his next card, glances at it and then slams it down onto his duel terminal. "I summon _Elemental HERO Stratos_!" Judai announces, and while Yuya is still processing his statement, he hitches a ride with his newly summoned Monster, obviously aiming for the latest Action Card, all while Great Tornado destroys another Hippo Token.

Yuya sets off in pursuit, still processing what is occurring. With Great Tornado still on the field, why would Judai abruptly decide to summon _Elemental HERO Stratos_, which only had 1800 ATK and 300 DEF? A Trap? A test? Or possibly‒

"I attack Elemental HERO Stratos with Drummerilla! I also activate Drummerilla's Effect!"

Drummerilla's ATK was normally 1600, but for the duration of the Battle Phase‒

With the incoming attack, Judai jumps off his ride, actually somersaulting backwards and snagging the Action Card midair before touching down upon one of the pillars, activating it within moments of impact. "I activate _Miracle_!"

With Miracle, Stratos remains on the field, and the Battle Damage is halved, meaning that Judai loses just 200 Life Points instead of 400. Moreover, he makes it look very good.

Yuya cannot help but feel at least a twinge of envy when he notices just how easily Judai overcomes his initial stumbles. Recalling his own first attempts as well as those he had made after his father's disappearance, Yuya honestly cannot help but feel that way, because currently, Judai is performing acrobatics worthy of a duelling pro.

More so, Judai is doing it in that getup of his; Yuya wouldn't _not_ call it a full on costume per se, but‒

Given the pretty tight deadline, Yuya had been surprised by just how good it looked aside from its relative simplicity. Then again, up close, Yuya had swiftly picked up on how well made it was, especially so considering the time constraints. Granted, Judai _had_ admitted to having excellent assistance, but‒

"It turned out pretty well, I think," Judai had said, right at the beginning of things. "It doesn't limit my movements."

Judai had made a good choice, prioritising practicality and mobility over additional dramatic flair. Moreover, the costume looks good on him, even midair. The sheer redness of the modified trench coat only amplifies the thrill of those watching; even though the noises from outside the duel are somewhat muted, there is little mistaking the sheer excitement from the spectators.

Though it's decidedly stupid, not to mention pointless, to let such a thing get to him, Yuya still feels the sting of it. He does, even while knowing Judai has little thought of trying to steal his place, be it in the limelight or elsewhere.

But‒ No time for that. Focus. Assess the situation. _Focus_.

It's Judai's turn now.

He draws, smiles at the card and then at Yuya. Then he calls for Great Tornado to destroy the last remaining Hippo Token, finishing his turn by setting the card.

Yuya draws, glances at the card and experiences a sudden rush of joy at the sight of it. He straightens up, turning to address the audience. "Ladies and gentlemen! We're just about to welcome a new star on stage!"

Because now, having come this far, Yuya knows exactly what to do. "I use _Polymerization_ to fuse _Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon_ with _Performapal Drummerilla_! Come forth, ferocious dragon with luminous feral eyes, _Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon_!

_Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon_. Level 8. 3000 ATK. 2000 DEF. "If Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon destroys an opponent's monster by battle, the damage is the same as the original ATK of the Beast-Type monster used as Fusion Material!"

In other words, 1600.

Judai whistles, but hardly seems fazed. If anything, then he seems positively delighted.

The response from the sidelines is also great, but‒

Yuya now has a Fusion Monster on the field, one that is stronger than both Elemental HERO Great Tornado and Elemental HERO Stratos. However, there are also the two cards Judai had set; Trap Cards? Spells?

Stratos had just 1800 ATK, whereas Beast-Eyes had 3000. Then, applying the Effect, that would mean‒ "Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Elemental HERO Stra‒" Yuya doesn't get much farther before Judai's voice cuts in.

"I discard one card from my hand to activate _Quick-Play Spell: Mask Change II_! I send Elemental HERO Stratos to the Graveyard‒"

Wha‒? To the Graveyard?

"‒To Summon _Masked HERO Divine Wind_!"

Lights explode on the Action Field as Beast-Eyes attack impacts on Judai's latest summon. The shockwaves are no joke either, as Yuya finds himself thrown off balance, regaining it right before stumbling off the edge. Having finished its attack, Beast-Eyes lands beside him. The impact and the ensuing roar send definite tremors throughout the field.

Yuya looks towards the spot where he had last seen Judai and his monsters, but he can't see anything due to the smoke. As the moment drags on, Yuya feels a stab of trepidation. What if Judai had been‒?

Then, another sharp gust of wind parts the smoke, revealing the scene. A new monster, clad in green and white armour and a white cape, stands at the centre, and just behind it, there is a shock of red; Judai's coat is billowing, and on his face is a domino mask.

There are sounds of awe coming from the spectators, and Yuya really cannot help but be a bit awed himself, but‒ _"How?"_

Judai's Life Points, previously at 3800, are now‒

"As I was saying," the masked Judai says, grinning as he gestured to the newest monster. "Using Stratos and Mask Change II, I Summoned Masked HERO Divine Wind, which has the same attribute as Stratos but a higher level, and cannot be Special Summoned by other means. Another nifty thing is that Divine Wind cannot be destroyed by battle, which means‒"

Yuya feels his shoulders slump. "‒that Beast-Eyes Double Damage Effect is nullified."

"Bingo!" Judai exchanges a high five with his monsters.

_Masked HERO Divine Wind_, Level 8, 2700 ATK, 1900 DEF. Not as powerful as Beast-Eyes, but formidable nonetheless.

Yuya cannot help but sigh. "I set a card and end my turn. I take it there are more nasty surprises waiting for me."

Judai draws a card, smiles widely and then adds it to his hand. "Gotcha! One nasty surprise coming right up!" he announces, and there are cheers from the sidelines. "I activate Quick-Play Spell: _Mask Change_ and target Elemental HERO Great Tornado!"

Great Tornado is returned to the Extra Deck, and in its place‒ "Come forth, Level 6, _Masked HERO Blast_!"

_Masked HERO Blast_, Level 6, 2200 ATK, 1800 DEF. Another Wind Attribute… "And its Effect?"

Judai grins. "I'm allowed to target once face-up monster controlled by my opponent and halve its current ATK."

‒Which means Beast-Eyes is down to 1500 ATK, seeing that the Stargazer and Timegazer combo can only prevent the activation of Traps and Spells, not Monster Effects. "I really need to revise my strategy, don't I?"

Judai's grin widens slightly. "Well‒"

**-V-**

The rest of the Duel is intense, but afterwards, it's something of a blur. With the Effect of Masked HERO Blast activated, Judai attacks with Divine Wind. Beast-Eyes vanishes with a screech, and the attack also leaves quite a dent in Yuya's Life Points, dropping them from 4000 down to just 2800. It definitely hurts, but it occurs to Yuya that a direct hit from Great Tornado would have been even worse. Instead Judai had used that Masked Change Spell to turn Great Tornado, a Level 8 Monster, into Masked HERO Blast, a Level 6. Initially, Yuya had believed it was because of Blast's fairly convenient Monster Effect, but then‒

"And, finally, I fuse Masked HERO Divine Wind and Masked HERO Blast! Come forth, Level 9, _Contrast HERO Chaos_!"

_Contrast HERO Chaos_, Level 9, 3000 ATK, 2600 DEF.

Hah, Chaos. Both in that moment and in what follows, Yuya thinks it is only appropriate. Still, he fights back to the best of his ability, but even when he knows he is fighting a losing battle. And, despite everything, Yuya can admit that he has had fun by the time his Life Points finally hit zero.

The smoke has barely even cleared before Judai lands in front of him. "Yo, need a helping hand?"

Yuya cannot help but return the grin aimed down at him, allowing Judai to pull him back onto his feet. "You went easy on me at the beginning."

"Wasn't I supposed to?" There is little mistaking the amusement in Judai's voice, and as he dislodges the domino from his face, it becomes all the more apparent.

Yuya isn't mad, even while knowing that Judai could have likely won this duel a bit earlier than he had. "I know what you think about my dad's teachings, but for all that it's worth, I think you honoured them in this Duel."

The statement makes Judai pause, amusement giving way to surprise. Yuya can hardly fault him though, because to be completely honest, Yuya is fairly surprised himself.

"Well," Judai says at last, all while the Action Field finishes dematerialising around them. "You honoured your father's teachings and I tried to honour those of mine, I guess."

Huh? "Your father's?"

"Oops, no," Judai smiles sheepishly, giving a somewhat dismissive wave. "I meant I try to honour the teachings of a bunch of people who… mean a lot to me. This is me… paying homage, I guess, to my old friends, my old professors and to my great idol back home."

Yuya can sense that there is a lot of meaning to those pauses, but for now, he would rather not delve into it. "Not your parents?"

Judai gives a snort and a slight shrug at that. "Hah. Nah, my folks aren't duellists and they weren't very happy about me becoming one, even if they didn't try to stop me. But yeah, enough about that. Congrats."

Coming to think of it, the topic of Judai's parents had always, somehow, been conveniently skipped, hadn't it? Either way‒ "Shouldn't I be the one saying that?"

"I meant congrats on achieving Pendulum Fusion," Judai clarifies, giving him a slight pat on the back.

"Thanks, it means a lot. Really." And it does, it really does.

"No problem. I had fun."

Yeah, no doubt about that.

"Me too." Yuya lifts his gaze to the window, smiling. "What about you guys?" he shouts.

They cheer and then vanish from sight, obviously headed out towards the field. Only Johan lingers in the window; Judai gives him a brief thumbs-up before returning his attention to Yuya. "And that's what it's all about, right?" he says, and upon seeing Yuya's confusion, he clarifies by adding "Entertainment Duelling."

Yuya smiles, because yeah. "Pretty much."

"That having been said," Judai offers, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "We should've been home half an hour ago. You've got a Duel first thing in the morning, right?"

True, but‒ "Isn't it the same for you though?"

"Pretty much."

"Where?"

Judai pauses a brief moment to think. "The LDS," he says at last, sounding entirely unconcerned. "After that, it's the Cloud Dragon-Something School, tomorrow afternoon."

"You're really cramming two Official Duels in one day…" _Of course he is._

"Pretty much, but the deadline is approaching," Judai concedes, and that much is true. Still‒

"What about the day after tomorrow?"

Again, Judai needs a moment to think before answering. "Kabuki School in the morning and Psycho Duel School in the afternoon."

Whoa. "You're really committed to this."

Judai shrugs mildly at that. "When I commit, I commit. But yeah, I'll probably be pretty beat by the end of the week."

No kidding. "I heard from Gong that you've got one at his place as well."

This time around, Judai's response is fairly immediate. "Yeah, in the morning, two days from now on."

That makes five, which means‒ "Which one's the last?"

Again, Judai's response is immediate. "Ryozanpaku."

"Ryozanpaku?" Yuya repeats, aware that it is one of the more high-profile schools alongside the LDS. He doesn't know an awful lot more though, something which he, truth to be told, should probably do something about.

"Yeah, Futoshi says they're super violent martial artists. That'll be interesting for sure."

Super violent martial artists. Interesting. Well‒ "Good luck. On all of it. If you're committed to this, you better qualify."

Judai looks his way, amusement evident. "Same to you."

**-V-**


End file.

Yu-Gi-Oh GX, Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V