Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Vector stumbles into the Barian World, unsteady on his feet and still a bit high from his loss. The perfection of it all still has him buzzing as he thinks that all is going exactly how he wants it.

But, oh, he had seen how Astral and that Tsukumo Yuuma had teamed up to defeat him in Faker’s body. He had seen first hand how well they worked together, and while this changes nothing for his plans, it does require a bit of tweaking so he ensures his sought after victory.

“They’re strong,” he whispers to himself, alone and far from the other Barian Emperors for this plan needs privacy to be brought to fruition. “But how strong will they be after this ?”

He reaches inside him for the powers he has, the ones he gained all those centuries ago when he himself was created from the ruins. It rushes through him, causes shivers and anticipation as his eyes gleam in frenzy. Before him, a figure manifests from nothing, with sharp orange hair and glinting purple eyes and its purpose woven through its very core.

It looks at Vector, silent and awaiting. He looks at all of it, admiring his work and his greatness in Phase Two of his ingenious plan to bring down the Barian World’s one and only threat.

“You,” he tells it, stepping forward to rest both hands on its shoulders, “are called Shingetsu Rei. And your purpose…” Vector pauses, leans down so it hears and knows this part well and good.

“Your purpose is to die .”

Chapter Text

Vector sends Shingetsu Rei to observe what Tsukumo Yuuma can do. He had been warned to stay out of the way and only watch as the other Barian Emperors try their own plan in defeating Astral World’s emissary.

But Tsukumo Yuuma meets the Barian pawn with an absence around his neck, throwing himself into the duel with a hard determined set in his gaze.

He cannot hear the words exchanged down on the ground while he oversees from above. But he sees the hesitation when a girl finally arrives with the Emperor’s Key, tossing it to the battered duelist who goes down without laying a finger on the pendant. He focuses intently on how Tsukumo Yuuma is reluctant to use the Astral World’s top weapon against a strong Barian foe. 

But as soon as his fingers curl around the Emperor’s Key, blue light bursts and even he from the third floor can hear Astral’s words echoing in his mind.

Anyone who harms my friends… will not be forgiven!

And so he thinks the eventual victory over the pawn is hardly surprising to anyone, even to the Barian Emperor who is surely watching as well. He observes Tsukumo Yuuma’s friends crowd around him to congratulate his win and how the sunlight glints off the Emperor’s Key now snug around his neck, Astral floating right next to his shoulder with a smile on his face.

He smiles to himself.

Interesting.

*

Meeting Tsukumo Yuuma is easy. Shingetsu Rei follows him on his way to school and pounces - quite literally - on his chance to knock into the duelist. False admiration and a good helping of misguidance have them both arriving late to class.

Make him trust you , Vector had ordered before he set out that morning. But also make his life hell.

So he did everything to annoy, pester, and agitate the boy while keeping the largest and brightest smile he knows on his face. He sees the utter frustration grow and grow on Tsukumo Yuuma and lets that be his victory for the day.

No need to rush things, he thinks, as Vector’s plan requires time and patience. He will work on getting himself on Yuuma’s good side another time.

However, his last action of the day foils that.

He sees the pro duelist Tsukumo Yuuma wishes to battle and decides to hound the guy into either actually dueling Yuuma or blowing them both off enough for Tsukumo Yuuma’s hatred in Shingetsu Rei to increase. Win-win, he supposes, as he wouldn’t mind another look at how Tsukumo Yuuma duels.

But as he approaches the man and lets slip the name of the boy, he notices immediately what was so off putting about his retreating figure.

Ah, he’s a Barian pawn now.

An opportunity falls into his lap and he thinks this may be too easy.

Pretending to be overwhelmed by the pro duelist’s deck and being knocked away by the final finishing blow certainly is easy. Tsukumo Yuuma and his gaggle of supporters arrive from his cries of loss, thus kickstarting the next Barian pawn versus Tsukumo Yuuma and Astral duel.

Except… the boy claims his battle is for him . Says he will win for Shingetsu Rei because even though all he’s done is make his day worse and claim it to be for the best, he is Tsukumo Yuuma’s ‘friend’.

… Now that was too easy. Too easy for it to seem possible, really.

The duel finishes - Tsukumo Yuuma and Astral the obvious winners - and he can do nothing but race to the weakened boy. He offers him a ride to the nurse, hoping this will distract himself long enough and not overthink on what the boy’s words really mean.

As he's getting situated on his back, Tsukumo Yuuma claims Shingetsu Rei to be one with the gang.

He answers this with taking off before the boy has a good chance to get a proper grip, relishing in his startled cries and trying to ignore the accompanying laughter.

*

Shingetsu Rei is just a bit put out that he doesn’t get an official Numbers Club card like the rest of Tsukumo Yuuma’s band of misfits (just a bit ). At his whining over that fact, the one called Takeda Tetsuo says he will make one for him the next time he has a chance.

Still, it does not hurt to call all of them over to Yuuma’s next Barian pawn duel instead of keeping the show to himself.

He has to be on all of their good sides for the plan to work, after all.

*

The first time Shingetsu Rei notices Kamishiro Ryouga is when he has some crude remarks for a manga artist’s rendition of him. At that point, he doesn’t stand out too much, so he just continues to follow Tsukumo Yuuma’s group as the energetic boy chastises the one a grade above him for being so rude.

But Kamishiro Ryouga is a friend of Tsukumo Yuuma’s, so he must at least try to get on his good side as well. Thus the trip to the convenient store to grab some snacks for his sister, who he hears is in the hospital. Yet, the one called Mizuki Kotori informs him just as they approach the hospital doors that Kamishiro Ryouga’s sister is in a coma and will be unable to eat any of the snacks he has bought for her.

A pity, and a waste of money, but Tsukumo Yuuma instantly offers to eat it all in her place, so he supposes it hardly matters.

Just before Mizuki Kotori, Tsukumo Yuuma, and him can enter the hospital, Kamishiro Ryouga himself bursts from the doors and says in an almost frightened tone that his sister is missing.

It reeks of a Barian trap, which it indeed turns out to be. But he hasn’t heard of Kamishiro Ryouga from Vector, so why would the other Barian Emperors go after him instead of continuing their onslaught on Tsukumo Yuuma?

A duel between the Barian pawn and Kamishiro Ryouga starts and with his sister as a hostage, the boy begins to lose, threatening total defeat lest he indirectly harms the unconscious girl. Yuuma and Mizuki Kotori distress over the imminent loss until the latter remembers the pawn’s art book and the drawings depicting this very duel. Tsukumo Yuuma volunteers to go look for it in hopes the answer to winning the duel lies in there.

Shingetsu Rei tags himself along, thinking the reason Barian Emperor Gilag is going after Kamishiro Ryouga may have something to do with his sister.

The solution to the first problem is solved upon retrieving the book, and as it so happens, Kamishiro Ryouga summons a Number card while he and Tsukumo Yuuma watch through the boy’s duel disc.

Which would of course make him another target for the Barians.

Except Shingetsu Rei’s orders explicitly say Tsukumo Yuuma and Astral are the only ones he needs to worry about.

As he watches Kamishiro Ryouga duel from Yuuma’s D-Gazer, something about him seems… strange. The boy struggles to beat the Barian pawn thrown at him because of his sister, but when he calls to her, something warbles on the screen, just for a split second. Then Kamishiro Rio in all her glory appears atop the comic castle, awake and aware.

Then Kamishiro Ryouga summons his Chaos Number with a new kind of intensity.

The screen glitches once more, Tsukumo Yuuma grumbling quietly to himself about the bad quality of the picture.

Shingetsu Rei frowns. He should have stayed to watch.

*

“Kamishiro Ryouga?” Vector repeats the name with a hint of distaste in his tone.

“There’s something about him that-”

“I don’t care that he has one Number card or if his eyes glow in the dark,” he spats. “Leave him for the other Barian Emperors to deal with. Your mission is to cuddle up to Tsukumo Yuuma enough to utterly crush him once your end draws near. Is that clear enough for you, clone?”

“Yes, Vector.”

*

Kamishiro Rio, as it turns out, isn’t one to be ignored either.

During lunch, she eagerly tells embarrassing stories of her brother. He begins to protest, but a piercing gaze quickly quiets him.

There is something in her eyes when she looks at him like that which has Shingetsu Rei immediately interested. For the rest of the day, he keeps an eye on her as she beats everyone in every club at their own game.

It’s when she is called by the leader of the Floral Club where things get interesting.

He notices it almost instantly. The way the leader holds herself, the rhythmic sound of her clipping, and the dulled gaze of a certain Barian pawn. When everyone else falls, it’s easy to fall with them.

Except, of course, Tsukumo Yuuma, who has held on as well with the help of Astral.

All things point to yet another duel between the pawn and Yuuma, but then there’s movement to his right.

Kamishiro Rio sits back up and accepts the challenge for herself.

It’s difficult to keep the act of being asleep intact when his mind goes reeling in answers for how she, a simple human, would notice the trick the pawn had been playing and managed to overcome it. He is rigid as Kamishiro Rio, the pawn, Tsukumo Yuuma and by default Astral go outside to begin the match.

Once he is alone save for the even breathing of the sleeping, he sits up and curls his hands to fists.

He watches the duel from a window, silent and observant even as Kamishiro Rio calls upon the force of winter and has the look of glinting suns.

The duel is over in no time, Kamishiro Rio the clear winner. Kamishiro Ryouga then reveals himself from the shadows and joins his sister and Yuuma in the garden.

He glances between the twins.

Both the Kamishiro’s are ones to watch, he decides.

If anyone notices how quiet he is when they wake up, no one speaks of it.

*

Shingetsu Rei feels a new presence when he enters the Human World the next day, so he sticks close to Yuuma so that when the time comes for another Barian duel, he won’t miss it.

Easier said than done.

Tsukumo Yuuma starts his day running. He chases Takeda Tetsuo to school at his fastest speed where not even shadow can properly keep up.

Halfway to school, as he runs after Tsukumo Yuuma’s back, he notices faintly the increase in Barian presence as they pass Mizuki Kotori and someone he’s doesn’t quite recognize. Before he can stop to investigate, however, the boy ahead of him calls back to hurry up, and so he has no choice but to leave the likely Barian pawn behind.

Besides, he doesn’t seem to be causing too much trouble at the moment anyways.

Class time isn’t much better for Shingetsu Rei. They are in the pool for gym class when he feels the presence again. Yet before he can properly look around for the source, Tsukumo Yuuma loops an arm around his neck and drags him to the top of the highest diving board. Undeterred by his struggling, the boy jumps off and drags him down with him.

It’s a miracle he doesn’t drown.

The last bell as him running all over again. He follows Tsukumo Yuuma to where Mizuki Kotori is, stopping a few feet back to catch his breath. It’s then that he realizes the same boy with the Barian presence around him is there by the girl. Just before he can look around the two to get a good look at this pawn, Yuuma is racing off again with Mizuki Kotori at his heels. With a haggard sigh, he runs after them again, leaving the boy and the presence behind.

He wonders briefly why this pawn is taking so long to enact the plan that his commanding Barian Emperor has given, but decides to shrug it off. They'll strike when they're ready.

Thinking back to through the day’s events, he decides once Yuuma and his friends leave for home to stay on school grounds that night so he won’t have to run too much the following day.

This, however, causes Tsukumo Yuuma to frighten when he pops up from under his desk at the mention of a duel challenge.

A bit reluctantly, he agrees to let Yuuma go up to the roof by himself (“ this seems personal, so I should go alone. I don’t want to scare away the guy before I can duel him !”) while he distracts Mizuki Kotori, who is said to be the prize of the duel.

But, while he is gone, the presence of Barian energy begins to grow and overwhelm him. Mizuki Kotori keeps asking where Yuuma is and, eventually, he can’t do anything other than indulge her, if only because his unease won’t let him just sit there anymore.

What he sees when he gets on the roof jolts him to his core.

Standing across from Tsukumo Yuuma, recently defeated, is a figure with a sense of familiarity. As the figure creeps closer and closer, he realizes who it is in a sudden awakening of latent memories given to him by Vector.

Alito .

Even though the Barian Emperor is in his human form, now that he has a good look at him, Shingetsu Rei can do nothing but recognize him. Even if his hairstyle wasn’t a dead give away, the general aura that he gives out certainly confirms his suspicions.

He slinks to one side as Alito pushes Mizuki Kotori out of the way. Quiet fear of being mistaken for his original has him silent as he watches Tsukumo Yuuma and Alito declare each other rivals, much to the confusion of everyone else in attendance.

Hundreds of questions dance in his head. Does this Barian Emperor know that this is Tsukumo Yuuma? The one they are destined to defeat? If so, then why would he allow himself to get so close to the human boy?

Why hadn’t Shingetsu Rei noticed that a Barian Emperor was so close in the first place?

Chapter Text

In hindsight, it had been meaningless for him to be afraid of Alito recognizing him. The Barian Emperor had never seen Vector’s human form before, for he loathed to be in it for long periods of time as it made him less powerful.

Hence the creation and use of Shingetsu Rei for his plan.

There is also the fact that because he is a clone and not the real Vector, his presence as a Barian is greatly diminished. So there would be no worry of Alito or any other, even Astral himself, to sense that there is something amiss with him.

Vector had also told him that all the other Barian Emperors thought of him as long gone since they had all seen the duel he lost while possessing Dr. Faker. Thus, they would not be looking for him, much less him in his human form.

Which is why the next day has him worry free and back to his plan, ‘accidentally’ causing Mizuki Kotori and the other girl in the group called Cathy to get into a fight.

He needs to test the bonds of the overall group, too, after all.

Tsukumo Yuuma, as it seems, is not good in dealing with verbal fights. He flails as he tries to calm everyone down as the situation escalates and begins to include not only the whole Numbers Club, but Kamishiro Rio as well.

The next day has everyone not talking to each other, despite Tsukumo Yuuma’s best efforts to get them to hang out and have fun again.

He has to listen to Yuuma complain about it on the walk back from school, just the two of them (and Astral floating nearby) for once. He offers to duel the boy when he expresses his disappointment in having no one to battle with, more as an attempt to keep him from whining his ear off, and is quickly brushed off as expected.

Doesn’t mean that he feels nothing with the casual rejection.

(He does not miss the pointed look Astral gives him).

Before the floating spirit can say anything to his partner, the moment is ruined as someone blocks their path.

He knows who it is before he looks up.

Gilag.

The Barian Emperor has been lurking around Heartland since before he had arrived, so knowing that he is here and has been watching them fight amongst themselves is not surprising to him.

Still, he has to fight down the split second urge to stiffen and steer Tsukumo Yuuma clear of him just so he won’t have to risk the chance of being recognized more than he has to.

Gilag sits with them and suggests a way to fix everything.

A Sports Duel Tournament.

Except Tsukumo Yuuma has to lose in the final round.

Gilag assures Yuuma that this is a sure fire way to get everyone to make up and be back to being friends. But only if he loses on purpose.

He sees the trap as it obviously is set. He figures he should be more surprised that Tsukumo Yuuma jumps immediately onto the idea, but he’s spent enough time with the boy to know he does care enough about his friends being happy and together that losing a silly tournament looks like nothing.

The plan Gilag has is a roundabout way of doing things and could fail very easily, but it’s interesting enough to have him offering his own help with the project, if only to see everything crash and burn in Gilag’s face.

And does it crash and burn.

After hours of every combination of sports they could think of, the finalists that Gilag announces are the team of Tsukumo Yuuma and Kamishiro Ryouga (who had been dragged into the whole mess by his sister) and the team of Mizuki Kotori and Cathy.

Gilag calls the team of girls to follow him for a talk. Shingetsu Rei knows exactly what he plans to do, but let’s it happen nonetheless. He figures Yuuma could get out trouble easily enough to have no other additional help step in, especially in a tag duel.

Surprisingly to Shingetsu Rei, nothing had gone wrong with this convoluted plan yet. But the Barian Emperor should have known Kamishiro Ryouga was going to bail as soon as he had his back turned.

Now Gilag is shoved onto Yuuma’s team to fill the gap and before he can worm his way out of it, the duel starts, the girls silent in their Barian brainwashed minds.

And he wants to laugh, but can’t; the group would question his humor and he can’t explain just how entertaining it is to watch a Barian Emperor be flustered over falling into his own trap. So he stays quiet and occasionally calls his support for Yuuma like a true and honest friend would.

Just before the girls use their Barian cards, Kamishiro Rio speaks up about how their auras seem strange and different. He listens as she comes to the realization mere moments before Mizuki Kotori places down the card to reveal the true purpose of the duel.

The appearance of the Barian symbol on their foreheads is enough to wake Tsukumo Yuuma up and get into the swing of things. He defeats them in just one turn and Gilag, visibly conflicted that he has been saved from disappearing alongside Astral and having his ‘brilliant’ plan go wrong in such a way, slinks off before anyone can come up to congratulate him on the win that really only belongs to Yuuma.

He figures the events to be amusing enough and is in such a good mood as to allow a genuine smile as he watches Mizuki Kotori and Cathy chase Yuuma down for a rematch.

*

Shingetsu Rei walks home with Yuuma and Mizuki Kotori after school the next day. They trail behind Yuuma as he sighs ahead of them. He notices that Astral is nowhere to be seen.

Glancing at Mizuki Kotori, he ventures an ask.

“I’m not sure,” she answers to the condition of her friend, turning a concerned eye to him as he stares at the ground. “Astral hasn’t shown himself all day either…”

He hums in acknowledgement, all of them falling into silence for the rest of the journey. When they get to the Tsukumo household, he takes in Yuuma’s far away look as he says his goodbyes.

He parts with Mizuki Kotori early in order to give himself time to think. She lets him go easily enough, waving to him in farewell as she continues onward toward her own home. Once she is gone, he slips into an alley to open a portal back to the Barian World for the night.

As he steps through, he tries to tell himself that it’s probably nothing.

*

“Mizael is coming,” is what Vector tells him as soon as he appears before him.

“Mizael?” The name of the Barian Emperor tastes sour on his tongue.

“Yes. Seeing how incompetent Alito and Gilag have been in their planning to get the Numbers from Tsukumo Yuuma and defeat Astral, I have no doubts that Durbe will send in Mizael to actually get the job done.”

“What am I to do?” Vector hadn’t warned him about the first two Emperors coming, so there must be a reason for him to bring this up now.

Vector’s eyes glint as he begins to pace, his footsteps clacking on the stone ground. “Stay away from him. He’s unpredictable and strong. In fact, I don’t want you to even go to the Human World before I get a good look at what his plans are.” Vector throws an apathetic glance towards him. “I’d rather not go through the trouble of creating a whole new clone if he unleashes his temper on you. So, you’ll be staying here.”

“But-” He’s cut off by Vector rounding upon him, hand just inches from his face.

“Are you back talking me?”

His voice is strong, but his insides tremble. “… Apologizes, Vector.”  He clenches his fists, thinking about Yuuma’s earlier despondency. “I’ll stay here until you’ve cleared him.”

Seemingly satisfied, Vector opens a portal and steps into it, presumably leaving to observe the events of the Human World in privacy.

*

There couldn’t have been more than a day between Vector leaving and it happening.

It is a force that he can feel even in his place in the Barian World, a shaking in the core of everything that makes him know he can’t just stay here, no matter what Vector says or what he’ll do to him when he comes back.

With a glance around to make sure the Barian Emperor hasn’t dropped by for an unexpected visit, Shingetsu Rei opens a portal to the Human World and steps out.

The sight that greets him when he looks down the cliff he’s arrived on is one that sends chills down his spine. A Barian Sphere Field has opened in the middle of the forest and in it contains the things of nightmares; two dragons with galaxies for eyes call to each other, shaking the very air around them with their cries. It’s no surprise to see Mizael floating below Number 107, but this is the first time Shingetsu Rei has laid eyes on one Tenjo Kaito and his ace, Galaxy Eyes Photon Dragon. Down on the ground, he vaguely notes the Kamishiro twins and Mizuki Kotori watching the battle from the ground, straining their necks up to get a good view.

But what really grabs his attention is who else occupies the sphere. His eyes widen as he recognizes the form of Astral leaning over a prone body, barely moving from what he can see.

Tsukumo Yuuma.

Was Mizael doing it? Was he really defeating Tsukumo Yuuma and Astral and gathering up the Numbers himself?

Was the creation of Shingetsu Rei all for naught?

But the duel isn’t over yet. Tenjo Kaito summons his upgraded Galaxy Eyes, and he knows via Vector that Mizael has never been one to back down from a challenge. The Barian Emperor changes his form, morphing into his true self with hard yellow skin and a mouthless face. The humans can only watch in terror as he Chaos summons his own upgrade, awakening the true power of Number 107.

Yet it’s too much. The raw energy of a monster barely controlled has the Barian Sphere Field trembling with the force of it. Mizael calls off the duel just as it shatters, transporting himself away before gravity can deal him a blow.

Unfortunately, humans cannot teleport themselves away from danger, so down they both go.

Tenjo Kaito is picked up by his robot, but everyone can only watch, frozen in place, as Tsukumo Yuuma falls from the sky like a bird whose wings have been clipped.

But then there’s movement from the ground. Kamishiro Ryouga lunges from his stupor and races to try and catch the plummeting boy. But Yuuma is on course to a crack in the ground, so Kamishiro Ryouga dives forward in order to snag his hand as he flies past. However, the inertia of the fall as Yuuma unwillingly yanking Kamishiro Ryouga down with him, the ground tumbling away to make both boys descend into the darkness.

And Shingetsu Rei finds himself moving on his own accord. Not stopping to think that Vector is watching everything in the area, he steps from the shadows to the top of the high ledge in order to get a better look.

What can he do? There’s no way he can transport down there without drawing attention to himself and his powers, but there’s also no sign of the condition that Kamishiro Ryouga and Tsukumo Yuuma are in. Heart racing, the only thing he can do is watch as Mizuki Kotori cries into the darkness and Kamishiro Rio calls for official help.

He observes helplessly from above as a rescue team arrives, hoisting the boys out of the hole and gently carrying them away with urgency.

He’ll follow them to the hospital.

*

He gets there after the ambulance, but just before Kamishiro Rio on her brother’s bike and the car carrying the Tsukumo family with Mizuki Kotori pulls up for parking. He hides around the corner of the building as they all scurry up the stairs and past the doors. Yet, before they slam shut behind them, he hears Mizuki Kotori tell Kamishiro Rio that she’ll call their friends to inform them of what happened.

Now alone, he considers waiting for her call before running in and pretending to have been nearby. But, some part of him doubts she will call him , the newest member of their bunch who they know practically nothing about and doesn’t socialize with them when Tsukumo Yuuma isn't involved.

So Shingetsu Rei takes quick sharp breaths, jogging in place and building up a slight sweat before racing to follow the path the others took moments before.

They’re all still at the front desk, hounding for information as he bursts through the doors. Mizuki Kotori startles at the sight of him and asks in a shrill voice, “what are you doing here?”

Her question comes off a bit accusing, but he acknowledges the sheer amount of stress and confusion she must be going through, having witnessed all that up close. He gathers himself, holding a hand up as he tries to regain the breath he still has. “I saw the ambulance and had a bad feeling,” he lies easily.

“A bad feeling?” It’s plain to see she doesn’t believe him, not entirely, but fortunately she drops it in favor of ringing up Yuuma’s real friends.

After the others arrive and they are all directed into a waiting room as the two injured boys go into their respective surgeries, he gets a rundown of the events from Mizuki Kotori.

She had coaxed Yuuma up the mountain to the forest in order to distract from his sour mood, but they were attacked by the Barian Emperor Mizael from out of nowhere. Yuuma wasn’t his usual self and if Tenjo Kaito hadn’t stepped in, she isn’t sure what would have happened.

They grow silent after that.

*

Eventually, the doctors tell them that the two boys are fine, but it’s best to let them rest for the night and to come back the next day for visits. Everyone goes easily enough, for doctors know what’s best.

Except Shingetsu Rei hesitates once he’s outside in the evening air.

Vector is waiting for him back in the Barian World, that much is clear. It’s certain that by this point his absence has been noticed. He’s thankful at least that Vector’s hatred of the Human World won’t allow him to chase him down, so as long as he stays in this world, he can push off on getting his punishment.

Besides, he hasn’t even checked to see how Yuuma fairs after a duel like that.

So he wanders the streets that night, ducking through alleyways and past countless buildings until dawn arrives.

He’s there right as visiting hours open along with most of Yuuma’s friend group. He supposes that considering how fidgety they all were the day before, it isn’t a surprise to see them here as soon as they are able.

(No one mentions or takes note of the dark bags under his eyes or that he's wearing the same clothes as yesterday).

Of course, they all let the Tsukumo family go into the room first to make sure Yuuma’s grandmother and older sister know he is all right. The grandmother only stays a few minutes, already assured that he’s fine.

(He wonders how many times Yuuma has been in this scenario that his guardian is unconcerned about how it all happened).

The sister, however, is harder to get rid of. She takes so long in lecturing Yuuma while he sits in his bed, bandages covering his arms and legs and face, the group decides collectively that she’s overstayed her welcome and moves to crowd the small hospital room and give Yuuma additional support as his ears fall off from the yelling. It isn’t until Kamishiro Rio gives her a gentle scolding on her volume from the other half of the room - the one containing an equally if not more bandaged Kamishiro Ryouga - that the Tsukumo sister leaves with one last glare at her brother.

Shingetsu Rei finds this all highly amusing.

Although Yuuma does seem perfectly fine and on his way to full recovery in just a few days, mentally, he still isn’t all there. Even Kamishiro Ryouga has picked up on this, refusing to even look at the boy and scowling every time there is a faint sigh from the other side of the curtain.

He and the friend group try to stay with him as long as they are allowed to cheer him up. However, despite getting a few laughs from him, he notices as he leaves with the group that Yuuma’s smile is quick to fade from his face once he thinks they aren’t looking.

That’s a problem.

But before he can think of his own ways to bring back the cheerful and energetic Yuuma they all know, Mizuki Kotori speaks up on their way to the exit.

“I should have invited everyone else to go on the trip with us…” She looks at her feet and mumbles her guilt heavy words. “Maybe then he would have been in a better mood so he could’ve had a better chance dueling against Mizael.”

Several of the others look ready to deny her self blaming, but he beats them to it.

“That’s true. Why didn’t you invite everyone else?”

And perhaps the way he said it was too harsh and came out too forceful, but it’s a question he does feel needs an answer. If the goal of the trip was to cheer Yuuma up, then why was it only him and her? From his short time knowing Yuuma, he understands that the boy thrives off attention from a multitude of people. Just Mizuki Kotori herself wouldn’t be enough to flip his blues and from what she had just said, even she understands that.

Yet all he’s met with are glares. Some underlying emotion flashes across Mizuki Kotori's face as she refuses to answer. The group shuffles just a bit farther ahead of him without another word.

Ah, that must have crossed a line .

They part, most of them ignoring him as though he isn’t even there, but he doesn’t mind it that much. He’s too busy thinking of excuses to justify him visiting Yuuma daily until he gets out of the hospital so he can further put off going back to the Barian World. But none of them are good enough to keep Yuuma from being suspicious about his constant company, so he has no choice but to face what awaits him.

Taking a deep breath, he opens a portal in a secluded back alley and walks through it.

Chapter Text

He coughs, hand at his neck as he feels for bruises. The dark and small prison he’s been sentenced to for several days doesn’t help him get a good breath in. He feels like he’s drowning.

Vector, before he had closed the door on him, had said he was to stay until Yuuma is released from the hospital. The Barian Emperor would’ve had him stay in here for much, much longer than that for proper punishment, but having him be gone for too long would cause concern for at least Yuuma, and they need to avoid unnecessary suspicion. 

Three days tops is what he guesses it will take for Yuuma to fully heal. He thanks his luck for the boy not having any major, life threatening injuries from his high fall.

Gasping, he sits back against the freezing cold wall.

All he can do is wait and hope the measures Vector takes to insure he never does anything like this again aren’t too high.

*

The door opens with a slam, jolting him out of his dazed state. Vector eyes him from the opening with a certain look that makes him uneasy.

“Seems that this Kamishiro Ryouga you were so focused on managed to snap our Yuuma out of whatever funk he was in, just in time for him to get out of the hospital.”

Relief is what he feels, though for Yuuma’s improved mood or for his own imminent release from this prison, he’s unsure. Had it really only been three days?

“As promised, I’ll let you out of here now.” He makes a move to slink past Vector, but the Barian blocks his path with a sharp finger. “Ah, ah. Before that, there are some things I need you to do to prove your loyalty to me.”

His heart sinks. This is what he’s been fearing.

Clearing his throat, he asks in a rasp, “what will I do?”

If Vector’s Barian form had a mouth, he’d certainly be showing off the most devilish of smiles.

“You’ll take out Alito and Gilag for me.”

*

“Yuuma-kun!’” Shingetsu Rei calls out when the boy runs past, late for school again. He’s quick to catch up to him, and when he does, he lets a smile grow on his face. “You’re coming back to to school today, right? I’ve been waiting for this day!”

(He doesn’t elaborate on why, but Yuuma doesn’t need to know).

Yuuma laughs airily, but it dies fairly quickly when he narrows in on Shingetsu Rei’s neck and face.

He pulls his collar up higher in hopes to hide the bruises that are still healing. He can’t quite hide the deep bags under his eyes, though, and they are easily picked up on by Yuuma’s hawk eye.

“How did-”

“Tsukumo Yuuma!”

The call (thankfully) draws Yuuma’s attention away from him. The source of it is from (un-thankfully) a group of thirty or more duelists, eyes blank and duel discs set with the Barian insignia stamped upon their foreheads.

Really, he thinks as the group tries to advance and Astral makes an appearance by Yuuma’s side, this early?

He readies himself into pretending he’s a horrible duelist again, but Yuuma takes one look at him, then at the group, and makes a break for it.

A bit startled, but not in the least complaining, Shingetsu Rei follows his lead as they try to escape the many, many victory hungry duelists that are behind them.

(He curses himself for not paying more attention to the rising Barian power levels, especially power levels this high).

Of course, their course of action is cut off by a section of their enemies blocking their escape path, causing them to be surrounded with nowhere else to run. Yuuma swears to himself, knowing that if they face off against so many at once, they’ll be sure to lose.

Just as Shingetsu Rei debates dropping the ‘bad duelist’ facade in order for them to have a fighting chance to get out of this alive, a familiar voice calls from above.

Kamishiro Ryouga.

Never did he think he would be so relieved by the sight of the blue haired boy, as well as the arrival of Kamishiro Rio and Mizuki Kotori, even if the latter just sniffs at him in greeting (it’s a greeting nonetheless).

So Shingetsu Rei doesn’t have to get involved in the dueling. He lets the ‘experts’ handle the tough going and occupies himself with getting out of the way. As the battles heat up and more Barian pawns go down, he starts to believe that they can all make it out all right.

Then, of course, Gilag himself has to show up and shove a Barian card into his face.

One moment of pure terror that the Barian Emperor has figured out who he is and another moment of internally chastising himself for thinking such a thing when Gilag is so obviously confident in the power of the card later, Shingetsu Rei forces himself to let the mind controlling power of Chaos take over.

It turns out to be a mistake. As soon as he relinquishes control, his body moves immediately to behind Yuuma, bringing his arms under and over the boy’s armpits and shoulders to prevent him from placing any cards down and save himself from the surrounding group of monsters.

“All for the Barian World,” he mutters into Yuuma’s ear when he gets an alarmed response.

A suspicious glance from Astral out of the corner of his eye tells him that, yes , this was a bad idea.

Yet he can’t regain himself now, not with everyone’s attention on him. So he can only watch on as Gilag makes his pawns summon their most powerful monsters and orders them to attack Yuuma directly, all at once.

(He wonders how Vector will punish him for letting Gilag of all people be the one to defeat Tsukumo Yuuma and Astral and gain the Numbers in his possession).

However, before the attacks can strike, something manifests itself right in front of them. The particles come together to create the form of a person, who steps up and negates the attack, then turns it on the pawns to get the win for all of them.

Alito.

Confusion practically drips from where Yuuma and Astral stand, as well as from Shingetsu Rei’s position on the ground, having been pushed down from the counter attack. The former two, obviously, are confused because they had no idea Alito is a Barian Emperor. Yet for the latter, he is confused because he can’t wrap his head around the fact that Alito, a Barian Emperor , just stopped an attack that would have aided his cause.

As Yuuma and Astral come to the conclusion and realization that Alito is, in fact, a Barian, the Barian himself answers Shingetsu Rei’s internal questions as he argues with Gilag over proper duels and fighting spirit and honor. And while he is grateful that Alito did save Yuuma from the blow of defeat and he can see at least the vague area of where he is coming from in regards to his reasons, Shingetsu Rei understands why Vector ordered Alito to be one of his targets.

His power is great, much greater than he had thought it was.

And he agrees that Alito should be taken out before he can face Yuuma for real.

So he tries to get up and warn Yuuma that Alito isn't a friend he should trust. But before he can even open his mouth, the Barian Emperor has already extended his challenge.

Of course, Yuuma accepts.

Shingetsu Rei can do nothing but watch as the Barian Sphere Field is activated, trapping the three of them within its depths, dread filling his core.

*

The following duel between Yuuma and Alito is exciting to watch, even he can admit that.

From down on the ground as he and the other three humans look up at the Barian Sphere Field above, he can feel the raw energy and excitement that is emanating from the two. Even without that, the wide smiles each bare so clearly is telling enough that this duel is so much more to them than Numbers and the consequences of losing.

It's almost enough for Shingetsu Rei himself to forget just what this duel means.

Almost.

Yet some part of him can't help wondering if they are having a bit too much fun. This is, after all, a matter of life and death, especially when they're playing in that field.

He would have to be blind to miss the subtle winces that Astral tries to hide as the Barian power that inflicts damages upon them does it's work on his body.

And yet it seems Yuuma is blind, for he battles on until his life points reach critical levels.

It's then that it happens.

Yuuma and Astral exchange meaningful glances and words before Yuuma raises his arm to open the overlaying network.

For them .

In a spectacle of red and blue flying around the whole field, Shingetsu Rei watches in amazement as Tsukumo Yuuma and Astral overlay themselves to make an entirely new being.

Zexal.

Shingetsu stands speechless as he takes in what he's only seen in the vague memories Vector has given him. The way their body glows faintly, different and yet somehow better than the way a typical Astral body glows, is beautiful. They stand, confident and united with a fierce blazing gaze set upon Alito.

And, not being one to back down, Alito rises to the call.

Energy surrounds the Barian Emperor as he concentrates, allowing the field to do what it's meant to - unleash one's true form and power while in the Human World. As Alito grunts, his skin rises as human and falls as Barian flesh, red like his spirit. His hair morphs and hardens while a mask settles in place to hide the absence of his mouth.

Alito’s Barian form is truly something to marvel at. And together with Zexal, Shingetsu Rei finds it very, very hard to look away.

What once was agreement in Vector’s plans crumbles as Alito urges Zexal only to think of the duel and the fun it brings rather than the fact they're on opposite sides of a war and the winner takes everything. Zexal visibly struggles with the request, an internal war raging inside them as they chose between a friend and a foe, defeat and victory.

Fists tight and shaking, Shingetsu Rei knows he once again can't follow the orders he has been given.

*

Alito loses. It had been close; counter versus counter versus counter moves making it almost impossible to predict who gets what damage. But he still falls to the ground, life points depleted.

Everyone stills for what's to come.

Yet nothing happens. Astral extends his hand to take Alito’s Number and lowers it empty.

Both Alito and Astral blink in confusion. Apparently, it takes much more for an Over Hundred Number to be seized.

The total bewilderment is cut off suddenly, however, when a portal opens behind Alito.

Shingetsu Rei freezes instantly, recognizing the power radiating from it immediately. A warning shout threatens to burst from his throat, but he knows doing so will only raise suspicion for him and help dig his grave a little faster.

So he stays silent as Alito naively passes through with only a brief farewell to Yuuma.

A mistake he knows he will come to regret.

*

Vector smirks above a prone body, feeling good for the first time in his human form.

Alito whimpers from his wounds; he only has a few seconds of coherency left until he loses all energy to stay awake, so Vector has to make this quick.

“My name is Shingetsu Rei,” he proclaims to the fading green irises. “Be sure to remember that.”

His task done, Vector spins on his heel and saunters away, opening another portal, this time one bound for home.

Let's see how the clone deals with this.

Chapter Text

The next day has Shingetsu Rei tense and flighty. He knows that soon Gilag will find out about Alito, and he knows without having to confirm it that Vector blamed him for his defeat. He’s on guard at all times, not sure when Gilag will make his revenge move.

So he tries to distract himself. He drags Yuuma out on one of his ‘short cut’ routes to try and chase away his worries.

His attempts only end up with them being chased, specifically by dogs, but that’s just as well a distraction as any.

It’s that following morning that he notices the shift.

Yuuma approaches more cautiously than normal. Astral is by his side - a rare sight in itself this early - appraising him with a cold gaze.

“Shingetsu, I wanted to ask about-”

He knows.

Looking for a way out of the conversation, he pulls up a map on his duel disc. He interrupts Yuuma before he can get a word in about Alito, blabbering about finally finding the shortest route to school and wanting to try it out. Yet Yuuma still tries to get his attention, calling his name and blurting short, cut off sentences until he understands that Yuuma won’t give up until he has some kind of answer.

“Yuuma-kun,” he says, calmly when he wants to shout. “Trust me, okay?” He gives a strained smile, twitching in his nervously.

Yuuma looks at him and must see his desperation because then he smiles back, genuine and kind like he always is, wrapping an arm around Shingetsu Rei’s shoulders and telling him, “of course I trust you!”

He leads them to school, wondering all the way how one boy could be so blind to the dangers around him.

*

Yuuma tells him he’ll “go right home after school, so don’t wait up!” It doesn’t seem like an unusual request, but the way Yuuma shifts on two feet while he blurts the words out clues him that there’s something going on. Yet, he does not want to pry, not with his own secrets threatening to unravel, so he lets Yuuma go with only a bit of reluctance.

It’s a few minutes after the final bell has rung that he runs into Mizuki Kotori and Takeda Tetsuo, with the latter asking him if he’s seen Yuuma. An uneasy feeling washes over him as he relays what Yuuma had told him, the feeling increasing when he spies the looks of alarm on both their faces.

Ever the one to keep things to himself, Takeda Tetsuo turns to Mizuki Kotori and asks, “so he really went all by himself?”

She harshly shushes him, but it’s already too late.

The two of them shuffle away quickly to avoid his questions, but they can’t walk away fast enough for him not to follow and overhear the rest of the information.

“Yuuma-kun’s dueling Gilag… for my sake?”

There’s something there that Shingetsu Rei can’t quite make out. All the threads that combine to make a perfect image are there and in place, yet he can’t see their pattern. Takeda Tetsuo and Mizuki Kotori are still talking, more explanation that he doesn’t need because the only thing he can think about is Yuuma not telling him, of leaving him out of the whole process in Gilag’s revenge.

Even though out of all the innocent that could face Gilag’s wrath, it’s Shingetsu Rei who deserves it the most.

So from them he pries the location of the duel and runs .

*

He finds them with the air tense and heavy, anger written on both their faces and their arms raised. Panicked, Shingetsu Rei lets one last burst of energy carry him to Yuuma’s side while yelling as loud as he can, “please wait!”

Their expressions both turn into shock, but with different attaching emotions. Gilag looks at him with a cruel kind of pleased while Tsukumo Yuuma gapes in confused horror.

“Shingetsu!? What are you doing here?”

Catching his breath, he snapped his head up to shoot an accusatory glare. “Yuuma-kun… you didn’t tell me you were going to duel Gilag…” It’s more if an accusation than a question.

“I didn’t want to put you in danger-”

“No!” He shakes his head and clears the last of the fatigue from himself. “You can’t do that, Yuuma-kun. You can’t leave me out of things like this!” Especially when it’s my fault, when it's my job to face him anyways. “Please, Yuuma-kun, don’t leave me out!”

Everything quiets. Faintly, he’s aware that Mizuki Kotori and Takeda Tetsuo have followed him and are watching from behind and that even Astral is looking at Shingetsu Rei with his own sort of surprised expression. Yet all he truly focuses on is Tsukumo Yuuma in front of him, processing his words with varying emotions racing across his face.

Then, finally, he speaks.

“All right, Shingetsu.” The boy smiles and claps a hand to his shoulder. “I won’t leave you out anymore.”

And Gilag smirks, eyes gleaming. “So, you’ve finally gotten over your cowardice and come to face me like a true duelist?”

Shingetsu Rei is not bothered by these words. He sets his duel disc and the D-Gazer he had constructed from his borrowed powers of the Barian World to hide his left eye’s iris changing color - the ultimate give away of his identity. The Barian Sphere Field engulfes them all, negating the chances of escape.

No, Shingetsu Rei only falters at Gilag’s next words, as well as Yuuma’s following response.

“I’ll crush you first, then once my revenge is complete, I’ll defeat Tsukumo Yuuma and get all the Numbers!”

“Like hell I’ll let you! I will protect Shingetsu no matter what!”

It’s the last piece of the puzzle that he needs and suddenly, he feels very cold.

Vector’s plan is laid out in front of his eyes; the Barian Emperor knew hurting Alito would cause such a rage in Gilag, a rage that would drag Shingetsu Rei down with Tsukumo Yuuma watching. Vector knows just how close he’s gotten to the boy (how could he not when he’s been watching everything from the start?), and so he knows just what helplessly watching his clone perish in the defeat of a duel would do to Yuuma. The boy would be broken, and that would provide the perfect opening for Vector to swoop in and properly defeat him himself.

He also knows that with Tsukumo Yuuma and the others watching, Shingetsu Rei would not risk exposing himself as the good duelist he is, so falling to Gilag would be simple and expected.

But Vector’s plan is already off. Yuuma himself is now in the duel with Astral, ready to fight Gilag alongside Shingetsu Rei. So although he'll still keep the facade of himself being terrible at dueling, he knows that together, Yuuma and him can defeat Gilag and throw Vector’s plans off enough to buy themselves more time.

There’s no backing out now as the three of them raise their duel discs high into the air. So instead of worrying, he takes the first turn and believes.

*

He’s made a mistake. A terrible, terrible mistake.

Yuuma is about to lose and it’s his fault.

He had been stupid and wrong, not only for underestimating Yuuma’s character, but for also underestimating exactly how much the boy cares for his friends, specifically him.

Every time Shingetsu Rei was in danger, Yuuma would step in and take the damage. Every time .

And he saw Astral trying to persuade him to think about himself, about them and what losing this duel really means. Yet Yuuma declared to the world that no matter what he wouldn't allow Gilag to beat Shingetsu Rei.

Now Astral is gone - tucked away in the Emperor’s Key and in the hands of one Mizuki Kotori.

Now Gilag is going after Yuuma to deal more damage than he can take.

And there's only one thing left that Shingetsu Rei can do.

He glances at the card in his hand, the one he drew last turn.

The one he told himself he would never use, even in an emergency.

But if Yuuma could use it, use it to save himself…

Decision made and lasting consequences be damned, he activates a card that negates the damage while also giving Yuuma a card from his hand.

He tosses Rank Up Magic - Barian’s Force Unlimited.

And with that Shingetsu Rei's true self shows its ugly mug to the one person he least wished to find out.

Yuuma looks up from the card to him, questions blazing in his gaze. But they're in the middle of a duel; questions must come later.

“Just trust me,” he pleads. This is their only way out.

And Yuuma laughs to himself. “It's funny, but I do actually.” He plays the card. Number 39 transforms into Hope Ray V with its magnificent purple and magenta design.

Faintly, he thinks to himself about how the original Hope is something created and powered by Tsukumo Yuuma’s bond with Astral.

Does this mean Hope Ray V represents the bond between Yuuma and him ?

For his own sake, he tells himself not to read too much into that.

*

After Hope Ray V attacks and leaves no remaining life points for their opponent, Gilag groans from the ground, his Barian form fading in and out. He stares at Yuuma, then turns to Shingetsu Rei, his expression turning fearful.

“You’re…”

He knows what Gilag must think. The card he gave Yuuma has given away his identity as a Barian, and the only Barian Gilag knows who looks like him is the one still tucked away in a different part of the Barian World, most likely watching this happen as they speak. Yet Gilag doesn’t know that he’s not Vector.

And knowing himself just how twisted Vector really is, Shingetsu Rei doesn’t think anything of the fear shining bright in Gilag’s fading eyes.

He has the same fear burning low in his gut, his recent rebellion having put him in a very precarious position.

But before Gilag can place an incorrect name upon him, the defeated Barian Emperor uses the last of his strength to escape via portal.

As the enemy disappears and the Barian Sphere Field slowly deactivates, Shingetsu Rei takes a deep breath and turns to face Yuuma.

Yuuma, as soon as he has his attention, opens his mouth to say something. But he holds up a hand to interrupt the boy before he can speak a word.

“I’ll explain once we’re alone,” he says, gesturing faintly to where Mizuki Kotori and Takeda Tetsuo are waiting below them.

Thankfully, he must get it; Yuuma nods with all the seriousness the situation calls for before turning to greet his friends and get back his key.

As he assures the two that he’s fine and that they won, Shingetsu Rei hangs back a ways, aware that if he gets closer it might be seen as an intrusion. Yet he accidentally catches Mizuki Kotori’s eye as she strays her gaze over to glance at him. He flinches and turns his head to the side, not wanting a confrontation.

A light hand on his shoulder a few moments later draws his attention back forward. Mizuki Kotori stands uncertain in front of him, letting her hand fall from where it had been perched upon him. She shifts on her feet as he tenses for her harsh words.

“Look, you didn’t have to run after Yuuma and get involved. You could have let him handle it all by himself. But you didn’t, and the both of you won, so…” She lifts her head up to say more firmly, “thank you. And I’m sorry I’ve been such a jerk to you lately.”

It takes a moment to process what exactly she’s saying to him, but when it does, he smiles. “I wouldn’t have done anything else.” He pauses briefly, mulling over his next words carefully. “And, for what it’s worth, I’m sorry that I was rude to you back at the hospital. That wasn't my intention.”

She nods, her own smile playing on her lips. “Apology accepted.” And with that, she spins back around and goes back to Yuuma and Takeda Tetsuo’s side.

Shingetsu Rei watches her go, and it isn’t until he cautiously enters the small circle of friends himself, receiving his own praises for winning the duel, does he know that at least for now everything’s all right.

Chapter Text

The walk home is silent, contemplative. After dropping off the others, it’s just Yuuma and him for the rest of the way back to the Tsukumo home. The boy goes from staring at his key, to the Barian card Shingetsu Rei insisted he keep for protection, to the way ahead of them.

He hasn’t once looked his way, but then again, why should he? He’s been essentially lying to Yuuma and everyone else this entire time. Once he hears the full story, he won’t hesitate to throw him to the curb.

This, Shingetsu Rei is sure of.

When they enter the quiet household, the Tsukumo grandmother greets them with a warm welcome, not even hesitating to grant Yuuma’s request for his friend staying the night.

( You’re not really his friend. He only said that to create an excuse for you being here ).

Tsukumo Haru tells them dinner will be ready in an hour or so as Yuuma leads the way upstairs and past a working Tsukumo Akari, who doesn’t even look up from her screen to acknowledge the odd person out here.

Shingetsu Rei tiptoes around the layout, careful not to touch anything.

Yuuma opens a door to a typical bedroom save for the steps leading to the attic where he knows the boy sleeps. He sits himself on the bed, sheets pristine and unused, then pats a spot next to him for Shingetsu Rei to take.

Once they are both situated, Yuuma gives a nod for him to start.

He’s nervous. Never had he seen the other be so silent and serious. The only outcomes he can see from this conversation are negative.

Yet he’s so sick of holding this all in.

So he talks. He talks about Vector being his original, how he was made a little after Yuuma’s duel with Faker; how his mission was to mess with and get close to him; weaken him enough for a surprise attack ending with all the Numbers stolen and Astral erased. He also speaks of how spending time with Yuuma somehow changed him, made him care about him enough to disobey some of Vector’s orders and earn distrust in his ‘master’s’ eyes.

But he doesn’t regret it. He only regrets not telling the truth sooner, before such damage came to Yuuma and Astral and everyone else who got involved.

“I’m sorry,” he ends, looking at his lap so he won’t be able to see Yuuma’s expression and whatever emotions it shows. “If you don’t want to see me again, I understand. I’ll go with no fuss. Just say the word and-”

A harsh, sudden sniff.

Shingetsu Rei snaps his head up and is met with the sight of a crying Tsukumo Yuuma.

What ?

He can only sit there and stare as Yuuma begins to blubber barely comprehensible words, “you did that for me? Disobeyed the one person who could… could bring you harm or worse without a second thought… because you didn't want me to lose?” The boy rubs at one of his eyes, but it does nothing to lessen the flow of tears. “A-and, that whole time when I was in the hospital, you were in a prison ?”

Sitting tall and still, he blinks. “You… believe me? And you’re… not mad at me?”

“Of course I believe you! Who could come up with something like that just for it to be a lie ?” He scrubs at his face more viciously to get rid of the tears and succeeds just slightly. “And of course I’m mad at you for keeping this from me. We could have helped you - I could have helped you so that Vector wouldn’t be as much of a problem.”

Suddenly, Yuuma goes still. Then he lurches forward, grabbing Shingetsu Rei by the wrists and tugging him closer, a few stray tears leaking from his ruby eyes.

“Vector - he’s going to be after you now, right?” Without waiting for a response, he tightens his grip to an almost painful level and rushes on, “don’t worry! You can stay here as long as you like. I don’t use this bed so you can sleep here. And don't worry about food; Granny makes the best meals, the kind that makes you so full you think you could burst and still want one more bite.”

Most of this goes over his head as he tries to figure out that this is really happening.

“So,” Yuuma declares loudly, the evidence of tears gone save for his red rimmed eyes, “like I said, don’t worry, okay? I’ll protect you from Vector, no matter what.”

And that’s when his mind comes back to him. “No.”

Yuuma falters. “…No?”

The grip on his wrists loosens and he gently pulls his hands from it. “No, don’t protect me no matter what.”

Yuuma flounders, unsure of what to do with his hands now. “I don’t… understand?”

“What I mean is, don’t do anything to save me that puts you and everyone who depends on you aside. Don’t do what you did in the duel against Gilag and throw your life points away to save mine.” He shakes his head, still a bit unbelieving that this had happened and that this conversation needs to be said out loud. “Yuuma-kun, you have Astral and the Numbers to think about. If I hadn’t pulled off that move to give you the Barian card, then it wouldn’t have just been you who had paid the price; Astral would have vanished and the Numbers would have gone to Gilag.”

“…I didn’t think about that,” the boy admits softly after a moment.

He takes a deep breath and sighs, releasing all the exasperation from him; he knows Tsukumo Yuuma is a just a boy as much as Shingetsu Rei is a copy of their worst enemy. So calmly, he smiles and says, “I know. I know that you didn’t think about it, because if you did, then you wouldn’t have done it. I’m just asking you to - in the future - think before you go swooping in to save someone; think about yourself first. You can’t save everyone, so you should at least be able to save yourself.”

Yuuma still looks as though he does not understand fully, but he finds he can forgive him for that; the boy still has time to learn and grow.

(Some part of him wishes to see that growth. But deep down, he knows in his heart his time is too limited).

So he just expands his smile to an understanding one and says the damning words, “promise me, okay?”

“…Okay,” Yuuma eventually murmurs, reluctance edging into his tone, “I promise..." But before the topic can be changed, he's frowning, throwing an accusing finger at him. "But only if you promise not to keep anything else important like this from me. You have to trust me to handle it."

Shingetsu Rei is only put off for a moment by his words, but he's quick to give off a small chuckle. He extends his hand out, and once Yuuma's clasped it, he says with a voice full of warmth, "deal."

Chapter Text

The following day has Shingetsu Rei walking ( walking, because for once they left early) to school, belly full of breakfast with a night's rest and clean uniform courtesy of the wonderful and welcoming Tsukumo Haru.

This morning, so far, is one of the best he's ever had.

Yet Tsukumo Yuuma, who walks beside him, looks as though it's the worst morning possible, clutching at the Emperor’s Key and barely looking up.

He understands why; Astral hasn't, after all, reappeared once since the duel with Gilag ended and even he’s getting concerned by this long absence. But he doesn't bring it up, still unsure exactly where he lies in his friendship with the boy now that the truth is out.

When they reach the school gates, Mizuki Kotori greets them both, but quiets when she takes note of Yuuma’s own un-enthused greeting.

“Is Astral-?”

Quickly, Shingetsu Rei cuts her off before she can continue with a sharp shake of the head. Thankfully, she gets the message and shuts her mouth.

Yuuma just smiles weakly at her before pushing past.

Shingetsu Rei and Kotori exchange glances, but follow him nonetheless.

*

During classes, Yuuma stays quiet. Each time Shingetsu Rei looks over, the boy is still holding the key and sighing.

This attitude keeps up until one break between classes, when Kotori comes up and they start to hypothesize what’s keeping Astral so long.

“He just needs some more rest,” the girl says, offering a comforting smile.

At her words, Yuuma’s face lights up in a way that seems much more excited than one would expect from such simple assurances. “I’ve got it!” he declares, clutching the key tightly.

“Got what?” Shingetsu Rei asks, bemused. But Yuuma doesn’t answer, shooing them both away with a promise that he’ll handle it.

He goes back to his seat reluctant, tuning out the lessons to sneak glances at Yuuma and his excited form for the rest of the day.

Once the final bell rings out, he quickly meets up with Yuuma to go back to the Tsukumo house. They don't linger with the others since Yuuma is determined to get back as soon as possible. Shingetsu Rei doesn't protest, just stays close by his side and hopes whatever the boy has planned, it won’t fail and make things worse.

Once they get past the threshold of the home, Yuuma practically runs up to the bedroom. He hurries to catch up, and when he himself rounds the corner to enter the room he had slept in the night before, he pauses.

And blinks.

And blinks again.

Tsukumo Yuuma is tucking the Emperor’s Key into the bed.

“Yuuma-kun…?” he cautiously inquires, “what are you doing?”

Without missing a beat, the boy responds with a firm, “the reason Astral won’t come out is because he’s sick. So, we need to have him rest.” He tugs the covers up farther so the key is more fully covered.

He doesn’t have the heart to tell him that Astral is already resting while he stays inside the key, and that certainly putting the key to bed won’t help the process going on inside it, so he just lets Yuuma fret over the pendant like a mother hen. At least it makes an amusing sight to witness.

It’s after Yuuma asks himself if making some soup for the key (actual soup for the key ) would help in any way that something happens to the object in question. A soft glow, slowing increasing in intensity, emanates from the Emperor’s Key and grabs both their attentions.

"What-" Yuuma attempts to ask, but before he can finish,  like a timed bomb, the light bursts.

With a yelp, Shingetsu Rei shields his eyes with his arms. A moment or two passes and he blinks his eyes open, adjusting to the regular lighting in the room. Confusion about what just happened floods his senses until he notices just how quiet it is. Slowly, he turns his gaze to his left.

Yuuma isn’t there.

Panic bubbles in him silently as he realizes Yuuma isn’t anywhere in the room, nor is he in the attic, and nor is he in the hallway or any other room on the second floor. He curses quietly to himself as he reenters the room and approaches the bed. The Emperor’s Key still sits there, innocent and tucked between the covers.

Alarm bells are going off in Shingetsu Rei’s head. The only reason he can think of as to why Yuuma has been sucked into the key is that something bad is happening inside it, which would also explain why Astral has been taking so long to recover from the duel with Gilag. And if something bad has happened requiring Yuuma’s assistance, then he’ll most likely need support.

Which is why he immediately grabs his duel disc and hurries outside the Tsukumo home.

He ignores the confused call of Tsukumo Haru as he bursts out the door. Not even bothering to look up, he hurries to the meeting place he’s already decided on while fiddling with the contact of Mizuki Kotori.

Just before he can press down to initiate the call, something grabs his shoulder and everything goes dark.

*

Shingetsu Rei’s first thought when he opens his eyes is that he’s dreaming. Not a good dream, though. A bad one - a familiar nightmare.

It’s dark and cold and he's in a very small space. From a small crack in the wall he can see a dark red-brown sky and knows immediately where he is.

The Barian World.

It’s the low sound of malicious laughter that snaps him into full consciousness.

Panic seizes him once more, this time in roaring waves. In this terror, he sits up too fast, his vision turning into a flurry of dark snow for several seconds. A sharp headache quickly follows, and he groans loudly, clutching his head.

“Careful now,” Vector’s abhorrent voice filters through the darkness to him. “Don’t over do it. I’ve just taken away most of your energy, after all.”

He scowls as where he believes Vector must be standing, but he must not look so menacing, since the Barian Emperor barks out another round of laughter. Mostly out of spite, he scrambles to at least get up to his knees, though it takes him several attempts. His strength is shaky at best and he curses himself for not paying enough attention to avoid this.

“Oh well,” sighs Vector. Footsteps indicate he’s moving around, but Shingetsu Rei still can’t see his exact location, just shadows around the prison. “You have fun trying to learn how to walk again. Maybe by the time I get back to properly punish you, you’ll have made it to the door. I do hope so; it’ll make what I plan to do to you much easier.” A series of deranged snickers follows his words.

He doesn’t have to see him to know Vector’s opened up a portal; the shift in the air is palpable enough for him to know it goes straight to the Human World.

“Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a date with one Tsukumo Yuuma.”

And with that, his presence disappears, leaving the clone alone to slam a weak, frustrated fist against the wall.

Shit.

Chapter Text

Yuuma exits the key after the duel inside it has ended. Astral joins him, materializing for the first time since Gilag had been defeated.

They don't come out alone.

A mist, black and evil in the laughter emanating from it, spirals outwards from the depths of the Emperor’s Key. It culminates above all their heads and shapes into the figure belonging to the one who had aided them in their duel.

Black Mist.

The Number smirks down at them all. “Recall our deal!” he croons in an unpleasant manner. “I gave you my power to win, and now I am free from your prison.” He slides his gaze towards Astral, eyes glinting in sadistic humor. “Remember what I've told you, Astral.”

“ You'll be needing the power of evil very soon… ”

And with that, Black Mist vanishes into thin air.

Yuuma frowns at the now empty ceiling. Part of him still itches that they had needed his help in the first place and that the Number, who had given them a hard time while retrieving, is now out in the world again. He knows nothing good will come of this, and Black Mist’s cryptic words of warning to Astral confirm it.

Speaking of those words…

“What does he mean by that, Astral?” Yuuma turns to see the blue being staring at the same spot he had been moments before. Astral’s brows are furrowed, mouth tilted downwards.

He doesn’t respond.

“… Astral?”

The call of his name seems to snap him into movement, inclining his head to acknowledge Yuuma. “I’m not sure…” His voice fades quietly, the crease in his face deepening slightly.

Yuuma drops the subject.

Instead, he turns his attention towards the one who had been waiting for their return.

“Ah, Shingetsu,” he says in what he hopes is a cheerful voice. “We didn’t keep you waiting for long, did we?”

But Shingetsu is just staring, like Astral had done, at where Black Mist had been, an unreadable expression painted on his face. However, it does not take an extra call of his name to get him to respond. “What was that?” he inquires, dismissing Yuuma’s question entirely.

“Oh,” he says, taking his own glance back at the ceiling. “That was Number 96: Black Mist.”

It’s only then that Shingetsu looks at him. “A Number?”

Trepidation makes his next answer hesitant. “Yes…”

“If that was a Number, why did it escape the Emperor’s Key?”

Yuuma scratches the back of his head, shifting in place. “Well… it’s hard to explain… I guess you could say we made a deal inside the key and since we won, we had to keep our side of the bargain…”

Shingetsu hums and looks back up at the ceiling, a small, unsettling smile blooming on his features. “Interesting.”

Something feels off, but Yuuma can’t quite put his finger on it, like an itch he just can’t reach.

“Hey,” Shingetsu says suddenly, turning that smile - wider now - to Yuuma. “You don’t look every well; do you wanna go outside for some fresh air?”

And if that doesn't sound like the best thing to clear his head, he doesn’t know what else.

Glancing at Astral, who still seems out of it, he nods.

“Lead the way.”

*

Yuuma takes in the evening air, willing it to clear away the buzzing of something wrong which threatens to overtake his mind. Astral floats somewhat ahead of him, eyes closed and hand to his chin - a clear sign that he’s doing some heavy thinking. Shingetsu trails behind, quietly.

It’s not the first time that Shingetsu has walked behind him, but it is the first time Yuuma feels uneasy about him not in clear sight. Perhaps that feeling has to do with the fact that Shingetsu is in danger of being found by Vector and Yuuma wants to make sure he is safe by having him at least walk by his side. But as he sneaks a glance at Shingetsu and catches his eye, his feeling of discomfort only increases.

He forces himself to look squarely ahead as they wander about, mouth glued shut. Each second of passing silence has the tension he feels grow stronger and stronger until it’s broken by a voice floating to him from over his shoulder.

“It’s a nice night out, isn’t it, Yuuma?”

He slows to a stop. His heart skips a beat as his mind races to catch up and connect the dots, suddenly feeling very cold.

“Yuuma?” Astral calls, most likely sensing his inner turmoil.

He hears the footsteps behind him halt before they can come within a foot of him. He hears no more words. With an unsteady breath and an unsteady smile, he turns around.

“You’re not Shingetsu, are you?”

And the one in front of him has the audacity to look surprised. The question of how is so clearly written in his expression that Yuuma doesn’t waste time by letting him speak it.

“Shingetsu… he calls me ‘Yuuma-kun’. He would never-” His voice catches as memories of Shingetsu surface; Shingetsu lying about the reasons he had been missing for days so not to worry him; Shingetsu stepping in to help him duel when he could have left it to Yuuma and Astral alone; Shingetsu apologizing for simply doing what he had to in order to survive.

He lifts his head to look this stranger - stranger , for that’s who he is - in the eyes.

“He would never feel like he deserved to call me by my name alone,” he finishes, throat hurting from the truth of the words.

“Yuuma, what-" Astral starts.

“You're Vector, right?”

A moment of silence passes before a laugh, low and unhinged, exudes from the exposed Barian. His hand comes to cover half his face, laughter getting louder and louder as Yuuma stands unnerved. Eventually, he cuts himself off with a deep breath, peering at Yuuma through the slits between his fingers.

“My clone always seems to find a way to mess with my plans, doesn't he? Even when he's not here.” His hand slides away from his face to his side. “I should have gotten rid of him a long time ago. I never really needed him to do this .”

The hand slips into his pocket.

“Yuuma-!” Astral warns, but it's too late.

By the time Yuuma takes one half step backwards, Vector already has a Barian Sphere Cube, ready to toss.

Chapter Text

Shingetsu Rei doesn’t know how long he’s been laying on the cold ground. Halfway through trying to make himself to get up and do something , he realized that although Vector had taken all his power, his energy must return eventually.

So he forced himself to rest his cheek against the stone and let himself recover.

And that is where he is now, his mind in a sort of fog.

He blinks himself into reality when, in an effort to get more comfortable, his arm easily shoves itself against the wall. Experimentally, he raises that arm and almost cries in relief to find it go without too much protest.

That’s also when he sees his duel disc, still strapped to his forearm from when he had rushed outside, right before he was taken.

An idea, crazy in the way he holds hope for it, comes to him. It probably won’t work - no, there’s more of a chance it definitely won’t work, but at this point it’s the only thing he can do.

Shakily, he drags himself up to a sitting position, leaning against the wall and running a weak hand through his hair to look somewhat presentable.

“Please…” he mutters to himself as his fingers tap through the contacts Yuuma had given him just a day before.

“ For emergencies, ” the boy had told him, copying all of the numbers he has into Shingetsu Rei’s contacts. “ If you can’t reach me, then you should be able to reach someone else. ”

The contact he chooses glares at him in the dim room. “Please,” he says again just as he pushing down on the ‘call’ button.

Beep…

The sound is thunderous in the small space he occupies, making him flinch for a half second.

Beep…

As the ringing keeps on, the hope he has begins to fade.

Bee-

“Hello?”

And at the sound of a voice coming through the speakers of the duel disc, Shingetsu Rei does cry, just a little bit.

Kamishiro Ryouga shines at him from the screen, flashing static making him almost unrecognizable if it weren’t for the distinct, disinterested voice on the other end which easily identifies him.

“Shark?” he tries hesitantly, using the nickname Yuuma calls him by in hopes it won’t have him automatically hang up.

“Who… this?” comes the spotty reply, and he sees Kamishiro Ryouga squinting at the screen.

“It’s Shingetsu,” he answers, worrying at his lip as he waits for it to register. “Shingetsu Rei. From school?”

“Shingetsu?” Movement, perhaps to try and better see him. “Why… calling me? Where…? … can’t see…”

“It doesn’t matter where I am right now. I just needed to call you because Yuuma-kun is in danger. Did you catch that? Yuuma-kun is in danger .”

“I don’t…” Kamishiro Ryouga shakes his head fiercely, which causes the colors on the screen to dance in a dizzying performance. “Why… Yuuma… danger? Where is…?”

He squeezes his hands into tight fists to fight the urge to scream at the constant static. But considering where each of them are at the moment, he knows it’s a miracle that anything at all is getting through.

“Do you remember Vector? From that duel with Faker? He’s with Yuuma-kun right now. Yuuma-kun probably doesn’t know it’s him. You have to go to his house before anything terrible happens. Please , Shark.”

There’s silence for awhile, the only indication that he’s still there on the line being the rough shape of his face and soft breathing through the rough interference. “Why wouldn’t… notice… Vector?”

“Because… because…” He takes a deep breath.

They don’t have time for him to explain it all.

“Vector is disguising himself as me to get close to Yuuma-kun. Yuuma-kun… he wouldn’t think to question him if he has my face.” Not waiting for the other questions Kamishiro Ryouga certainly still has, he continues onward. “Please, you don’t have to believe me completely. I know we haven’t talked much and we barely know each other. I just need you to go to Yuuma-kun’s house to check on him and get him away from Shingetsu Rei. Please .”

He knows he sounds desperate and pathetic, but that’s just because he is desperate and pathetic. Even now he knows he wouldn’t be able to stand if he tried. He has no other options. Though he could try to contact Kotori, he knows the one more capable of dealing with a duel against Vector, at least in a tag duel along with Yuuma, would be Kamishiro Ryouga.

And if his instincts have been telling him anything since first laying eyes on this boy, it’s that there’s something more to him than just good dueling skills.

So he holds his breath as the only sound that comes through is static, static, stat-

“… All right,” is the answer, clear and definite. “I’ll trust you… for Yuuma.”

Beep.

His prison returns to its silent and dark state as the connection is cut.

Shingetsu Rei lets out all his breath in one long, shaky sigh. Relief hits him so suddenly that he goes limp, slumping down the wall and yet not caring one bit.

“Thank you,” he murmurs, perhaps to Kamishiro Ryouga, or possibly to whatever force let him make the call between different worlds, or maybe to no one at all.

Briefly, he thinks of what will happen once Vector is chased back here. Oh, he’ll be pissed off for sure. He doesn’t dwell too much on the amount of rage he will have to face, nor does he let himself linger on what kind of punishment he will be dealt with.

Instead, he lets his thoughts stray to what’s really important.

At least I had time to be myself around him. He will remember me for who I am, not who I was meant to be…

*

Yuuma watches with his heart in his throat as Vector raises his hand, Barian Sphere Cube in hand, ready to throw it and begin a duel he’s not sure Astral and him are prepared for.

He braces himself as the Barian’s hand comes up to his shoulder and the Cube-

-is knocked out of his hand, falling to the ground and met with the firm stomping of a boot.

His gaze locks onto a new figure standing next to Vector, holding his still raised hand in a fierce grip.

“Shark!?”

Indeed, it’s the blue haired boy who is holding a squirming Vector, an odd mixture of emotions on his face, the clearest one being confusion.

Vector’s own face is contorted in frustration. “Let go of me! Let go !” He tries to slip away, but Shark is quick to grab the Barian’s other hand and grapple him in a firm hold.

“Shark,” Yuuma gapes. “Why are you here? How did you know-”

“I don’t know much of anything, it seems,” Shark mutters, looking at Vector with eyes slit. “I got a strange call from Shingetsu telling me too many things that didn’t make sense. But he was adamant about getting to you and stopping him.” He jostles Vector a bit, causing a string of muttered curses to spill from him.

“You mean Shingetsu called you?” Yuuma takes a step forward, ignoring the noise of protest Astral makes. “Where is he? Is he all right?”

Vector speaks up before the older boy can start explaining, “so it was my blasted clone who sent you, huh? I knew I should have dealt with him first before heading to this world.” A wicked sort of smile suddenly morphs itself onto his face as he goes limp in Shark’s grasp, looking unnatural and freakish. “Ah, no matter. At least I know now that he deserves more than a swift dispatch. I’ll make him suffer by watching the ones he sought to save fall in defeat in front of his very own eyes.”

He turns to look up at Shark from over his shoulder.

“And I might as well start with you .”

Out of nowhere, a large black-hole-looking object springs into existence from behind the two of them, wind picking up like it’s trying to pull them all into its depths. Vector gives off a maniacal laugh as he uses Shark’s momentary shock to twist himself out of Shark’s hold and lock his own hand around Shark’s wrist, dragging him with him as he falls backwards into the void.

“Shark!” Yuuma cries, his feet moving before he can properly process what’s happening.

“Yuuma, no!” Astral calls from somewhere behind him, but once again, it’s too late.

He reaches forward with his hand, grabbing onto Shark’s other arm and attempts to pull him back. But he underestimates the portal’s power, and instead of getting Shark away from Vector’s mystery black hole, the inertia pulls Yuuma along with them and into the darkness.

“Yuuma!”