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Chapter Text

You never saw this coming, did you?

Once again, pantherlor3 -- or danieltherat as he's known on AO3 -- got me inspired to do a brand new crossover story no one has ever done before and I decided, "Sure, why not?"

I know about the Persona series and played a few games so I'm well aware at how most of how it plays out. For this story though, it's gonna be more of a Fusion Fic where many of Persona 5's themes are intergrated into the Arc-V world and we go from there.  This means that there will be Confidant Links, Metaverse, Treasures, and a phantom guild that takes the hearts out of the sinful to administer justice. I was also inspired by the famous Miraculous Ladybug/Persona 5 story "Raise Your Voice Against Liars" in a unique twist of a Persona 5 crossover, and my friend Yuri_Osakawa (who is continuing my Quarto series) did her own crossover of the Phantom Thieves magically enrolled in Nightraven College in "Twisted Wonderland". I myself want a new way to write Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V and I thought that we should screw the duels and just change people's hearts from within. Saves us a lot of time and we can skip most of that dreaded Synchro Arc!

Persona-wise, there's no central theme outside of deities that fit the Persona users well. Seeing as Duel Monsters have been inspired by all sorts of inspirations from gods, literature and even video games, I'd rather have it be more tailored to them than fit an overarching theme. Aside from that, duels will be cut down for sake of simplicity because I am assuming you know how the anime went and don't need another fanfic redoing the same episodes over and over again. Moreover, we're going to be playing fast and loose as to "when" characters physically debut and how the palaces and Metaverse work out. There will be references to previous series as well, but not in the way you are expecting.

Moreover, I'm also going to add a few ideas from the Sly Cooper series as the idea of gathering characters for a massive heist reflects "Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves" (although I feel like my favorite one of the bunch is "Sly 2: Band of Thieves"). I love how we start at the final chapter and we are met with our caper crew (all in silhouette) and we question just how and why they joined the Cooper Gang. 

I'm also not going to reveal the Phantom Thieves of this story so soon and we're going to give more time to the bonds between the characters (not to mention giving them a couple of brain cells). Oh and expect a few "Moon Knight" references as well (You'll understand when we get there and if you ever watched the series).

So it's time for these new phantom thieves to steal the show. Is everyone ready?

(Edit: Now comes with tvtropes page for those who wish to edit).

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Arc Phantoms

(a Persona 5 x Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Crossover)

by Green Phantom Queen and danieltherat

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Prologue

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Shadows in Academia

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“She did not know yet how sometimes people keep parts of themselves hidden and secret, sometimes wicked and unkind parts, but often brave or wild or colorful parts, cunning or powerful or even marvelous, beautiful parts, just locked up away at the bottom of their hearts. They do this because they are afraid of the world and of being stared at, or relied upon to do feats of bravery or boldness. And all of those brave and wild and cunning and marvelous and beautiful parts they hid away and left in the dark to grow strange mushrooms—and yes, sometimes those wicked and unkind parts, too—end up in their shadow.”

- Catherrynne M. Valente

...

...

Academia, the head of the Fusion Dimension's army.

Children were drafted into the school in order to become fierce warriors, proudly wearing jackets colored cerulean, citrine or crimson. They learned many important skills. How to use Polymerization. How to hunt people down. How to look down on those who overlay their monsters. How to card innocents. All for the glory of their leader, Professor Leo Akaba, and for the blessed utopia that will unite the four dimensions.

Many students who had the privilege to enter the Xyz dimension laughed at how much fun they had hunting their prey down, bosting about the cards they collected like it was nothing more than a game of one-upmanship.  Those who refused to join fled or were carded for being traitors to Academia. Safe to say, it was no longer a school as it was a cult. The Cult of Academia. The Cult of the Ancient Gears. The Cult of Leo Akaba.

And like all cults, they all believe in one sole purpose, and were quite stubborn in their ways. Like words carved into stone, it was near impossible for them to change their minds.

However, "near" impossible was different from just "plain" impossible. There was a chance, just a small one, to change some minds for the better. All that had to be done was to make the new message be big and loud, to resonate with the hearts of those who were lost, lonely, lazy.

And what better way to convey a message than through a catchy song?

...

For one night only, Academia is an opera theater. 

Everyone is excited for the show, it's all they talk about. They need to see their queen, they need to hear her voice, there's nothing but her in their dreams. And when her show ends, they will join her.

They wlll all see the light.

A few men enter just as the show begins., all of them grim-faced, the melody the only thing they care for. The stage is covered in silver tinsel and white trees, white bulbs the size of grapefruits bring out the beauty of the etheral queen, as spear carriers announce her presence.

The girl enters the stage, her outfit seemingly carved out of ice a cape the color of ivory draped over her shoulders. Long gloves crawl up to her elbows, embroidered with snowflakes. Dotting her forehead is a cold star sapphire, shimmering under the theater lights.  The spotlights shine the three colors of Academia: red, blue, yellow. She steps into the one that shines blue as the audience leans in close, curious as to what she will sing.

The singer, the Night End Queen, looks out into the audience and smiles. With her hands placed on her breasts, she sings, and the audience is entranced with her voice and her golden eyes.

...

While the audience is mesmerized by the opera singer's voice, there are soldiers in red who guard the backstage. Their Duel Disks are ready, Polymerization in hand to Fusion Summon their heaviest of hitters.

Unfortunately, everyone is so busy waving their flashlights on the floor that none of them look up. On the catwalk, a stealthy figure races from one side towards the other like a tightrope walker. Graceful, swift, stylish. They look down to see the opera singer continuing her piece, and how everyone seems to light up like Roman candles around her. They tap their earpiece and smile.

"This is Arlequin, I infiltrated the theater."

Arlequin smiles as someone began buzzing words into his ear. 

"Okay Arlequin...you're going to have to do this solo." A young female voice replies. "Everyone else is in position, but you're 'the Ball' from here on out."

Arlequin nods as they look down from the rafters, hearing the leading lady in her snow-white dress raise her arms towards the spotlights. Colorful flowers sporting smiley faces shower the stage. He also makes sure to take note of the Duel Disk strapped to their arm. "The calling card was sent into her dressing room so she's well aware that we're gonna take her heart. Listen Oculus, we're running five by five here. Make sure everyone is in sync and ready to go."

"R-r-right. Arc Phantoms, I need a role call. Bloom?"

"Gonna light it up like it's dynamite!"

"Revenant?"

"My spear is aimed."

"Sabertooth?"

"Time for a sweet, sweet victory!"

"Hercules?"

"The man is in position."

"Cyclone?"

"Let's rev it up!"

"Frost?"

"Gonna grab our chill-gotten gains."

"Odette?"

"Stage on!"

"Hunter?"

"...Let's go."

Oculus chuckles. "Arlequin, the Crime of the Dimensions is about to begin. The Ball is now in motion."

Arlequin grins, fingers lightly grasping a teal pendulum dangling over his chest. "It's show time."

...

Only a few people knew this, but Alexis Rhodes had a very beautiful singing voice.

People mostly knew her as the Fairy of Obelisk Blue, or how she was one of the few duelists to ever take Academia's Ritual Summon course. She was known to take plenty of hits for the sake of a victory; how many other girls were willing to get kicked in the face through the effects of her Doublé Passe card?

Those who have battled against her Cyber Angels are in for a terrifying time. Her strongest monster decimates the field for every Extra Deck monster a duelist controls. Combine that with her 3000 attack strength, and the fact that the Ritual monster gains additional attacks for every Extra Deck monster destroyed by her effect, and one can only pray that she didn't have the Ritual Spell and enough monsters to sacrifice to bring her out.

She continued to sing as she stared into the eyes of her audience, all of their eyes glowing like fireflies, and their smiles stretched as far as humanely possible. Yes, yes, she thought to herself. Everyone would listen to her, listen to her! She would no longer be left in the shadow of the man she worshipped so long ago.

With the deepest of breaths, as if Alexis is going to dive deep into the ocean and come back with abalone and pearls hours later, she begins to sing the final note of her song, the last component of this magic spell to keep the audience entranced. But as the music swells and her breast puffs out like a penguin strutting his glossy feathers in the Arctic... the lights go off. Alexis stops singing, the music stops playing as she snarls.

"What's going on?!" she asks. "Who's interrupting my moment?"

The audience blinks out of their trance and look in confusion as to what they are doing in an opera house before fumbling for their Duel Disks.

"What's going on?" she asked. "Who's out there?"

She hears a whoosh behind her. Alexis turns around and aims a kick at the person, only to find something solid, an arm, blocks her. "What?!"

"Oh Night End Queen, it's impolite to attack an admirer of your beauty~" A voice purrs from the darkness. 

The lights turn back on, pale white, as Alexis gasps. "You?! Arlequin!"

Arlequin grins, red and green bangs framing the macabre goat-mask covering his face. The ends of the mask and the curls of the horns are dyed a pomegranate red as he is dressed in a half-black and half-red jester outfit overlaid with teal diamonds. He wears black pants with black and red boots that have little gems on the tassels. And in his hand is a long oak staff wrapped with ivy and topped with a pinecone.

"It has taken me a long time, across the dimensions, before I found my way to you," Arlequin booms, arms stretched out. "And like I left on my calling card, I am here to take. your. heart.~"

Suddenly, numerous actors wielding spears point them towards Arlequin. Arlequin looks around sheepishly.

"Okay, so there's..." Arlequin counts the guards. "Ten of you versus one of me..." He sniffles as he pulls out a handkerchief. "What's a poor thief like me to do? Boohoo!!!"

He blows his nose into the handkerchief and explodes into a cloud of red smoke. When the smoke fades away, he and Alexis are gone.

The audience starts getting nervous.

"I heard of him, he's the leader of those Phantom Thieves!"

"Arlequin, he's dangerous when he's berserk!"

"He's gonna steal our hearts next, isn't he?" 

The only person who isn't scared is the one wearing red framed glasses and a red scarf around his neck. Instead, he keeps glaring at the stage as the audience screams as if they all have been set on fire.

"What are you up to, Yuya Sakaki?"

...

"Put me down this instant!" Alexis roars as Arlequin races down a hallway littered in graffiti. Arlequin grins as he glimpses at the phrases. "Make fun, not war!" "Smile World!" "Duel for Smiles!" "Akaba is an asshole!"

"No can do," Arlequin chuckles as he sees a few students in blue cloaks and silver masks running his way. "Excuse me though..."

He places a hand over his mask before raising his staff towards the soldiers. Then, a large chunk of earth materializes and slams into them, knocking them onto the floor.

"What--" Alexis doesn't have time to finish that sentence as Arlequin grabs her hand once more. "Hey, let me go! If I had my Duel Disk, I'd--"

"Oh, you mean this~?" Arlequin questions, somehow having a round silver Duel Disk on his right arm that had a tray of a sword with a cyan and white overlay. "I took it when II left the calling card. You're not gonna be using this any time soon!"

Arlequin runs up the stairs, hoping to find an exit...but instead, he blanches when he sees the last person he expects.

"D-dad?"

The man, tall, black hair, red suit, top hat, and cane looks like the ringmaster of a circus. The only other accessory on him is a plain white domino mask. The man's face isn't calm and cheerful, like the sun greeting a child in the morning. No, it is cold and harsh like the moon, when it wants to warn the child to go to sleep before the demons drag them to the netherworld.

The man snarls at Arlequin. "I'm not sorry for this, son."

He then grabs his cane and knocks Arlequin out cold.

"Arlequin!" Oculus gasps. "Arlequin, wake up! This wasn't the plan! Rescue team Alpha, in position! Get the ball out of there!"

Alexis gasps as she sees her savior. "Yusho..."

Yusho nods his head. "Alexis, my son didn't hurt you, did he?"

Alexis shakes her head. "No, I'm fine. But...what happened back there? Was that thief really your son? Was that really Yuya Sakaki?"

Yusho can do nothing but shake his head as he removes Arlequin's mask. He doesn't even looked that shock when he sees his son's face, eyes shut, a red diamond painted over his right eye. Then he looks down and sees a glowing blue pendulum cocooned with silver wings.

"...unfortunately, it is."

...

Yuya Sakaki doesn't know how long he is out, but he knows that he's bound to a chair and his head feels painful. It feels like he has just been run over by one of Futoshi's Doodle Beasts!

He looks up and sees that he is seated across from Alexis Rhodes, her hazel eyes glazed over with some sort of twisted glee at getting answers out of him.

"Hello, Yuya," she purrs, still dressed in her outfit as the Night End Queen. "So glad that you finally woke up, sunshine."

"How cute of you to make small talk," Yuya replies with a cheeky grin. "No wonder my daddy set his sights on you~"

Alexis clicks his teeth. "This isn't about Yusho, this is about what you've been doing these past few months. You and your little 'theater troupe' have been going around changing hearts, making a mess of things. Instead of following Yusho Sakaki's teachings, you've been doing the exact opposite."

"At least I learned when to fight and when to have fun," Yuya remarks dryly as he cranes his neck. He just needs to bide some time, wait for the others to figure his location and then...

"Don't even think of trying to get out of here," Alexis smirks, bringing her left arm out. Yuya gulps as he sees her Duel Disk ready and she then places three cards on the table. Etoile Cyber. Blade Dancer. Polymerization.

"I swore to never touch Polymerization ever since those Academia assholes carded Angela," Alexis snarls. "But for you, I'll make an exception. Make one wrong move, and I'll summon my original Fusion ace to cut you into pieces and then scatter your pieces into the sea for the fish to gobble up. What do you say to that?"

Yuya looks Alexis up and down before he utters, "Kinky!"

Alexis nearly slams the table in rage before calming herself. "Okay, have it your way. But I'm not leaving until I get the truth out of you. Food and drink will be given to you upon request, but you are not allowed to see anyone. Especially your father."

"...."

Alexis pulls out a folder from the shadows and slams it onto the table. "Your father has been keeping a close eye on the news. You can utilize something called a 'Persona' that can help steal a person's heart. Tell me, how did that come to be? Who gave you this power to commit these crimes?"

"Crimes?" Yuya chuckles. "Those aren't crimes, those are justice. It seems like you can't tell which is which. But, if you must know, this all started out with the most unlikely of people and events. A little arrogant blowhard who thought he could pin me for a crime I didn't commit, thinking that it was his way of getting justice. In reality, it was nothing more but a show of entitlement."

Alexis nods her head. "The report agrees that it all checks out, especially since the person who kickstarted everything also happened to be your first target."

"Second target actually, but the first one we decided to change for the better." Yuya corrects, not like it matters to Alexis.

Alexis leans close as she opens the folder to show the picture of a teenage boy with auburn hair and a yellow lightning bolt bang. He smirks at the camera, loving how its eye was on him. "Tell me, what reason did you have to attack Sylvio Sawatari?"

"It's simple," Yuya chuckles, eyes glowing red. And if Alexis paid more attention, she would have seen the large shadow behind Yuya also sporting those same glowing crimson eyes.

 "He attacked me first."

Chapter Text

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Chapter 1

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Shadows in Bloom

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Ever since the night at the warehouse, Yuzu Hiragi felt...frazzled.

Then again, after Sylvio nearly caused her and three kids to fall to their deaths in a duel, she had every right to feel nothing but animosity towards the smug prick who sees himself as hot shit just because he's from Leo Duel School. How could he do something so cruel? Lure Yuya into having a duel in Leo Duel School, use such poison honeyed words to convince Yuya to let him see his Pendulum cars, steal those Pendulum cards and then force Yuya to duel for his life, along with the lives of her, Ayu, Futoshi and Tatsuya, just for them.

Was Sylvio, and the rest of the students in that Sore Loser Institute of Dueling so petty?

If Yuzu could, she'd...she'd...she wouldn't humiliate him, but she would sue him and Reiji for putting their lives in so much danger! She'd make sure to wring out every bit of money from Sylvio's father of a mayor for the therapy bills and for repairs for You Show as well! But of course, Shuzo told her not to go that far. For one thing, even if she did make a case for it, it was still Yuya's choice to give the cards to Sylvio. And second, Sylvio was not only protected by his father, but also by Reiji Akaba and their lawyers. And You Show didn't have enough money to even pay for a good lawyer as well.

Still, if only Yuzu could do something other than hit people over the head with her harisen. If only she had that strength to stand up to Sylvio and protect Yuya...

At that thought, Yuzu couldn't help but think back to that night at the warehouse.  She and Ayu were returning from a quick trip to the convenience store for ice cream, when she saw Sylvio and his goons talking about getting revenge on Yuya. She tasked Ayu to run back as she confronted Sylvio head-on in the warehouse...or at least, that was how it was supposed to go.

Before she could even get her Duel Disk ready, someone interrupted her, proclaiming that he would be her knight in shining armor. Yuzu argued that this wasn't his fight, but the stranger in his black cloak, goggles and face mask refused. Sylvio didn't care, he just wanted to prove the power of his new and improved deck.

The person who dueled had a weird playing style. His first move was to place face-down cards on his Spell/Trap zone. Sylvio didn't show any fear to this type of opening move, rather he boasted that his Monarch deck would make him freeze in terror. From what Yuzu remembered about Monarchs, their playng method was nothing but the use of Tribute Summoning. There were no Extra Deck monsters associated with the Monarchs, to the point that some of their support cards require the duelist to leave their Extra Deck empty. On the bright side, this meant that Pendulums were out of the question, but good luck trying to fight off a Level 6 2400 ATK beatstick if you didn't come prepared.

The stranger with his face-down cards didn't seem terrified when his face-down cards were destroyed. Rather, it seemed he was glad that Sylvio took the bait. For those face-down cards weren't regular Spell or Traps...

They were Trap Monsters called Phantom Knights.

This surprised Yuzu. Trap Monsters were a very rare type of card. They were Traps that become a monster on the field, and they could be used as a last defense or even tribute fodder if need be. But no one has ever used Trap Monsters before, so who was this person to use such a thing? And for what reason?

Well, she found the reason seconds later when the person built the Overlay Network and Xyz Summoned through these Trap Monsters.

Yuzu, Sylvio and his goon squad were shocked at this monster -- Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon.

After the dragon was summoned, the duel ended before Sylvio could even get a good attack in. All the while the Xyz duelist critiqued Sylvio's playing style -- fighting with a blunt sword without any technique. The way the monster attacked felt real. Not like Solid Vision real, but real real. It was ready to summon a tornado to destroy everything in the warehouse, and perhaps kill Sylvio too by sucking the wind out of him. And the coup d'gra was a spear that pinned Sylvio to the wall, ending the duel.

But that wasn't the odd part. The only reason the Phantom Knight duelist even partook in this duel was due to how Sylvio was a student from Leo Duel School and whether or not he was connected to something called "Academia". For once in his life, Sylvio told the truth. 

The Phantom Knight told Sylvio to run, and the coward did, tail between his legs. When he and his self-esteem team skedaddled, Yuzu was speechless. Not from the strength of seeing an Xyz duelist up close, not because of how the attacks felt real...

But the force of the duel cracked the person's duelists, forcing her to see something uncanny.

The boy...had Yuya's face.

But it wasn't exactly like Yuya's face. There were fierce grey eyes, and the hair was different too. Lavender instead of crimson. Still, it felt so surreal. How...why...since when was there an Xyz doppelganger of Yuya running around Maiami City? And where did they come from?

She didn't have a long time to get answers as he vanished at the time Yuya, her Yuya, entered the warehouse and asked what happened. She couldn't get the words out, afraid that she would be called crazy if she revealed the truth.

There was also the fact that he literally ripped off his mask before approaching Sylvio, demanding answers about an Academia and that Leo Duel School was connected to his quest. Sure there were rumors that the CEO was up to something shady, but how did it relate to Xyz Yuya?

It was terrifying and she didn't know what was real anymore

Yuya tried to reach out to her and that made her guiltier. Boys have to come to her rescue, while she just stands there like all girls do.

She felt angry and ready to burst from the seams! Why couldn't she be strong enough to rescue herself?

She was barely focusing on her father's lecture on the basics of Tribute Summoning before she heard someone call her name.

"Yuzu? Yuzu?"

Yuzu blinked and turned to see Yuya looking at her in concern. But instead of him, she could only see the boy who saved her the night before. Lavender hair, fierce grey eyes. He looked like Yuya yet didn't. Something that could be seen yet couldn't. A shadow.

"Yuzu, hey," Yuya waved a hand over her face. "Hello? Yuzu, is something wrong?"

Yuzu blinked and immediately turned away. "Oh, nothing's wrong. Except..."

"Except..."

Yuzu swallowed a lump in her throat, like a piece of a candy apple lodged in there. How was she able to express this in a way that didn't sound weird. Wait...

"Dad!" she said out loud. "So, what exactly would it take for one to Xyz summon?"

Everyone in the classroom blinked. Sora unconsciously crushed the donut in his hand.

"Xyz Summoning?" Shuzo repeated. "Now why would you want to learn about that all of a sudden?"

"Yeah, why not just ask about Fusion summoning?" Sora piped up, wiping the crumbled donut off his hand. "Everyone knows that Fusion is the best!"

"It's just...how do I put this..." Yuzu muttered. "Let's say you saw a certain someone use Xyz and it just blows you away. And you want to know more about it...how would you go about it?"

Shuzo hummed and scratched his head. "Xyz Summoning...that's a pretty difficult summoning technique to master."

"So you're better off not even trying," Sora humphed.

Yuzu grit her teeth. "But I still would like to know. Don't I have that right?"

"I wanna learn more about Xyz Summoning as well!" Ayu exclaimed.

"Me too!" Tatsuya added.

"Let's give Sylvio shivers for what he did to us!" Futoshi agreed.

"Now come on guys," Yuya said. "Revenge isn't the way to go. No one wins if we fight out of vengeance."

"Yuya, you're seriously not going to forgive Sylvio for what he did to us? He stole your cards, placed us on top of a giant tower, and didn't care if we fell to our deaths! He was planning on going after us again with his new 'Monarch' deck as well. If we don't stand up to people like him, what are we?"

"Well, that's...I..." Yuya stammered, afraid of being slapped by Yuzu's harisen. Or worse.

Yuzu slammed her hands on the table. "So tell me dad, how does one Xyz Summon?"

"W-w-well," Shuzo gulped.  "You see, all I know about Xyz summoning is that you..."

The door to the classroom was kicked open by a tree-trunk leg with a steel geta at the end. This belonged to a burly student with a ruddy face and black hair wearing a white school uniform with gold buttons. Wrapped around his head is a red headband, its ends flying in the wind like a war flag.

"Gongenzaka, what's going on?" Yuya asked. It's not unlike his childhood friend to come rushing to You Show.

"The man, Gongenzaka, saw Sylvio and his goons snapping their fingers as they approached the school!" Gongenzaka exclaimed.  "The man thinks that they're going after you for how you wiped the floor with Sylvio a few days ago."

Or maybe they're after him because of... Yuzu didn't finish that thought as she saw Yuya race out of the classroom. "Yuya, wait!"

Yuya was already racing out of the classroom to see what was going on. Yuzu followed him, heart beating fast, praying that this didn't end where she though it would.

-----

"For the last time, I didn't attack you last night, Sylvio!" Yuya exclaimed.

Even though Yuya said this three times, it wasn't like Sylvio Sawatari of Leo Duel School cared as he pushed Yuya around. Sylvio's lackeys were guffawing and hooting up a storm.

"Where's that spirit of rebellion inside ya?" Kakimoto sneered.

"What about that Xyz dragon as well?" Ootomo added.

"Ya got lucky with those shitty Trap Monsters of yours!" Yamabe barked.

"Xyz dragon? Trap Monsters?!" Yuya asked confused. "I don't have those in my deck."

"That's a lie!" Sylvio remarked. "After all, if you had those Pendulums on you, what else were you hiding?!"

"But really! I...don't even..."

Sylvio grabbed Yuya by the collar of his shirt and scowled. "You got lucky, Yuya. Some idiotic brat saved your life, your card made you win against me, and your Pendulums made you defeat Sledgehammer! Still doesn't change the fact you're a coward's son or Yusho is a deadbeat dad!"

Yuya froze and Sylvio tugged on his pendulum, a gift from his father, looking ready to choke Yuya with it. This was the scene that Yuzu and the others ran into.

"YUYA!" Yuzu gasped as Yuya struggled to pull away from Sylvio.

"What's wrong Yuya? Give us a smile like you always do!" Sylvio cackled.

The kiddos tried to rush in, but Sylvio's goons easily placed a hand on their heads to keep them in place. It didn't stop the three from trying to move their arms like windmills or kicking their shins.

"Yuya, I -- " Yuzu was blocked by Gongenzaka and Sora.

"The man thinks that Yuzu should stay away," Gongenzaka stated.

"Yeah, listen to Gong Strong here," said Sora. "I'll just use my handy dandy lollipo---oh no! I totally ate my last lollipop!"

"Let me at them!" Yuzu exclaimed, stepping back and ready to shoulder tackle the two...only for Shuzo to step in. "Dad!"

"No, Yuzu, I'm not getting you hurt after last time," Shuzo said calmly. He then marched towards Sylvio and began asking questions all while Yuzu saw Yuya scared for his life, hiding it with one of his smiles.

This was wrong, she had to do something...Gongenzaka was the one kept him strong when bullies did nothing but knock him down, daring Yuya to challenge them like he once demanded to take his father's place. Sora was the one who stopped Sylvio from attacking Yuya after the duel was over.

And what was she supposed to be? Emotional support?

Yuzu stared at Yuya smiling even as Sylvio laughed at the cruelty. She had to do something...had to fight back...she couldn't be weak anymore! She didn't want someone to fight her duels! She wanted to be the one on the white horse, with dazzling knight's armor, saving prince charmings in their towers!

What resolve, my heart. Are you ready to bring the sun back to your world?

Yuzu would have asked who was talking but she needed to act now. But what power did she have? Even now, Gongenzaka and Sora were preventing her from moving forward as Shuzo tried to break the fight up. It's unfair. All of it was. Was she sidelined because of her gender?! 

Life isn't always sunshine and gumdrops. But that doesn't mean your actions can't make a difference. Take off your mask as a meek girl and make your contract with me!

Yuzu was still unsure, and the migraine that suddenly formed from the disembodied voice talking to her wasn't helping. And then she heard a yelp of pain. She looked up to see Sylvio having pushed her father away, the old man flat on his back.

"DAD!" Yuzu gasped.

Sylvio sneered as he placed a foot on Shuzo's chest. "Know this old man. People like you, weaklings and poor people, will never amount to anything!"

Yuzu growled. "That....that FREAKING DOES IT!!!"

With the strength of ten Yuzus, she pushed Gongenzaka and Sora aside. The two were so shocked that they didn't have a chance to speak. Yuzu stepped towards Sylvio, glaring at the goons who mocked the kids for their height, head bent low.

"I am tired of not getting answers, tired of seeing Yuya hurt, tired of feeling weak, tired of people seeing me as some weak little girly girl who can't escape the tower she's trapped in!"

"But...the man has never called you that," Gongenzaka pointed out.

"People tell me that I shouldn't fight. People tell me that they will handle it for me. Well, what happens when there's no one to stand by my side? Who rescues me from myself?! I'll give you the answer..." Yuzu lifted her head, her sapphire eyes flashing topaz. "I WILL! You wanna get through Yuya, Sylvio...then you're gonna have to go. through. ME!!!!"

...

...

That's it, Yuzu. 

Yuzu howled in pain as she clutched her head, stumbling back from this searing migraine. But she wasn't afraid of the voice in her head. She embraced the chaos that was herself.

"Yuzu, what's going on?!" asked Shuzo.

"Someone call an ambulance!" Ayu panicked.

There is no sun without the dawn. It is always the darkest before the dawn as well.

I art thou. Thou art I. 

Let us bring the sun out of hiding. Let us not wait for a knight to save us. Say my name...and let's dance!

It all happened so quickly, but suddenly Yuzu felt something covering her face. A silver opera mask inlaid with music notes and decorated with carmine roses, its petals tipped black like ink.

She grasped at it, feeling like it was painfully glued to her skin. Yet she tugged, gritting her teeth at the pain. The pain here was nothing like the pain she felt in seeing Yuya utterly broken.

"Yuzu, what are you doing?!" Gongenzaka asked. 

"I'm giving myself a change of...face!" Yuzu roared as she tore the mask off of her face and a large gust of wind and blue light manifested around her Everyone else looked in shock, while Sylvio and his goons were suddenly thrown back a few feet, laying on the asphalt in pain. Yuzu stood confident as she pointed a finger at the idiots who crossed paths with her.

"Let us perform a pas de deux...Ame-no-uzume!"

Yuya looked up in shock, jaw dropping to the asphalt at what he saw. It was mystical. Yuzu wearing that same opera mask that she tore off of her face, but she also wore a scarlet dress with white trim on the sleeves and skirt. Roses decorated the neckline, as well as the opera gloves covering her arms (even though her bracelet somehow appeared over it).

But it wasn't just here that made everyone gasp. It was the being behind her. An elegant woman in a dark pink ball-gown with long hair covering her eyes, a bright carnation pink, her skin white like ivory. On her head were a pair of small orange fox ears and a golden halo with numerous spokes like needles. She smiled, revealing tiny fangs like bamboo shoots. And for some odd reason, by her feet were two roosters.

"What the hell?!" Sylvio gasped.

Ame-no-uzume giggled as she pulled out a mirror from the folds of her dress. "Good day, mistress. Is this the recital hall?"

Yuzu nodded, eyes briefly glowing gold. "Yuya didn't fight you that night, Sylvio. And I am sick and tired of having to be in the sidelines while others have to rescue me. But no more. From now on, I choose to fight for myself and for those I care about! You want to fight, Sylvio? Come on then, fight me!"

Ame-no-uzume smiled before she opened her mouth and started to sing. The force of her voice alone caused everyone to fly back, reacting differently to her voice. Whereas Shuzo felt his wounds healed, the kids felt hope, Gongenzaka, Sora, and Yuya felt like the music was as soft and sweet as the clouds in heaven...

Sylvio and his self-esteem team howled in agony, covering their ears as they stood up, shaking like the last leaves in autumn. Sylvio looked up at Yuzu, then at Yuya, then at the spiritual opera flower lady...and then they decided to book it.

"We'll...we'll settle this later, Loser Sakaki!" Sylvio snapped before he suddenly grabbed his shoulder. "Ah, my shoulder! I think it's still sore from that spear!"

Quit your whining and your lying! Ame-no-uzume spat out.

Sylvio said no more as he, Yamambe, Ootomo and Kakimoto run with their tails between their legs. Everyone else was shocked as Yuzu panted, hand to her heart, dressed in her school uniform once more.

Shuzo was the first to speak up. "W-what was...what was that?!"

"I don't know..." Yuzu answered, feeling woozy. "It was just so...new."

"It is simply you as well," The melodic voice giggled.

Then a spiritual figure appeared, feminine, her face lit up like the moon on a festival night. Cherry blossoms decorated the back of her mirror, and there were even faint musical highlights in her hair.

"GHOST!!!" Futoshi shivered.

"That's...not scientifically possible!" Tatsuya gasped.

"You're so pretty!" Ayu gasped. 

"But...who are you?" Yuya asked, finally asking the most obvious question.

"Did you not here what Yuzu said? I am Ame-no-uzume, goddess of the dawn, of flowers, and of merriment. To Yuzu, I art thou and thou art I. 'Twas I who danced to bring the sun back to the world. She who brought laughter in the darkness."

Gongenzaka paused. "So wait...You're some sort of guardian angel?"

"Something like that. In truth, I'm..." Ame-no-uzume paused. "I shall explain later. Sylvio was a herald to the real threat.

She vanished as a white limo approached the school. Once it stopped, everyone held their breaths before a door opened and a woman in a magenta suit and a heart-shaped bouffant stepped out. Her face didn't show anger, but that tranquil almost mollycoddling look on her face seemed to hide something.

"H-Himika Akaba!" Shuzo gasped, scrambling to his feet. "What are you doing here?!"

"Uh...who is she?" Sora asked.

"That's the Chairwoman of Leo Corp.!" Tatsuya answered. "Leo Corp. is where all the cards are made."

"Really now..." 

Himika chuckled as she looked at Yuya. "Forgive us if Sylvio made an...unruly welcome. But he has right to be...salty, as you put it. Given that the son of that coward somehow manifested a new type of summoning never recorded in all of Duel Monsters history. How did you do it?"

"I don't know," Yuya answered honestly. Then, with a fire in his heart he didn't know he had, he asked, "But did you know that Sylvio stole my cards and nearly put my friends in danger?!"

If Himika knew this information, she didn't show it on her made-up face. Instead, she chuckled. "What happens in a duel stays in a duel. But I would like to ask you a few questions about where you were last night. Or rather, me and my son would like to ask some questions..."

At the mention of "son", the air suddenly felt like icy needles on everyone's skin. Then, someone left the limo. Silver hair, dark brown eyes, a red scarf snug around their neck. Everyone who was a duelist in Maiami City knew his name.

"Reiji Akaba?!" All but Sora shouted.

"Yuya Sakaki," Reiji Akaba stated, his glasses shining like they reflect the sun off the lens. "Let's have a little talk."

----

"Hold up," Alexis interrupts. "I thought this was the story of how you obtained your Persona."

"It is," Yuya clarifies. "It's just that before you get to me, you have to go through her. Why, at this point, I bet she's really bringing the house down!"

...

"Retreat! Back to the bunker!"

"This bitch is crazy!"

"I play Polymerization and fuse my Big Koala and Des Kangaroo!"

Numerous students in red jackets flee in terror at the sight of Death coming their ways. Death herself is a girl with pink hair, dressed in a maroon ballgown wearing an opera mask, shining like a knight's sword and decorated with roses. 

"Large marsupial from down under, boxing fiend of the outback! Fuse and let's give my opponent a total knock-out! Fusion Summon! Master of Oz!"

The girl in her ballgown grins as she stares at the humongous koala with shamrock colored fur, wearing a purple vest, red clown shows and large red boxing gloves. 

"W-w-what do you have to say about that, princess?" The student stammers.

The girl smirks as she raises her baseball bat. Then, it spontaneously combusts, the flames giving its wielder an ominous glow and emphasizes her grin.

"...Oh."

"Burn-burn-burn-BURNINATE!!!" The girl cackles as she rushes towards her opponent.

...

"She sets my very soul on fire..." Yuya sighs, heart-shaped bubbles floating around him.

"...right," Alexis grumbles. She remembered that time Yusho mentioned his wife was like a durian. A tough spikey exterior that hides a soft center. Or maybe it was a dragonfruit? "But back to your Persona, Yuya..."

"Hmm?" Yuya tilts his head. 

"If this is how Yuzu Hiragi obtained her Persona, how did you obtain yours?"

"Now we're getting somewhere," Yuya giggles. His eyes glow red once more, and for some odd reason Alexis can smell a fragrance. A sweet fragrance.

Grapes.

Just as she realizes this, Yuya has a goblet of dark red liquid in his hand. He drinks it down before sighing and wipes a drop of juice away with his thumb. He licks it slowly then licks his lips like a vampire having tasted human blood for the first time.

"So after my darling Yuzu's Persona showed herself, it was time for me to be born again."

Chapter Text

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Chapter 2

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Shadows in Frenzy

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Yuzu felt so ashamed of herself. 

Reijji and his mother all but demanded that her father sells You Show Duel School to them, citing the "assault" Yuya placed on Sylvio and the fact that no one was going to the school founded by a coward. She was proud of her father downright refusing a large amount of money from Leo Corp., even if it would give them the renovations and pay the utility bills, because it wouldn't be right to accept a bribe after everything Leo Duel School put the students through just a few days ago.

So Himika decided on a better idea: the representatives of You Show Duel School would duel against three of Leo Duel School's best duelists. Each of represents from Leo Duel School were masters of the three extra deck summonings: Hokuto Shijima for Xyz, Masumi Kotsu for Fusion, and Yaiba Kido for Synchro.

Yuya fought Hokuto in the first round, the Xyz duelist boasting that his fate as the strongest Xyz duelist in the world was a message from the stars, even boasting the yellow stars and lines that made up the Big Dipper on his head. Unfortunately, his tendency to use Xyz monsters bit him in the ass when Yuya's trusty Spell card boosted the attack of all monsters that had Levels, not Ranks. Hokuto was pissy that his win streak was ruined, not like Masumi and Yaiba cared.

Speaking of Masumi, Yuzu decided to make it a girl vs girl fight even though she didn't know Fusion...or Xyz...or even Synchro.

The Crystal Chambers her father chose (because it reflected how he saw his daughter as a dazzling gem) didn't help. It complimented Masumi's Gem-Knights, and how her mind was like a diamond. She was laser-focused, which showed when Yuzu was so disoriented over the Xyz Yuya and Ame-no-uzume that she didn't realize before it was too late that the Action Card that she wanted to grab was all in her head.

(And perhaps Ame-no-uzume and Xyz Yuto was in her head. She was going insane; that had to be it.)

She wanted to cry in Yuya's arms in shame. For all she did to become strong to stand up to Sylvio, she still lost. It wasn't fair...

How could she be so confused to see cards that weren't there? And even with this goddess  Persona by her side, it didn't answer the question on this Xyz Yuya at all.  She wanted to run away in shame, but Yuya kept holding her tight to console her. At any point, she'd be embarrass and push him away. Instead, she let herself feel the sadness as a ghostly hand patted her head.

It's okay. You have taken the first step, and that's still the most important thing. Take a deep breath. Things will be okay.

Yuzu took that breath and when she looked up, she found comfort in Yuya's smile. And yet...she couldn't help but think of the masks he always wore..

Or worse, what would eventually make him remove that mask?

...

The final duel with Yaiba Kido was supposed to have Sora duel. But Sora decided to sit this one out cause he wasn't in it for You Show. If it wasn't for Gongenzaka stepping in, and Himika deciding to let the Superheavy duelist take Sora's place, You Show would've been lost.

Yaiba's X-Saber monsters nearly put Gongenzaka in a unbreakable combo. Yet Gongenzaka was like a  tree. Rooted in place. Immovable. Unwilling to bend his rules of taking Action Spells even if it would give him advantage. With his determination and trust in his cards, he was able to end the duel in a draw.

Unfortunately, a win, a loss, and a draw on each side wasn't enough to put You Show Duel School in the clear. Himika insisted on a tiebreaker. It would be her son, Reiji Akaba, against Yuya Sakaki. The sons of Leo Akaba and Yusho Sakaki in a one-on-one winner take all duel.

This...as Shuzo noted in a panic, was a duel in Reiji's favor. Reiji was a three-time winner in the Arc Championship League and also a master of Fusion, Synchro and Xyz summoning. In comparison, Yuya would've been lucky to make it to the Top 16 in any given year!

And even with Yuya's skills in Pendulum, it wouldn't make up for the skill and experience that was expected from the CEO of Leo Corp.

But Yuzu prayed, prayed, for a miracle. For Yuya to push forward, dig deep in himself and pull out a victory.

If Yuya was the sun, she was the dawn. And if she had to dance until she dropped dead to bring Yuya back to his smiling self, then so be it.

----

In the Action Circus, Yuya became silent.

In their first turns, Reiji showed how he outclassed Yuya in every single way. While Yuya could play one monster and a few face-down cards. Reiji kept recycling monsters to Fusion, Synchro and Xyz summon. His Contract cards gave him all the power he needed to do whatever he wanted.

And no matter what Yuya did with Action Cards and the effects of his Performapals, he was losing. He was losing. With less than 400 lifepoints compared to the 2550 Reiji had, it would take a miracle to get Reiji down to at least 1000. It wasn't helping that there were comments from the peanut gallery telling Yuya that he would never beat someone like Reiji.

"I can't believe that I lost to this weakling," Hokuto muttered. "That win had to be a fluke!"

"No way the son of a coward could ever go toe to toe with Reiji!" Yaiba sneered. "Maybe that's why Yusho ran away; he was so embarrassed that he fathered a disappointment!"

Yuya felt his blood boil at those remarks, even when Reiji half-assedly told them to shut up, it didn't make the pain of those remarks vanish.  He wanted to prove them wrong. His father's philosophy helped against Hokuto, but not Reiji.

But he was too stubborn to hold onto his father's remarks, all that he had left of his dad before he vanished. He was patient, he waited. And waited. And waited. And yet Yusho never returned, and no one knew where he'd gone. His future was lost, and he was condemned to be a loser's son for the rest of his life.

Yuya wanted to get mad, unleash his rage and fight back. He was sick and tired of fighting monsters like this. But his father's advice kept ringing in his head.

Just smile, Yuya. Keep smiling.

Was smiling able to get rid of everyone's sneers and laughter? Did it help his mother pay the bills? Or to convince students to stay for the dueling and not come for the Pendulums?

No...smiling wasn't fixing anything! It wasn't...It WASN'T!!!!

Look at you. You tend to be the life of the party, and yet you keep your mask on even when alone.

Yuya blinked. That voice...felt familiar.

There are times to party and times to be mad. Bottling your frustrations never ends well. You're a soda can who has had one too many shakes.

Yuya felt his heart beat, his head spinning. Everything was changing. Then, he was clutching his head in pain as if someone took a sledgehammer to smash it open.

"What's going on with Yuya?!" asked Tatsuya.

"It's like what happened with Yuzu!" Ayu gasped.

"This is giving me shivers...again!" Futoshi shuddered..

"Hmm?" Himika asked, raising a penciled eyebrow. "What happened to Yuzu?"

The three kids gulped as Gongenzaka stepped in.

"The kids have the right to remain silent," he growled. "And no amount of money or candy you can bribe them will not make them sing."

"Hmph, like I'd go as low as to make bribes with children," Himika harrumphed.

Shuzo wanted to state the crimes she committed, but kept silent as he pulled out a phone and began calling Yoko.

Reiji looked somewhat concerned as Yuya suddenly started screaming in agony, clutching his head in pain with tears falling down his eyes. Not only was this unexpected, but this was downright dangerous for a Duelist to have a breakdown. 

"Yuya Sakaki," Reiji began. "Listen, let's cancel the duel and -- "

"SHUT UP!!!!!" Yuya roared as he dropped to his knees, hand on his heart. But still that voice was insistent, sharp like knives to the throat. "Shut up shut up shut up shut up, I hate you, I hate you, I HATE YOU I HATE YOU I'LL KILL YOU I'LL KILL YOU I'LL KILL YOUUUUUU!!!! JUST DIE REIJI AKABAAAAAAA!!!! YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!"

Reiji never cries, but in that moment, he could feel the tears forming in his eyes from the sheer rage in Yuya's heart. He had never expected Yuya to be this furious. These past three years, he's seen Yuya roll with the punches, smiling despite the pain. But then again, one of the things a man should fear the most is the rage of a gentle man.

And Reiji was feeling this rage at full force.

Come on kid. Get angry. You wanna be a coward or do you wanna be free? Go ape shit! Let me in...LET ME INNNNNN!!!!!

Yuya growled as his eyes flashed gold. Yuzu looked in shock as Ame-no-uzume smiled faintly.

What's going on?! Yuzu thought. Is Yuya...is he becoming like me?

No. Ame-no-Uzume whispered in Yuzu's mind (with Yuzu so shocked to see Yuya writhing in agony to not even realize someone was speaking to her in her head). He's finally letting loose.

Yuya was about to lose it. And when he did lose it...

He lifted his head to the sky and roared, his rage coursing through his blood.

"You guys wouldn't like me when I'm angry," Yuya snarled, causing Hokuto and Yaiba to gulp. "And right now, I'm not just angry. I'm freaking pissed off! Did you think I couldn't feel? Did you think I didn't know what it meant to feel pain? Do you know how much I suffered while you have fathers who dote on you? Who give you all the attention in the world?! If it was your fathers who vanished, do you think I'd laugh at you? Would I look down as you suffer? I wouldn't! I'd make you smile, do my best to make you laugh. But all of you loved laughing at me because it was easier to ostracize me than to sympathize with me.

"So why...tell me...what do all of you have to gain from my suffering?! Do you sleep easy at the pain of my creation? The scoldings of things that aren't my fault? Do you know how I'm always talking with myself in the hope that I will make it through this living hell? Would you be satisfied if I decided to just jump off the roof of this building as an escape?!"

(Masumi would've retorted that she's never said anything bad about Yuya being a coward...but then again she did stick up her nose a few times at You Show's performances being "flash and no substance".)

Yuya inhaled with ragged breaths, craning his neck towards the audience. "I'm done choking my grief with smiles. How about I drive a knuckle sandwich down your throats and make you choke on your own words! All of you look at me...Look at me!!! ALL OF YOU LOOK AT ME RIGHT NOW! I'M NOT AN UNFEELING ROBOT! I'M NOT A COWARD'S SON! I AM A HUMAN BEING! I...AM...YUYA SAKAKI!!!!!"

No one said a word. Everyone had become stone cold silent. Yuzu looked on the verge of tears. Shuzo shook his head. Gongenzaka nodded his own. Sora felt like something tore his soul out of his body. Hokuto, Masumi and Yaiba's faces were a fusion of shock, shame, confusion, fear. Even Himika couldn't help but shudder.

Then, Yuya did something that no one expected him to do.

He laughed.

He laughed and laughed and laughed as if he finally got the punchline of a sick and twisted joke, tears leaking out of his eyes for the first time in years.

"I'm a person...I'm...a person...What did I do to deserve your hatred when all I wanted to do...was be kind? It's all my fault isn't it? I shouldn't have tried to challenge the Sledgehammer." Yuya hiccuped. 

He cried in agony before he pounded at his chest, each smack echoing in the Action Field. Shuzo was hastily screaming for Yoko to pick up NOW.

Yuya remembered a saying. They say that when you laugh then the world laughs with you. If you weep, you weep alone.

But he laughed and cried because there was nothing else he could do. Nothing except embrace the chaos that was his existence as he practically clawed at his face, digging his nails deep into his skin to the point that he would've drawn blood.

Yuzu felt something in her heart...she had to do something. With tears in her eyes, she practically broke the glass as she shouted, "That's not your fault! None of this is your fault. You were only a child. You just wanted to protect your father's name! Any child would do that. It's everyone else's fault for what happened to you! They should've been ashamed of themselves! Hell, Sledgehammer should've dueled you either way! What type of example is he showing by looking down at a kid?"

Yuya paused, blinking the tears. He looked at Yuzu who was also crying, squeezing her eyes shut as the tears fell down.

"I know you're angry, but I also know that you're a kind person who wants to make people happy. You're better than Reiji in more ways than one! You always keep getting up even when people knock you down. You  keep smiling even when it gets tough. And no matter what, you never seek revenge or retaliation. And that's what...that's what..."

She shivered as she finally let it out,

"That's what I love about you!"

Yuzu didn't care if people stared at her, if Masumi thought she was weak for having a crush on her friend. She said it; she said the words and didn't care. She loved Yuya with all of her heart, and she would do anything to protect him.

"I love you, Yuya...and I believe in you. But believe in the me that believes in you as well! Show them what You Show is all about!"

Sora blinked in confusion but Gongenzaka pounded his chest.

"The man, Gongenzaka, will support you till the end," He declared. "You are a warrior in your own right. A better man than others who think strength of the body and cards is what is needed to be strong. But true strength flows from one's heart!"

"You're amazing, Yuya!" Ayu cheered. "Keep on smiling and performing!"

"Give everyone shivers!" Futoshi said.

"I joined You Show because I believed in the magic of performing!" Tatsuya declared. "You don't need an entire audience cheering your name, you just need people who love you as are you are!"

(Sora said nothing, instead he narrowed his eyes)

"So love yourself, speak yourself," Yuzu said. "And we'll do the same as well!"

Yuya felt the words deep in his heart, the shattering of the emotional barrier around it as well. That, combined with the adrenaline from his laugh made his spirits soar more than when he was in an Action Duel. It was exhilarating. It was intoxicating. It was addicting! He closed his eyes and let that heady feeling course through his body, a smile on his face.

And the chaos in his mind smiled back.

Yes! Yes! YES! Drink it up, and fall for the mad artist that is ourselves.

I am thou. Thou art I. 

The wine of frenzy has set you free! 

Let's get mischievous... and polyamorous!

Yuya's eyes snapped open. An ivory mask appeared over his face, with goat horns, bunches of grapes and vines decorated the edges, the cheeks and curls of the horns dyed with red wine. Then, he grasped onto the horns with all his might. He gasped as he tugged the mask, not caring how it hurt. He died the moment everyone called him a coward's son. Nothing could hurt him after that.

"E-excuse me?" Masumi gasped. "Is this part of the duel?!"

"I'm sorry I called you a coward, stop going mad, stop going mad!" Hokuto whimpered. "I promise to never call you weak or a coward's son ever again!"

"Yuya-sempai...is becoming just like Yuzu!" Sora whispered.

Yuya grinned with a crazed look his eye, fists trembling. "Wine and women and wonderful vices. Welcome to the Cult of...Dionysus!"

He ripped his mask off, screaming at how his skin was torn off, and blood spread over his face. It was temporarily before he was consumed by blue light and suddenly the air smelled like grapes. 

When the light died down, Yuya stood there, but he was no longer his entertainer self.

"Until the sun comes up, where the party at? Until the sun sets, where the party at?" Yuya sang, stumbling around like he was drunk but never losing his charming smile.

Everyone watching looked in utter surprise. No one was expecting Yuya's metamorphosis or change in wardrobe.

Yuya grinned, his outfit that of a harlequin, similar to the outfit he wore when he dueled Sledgehammer a little over a week ago, but now red and black with a pattern of teal diamonds on the side. He grasped a staff covered in ivy before he tossed it into the air, where it was caught in the arms of a handsome shirtless youth who wore nothing but what was essentially a white towel over his waist. His wavy brown hair the color of a lion's fur was decorated with bunches of purple grapes, each grape as bright and beautiful like amethysts. He grinned as he sipped from a large two-handled golden goblet filled grape juice. No, not drink, he downed at least a gallon of grape juice in ten seconds. After he drank, he stared at Reiji with mad golden eyes.

"It's time for a mad party!" Yuya howled.

Reiji raised an eyebrow but didn't react. The LDS trio and Himika looked shocked. The kids could barely contain their awe. This was insane! The power radiating off of Yuya, the aura from his smile alone, was impossible to ignore.

(And in another part of Maiami City, someone couldn't help but flinch. As if they detected something resonating within the very parts of their soul)

Yuya momentarily stopped his laughter as he placed a hand on his forehead.  He swayed, feeling a migraine forming as someone handed him a sip of that sweet, rich, intoxicating juice. And in this state, he started seeing something like planets moving at the speed of light.

"This guy is dangerous now!" Yaiba shuddered. "He's become a practitioner of the Drunken Fist!"

"The what?" asked Tatsuya.

"They say that there's a martial arts based on how intoxicated you become. It's unpredictable and one has no idea what they're going to do next."

Yuya grinned to the point his face was going to freeze. "I'm feeling devious and looking glamorous! So how about I change things up a little?" He then pointed to his audience. "You ready for this? Are you ready to get hyped up? You mind if I show you something new and exciting~?"

When no one said anything, he spoke up with a, "Can't hear you!"

"I've never seen Yuya act like this before and I don't like it!" Ayu exclaimed. 

"Someone hold me!" Futoshi sobbed, clinging onto Gongenzaka's waist.

"First off, I'm gonna use the power of my Pendulums to Pendulum Summon!" Yuya declared, pointing to Stargazer and Timegazer Magician in the Pendulum Zones. "Swing pendulum and carve the arc of victory!"

A teal pendulum wrapped in silver oscillates from side to side, with everyone's eyes locked into their movements. Dionysus couldn't help but smirk as he drank more from his goblet.

"So now, let's bring out my Level 5 Performapal Dag Daggerman and Gumgumouton, my Level 3 Fire Mufflion, and my Level 7 Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

Four bolts of lighting struck the field as everyone looked confused at what Yuya was going to summon. Reiji kept his stiff upper lip as he stared at each monster one by one.

First was Dag Daggerman, who resembled Yusho Sakaki if he decided to wear purple, with yellow stars decorating his suit and top hat. The Yusho in purple grinned as he pulled out a myriad of daggers from the sleeves of his coat, eacn of them decorated with a pretty red tassel, and stuck them between his fingers. (2000 ATK)

Next was Gumgumouton, a pair of sheep with bright colors. The one on the bottom was a shade of apple green with a red star on his left cheek and wearing a red bow-tie with white polka-dots. The one resting on top was bubblegum pink, wore a tiny top hat, and had a blue star on his cheek. (900 ATK)

The third monster was a lion with a fiery mane and tail, wearing a black waistcoat, a blue bow-tie with yellow spots, and a fancy hat. He glared at Reiji's monsters, unafraid of these conquerors. (800 ATK)

And finally, there was the star of the show. Yuya's signature monster. A crimson dragon with crescent-moon horns and dichromatic eyes. The red dragon roared as he was ready to battle for fun, for glory, for You Show! (2500 ATK) 

"Dag Daggerman's effect!" said Yuya, taking a card from his hand. "I discard a Pendulum monster from my hand, then I get a new card. Catch!"

He tossed the card as Dag Daggerman threw a knife at the card. It shattered while Yuya drew a card. Then he laughed.

"Now, as you noticed. I've got two monsters with the same level. Ya know what that means?"

Reiji blinked before it finally settled in. And it settled in with everyone else.

"Wait, he can't be..."

"Is that even possible?"

"He can't be doing what I think he's doing!"

Yuya giggled. "Drink it up, everyone. Time for a Yuya Sakaki special!"

Dionysus laughed as he slammed his staff onto the ground and lush vegetation surrounded Yuya. Grapes, olives, apples, apricots. The Performapal duelist tilted his head, loving the attention. He lived for it. He was crazy for it!

"Ladies and gentlemen, you already know what this is! With my two Level 5 monsters...I build the overlay unit!"

---

"Let me guess, you learned Xyz Summoning from how Hokuto Shima performed it in your duel?"

"...if you wanna put it that way, then sure. Why not?" Yuya says, drinking his grape juice. "Say, can we order some pizza? I'm starved."

"We don't get pizza here," Alexis mutters. "But I can order some curry for us to eat. It'll arrive in fifteen minutes. Fair?"

Yuya pouts but then shrugs. "Now then, let's drink this up. After all, dueling is alcohol, too. If you can drink it, then you'll get drunk."

Chapter Text

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Chapter 3

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Shadows in Lawsuits

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Reiji had to be hearing things, seeing things...did he just see Yuya unleash his rage over how everyone in Maiami City treated him, then tear a mask off of his face along with most of his skin, summoned a being named after the Greek god of wine and festivities, and then Xyz Summon?

None of this made any sense. He knew this wasn't the effect of his Solid Vision technology, but he read enough psychology to understand what was going on. A removal of one's mask to expose their true self. And Yuya's true self isn't the smiling, goofball son of a coward Yusho Sakaki.

No, there was the boiling rage of a broken boy who was being blamed for something that was completely out of his control. Mocked, belittled, bullied...and Reiji himself was contributing to that problem. 

But it was all worth it in the end. If Yuya could stop these temper tantrums and stop thinking about fun and games but rather the looming terror that's about to cause all of the dimensions to be destroyed, then it would be worth it. Let Yuya have his emotional breakdown and then Reiji will give Yuya big reality check.

These past three years will be worth it if he can really get his hands on those Pendulum cards.

...That's only if he survived Yuya's newest trick.

...

"Wait, Yuya doesn't know Xyz summoning!" Hokuto exclaimed. "He can't just pull it out out of nowhere! Where the hell is this coming from?"

"Your guess is as good as ours," Yuzu noted, still worried about what she saw that night. But no, she knew that the Yuya who fought Sylvio wasn't her Yuya. Her Yuya always kept his smile, would never stoop as low as revenge, and his dragon was red instead of black. Plus, why would Yuya ever hide his identity? He was an entertainer, he wanted people to have all eyes on him.

Just like right now.

"Just look at his behavior," Himika noted. "That aggressiveness is exactly the same as what Sylvio saw the night before. Yuya Sakaki should be arrested like the monster he is."

Masumi turned around and blanched. "Uh...Madame Himika?" 

"What's to say he's wasn't at the warehouse the night before and you're all covering for him?" Himika continued, sneering at Yuzu, Sora, and the kids. Gongenzaka kept his gaze at her, unafraid of what she had to say. Meanwhile, Hokuto and Yaiba's faces became the color of curdled milk. "Yuya is unpredictable, unstable. You saw how he snapped at the light teasing of Hokuto and Yaiba. Even when my son was trying to comfort him, he asks him to die."

"Because what Hokuto and Yaiba did wasn't light teasing," Yuzu growled. "They know that Yusho's disappearance is a sore topic around Yuya!"

"Yuya needs to learn to just suck it up!" Himika barked at Yuzu, growling at her face. "I don't care if you're the daughter of Shuzo Sakaki, or how you're trying to defend your boyfriend's honor and empower him with your love, but you were there at the scene of the crime. You're obviously hiding something."

"Yuzu nee-chan isn't doing anything like that!" AYu proclaimed, standing up to Himika. "I was with her until she asked me to go back to You Show, where Yuya was!"

"Yeah, Yuya is the nicest and coolest duelist in all of Maiami City!" Tatsuya added. "You're just mad that Yuya is better than everyone in Leo Duel School!"

"He's going to give you shivers!" Futoshi added.

"It's quite adorable to see you sounding so proud at how Yuya Sakaki is the champion of the world when he's a fool who doesn't realize he's one pathetic joke!" Himika stated just as everyone glanced at the side and slowly backed away. "And once Reiji wins, You Show is now the property of Leo Corp., and we'll turn this has-been academy constructed by a coward to the pinacle of dueling perfection!" She then noticed why no one was looking at her. "Now what is it?"

"Chairwoman Himika..." Masumi gulped. "You were being recorded?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" Himika barked. "Who would ever have the audacity to -- "

"So, is this what the chairwoman of Leo Corp. thinks about my son and my husband's school? Well, glad I have all of that on record then!"

Himika turned around and placed her hand to her mouth in sheer horror. Standing behind her was Yuya's mother, Yoko Sakaki. And she had just pressed the Stop button on her phone. Hokuto and Yaiba hugged each other in fear. Even Masumi couldn't help but shudder.

"Yoko Sakaki!" Himika gasped. "How did you get here?"

"My motorcycle," Yoko answered calmly, hand still on her cellphone. "Y'know, I was just off to do some community service at a local soup kitchen, taking in two kids who were in search of Leo Duel School when I got a call from Shuzo about someone trying to buy You Show Duel School out of him."

"T-that's correct," Himika said. "But it's not important for you to leave your...duties. Shuzo Hiragi downright refused the generous donation we would give him if he gave the rights to Pendulum monsters, and You Show, to us. Such a shame."

"It is a shame...for you that is."

"...come again? Aren't you upset about the best offer of You Show from getting money it will ever get? Barely anyone is coming to learn the joy of dueling when they can learn what it means to win. To be the strongest there is."

"And that means you had someone steal my son's cards for the sole attempt of proving its power?"

"It was nothing more than a demonstration, and if eyewitnesses have proven, your son allowed Sylvio to use the cards."

"No, he only allowed Sylvio to look at the cards." Yoko sighed.

"If he didn't want Sylvio to take the cards, he should've fought back," Himika noted.

"And he did," Yoko retaliated. "He dueled Sylvio in order to get them back, and you don't seem to care as to why this happened or the fact that Reiji Akaba didn't discpline for it? Or the fact that Sylvio put four children in danger and was about to assault my son because he lost a duel? Oh and on top of that, you picked his side over my son assaulting him when you know he'd have no reason to and there were multiple eye-witnesses who know what really happened. And you didn't seem to interview them to ask what went down."

"I..."

"Himika Akaba, are you familiar with the crimes of theft, corruption of a minor, assault, child endangerment, being an accomplice and accessory to theft, and false accusation? And given the deal you tried to make with Shuzo, let's add bribery, harrassment, and hate crimes for how you seemed to have sowed the idea of hating You Show for the crime of existing." 

"Wha--?"

"And let's file those under the term big fat lawsuit, shall we?"

The kids looked in horror at everything Yoko listed off of her fingers. Gongenzaka nodded his head and Sora gulped. He never knew Yuya's mom was so terrifying...and beautiful. Masumi, Hokuto and Yaiba couldn't even look Himika in the eye -- now they would be seen as accessories to crime! They were never told about any of this!

Himika paused before she sighed and began laughing. "You, sue me? What authority do you have? Shuzo is the one who should be the one threatening us and he doesn't have the balls to do so."

Yoko didn't seem too annoyed, but Yuzu was ready to get the harisen to whack Himika's heart-shaped bouffant. Instead, she chuckled and shook her head. "Himika, Himika, Himika, you went after the wrong person. If you and your son wanted to make a business transaction for my husband's school, you should've called me first. For you see, Shuzo's only the principal. I'm co-owner of You Show Duel School."

Himika blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. Masum, Yaiba and Hokuto silently turned to Yuzu who simply nodded my head.

"For all my dad freaks out for utilities and all that, it's Yoko who is the one busy with contracts and taxes and who knows what," Yuzu admitted with a smirk. "Something any of you could've figured out if you didn't aggressively push the agenda that Yuya was a bulldog harming the harmless chihuahua named Sylvio Sawatari."

"Gah...wah..but...I..." Himika stammered as Yoko began cracking her knuckles one at a time.

"Wait, you didn't know this?" Sora laughed. "And you're supposed to be the queen of Maiami City!"

"So Himika, you have two options now!" Yoko smiled. "You can let Reiji win his duel while I upload this recording online and then bring you to court for all of the crimes I just listed. Orrrrrr, you call off the duel and never try to make offers  to buy You Show or confiscate my son's Pendulums ever again. And also, you must go to Sylvio and demand the truth on what really happened that night. You have Yuzu's side of the story. Go get his."

"Ba...wa...Igasgsuilwerf..." Himika's brain started short-circuiting as Yoko grinned. 

"And that includes you three as well," Yoko said, turning to the Leo Trio. "You insulted my baby boy to his boiling point and didn't think of how it would hurt him, hurt me. He's not the only one who's suffered; your moms always love talking about how I'm a lonely housewife who should start seeing 'other people'. How about you tell it to my face what you really think of the two of us. Go on. I can take it."

Yaiba and Hokuto could do nothing but stammer, jaws fallen to the floor as Masumi tried to stammer out a, "But I didn't..."

"Did you tell them to knock it off?" Yoko said, leaning close.

"...No?"

"There's your answer." Yoko stated. "Now, I assume that you didn't know any of these crimes when you were chosen to come here today, right?"

"I-it was supposed to be seen as extra credit," Hokuto stammered. "Plus, we couldn't resist wanting to show how powerful we were to the coward's...er, Yusho's students..."

"Mm-hmm..." Yoko nodded. "But you still loved putting my son down, right?"

"I..."

"No more excuses! I need an answer right now," Yoko said.

"You are forgetting that your son was the one who caused all of this!" Himika shouted, standing nose-to-nose with Yoko. "If it wasn't for that Xyz Dragon and Phantom Knights, none of this would've happened!"

"Wait a second...how did you know what type of archetype was used?" asked Futoshi, raising a hand. "Sylvio only said that this other Yuya had an Xyz Dragon."

Himika turned around, looking like the emperor who learned the hard way that he wasn't wearing pants...or anything else for that manner.

"Oh, let's add conspiracy to the list as well," Yoko noted. "If this was a duel, this would be like me getting Exodia in my hands. You've already lost!"

Himika could do nothing but slump to the floor in defeat, unable to process what happened. She was defeated by a housewife! Yoko didn't sympathize with her; she has had three years of pent-up anger deep within her soul, and she wanted to go to war with Leo Corp. For the longest of times, she always felt that they had something to do with Yusho's disappearance, but kept this theory to herself since she didn't have proof.

But it's quite a strange coincidence that out of all the Duel Schools in Maiami, only Leo Duel School, took an interest. And why steal the cards when Reiji could've paid money to see them and have Yuya test them out for all to see? She took a glance at the two Pendulums on Reiji's side of the field and narrowed her eyes even more. Monopolizing Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz weren't enough for this glutton?

If he wasn't willing to pay money to You Show for just two cards, let's see how much Leo Corp. will be willing to fork over for the multiple of lawsuits heading their way.

....

"It was at that moment, Himika Akaba had done fucked up!" Yuya cackles.

"And as this was going on, you were having your duel." Alexis nodss.

"YEP!"

...

As Yoko Sakaki was winning her own battle of legal definitions, Yuya watched as two of his Performapals leapt into the swirling black nebula. A burst of yellow light rose from the nexus...along with the smell of butter. 

A mystical creature for the pure of heart, raining kernels of fun for all sorts of shows. Let us enjoy this treat like manna raining from a silver screened sky! Xyz Summon! Rank 5! Performapal Pop Unicorn!

Rising from the overlay unit was a large popped bag of popcorn. Reiji raised an eyebrow as to what this was going to be as he suddenly saw it expand and the sounds of popcorn popping within it could easily be mistaken for gunfire. After three seconds, it was about to explode...

BOOOM!

And in its place, was a majestic white unicorn with a bright butter yellow mane, and a red and white striped cape covering its body. On its flank was a mark of a bag of popcorn as well. (2500 ATK)

Reiji paused. "How did you..."

"Ah ah ah~ A performer never reveals his tricks~" Yuya giggled giving a finger wag.

In the audience, invisible to everyone but Yuzu, Ame-no-uzume giggled. Dionysus turned and drank his wine in a gesture of pure enjoyment.

"You're having so much fun with this, aren't you?" Ame-no-uzume teased.

"You're one to talk, Strip-Tease Kami!" Dionysus howled. "The story of you dancing naked to get Amaterasu out of hiding never gets old!"

Ame-no-uzume giggled and Yuzu had to hide the blush on her face (which no one noticed as they were too busy watching Yoko roast Himika).

Yuya giggled as he gave his unicorn pal a pat on the nuzzle. "Popcorn is made with a little heat. So all I have to do is detach one overlay unit and then I can make one monster you own go...pop!"

"...wut?" Reiji asked.

"It basically means I can negate a monster's effect and my unicorn gets a special effect based on the monster targeted. Like having caramel corn or white cheddar popcorn!"

(If Sora and Futoshi were watching this, they'd be begging for a large bowl of popcorn to watch Yuya kick Reiji's butt)

Reiji just flatly stared at the unicorn as he was hit in the head with a wad of popcorn and simply said, "Okay."

"Now then, let's detach an Overlay Unit and I'll go for one of your Doom King Armageddons!"

One of the Overlay Units surrounding Performapal Pop Unicorn exploded before a laser fired from the tip of its horn. The Doom King was confused when they initially felt nothing. Then slowly, ever so slowly, they began to expand like a balloon before they went...POP!

Pop Unicorn's mane popped up before the color changed to reflect the extra deck monster affected -- black and gold pieces of popcorn. Yuya laughed as Reiji realized he had two monsters left...and smirked.

"Nice trick...too bad that you didn't know of Doom King Armageddon's special ability," Reiji said.

"....huh?"

"If a monster leaves the field while Doom King Armageddon is on the field, they gain attack equal to the original score of the monster sent back until the end of the turn."

Yuya looked horrified as he did the math. A D/D/D Doom King Armageddon had 3000 ATK. So that means, the remaining two had 6000 ATK!

Yuya looked at his hand, looked defeated, exhausted. His new move did nothing against Reiji, barely even phased him.

Don't fret, young one. Dionysus said in Yuya's head. The duel is coming to an end soon.

Yuya didn't know what that meant, so he decided to end his turn there.

"My turn," said Reiji. "And I...wait, what?!"

Reiji looked in horror as he saw his two Pendulum monsters, D/D Savant Galilei and D/D Savant Kepler, started glitching out like crazy, with their pendulums -- a 1 for Galilei and a 10 for Kepler -- suddenly showing a 2 for the former and a 5 for the latter. 

"Wait...what's going on?" asked Yuya.

It seems as if Reiji's Pendulums can't match the real deal just yet. And if you recall, those Doom King Armageddons were at Level 9. That means...

The Doom King Armageddons began to glitch out before they exploded in a plume of black smoke and leaving Reiji's field completely empty. Dionysus couldn't help but roar in laughter at what happened

Hoisted by his own hubris! He deserved it!

Yuya was going to make a retort before Reiji began to laugh, raising his face to the ceiling and placing a hand over his face. "What's so funny?"

"I see..." Reiji as he lowered his gaze, his eyes like a serpent. "I see more than you can, you little fool. Pendulums are uncharted territory. There's more to them than I would ever imagine. And I will dedicate these next few months to unlock their true potential. But first...I have a duel to continue."

"Are you crazy?" Yuya asked. "You can only Pendulum Summon monsters whose levels are either 3 or 4!"

"True, but I also have my face-down card!" Reiji said. "I activate--"

But before he could say something, he turned to see his mother moving her arms back and forth and shaking her head. Masumi, Hokuto, and Yaiba were also nodding their heads as Reiji still looked confused. He then popped up a small communications window where a man with short blond hair, black sunglasses, and a suit, bowed. "Nakajima, what's going on?"

"Reiji-san, your mother is telling you to stop the duel right now. If you do not, Yoko Sakaki, co-owner of You Show Duel School is ready to file multiple lawsuits for that little stunt you pulled the other day."

"Little stunt...what do you mean by..." Yuya paused as it hit him. "Wait, you were the one who told Sylvio to steal my cards? You watched as Yuzu was about to fall to her death and didn't tell Sylvio to stop?!"

Reiji paused, realizing what had happened. "I..."

"No," Yuya interrupted. "You don't get any say in this." He snarled, eyes glowing red, his hair standing up. Dionysus shivered. "Now listen here, Akabastard. You are going to stop this duel right now, and you are going to apologize. You are going to pay with your F***ING LIFE!"

Reiji flinched, seeing the rage radiating off of Yuya. Even if he continued the duel as it was, it wouldn't stop the lawsuits and Yuya willing to beat him within an inch of his life. But if he surrendered, he still would have to deal with the upcoming lawsuits.

"I...I..." Reiji sighed in defeat. "I end my turn."

"And I end the duel," Yuya smirked, doing a front flip from the ball he was standing on and riding on the back of Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, DESTROY HIM!"

Odd-Eyes growled. There was something in Reiji's blood that made the dragon instinctively hate him. Any reason to attack Reiji was good enough for him, so he made sure to open his mouth and fire the largest ball of flame he could, incinerating the rest of Reiji's 2300 lifepoints.

With the duel done, Yuya didn't smile or take a bow. Instead, he left the arena, leaving Reiji to himself. He had nothing else he could say at this point. 

-----

Yoko didn't waste time wrapping her arms around her son. "Yuya, is everything okay? I'm so sorry I didn't arrive sooner. Shuzo told me everything, but -- "

"Mom..." Yuya felt the tears forming. "I...I feel..."

Yuya couldn't stop the tears as he broke down, not giving a damn at the audience staring at him. Not at Himika silent, and not at the Leo Trio feeling like total shit. 

"Come on you guys," said Yuzu. "Apologize. Now."

"Or else the man, Gongenzaka, will have to make you," Gongenzaka agreed.

He pushed Hokuto forward as the Constellar duelist gulped. "Hey, Yuya. LIsten. I'm s...I'm shhh....I'm soooooooo...."

"Save the apologies for later," Reiji interrupted, staring at something on his Duel Disk. "We're going."

"Are you sure?" asked Masumi. "We should at least..."

"We're going. That's an order."

Masumi paused, and Yuzu thought she could see Masumi's spinel eyes fade for just a moment. The Gem-Knight duelist nodded. "Understood; let's go."

"Masumi, wait!" Yaiba said. "Are you sure that's a good i--" Then he paused, eyes dark, before he also said, "I think we should head off. We've done enough damage for the day."

"Wait, that's not fair!" Tatsuya exclaimed. "Hokuto and Yaiba did something mean so they should apologize!"

"We will be giving You Show Duel School monetary compensation. Will that be enough?" Reiji answered.

"...."

"Let them go," Yuzu sighed. "People like them will never accept our kindness."

Reiji wordlessly pointed to the entrance to You Show Duel School as the Leo Trio marched off like soldiers to war. Himika made the end, looking like someone dumped sewage over her, never looking back at Yoko. Yoko kept her glare at Himika's tacky magenta bouffant until the door closed.

Yuya hiccuped as he let go of his mother and Futoshi handed him tissues. Everything he knew was a complete and utter lie, and he had no idea how to react to well, everything. Thankfully, Shuzo was the one who decided to figure out where to start.

"Yuya Sakaki, what happened back there?!" Shuzo screamed, feeling a few of his hairs turning grey. "That melt-down, the mask, the wine drinker...can someone explain?!"

"It's obvious, Shuzo-san!" Tatsuya answered. "Yuya and Yuzu got super powers!"

"Huh?!" Shuzo screamed while Yoko tilted her head and said, "Excuse me?"

"Yeah, Yuzu summoned a pretty flower lady to scare Shuzo away!" Ayu explained. "And Yuya summoned a grape boy to make Reiji eat his word."

"They gave me goosebumps!" Futoshi said with a shudder, wiggling around like an eel was dropped in his shirt. 

"Where did you get them?" Sora asked, curious. "Is this something only You Show Duelists are capable of?"

"We don't know..it .just..." Yuzu had no idea how to word it without sounding like she had to be sent to the hospital. "I heard a voice in my head telling me that I needed to stop waiting for a big, strong man to rescue me. Oddly enough, that voice sounded like me. And when I decided to step forward...that mask appeared and I instantly knew that there was this 'other me' who wanted to run loose."

"That's how it felt like with me as well!" Yuya exclaimed. "My own voice telling me that I had to stop smiling and just let myself feel angry. To stop listening to my father's advice and let loose."

"And you don't feel bad about that?" Yuzu asked. She knew that Yuya followed his father's advice as if they were rules carved down in stone. And words carved in stone are near impossible to erase.

"I...should, but instead..." Yuya smiled. Wide and bright and marvelous like shooting stars. "I feel relieved. Like a weight was lifted off my shoulders..." He started laughing to the point of tears. "I can't believe how free it is to feel emotions again..." 

"I also feel that adrenaline rush," Yuzu said, her hands shaking.  "Just letting loose, standing up to Sylvio and speaking my mind about how I feel about others not letting me fight. Removing my mask was the best thing that ever happened to me."

Gongenzaka hummed before nodding his head. "The man has found the answer. Yuzu gained her 'super power' because she wanted to fight instead of standing still. Yuya wanted to break free of his father's smiling shadow and speak his mind over how these past three years has crushed him. They were removing the weak parts of themselves that were holding them back."

You are right on the money, Gong Strong!  Applause!

Then, a spectral youth with brown hair, a white slip of cloth over his waist and sipping his goblet of grape juice materialized behind Yuya. He smiled before he turned to Yoko and licked his lips. "Now that's a mother I'd like to..."

"EXCUSE ME!" Shuzo screamed, pointing to the kids. 

"...Fight." Dionysus finished.

"Uh...excuse me?" asked Yoko.

"....Gah! GHOST!!!!" Shuzo screeched, when he realized who was speaking. He snatched his daughter's harisen away and began to swat him away. "Get out, get out, get out, get out, get out!"

"I'm not a ghost. I'm a Persona!" Dionysus corrected, rolling his eyes as the paper fan barely touched the grapes on his head. "Did I first appear by going 'Booooooo' or draped with a giant bed sheet with eyeholes?"

Shuzo paused, both in confusion and exhaustion. "Uhhh...no?"

"Exactly. Please make sure to use the correct term next time. Or else I don't mind making you...mad."

Shuzo whimpered and rapidly nodded his head. "Yes, Mr. Persona, right away!"

Dionysus grunted and began to take another sip of his grape juice (how much did that goblet contain?) before Ayu reached out to him.

"Uh, Mr. Goat Guy..." Ayu said, grasping onto his tunic and was shocked to find that it was solid.

Dionysus stopped drinking and leaned close with a gentle smile on his face. "It's Dionysus, little sweetfish. How can I help you? You want me to give you a fabulous birthday party?"

"Yes! I mean...how did Yuzu and Yuya summon you and can I have one? Please?"

"I want a Persona too!" Tatsuya said.

"Me three!" Futoshi nodded in eagerness.

Ame-no-uzume materalized from behind Yuzu, shaking her head. She could feel Yuzu's fondness of these little ones radiate throughout her body. "I'm afraid it's not that simple. For one thing, Yuzu and Yuya summoned us because of their desires to break free, destined by our masters in order to help change the way things are. Also you're too young and underdeveloped."

Ayu pouted. "But I'm a big girl! I eat my veggies, I say my please and thank you. I never argue with my parents, I study and get good grades as well! I also have a pure heart, so that should count for something! I'd really wanna summon a mermaid Persona of my own..."

Be more glad that you don't have to summon a Persona just yet. Ame-no-uzume chirped with reassurance.

Tatsuya calmly looked Dionysus in the eye, unafraid of this stranger sipping wine. "But...why are you here?" 

Dionysus grinned. We always existed as the gods, the heroes of legend, or the creatures crawling in the shadows, whom people worshipped for centuries. But we can also become manifested due to the sins in people's hearts and desires of our users to remove their masks, to unleash their true selves. We are now their Persona.

Ame-no-uzume nodded as she knelt down to pet one of her roosters. Those with a Persona can enter the other world, the Metaverse. It is there that many palaces, based on a person's desires are made true. It is how they see the world, how they treat others. A location that holds so many memories to them is warped to and twisted to what makes them the kings and queens of their personal world.

Sora tilted his head. "So, does this mean that Yuya and Yuzu can enter someone's dreams?"

...Kinda. Ame-no-uzume answered.

Yuya blinked as everything came together and his mind wasn't clouded from anger and grape juice. "Wait, were you the one who taught me how to Xyz summoning?" 

"No. I only synced your mind to someone who was capable of using it."

"Huh?"

"Oh right!" Yoko said with a chuckle. "In all this talk about lawsuits, I never mentioned the two people I met at the soup kitchen. One of them didn't want to reveal his face, but I eventually persuaded him to do so after I noticed how his ski goggles were cracked and he couldn't eat soup if he had that bandanna over his face!"

Yuzu paused, feeling like her heart skipped a beat. Wait, Yoko couldn't be talking about...

"When I finally got a good look at his face, I was floored!" Yoko continued. "Because this boy with his lavender hair and grey eyes looked exactly like Yuya!"

Yuzu gasped, hands to her mouth. "So I wasn't hallucinating then?! The duelist who fought Syltio last night wasn't Yuya?"

"It was really eerie," Yoko said with a nod. "I wasn't able to get a lot out of him...except for a name. He called himself..."

"Yuto. My name is Yuto."

Everyone turned to see someone approaching them in black combat boots, a black coat draped over their shoulders like a cape, and a red scarf tied to their right arm. But the face...it looked exactly like Yuya's.

"Wha...what?!" Shuzo looked at Yuya and Yuto, then Yuya again, then Yuto, then Yuya..."WHAAAAT?! NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THIS!"

Yuzu felt tears in her eyes. She wasn't hallucinating; there was someone not Yuya who used Xyz. But...what was he doing here?

Yuya felt something in his heart, clenching his chest as he gasped and locked eyes with Yuto. Something about him felt familiar...and safe...and...and...

He felt his vision swim before he fell onto the floor, the last thing he heard was his mother calling out his name.

Chapter Text

Chapter 4: Shadows in Fortune

Yuya groaned, feeling woozy, as if someone gave him a cup full of wine. Of course he would; he was shouting and screaming and fueling three years of suppressed anger, hatred, and self-loathing towards the architect of You Show's downfall. Reiji Akaba.

Oh, and for some odd reason, a subtle taste of grape juice lingered in his mouth.

"Ah, you're awake."

Yuya blinked as he found himself seated in a strange dining room found in some high-class restaurant. Everything was blue though. Blue walls, blue carpeting, blue couches, blue table cloth, blue glasses. The only thing not blue was the person who sat across from him. Silver hair with bamboo green streaks. A grey jacket with blue and orange accents. Faded leather gloves. Firefly eyes.

"Welcome, Yuya Sakaki," The stranger purred. "My name is Zarc. And welcome to the Velvet Room."

"Velvet Room?" Yuya blinked.

Zarc smirked, golden eyes standing out amongst all of the blue. "Yes. A place that melds the conscious of all of humanity. A place where angels, demons, gods, and monsters are all good neighbors."

"Uh...I don't follow."

"You don't have to yet," Zarc said with soft reassurance. He pulled out a deck of cards from the deck holder strapped to his side. They weren't Duel Monsters, given the backs were as blues as the walls. "All that you need to know is that so many opportunities await you. By removing that mask of a broken clown who keeps his smile, you have removed the shackles that have restrained you all this time and awakened into your true self."

Zarc smacked the deck onto the table and fanned the cards out. He ran a finger in the air trying to find one, but ultimately decided to pick the one exactly in the middle.  

"The opportunities are endless."

He flipped the card over and Yuya didn't need to be an expert in tarot to know what that meant. A jester carrying a bindle about to walk off a cliff with only a dog nipping at their ankles the only thing preventing the jester from breaking his crown and the other 205 bones in his body.

"This is the first step to something new, Yuya Sakaki." Zarc whispered. "Take that step forward, believe in yourself, and break the chains that keep you from accepting your destiny."

"My...destiny?"

"You'll know in time..." Zarc chuckled as he waved a hand over the spread out cards. Yuya jumped when the cards flipped over. "Now then, I think we should talk more about the other people in your life..."

----

Everyone settled into the main office, Yuya laid out on the couch. Yoko was quick to introduce the Yuya in leather while handing him some instant coffee and butter cookies.

"His name is Yuto," Yoko explained. "It's kind of a long story, but he comes from another dimension where everyone plays Xyz monsters and he came here asking for help because evil Fusion duelists destroyed his home."

While everyone gasped, Sora gulped and pretended he could blend into the wall.

"That's horrible!" Tatsuya gasped.

"Evil Fusion duelists?" Futoshi repeated.

Ayu tilted her head. "So wait, you also have a Persona?" 

Shuzo jumped out of his seat and turned to the red haired girl. "Ayu, is that really important to ask?!" 

"Yuya has a Persona, and Yuto looks like Yuya so he can have a Persona also!" Ayu explained.

"Sshhhh!!!" Shuzo hissed, covering Ayu's mouth. "We don't know if we can trust him or not!"

"I vouch for him, dad," Yuzu said. "He was the one who saved me from Sylvio."

"But did you not realize that he is the one that nearly had us lose You Show?!"

"...I did?" Yuto asked. He bowed his head in shame. "I'm sorry if I put you through so much trouble. I was only trying to find information in regards to Leo Duel School."

"That wasn't you," Yuzu said, placing a hand on Yuto's shoulder. "That was Sylvio's fault, and Reiji took advantage of it. Besides, if you didn't arrive, I wouldn't have found the strength to move forward with my life.

And I wouldn't have had a chance to dance and bring Mr. Sunshine back! Ame-no-uzume teased.

Yoko stared at Ame-no-uzume and her chickens, then noticed the youth wearing a bathrobe drinking grape juice near her son. "Someone can explain later."

"But you have a Persona, right?" Tatsuya asked.

"The man is becoming curious about this Persona matter," Gongenzaka added.

Yuto nodded his head. "Yes, I do. Her name is Nemesis. She first appeared when I was about to be pinned down by Obelisk Force soldiers."

...

Yuto was trapped, back against the wall.

Three Obelisk Force Soldiers were beating the shit out of him, deciding that it'd be more fun using their fists instead of their cards to get some catharsis over the Xyz scum. He felt his blood boil, wanting vengeance, wanting a way to tear into these assholes who destroyed his family, his home, his heart. If it was rare for lightning to strike down a human, then let him be the one who control the storms and smite them to oblivion!

"Say something, Xyz shit!" An Obelisk Force soldier howled, slapping Yuto across the face. "Say one word, any word!"

"And it better be good," the second Obelisk Force soldier snickered, patting the head of a large three-headed metallic dog. Triple Ancient Gear Hunting Hound. The secret weapon Obelisk Force used to destroy monsters, drop lifepoints, and prevent Spell/Trap Card usage. A killing machine specifically targeted to ruin the day of every Xyz duelist unfortunate enough to lock eyes with them.

You want vengeance don't you?

Yuto felt his heart pound in his ears. That voice being his own, but also tinged with the voice of another. Feminine. Soft yet firm.

You feel it. Even though you try to be kind, they walk over you. The scum.

But you know that if you don't fight, you don't survive. And you want to survive, don't you?

"I...I don't want to just survive...I...I WANT TO LIVE!" Yuto growled, eyes glowing gold.

"What the hell are you talking abo--"

"I want to LIVE!!!!!" Yuto screamed, a black mask covering his eyes, decorated with diamonds.

Yes! Roar of thunder, hear my cry!

I am thou. Thou art I.

Bring forth the vengeance in your heart and strike your enemies from the heavens!

Yuto gripped onto the mask as best as he could. He didn't care if he peeled his skin clean off; the pain from this paled in comparison to the destruction of his home. Obelisk Force stumbled back as Yuto lifted his head to roar one word into the heavens.

"NEMESIS!!!!!"

A lightning bolt struck the Ancient Gear Hunting Hound, making it explode into shrapnel. Obelisk Force shivered in fear when they saw the dark angel rising from Yuto's shadows. Grey skin, wearing a dress formed from the darkness itself, a black piece of silk covering her eyes. In one hand, she carried a set of golden scales. The other one had a sword.

"Try attacking me again, I dare you!" Yuto roared, the black mask covering his eyes. "Or I will smite you down until you're nothing but ash beneath my feet!"

Obelisk Force whimpered, one presumably pissed themselves, as they ran away from Yuto screaming for their moms or whoever raised them. Yuto panted as the mask faded, but the woman with her scales remained.

"Who are you?" Yuto asked.

The woman smiled with ebony lips.

Have you forgotten already, little shadow? I am you.

...

"I never told anyone else about my powers," Yuto finished, briefly staring at Nemesis standing by his side. "When my fellow Resistance members asked why there were so many thunder storms lately, I said that it was my dragon doing all the work."

"Dragon...as in..." Yuzu narrowed her eyes. "An Xyz one? Dark Rebellion?"

"Yes."

Ayu, Tatsuya, and Futoshi gasped in horror.

"That's terrible!"

"Monstrous!"

"It's giving me shivers!"

Yuto nodded, staring at his trembling hands.  "And now I learn there are other users like me, a boy with my face and a girl who looks ike Ruri..."

"A girl who looks like my daughter?" Shuzo gasped.

"It's weird, I know, but that's the only way I can explain it. She has the same face as Yuzu, but with black hair with lilac streaks. Pink eyes. She...she used Lyrilusc..." Yuto choked. "She was taken away by a copy of me using a Fusion Dragon. I couldn't save her..."

"And you came to our home because the soldiers who invaded your home and this Fusion Yuya is related to Leo Duel School in some way?" Yoko inquired.

"Yes. Because the man who spearheaded the operation is known as Leo Akaba."

Everyone in the room blinked.

"Wait, didn't Leo Akaba vanish a few years back?" asked Shuzo.

"The man remembers reading a newspaper article about that," Gongenzaka nodded. "But to end up in another dimension..."

"And later on, my husband vanishes..." Yoko muttered, looking at her wedding ring.

Yuto sunk in his seat even more as Nemesis clicks her teeth.

I suppose this is a bad time to bring up how Yuto has met up with a man in a red suit and top hat? Who uses a monster called Performapal Sky Magician?

The silence that followed could have made someone turn deaf.

...It's a bad time, right?

"We'll talk about all of this after Yuya wakes up," Yuzu said, seeing Yoko's hands trembling. She turned to Yuto covering his face in his hands, and wasted no time pulling him into her arms. "I'm sorry that I can't be of help right now. That my deck doesn't know anything other than Tribute Summoning. I can't do much, but you don't have to be afraid of me."

Yuto looked into Yuzu's eyes, briefly saw a girl with pink eyes, black hair and feather clips smile back at him, before he burst into tears into Yuzu's arms. Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya joined in on the hug as well.

"Don't cry anymore, we're here for you!" Ayu cheered.

"We're your friends now, Yuto nii-san!" Tatsuya added.

"And we'll keep you warm when you have shivers!" Futoshi finished.

Yuto nodded as his heart felt lighter. Even Nemesis couldn't help but smile while Ame-no-uzume clapped her hands. "Thank you, little ones. We've only known each other for a few minutes, but I can feel your kindness towards me. It makes me feel...like things are going to change."

Like the wheels of fate are turning. Dionysus teased.

No one could deny the heartwarming scene between Yuto and these kiddos. It warmed Yuzu's heart as she wiped away the tears forming in her eye. But when she raised her hand up, she noticed a pink light shining from her bracelet. "What the -- "

The kids noticed a shimmering blue light hovering above Yuto's head. "What's that?!" asked Tatsuya.

"Are we getting our own Persona as well?" asked Ayu. "But where are our masks?"

"It looks small to be a Persona," Futoshi noted.

The light faded away, revealing a card depicting a large wheel surrounded by a puffy, white clouds. On the outside of the wheel were three figures: a snake, a canine-headed human, and a sphinx. The card descended as all three children touched it, confused at its meaning.

"This isn't a Duel Monster card," Tatsuya said. "What does this mean?"

Suddenly, there was the sound of stomping within the hallways.

"What is that?" asked Shuzo. "Did Sylvio's father come here with a bulldozer to dismantle our school?!"

Yuzu, Yuto, and Gongenzaka prepared their Duel Disks. Sora narrowed his eyes. Yoko cracked her knuckles. Shuzo awkwardly placed the children behind him as the door opened. Standing in the hallway was a...a...

A large...hippo lady?! 

The Personas said nothing. The humans blinked at their uninvinted guest. Grey skin, tiny ears, wearing an elaborate golden headdress, having black hair in braids, and blue nail polish!

The hippo stared at everyone before she raised a hand and said, "Hi!" with an adorable ear twitch.

Everyone's reaction to the hippo lady was unanimous.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The hippo lady screamed alongside then, her mouth wide enough so everyone can see her teeth. In the midst of the screaming, Shuzo fainted.

Chapter Text

---Chapter 5: Shadows in Innocence--

"Hi - ppo - po - tamus. Hippopotamus! Hi - ppo - po - tamus!" Yuya leans forward and scooped curry into his mouth. It's a bowl of spicy pasta curry with cut carrots and peas. The faint aroma of spices fills the air.

Alexis is completely unamused at these antics, looking through her case files and finding nothing about a bipedal hippotamus   entering You  Show. "You serious? A hippopotamus with braids is what terrified everyone?"

"I'm a hippopotamus, I like swimming but I'm dangerous. If you get close to me, I might just bite your feet!"

"Why would a hippopotamus even arrive at the..."

"Hippopotamus! Hippopotamus! I'm a hippopotamus. I'm a hippopotamus. I'm fat and dangerous! If you don't understand, I might just bite your...head!"

Alexis groans, wondering how she was even saddled with this job. Thankfully, Yuya stops singing as he leans back in his chair.

"Now, where was I? Oh right!" Yuya inhales and screams, "AHHHHHHHHH!!!"

...

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The screaming in You Show between humans and the giant hippo lady continued for a few more seconds before Ayu burst into giggles and nearly fell onto the floor in a peal of laughter. 

"Whoo-hoo! We have a hippo Persona!" She cheered as she raced to the nice hippo lady and gave her a hug. The hippo replied by giving Ayu a pat on the head. "Nice to meet you, Miss Hippo!"

"Actually my name is Taweret," she said with a pleasantly plum British accent. "Pardon the intrusion, but it seems like I was meant to...arrive here."

Taweret looked around the small Duel School with curiosity, eyes briefly staring at the poster of Yusho and Performapal Sky Magician on the wall. Nemesis, Ame-no-Uzume, and Dionysus didn't seem too shocked. Rather, they were pleased in having another deity joining them.

You look magnificent as always, Taweret! Dionysus cheered, handing his goblet of grape juice to the hippo goddess. Did you do something with your hair? Did you crush lapis lazuli for those nails?

"Oh stop, you cheeky party-goer," Taweret giggled with an ear twitch. "There are children here!"

Tatsuya and Futoshi's mouths were open like big mouth cod. Sora was glad he wasn't eating any candy as he looked ready to faint as well.

"The man is hallucinating..." Gongenzaka mutters, hand on his forehead.

Taweret tilted her head before giggling and scooping Gongenzaka into a bone-crushing hug. Gongenzaka grunted a little as he heard something snap. "Tell me, young man. Does this feel like a hallucination?"

When Gongenzaka is set down, he stretched before sighing. "No...in fact this hug fixed a crick in his neck."

Taweret giggled, and her ears did another twitch. "Forgive me for the introduction. I'm a bit new to the Persona business. I just finished some stuff up involving a moon knight long ago, so I was hastily given some cheat sheets to help speed things along."

The group blinked in confusion, expecting that they were chosen to save the world because the gods were limited due to their height or something.

"Er, hold on a second!" Taweret said, pulling out a papyrus scroll from thin air. She unraveled it while everyone continued to stare.

Sora leaned in close to Yuzu and whispered, "Is no one questioning that there's a hippo talking to us?!"

"Oh don't be silly, sugar plum," Taweret laughed. "I mean, Yuya has adorable hippos who perform alongside him!

"Wait, does this mean we get super powers?!" Ayu gasped.

"Hold on a second...." Taweret double checked her papyrus cheat sheets. All of them written in hieroglyphics. She stood up and cleared her throat, a rumbly breathing sound erupting like thunder. "'Welcome, user...users. if you are hearing this, this means that I have become your Persona, your personal avatar in relation to the Metaverse.  I, <instert Persona here>...oh right, that's me, represent the <insert Arcan...> oh right, the Wheel of Fortune!"

"Wheel of Fortune?" asked Futoshi. "Isn't that some sort of game show?"

Taweret looked through another papyrus scroll labeled "Tarot For Toddlers". "The Wheel of Fortune, the tenth card of the Major Arcana, usually means destiny, a turning point in one's life, good luck, and change. And I guess today has been nothing but change in everyone's life!"

"You can say that again..." Yuto muttered.

"So does this mean we get super powers like Yuya and Yuzu?" Tatsuya asked, just as eager as Ayu to breathe fire or fly.

Taweret scanned the papyrus before looking at Tatsuya. "...No."

"...Dang it!" Ayu pouted, kicking the dust to the side.

"Well, what can you do?" Futoshi asked innocently.

Taweret turned to Futoshi and patted his head. "Well, I'm usually a goddess who protects mothers and children. Although I did have a stint with the afterlife taking over Anubis's job..."

"But wait, Yuya, and Yuzu, and...and Yuto got powers. But we can't get super powers?!" Ayu exclaimed.

Taweret shook her head. "I'm sorry river fish, I'm not cut out for fighting. But I can spruce up the place and make this house into a nice and comfy home. Voila!"

She waved her hand over the heads of the three children, and in three pops of light, adorable hippo plushies wearing similar headdresses to Taweret landed in their arms. Then she waved her fingers as the barren halls of You Show was lavished with soft pillows and blankets, along with the walls depicting hieroglyphic versions of Yuya, Yuzu, and Yuto with their Duel Monsters. Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. Mozarta the Melodious Diva. Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon. The office smelled like frankincense. 

"SO COOOOOL!!!" Ayu, Futoshi and Tatsuya exclaimed, hugging their soft hippo friends.

"And if necessary, Anubis still wants me to do my job of judging hearts...." Taweret continued.

Sora blanched as if he ate umeboshi. "T-that won't be necessary, Miss hippo."

Yuto raised an eyebrow. "Why not? Not like you have something to hide."

Everyone suddenly whipped their heads towards Sora. Sora found himself pressed to the wall, fear gripping his heart.

"I...well I don't wanna be anywhere this. It's freaky! And seeing another copy of Yuya senpai that knows Xyz is..is..."

Sora raced out of the school in disgust. Yuzu was ready to chase after him, but Nemesis shook her head.

Let him go. His heart will eventually reveal itself.

Yuzu wanted to ask what could be revealed in his candy-coated heart of darkness, when she heard her father slowly waking up, clutching his head.

"Yuzu, I just had the weirdest dream!" Shuzo explained. "I dreamed a giant talking hippo said hello to us!"

"Uh...." Yuzu uttered as Shuzo turned to the giant talking hippo standing in the room.

Taweret raised a hand in the air. "Hi...again!"

Shuzo stared into Taweret's eyes before letting out another high-shrilled Shuzo shriek and fainted once more. Taweret looked down.

"Is he always so...intense?" Taweret asked Yuzu.

"Yes." Yuzu answered flatly.

"I just hope we don't have anymore of these reactions today...or the next few weeks." Yoko prayed.

Suddenly, Yuya shot up, as if he rose from the grave, clutching his heart. "Guys, you wouldn't believe what I just..."

He stopped as he stared at the situation. His and Yuzu's Persona, his Xyz self and his Persona, the kiddos with hippo plushies, Shuzo unconscious, Sora gone, and a giant hippo. The hippo waved at Yuya. Yuya waved back.

"You know...I think this is the least weirdest thing that's happen to us today."

And for the first time all day, everyone couldn't help but laugh in agreement.

...

"Are you saying that it's possible for children to obtain Personas?" Alexis exclaims. "None of this were in my notes."

"Maybe it's because you have bad handwriting?" Yuya teases.

"Regardless, this proves a connecting theory."

"What's that?"

"Persona users are either students from You Show Duel School or have a connection to you, Yuya Sakaki," Alexis answers. "Every single student from You Show has obtained a Persona in some way."

"Technically your theory is wrong in a sense."

"What do you mean?"

Yuya frowns as he stares at a photo of Sora Shiunin tucked away in Alexis' file.

"Technically, Sora isn't a native student of You Show..."

Chapter Text

Chapter 6: Shadows in Funhouses

After the Leo Duel School vs You Show Duel School trials, the Personas, Yuto, and Yoko preparing numerous lawsuits for the negligence Reiji and Sylvio put upon the students of You Show, Yuya took a notice of something off.

Sora stopped showing up.

During the week when Sora was Yuya's wide-eyed self-proclaimed apprentice, the blue-haired sweet tooth showed up in order to have a bite out of his mother's homemade pancakes and coo over En, Core, Kilo, Watt, and the two kittens Yoko picked up and hadn't figured out names for.  It was annoying at first, but Sora's presence was better than admitting how empty the house was without Yusho.

He also stopped showing off at You Show Duel School as well, disappointing the kids a bit. They loved how Sora showered them with candy and for his fluffy Fluffal monsters. It felt like he appeared one moment, then disappeared like a mirage. Taweret also was disappointed; she was capable of making delicious sweet so he wouldn't have to constantly devour cotton candy or over-sized lollipops (where did Sora get the money to buy them?)

No more him eating pancakes at Yuya's house, no more him at You Show either. It was if he just vanished lie the mist.

In You Show, Shuzo was weirded out over Yuzu's persona practicing her singing or teaching Yuzu how to dance. Well, he was more weirded out of the hippo one actually. He had to remind himself that Taweret wasn't going to eat him. He remembered watching a nature documentary that said hippos were more dangerous than crocodiles to the Ancient Egyptians.

Yet despite being, well, a hippo, Taweret was very sweet and friendly to everyone in You Show. Ayu, Futoshi, and Tatsuya loved their hippo goddess friend, happily listening to her stories while she used her magic to transform the school into a playhouse for them to practice their dueling in a variety of strange environments. Like mushrooms bouncy enough to be trampolines. Or to run and hop around solid clouds.

He wondered how he would pay for all this, but Taweret constantly told Shuzo not to worry.

"I'm a goddess," she explained, while she pulled out some warm honey cakes out of the oven. "With all the offerings I received, I can sell a few of to pay for some new interior decorating. The little ones deserve some fun, don't they?"

While everyone adjusted to the Personas now in their lives, Yuzu couldn't help but have her mind focused on two things. The first one was Sora. He ran away when Taweret wanted to judge his heart, as if he was terrified to admit some sort of dark secret. Sure he was annoying and didn't know anything about personal space, but he wasn't evil...

Another part of her wanted to get stronger. Masumi using Fusion Summoning made her inspired. It shouldn't be that hard. All she needs are two monsters and a Fusion Spell Card.

But the idea of using Fusion in front of Yuto seemed like a sick joke. And, if she wanted to be honest with herself, she felt that her Melodious monsters would be better suited for Xyz Summoning.

It was easier. Two monsters of same level on the field, and Melodious were able to summon themselves without trouble. Plus it would help diversify everyone's summoning styles: Yuya's Pendulums, her and Yuto's Xyz, and Sora's Fusion.

Yuto was quite surprised when Yuzu asked him to be her teacher in Xyz, but he graciously agreed. Mostly cause he wanted to help Yuzu become stronger, but also because it would be like Ruri was around again.

Ruri...it was hard to remember that Yuzu wasn't her. While both loved singing and music, Yuzu was known to have quite the temper compared to Ruri being a mediator between him and her older brother, Shun. Yuzu wore her hair short, Ruri's wore it long. And Yuzu liked strawberry ice cream compared to Ruri's love of Rocky Road.

Thankfullyl, Yuzu was a quick learner. Two Level 4 Melodious on the field, stack the cards on top of one another -- or build the Overlay Network -- and there was your Xyz monster. The next step was to understand that the two monsters used to summon her Melodious Xyz were called "Overlay Units", which what Yuzu must "detach" to activate her Xyz monster's effects. And after their first lesson, Yuzu was going to take Yuto out for sweets.

"Are you sure?" Yuto asked. "Sweets are more Sora's thing."

"At least have some chocolate," Yuzu insisted. "Chocolate is good for your mood. And besides, you haven't had chocolate in a long time."

"Well...maybe a small bag of peanut butter cups wouldn't hurt...I might be able to pick up something for Shun as well."

Yuto would sometimes sneak out of the Sakaki home to meet with Shun, who was pissed off at Yuto spending more time having "fun" at You Show instead of making te entire city to take the threat to the dimensions seriously. Yuto kept trying to convince Shun that what they needed were supplies to bring back to their dimension, but Shun would step off in a huff.

"Great! There's this cute shop called 'Magician's Sweets' that I frequently go to. I even brought Sora there after his first duel with Yuya. It was there that Yuya and Sora dueled in a literal candy land and Sora showed off his adorable Fluffal Bear!"

As the two reached the shop, neither of them noticed Yuzu's bracelet started to glow, or their surroundings warping and rippling with black and red energy.

Except, when they approached the shop...they were surprised to not see a colorful candy store. Instead, it was a...

"Huh? A pizzeria?!" Yuzu asked. She saw that the front had numerous colorful animals sharing a slice of pizza. The animal in the middle was a familiar pink bear with a red bowtie. "With a...Fluffal mascot?"

Yuto blanched at the sight of a person in a pink bear mascot costume with a matching bowtie waving at them. "W-Why did it have to be bears?"

The bear tilted their head before gasping. "Hi Yuzu! Hi Yuto!"

Yuto grabbed Yuzu's arm and ran in the opposite direction, not even looking back at as the bear starts chasing them.

"Don't run, don't run, I wanna be your friend!" The bear cried with Sora's voice.

"Nope nope nope and nope!"  Yuto replied, rapidly shaking his head.

In the world of the human subconscious, people wear masks. Those with a huge mask covering their face can have their subconscious create a palace and in it are versions of people in how they see them.

Ame-no-uzume chimed in as Yuzu momentarily felt her opera mask cover her eyes. If Yuya had a palace, for example, he would see people either as bullies who harass him or those who he sees as potential fans to woo.

"And Sora has a palace?" Yuzu gasped. "What would Sora be hiding to see a candy shop as a frightful pizzeria?"

Nemesis nodded. It appears as if he is hiding something that he doesn't want any of you to learn.

Yuzu frowned. "So, what do we do? And where do we go?"

Ame-no-Uzume patted Yuzu's shoulder. Go back to You Show and talk to Yuya and Dionysus. He hasn't told you what happened when he had his power nap, has he?

Come to think of it, Yuya never mentioned what he did when he was in his coma. But given everything that happened, it was easy to forget.

With nothing better to do, Yuzu bought some sodas for her and Yuto at a convenience store before walking back to You Show. The two slipped inside, still not getting used to the hieroglyphics, the pillows, the plushies, and the hippo goddess teaching classes.

Ayu, Futoshi and Tatsuya were in a classroom, eagerly listening to Taweret's history lesson about Duel Monsters.

"Shadows and Duel Monsters are all the same in the end," she explained, pointing to the image of a pixie and that of the monster Fairy's Gift. "They're spirits that come from another world, guiding humanity and changing history."

"OOOH!!!" The kids gasped in awe.

Yuzu smiled a little; the kids are doing fine. It was brave of them to support Yuto in his darkest moments, and she knows that the three were going to have some new decks in the future. 

Once she spots Yuya coming out of the bathroom, Yuzu and Yuto drag him to an empty classroom to explain what happened. About the Frighfur Pizzeria, the palaces, and the bear animatronic with Sora's voice.

"A palace?" Yuya asked. "Huh, that kinda connects to what Zarc told me."

"Who?" Yuto asked.

Yuya chuckled. "Oh right, I haven't told you yet. He's the guy who granted us our Personas. He looks like an older version of you and me, Yuto. With silver hair and gold eyes. Oh and black dragon wings. Anyway, he explained that those who tear our masks off have the power to delve into the dark world of people's hearts. But in order to enter the palaces of a person, we need to know how they see the world.

Yuzu nodded. "Sora was found at our favorite cafe, he turned it into Frightfur Pizzeria! But I don't know how I was able to manifest it."

"Did you see something flashing before you got there?" asked Yuya.

Yuzu gasped. "Now that you mentioned it..." She looked at her bracelet. "My bracelet started shining weirdly, just like it did before Yuto vanished and you arrived at the warehouse."

Yuto hummed. "That bracelet is what made us see that palace. Maybe it's connected to all this."

Yuzu slumped her shoulders. "...So, do we go back to that Frightfur Pizzeria then?"

Dionysus materialized in front of Yuya, who gasped when his mask covered his eyes. Not in that getup. He'll figure out your identities if you do.

 "Right. Oh, we're also going to need weapons. Zarc mentioned shadows like to linger in Palaces."

"I think I can get some," Yuto said.  "Shun and I met a junk-man who could give us supplies while we were sleeping in tents. Just give me time to meet with him."

Yuzu shivered, imagining the terrors of being in that dreaded pizzeria. "Oh god...please tell me it won't take five nights."

I assure you that it shall only take, at most, two nights.

The three blinked at the voice, questioning if it was only in their heads. The deep voice groaned. Turn around!

They did, and they immediately screamed at the sight of the large, towering mummy with a bird skull for a head.

"Why do you have a giant freaking bird skull for a head?!" Yuya screamed.

Khonsu would've rolled his eyes if he had any. He hated when these pitiful worms asked him such obvious, baseless questions. Not important. Now then, I am Khonsu, protector of travelers, Deity of the Moon. Taweret requested a "favor" from me to bring you where you need to go without being watched. Reiji is being a real Big Brother over monitoring the city.

"Uhhhhhhh, okay?" Yuya said.

I also have been given a message from a certain grey-haired ruler of the Velvet Room for Yuya Sakaki. He tells you to take the hands of your friends. You, the wild card, can now use bonds of your confidants to boost your skills, and the power to control multiple Personas at once.

Yuya did as he was told and held hands with Yuzu and Yuto. His pendulum started glowing while two cards hovered over Yuzu and Yuto's hearts. The backs of the cards have a purple and black heart logo with Yuya's pendulum. When they flipped over, Yuya looks in surprise.

Yuzu's card depicted a couple in a beautiful garden while an angel looks on. The other card had a full moon shining down on a grass field with two towers and a pair of wolves howling in joy. The Lovers and The Moon.

A third card materialized as well, joining its comrades. Yuya's card. The Fool. The card representing unlimited potential and infinite possibility.

Yuya knew that he was connected to Yuzu and Yuto in more ways than one, like how the kids connected to Yuto through the Wheel of Fortune. He wasn't going to let everyone down.

Instead of making an audience smile, he will do his best to protect the smiles of those he loves. That sounds like a less selfish goal.

Khonsu smiled, or at least, it looked like it. Now then. When night falls, you join me. Make up an excuse to stay here for the evening and we shall plan and take this palace down. You're going to need to brush up on your magic as well.

"Right," said Yuya...just as it clicked as to what Khonshu said.

"WE CAN USE MAGIC?!""

...

Thankfully, Shuzo and Yoko were understanding to have the three have a sleepover at You Show. Taweret would make sure to protect the Duel School from intruders or arrogant blowhards.

Yuzu and Yuya quickly finished their homework, with Yuya actually putting effort with his algebra questions. Yuzu never saw him this serious before, but then again, a lot of things could happen in a week.

Yuzu shook her head. She didn't want to set something on fire if someone pissed her off. Although using fire would be great when it came to cooking at home, or if she could pop popcorn in the palm of her hand instead of waiting two minutes in the microwave. Yuya was more interested in using the earth to help his mother's vegetable garden, something she made to help her spend less money on groceries.

Yuto came back with their weapons just as he promised. He set them onto the floor like an assortment of swords. A steel pipe, a crowbar, an old metal bat as well. Yuzu was kinda weirded out that she had a weapon, harisen aside. She wasn't a violent person.

Yuto shook his head. "Sometimes you gotta be tough if you wanna be free. You gained a Persona because you wanted to fight back, because you don't want to be a princess. You wanted to be your own person."

Yuzu sadly picked up the metal bat. "Still, I don't want to hurt Sora..."

Yuto clicked his teeth as he swung the crowbar around. "There's no turning back down; if you don't do anything do you rely on someone like Reiji ? Or are you going to wait till your father returns, Yuya? My friends and I put our faith in him...and he  vanished without any concern for us."

Yuya bit his lip. How his father just ran away without explaining the truth...

Sensing his rage and sorrow, Dionysus materialized and gave Yuya his grape juice. Now, now. Save that madness for the Shadows.

Yuya sighed just as Khonshu materialized from the shadows.

Now then, before you get ready. You'll need two things: a disguise, and a codename. It'll protect you from Sora's subconscious self recognizing you

Khonshu covered the three in linen bandages like freshly made mummies. and then with a snap of his fingers, the three now have new attire. Yuzu has her operatic dress with the phantom mask, Yuya has a red and black harlequin outfit and his hair is styled like goat horns, while Yuto gains black goose feather wings and a black shroud to go with it. Now they looked like real phantom thieves.

Yuzu gasped as she twirled around in her dress. "OMG, we're SO awesome!"

Yuya blushed upon seeing roses growing around Yuzu, like he was in love. "It's like you bloomed into a beautiful lady..."

Yuzu stopped twirling around. "What was that?"

Yuya's face turned red as the roses. "D-did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did." Yuto snickered.

Yuzu clasped her hands. "Still, Bloom sounds like an awesome codename! I love it!"

Yuya blushed turned redder as Yuzu saw Yuya's jester attire. "What about you, Yuya? I would call you Joker but you don't look like one."

Dionysus tilted his head. What about that outfit he wore during that Sledgehammer duel?

"Oh that?" said Yuzu. "Well, if he removed the wig and clown nose and put a mask and jangling hat instead, he could be a harlequin!"

"Huh...Arlequin....good name!" Yuya said while hugging Yuzu.

Yuzu turned to Yuto. "And you, Yuto? Do we call you Ghost? Specter?"

"...Revenant." Yuto answered. "Call me Revenant."

Yuya blinked. "You sure you don't want Revengence?"

"A revenant is a type of being who has returned from the dead," Yuto explained. "Like the Phantom Knights, like Heartland, we will return and fight the enemy until they surrender."

Yuya and Yuzu nodded. It seemed as if the group just grew a little bit closer.

Good choice. Now then, let's go to the palace. Yuzu Hiragi, your bracelet is key to open the palace gates. After this, you must locate the palace ruler and beat his shadow self into submission. That way, the real palace ruler will have a change of heart and you can possibly gain a powerful ally.

"Ally"...wasn't the right word to describe Sora. Still, Yuzu and Yuya had grown attached to the little pest and his sweet tooth. Still, something seemed off about why he ran off before his heart was judged...and his dislike for Yuto for knowing Xyz...

Yuzu looked down at her bracelet. Everything started because of this piece of silver on her wrist, but it was now their key to Sora's heart. "Okay, let's go. And hopefully, Yuto can conquer his fear of animatronics."

Yuya blinked; he didn't expect tall, dark, and stoic Yuto to be afraid of animatronics.

Khonsu waved his wand, to which the three were covered in pearly light of a full moon.  The three teleported from You Show to the Magician's Sweets with the rest of the street completely empty. Yuto was quaking in his boots.

Khonshu nodded as he started to fade away. This is as far as I can take you. Good luck.

When Khonshu was gone, the three teens looked at one another, and at the weapons they brought on them. There was no turning back now.

Yuya adjusted his mask and clasped his pendant. The curtains had risen, the stage was set, and it was time to act like some phantom thieves about to commit a heist. He looked at Yuzu and Yuto grinning at him, ready for his cue.

"Okay then, fellow thieves. It's time we swing into action!"

Chapter Text

-----Chapter 7: Shadows in Moonlight-----

The three Phantom Thieves waited for Magician's Sweets to change into a pizzeria, but nothing happened. Yuzu's bracelet wasn't glowing.

"Okay, we're missing something here," said Yuto. "Yuzu, what exactly happened when we tried this last."

"Uh, I mentioned Sora's name?" Yuzu asked.

"Bingo. Maybe you need to state the palace ruler as Sora Shiunin."

"Well, better than nothing." Yuzu inhaled as she clasped her hands together like how she saw Sora do so when he Fusion Summoned Frightfur Bear. "Palace ruler: Sora Shiunin. Palace Gates...open!"

Yuzu's bracelet began glowing as the scenery began to warp around the trio. When the warping stopped, the front of the candy store was now Frightfur Pizzeria with adorable mascots that sometimes flickered into stuffed animal murder machines like faulty holograms. 

"All right, it worked!" Yuya exclaimed.

"Yaaaay...." Yuto said flatly.

The door to Frightfur Pizzeria opened and a Fluffal Bear approached them. "Hello everyone, I'm beary glad to meet you!"

Yuto flinched almost instinctively while Yuzu giggled and clapped her hands.

"Hello Mr. Bear," she said, giving the fluffy bear a hug. "Can you show us around?"

"I would!" Fluffal Bear answered. "You must be here for the new job!"

"The what?" Yuya and Yuto asked.

"Step right this way! We've been waiting for you!" Fluffal Bear exclaimed, seemingly ignoring Yuya and Yuto's confusion.

The bear chuckled as he opened the door, leading the three thieves into the pizzeria. Amidst the checkerboard floor, and the balloon and confetti wallpaper, there were mascots based on the Fluffals and candies scattered everywhere. It looked cute.

Yuya began looking around for anything suspicious. The Fluffal animatronics were quiet...Then again, he didn't know a lot of Fluffals until Sora summoned them. They all looked the same. Cute, fluffy, stuffed animals with wings and bowties. Black beady eyes and stitched smiles. All of them huggable and wanting to be someone's very best friend.

Aside from me, we have the Fluffal Mice, Fluffal Puppy, Fluffal Cat, Fluffal Bunny, Fluffal Penguin! Fluffal Bear explained while giving a tour of the pizzeria. "They all want to be your friends and play with you forever and ever and ever!"

The three did not like the deeper meanings of those words, as they walked deeper into the pizzeria. as they heard static and were led to a door that read "Security Room".

"Oh Niwatori, nooooooo...." Yuto groaned. Yuya blinked; he couldn't believe someone actually remembered the Niwatori card. He recalled how they were important for some old VR game to cross the desert. Aside from that, only Duel Monster connoisseurs and young children would keep them.

Fluffal Bear patted Yuzu's shoulder. "Here you are, you must be here for the night shift! Be careful cause we Fluffals can be a bit...active at night."

Yuto did his best not to run away, but Yuzu nodded her head.

"I can keep an eye on them. Meanwhile, Yuya and Yuto can take a look around and play some games! A place like this is bound to have plenty of fun activities to have the kiddos distracted and to burn off all that soda and cotton candy, am I right?"

Yuto shook in place as if he had devoured a can of soda mixed with five bags of pop rocks. Yuya made sure to keep Yuto in place by placing his hands on Yuto's shoulders as he pushed the boy deeper into the Pizzeria. Preferably the ball pit area. Yuzu waved them goodbye before she entered the Security Room, the door shut behind her.

...

"Yuto, it's okay." Yuya said, as they walked across the black and white checkerboard floor. Rooks moving forward. No sign of other animatronics wanting to eat them. "My dad....always told me to smile when things get dark. To keep a brave face. Maybe giggle at some ghosties as well!"

Yuto wanted to spite Yusho with that advice since smiles didn't bring food to the table, didn't stop Obelisk Force from carding innocents, didn't stop people from getting sick or dying...but Yusho was only human. He was only doing all he could to stop the madness, making sure no one else got hurt in the struggle. Kids shouldn't be involved in a war.

Yuto nodded and Yuya saw a faint smile on his face. Ever since the kids vowed to be Yuto's friend, the Xyz boy was smiling more. "Thank you, Yuya."

Yuya smiled as another question popped in his head. "Say Yuto, why do you hate these animatronics? They inspired me to get the Performapals monsters! I mean, did they try to eat you?"

Yuto looked at Yuya like a deer caught in the headlights. Yuya blinked.

"Oh...they did..."

Yuto nodded and closed his eyes. "It was on my eighth birthday...."

....

An eight-year-old Yuto was at a local family-fun time pizzeria with his parents and friends, the table covered in purple and black balloons and Yuto had a matching party hat. Shun Kurosaki and his little sister, Ruri, Allen Koizuki, Kaito Tenjou, and Sayaka Sasayama. They celebrated with two boxes of pizza topped with extra olives, breadsticks with ranch dressing, and salad. Yuto was a big boy to eat his veggies, especially the dreaded tomatoes.

After pizza, it was now time for a delicious chocolate cake with purple frosting. Everyone cheered as Yuto  cuddled a raven plushie with glossy black and purple feathers, a ring on one of his claws, and a crown on his head.

A large animatronic of a teddy bear with glittering fairy wings approaches the birthday boy. "Happy birthday, little cupcake~"

<It should have been a normal birthday party>

Young Yuto looked up and smiled at the animatronic greeting him on his special day, giggling and clapping his hands.

"Look Yuto, it's the Barry the Birthday Bear!" Sayaka cheered.

Allan patted Yuto's back and grinned. "You gotta give him a hug for all your dreams to come true!"

Yuto cheered and gave the animatronic a hug, unaware of what was to come.

"Thank you, birthday boy. Now then, it's time to eat!!!" Barry sang.

The bear opened its mouth as they loomed over an innocent, oblivious Yuto.

<And that's when it went wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.>

And the bear tried to chomp on Yuto, concealing his head like a walnut trapped in its shell.

Thankfully, the bear had no teeth, so when he tried to eat Yuto's head, it wouldn't put him in a coma, but it was stuck to the boy's head for a while.

"HELP!!! HELLLLLP!!! GET IT OFF OF ME!!!!!!"

Yuto kept screaming for someone to save him while hearing Beary's laughter echoing in his head.

----

"And that is why I hate animatronics," Yuto finished.

Yuya nodded. He could imagine Yuto getting claustrophobic or become afraid of the dark swallowing him. It's amazing how he managed to conquer that fear and use a deck filled with ghostly soldiers.  "I can understand why you would be terrified. But hey, you survived. That's always good, right?"

Yuto scoffed. "Survived...that's all I do these days. It's all I can do. But I don't want to survive, I want to live!" He started tearing up, shoulders shaking. "I want to go back to the Heartland that was, not the Heartland that I have to live with now. I want my parents back, I want those happy days when nothing could hurt us!" 

He sobbed, a pair of tears trickling under his mask. "I'm scared, Yuya...I don't know what's going to happen, or if we'll end up nothing but pieces of cardboard to be thrown into an incinerator or something."

Yuya frowned, pIacing a hand over his heart. "I know how you feel as well, Yuto. I want to live too. I had to survive the insults and empty threats of people ready to break my arm or rip my cards in half with a smile, struggling to keep myself from breaking down in tears because crying wouldn't bring my dad back. Yuzu kept me moving forward, my mom always cooked pancakes whenever I was down, and everyone at You Show never hated me if I was being too goofy or if I made a mistake. And now I feel different thanks to Dionysus."

A ghostly Dionysus smiled. He could tell that Yuya was a good kid, if a bit theatrical.

Yuya continued as he held Yuto's hand. "I want to help you out. For I am an entertainer, like my father before me. I wanna be the best I can be, to protect the smiles of those I love, instead of longing to have everyone's eyes on me."

Yuto smiled as he looked out at the moon shining outside of the window. "And I want to help bring smiles to Heartland once again. And that when night comes, we can smile at the moon shining down upon us."

The two smiled as a glowing The Moon card appeared in the air.

Yuto smiled. With Yuya by his side, he felt hope. Something he hadn't in a long time.

....

Alexis sighs. She has to admit that it is a heartwarming story. Yuya is Yusho's son, despite how...eccentric he is right now.

"You gained a superpower by being someone's therapist?" she questions.

"What's wrong with giving someone empathy?" Yuya questions.

"In a war, giving empathy to the enemy is the difference between going home alive or in a coffin," Alexis answers. "Academia knows nothing about hearts or love. There's no way any of them would bow down so easily."

"Funny; isn't that how you escaped their grasp?" Yuya inquires with a raised eyebrow.

Alexis pauses, sputtering for a defense. "Well, I...I just..."

"In any case. It wasn't just empathy that convinced Sora to have a change of heart. We also had to go with some physical therapy as well~"

...

Yuzu then took a glance of a poster pinned to the bulletin board, showcasing all of the adorable Fluffals surrounded with cakes and tree-sized lollipops. She had to admit that the animatronics are kinda cute, like puppets.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

Chapter 9 - Shadows in Countdowns

Don't worry about him. Ame-no-uzume said, picking up on Yuzu's thoughts. He is a shadow. Whatever damage you place on him does not hurt the real one.

Yuzu nodded as she picked up the knife as self defense along with her bat. "I don't want to hurt you, but I also believe in self defense. If I have to hurt your shadow, then so be it!"

Bruno lost so much in one day, but he did not lose his spirit. A narrator proclaimed.

Chapter Text

Chapter 10 - Shadows in Deep Thoughts

Alexis is silent as Yuya sips his water. She herself never really interacted with Sora. All she knew about him is that he has a major sweet tooth and has very violent Duel Monsters. She saw glimpses of his duels in the past, how he would fuse adorable stuffed animals with sharp tools to maul the opponents. A part of her always questioned who raised him as a child and if the orphanages he grew up in had abusive matrons who chopped off the heads of his teddy bears to discpline him. Or perhaps the orphanages did the opposite and spoiled him with all those candies to make him behave.

"Sora Shiunin was the first person you used to test your abilities, huh?" she asks.

"Test is such a horrible word," Yuya states. "Testing mean that we were being judged. Like we had to prove our worth towards our targets. Bloom, Revenant, and I were trying to save someone. Do you need to take a test to be a good person?"

Alexis shrugs. "You realize that this question isn't easy to ask. After all, you were raised by loving parents. All I had were sadistic and apathetic teachers who fed us lies."

"And egg sandwiches!" Yuya grins. "I heard that there's a tradition Academia has where the weaklings all try to test their draw power with something known as the golden eggwich."

"...how do you know of that?"

Yuya grins and taps his lips with a finger. "That's. a. secret~ And it's not part of your intel about how Sylvio stopped being an utter piece of shit. Speaking of which, I'm hungry."

"Again?" Alexis knows from stories Yusho has told her that his son has a big appetite, but that made sense. He's an acrobat, and all of the physical activity would need a large calorie intake.

"I eat when I get nervous!" Yuya giggles. "Can we get some eggwiches to share?"

"After you tell me about Sylvio."

Yuya slumps on the table with a pout. "Fiiiiiine...."

...

Khonshu was nice enough to teleport the founding members of the Arc Phantoms back to You Show, but that would be the last gesture of generosity he would give them. Not that they minded. As soon as they made it to the room they would be sleeping in, already made with a futon that could fit four people, they collapsed into a deep sleep, their minds lost in the shadows while their Personas looked with fondness.

"Sweet dreams, you three," Taweret said, patting their heads. She led the Pixie and Bicorn out of the room and shut the door gently.  As she was about to head off to get some shut-eye herself, she paused. Something bright and burning in her heart, as if she just suddenly devoured three burning coals, guided her to a glowing door on her right. A door only for her.

She approached the door and opened it, looking at the large golden set of scales on the other end. On one dish sat a glowing feather. The Feather of Truth. On the other dish sat a heart. Bright purple and looking like it had been stitched up multiple times.

Sora's heart.

For the longest of times, Sora's heart weighed more than the feather, but suddenly...suddenly the heart was becoming lighter, as if filled with helium. The dishes changed position, the feather heavy as lead.

Taweret gasped, hand over her mouth. "Does this mean they've given him a change of heart? But what does this mean going forward? Akaba is not someone who will take mutiny so easily, but at the same time Sora is not loyal to You Show."

She placed her hands on her hips in thought. Then she smiled. "I know, I'll just make him some baklava to coerce that sweet tooth of his. I'm just gonna have to borrow some honey first."

...

Sora was given intel about Maiami City. About infiltrating Leo Duel School to properly observe Reiji Akaba and where they were in terms of dueling. To see if he had any chance of fighting back against the might of Academia's strongest faction, Obelisk Force.

He was, unfortunately, never given anything that would help him survive living in the streets of Maiami City.

He carried no money, he had no maps or phones to navigate the city, didn't even know what a hotel was. Instead, he found some abandoned building and slept there, substaining himself on some chips and cakes he paid off with spare change he obtained doing chores. Even after two weeks staying in this dimension, he only knew a few places by memory: some candy shops and bakeries, Leo Duel School, Leo Corp., You Show Duel school, Yuya's house, Yuya's house.

For all he was good at charming the pants out of people, he also was capable of getting lost pretty easily. Why the hell couldn't he have had some help? Like, why weren't there other agents hiding around this place for him to meet up with?

Not like they were able to get his mind out of Yuzu and Yuya becoming close to that Xyz scum. Sora spent the past week or so spying on the duo. Not to keep an eye out on Sylvio and his goons trying to mug them now that the four were no longer part of Leo Duel School, but because he was that pissed off at Yuzu and Yuya laughing and spending time with that stupid piece of shit who builds the Overlay Network!

It wasn't fair! Yuya and Yuzu were Sora's friends first. They were always laughing and smiling without Sora! They didn't want Sora Shiunin even though he was Yuya's apprentice!

In his abode, Sora tossed and turned in his sleep, feeling something in his chest. As if it heart suddenly became shattered like a lollipop dropping to the floor. He shivered, tears forminig in his eyes as he gripped his heart and screamed.

He sat up, eyes snapped open as something clicked in his mind. His hands went to his face in shame.

Yuya and Yuzu would never be friends with someone who willingly liked carding people. They already hated Sylvio for stealing Yuya's cards and for framing Yuya for "assaulting" Sylvio in the warehouse. Yuzu looked ready to burn someone alive when Shuzo-san was hurt, and seeing Yuya snap from being called a coward made Sora recall a similar boy with pink eyes and purple hair.

Yuri.

Seeing Yuya turn into Yuri was the last thing Sora wanted. He didn't want Yuya to hate Sora, to turn into a monster! He didn't want part of this mission any longer...

But if he defected, Akaba would find out. There had been rumors that many Slifer Reds who tried to flee were carded. Others said that those who somehow managed to escape Academia found sanctuary...somewhere. One of the top girls in Obelisk Blue, Alexis her name was, vanished without a trace. She was an oddity for using Ritual monsters instead of Fusion, but rumors had it that she defeated thirty boys who wanted to go on a date with the Angel of Obelisk.

Sora wasn't a traitor, but he couldn't just leave Academia behind. It was his home, it was where he had food, and a bed, and candy as well. But what about having a room in Yuzu's home? Or eating pancakes with Yuya? Or being in a school where there were no such thing as military drills? Couldn't there be some way to just...not be under a reconaissance mission?

Sora was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw a flashing light on his Duel Disk. Sora scrambled to pick it up and pressed a button. "Uh, P-Professor Akaba? Is that you?"

"Sora Shiunin," Akaba's authoritative voice said. "It has been more than three days since your last report. Has anything changed since then?"

Sora swallowed. "Er, I recently saw Reiji Akaba have three of his best duelists against three of the weakest duelists the dimension has created. Fusion won, Xyz lost, and Synchro lost."

He felt the tears form when he mentioned the 'three of the weakest duelists', a lollipop stick to the heart. But it was true, after all. Yuya, Yuzu, and Gong didn't know anything about the Extra Deck. How could these three ever compare to the might of Academia? Heck, the only reason Yuya won against Sora was because of some special effect of Pendulum monsters not even Yuya himself knew of!

Not that Akaba would've known about Sora's loss as he muttered something on the lines of, "That's the best my son can come up with? Pathetic."

"Yeah, he is pathetic." Sora agreed. Reiji was supposedly the best duelist of the dimension yet didn't know how to ask permission to borrow something. No wonder the entire city, nay, the entire world, was getting on his case. Still, Akaba needed a full report.

"B-but there's been rumors about a new summoning method in the works," Sora continued. "Reiji commanded some of his students to steal the cards pertaining to the method, even tried buying out the school as well. All so he could monopolize another summoning method. What a greedy asshole! He's up to something, but I still need more time to understand what."

"I see..." Akaba paused for half a minute. sora felt ready to puke, biting his hand to keep himself from screaming. His heart raced as he waited for Akaba to end the call..."Very well. This should be enough for now. Continue your reconnaissance over my son and do not run your mouth unnecessarily. Tell. him. NOTHING."

Akaba didn't raise his voice. He didn't need to. The minute he spoke, everone obeyed. Disobedience was unacceptable in Academia. Sora rapidly nodded his head. "Understood, Professor."

"Good. I expect another report in a few days' time. Do not disappoint me, Sora Shiunin. The fate of the dimensions depends on your success. You know what is at stake."

The harmony and union of the old world with Xyz scum as the fuel. Something about that sounded disgusting. Humans were not cattle that were meant to be slaughtered for food and leather...Humans aren't supposed to eat other people. They weren't supposed to sacrifice them.

Sora was glad that Akaba ended the communication as he was close to destroying his Duel Disk in rage. He hadn't felt this terrified since...since...

His head winced as he recalled fighting Yuya...no, Yuri...with his sadistic grin and his vicious dragon. Sora had never felt fear before, but the fear of being brutalized by those Predaplants was just as terrifying as seeing Yuya screaming how he wanted to kill Reiji for not doing anything to stop the bullying, the jeers, the pain...He had no idea Yuya-sempai suffered so much.

And then, something echoed in his mind. A thought he'd never would've thought of before. A thought that, oddly enough, had Yuzu's voice.

Sora shook his head, hands shaking. Academia invaded Xyz, they'll certainly invade this dimension as well. And Yuya and Yuzu would be tortured, kidnapped...and it would be all his fault. There'd be no way for him to ask Akaba to spare them; if they were to be carded, they would be carded.

And yet, Sora recalled how the two had those Persona now. Yuya and Yuzu stood proud, no longer afraid of people looking down on them, spitting on them. But given how far Reiji would go to obtain Yuya's Pendulum Cards, what would he do to Yuya and Yuzu to obtain their Persona? Kidnap them? Torture them? Erase their memories?!

Worse, what if Professor Akaba learned about them? Would he send an army of soldiers to kidnap them? Tortue them? Brainwash them?! Would it be Sora's fault if he got them hurt? Sylvio was nothing more than a schoolyard bully compared to Obelisk Force, and neither Yuya nor Yuzu had the skills to fight off against a deck filled with those horrible Ancient Gears.

Sora couldn't let them be hurt. He...he had to keep them safe. Even if this entire dimension was to born, if Yuya and Yuzu were safe...they could hate Fusion all they wanted, but he'd rather die than have them hate him! But how was he supposed to keep them safe without making it obvious? To make them not connect the dots that he was from Fusion?

Sora inhaled. He couldn't jump into this without thinking things through. The Professor wasn't going to signal an invasion for a while. If Sora could prolong his stay, then the Professor would have no choice but to let Sora do what needs to be done.

And wasn't there an advertisement for a tournament coming up?

That was the perfect cover. Participate in the tournament, make sure to scout out the competition, protect Yuya and Yuzu if need be. And people are usually packed in stadiums when a tournament happens...

It wasn't the best one, but it would have to do. As soon as he could, he'll walk to You Show tomorrow and ask what it would take for him to qualify. His ability to use Fusion Summon would cut the competition in half!

That'll have to do. For now. Just smile and make an apology towards the Xyz scum, keep the kitty-eyed good boy act for just a bit longer. Then, find another dimension to hop. Some place no one would find him.

Sora laid down, curled into a ball, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

Yet, deep within the recesses of his heart, there was a spark of a rebellion forming.

----

For the past week, You Show Duel School has been on Reiji's mind.

It wasn't just the fact that he could no longer buy-out the school. Or the fact that a housewife had the audacity to sue Leo Corp. for the emotional pressure they put on her son and the false accusations as well, but now he couldn't stop thinking about Yuya Sakaki or Yuzu Hiragi.

He still could feel that fear washing over him when he heard Yuya scream his heart out. That rage, that hatred, oozing out of every pore in Yuya Sakaki's body. Reiji never expected Yuya to be furious.

(But then again, Yuya had a right to be pissed off at everything. Reiji can't fathom how Yuya will be close to strangling him if/when he learned about where Yusho has been the past three years)

Then there was that...spirit? Ghost? Guardian angel? Reiji had no idea what to call that image of Dionysus in all his bacchanal glory, except that it represented everything that was Yuya. A hard-partying, fun-loving youth who could drive anyone mad if they happened to piss him off. And Leo Duel School had pissed Yuya off for a long time.

But then there was that story Sylvio blubbered to him as Reiji pronounced that he was expelled. Yuzu also had a guardian spirit by her side, all dressed up with flowers and roosters. The lady threw Sylvio back and nearly broke his arm.

It was completely out of left field, but at the same time this would pose...problems.

While Yuya had been fooling around and had a horrible winloss ratio to show for it, Reiji had been doing research, combing any and all resources he could find to give him an edge. If Duel Monsters wasn't going to cut it, then he needed to go deeper into the minds of his students.

For as much as Reiji hated to admit it, the Darwinist culture of his school meant that they didn't have any means of cooperation. Leo Duel School was all about producing the best duelists, of Maiami City, if not the entire world. The only time students were made to work together was for projects and classes. They had no idea how to fight off against champion-level duelists, let alone duelists willing to invade another dimension.

Thankfully, Reiji was working on his special program - the Archangel Protocol. Every student in the Leo Duel School system was enrolled in it. Their dueling records, their decks, their private chats towards one another. Ways to keep surveillance on every personnel associated with Leo Corp. and Leo Duel Schools around the world. Ways to keep them under control should they do somethingstupid like what Sylvio did. Nothing was kept secret to him.

Nothing can be secret to him at this point. He had to make sure that no one could stand in his way to stop his father.

Even if his plan to obtain Yuya's Pendulums failed, the data he obtained from Yuya's past few duels with them was still valuable. He could produce numerous Pendulum archetypes to be play-tested in Leo Duel School before being distributed to the public. The sooner these cards could be mastered, the better.

In the meantime, Reiji also had to contend with Yuya and Yuzu's new...superpowers, for lack of a better term. If only there was a way for them to be manifested.

Yuzu summoned her powers when she stood up to Sylvio. Yuya snapped when he was called a coward's son and weak. So they only come forth in times of stress and pressure?

And wasn't there an alert that Professor Marco vanished around the time he was dueling Yuya?

Professor Marco, one of the top professors of Leo Duel School's Fusion Division, vanishes around the time two students of You Show gained powers? And a student who apparently knows Fusion but refused to participate in the showdown to save "his" school?

Reiji smirked. Oh yeah, this was all coming together very nicely.

...

"How this boy became the supposed savior of the dimensions is beyond me," Alexis mutters. "It honestly sounds like he's no better than his father."

"Apple doesn't far fall from the tree," Yuya muses, juggling three apples while leaning back in his chair. "Reiji was desperate to stop the invasion just as much as Akaba was desperate to be with his daughter again. Neither of them cared for the consequences, nor did they have the ability to talk things over."

"Because if they did, who would believe them?"

"Exactly! Bad guys and evil people can lie and twist things to make people believe them. But if you tell them the truth? No one cares!"

Alexis can't disagree on that. So many people brainwashed because Akaba gives them a vow that seems to good to be true. He will give Academia bodies beyond their wildest imaginings.

"But this isn't about Reiji, it's about Sylvio. About Sora. About..."

"About the rise of the Arc Phantoms," Yuya says, catching the apples and placing them on the table. He grins. "Are you ready, Alexis? After all, the play's the thing, wherein us phantoms will take the heart of a pompous arrogant blowhard!"

Yuya cackles, repeatedly slamming his fist on Sylvio's folder, a wide grin and a glow in his eye.

"It all started three days after the dive into Sora's heart. When people looked at Yuzu and I and saw us as monsters..."

Chapter Text

Chapter 11 - Shadows in Presents

In truth, it started two days and two nights after the dive into Sora's heart.

The kids were excited to find more friends in Pixie and Bicorn, getting rides from the Bicorn, and to see their older sibling figures improve their dueling. They were shocked to learn of the story of how Yuya, Yuzu, and Yuto somehow entered Sora's mind/heart/soul in order to change him from within. The three  screamed when they learned how Yuto was swallowed by what was essentially Sora if he turned into Frightfur Bear, but were reassured that Shadow Sora wouldn't do the same thing to them.

It was the news that Sora was from the same dimension that destroyed Yuto's home that worried them the most. The fact that he wormed his way into the hearts of You Show all so he could infiltrate it was a horrifying thought. That at any moment, he could turn any of them into cards and he wouldn't care.

"We changed his heart by beating him up a little," Yuya admitted. It hurt him to admit that he had to use violence to change people's ways. It went against his entire philosophy to duel for smiles. But sometimes the only way for people to change is if you go straight for the jugular. Plus, he technically wasn't hurting Sora so props to loopholes...

"But does this mean Sora will come back and be friends with us again?" Ayu asked nervously.

"We don't know for sure," Yuzu answered honestly. "Hopefully we made him go through a true change of heart, and he'll arrive with gumdrops and lemon drops for all of us to enjoy."

"I'd rather eat peanut butter cups in all honesty," Tatsuya noted.

"I want jelly beans," Ayu cheered.

"Gummy bears for me!" Futoshi added.

Yuto couldn't help but feel his heart be warmed at the sight...before he remembered that he had a mission to deliver supplies to everyone back home. He wasn't here to have fun.

Of course he also realized that there was no way of actually transporting all of Yoko's supplies across the dimension. Allen was only able to recalibrate some Obelisk Force Duel Disks for a one-way jump to Standard (the dimension where all three summoning methods could be utilizied),

Is that all? Nemesis asked as she stared at the box of scarves, hats, and gloves next to the pyramid of canned food, boxes of cereals, and cups of apple sauce. That is childplay.

Yuto blinked as Nemesis pointed her sword to the ceiling. Three bolts of lightning struck the donations before the supplies vanished. They didn't turn into smoke, there wasn't a smell of burning cloth, or cans set on fire. They were gone. There. With a destination in mind, these supplies will be put to good use.

"H-how is that possible?" Yuto gasped. "I thought that Persona were stuck in this dimension."

"We exist in the cracks between realms." Nemesis smiled. "We are capable of being summoned by those who wish to remove their masks and fight for their ideals. However, as much as I know you want your friends to obtain their own Persona to fight back, I'm afraid that it's best to keep this secret for now."

Yuto hated having to keep it mum, but he knew that it was for the best. Shun was completely unstable and too focused on dueling Leo Duel School personnel to listen. And if Allan or Sayaka obtained a Persona, they probably would have no idea how to use them. It was best that they didn't know about them until the time was right.

"If you want," Nemesis mused. "I can go send a message to them about how you are safe for the time being. That way they can cling onto hope that things will turn out better."

"You can do that?" Yuto gasped.

"We Persona can do a lot of things." Nemesis chuckled. "I'll make it short and simple. Focus on becoming stronger and helping your friends."

"All right. Thank you, Nemesis."

Nemesis nodded as she vanished in a flurry of black feathers. Yuto smiled, feeling more and more hopeful with each passing day. He wasn't alone in the struggle, and he wouldn't have to card people in order to get the change he desired.

He would make people smile by changing the corrupt from within, like a lancer who charges into battle, piercing the enemy's defenses. And he would be aided with his new friends to follow Yusho's philosophy to make people happy again with their dueling.

Ruri...just wait a little bit longer.

...

The afternoon before the confrontation with Sylvio had the kids watching their big brother and sister improve their skills in dueling. There was no time to waste as the Arc League Championships were underway, with Yuya needing a few more duels to get his win rate at 50%.

Even though they couldn't be able to do stuff like Pendulum Summon or Xyz Summon right now, it wouldn't hurt to see it in action for when they decided to change decks in the future. Yuzu was currently confronting Yuya, who had Timegazer Magician and Stargazer Magician on the Pendulum Scales. Meanwhile, Yuzu had Canon the Melodious Diva and Solo the Melodious Diva on the field.

"Are you ready?" Yuya asked.

"It's showtime!" Yuzu exclaimed.

Yuto smiled to himself behind his scarf. He never thought he'd become a teacher, but Yuzu picked up on the basics very quickly. Now it was time to see her training bear fruit.

"Do your best, Yuzu!" Taweret cheered as Ame-no-uzume, Dionysus, and Nemesis also watched witn proud smiles.

"I'm so proud," Shuzo sniffled, preparing a camera. "I'm going to see my baby girl Xyz Summon for the first time!"

"Okay then," said Yuzu, inhaling deeply. "Because I have two monsters with the same Level, this allows me to build the Overlay Unit!"

A large black galaxy manifested on the field, causing the kids to gasp as her Melodious monsters held hands and jumped into the abyss together. Glorious white light and music notes emerged from the Overlay Network as Yuzu prepared her chant.

“Beautiful fairy who composes the songs of the heart, raise your baton to the air and touch the souls of all with your supreme genius! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Come forth! The unrivaled artist! Vivaldina the Melodious Maestra!”

Rising from the event horizon of the Overlay Unit was an ebony-haired Melodious monster, with side ponytails accessorised with bass clef clips. Matching her black hair was an equally elegant black dress with transparent sleeves and an ankle-length skirt. Rose-red ribbons cpvered the front and back of her dress and her ruby shoes sparkled with golden music notes. Her golden eyes were covered in green make-up and black eighth notes were painted on her cheeks. In her right hand, she wielded a baton that showered the field with pink glittering mist. Surrounding her were two large yellow orbs like the electrons of an atom. (1800 ATK)

"She's beautiful!" Ayu gasped.

"I can't believe I'm seeing Yuzu Xyz Summon in front of my very eyes!" Tatsuya added.

"She gives me shivers!" Futoshi added.

"This is a You Show's first ever hot-blooded Xyz Summon by my daughter!" Shuzo roared. "And I have it all on tape. I just gotta post it on You Show's social account and people wil absolutely want to join!"

Yuzu looked embarassed but this was a big step for her. Yuya was improving, and last she heard Gongenzaka had been going for intense Extra Deck training himself. As she stared at Vivaldina, she felt...something was missing.

Yes, learning Xyz was fun, but when she looked at her deck, it honestly was going to be hard to attempt more than one Xyz summoning at a time. If she had Pendulums like Yuya, she'd be able to swarm the field easily.

That thought was on her mind as she did her homework in the safety of her bedroom. Or at least, she tried to do her homework in the safety of her bedroom. Her mind was wondering about Yuto's friend, Ruri. A girl with her face, had a bracelet just like Yuzu, and was kidnapped by someone who apparently looked like Yuto and Yuya. She couldn't help but look out her window, expecting a "Yuya" with a sneering face ready to kidnap her in the dead of night.

But that's ridiculous. Even if he tried, she wasn't a damsel in distress. No, she was more like a defender in a dress. She had the power to fight back; she wasn't just stuck to Duel Monsters now.

And yet, when she also thought about how Yuto teleported before Yuya arrived, why couldn't Ruri have this power as well? To fly away from whatever prison she's at and return to her loved ones? If only she could give Ruri the strength to raise her voice against these liars who proclaim they are giving peace...of the grave.

Yuzu was almost startled when a coin was placed in her hand. She looked up to see Ame-no-uzume staring at her. "Appreciate the gesture, but yeah there's a lot on my mind."

I can tell, and I know what I can do to help. Ame-no-uzume said with a tender smile. For the first part, you wouldn't mind if I gave you...these?

Ame-no-Uzume slapped two items onto the desk. Yuzu blinked and nearly fell out of her chair when she saw what those were. "P-p-pendulums? These are Melodious Pendulums?!"

Ame-no-uzume giggled. They sure are~ But look carefully at them.

Yuzu looked at them carefully and saw that their monster effects were amazing. They synergized with the Special Summoning abilities that made her Melodious monsters a formidable threat. But when she looked lower..."Wait, why are their Pendulum effects blank?!"

Because it is waiting for the right key to be revealed. Ame-no-uzume answered. Besides, it's best to focus on their monster effects for the time being, see how they will synergize with the Melodious in your deck.

Yuzu nodded but still felt saddened that she didn't have true Pendulums yet. Then there came her second request.

"So," she said, staring at her bracelet. "Could you explain to me what was going on with my bracelet that day? Why did it teleport Yuto away?"

Ame-no-uzume frowned. That is a very long story regarding the world that once was. And of the figure Yuya met. Zarc. I am not allowed to reveal everything about the past, but let me just say that the bracelet was created as a "security measure" to ensure Zarc's 'pieces' could not be put back together again.

"This Zarc figure...he has the same face as Yuto and Yuya right? So would that mean there's a 'me' who has my face? And Ruri's?"

Yes. Zarc and Ray Akaba. Yuzu had to place her hands to her mouth when she heard the surname. Long story short, they clashed and in doing so, their souls were quartered, one per dimension. Zarc's fragments were given dragons, Ray's fragments were gifted bracelets. Akaba wants to resurrect his daughter and kill the monster who caused all of this suffering, and he will stop at nothing to get what he wants.

"Even carding people?" Yuzu gasped, tears trickling down her cheeks. What type of genocidal monster would do such a thing?!

The bracelet activated because Ray was afraid of Yuto and Yuya meeting so soon and it was amplified by your fear of Yuto having Yuya's face. But you don't have to worry about Yuto landing in the ocean or the like. You are no longer afraid of him, and you can now channel the teleportation to protect yourself or send potential threats flying.

"But...can it only be used for myself? Can I give it to someone else who need it more than me?"

Is this...connected to how you want me to go see Ruri herself to send a message to her? When Yuzu gasped, the Persona giggled. I knew you were watching when Neme delivered all those goodies to Yuto's home. Well, I could've gone to talk to Ruri anytime I wanted. I was waiting for your command, my mistress.

Yuzu didn't want to hesitate any longer. "Then go to Ruri and help her. I don't know what's going on but she needs to know that Yuto is safe and he and...her brother are in my dimension. That there is aid coming to Heartland. That we'll find a way to free her before it's too late."

Ame-no-uzume laughed like pearls were about to drop from her mouth. It shall be done. Rest for now, lemon drop. I'll make sure to take care of everything.

Yuzu nodded as she noticed how she was about to nod off to sleep. She took one more look at her Pendulum cards and placed them close to her heart. 

"I'll face the storm, no matter what shape it takes," she vowed. "I'll learn to unlock the powers from within, so that we can make people smile and shout and not have to worry about being seen as lesser. There's no such thing as a loser, only those who are lost."

Ame-no-uzume smiled, her roosters clucking and blinking blearily as Yuzu turned off the light of her desk lamp and changed into her pajamas. The Persona of the Dawn faded away, ready to fulfill her master's deepest desire.

...

"Why are you always going into these side-tangents?" Alexis groans. "This isn't getting anywhere near to Sylvio's heart being changed."

"Hey, hey, hey," Yuya says, slamming his hand on a glass marble to his bottle of Ramune soda. "What my beloved rose did is very beneficial to Sylvio later on. Some times, you gotta make side trips on your road to somewhere. It's about the journey, not the destination."

"You're just stalling for time, I know it!" Alexis exclaims as Yuya guzzles his soda pop. "And that your Phantom Friends are going to barge in and..."

"Nope, it's just you and me until I've spilled the beans...and I haven't ordered any yet," Yuya laughs, setting the bottle down, crossing his legs. "Besides, this does involve your school in a way. I hope you're ready to take some notes~"

Chapter Text

---Chapter 12 - Shadows in Flight---

Ruri was going to get out of Academia or die trying.

Day in and day out was the same. Questions about her origins, duels that forced her to Xyz summon over and over again for simple commodities, psychological tests that repeatedly told her that she wasn't Ruri Kurosaki, younger sister of Shun Kurosaki, but rather a fragment of some bitch related to the Professor who led the genocidal campaign that destroyed her beloved home, the isolation, the electric torture, the jeers, and harassment as well. The only things that kept her sanity intact was the hope that Yuto and Shun would find help, and that she wasn't alone in her struggles.

Turns out there was a girl with her face and bracelet like hers, but from the Synchro Dimension. Rin, no last name. The two used any time they had to talk about their lives, their hopes, the boys they grew up with. It was comfort and hopefully didn't lead to anything bad, not like that terrifying book about a kid who befriended a boy with striped pajamas...

Ruri couldn't help but imagine this was a reverse attempt. Instead of the protagonist dressing up in striped pajamas to end up dying, she and Rin came up with an ingenious idea. Knock out the Obelisk Force duelists who gave them their "food" -- at least Akaba wasn't that heartless to starve them -- have Rin knock one of them out before dressing up in their disgustingly blue uniforms and put on those stupid masks with the weird eyebrows and gems, and drag Ruri out to be "tested". Then, when the coast was clear, Rin would return to her normal outfit, she and Ruri would beat up any duelist that came in their way, then race to the pier in the hopes that a boat would take them to the mainland.

"Ugh," Rin muttered, tossing the helm aside as she stripped behind a tree. "Why was I the one who had to be the soldier again?"

"Because your hair was short enough to hide under the helmet," Ruri answered, catching her breath. She knew that Akaba would have the entire island chasing after them for a while. "But it gave us a few minutes to ourselves. Given how big the island is, it'll take forever for them to search for us at night."

"Yeah that explains the fire off into the distance."

"What fires?" Ruri asked, turning around to see fires striking everywhere. Odd. Who would be intentionally setting things on fire? Akaba wouldn't let his students intentionally turn into arsonists...yet.

And yet, she can hear students and Academia personnel ringing the alarms as they set to work to douse the fires before they spread out. It was pretty convenient...a bit too convenient, asa matter of fact.

But who benefitted in this? Who would be on their side at this point?

Rin stepped out, dressed in a cyan and pink racing outfit, stretching her arms. "Okay, we need to get going...but, where exactly is the pier?"

Over here.

Rin and Ruri noticed a glowing figure in the distance, beckoning them. Given that the figure, a woman they could tell, wasn't wearing an Academia uniform or a black cloak to conceal their identity (quite the contrary, she was quite beautiful. Ethereal.), she essentially could be seen as their angel, their savior.

The woman smiled before she turned to run off. Rin and Ruri wasted no time following her.

"Excuse me," Rin said outloud, feeling suspicious. "But are you really on our side?"

"Rin!" Ruri hissed, defenses up. "Don't give away our position."

"Well it's a legitamite question," Rin exclaimed. "We got lured in by an asshat who had Yugo and Yuto's faces; what's to say this pretty face is going to drag us to our depths by drowning us in the -- WAGH!!!"

Rin hastily covered her mouth with her hands when the woman with long hair and elegant gown somehow glitched like a hologram before emerging just centimers away from the Synchro duelist. Ruri grasped Rin's arm to calm her down as she stared into the eyes of the ghost of this hunk of land.

"Who are you?" She asked. "What are you doing here?"

Shh...The woman in her fancy dress and roosters shushed, placing a finger on Ruri's lips. There's no time for questions. I'm here to get you out of here as best as i can. Will you let me see your bracelet?

"Er...I guess?" Ruri said, showing off the silver bracelet that had been with her since she was born. The woman smiled and placed a ghostly hand over it. "T-thanks for helping us, by the -- "

"THERE YOU ARE!"

Ruri turned to see three Obelisk Force soldiers approaching them with grins on their faces. Rin narrowed her eyes, ready to bust some heads and crack some nuts if need be.

"You had your exercise, Xyz scum and Synchro shit," Obelisk Force - Green grinned. "But now it's time for you to back to your castles and prepare yourselves for treatment."

"N-never!" Ruri screamed, heart pounding in her chest. Seeing the sneers on these soldiers reminded her too much of the Invasion. The devastation. The screams. The fire. The cards raining down...And worse...

"We're gonna do this the hard way then!" Obelisk Force - Red cackled. "Come forth, Ancient Gear Golem!"

Ruri's pupils shrunk to the size of pin pricks when she saw the massive 12 foot behemoth emerge from the shadows. A heartless monster that knew neither friend nor foe. Only destruction.

Ruri, you need to keep calm! The woman said, hand still on her bracelet. I need total concentration if I am to transfer this power to you.

"You need a distraction, I'm on it!" Rin stepped forward, activating her Duel Disk. She drew five cards and began playing two of them. "Time for you to freeze!"

A pair of witches riding large bells as if they were broomsticks emerged in a chilling breeze. The two spellcasters wasted no time flying towards their target and firing beams of ice at the golem.

"Whatever power that lady is giving, it better one to get you out of this cesspool!" Rin shouted.

"Rin..."

"You need to get going more than I do!" Rin exclaimed. "Your brother and Yuto are worried sick about you. You have family and friends...things I wish I had."

"But what about Yugo?"

Rin smiled, remembering the boy with yellow crescent bangs and clear green eyes. Loud, brash, but full of heart. "I know Yugo will be fine! When something is on his mind, he won't stop until he gives it his all. He'll find me, I know he will!"

Ruri nodded, doing her best to look away from the Ancient Gear Golem to allow the ghostly woman to pour her "power" into the bracelet. The gem began shining, same with Ruri...

She was about to go home, she was about to return to Kaito, Allan, Sayaka. Her brother. Yuto. She could tell them what she endured, how to prepare Heartland for a future attack...

But then, a thought hit her. The Yuto look alike -- Yuri she managed to learn from gossiping Obelisks -- would come back to chase after her and drag her back to Academia. His deck, monstrous plants that took the forms of animals, along with that horrifying dragon could devour her monsters before she cold strike through his lifepoints. The only benefit is that she used Level 1 monsters, so those 'Predaplant Counters' would do nothing to heed her from Xyz Summoning.

But it would definitely impede in the Xyz summonings of Allan and especially Sayaka. 

Rin's screams snapped Ruri out of her thoughts as Ancient Gear Golem fired one of its fists right into Rin's gut, sending her flying ten feet back across the pier where she became unconscious. The Windwitches gasped in horror before the fist flew back onto Ancient Gear Golem's wrist and he clapped his hands with the two between them, causing them to shatter into pixels.

"Aw, was that all you had?" Obelisk Force - Gold said mockingly. "Well, looks like it's time to go for the kill! Get 'em!"

Ancient Gear Golem swiped at Ruri, grabbing her before she could turn around and flee, causing her to struggle, heart pounding as the monster began squeezing her.

"No, stop! Someone! ANYONE! HELP ME!!!"

"Shut up, Xyz slut!" Obelisk Force - Gold barked. "Just accept your fate! You're all alone, no one can help you, and you will be of great use to the Professor...he's gonna make sure the shocks are a thousand times worse to the point you'll even forget your own name when it's done!"

His cronies cackled as Ruri began gasping for air. She could hear her heart pounding, her vision blurry as all she saw was the destruction, the torture, the despair of trying to hold on...

I don't...I can't...I have to...Ruri said, closing her eyes. She choked a sob as she screamed, "I JUST WANT TO BE FREE!!!"

The ghostly woman with her roosters paused, as if sensing deep into Ruri's soul. But could it be...?

Ruri screamed again even as the Obelisk Force goons slammed her to the ground and Ancient Gear Golem was about to punch her in the gut. The force of her screams seemed to summon a storm, as dark clouds gathered over the horizon.

"I'm tired of being treated as a piece of garbage, Obelisk Fucks!" Ruri snapped. "Cause that's all you do. You fuck things up, you fucked up the lives of my people, you all want to fuck me like I'm some cheap whore, right?! RIGHT?!"

"Shut your mouth, you cu -- "

"YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH RIGHT NOW, CUM STAIN!" Ruri screeched. "I've done nothing but run away, done nothing but stayed back as I watched my friends fight. I've done nothing but listen to your abuse for months. Well, no more. I, Ruri Kurosaki, am going to FUCK YOU!"

...

...

Oh little bird stuck in a cage. Wishing for someone to open the door.

Ruri screamed as she clutched her head in pain. Even after the torture she had gone through, nothing compared to feeling like she wanted to drive an axe to her skull.

Knowledge is nothing without action. One cannot fly without learning to fall. If you want to fly, to escape your fate, let courage take over and wash away your fears like the flood!

Ruri grit her teeth but it was true. She was always hesitating, paralyzed with fear. But she needed to let go, let everything go and wash away the evil with a deluge of rage!

Meanwhile, Rin struggled to sit up, feeling like she had been run over by a D-Wheel and saw Ruri screaming and grasping her hair in agony.

I am thou. Thou art I. Ride the storm, take flight, and let your feelings flow like a river in the desert!

Ruri's eyes snapped open as a white and black masquerade rhinestone-covered mask covered her eyes, the right eye covered white, the left covered in black. The white side had a large white rose made of lace, while the black side had three strings of black beads at the corner.

"R-ruri?" Rin gasped, wondering if she was seeing things.

"You're right," Ruri muttered to herself, eyes flashing gold. "I'm tired of being afraid. I'm tired of thinking of the day-to-day. I'm tired of the torture, the tests, the gaslighting...now it's time to really fly!"

And with one swift movement, Ruri pulled off her mask and screamed into the night sky,

"SARASWATI!!!!"

Chapter Text

Chapter 13 - Shadows in Escape

Rin looked in surprise as she struggled to sit up. One moment, she was punched in the gut by a giant robot. The next thing...well, she wasn't sure just what she saw.

The first thing she took note of was Ruri having ripped off the mask on her face and seeing blood spewing everywhere. Then, there was the shockwave as Ancient Gear Golem was blown back, falling onto the bodies of their masters who struggled to get it off of them.

The second thing was the spectral figure with ebony hair similar to Ruri's, wearing a dress that seemed to be made out of paper, crinkled and folded sheets to look like paper fans and covered in silver calligraphy. She rode on the back of a large swan and wielded some sort of guitar made out of a giant gourd. Her eyes were covered in blue-green eyeshadow that resembled a peacock.

Finally, Rin's eyes locked onto Ruri wearing something different than her more practical Resistance outfit. Keeping with the theme of her black-white mask, Ruri dressed up as a ballerina with a white leotard and a black and white frilly tutu. Her hair was held back by a matching white and black feathered headband and her eyes were covered in exaggerated black eyeshadow to emulate the shadows of wings. Completing the look were the nylon leggings and pointed shoes. As for her weapons, Rin was surprised to see a ballerina wielding golden knuckle dusters with large spikes to gouge someone's eyes out.

"What even is this?!" Rin exclaimed while the woman with her roosters smiled.

Oh do I have a lot to tell the others...Ame-no-uzume laughed.

"Time to make it rain!" Ruri shouted.

Saraswati laughed as she raised her hand into the air. The waters behind them began to shift and churn before a large geyser rose. Saraswati clenched her fist and the water followed her movements. Ruri raised her fist into the air.

"AND DIE!!!"

The watery fist slammed onto the body of the Ancient Golem, the monster unable to stand up when the water struck with the force of a sledgehammer wielded by a giant three times bigger than the golem itself. Ruri screamed with each motion, tears streaming down her eyes until the golem shattered on the sixth smash. The Obelisk Force soldiers whimpered in fear as Ruri grit her teeth.

"Who's next?!"

The trio stood up on shaky knees before retreating, all while Ruri panted and dropped to her knees...and then realized what she was wearing.

"What happened to my clothes?" she gasped. "I don't even perform in ballet!"

You did great for a newcomer. A melodious voice like a babbling brook said by Ruri's side...and strangely the voice sounded like hers.

Ruri whipped her head around to see a gorgeous woman in a paper dress riding a swan...and then promptly fainted. Saraswati sighed, and her swan mount honked.

Rin blinked and looked at the opera singer with roosters and the musician on her swan. She also noticed that Ruri was back to wearing her normal clothes, her face no longer covered by a mask. She deeply inhaled as she slowly stood up. Then, she asked,

"What...just...HAPPENED?!"

We'll explain later. Ame-no-uzume answered. I must say, I wasn't expecting either of you in getting a Persona so soon.

You've finally showed your face. Saraswati commented, plucking a few strings on her...guitar? Rin didn't know lots about music instruments outside guitars and drums. Now then, what exactly were you doing before my awakening?

Oh, simple. Ame-no-uzume answered. My mistress requested that her ability to teleport others be sent to your mistress, Sara. That way, you can finally spread your wings.

"Teleport?" Rin gasped. Her ears were deceiving her, but then again her eyes aren't deceiving her over these two ghostly women chatting with one another.

Indeed. However, to activate the teleport, one needs a destination in mind. The plan was to send Ruri to Heartland, but...

Rin wasted no time walking towards Ruri and placed a hand over Ruri's bracelet. With this piece of metal, she could go back to her dimension. To her old house. To Yugo...

But wouldn't that be selfish of her? Ruri also needed to go back to her friends, her brother. Oh, she hated making decisions like this!

You best make your choice now. Saraswati noted. Reinforcements are coming.

Rin swallowed as she closed her eyes and imagined her home. With towels strewn everywhere. With an old mattress on the floor. With a rice cooker and clay refrigerator full of instant ramen mixed with eggs and vegetables. With a silver D-Wheel with black stripes and four wings.

With Yugo smiling at her and hugging her tight.

Rin kept the image on her mind as she and Ruri vanished, and Ame-no-uzume and Saraswati followed her, smiling at how things were going according to plan.

...

Yugo could hardly sleep these days.

How could he sleep when the most important person in his life vanished? He let Rin go alone to the food bank to pick up some free produce and some nice canned goods, trusting that she'd return with food for them to survive on for at least a month or so. But then she heard a scream, raced off to save her like a knight in shining armor, only to find her being kidnapped by some hooded freak with his face!

He tried chasing after that pink-eyed freak, even somehow appearing in some wasteland where that same guy with the black cloak and demonic dragon wanted to fight him. Well, sure. That bastard double was ranting and raving about stealing this girl named "Ruri" and used some weird cards that made Monsters out of Traps and then something about levels and...

Yugo groaned as he slammed his head against the dining table. Hooded double was gonna pay with a wheel to the jaw next time they saw each other.

But that desire for vengeful catharsis paled in comparison to how Yugo felt lost without Rin. While he was the one who would drive their vessel towards the future, it was Rin who helped him focus, reminded him to stay in the present and not have his head in the clouds all the time.

"Please," Yugo pleaded. He didn't believe in higher beings, but he liked how there was this nice dude named Earl who preached about karma. Do good and good things happen. Do bad and, well..."What would it take for Rin to be in my arms once more?"

As he said this, someone suddenly fell into his arms. A girl with apple green air and amber eyes.

"Owww..." The girl groaned, "That could've had a better landing. But did it work? Am I actually -- "

"RIIIIIINNNNNN!!!"

Rin gasped as she was suddenly hugged by Yugo. "Yugo, wait! You're crushing me!"

"I'm never letting you go!" Yugo said. "And now that I know I have magic wishing powers, what would it take for us to have a year's supply of Red Dragon Ramen?"

There was a pause as Yugo waited for the ceiling to open up and rain red and black ramen cups on him. He blinked as he let Rin hop out of his lap and he stood up.

"Excuse me?" Yugo asked. "I'm asking politely. Can I have my year's supply of ramen?"

Seconds later, someone fell on top of him, knocking him onto his back. Yugo blinked at seeing the girl with the heart-shaped face and black-purple hair.

"RIIIIIIN?????!!!" Yugo screamed in horror, looking at Rin, then at not-Rin. Rin. Not-Rin. Rin? Not-Rin?!!!

Calm down, summer breeze. A melodious voice laughed. This girl isn't your Rin, even if she has her face.

Yugo looked up to see a gorgeous woman riding a giant freaking swan. Then there was another beautiful woman holding roosters. He blinked, mind trying to form a coherent thought, but all he could say was...

"Can I have some ramen?"

Just then, he heard the sound of someone moaning. The girl on his lap let her pink eyes flutter as she stared at Yugo's face. Yugo's breath hitched as the girl looked in surprise.

"Y...Yuto?" she said. Tears began to form in her eyes as she wailed, "YUTO!!!"

Yugo was tackled onto the floor as the pink-eyed Rin held him tight and sobbed, as if he was turning into mist. He blankly stared at the girl, trying to process what he did to have a second Rin clinging onto him all while the real Rin sighed. This was going to be a long night.

...

After Rin made instant coffee for the three of them, the two ghostly women began speaking. The one with roosters was Ame-no-uzume. The one with the swan was Saraswati. They were manifestations of their masters' desires to rebel against authority and society's pressures to be put into a box.

"So...does this mean I have super powers?" Ruri asked, once she was given a lowdown of her new abilities.

In a sense. Ame-no-uzume answered. These abilities will allow you to unleash powers to fight corruption, just like how your prince is planning to do so in Standard.

"Wait, Yuto also has a Persona?!" Ruri gasped.

Indeed! Ame-no-uzume clapped her hands. Her name is Nemesis. Yuto and your brother successfully made it to Dominio City where he met with my mistress, Yuzu Hiiragi, and her friend, Yuya Sakaki.

"Sakaki...as in..."

Yes, Yusho Sakaki. Saraswati finished. Yuya was bullied for his father's disappearance, all set up by the son of Leo Akaba. Thankfully, he has recovered and is preparing to fight Academia in his own way.

"With smiles?" Ruri said cynically. "And he's gonna abandon everyone as well?"

No, he's going to bring hope to the populace by changing the hearts of Academia in the shadows. Ame-ni-uzume grinned. They even have cute code names~

"What are they, secret agents?" Rin asked.

"Or maybe they're like phantom thieves!" Yugo exclaimed. "With super cool names and they have flashy attacks as they steal treasures and leaving their cards for cops to find them and--" Rin slapped him on the back of his head. "Thank you."

They're still starting out, but this is a good time for you to change the hearts of the wicked in this dimension as well, Ruri. Saraswati chimed in.

"But wouldn't it be better if I go back to Heartland? Tell everyone I'm free?" Ruri asked.

"It's better if we stayed here for the time being," Rin said. "If Yuri tried to kidnap us, it'll be much harder for him because Commons is such a big place. Returning to Heartland means you still have to face the army stationed there and it'll be easier for Yuri to kidnap you or card others to lure you out in the open."

Ruri wanted to fight back...but Rin was right. She didn't have any clue on how to use her Persona, and if she used it out in the open, she'll just cause more trouble for everyone. For the time being, it would be best to stay undercover.

If it will ease your heavy heart, we Persona can travel across the dimensions in the blink of an eye and can deliver a message that you are safe for now. Ame-no-uzume frowned. I have to leave soon; travel is easy, but it also drains our energy the further we are from our masters. Is there anything else you would like?

Ruri hummed, scratching her chin. "I need a name."

"Hmm?" Yugo asked.

"I want to be able to change the hearts of others like Yuto is planning. If I'm going to be a 'thief', stealing the darkness and evil from the corrupted, I need to keep my identity protected." Ruri closed her eyes. "I rather not go by 'Swan', but I remember how I wanted to have a date with Yuto by watching a performace of Swan Lake. And the main character was the princess of the story, Odette."

"That sounds like a pretty name," Yugo gasped. "Can we join you on the fights? Can we? Can we? I've always wanted to be a thief who steals from the rich and helps the Commons."

One step at a time, Yugo-kins~ Ame-no-uzume laughed, loving this enthusiasm. For now, you should find a Synchro deck for Ruri. If she plays her Xyz one, it'll make her stand out. Since she has a face similar to Rin's, and Rin is most likely well known in the Commons, giving her a Synchro deck will help her blend in if Obelisk Force arrives.

"If that's the case, then we need to visit Yanagi first thing in the morning," Rin suggested. "He has the best cards, supposedly smuggled from the Tops themselves but no one has ever disproven the rumor."

Ruri looked at Sawasarti and for the first time in so long, she felt hopeful. "Let's work together to lift people's spirits once again."

Saraswati smiled and her swan mount honked. Ame-no-uzume clutched her head.

I should go. My mistress needs me. Is there anything you need me to tell Yuto?

"Yes," Ruri smiled as she breathed deep and let blue flames surround her. When the flames died out, she stood proud as the Phantom Thief, Odette. "Tell him that I will come back to take his heart and his first kiss when it's time, and that I'm in the safety of some good friends."

Rin felt ready to cry. Friends. Ruri called her a friend. Making friends was rare in the Commons. It was every man for themselves. Just a bunch of crabs grabbing one another to drag them down before pulling them out of the bucket they were all trapped in. But now, she and Yugo weren't alone. Neither was Ruri. It was time the three of them worked together to create something better.

I'll keep that in mind. Ame-no-uzume giggled. Take care until then~ Let's keep in touch.

Ame-no-uzume wreathed herself into blue flame before fading away. Saraswati grinned as she watched Yugo, Rin, and Ruri all eager to make some heads roll.

This was going to be good~

Chapter Text

Chapter 14 - Shadows in Blackmail

Professor Akaba was livid.

He humored Rin and Ruri's little escape attempts because he couldn't help but respect how En-Winds and En-Birds were able to escape their prisons. It also made it easier for them to crush their spirits when their escapades and see them accept that they will be offered for his true daughter, Ray, to be revived.

But somehow they escaped and three Obelisk Force soldiers stammered about some strange woman on a swan and the Xyz girl summoning water to obliterate the Ancient Gear Golem. That sounded utterly ridiculous, an excuse to hide how pathetic they were to be unable to stop two girls from escaping.

Still, what if they weren't lying? What if Ray's fragments had powers not even they knew?

This meant that things got even more dangerous. If these fragments reunited with the fragments of Zarc, then his plans would be for nothing. Even the best soldier of Obelisk Force would be unable to fight back against the likes of magic.

Akaba slammed his hands against the keyboard as he got the report that both Ruri and Rin had vanished. He couldn't waste soldiers to invade Heartland since that was a little sideproject that whiny brat Edo was placed in. And Roget was keeping an eye on the Synchro Dimension under his orders. The minute he sees Rin or Ruri, he is to report to Akaba immediately.

Plus, he can't risk Yuri to be out and about to have his other counterparts united to take him down. Or worse, to have them reunited and bring about Zarc's rebirth earlier than expected.

"This is just a minor setback," he muttered to himself. "Let these girl have their freedom for now. Because it's going to be very short-lived."

-----

Yuzu woke up the next morning feeling quite refreshed. That guided meditation track did wonders for calming her down.

My mistress looks so beautiful when she sleeps. Ame-no-uzume commented as Yuzu stretched her arms and hopped out of bed. Did you have any good dreams?

"Hmm? Not in particular," Yuzu said, making her bed. "What about Ruri? Were you able to get her out safely?"

That and more~ You're gonna be quite shocked when you hear what happened.

Downstairs, Shuzo was preparing a cute flower bento for his daughter, wearing an apron covered in flames. As he was about to close the lid...

"RURI HAS A WHAAAAAAAAT?!!!" 

....

"Ruri has a WHAAAAAAT?!" Yuya and Yuto screamed.

Yuzu nodded her head as the two of them walked to Maiami Public School., seeing Yuya and Yuto sporting the same look of astonishment.  "Yep! Ruri has her own Persona and she and Rin have escaped to Synchro for the time being."

"That's amazing," Yuya gasped, a wide grin on his face. "Ruri is gonna be a Phantom Thief and help to change the corrupt souls in Synchro!"

Yuto was just silent as he imagined Ruri in her Phantom Thief outfit. A ballerina of the shadows, using her swan Persona to drown the enemy in a deluge of rage. All she needed was a dainty parasol and he wouldn't help but fall in love with her.

He blinked and shook his head, hoping neither Yuya nor Yuzu saw his face turning red like burning coals. Love? So soon?

"Ame-no-uzume and Saraswati helped teleport Ruri and Rin to the Synchro Dimension because it'll be hard to find them where Rin lives," Yuzu continued. When both boys blinked, Yuzu elaborated. "Rin is the Synchro counterpart to Ruri and me, and she also stays with a boy named Yugo who has your guys' faces."

"Fusion?" Yuya asked.

"No his name is Yugo," Yuzu corrected. "They'll keep me posted once Ruri has gotten a proper disguise and a Synchro deck to blend in better. But once it's time, they'll try to find a way to meet us here."

"Isn't that great, Yuto?" said Yuya. "You can tell Shun that Ruri is safe now. He won't have to be sullen and moody. Speaking of which, where has he been? Mom's been willing to let him stay in the guest room."

Yuto frowned, recalling the haggard look on his friend's face as he delivered some sandwiches and boiled eggs to share. Sometimes it was bottled coffee and cup noodles. Other times Shun was lucky to pick up leftover soaps and toiletries from hotels that they were ready to toss out. "Shun has been taking some odd jobs to support himself. He refuses to stay in the house of 'the coward'."

Yuya looked away, still conflicted with his father's choice to run away to another dimension. "He's still stuck on that, isn't he?"

Yuto shook his head sadly. "Nothing will make him change his mind...not unless we go and beat his shadow up like we did with Sora," Yuzu said to herself. "Oh, I just thought of something!"

"What's that?" asked Yuya.

"Personas can travel across the dimensions, right?" Yuya nodded. "If they were able to talk to Ruri and Rin, even get them to escape Academia, then why don't you ask Dionysus to see if he can find where Yusho landed and figure out the truth on why he even disappeared in the first place?"

Yuya looked ready to smack himself across the forehead. "That's right! It definitely will save us trouble in the future." He closed his eyes and placed a hand to his heart, drawing in his anger, his anguish, into his mind like a magnet attracting lost nails. Dionysus, did you hear that?

"I did~!" Dionysus replied with a smirk. "And besides, I do want to have a talk with daddy..."

Yuya smiled. I really appreciate it. Tell him that mom and I want answers as to WHY THE HELL HE DECIDED THAT DISAPPEARING BEFORE HIS MATCH AGAINST SLEDGEHAMMER WAS THE STUPIDEST THING IN THE WORLD!

Dionysus shuddered while Yuzu and Yuto just saw Yuya smiling to himself. I-if you say so.

The grape-juice drinking Persona vanished like a rippling mirage and Yuya happily skipped to school, with a confused Yuzu and Yuto following him.

...

"Wait a second," Alexis gasps, nearly dropping her papers. "If what you're saying is true and you had your 'Persona" try to search for Yusho...does that mean..."

"Ah ah ah!" Yuya grins, hand towards his mouth. For some reason, the back of his hand has a painted mouth.  "Focus on Sylvio for the moment, love~ We'll get to Mr. Tall, Red, and Idiotic very soon."

"Is this really something you want to say about your father?" Alexis gasps.

"Well, someone has to!" Yuya points out. "There are people who don't open up unless you just tell it to them straight. You gotta tell someone is a loser but that you're also a loser as well."

"If this is your way to woo me, then it's failed."

"Trust me, at least my way of sweeping you off your feet is much better than Sylvio's way." Yuya frowns. "Because a kid like him would do anything to destroy my reputation."

...

Yoko had given an excuse to the principal that she wanted to enroll Yuto into Maiami Public School, granting Yuto permission to shadow Yuya throughout the day. A lot of people couldn't help but comment on the obvious of how Yuya and Yuto looked like twins. Some girls joked that Yuto definitely got the better deal when it comes to the looks department, comments that made Yuto blush behind his scarf. He wasn't used to girls calling him "cute".

However, he, Yuya, and Yuzu also noticed that a lot of people were looking at the You Show duelists strangely. There were a few whispers over the two being "dangerous". "Monsters". That if they weren't careful, they would be torn apart and their ashes scattered in the wind. 

"Did you hear about what happened at You Show?"

"Yeah, Yuzu wanted to burn Sylvio alive."

"That's nothing compared to the meltdown Yuya Sakaki had."

"The only reason Reiji got exposed was because Yuya had to ask his mum to help him out."

This was obvious Leo Duel School trying to make You Show look like the bad guys. Of course; assholes will always be assholes. Especially when you injure their pride.

Still, Yuya and Yuzu made sure to keep complete poker faces on throughout the morning classes. They were able to let them slip during lunch, where Yuya almost drooled at the cute bento his mother made for him (even making a spare one for Yuto so he wouldn't feel left out).

"These looks everyone is giving us is really freaking me out," Yuzu noted. "Hopefully we can use these Personas to change the minds out of every student in Leo Duel School in the future."

"Agreed," said Yuto, ready to eat some teriyaki chicken topped with green onions...until he noticed someone someone deciding to sit by him. Blue jacket and cyan hair. "Sora?"

Yuya and Yuzu looked up, surprised to see Sora actually sitting next to them. But instead of being jovial at being with his sempais, he looked as if he hadn't eaten in days. He also looked like both of them were about to slap him across the face.

"Sora, what are you doing here?" Yuya said. "I thought that I asked you not to follow me and Yuzu to school after you stalked me!"

Sora shrunk a little. "Yuya-sempai. I...I need you to tell you something. It's...well..."

"Oh, look who it is! The demons of You Show!"

Yuya and Yuzu frowned when they saw Sylvio and his self-esteem team approach them, looking smug. In other words, as usual.

"What do you want with us this time?" Yuzu frowned. "We're not stupid; we know that you were spreading rumors about Yuya and I?"

"Oh no, no, no!" Sylvio said, making a shooing motion at Yuzu. "The great Sylvio Sawatari does not deal with rumors. I deal with telling the truth.  You assaulted students of Leo Duel School with those demons, right?"

Ame-no-uzume and Nemesis scowled behind Yuzu and Yuto. 

"I"m gonna kill him." Nemesis muttered.

"Don't you dare!" Ame-no-uzume snapped back. "He wouldn't make much of a mess anyway due to his inflated head."

Thankfully, Sylvio wasn't aware of the two Persona squabbling to one another. And he should also been grateful Dionysus was currently in the Fusion Dimension looking for answers.

"I mean," Sylvio said dramatically, causing many students to turn their heads. He smirked before he grabbed Yuya's shirt and hissed. "Everyone knows that you, Loser Sakaki, are not worthy of those Pendulum Cards. You don't belong in Maiami City, don't fit with the mold of being a true Entertainer Duelist. You don't fit anybody. Not even your own father."

A loud gasp filled the campus. Yuzu narrowed her eyes at how hypocritical the school became. They always loved making fun of Yuya being a clown and a coward's son, but when Sylvio decides to state the truth everyone loved spewing out, now they act concerned?

"Well," Sylvio said, letting go of Yuya. "Anything to sa--"

Yuya's fist connected with Sylvio's jaw. Yuzu gasped while Sora's jaw dropped. Everyone watching in was speechless. Yuzu would 100% punch Sylvio, but Yuya would never do such a thing.

Sylvio placed a hand on his jaw, grasping at what to say. Yuya panted, hand still stuck in a fist. He didn't care if he got in trouble. Sylvio went way too far.

And like the day following night, Sylvio reacted just like everyone knew he would.

"You...you punched me!" Sylvio said. He began screaming it to the heavens, pointing at Yuya like he had the plague. "Yuya Sakaki just punched me! I knew it. He's a monster, the same type of monster that made Professor Marco disappear!"

"...who's Professor Marco?" Yuya asked calmly.

"Who's Professor Marco?" Sylvio asked mockingly before poking Yuya in the chest with enough force to knock him on his ass. "He's the head of the Fusion classes in Leo Duel School!"

"And why should I be bothered to know if him? I've never met him before, and I don't even know what he looks like."

"Don't lie to me!" Sylvio barked. "You're lying like you lied how you don't know Xyz Summoning!"

"Cause I didn't at the time," Yuya growled. He pointed a finger at Yuto. "He's the one who dueled you that night, not me!"

"Stop hiding behind someone else!" Sylvio screamed. "Hokuto whined for days how Loser Sakaki defeated Reiji Akaba through the use of Xyz Summoning! Acting like the underdog who won with a few tricks instead of actual skill. Cowards like you love nothing more than to -- "

"Sylvio Sawatari, will you just shut up?!" Yuya snapped, eyes glowing red. He was glad yet annoyed that he couldn't summon Dionysus.

Sylvio gave a haughty "Hmph!" before adding, "Face it, You Show Losers! You'll never aspire to be anything great. When I get my hands on those Pendulum Cards, I'm going to proudly display them as trophies and rub it in everyone's face that I'm better than you!"

Yuya growled even more, eyes practically glowing. For a second, he felt something inside him. It was something from an old wrestling promo where a guy in jean shorts was asked what he had to make it big. His answer composed of two words: Ruthless aggression. He could also hear a voice purring in his ear, almost like a dark shadowy hand petting his head like a kitten.

Seems like someone is in need of a change of heart. Zarc hissed. And I don't mean the Spell Card.

Yeah, that sounds about right. Sylvio honestly needed a change of heart and a boot to the ass as well.

Sora noticed the smouldering intensity of Yuya's glare and stepped forward. "Sylvio, wasn't it you who tried to attack Yuya after he beat you in your duel? Wasn't it you who stole Yuya's cards for himself? Wasn't it you who tried to frame Yuya for a crime he didn't commit?" 

Sylvio slightly faltered. "I..."

Sora pressed on. "Yuya is a better person than you'd ever be. I saw how he dueled and I wanna be just like him! I won't give to anger or hatred anymore. I wanna...I wanna make people smile."

Sylvio quickly recovered from Sora's questions with a chuckle. "Oh you...I heard of you as well; when You Show was forced to duel, you a fellow student, refused to lift a finger!"

Yuzu and Yuya looked at Sora, and for once, Sylvio was right. Yuzu was waiting for a flying pig to pass by all while Yuto glared at the Frightfur boy, almost waiting for Nemesis to smite the same Academia student who devoured him a few nights ago.

"You didn't want to fight because you knew it was a losing effort," Sylvio continued. "Yuya could never fight Reiji in a battle and if it wasn't for that unexpected call, You Show would be Leo Corp's, and I'd have a chance to get those Pendulums out of Yuya's pathetic hands! And the best part? It'd be all your fault for not helping!" He grabbed Sora's coat and sneered, seeing the little boy swiftly become timid as a mouse. "Go ahead, try and fight me now, shrimp. You're just like those two. A coward!"

Sora paused, wanting to punch Sylvio, but then he turned to see Yuya and Yuzu staring at him with hesitation...he couldn't stand the look of shock and...and disappointment from his semapais. For all his bravadao, he did chicken out for no reason...

Sora pushed Sylvio away, running off in tears to the laughter and jeers of the students watching him go. Sylvio howled as Yuya and Yuzu looked ready to pull off the blond bangs off of his head. Instead, Yuya began racing towards Sora, only for Sylvio to pull him by the collar of his shirt.

"Going somewhere, Yuya? You and I have a little score to settle."

Yuya smacked Sylvio's hand away. "No, we're not. I know how this will go. Win or lose, you'll go and whine to your daddy and use his power and influence to put a criminal record in order to make sure I can never become an Entertainment Duelist."

"Bingo!" Sylvio purred. "And then I'll make sure that nobody stands in my way in being the best Pendulum Duelist ever!"

"That's what narcissists like you love to say," A voice growled in Sylvio's ear.

Sylvio jumped and snapped his head to see Yuto. "YOU?! You're the...the..."

Yuto frowned. "You are going to stop your harassment right now. Or I'll make you."

Sylvio paused, just as the gears in his head finally started spinning. "Wait a second, why do you look like Yuya?"

Yuto frowned at slow Sylvio was. "The more important question is, why do you like harassing him? You only value Pendulums for the power they gave you, not their worth to a person. You value whe power and money, not what makes them valuable in the first place. Just collecting them so they can be arranged in art gallery that reflects your fragile ego."

Sylvio's shock morphed to rage. "Do you...do you know who I am? Do you know what you've just done?! Now that I know who you look like, I'm gonna post your smug shitty face across Maiami City and get you arrested for assaulting me! No one gets away with embarrassing the Stupendous Sylvio Sawatari!""

Yuto glanced behind him, where Sylvio's goons were holding a phone horizontally, smug grins on their faces. "You do realize how many people are watching this altercation, right?" Yuto said flatly, seeing numerous students also with their phones out, texting their friends and hearing teachers rushing in to ask what the commotion was about. "So go on, keep digging your grave, Sawatari."

Sylvio snarled, face as red as Yuya's hair. But before he could say anything, Yuzu stepped up.

"You know, I never got a chance to wipe the floor with you thanks to Yuto's interference," she said. "But if you really want to prove your worth, how about you put all of that money where both of your mouths are!"

"OOOOOHHHHH!!!" Sylvio's posse shouted while Sylvio's mouth dropped. Even Yuya couldn't believe the audacity of that boast. Others also gasped in shock at the use of such an insult.

Yuzu continued, loving how everyone's eyes were on her, pointing a finger at Sylvio filled with righteous justice.  "I challenge you to a duel at You Show Duel School this afternoon!"

This got everyone's attention, and there was no way Sylvio could turn it down. Not just out of pride and challenge as a (former) Leo Duel School student, but also because everyone was recording the encounter. If he refused, then it would be forever known that the Stupendous Sylvio Sawatari was also full of shit.

Sylvio was aware of the challenge, as damning as if Yuzu said she "Triple Dog Dared" the haughty Darts Thrower/Monarch duelist to fight her. He took only half a second to compose himself before giving a smirk. "Very well, Zuzu. After school, everyone is invited to You Show to see how I clip the wings out of your Miraculous monsters."

"Melodious," Yuzu corrected, but she still stood confident. After the horrors of Shadow Sora and of the dimensional war, a schoolyard bully couldn't terrify her.

"Whatever you wish to call them, they won't be a match for the new cards I gathered," Sylvio chuckled. "I'm going to make you all amaze at what I have to offer. If there's one thing about me is that I'm willing to try new things."

Yuzu kept her smile even as Sylvio and his goons walked off. Everyone began talking again, more and more excited for what was in store. Yuto sighed while Yuya looked off into the distance, his heart hurting for Sora.

He hoped that changing Sora's heart was worth it.

----

For once, Yuzu wanted the end of the day to come by sooner. All so she could show off her new tricks towards Sylvio, his stooges, and that of the audience who wanted to see the arrogant blowhard fall flat on his face.

She made sure to alert her dad about the huge crowd coming to visit in the afternoon, giving Shuzo ample amount of time to hide Taweret and the numerous Shadows into the principal's office (since it would be the last place anyone would ever look for a giant hippo lady). Taweret didn't mind at all; it just gave her more time to prepare a celebration for Yuzu's victory.

"We've got such a huge crowd today," Tatsuya noted, seeing numerous students crowded around them at You Show. It was a different feeling than the time he and other kids wanted a front-row seat to Yuya's Pendulums. 

"All of them are gonna see Yuzu nee-chan in action!" Ayu said.

"I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it!" Futoshi stated, doing his best to avoid Sylvio's Spirit Squad and wondering whether or not they wanted to dangle him off the rooftop of You show.

"Okay, here are the ground rules," said Yuzu. "We start off at 4000 lifepoints, and we're going for a standard duel. Fine by you?"

"I didn't want to use those pathetic Action cards anyway," Sylvio said with a sneer. "I have all the action I need within my deck. I'm going to put on an amazing show for everyone!"

"Whatever you say, 'Sylvio Sakaki'," Yuzu snarked. "But trust me when I say that I've changed from that soft, demure girl. I've grown up to stop taking nonsense from guys like you."

"Time to duel!"

(Sylvio: 4000) -- -- -- -- -- (Yuzu: 4000)

"Ladies first," Sylvio said with a bow, raising his head to sneer at her. "At least you can say that I know how to treat a lady."

"This lady is gonna treat you with a complete and utter loss," Yuzu vowed, drawing her card. "I'm not the girl trapped on a tower or hiding behind a knight anymore. And I'll prove it with this Spell Card, 1st Movement Solo!"

Yuzu slapped her Spell Card onto the field. Yuya knew that this was the card Yuzu used against Masumi to Special Summon Aria onto the field. Was she going to do it again?

"This card allows me to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower 'Melodious' monster from my hand if I should have no monsters on the field. And the monster I choose is Serenade, the Melodious Diva!"

With a gentle hum, a beautiful woman with lavender skin, a marigold dress, and curly pink hair materialized, clasping her hands in prayer.  A pink wing like a harp emerged from her right shoulder.(1600 DEF)

"Next, I'll summon Solo the Melodious Songstress from my hand. Then I'll Special Summon Canon the Melodious Diva to join the fun as well!"

A second burst of light brought forth a red dressed and pink-skinned Melodious, who had a pair of treble clefs on her ears like a headset. (1600 ATK) Then a third burst of light brought forth a blue spiky-haired and pale blue skinned Melodious with a golden mask, a purple blouse with puffed sleeves and a black and purple diamond skirt. (2000 DEF)

"Oh big whoop," Sylvio yawned. "Three Level 4 monsters in one turn. Any child can do that!"

"Have you noticed something?" Yuzu teased, pointing to Solo and Canon. "What can you do with two monsters of the same level?"

"Well both of them are Level 4...Wait, you don't mean!" Sylvio gasped.

Yuzu grinned, heart pounding as she was about to say this to her classmates. "Ladies and gentlemen, time for my Melodious to kill the lights, put on a show, and for me to build the Overlay Network!"

A large black and purple black hole materialized on the field, making the audience gasp. Meanwhile, Yuya and Yuto shared knowing glances with one another, ready to share in the beauty of Yuzu taking a step forward.

“Beautiful fairy who composes the songs of the heart, raise your baton to the air and touch the souls of all with your supreme genius! Xyz Summon! Come forth! The unrivaled artist! Vivaldina the Melodious Maestra!”

A heavenly voice singing a scale in C Major heralded the appearance of the Xyz monster. Vivaldina rose to the field, ready to make heads roll while two yellow Overlay Units circled her. (1800 ATK)

Yuya made sure to keep an eye on how his classmates looked in awe; they had never seen anything like this before.

"An Xyz summon?!"

"How magical!"

"Swarming to  Xyz, that's a tactic used in Leo Duel School right?"

"My turn's not over!" Yuzu continued. "Serenade's effect allows me to Normal Summon a second Melodious monster while she's on the ield, and she can act as two tributes for a high-level Melodious Monster. So I'll tribute her to summon Shopina, the Melodious Songstress!"

Serenade bowed as she sank into the floor. Replacing her was a taller Melodious with a poofy sea green wig and a large purple dress. She stretched her arms out and a floating piano materialized. (2300 ATK)

"Yuzu was able to summon two powerful Melodious monsters this turn!" Ayu exclaimed.

"Sylvio is gonna get creamed now!" Tatsuya cheered.

"It's a duet of delicious delights!" Futoshi addded.

"And now I reveal the effect of my Vivaldina!" Yuzu smiled, loving everyone turning their eyes on her for a You Show Debut! "For every Overlay Unit attached to her, she gives all Melodious monsters I control an additional 200 ATK and DEF! So that's an additional 400 points to spin you like a record player, Sylvio!"

Vivaldina streched her arms into the sky as light showered her and Shopina. [Vivaldina: 1800/1000 -> 2200/1400, Shopina: 2300/1700 -> 2700/2100]

"I'm ending my turn there. Try and entertain me now, Sylvio~"

Sylvio frowned when he saw the three Melodious monsters. Particularly the Xyz one. How the hell did a You Show Loser learn Xyz so quickly?! It had to be that Xyz Yuya wannabe...of course, the only way to get revenge is to suck up to the dark knight who swooped in to save her.

Worse, the audience were still in awe at Yuzu's opening move.

"That's an amazing start!"

"I had no idea Melodious monsters could do such a thing!"

"I didn't even know You Show was capable of Xyz!"

He was going to make sure to, how did Yuya put it, "swing the Pendulum" his way.

"I draw," Sylvio declared. "You know, Yuzu. I learned something very important in that del against Goth Yuya."

"His name is Yuto."

"Have you ever noticed that in Action Duels, we all like to rely on the Action Spells instead of using Traps? And that for all of the hundreds of Action Fields Leo Corp. has created, there are only a handful that actually have Action Traps hidden away?"

"What are you getting at?" Yuzu inquired.

"The great and powerful Sylvio has granted an epiphany and has now revolved his dueling style to make his opponents shiver in fear when he activates his Traps. And what better place to showcase these new beauties, and to utterly amaze you with my new and improved deck, than through the Field Spell, Amazement Precious Park!"

Sylvio played the card, depicting a magical amusement park where a blue ringmaster looked in awe at what he was seeing. From the artwork alone, Yuzu could see landmarks like a roller coaster, a Ferris Wheel, a merry-go-round, a haunted house, and a viking ship ride.

"Amazement?" asked Futoshi. "Tatsuya, do you know anything about these cards?"

"I've never heard of them," Tatsuya answered. "This must be a never before seen archetype."

"That's not fair!" Ayu pouted. "Sylvio is always able to get new cards because he has money. Why didn't we hear anything about a theme park deck?"

"That's because this is a deck that no one has ever used before!" Sylvio boasted. "My daddy gave me these cards on my last birthday but I never found use in them because I never found a reason to use a deck whose main monster was a mirror image of that coward, Yusho Sakaki--"

Yuya growled, ready to pounce. Yuto placed a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head.

"But then I realized that I could use a deck that emulates Yusho Sakaki's best traits and beat you and your precious Wuya with a monster who resembles the man you idolize so much!"

Yuya clicked his teeth but Yuzu made sure to keep her gaze at the triangle of sadness between Sylvio's eyes. It was a good target to smack her harisen against. "So what exactly does this card do?" she asked.

"Oh it's easy!" Sylvio grinned. "Once per turn, I can play an 'Amaze Attraction' Trap after playing them face-down. And trust me when I say that these Traps will make your heads roll on the floor! So for my move, I summon Amazement Attendant Comica to the field!"

Yellow balloons rose to the field. When they popped, there was a male assistant in a chartreuse longcoat and matching pillbox hat, around Reiji's age, with short blond hair and a warm smile on her face. Yuzu noticed the details of the outfit: the navy blue right hand, the blue diamonds on the coat and half-skirt, and the numerous golden accents on the sleeves, cravat, and leggings that looked like a "C". (1400 ATK)

"Comica's effect allows me to directly Set an 'Amaze Attraction' Trap from my deck onto the field." Sylvio swiped a card that popped out of his deck then placed it face-down. "And why keep it a surprise? Time for me to show off a spooky delight with the Amaze Attraction Horror House!"

Sylvio's face-down card lifted, revealing the interior of a haunted house and a blue-haired vampire at the corner.

"What the heck?" Yuzu exclaimed. "Traps you can play immediately? But how does it connect to an amusement park?"

"These Traps are very special. They can't turn into monsters, but I can equip them to any monster on the field, taking them for a ride. And depending on who controls the equipped monster, these attractions come with such fun effects. So for this one, Vivaldina, it's terror time!"

Vivaldina shrieked as a barrage of ghosts, hands clasping her face in horror. Worse, her stats dropped until they returned to 1800 ATK.

"What did you do to my monster?" Yuzu gasped.

Sylvio grinned. "If your monster is the one equipped with Horror House, her effects are negated until the end of your turn." Sylvio smiled. "Very primitive, but very effective when it comes to the likes of those who have counters or attack boosts, right?

Yuzu looked down at her Duel Disk and saw the stats of her monsters. Sylvio was right; both Vivaldina and Shopina's stats were back to normal.

"And guess what? Because a Trap Card was activated, I can summon the creator of this wonderful land of thrills. Presenting...Amazement Administrator Arlekino!"

Kuriboh balloons filled the air as a drumroll introduced the newest monster. It was the blue coat ringleader from the Amazement Precious Park, with a matching silk top hat on top of a bed of cyan hair, white gloves, black jodphurs, and a red and gold waistcoat.  Both the hat and coat had a pair of white, feathery wings, almost as if suggesting that he was part of the fae. (2600 ATK)

"And given how Shopina has lost her groove, I can go on the offensive! Arlekino, attack!"

Arlekino cackled as he thrust his hands forward, unleashing a barrage of sparkles at Yuzu's Melodious Maestra. Shopina howled as she and her floating piano popped like balloons.

(Sylvio: 4000) -- -- -- -- -- (Yuzu: 3700)

"I'll end my move with one face-down card," Sylvio said, slipping a card into his Duel Disk. "End turn."

Vivaldina sighed as the ghosts vanished, her attack going back to 2200. She was alone, but she wasn't afraid to face off against this blue ringmaster.

"That was amazing!" Kakimoto cheered.

"You really showed her, Sylvio!" Yamambe added.

"Zuzu's gonna start crying for her daddy soon enough!" Ootomo added.

(Shuzo clenched his teeth, his hot-bloodness showing. And deep within his heart, a voice began laughing)

"Don't be so quick to judge me, boys," Yuzu retorted, drawing a card. "Now I'll activate the effect of Vivaldina! If I remove an Overlay Unit from her, I get to draw a card. And if it happens to be a Level 4 or lower 'Melodious Monster', then I get to summon her onto the field."

Vivaldina tapped one of her Overlay Units with a "boop" and it popped like a bubble filled with glittering mist. (Vivaldina: 2200/1400 -> 2000/1200) Yuzu detached one of the Overlay Units underneath Vivaldina's card -- it still was quite a shock to her that materials for Xyz Summon go under the Xyz monster -- before drawing a card. She looked at it, then smirked as she revealed her draw to Sylvio..

"And wouldn't you know? Making her way to the stage is none other than Sonata, the Melodious Diva! And as long as she's on the field, all Fairy-type monsters I control gain an additional 500 ATK and DEF!"

A blue-dressed and green-haired Melodious monster emerged, pouting at the Amazement adversaries. Alongside her blue wing, she also had blue music symbols on her left leg and righ arm and a nice cravat to accent the dress. [Vivaldina: 2000/1200 -> 2500/1700, Sonata: 1200/1000 -> 1900/1700]

Solo leapt onto the field with a yell and a V sign. (1600/1000 -> 2300/1700)

"All right then, let's go on the offensive. Vivaldina, attack Comica!"

Vivaldina raised her hands into the air as a stream of golden music notes circled her body. She hurled them towards Comica, who didn't look shocked.

"Not so fast!" Sylvio cackled. "I activate my Trap Card, Amaze Attraction Thrill Train! And if this card is equipped to one of your monsters, I can banish them from the field to the end of your turn! All aboard the Doom Train, Vivaldina!"

The Trap card flipped, showing Arlekino as the conductor of a large train that looked similar to that of a ferocious dragon. It reminded Yuzu of this old, creepy, light gun game at the arcade where there was a train with a clown's face that warned the player, "Don't wake the baby!" Needless to say, the baby gave her nightmares for three days. 

Suddenly, the same Thrill Train emerged from the card, alongside a track of ebony for it to ride on, heading straight for the Xyz monster. Vivaldina screamed as the train sped away from the field, leaving Solo  and Sonata alone.

"Wait, what happens to the Overlay Units of an Xyz Monster if they get banished?" Ayu asked Yuto.

"Then that case, the Overlay Units get sent to the graveyard," Yuto answered. "Vivaldina only had one Overlay Unit, but that costs Yuzu the increase in stats and a second chance to summon another 'Melodious' from her deck. Although, I highly doubt it was going to be enough to stop Arlekino anyhow."

Yuzu growled. "I still have another monster to attack. Go Solo!"

Solo spun around, kicking her heels and hurling few music notes towards Comica, where they exploded into golden musical fireworks, taking Comica with them. The audience gasped at how pretty it all looked.

(Sylvio: 3300) -- -- -- -- -- (Yuzu: 3700)

"I'm ending my turn there," said Yuzu.

When she signaled the end of her turn, Thrill Train returned with a loud choo-choo! Vivaldina stepped out, looking dizzy and miniature Arlekino's circling around her while cackling. (1800/1000 -> 2300/1500)

"You've gotten lucky so far, but luck can't stop you from this!" Sylvio said, drawing his card than performing a spin. "I activate Arlekino's effect! I can banish as many 'Amaze Attraction' Traps in my graveyard to destroy an equal amount of monsters you control! So I'll offer up both Amaze Attraction Horror House and Amaze Attraction Terror Train to create some fireworks!"

Arlekino cackles as two holographic images of Sylvio's Trap cards transform into fireworks which he threw towards Yuzu. Vivaldina and Sonata exploded into pixels, leaving Solo with her stats back to normal and to fight off against the creator of this strange amusement park. Alone. (2300/1700 -> 1600/1000)

"Next," Sylvio revealed a card in his hand. It read "Amaze Attraction Wonder Wheel". "By revealing this little beauty, I'm allowed to Special Summon Amazement Attendant Delia to the field!"

He discarded the card and another assistant appeared, wearing a similar outfit to Comica, but being smaller and female, with grey accents shaped like the letter "D", and her skirt had purple diamonds. (1800 ATK)

"Next, I'll set then activate the Trap Card, Amaze Attraction Majestic Merry-Go-Round! With this card equipped to Solo, she'll lose 500 Attack Points!"

The next card flipped, showcasing a carousel. Solo was strapped onto the fast-spinning ride, screaming in terror as she spun round and round and round before she stumbled off, swirls in her eyes and music notes circling her head. (1600 -> 1000 ATK)

"Now Delia, attack Solo and give her a swan song!"

Delia smiled as she ran towards Solo, a collection of silver tickets from her blouse to be used as weapons, edges sharp as knife blades.

"Not so fast!" said Yuzu, pulling a card from her hand then slipping it to the graveyard. "I'll discard Score the Melodious Diva from my hand to decrease Delia's attack all the way down to 0!"

Delia looks in horror as she found herself falling to her knees just two steps away from Solo. (1800 -> 0 ATK) Solo took this opportunity to perform a can-can in delight before kicking Delia square in the jaw, sending her flying so far that she ended up as a twinkling star.

(Sylvio: 2200) -- -- -- -- -- (Yuzu: 3700)

Sylvio clicked his teeth. "I still have another monster! Go Arlekino!"

Arlekino grinned as he pulled out a cane and slashed Solo into pieces like it was a sword. Yuzu's lifepoints plummeted, now matching Sylvio's, but she didn't seem surprised.

Rather, she was happy that her monster was destroyed.

(Sylvio: 2200) -- -- -- -- -- (Yuzu: 2200)

"It's not a happy smile, though," Tatsuya said. "It's more like that smile Yuya cracked before he beat Reiji up!"

"She's pretty when she smiles," Yuya sighed while the classmates backed away from him.

Yuto had to agree with them, although he couldn't help but imagine Ruri smiling like Yuzu described her as she terrified the shit out of the Obelisk Force soldiers when she dismantled their toy. The water to Yuzu's fire. He honestly didn't know whether to be terrified or aroused at the sight of them beating up bad guys.

(Secretly, he wished that one of Ruri's new powers was the ability to travel to dreams, if only for him to see her again.)

"Solo's effect activates!" Yuzu shouted. "Now that she's sent to the graveyard, I'm allowed to Special Summon a 'Melodious' from my deck. And the monster I choose is...Aria, the Melodious Diva!"

Rising onto the field was an orange and brown dressed Melodious Diva with purple hair in a bob cut, clasping her hands in prayer while she knelt in defense. (1200 DEF)

"Aria's effect now activates!" Yuzu declared. "When she's Special Summoned, all 'Melodious' monsters cannot be destroyed by battle nor targeted by card effects, shutting down all of your Traps! No more tickets to ride for them."

NO!!!! Sylvio screamed and his groupies began biting their nails. I forgot Aria had that effect!

"Yuzu just saved herself!" Tatsuya exclaimed.

"And exposed a big weakness in Sylvio's cards..." Futoshi added.

"Go Yuzu!" Ayu cheered. She knew her big sister had an ace, or rather an Aria, up her sleeve!

"But it's not for long, right?" Yuto noted. "Yuzu just used up her entire hand. And what's stopping Sylvio from finding a way around Aria's effect?"

"It's not over till the last card is played!" Yuya said. "I know that she's going to figure out a way to turn things around."

I gotta draw the right cards for this. Yuzu thought, feeling her heart pound in her chest. Aria will be safe from card effects, but who knows what type of effects will be in play if Sylvio equips those Attraction Traps to his own monsters? Come on deck, give me something good!

"I draw!" Yuzu announced, glancing at her newly drawn card. She smirked when she saw it was just what she needed. Here goes nothing. "I play the Spell Card, Pot of Avarice! With this card, I take 5 monsters from my graveyard, shuffle them into my deck, and then I draw two cards."

A Spell Card revealing a goofy looking lavender colored pot with a smie made out of gemstones appeared. Five cards popped out of Yuzu's graveyard, to which she placed them back into her deck, let it shuffle for a few seconds, then made two draws. When she looked at her cards, she grinned.

Just my luck! Yuzu thought. Guess it's time for the finale!

"And guess what? Time for the debut of a brand new Melodious monster. I summon...Refrain, the Melodious Songstress!"

"A new Melodious?"

"Is that even possible?"

"I never heard anything about Leo Corp. making new Melodious!"

A spotlight shone above Yuzu's head as a long, red-haired Melodious with a white hat emerged. Her dress was far more elaborate than the other Melodious monsters, with a red wine colored bodice, a cage on the outside, and a dark red shoulder pad on her right shoulder. (1600 ATK)

Everyone looked in shock at the brand new Melodious monster taking center stage alongside Aria. The two fairies clasped hands and began performing a haunting duet that, in the words of Futoshi, gave the entire audience a case of the shivers.

"What the?!" asked Mamabe, noticing something weird on Yuzu's Duel Disk. "L-look at that card! Is that a..."

"It's a Pendulum!" Ootomo finished, noticing the red and blue arrows and the green bottom. The audience also gasped at how there were now non-Performapal Pendulums. "H...How did another You Show wimp get one of those?"

"I'm not obliged to answer that question," Yuzu answered. But she was glad that everyone had their eyes pointed towards her like a compass needle pointing north. "Now then, when Refrain the Melodious Songstress is summoned onto the field, I can take another 'Melodious' monster to my hand. And the Melodious monster I choose is Couplet, the Melodious Songstress!"

A card popped out of Yuzu's deck, and Yuzu revealed it to the crowd, revealing it to be another Pendulum Monster. Sylvio's eyes widened in terror and was glad that Yuzu couldn't perform a Pendulum Summon at the moment.

"Now then, if I reveal Couplet in my hand, I'm allowed to Special Summon a 'Melodious' monster from my hand. And the one I choose is...Mezzo-Soprano in Attack Mode!"

A new Melodious monster rose to the field with long aquamarine hair set in waves like the ocean and crystal blue eyes covered by a pair of glasses, along with a single strand of hair covered her left eye. She wore a bright yellow and black dress with turquoise buttons up on front like smooth stones. Adorning her neck was a necklace made of pearls. (1500 ATK)

"Mezzo-Soprano's effect! I choose her and one other 'Melodious' monster I control, and then I can change both of their levels from a number between 4 and 7. So for Mezzo-Soprano and Refrain...I choose 7!"

Four stars shimmered above the heads of Mezzo-soprano and Refrain. Three more stars joined in for the two of them as everyone realized what Yuzu was about to accomplish.

"She's summoning a Rank 7 Xyz monster?!"

"Impossible. No one's ever gone up to 7!"

"Hokuto himself would piss himself if he saw this!"

(Somewhere, Hokuto tilted his head but shrugged it off as he paid for a new packet of cards at a game shop whose owner wore dark green overalls)

Yuzu really loved how everyone was paying attention on her and knowing that Sylvio was, once again, screwed. "I'm glad you're all intrigued! Your comments on what is to come make this all the more magical. But there's no time to delay. Now that I have two Level 7 monsters, I'll build the Overlay Network!"

"Wait-wait-wait, what?!" Sylvio screamed. "Xyz monsters can have that high of a rank?!"

"Did you honestly not know of Hokuto's Rank 5 and 6 Xyz monsters?" Yuzu scoffed. 

Sylvio wanted to retort, then shut his mouth. His silence was like sweet music as the Melodious duelist prepared her next chant. Everyone began pulling out their phones to record/photograph the summoning. Meanwhile, Reiji Akaba narrowed his eyes within the confines of his office as Nakajima reported a strong spike of Xyz energy from You Show Duel School, bigger than the ones even Hokuto had performed.

“Serene angel flying through the music-filled air with a song of delight in your heart, spread your elegant wings now and touch the mind and spirit of all who gaze upon you with your divine inspiration! Xyz Summon! Take your place on stage! Rank 7! Wing Diva the Melodious Choir!”

With a cheerful giggle, the Rank 7 Xyz monster rose from the Overlay Unit, long grey hair covered in a golden hairnet with various jewels -- rubies, emeralds, sapphires, yellow diamonds -- decorating it. Her dress was a bright yellow dress like the sun with puffed sleeves and pads on the hips and rear. Black music notes embroidered it, spiraling up from the hem to the neck. Streams of white fabric drop downwards and like her namesake, she reveals a pair of white feathery wings with a few black ones to resemble piano keys. And when she opened her eyes, they were a cool blue color decorated with an emerald green eyeshadow. (2000 ATK)

"Cute trick," Sylvio said with some slow applause. His self-esteem team did the same. "But you do realize that her attack strength is still weaker than Arlekino's, right?"

Internally, the four were all thinking the same thing. Oh fuck, we're doomed!

"I know," Yuzu said. "And that's because I'm not done with the Xyz Summoning! Yuya, you remember what Hokuto did in your duel with him, right?"

"What did...Oh! OH!!!!!" Yuya was even more excited now! Meanwhile, Sylvio looked more and more like he was about to soil himself and the classmates looked more and more like they were about to see their favorite singer at an idol concert.

"Overlay! Overlay! The kids chanted.

The audience followed their lead, excited to see this brand new, beautiful, powerful, Melodious Xyz Yuzu had up her sleeve. Even Arlekino couldn't help but tip his hat towards Wing Diva, knowing he was beat.

It seems like my master has a lot to learn about the art of showmanship. Arlekino sighed. Do what you need to do.

Yuzu nodded. "Now then, time to elevate this duel into a higher dimension! I'm going to build the Overlay Network one more time!"

"One more Xyz!" The kids now chanted along with five more claps. Soon, the other onlookers started joining in. "One more Xyz! One more Xyz!"

Yuzu put a hand to her ear and smiled, getting pumped up by the audience as she brought her arms out and the Overlay Network materialized for the last time.

(And in a small shop where a man in yellow robes happily sipped some oden, Ruri felt a pang in her heart. A harmonic song making her feel warm and fuzzy inside.)

“Enchanting Muse who fills the heavens with the singing of a thousand hymns, take flight through the melodious sky, encompass the world in your divine wings, and lift the souls of all to a higher place of genius! Rank-Up Xyz Summon! To the center of the stage! Rank 8! Wing Prima the Melodious Choir!”

Thousands of golden musical verses swirl around Yuzu's field like ribbons of light before the newest monster ascended from the Overlay Network, the multiple ribbons coaelesced into angel wings gilded with gold. Instead of grey hair like Wing Diva, Wing Prima's long white hair was stacked like a wedding cake and decorated with bright pink pearls. Her ears were decorrated with earrings shaped like treble clefs, colored white. Her dress iswas identical to Wing Diva's, except pure white with additional gold ribbons and pieces of jade the size and shape of watermelon seeds. Her face was made up to look similar to that of an opera singer with white makeup, bright pink blush and red lipstick. She lifted a crystal goblet in her hand into the air, briefly seeing her mocha eyes in her reflection. She placed her free hand over her heart and sang a high-pitched note until the goblet exploded. (3000 ATK)

"Wing Prima's effect! I detach an Overlay Unit to send one of your cards back to your hand. And there's only one card that I want out of the way right now."

Chapter Text

Chapter 15: Shadows in Bonfires

As soon as everyone left You Show in the afternoon, with Tatsuya, Ayu, and Futoshi waiting outside the Principal's office, the only ones left were Shuzo, Yuzu, Yuya, and Yuto. Taweret was finally allowed to serve bowls of warm lentil soup  but kept silent as the four were lost in thought.

"We need to do something to make Sylvio drop the lawsuit right now," Shuzo said. "But it's not like we can take a Change Your Heart and make him do a...how do wrestlers call it, a 'Face turn'?"

"That's what we're planning, dad," said Yuzu. "We're going to change Sylvio's heart like we changed Sora."

"By beating his 'shadow'?" Shuzo questioned.

"No, by taking his heart!" Taweret answered, pulling out some papyrus cheat sheets. "Let's see here...'Many shadows in the Metaverse can evolve into something called a Palace Ruler, where their cognitions are warped based on their desires.'"

"A Palace Ruler? Like what happened with Frightfur Pizzeria?" Yuya asked.

"Correct! Shadows are usually a representation of repressed emotions or desires. But in regards to Palace Rulers, they represent twisted manifestations of their psyche. And a Palace is based on a building or location that holds significance to the ruler. In order to access a Palace, you usually need keywords like the name of the Palace Ruler, a location sacred to them, a keyword that reflects how they see the reflection and perhaps what type of crime they're guilty of. Not necessarily in that order."

"We didn't know lots about Sora, so when we entered that Frighftur Pizzeria palace, it simply accepted his name without complaint," Yuto said. "But since Sylvio is not a spy from Academia acting like a sweets loving brat, I can expect his palace and keyword is going to be a bit more difficult to discern."

"But what about fighting Sylvio's shadow?" Shuzo asked. "Will it really be enough?"

"In some cases it will be, but in Sylvio's case, you will literally need to take his heart in the form of an item most precious to him. Something that represents his desires." Taweret explained. "Stealing it will make him come to the realization that he's done wrong, which should be more than enough to make him drop that silly little lawsuit of his."

"But that still makes me wonder why my bracelet could do such a thing," Yuzu muttered, looking down at her wrist. "I've had it since I was born, but it's only now that it's started acting so weird."

Taweret's ears twitched. "Yuzu, may I have a look?"

"Sure." Yuzu said, lifting her arm towards the hippo. Taweret gently held Yuzu's hand as she carefully inspected the bracelet, tapping a lapis lazuli painted nail on the gem.

"This is a very unique bracelet," she said. "Simple in appearance but it holds an unlimited supply of spiritual energy."

"She's not the only one," Yuto said. "Ruri also had a similar bracelet like Yuzu."

"This is becoming too much of a coincidence," Yuya noted. "Boys who look like me with dragons, and girls with Yuzu's face wearing bracelets. And Professor Akaba wants these 'bracelet girls' for some unknown purpose..."

"This is getting confusing," Shuzo groaned, massaging his temples.

"Wait...boys with..." Yuzu gasped. "Yuya, didn't you mention how Zarc looked like an older you? In that strange blue velvet lounge or whatever...what if there's a woman who looks like me as well? How do I talk to her?"

Simple, Yuzu. All you have to is ask.

Yuzu gasped as the room shimmer and shifted, becoming a rich shade of blue...

...

And then, she sat on a bright blue sofa in a dark blue lounge. Blue butterflies fluttered around her head as soft piano music could be heard off to the side, along with the chateneuse singing her song into the microphone. She blinked, rubbing her eyes just in case she was hallucinating, but nope. She was now in some strange blue jazz club.

"Welcome, Yuzu Hiragi."

Yuzu whipped her head towards the woman standing in front of her, dressed in a cerulean ballgown. Yuzu blinked twice, staring into her face on the body of a woman in her twenties at the earliest. Her red-wine and black hair was tied into waist-length pigtails. Her eyes shine gold. "Er...hi there? I'm Yuzu Hiragi."

"Ray." The woman answers stoically as she turns to the table and picks up a cup of milk tea for Yuzu, warm and comforting. Yuzu blows on it before taking a sip. The sweetness of the milk blends well with the black tea. "Welcome to the Velvet Room, a space that is spread across the minds of humanity. Only the one chosen by my master, Zarc, can access the true potential of Personas."

"Nice to meet you, Lady Ray," Yuzu said with a small bow of her head.

Ray replied with a tiny twitch on her lips. "Lord Zarc has other business to attend to, so I shall be the one to answer any questions you have regarding your bracelet. It is part of a set four, each of them representing an aspect of nature: flowers, the moon, wind, and birds. You represent flowers."

"From what Yuto described about Ruri, she is birds. That leaves Rin and my...Fusion counterpart with wind and moon. Four bracelets, four girls, four dimensions...what does it all mean?"

"Your bracelet was originally created to keep those who had Master Zarc's face at bay. If they were to ever make contact, their souls would 'resonate' and his influence would awaken them to their true selves. However, my master decided that it should be used to help you enter Palaces. All you need are the required passwords."

Yuzu looked down at her tea. "We know that the Palace Ruler is Sylvio himself, and Yuto said that he was a narcissist. His ego has its own gravitational field."

"What else did Yuto say?"

Yuzu closed her eyes, doing her best to recall Yuto's talk. "He said...something about Sylvio's desires on wanting to display the Pendulum cards in an art gallery."

"And where would you find an art gallery in this city?"

"Not in our school, that's for sure. Something that screams prestige, power, money. The school wouldn't give the right levels of satisfaction. It wouldn't be as satisfying as..." Yuzu's eyes snapped open. "Leo Duel  School! He wants to use the cards to curry favor with Reiji and see if he can get back into his good graces somehow. And if nothing else, he's going to become a disgrace to that school, he wants to take Yuya and everyone associated with him down to the depths of the Burning Abyss."

"An accurate assumption," Ray answered with a tiny nod. "Your bracelet now resonates with these keywords. And you will also need this."

Yuzu watched as her bracelet began glowing with blue light, then at her cellphone miraculously spinning around in the air, prominently displaying a strange blue and white app of an eye with a slit pupil, like a dragon. She pressed the app with a finger and heard a robotic voice speak to her.

Palace Location verified. Sylvio Sawatari. Narcissist. Art Gallery. Leo Duel School.

The app stopped speaking and Yuzu took the phone in her hands. She knew that smartphones were powerful for all the data she could access in the palm of her hands, but delving into the hearts of people to change them from within was stretching it.

Regardless, the Arc Phantoms had a chance to really change things. Even if it was stopping a narcissistic prick from flaunting his wealth.

"And there you have it," Ray said. "All that is left is to approach the entrance to Leo Duel School and activate the app. Then you will be at the entrance to Sylvio's palace. But make sure no one tails you, for they will inexplicably be drawn into the Metaverse as well."

"Understood, Lady Ray," Yuzu smiled, setting the phone on her lap and taking the tea cup into her hands once again. Wasting tea was a sin, and this milk tea was balanced in its milk to tea ratio.

"And please send a message to Yuya that Master Zarc is planning to find a way for you both to enter the Velvet Room in the real world. The finished project shall be completed in a few days. I look forward to seeing both of you again, very soon."

"Same with me, Lady Ray." Yuzu whispered, setting the empty teacup onto the table.

Ray motioned to her left and a door magically came into existence. "This door will lead you back to your world. Good luck."

Yuzu smiled as she stood up and walked towards the door, returning to her world where things, somewhat, made sense.

...

"Yuzu? You were spacing out." Shuzo noted.

Yuzu blinked as she found herself back in the Principal's office. "O-oh, sorry about that. I just...I know what we have to do and where we have to go."

"You do?" asked Yuto.

Yuzu nodded as she showed her phone, along with the blue and white app. "It's all thanks to Yuto that I connected all of the keywords needed to enter Sylvio's Palace. However, the location of that Palace just so happens to be Leo Duel School."

"...oh, that makes total sense." Yuya said deadpan.

"W-w-w-wait a second!" Shuzo exclaimed. "You're going to break into Leo Duel School?!"

"Not the real Leo Duel School, just the one in Sylvio's head that contains his most precious treasure," Yuzu corrected. "And this is the only way we can -- "

"No, I refuse." Shuzo interrupted, slamming his hands on the table. "You guys are already in as much trouble as it is. Even with the money Reiji handed us, it's not going to stop someone as stubborn as Sylvio. And there's no way Reiji can bail us out because he's already got his hands dirty in the false accusations. Not to mention that the duel happened outside Leo Duel School grounds, so he doesn't have any jurisdiction there."

"Still..." Shuzo's hands curled into fists. "After we finally got a break thanks to Yoko's lawsuits and Reiji willing to pay us for all of the damage he's put on us through the years,  if you guys get into more trouble thanks to Sylvio and his father pressing lawsuits, all that work is going end up for nothing! I've already had to see you guys go through attacks that I couldn't do anything to stop. Keeping You Show afloat has been nothing but a failure because no one wanted to be associated with a school founded by a 'coward', and all of my antics to drum up PR hasn't helped...they all see that I'm nothing but a hot-headed fool to give up a career of being a professional duelist to become a father. They all complained that I should've married early and have a wife to take care of Yuzu...and even my deck can't hold a candle to all of your Pendulums and Xyz!" He started tearing up. "What can a fossil like me do now?"

The kids paused and Taweret dipped her head sadly. Her expertise wasn't on fathers. Then, Yuya spoke up.

"Doesn't this spark the flame of rebellion in your heart, though?"

Shuzo looked at Yuya. "What?"

"You hate the system and how corrupt it is," Yuto agreed. "You keep fighting everyone to keep You Show afloat, because what the school lacks in cards and money, it makes up for it in spirit and love. I could've gone to any other school, but this is the only one that I can treat as my safe house. I've never felt happier than when I'm with all of your smiles."

Yuzu felt her heart warm at her friends' words. And when she thought of all the sacrifices her father gave up for her safety, it was time for her to pay it back with her own hot-blooded speech.

"They're right, dad." she said. "You stood up for You Show when you refused to take Himika's bribe to purchase the school. That was an act of rebellion and a proud display of courage. Other schools around the world might have taken the offer, but you still had your honor."

Shuzo's eyes widened. "I..." He couldn't get the words out at how these kids were acting more like adults than he was. Their Personas had caused them to grow up in ways he couldn't teach them. Taweret placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't deny it," she advised. "The flames of rebellion burn deep within your heart. But don't let them consume you. You're angry with what Yusho did, and you have every right to be. But channel that fury not into those mistakes, but what you are capable of changing. Fixate on what you can fix."

Shuzo did feel those flames deep within his heart. He clutched his chest, eyebrows knitted as the Persona users sensed something changing within Shuzo's very being. And this was heralded by a card suddenly floating above his head, depicting a man wearing a three-tired crown on a throne, between two pillars.

The Hierophant. 

Simultaneously, Shuzo stood up, staring at his clenched fist with more determination than Yuzu had ever seen before. She couldn't help but crack a smile at seeing her father ready to kick some ass.

"Screw Yusho's policy!" He shouted. "Smiles won't pay our bills and won't stop Sylvio from moving ahead with his lawsuit! If we want to save You Show, then we can't sit around and do nothing! It's time for action. It's time for some brutality!  I feel it deep within my soul. My very blood. My blood...is on FIRE!!!!!!"

Shuzo's body erupted in pale blue flames as a hearty laugh boomed. That's the spirit! That's exactly the right atttitude, old man!

The flames leapt off of Shuzo's body and landed at the corner of the office, transforming into a large black ram and their rider. A man with red skin like chili peppers, seven arms, three legs, and two heads. A smell of butter wafted in the air.

It is about time I burst forth to guard the home and all who wish to be warmth by the flames of  life. I am Agni, God of the Hearth and of Sacrificial Flames! 

Shuzo blinked as he stared at the new fiery being in the office. Then, he said..."AHHHHHHH!!!"

And he fainted on the couch, his soul barely tethered to his body. 

Agni flatly stared at his master before turning to Taweret. Does anyone have any butter?

"I think we have some butter cookies," Yuzu said, going to a table and opened the blue, round tin of butter cookies. She opened them then knelt towards the fiery deity. "Here you go."

Agni took the only arm that wasn't holding a weapon and plucked a round cookie into his fingers. After chewing on it, the flames surrounding him grew even more intense as both heads turned to the three. Arc Phantoms, thou has made a new bond with the Hierophant. May it serve you well.

"Thank you, Agni," Yuya said, summoning the other cards of The Moon, Wheel of Fortune, and the Fool. That's when he took a glance at Yuzu, realizing he hadn't made a bond with her as of yet. A blush formed on his face as he realized at how he was supposed to form said bond.

Suddenly, Shuzo sat up, clutching his head. "Ugh, why does the room smell like butter? Who popped popcorn he--"

Agni waved his seven hands at him before both of his faces started munching on butter cookies.

Shuzo waved back. "...hi? You're a part of me, huh?"

Indeed! The face facing Shuzo answered. I am the flames which burn with passion, guardian of this grand palace. Through me, I can be used to increase the flames of passion and the fires that are used for protecting the places most sacred to you all. Taweret protects the children, I protect homes. I can also teach you recipes that will revitalize your spirits and be filled with the power of butter!\

"T-that's nice and all, but we have enough protection as it is with all those spirits keeping an eye on the school," Shuzo admitted. He recalled Pyro Jack with their lantern for the basement. Pixie was good for picking up items too high for the kids to reach, and Bicorn was always patrolling the grounds in case someone tried to vandalize the school. He liked to boast that he ate cheating husbands for breakfast. "It's too bad we can't just bring you to Yuto's home for supplies."

He knew that it was taking a while for Leo Corp to actually deliver supplies to Heartland, mostly due to dimensional logistics and how many people simply didn't believe there was such thing as a dimensional war. That and Reiji was also being swamped with lawsuits over his bullshit excuse to buy all of those schools for the sake of building an army and his attempt to frame Yuya for his "assault" on Sylvio.

"Then...just do what Yuya and I did with our Personas!" Yuzu suggested. "Send Agni and Taweret to Heartland with supplies and fires to keep them warm."

"What type of supplies does a butter-obsessed goat rider have?" Shuzo questioned.

Have you forgotten that I have been worshipped for centuries? Agni chortled. I have plenty of butter kept in storage in case of emergencies and my many arms means I can cook numerous dishes at ohce. Flour, eggs, milk, vegetables, all of that is nothing to me. Although I will borrow a bit of curry powder you kept in the pantry.

"You're stealing from me?!" Shuzo was smacked with his daughter's harisen. "Ow!"

"Dad, we have money now." Yuzu said. "And I know a place that sells spices for cheap. And Futoshi's parents are butchers; they should have some leftover meat that they haven't been able to sell."

No beef or pork though. Kind of a sin to be touching those.

"Oh, this will be lovely," Taweret cheered. "Although, I wish I could join Agni in taking care of all of those mothers and children..."

"Then do so, Taweret!"

"We'll be strong!"

"They need your help more than us!"

Yuya turned to see the door open and the kids entering it. "How long have you been eavesdropping on us?"

"Ever since we saw Shuzo-san on fire!" Tatsuya answered. "We were about to call the firefighters when Agni arrived."

"Shuzo-san has a Persona now too!" Ayu said. "Does this mean he can breathe fire now?"

No. Agni answered flatly.

"Darn it!" Tatsuya pouted.

"But we can still help out with giving food away. I can ask mama and papa to donate some chicken for you to cook!" Futoshi said.

"I can ask my parents if we have leftover frozen seafood!" Ayu added.

"And my parents and I have some canned vegetables we can part with," Tatsuya brought up. "We'll make sure that it comes with a spare can-opener as well."

"You three..." Yuto whispered. He underestimated how these three were so...mature, so willing to donate what little they had to make others happy. He just wanted to cuddle the three like they were the softest plushies in the world.

Your kindness is the most powerful flames of them all. Agni said with a fond smile on his two faces. I will also do my best to sneak off with leftover produces found in grocery stores. All of the stuff that they are unwilling to sell because they are "misfits" in the shops they are supposed to be sold. You'll be surprise how much you can scrounge up on "ugly looking" produce.

"Thanks so much, Agni," Shuzo said, hugging his Persona and sobbing his hot-blooded tears. "Now if you can help me with my taxes, you'd be a life saver."

That's...not my expertise.

Ame-no-uzume and Nemesis materialized, smiling at how their little family had grown. Although, it became obvious to the kids that one of the Persona was missing.

"Hey Yuya," said Tatsuya. "Where's Dionysus?"

"Dionysus...er..." Yuya scratched his cheek. "Well, I...kinda...sorta...askedhimtofigureouthweremyfatherdisapearedto."

"Huh?" The three kids tilted their heads in confusion.

"Dionysus is on a super secret mission," Yuzu said. "And he's not going to come back for a long -- "

I'm back~~~

Dionysus reappeared from a cluster of grapes, happily drinking his juice. You have no idea how much I traveled across the dimensions. Synchro was definitely a bust because he would've stuck out in that Neo-city wasteland. So I immediately decided to hop into the final frontier of Fusion. And...well...

...

(ten minutes later)

...

Everyone was silent as Dionysus finished speaking. The lentil soups had been finished at the time. Agni dropped the tin of butter cookies onto the floor. Ame-no-uzume and Nemesis looked in surprise, dropping a rooster and a set of copper scales into the hands of their Persona users.

Annnnd this is the part where I cover my ears. Dionysus said while Agni took four arms towards his ears. 3...2...1...

"YUSHO IS DOING WHAT?!!!"

...

"Yusho was doing WHAT?!" Alexis screams.

This nugget of information goes against everything she has known for months. The Persona traveled to the Resistance base and...Yusho...does that mean...

No. Figure out the truth, there's still something that is bugging her. She saw Yusho in front of her very eyes attack this thief, rescued her from being kidnapped into that strange world where hearts were stolen and shadows of people revealed their true selves. 

Yuya keeps his smile and Alexis hates that he emulates Yuri more and more. And she knows that she won't get the answers so easily; there were always side trips to his tales. Almost as if he wants this to drag on as long as possible.

"So while we recovered from the shocking revelation of my father's sojourns across the universe, Agni and Taweret decided it was a great opportunity to perform some community service."

Chapter Text

Chapter 16 - Shadows in Aid

The sun stopped shining ever since the Invasion began.

Those who survived the initial carding and destruction of Heartland were forced to hide to avoid being the next victim to be carded or mauled by those horrible Ancient Gear Hounds. These were all children running about, thinking that carding people was some sort of sick and twisted game. And everyone was a target.

Young. Old. Elderly. Crippled. Babies. Pregnant woman. Those under intensive care. If they saw you, you were good as dead. Some people even killed themselves to escape such an ordeal...not that the invaders cared for such a thing. "What a waste of human life," they muttered.

The Resistance was made up of any and all survivors. Most of the ones who could duel were taken out quickly, their Xyz monsters unable to stop the Ancient Gear Golems from pounding away at their lifepoints. The best they could do was use Trap Cards as diversions so that the most courageous (or those who sought out death) could charge through to get necessary supplies. Food, medicine, clothes, water. Baby food and milk powder was essential for the dozens of babies who were now orphanaed, lying on a cold floor and swaddled in rags instead of being sung lullabies and being told that they had beautiful futures ahead.

All for the sake of a fucking utopia. A utopia that they didn't even ask for.

Their only hope was Yuto and Shun's crusade to the Standard dimension to get help, but they had received no word from them in weeks. Allan's tech work was only good for teleporting people on a one-way trip, but he couldn't do anything about dimensional messaging. And the supplies they gathered were dwindling by the day. Thank goodness potatoes and canned food lasted long, and that the grocery stores, hardware stores, and malls were unscathed. 

Kaito Tenjou sighed, knowing that another day had gone, and the Obelisk Force would use the cover of night to their advantage. He was the Resistance's last hope, their strongest duelist available to fight back against the Ancient Gears onslaught. If he falted just once, everyone was doomed.

Allan Koizuki and Sayaka Sasayama joined him on patrol duty, staring at the moon and stars with disgust. The moon and stars mocked them with how they were untouchable, unkillable, and unwilling to help them in their plight. With each day that passed, their hopes and metaphorical fires of the Resistance started to dim. Gathering matches and kerosene was getting harder these days. People were dying of dehydration, hunger, illness, despair. It was becoming too much for all of them.

Obelisk Force were fine though. Flour, meat, and milk filled their bellies. Warm clothes and blankets kept them safe from the cold winds at night. 

The three "leaders" of the Resistance mulled over what they could do now. Hope does not feed them, clothe them, does not destroy the enemy. Dueling for smiles only works if the people want to change. And change itself was a process like watching a seed grow into a tree. A slow, arduous process filled with setbacks...and that's only if the tree doesn't die by disease or storm or fire.

There was no point to continue fighting if there were so many casualties. There was nothing of Heartland left. And no god to defend them either. 

The flames that were used to keep everyone safe and warm were dying slowly and the wails of the people who needed the light started to replace them. When suddenlythe flames ignited all on their own, growing brighter, warmer, bigger. Everyone looked in alarm as Kaito sniffed the air.

"It smells like...butter..." he whispered.

Allan and Sayaka were confused, but also sniffed the air. Kaito was right; it was the smell of butter. Thick and yummy. For the love of Xyz, they were going crazy now.

Then, as if raining from the heavens, loves of bread pelted everyone's faces. Perfectly soft and warm, expertly made as well. An old man tore a chunk of bread and popped it into his mouth. The minute it touched his tastebuds, he tore up in glee and devoured the bread without caring for etiquette. Everyone else joined in with eating as well, feeling full. Fuller than they had been in quite some time.

"What the?" Allan asked, looking at his loaf of bread. "Where did this come from? We don't have Madolches on us!"

Not that it would've mattered; food can't be made with the technology of their Duel Disks.

"Whoever did this, it's delicious!" Sayaka exclaimed. "I just have to get the recipe!"

"Can we really trust whoever gave us these?" Kaito muttered. "This is too good to be true. Like Yusho."

Fear not, everyone! A rich, booming voice, thick like butter, roared. Everyone stopped eating their bread to look in confusion. It didn't sound like the voices of Obelisk Force or their commander, Edo Phoenix. For I am an ally to Heartland. A friend and confidant.

"...Okay, we're probably so hungry that we're hearing things," Allan muttered.

Suddenly, the central fire began to grow, almost singing someone's eyebrows off. It slowly coalesced into the form of a black ram and a man sitting on top of it. A man with red skin like summer strawberries, seven arms, two faces, and three legs. Both faces had dark brown eyes and nicely waxed mustaches.

I am Agni, the Flames of Hope! The spirit declared. Your savior is here!

The reaction to his entrance was instantaneous. A loud scream that made everyone back away in fear.

That's the spirit!

(Thank goodness Edo Phoenix was busy getting berated by Leo Akaba about the recent disappearance of Ruri Kurosaki and asking if she managed to return to Heartland and that she needs to be rekidnapped on the double to notice.)

The Resistance still kept screaming as Kaito, Allan, and Sayaka prepared to fight the multi-limbed stranger. The unexpected guest just grinned and clapped three pairs of hands together.

And I didn't come alone. I brought along a friend to the kiddos! Presenting.....the lovely lovely hippo, Taweret!

Entering through the doors of the Resistance was a large hippo lady with braids waving hello...which caused everyone to scream even louder. 

"Get out right now!" Kaito growled.

"She's so adorable!" Sayaka gasped.

"T...gah...wagghhh..." Allan fainted.

Agni groaned as the screams continued before he roared...SILENCE!!!!

The screaming immediately stopped. The Resistance became quiet once more.

Thank you. Agni said in his calm voice. Now then, we have been summoned by a friend of yours, Yuto, to support you until he can return with help.

"That's correct!" Taweret added. "Yuto will be working on a way to fight off the souls of the corrupt in the Standard Dimension, while Agni will make sure to frighten off any of those blue meanies from causing more trauma."

It was too good to be true, but the bread everyone ate was delicious. The bread they ate in their dreams. If this is how the bread tasted like, imagine if Agni cooked curry or roasted potatoes.

"What about Shun?" asked Sayaka outloud. "Or his sister? Are they doing okay?"

Ruri is hiding in another dimension at this point, safe from Akaba's clutches. Agni explained. She cannot return without causing alarm, so she is biding time, training, and gathering allies from the Synchro Dimension as well.

"As for Shun..." Taweret paused and scratched her head. "How do I put this...He's getting answers to whether or not the Professor's son, Reiji, is aware of the calamity that befell your dimension. He hopes that this will also lead to the best Xyz duelists from Reiji's school will jump into the fray and come to aid you."

(That was a lie. None of the students in the Xyz division wanted to join in. Reiji was still keeping things under wraps since he didn't have actual "evidence" of a Fusion army invading Maiami City.)

"But enough about that!" Taweret said to immediately brighten the mood. "Who wants a hug?"

Some children looked in concern, their mothers pulling them back to protect them. But one boy had the courage to slowly approach her on bare feet before wrapping his arms around her as best as he could. Taweret smiled and hugged the boy back, leading to a flood of children racing towards her to get their hug as well.

I also come bearing gifts! Agni added. Stare into the flames and be amazed at the feast I have delivered to your feet!

The fires slowly faded away, revealing plates of hot food for everyone. Fluffy steamed rice, rich brown curry, roasted potatoes, steamed vegetables. And for dessert, there was apple compote topped with cinnamon. 

There is more where that came from. Agni said. Please eat in silence, for we cannot allow the enemy to know that you have been blessed.

No one could disagree to that command, as they began gathering plates and eating with their hands, savoring every bite. Kaito was still weary, but food was food and he needed the strength to keep fighting just a little bit longer.

As he and Sayaka proceeded to join the others for their meals, Allan slowly sat up, hippos circling his head. He just had the strangest dream of a giant hippo approaching them...

Oh wait, the hippo was right there, handing him a plate of food.

Allan blinked as he stared at the hippo lady, waiting for her to vanish from this dream. When she didn't, all he could do was ask one question.

"What the hell did I miss?"

-----

Taweret and Agni are in Heartland safe and sound. Dionysus announced, smiling at the children. Thank you for your help.

"Thank our parents actually," Ayu said. "They didn't question us when we asked for all the leftover food we had to offer."

"And it was thanks to Agni's fires that he was able to cook all that food in no time!" Tatsuya said.

"I had no idea chocolate and chicken could go well together!" Futoshi added.

"Still, are you sure this is a good idea?" Yuzu asked. "Taweret was helping take care of you guys at You Show; you're not sad about seeing her go to Heartland?"

"Well, if we can't fight the bad guys, we can still help in other ways!" Tatsuya answered.

"We can be brave and strong by giving them supplies!" Ayu added.

"They need food and smiles more than we do," Futoshi added, hands turned into fists.

"So we'll do our part to make people happy!" The three concluded, giving each other high-fives.

Yuto's heart melted once again, tears leaking out of his eyes. These children were so innocent yet brave. He scooped them all into his arms and wailed, unable to bottle his sadness any longer. The kids just gave him headpats in return, as if they were magic spells to make sadness disappear like rain.

Shuzo smiled. "We are small, but we still have spirit. We can still do something great. I still have no idea what's going on, but I'll see what I can do to gather supplies you may need to take Sylvio's heart."

"Yeah, take his heart!" The kids cheered, pumping their fists in the air.

"And we'll make a calling card like all sneaky thieves do!" Ayu said. "It'll be like a big arts and crafts project!"

"We'll also improve our dueling as well," Tatsuya added. "I definitely feel excited to use Xyz now."

"We will be the ones to save Heartland if Reiji won't do so," Futoshi finished.

Shuzo began crying loudly and tackled Yuto and the kids in a hug, crying how this was so beautiful and manly. Yuzu and Yuya watched in fondness as Yuya's hand gently brushed Yuzu's...

He blushed as he pulled the hand back. "T-that wasn't...it was an accident...I..."

Yuzu shook her head and held the hand. "It's okay, Yuya. I know...we both know...that we care for each other. We grew up together, dueled together, weathered the storm together...we survived three years without Yusho. We'll survive this trial into Sylvio's heart as well."

Yuya looked at how beautiful Yuzu looked now. No more tsundere side of her; she was now an open book, and Yuya wanted to get lost in those pages. He smiled as he hugged Yuzu. "Yeah, we'll survive."

Yuzu returned the hug just as a shining light formed above their heads. Yuya looked up, eyes wide as he saw a floating card of two people, a man and a woman, standing in the midst of a luscious garden while an angel observed them. A yellow star hovered over the card. The Lovers. 

It was a fitting description for Yuzu. The love they had for one another was why they were standing here, stronger than ever before. And that love was making them do strange things like turn into thieves and stealing people's hearts. But at least they were going to do it together.

The two smiled at one another, savoring this small moment of relief.

For tomorrow, it was time for their first heist.

----

In the present, Yuya yawns. "Man, I've been talking for a while. You mind if I take a nap to rest my vocal cords?"

Alexis frowns, but she doesn't have a choice. This talk had been going on for a while, and she also needed a break to process everything. The Personas, the Pendulums, Reiji's actions...but more importantly, she needs to talk to Yusho about how deep he's into the Persona business. And if he also has a Persona, wouldn't that mean he knows how to get Personas for everyone else?

She wants the power to fight back. Not to hide and save herself when others were in trouble. Especially Angela, the Slifer Red who sacrificed herself so Alexis could escape and find Yusho. She can never forget the Obelisk Force soldiers who laughed at the Slifer Slacker who was too afraid to fight back.

"Fine," Alexis sighs. "I'll request someone to give you some blankets and a pillow for you to sleep on. But don't relax just yet. You still have to answer for everything. And I'm going to get to the bottom of this."

"That's fine," Yuya shrugs as Alexis stands up and begins to head toward the door. As her hand reaches the doorknob, he speaks again. "By the way, you do realize that you've only been interrogating me, right?"

"Of course I do." Alexis snarks. "You're the leader of these phantom thieves."

"But that means that the others are up and about, raising cain!" Yuya laughs. "And if you want to get the whole story, you're going to have to find them and make them spill the beans. And Odette is currently in the kitchens that have been preparing all of the food that has graced my belly"

(In the kitchens of Academia, a black and white ballerina with long ebony hair twirls with her opponent, a terrified Obelisk Blue who is just a few duels away from graduating into an Obelisk Force soldier. She knocks over a can of beans before grabbing her terrified opponent, brings her leg up, and then swings it down while slamming him to the floor. )

Alexis narrows her eyes. "I know that you're trying to find a way to escape. But you know what will happen if you do."

"I know, I know," Yuya sighs. "But what can I do if you just lock the door on me? Turn invisible? Pull a Houdini? I'm not my father."

"...No. You're not."

Alexis swings the door open, slams it shut, and Yuya hears the click of a key being used to lock him in. He knows that there is a slot at the bottom of the door, big enough for bowls, blankets, and pillows to enter and exit, but too small enough for a boy of his size to slip through. Not that Yuya wants to leave so soon, not when the fun has just gotten started.

Yuya leans back, looking up to see how there is no security cameras at all. Just him and his thoughts. Oculus is too busy navigating everyone else at this point, warning Revenant of a Triple Ancient Gear Hound on his left.

He waits for five seconds before he looks towards his right. "How long have you been here?"

"Oh, long enough to see that the good ol' Sakaki charm has rubbed off on you."

Yuya smirks as he sees a tall man in red approach him. "Ya know, you could've been a lot gentler with that cane of yours, dad."

"I had to make it real, son," Yusho grins, removing the mask off of his face. "Alexis won't fall for cheap theatrics. She's not the performing type. Why, there's this funny story where her brother tried to turn her into a musical idol for the Academia school festival and she had to kick the disco balls out of him. No seriously, he wanted disco balls as part of her gimmick."

Yuya snorts. "You always have the best stories, dad! Tell me another one so it'll be easier for me to sleep?!"

"Hmm...what story shall I tell my little magician?" Yusho hums. He snaps his fingers three seconds later. "Oh, I know. How about I tell him the time a king with a love of fried shrimp asked me to fight him under the pain of being sent to the stars?"

And Yuya's eyes sparkles with stars as he eagerly awaits his father's tale.

Chapter Text

Chapter 17 - Shadows in Payback

Chapter Text

Chapter 18 - Shadows in Galleries

Alexis doesn't remember when she fell unconscious, but she does remember the smell of cinnamon tea Yusho hands her when she wakes up.

Dear Obelisk, how long has she been out? She needs to get back to her interview with Yuya fast.

"You're in no position to go anywhere, Alexis," Yusho says, taking a bite out of a snickerdoodle. "The rest of the Phantom Thieves and their fated adversaries are -- "

"Fated adversaries?!" Alexis screams, trying to go through her memories, her notes. She never heard anything like this before. "B-but all I know are the Arc Phantoms! Who are these adversaries?"

"Patience, patience!" Yusho remarks. "Patience always comes to women but never comes to man, at least that's what I've heard."

Alexis groans. "This isn't helping. Nor are the secrets you kept from me all this time."

Yusho frowns, the whiskers above his upper lip droop. "I did not keep secrets; I only withheld some powerful truths for the time being. If I would've been hiding secrets, I probably would've taken them to my grave or the carded form that Obelisk Force would've wanted me in, whichever came first."

Alexis doesn't want to admit that Yusho was always good at keeping a good poker face around her. To all of the other students of the Academia Resistance. But he had his reasons, she reasoned. They had already learned horrible truths about why they were taken to Academia in the first place, raised since adolescence in a boot camp to become footsoldiers for a twisted sense of justice and superiority over ink on cards. Who cares if someone used Polymerization or not? Yusho didn't use one, didn't overlay the network, but he was still a powerful duelist all the same. What was the real reason Akaba wanted all of this?

She'll figure it out sooner or later. The truth always comes to light in the end, even if justice is always delayed.

Yusho notices the look behind those hazel eyes. "You want to know what I was doing, don't you? Well, I guess I'll give you what you want." He hands Alexis a tray of snickerdoodles. "Take one, cinnamon's good for clearing your head."

Alexis takes one and also bites into it, resisting the urge to cry. She recalls faint memories of her parents making these cookies; she hasn't tasted them since Academia. Cookies were rare and birthday celebrations were prohibited. "The school is made for you to become soldiers, not losers." The teachers drilled in her head.

"Where did you last leave off with my son?" Yusho asks softly, like a feather blanket draped all over his second-in-command.

"I-I was talking to him about the palace heist of Sylvio Sawatari..." Alexis sniffles, taking another bite of the snickerdoodle. "The Arc Phantoms learned of what you were doing and were planning for how they'd infiltrate the..."

"Then you're right on schedule," Yusho smiles, lightly tapping the blue orb topping his cane. "It was time for my son and his friends to strike in their first official heist as Phantom Thieves. But before they could scope out the palace, they needed a few supplies."

----

School couldn't end fast enough the next day.

Yuya and Yuzu barely paid attention to their lessons, to their lunch, to PE. Their minds were lost in thought over how they were going to steal the treasure of an arrogant blowhard when they only had rudimentary weapons and their healing items consisted of band-aids and alcohol wipes. They had no idea what type of shadows lurked inside Sylvio's Palace, what type of traps awaited them in this museum of madness. All they could do was hope that Yuto was able to pick up some supplies.

Thankfully, Yuto came with blessings of his own. While Yuya and Yuzu were mentally preparing themselves for their first big challenge, he had traveled with Shuzo to see a few friends in downtown Maiami City where Reiji didn't have as much jurisdiction.

"How much money did you have to fork over for this stuff?" Yuzu asked, seeing a brand new baseball bat, an umbrella, a crowbar. There were also a few boxcutters, a hammer, and a riding crop.

"Oh I'm old friends with the shop proprietor!" Shuzo explained. "He said he would give these all to me if I did him one little favor."

"And that favor was..." Yuzu was afraid if Shuzo had to gather blackmail or mug someone. She knows her dad was desperate to get finances to keep You Show afloat, but she constantly told him to never take a loan from greedy moneylenders who would easily fall for his hot-blooded personality and mistake it for naivety.

"Just a bit of karaoke to pass the time," Shuzo answered. "We belted out one of our all-time favorites!"

...

Sunao ni I LOVE YOU! todokeyou

No amount of cream sodas Yuto drank would ever make the image of Shuzo in a getup of an 80s J-Pop boy band wearing roller skates go away. Nor of that of his partner with the eyepatch, demon head tattoo and snake skin jacket cackling in glee as they decided to go for another song that sounded like two cats got into a fight over a piece of tuna.

...

"We sang for about an hour before deciding to do it again next week!" Shuzo chuckled. "Now then, are you sure those thief costumes of yours strong enough?"

"I guess so...but I don't know if these toy guns are necessary," Yuzu noted. It felt so wrong to use something so dangerous. Don't people need licenses for stuff like this?

"Nemesis said they'll be fine," Yuto said, slipping the gun into a holster and equipping it around his waist like a belt. "In the Metaverse, the Shadows will think we're actually holding real guns and they'll always be loaded with bullets to ensure we don't have to spend money on ammo...or have to come up with an explanation on why we even want ammo in the first place."

"That's a bit too convenient, but better than nothing." Yuya picked up the handgun and put it into the pocket of his phantom thief attire. "Besides, it's all legal...isn't it?"

"Yep, Majima always delivers the goods," Shuzo said, rubbing his hands in glee. "I also threw in a few energy drinks and health bars as well. I mean, this isn't an RPG, but it should help you recover some energy, right?"

"These will work out just fine," Yuzu said with a smile. "I tried using Ame-no-uzume's healing spells and while they do heal most of the damage, it's a lot different than if I replenished energy by eating a cup ramen."

At least my healing spells do not contain any MSG. The ballgown wearing Persona chuckled.

"Well then," Shuzo said, standing tall like a general sending soldiers to war. "You know what you have to do right? Even though the school is small, our spirits are as large as a kaiju!"

"Which kaiju?" Ayu asked. "There's six of them!" 

"Well...it's super large," Shuzo said, expanding his arms out as emphasis. "But regardless, the Arc Phantoms are on a mission that they cannot back out of now."

"Not like we have much of a choice," Yuzu said. "I'm not gonna let Sylvio get away with his stupid lawsuit to waste our time so we can't focus on the more important matters."

"Just go out there and take his heart!" Ayu cheered. "And don't worry about us at all."

"We'll go about training in our own special ways," Futoshi said. "We each want to learn one of the special methods!"

"Really now?" Yuya asked in surprise. He knew of Ayu's Aquactress cards and Futoshi's Doodle Beasts like the back of their hands. The Aquactress love to perform, and the Doodle Beasts meowed and roared like kittens instead of the ferocious dinos they were based off of. As for Tatsuya, he wasn't too familiar with the machine-types, but it fit a tinkerer like the boy.

"Ayu wants to have a Fusion monster, I'm gonna have a Synchro in mine, and Futoshi wants to master an entire Xyz archetype!" Tatsuya explained. "All the money we got from those lawsuits helped us to pay for new decks. Our parents don't mind at all; they're really proud of us doing great things."

A thought bubble of the kids ordering new cards at their homes with pretty artwork and purple/silver/black Extra Deck cards appeared in their heads. Then there were images of a mailman happily delivering packages of brand new decks and booster packs to many cheers and hugs. The children couldn't wait to surprise their big brothers and sisters with new and improved decks built upon the foundations of You Show but also trying something new like that of LDS.

"And if Sylvio can change his decks all the time, why not us?" Ayu added with a mischievious smile. "You're gonna love what I'll craft with my monsters."

"Or the tricks that come with mine!" Futoshi noted. 

"We're gonna really play a new tune with these new decks of ours," Tatsuya said.

"Guys..." Yuya whispered, so proud of these kids even more. "Are you sure you can do this?"

"Of course we can!" The trio shouted simultaneously. "Now get going, take Sylvio's heart!" 

"They're right," Yuto said. "The clock is ticking. Sylvio is acting like Aesop's Hare, running forward and taking a nap while we slowly meander forward. We need to make sure that we don't waste any more time."

"You're right. Bye dad, bye everyone!" Yuzu waved as she and Yuya gathered all the healing items into a backpack and headed off.

"Good luck!" The kids shouted and Shuzo sniffled. His little girl was growing up. Not into the beautiful lady he expected, but to a hot-blooded warrior of justice. He couldn't be any prouder.

---

Yuya, Yuzu, and Yuto took the bus towards Leo Duel School, staring up at the pristine building with a bit of nervousness and disgust. The last time Yuya and Yuzu went there, no one seemed to care that one of them almost died and another one had their cards stolen. Even when Yuya said it was Sylvio who stole them, the kindest words were, "Well, sucks to be you."

The same sentiment was still felt from any Leo Duel student who passed them by. They didn't necessarily speak their mind, but it was clear that the elites looked down at Yuya and Yuzu solely because they were from a dustbin school 

Twenty minutes later, the three left the bus and walked towards the entrance of the school, doing their best to act normal. Yuzu looked up and saw the security cameras by the door.

(As she said that, she never noticed the raised eyebrows the three Persona shared amongst each other)

"Good idea," said Yuto. "Yuzu, are you ready with your bracelet?"

Yuzu nodded as the three walked towards the bushes, making sure their eyes looked straight ahead, and not at the camera. Once they were obscured, Yuzu placed a hand over her bracelet and inhaled.

"Remember, we're just doing a sweep of the place," Yuya said. "Until we can find a path to Sylvio's heart, we need to make sure the Shadows hanging around in the Palace can't throw us in what he calls a personal dungeon."

"Probably some propaganda room where he keeps blaring out how he's the best, the strongest, and he's appearing on the walls pointing fingers at us and berating how we're stupid and ridiculous or whatever," Yuzu deadpanned. "But that's nothing compared to the hell that will happen if is father actually goes through with Sylvio's lawsuit plan. We need to take action pronto."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Yuya grinned. "Yuzu, do the thing!"

Yuzu clasped her hands in prayer, closing her eyes. "Palace Ruler: Sylvio Sawatari, Crime: Narcissist, Palace: Art Gallery. Palace Gates...Open!"

With her eyes snapped open, the rose quartz in her bracelet also began to glow. Reality warped around the three, covered in a red and black filter, although Yuya thought he heard something akin to a gasp. But that could've been Yuto gasping at how Leo Duel School faded away... 

...

...

Everything looked the same, except they were the only ones standing. That, and Leo Duel School was no longer a school but the entrance to an art museum, flanked by marble sphinxes and marble pillars. Something found in a movie or a fancy art book. Something to gawk at. 

"Of course he'd boast something like this," Revenant said deadpan, now that they were all in their Phantom Thief attire. 

Bloom blinked in surprise; Ray's instructions were right on the money. "That actually worked! We're actually in his..."

"What worked? What the hell is this?! What did you do?"

The group turned around to see...a familiar cyan haired boy biting on some cotton candy.

"S-s-Sora?" Arlequin gasped. "How did you get here?"

Revenant growled, his disgust towards the Fusion duelist growing. "And why are you even here? Thought you didn't care what happened to You Show."

Sora flinched and looked down. "I.. I wanted to apologize for how I acted back there. It wasn't right for me to not help You Show and let Gongenzaka do the fighting for me. Sylvio was right about that. You guys were fighting to protect your home, and if Reiji won then I was responsible for not lending a hand when I should have." He started to bawl, large tears falling down his chubby face. "I say I'm a student of You Show but I didn't act like it. If Yuya-senpai got hurt, it's my fault. I didn't care about some stupid school, but ...but I care about you and Yuzu..."

Revenant scowled all the same. "This is dangerous work; you will get hurt. Besides, you don't even have a weapon on you! And no, lollipops don't count!"

Sora grinned as he showed off a wooden hammer in his pocket. "Don't worry, I have a weapon!"

"W-where's you get that from, Harley Quinn?" Bloom questioned, wondering how Sora even fit the hammer in the pocket in the first place. Is that the magic of being near a Persona user or?

Sora grinned, propping the hammer over his shoulders. "You know what they say, 'Trash is just another man's treasure!'"

"A dumpster?" Bloom questioned flatly.

Sora pouted. "You have no idea how I had to get money for my candy. That and part time jobs by gathering cans or being lucky to find coins underneath vending machines."

Revenant groaned. He hated how his good nature went against all logic.. "Regardless, if you're coming with us, you follow our instructions. You don't run off, and you don't go attacking or asking questions."

Sora nodded twice. "Okay."

Revenant nodded back. "Good. Now come on; let's start this heist."

The three enter the building while Sora stood there for a few seconds, still unsure what to do...

Guilt in his heart, he ran after the Arc Phantoms.

----

The first thing that came into everyone's heads when they saw the entrance to the museum was that it was tacky. Gauche and overdone.

Sylvio-styled topiaries making him look like a king. Marble statues of him as The Thinker or David. O h and shadows of Yuya and Yuzu acting like shy fangirls excited to enter the museum, much to the real Yuya and Yuzu's annoyance/amusement.

Shadow Yuya gasped, dropping to his knees in awe. Look at how majestic Sylvio looks!  How grand and powerful

Shadow Yuzu squealed like seeing a celebrity crush, hands on her cheeks. And so handsome as well! Look at him with the face carved by angels.

The real Yuzu growled at her shadow was nothing more than a sycophant. She quickly prepared her baseball bat, flames surrounding it

"That's disturbing..." Sora commented. Did he really act like that around Yuya-sempai?

Three new shadows walked into view, also gushing and fawning over Sylvio. Except...

Hold on," Arlequin whispered, noticing three familiar figures standing at the entrance. "Isn't that..."

"Masumi, Hokuto, and Yaiba!" Bloom gasped. "No, that can't be..."

Those aren't the real them. Ama-no-uzume explained in Yuzu's mind. They're just manifestations of how Sylvio sees them in the real world. So if you tried attacking them, there's no harm done to their real selves.

That was a huge relief. Bloom hated how they bullied Arlequin , but didn't want to actually hurt them like they wanted Arlequin to be a suicidal wreck. And last she heard about Masumi, seems as if the Gem-Knight duelist was calling the kettle black over Bloom  having feelings for Arlequin . At least she admitted she loved Yuya; Masumi was incapable of admitting she crushed on some Professor Mario or whatever.

How strong and skilled!  We were wrong to see him as lesser! We aren't worthy of his presence. Shadow Masumi, Hokuto, and Yaiba praised in a Greek Chorus, joining Shadow Yuya and Yuzu's crowings of this buffoon.

Revenant looked at the shadows deadpanned. "Is...that really what Sylvio thinks of them?"

"If that's what he sees as fans, I wonder who he sees as critics," Bloom pondered.

Arlequin smirked beneath his satyr mask. "Wanna bet he has a shadow of Reiji kissing his feet?"

Revenant chuckled at the image of Reiji, son of Leo Akaba, kissing Sylvio's feet with all the reverence of a king. "Maybe later. Okay, let's go pick up a brochure and get a look at this place. Brochures also act as maps to a museum, so we won't get lost."

"Wait, won't he realize that you're here? That we're here?" Sora gulped. He didn't want to get Yuya and Yuzu into more trouble than they already were!

Bloom hummed then snapped her fingers. "How about this? We three will sneak in, and you stay and distract these Shadows so that they don't know of our plan."

"What?" Sora exclaimed.

Arlequin smiled. "Trust us; you don't have powers like we do. It's best you stay here for now."

Sora stammered as Revenant snatched a brochure from a brochure stand and began reading the multiple wings of the museum. It then transformed into blueprints of the museum itself, detailing different entrances and exits for museum thieves.

Arlequin scratched his head. "Okay, how do we wanna do this? Air-vents? Rafters?"

Revenant folded the brochure and pocketed it. "We split up. I go rooftop, Bloom goes backroom, Arlequin does air-vents. Then we'll meet at the corridor near...here." He pointed to a location the map. Humble Beginnings. "We start our way from the beginning."

Bloom scoffed. "Humble Beginnings? The irony is palpable."

"Regardless, we aren't gonna get any progress if we stand here. Let's do our jobs." Arlequin said.

The three nodded, running behind the fawning shadows (who were too engrossed with worshiping Sylvio to even turn around). Revenant pulled out a grappling hook to rappel the side of the building. Bloom snuck into the back and summoned her Persona to destroy the door so she could enter. Arlequin crawled into the airvents, his acrobatics and high metabolism giving him a body big enough to squeeze inside. Reminded him of all the times he went into indoor playgrounds where he crawled on his belly going up the slides. It was when he made his second turn to the left where he noticed that he wasn't alone. There was also a...

A Kuriboh?

The Kuriboh blinked, and Arlequin blinked. His eyes weren't deceiving him. There was an adorable furbaby that, for some odd reason, was dressed as a Dark Magician. A supposedly legendary spellcaster with strong attack and defense and a multitude of spellcasters derived from him (along with his apprentice -- the titular named Dark Magician Girl).

"Kuri??" The Magician Kuriboh...Magikuriboh was easier on the tongue...questioned, tilting their head.

Arlequin had no time for this, and so carried the Magikuriboh under his armpit, the Kuriboh squeaking and trying to look menacing. Growling and huffing and puffing like a dragon, it was kinda cute...

One more turn to his right later, Arlequin found the grill that would lead him to the Humble Beginnings wing. One use of Dionysus later, he leapt down, performing a forward flip and allowing the Magikuriboh to breathe. Bloom and Revenant were quick to arrive seconds later, Bloom gushing at the cute magic Kuriboh and hugging them gently, which Magikuriboh liked much better.

"You know," Revenant said outloud. "Something's wrong with the gallery...it's too quiet."

"Isn't that the point of a museum?" Bloom remarked.

"No, I mean there should be shadows swarming the area trying to arrest us. Shadows of guards or more fanatics who want to tear us apart."

Magikuriboh looked around, then squeaked in surprise, pointing his scepter down the hall. With no other lead, the three slowly walk towards the hall and notice there was someone staring back at them. Didn't look like a shadow at all...was it a ghost?

Whoever they were, they were tall, blond hair, sullen amber eyes, blue jacket, white shirt, denim jeans. Bloom couldn't help but blush. Arlequin started getting mad with jealousy.

"Is that...someone Sylvio knows?" Revenant questioned.

"Never saw him before," Arlequin answered. And Arlequin never forgets a face.

The figure runs off and Magikuriboh left Bloom's arms and flew after them. Unfortunately, just as the three caught up with the Kuriboh, they bumped into some shadows coming from the left, leaving the Magikuriboh on their search towards the friendly(?) ghost.

"Damn it!" Bloom snarled, getting into battle position.

Arlequin smirked. "Well then, let's get this over with. Shadows, welcome to the Cult of Dionysus!

Dionysus laughed as he was summoned, loudly sipping his grape juice. The shadows screamed in terror as the Persona hurled a chunk of earth at them, crushing them into pancakes.

"Ready to go all out, you guys?" Arlequin asked.

"Ya don't have to tell me twice!" Bloom grinned.

"Time for some bloodshed!" Revenant roared as the three jumped onto the weakened shadows. A flurry of blows that made the enemies explode, blasted apart by the fury of the three Arc Phantoms.

"It's curtain call!" Arlequin said as a finisher, hand on his face, a mad grin on his lips.

Revenant sighed; he could definitely see how Arlequin was Yusho's son. "Okay, that's done. But who was that spirit?"

Bloom pulled out the brochure from Revenant's pocket and opened it. She skimmed the major wings before pointing to the north-west. "Now that you mention it, there's something on this map. A statue garden, and a fancy one at that."

Arlequin made a disgusted face. "Ugh, they probably are all more statues of himself."

Revenant looked down at the map. "That's odd...it Says here these are...dragon statues."

"Dragon statues?" Arlequin and Bloom repeated. That was when Bloom looked closer at a small box detailing two of the statues in said garden.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon...Red Eyes Black Dragon...never heard of them..." she muttered.

Arlequin shook his head. "Okay now I know this is Sylvio. He's not the creative type. He just chose the most famous, legendary, powerful dragons instead of trying to be inventive. Least it's not the FGD."

"Wait, did you say 'famous dragons?'" Bloom repeated.

Arlequin nodded. "I...I think I've seen them before...when I was younger. In my dreams."

"But why would he have them?" Revenant asked. "I highly doubt he has that amount of money for those two."

Arlequin placed a hand on his chin. "Well if I remember my dreams, and I do since I keep a Dream Journal on the side, the Blue Eyes White Dragon was about power, but Red Eyes Black Dragon was about potential. As if to say...he wants to say that he is both strong yet has the strength to be better..." He groaned. "Ugh, a sappy underdog story if I've ever heard one. Real contradictory as well!"

Bloom gasped. "But wait...wasn't that boy and Magikuriboh also going down that way too?"

"Maybe it's a hint to the treasure in this place." Revenant suggested.

Arlequin shrugged. "But I highly doubt we can just walk straight to the hall. We might have to find another route to avoid suspicion. Now let's see..." 

The three continued took a shortcut on their right, hiding behind statues when shadows passed by before Arlequin jumped on them from behind and ripped their masks off.  Many were taken down, some gave money or items, others willingly joined the party. Bloom and Revenant also joined in on ripping the masks off; feeling catharsis in tearing something real in their hands. It was so liberating!

They eventually made it to the Humbled Beginnings wing. All of the artworks inside the wing was a highly exaggerated display of Sylvio's ego showing. A painting of Sylvio as a baby found in a burning bush unscathed, raised and trained by the best warriors around. Another painting depicted him throwing darts at a dartboard (albeit, it was all random) while blindfolded. At age 5. All to the praise of adults around him.

"Do you see what a blessed child I was? I was destined for great things!  Destined for a life of power and strength!" Sylvio proclaimed to the masses.

There's also a photo of him meeting his lackeys who throw themselves at his feet while Bloom started gagging, finger to her mouth.

Revenant massaged his temples. "Okay, maybe there might be a secret passage that leads us to the statue garden. We just need to find a key."

The three looked at the paintings, but they could find nothing. Arlequin kept staring at the dart playing story and noticed something on the dartboard. None of the darts hit a bull's-eye...but they hit different numbers...numbers like a...code?! 

Arlequin removed the painting and saw a key pad. Perfect. He began pressing the numbers in any order he could -- mentally noticing that there would've been at most six combinations at one time -- and smiled as a wall opened and a secret passage was open once he put the numbers in backwards sequential order.

Arlequin motioned for Revenant and Bloom to follow him as they raced out into the statue gardens, wanting to avoid the guards' presence. Sometimes they would take a rest and munch on some the snacks Shuzo packed for them. Otherwise, they were doing some platforming, climbing up higher shelves that managed to carry their weight, shimmying against walls while not looking down, and having to hear Sylvio read from his self-proclaimed "autobiography".

From birth, i always had the potential to be better! Like the legend of the Red Eyes that was said to have potential as well! To rise above all that I was!

As Sylvio began talking about his elementary school years, the three tuned out his ramblings when they made it to the entrance of statue garden. They breathed a sigh of relief amongst the hedges and shrubs. No statue of Sylvio could ruin the beauty of nature and marble mingling together.

It wasn't hard to find the statues of the two dragons, but the three were surprised to find a third statue in the middle. A magician with a wand and hood similar to that of Magikuriboh. And the Arc Phantoms weren't alone. The boy with blond hair was there, same with Magikuriboh.

Magikuriboh cheered, waving their scepter around. "Kuri kuri kuri!"

Bloom smiled as the Magikuriboh floated towards them. "There you are! But why did you bring us here?"

"Because we need your help getting out of here!" Magikuriboh answered in a masculine voice. Belonging to that of a teenager.

Revenant nodded. "Okay, we're just WAIT WHEN CAN KURIBOHS TALK?!"

Magikuriboh blinked and then went back to chirping out, "Kuri kuri?" All while waving at them with one of their little claws.

Arlequin blinked. "No, he was talking just a few seconds ago..."

The ghostly boy faded as the Magikuriboh began jumping about and began talking again. "My friends were turned into statues, held against their will in this palace and put on display! If you have the elements associated with the Blue Eyes and Red Eyes dragons, they'll be free!"

The phantom thieves just blink at the Magikuriboh. "He can talk?!" They said as one.

Magikuriboh nodded. "Yeah I can talk. I used to be a human once...I think."

"Of course you were human once, Yugi!"

Bloom screamed, baseball bat ready. "W-who said that?! Was it that ghost?"

Magikuriboh simply pointed to the blond haired boy riding on the back of the statue of Red Eyes Black Dragon, waving to the three.

Bloom blinked. "Excuse me? What in the name of Mozarta is going on?!"

"It's a long story but me and my pals were flying around then got captured!" Blond boy explained, which really didn't help elaborate on what the hell was going on.

"You have to destroy the statues and free my friends!" Magikuriboh hurried, worried for shadow guards swarming the gardens.

The thieves blinked at the statues, the boy, the Kuriboh, trying to figure out how strange this all was. Definitely stranger than there being four dimensions based on summoning methods.

"Uh...how were you once a human?" Arlequin asked, looking ready to faint. "You're just a Kuriboh!"

Magikuriboh (Yugi) pouted. "I just know I was human once, okay?! And don't call me Kuriboh, the name is Yugi! And my friend here is Katsuya Jounochi. You can call him 'Joey' for short."

"O...kay then?" Arlequin asked, still confused but just rolling with it. Questions could come later. Much later.

The blond boy, Joey/Jounochi, sighed. "Look, ya need ta help us out. We can't move past within a certain radius of where these statues are; only when you destroy the dragons statues can we help you."

"But if we destroy the statues, we'll alert the guards!" Arlequin exclaimed.

"Exactly!" 

Revenant was alarmed by the plan. "But then they'd be distracted with two giant dragons who would..." Then he paused as Arlequin and Bloom looked at him, waiting to make the connection. Once he did, he smiled wide. "Ohhhhhh..."

Bloom chuckled as Ame-no-uzume appeared behind her, bursts of fire surrounding her like a halo. "Well, I think it's time I give this sappy story two thumbs..." 

Ame-no-uzume unleashed five fireballs into the air with the power of her voice as Bloom grinned even wider.

"Down."

Chapter Text

Chapter 19 - Shadows in Ferocity

Sora waited impatiently outside, unsure what to do, worried for Yuya and Yuzu. He wanted to help, but he his training probably wasn't going to help him fight these monsters or whatever...But...he couldn't let them get hurt! He had to do something! After all, he saved Yuya through the use of a lollipop stick. He was very agile and could kick a grown man in the jaw to defend himself. Did he really  need those cool superpowers to be of any use?

Chapter Text

Chapter 20 - Shadows in Emergency

There was silence amongst the group. From the kids, from the Arc Phantoms, from Sora. Then, Yuzu remembered what happened and she smacked Sora across the head.

"Hey, what was that for?" Sora yelled.

"That was for cursing in front of the kids!" Yuzu snapped. "I rather not scrub their mouths with soap because of you."

"I need an explanation," Yuri said, arms folded. "Why are you here and not in Leo Duel School?"

"Sora chose to take class here because of Yuya!" Tatsuya explained. "Leo Duel School is full of meanies who steal cards and drop children from tall buildings!"

"That is dreadful," Yuri noted. "But that's none of my business. I came to take Sora back home. He doesn't look well."

"Sora is...fine," Yuya said, feeling bile rise in his throat. "He just needs food and rest."

"Which he cam get back home," Yuri insisted. "Now come along, Sora. Let's not keep the Professor waiting~"

Yuto frowned as he pointed his crowbar at Yuri's neck. "No, Sora is staying with us."

Yuri's eyes fall on the boy whose features were similar to his own. He was no fool. He was well aware that the two girls he had captured bore similarities to the Professor's "little princess", Serena. He was aware that he had his own duplicates thanks to his brief trips to Xyz and Synchro. Despite this, he was still surprised to find two of his own copies staring him down and not strangling each other to death. Yuri then let out a long, dramatic sigh.  "Look, I don't want to cause trouble, but Sora and I have to go back to the Academy, otherwise there will be consequences."

"Consequences for you?" Yuto scoffed. "Amazed that the Professor would think to starve his pet dog if he failed to fetch his stick."

Yuri just rolled his eyes and gave Sora a sharp look. "You didn't tell them Sora?"

Sora shrunk as he started to wonder why his Duel Disk wasn't activating. If info like this was revealed, the failsafe would've kicked in and he would be booted out of Standard and back to Academia...but did he want to at this point? If the Professor learned about his Persona...

Yuri narrowed his eyes, something was happening here, something that was making Sora lose focus on his mission. "Sora...you don't want to go, do you?" He said while putting on his most solemn expression he had, this was unfamiliar ground so it would be better to play nice. "I don't judge you for wanting to stay, but due to the recent incident the professor wants all the Elites back at the Academy as soon as possible."

The kids looked in confusion, hoping one of their older sibling figures would explain. Yuya gave a shake of his head and tapped his lips twice with a finger. The kids nodded; they knew that it was code for "We'll explain later."

Yuto raised his eyebrow at that, Yuzu had to hide the smirk on her face, but Yuya was the only one keeping a stoic face. "And where exactly is the academy?" 

Chapter Text

Chapter 21 - Shadows in Discourse

When the world stopped spinning around them, the Arc Phantoms found themselves in what looked like a black and red pulsing realm. There were roads leading off to what looked to be the other dimensions, and there were no shadows in sight.

"This is weird," Bloom noted. "Then again, we're the only ones in all the dimensions that have similarly faced counterparts and three dimensions only know one summoning method and Reiji's father is waging war on..." she shook her head. "Now then, how do we get to the Fusion Dimension?"

"Maybe we just follow that sign?" Arlequin suggested, pointing to a sign in front of them depicting directions to the other dimensions. And it was even color-coded: purple for Fusion, silver for Synchro, black for Xyz. Yuto was tempted to take the route to Xyz and Synchro, to see if his loved ones were doing okay in Heartland or to check up on Ruri in the city called "Neo-Domino"...but that would come for later. He'll let Nemesis send messages in his sleep tonight.

"We still need a way to way to travel," Revenant noted. "I highly doubt that we can just run all the way to the Fusion Dimension."

"Revenant, I have Persona, remember?" Arlequin said, deadpan.

He snapped his fingers and Bicorn materialized with a whinny. Revenant facepalmed.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Bloom questioned. "It looks like he only has room for two of us."

"Then it looks like we can spend some time on a side-trip to gather more Persona for backup," Arlequin chuckled, seeing a mass of shadows approaching them. "I'm sure they won't mind if we have a little fun, right~"

Bloom and Revenant couldn't disagree as they prepared their weapons. Arlequin smirked as Dionysus appeared before him.

"Let's dance, boys!"

-----

Sora was terrified to be back at Academia. Not now. Not when he had a change of heart and had a power not even he understood. And he couldn't trust Yuri. He was a viper, fangs full of venom. Or rather a scorpion who would sting him even as he tried to save them both.

Sora felt the air being tense. Thick enough to slice like a knife through a stack of pancakes. He saw Slifer and Ra students whispering to one another. Some were scared, some were crying, some were making bets.

"Keep your head down, say nothing, don't speak if you can," Yuri said. "The Elites are being tossed to the lions for their failure. Rumors are going by that there will be a massive hunting game for their heads."

Yuri's words made his blood freeze, in all these years at the Academy, the Obelisk Elite have been teased with maximum respect by their peers and received much more leniency than the other students. For the Professor to want to punish his best students like that...no, he didn't want to think about it

Arriving at the Obelisk Blue Dorm, things seemed even worse, he could hear several complaints being made, some, surprisingly, were against the Professor himself.

"What's happening?"

"The Professor is going overboard?" 

 "What are those girls important for?" 

 "He must have some sick fetish cause those girls looked like the Academy's Princess." 

"You know how long it took for me to become an Obelisk Blue?!"

"I heard he didn't even do a formal investigation, he just threw some of us into Synchro without any decent preparation"

"We should be careful, I think he'll want to confiscate our decks". 

"Absurd!" 

"I heard neither Yuri nor Edo, who are the Professor's favorites, will escape inspection." 

"This proves how little he cares. If not even the most loyal escape, what about the newly promoted ones!?".

The complaints continued, and Sora felt increasingly nervous. He glanced at Yuri only to be met with an indifferent expression.

"Say nothing and watch," Yuri whispered as Colonel Sanders walked towards the stage, microphone in hand.

"All of you, stand up and stay quiet!" Sanders barked. "We are supposed to be the shining icon of Academia, but now all I see are spineless cowards who cannot survive when a storm is blowing down. You are a DISGRACE to your dimension, allowing both a Synchro and FILTHY Xyz to escape!"

All Obelisks began muttering to themselves. They heard of those two girls; the literal witch whose Synchro deck unleashed burn damage through ice and the Xyz bitch whose Xyz could cut through their lifepoints and bypass their Ancient Gears. And in a physical fight, the girls were tough. They could fight just as dirty as an Obelisk Force and didn't give a damn about honor. Blows to the belt, biting, thumbs in the eyes. If they had an advantage, they would use it.

"It's just two girls! Two girls whose decks are INFERIOR to the might of Fusion!" Colonel Sanders barked. "How could this happen? If they escape, a rebellion will be on the loose. Obelisks Blues should be Obsolete Blues at this point. Obsolete Force as well. You were chosen to be the strongest, the best, but if you can't even get even ONE girl back, what's the point?"

"You all are supposedly hunters who can card anyone in sight, but you can't even find two girls? And supposedly, I heard that one Commander lost to someone who only knew TRIBUTE! Tribute Summon, that fucking little prick! If it wasn't for his father channeling money into the school, I'd drag him back the second he lost and make an EXAMPLE out of him."

There were a lot of people looking at Commander Edo Phoenix in disbelief; he lost to someone who used Tribute Summoning? The gossip and sneers were immediate.

"Is this really the so-called commander whom Akaba gave accolades to?"

"He had such powerful Fusions yet Tribute summoning trounced him?!"

"Ooh, his daddy is gonna be so ashamed of this."

"I feel so sorry for whoever has to be following his commands."

Colonel Sanders grinned as he saw Edo at the front. "Care to tell us the name of this duelist who clipped your wings, Edo? I never believed you were that good of a duelist with that talk of Destiny and all."

 "His name...was Yusho Sasaki..., and from what I understand, he was an outsider to Heartland." Edo said through his teeth, still frustrated with the defeat. The fact that the Colonel decided to expose his situation like that only upset him even more.

"I don't know what, or how, but he used this monster called Performapal Sky Magician, he was all about performing and having fun, even giving me this." Edo pulled out two halves of a Spell Card. Smile World. A few Obelisk Blues started laughing at such a childish card.

"But then he just...just vanished!" Edo growled. "And I haven't been able to see him sense. But when I see him again, I'll..I'll..."

Chapter Text

"You can do that?" Yusho asked. "So, that boy with the blue hair...did he?"

"Yeah, we changed his heart," Yuzu finished. "It's small, but it's enough proof that we can start creating the changes that Reiji refuses to make. If he's so focused on the 1%, we'll focus on the 99."

Chapter Text

Chapter 23 - Shadows in Sirens

Yusho looked at Yoko with a smile, bowing towards her. "I'm back~ Did you miss -- " 

Yoko decked him out with a solid right hook, causing him to fall to the ground while Yuya, Yuzu, and Yuto looked in quiet shock with Yuto whimpering in fear and hiding behind Yuzu.

"...mom?" Yuya whispered in horror. He understood that she was angry

Yoko panted for breath as she looked down at Yusho and grabbed him by his coat. "You...you lying son of a bitch! You coward! You traitor! Arriving like this, gone for three years without telling ANYONE where the hell you went and then I have to learn that you were in another dimension and you couldn't tell me about why disappearing BEFORE your match with Sledgehammer was so important, forcing me to raise Yuya for three years while he believe he's a coward's son and being harassed by the other housewives while seeing your school crumble..." Yoko's knuckles turned white. "Give me one good reason why I don't literally put my boot to your ass and kick you out of the house FOR GOOD!"

Yoko teared up as Yusho smiled at her and said, "I wanted to make sure our son didn't get hired into Reiji's little army by personally going to Akaba and stop his invasion. If only Reiji decided to give me a way to communicate...I know a sorry won't change everything, will never give us back the three years we could've been together, but I know that you want to fight as well. The rage you have for me isn't just for me, you also have anger with Reiji."

"Stop changing the subject!" Yoko snapped. "How is Reiji involved?"

"He never told you anything?" Yusho said with a sharp click of the teeth. "Reiji asked me to lead an army towards Akaba's forces, but I suggested to go ahead to talk to him. I specifically requested that he keep an eye on you and Yuya until I returned. But what do i find? He went back on his promise, did nothing to tell you about what happened to me, and he wanted to buy my school without permission? Why aren't you more pissed off, love? You're the Queen of the Sirens after all! Sing your song of battles. Sing for me...SING FOR ME, YOKO!!!"

Behind Yusho, the three teens looked away awkwardly and their Persona facepalmed.

Chapter Text

Scent? This made Sora curious, but one more inhale of that sweet air made him lose interest and return his attention to the Decks. "So you mean the Professor was the only one who made all these Decks? How come no one discovered that?"

"Because, be honest, if you knew one method to prepare pancakes all your life and someone showed you new variations, would you react in curiosity or fear?" Yuri asked. "Plus with all the propaganda Akaba crams down our throats, no one has the critical thinking skills to think otherwise. Or if they did, Akaba silenced them before the idea spread."

This was why most spies were unfairly carded after they completed their missions. They would be so used to the way of life they had in the other Dimension that they began to question the Academy's Ideals. "It's certain that once the man gets all the information he wants out of Mcfield, he'll card him." That's why Yuri wanted to gain as much time as possible in Standard to prepare. He wasn't dumb; it would be a matter of time before things went south. His best bet for survival was Synchro, where the law was "The strong overcome the weak".

Sora slowly nodded. "Right...but can we trust these new recruits? What if one of them ends up being a spy loyal to Akaba?" He made sure not to bring up Dennis's name.

"These recruits were hand-picked by me. Most of them were already scheduled to be carded or demoted for being too weak. In other words, they are pariahs whom the Professor would not hesitate to throw to the wolves." 

Yuri may or may not have pulled some strings to spare them from a worse fate, he had recruited them during that month as part of his desertion plan. This plan was facilitated by Sora by throwing the mini Akaba to the wolves.

"So you can either be whipped around by me, carded, or lose any sense of power while living the rest of your sad life as a coward; take your pick," Yuri stated. "Plus they know they can't beat me in a duel; I can beat half of them with my eyes closed!"

And Sora could believe that wholeheartedly. "So, is that all? What about their decks? Don't tell me you taught them Synchro or Xyz in the time I was gone!"

"Actually, that's exactly what I did." Yuri shrugged as he entered the warehouse. He wondered if he would steal all these Decks and sell them on the Black Market when the time came. Cards were a great form of currency. "Well, one of them knows Ritual."

Sora was terrified and amazed at how Yuri planned everything. Reiji took three years to cobble an army. Yuri gathered ten students in a month and already thought of a rebellion.

"Now, I'm willing to teach you how to use Synchro, Ritual or Xyz if you want." Yuri commented as he began to place at half a dozen decks into a bag. They had around three weeks to prepare, that was enough time for him to empty this warehouse, if he could get the others to help him. It helps that the Professor almost never comes in here, and with his attention focused on other matters, it would be easier for Yuri to equip the students who had plans to escape as well. 

 (He wouldn't be surprised if many of them jumped to Synchro, since it's the only dimension whose technology is on par with the Academy, and they could get equipment there to modify their disks and keep the Professor away for a cheap price if they knew where to look). "The others have already learned the other invocations and are training every day, only you are at a disadvantage."

Sora nodded. He had no choice. He just hoped the symbolism of the deck could reach Yuya's heart.

He was also in disbelief at how much was done in a month. It made him feel kinda stupid that he didn't try to learn anything else. Though to be fair, he couldn't have learned anything in You Show. All of the extra deck lessons were found in Leo Duel School. But no, he chose flash but no substance. Like food that was filler and had little to no nutritional value.

"We can start training now if you want," Yuri murmured as he finished packing the Decks and closing the bag shut.  It would take a few days for everyone to recover their rhythm. Yuri wanted to take advantage of this time to move things forward, as now there was a great risk of his greenhouse becoming the target of an ambush by students who were blind or foolish enough to notice the truth.

Sora agreed. He recalled a little bit of how Xyz worked from Yuya's duel with Hokuto. It needs monsters with the same level. Synchro needs a tuner and you add levels. But the more important thing was mastering the Burning Abyss since their effects worked if sent to the graveyard.

But that wording was critical. It could be destroyed in battle or card effect. Discarded from the hand. Sent from deck to graveyard. Detached as an Overlay Unit. Timing was key and knowing what monsters to offer and when would make a huge difference. If it was for the sake of playing a deck that could be used for almost any situation, well, Sora had no other choice, now did he?

Yuri nodded. "Come on, let's go to my greenhouse to practice." This would also give Yuri the chance to test out the Deck he picked up and, hopefully, get Sora out of this self-depressive funk he's in.

And besides, Sora would need to have a bit of an introduction to his new "best friends".

Chapter Text

Chapter 25 - Shadows in Red

"Another morning in Paradise," Shuzo yawned as he entered the office of You Show Duel School. He had a loud voice booming in his ear talking about how everything was doing in Heartland. Agni's flames had become a constant source of warmth for the downtrodden survivors of Heartland. Taweret was able to lift the spirits of the children and care for the mothers as well. The worship of people back when they were living deities was more than enough to keep their bellies full, their spirits high, and their hopes flickering for a little bit longer.

But it wasn't going to last. Until Reiji can make headway and there was a way for the Arc Phantoms were prepared to enter another dimension to fight an army, it was best to change Standard from within. Unfortunately, Shuzo still couldn't get his daughter's words out of his head. The idea that Reiji purposefully withheld the knowledge for Extra Deck summonings solely so his school would be seen as the shining beacon made him want to scream in rage.  This meant that the only way for people to become armed is if they tore off their own arms and legs for a few cards! No wonder Ryopanzaku was one of the few schools lucky to learn Fusion.

But what the hell can be done so long as people still looked down at You Show? A recent poll at You Show's Duel Book page showed that while the reputation improved from Yuya and Yuzu's use in Pendulum, it still wasn't enough for people to actually enroll so long as those two were the only ones who even had Pendulum cards in the first place. Still, it was a step. A baby one, but still.

Shuzo would figure things out later. He had a lot to explain to the kids when he wasn't working on teaching them different summoning methods at once. Ugh, he would like an extra hand around here. And some coffee.

Oddly enough, there was already a freshly brewed cup of coffee ready for him. Was it Joey's doing? Could spirits interact with the world? Did they like coffee?

"Morning, Shuzo." A friendly voice greeted.

"Oh, morning Yusho," Shuzo muttered as he poured himself the coffee, added two creams and one sugar, then left the office to start the day. He sipped on the coffee as he thought about how nice it was to hear Yusho's...wait a minute...

"FFFGTTT!" Shuzo said, spitting coffee everywhere as he raced towards the office and threw the door open. "YUSHO?!"

"Yusho?" The man in the red suit, top hat and rabbit mask said. "I don't know this 'Yusho' of yours. I am known as the Red Magician!"

Shuzo blankly stared at his old friend. "Really?"

Yusho's shoulders sagged. "Oh come on, let me just have this -- "

"No, you do not get to make up an excuse as to why you ran off without even saying a goodbye!" Shuzo snapped. "You left us! You left me to clean up your mess!"

"I know I messed up."

"That's the understatement of the century!" Shuzo snapped. "What happened to all of us is your fault, but I bet you've been telling yourself that for the past few hours, haven't you?"

"Yes, and your daughter's harisen was also the wake-up call for me to learn that I wasn't the only one with these powers."

"And how long have you been back in our 'dimension'?"

"About a night; been catching up with Yoko and Yuya over the changes. Particularly involving something called...Pendulums?"

"That's actually the least of our problems," Shuzo sighed. "A lot has changed since you 'disappeared'. But on the bright side, we have enough money to pay the bills and keep the lights on this time around."

"Yeah...that's good..." Yusho said, suddenly leaning to his side and his rabbit mask vanishing. He was only able to right himself thanks to his cane.

"Shit!" Shuzo cursed. "Are you okay?"

"Does it really look like it?" Yusho remarked. "Haven't been able to go to a doctor in months, haven't been getting a lot of iron as well. But that can wait."

"You gonna wait another three years before you tell someone you need help?" Shuzo asked pointedly.

Yusho paused. "Just let me work with my son and wife with this Palace Heist and then I'll --"

"YOKO HAS A PERSONA AS WELL?!" Shuzo screamed, shaking Yusho. "When? Where? How? Why? WHAT?!"

Yusho chuckled. "Give me a cup of coffee with my usual. Time for a story of love, separation, betrayal, and *murder most fowl*."

This is gonna be good. A voice added.

Shuzo blinked to see a rabbit-headed humanoid with a red suit, antlers, fangs and...wings?! He looked at the Persona, then at Yusho waving at him...

Seconds later, he fainted onto the floor once more.

-----

Yuya noticed the look of shock on Yuzu's face and knew something was up. "So...spill."

"Spill...what?" Yuzu asked as the two walked to school. 

"You're keeping something secret," Yuya explained. "Come on, you can tell me."

"Er, well..." Yuzu tapped her forefingers together. "I have been helping Yuto out with his deck. He was inspired by Sylvio's Amazement deck...I mean, I wouldn't call it 'inspired' but he wanted to try out a new deck that connected with his love of Traps."

"I see..." 

"Yuto is going to wait at home to sort through all of the old Trap cards dad and I stockpiled over the years. He's really interested in the ones that allow you to kick monsters off of the field like Compulsory Evacuation Device. And when the cards arrive at his feet, he's going to race off to You Show and practice alongside Yusho and dad.

"Uh-huh..." 

Yuya wanted to say something more, about him, and her, and Yuto...but then he saw students whispering to themselves, phones out. "Hey, check it out. You thinking what I'm thinking?"

Yuzu blinked before a smile formed on her face. "Yeah, definitely. Come on, let's go check it out!"

Subconsciously taking Yuya's hand into her own, Yuzu raced towards the school gates towards the school's notice board. Just as expected, there were numerous purple and black cards in a diamond pattern alongside a winged pendulum. The words "Arc of Victory" were underneath in fancy cursive. People were already making comments about it.

"What the hell?"

"Where did these come from?"

"This has to be nothing more than a prank."

"Who would go this far as to do this?"

"Sylvio better watch his back, that's for sure."

Yuzu reached out and picked up one of the cards on the floor, smiling to herself. "To Sylvio Sawatari, the Proudful Politician's Son. You have used your father's position and connections to Reiji Akaba to bolster your shattered ego for far too long. You have let your pride blind you to the people you have hurt, stealing the treasures of another duelist for your own benefit. Thus, we, the Arc Phantoms, will plan to take your heart. The show is about to begin."

Yuya also nodded as he recalled some extra info from Joey back at the palace while the guards were putting out the fires.

...

Okay, so ya need to find where Sylvio might be hiding his treasure? Joey asked.

"Any hint would be nice," Arlequin replied. "We don't really know what else is in store."

"Well, there's one room we haven't tried," Revenant noted, staring at a map, briefly noticing a statue of Mobius the Frost Monarch at the corner. "The Hall of Lances...and there's a hint as well. 'A real knight keeps his weapon at hand.'"

"Then it shouldn't be that hard to find the proper lance," Bloom noted. "Okay, why don't we look there first while we still have time."

The three, followed by Joey and Magikuriboh, took a sharp turn to the left and found themselves into the Hall of Lances, where there were numerous lances of all shapes and sizes littering the walls. In the center was a statue of a knight with a purple and black lance by his side.

"The brochure said something about a weapon in hand..." Bloom snapped her fingers. "How easy! Joey, can you pull the lance in the knight's hand."

Way ahead of ya! Joey said, pulling the lance out with as much strength as he can muster. But he struggles, pressing his feet against the armor of the knight. Why...is metal...so heavy! WHOAA!

He falls onto the floor with the tip of the lance broken off, little Kuribohs circling his head. Magikuriboh squeaks and looks down in concern for his friend.

"Great, we just lost our hint," Revenant muttered.

"No wait, the tip of the lance looks like the keys of a teeth!" Arlequin whispered, noticing how the two parts of the lance stuck out like fishbones. "So we can use this as a key for...something. Not sure what, though."

"We need to go backwards," Bloom commented. "The lance must be a memory of how Yuto used that Phantom Knights' Spear to win the duel and pin Sylvio to the wall. And this was after Yuto defeated his Mobius the Frost Monarch with Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon."

"Uh, Mr. Joey," Arlequin said. "Just one question, is the Blue Eyes White Dragon a lightning dragon?"

Yup! His signature attack is White Lightning! Why do you ask?

Arelquin and Bloom turned to Revenant, who had a wide grin on his face. 

Minutes later, Revenant asked Nemesis to cast Zio on the Blue Eyes White Dragon statue. The room began to quake as the dragon emerged from its stone prison, roaring loudly. And in its claws was a glowing orb of shimmering light. It reminded Yuzu of that Normal monster card, "Mystical Shine Ball".

Joey was relieved to see the dragon roaring proudly, lowering its claws to show off the shimmering "thing" in hits claws. Dionysus materialized with a proud smirk.

You did it! he cheered. The dragon was holding onto Sylvio's Treasure. The representation of his warped desires, his heart.

"His heart is a gooey shimmery ball of slime?" Revenant asked.

No. Dionysus explained. It won't take shape until you make him aware that we're coming to steal it. Which is why you need to send a Calling Card. But you have one day to get the treasure and escape.

"We need to post the card as soon as possible," Arelquin said. "We don't know if Sylvio is joking about the lawsuit or not, but given the power his father has..."

"Tomorrow it is," Bloom agreed. "Now come on, let's go to the front and -- "

A flashing red light and siren began blaring. Then there was an announcer screaming, "Thief has been located at the Trophy Room! Secure the perimeter at once!"

"Oh perfect timing," Bloom groaned. "But who would be stupid enough to steal in broad day..."

Arlequin and Revenant slowly stepped away as they saw a burning aura surrounding the female Phantom Thief. Joey put the Magikuriboh up as a shield as Bloom roared,

"SORA!!!!!"

...

Thankfully with the route secure and Yuya's parents joining in as moral support, Yuya was confident that things would go smoothly. He sighed as he looked at the yummy bento he was about to eat...

Until someone swiped the box and poured all of its contents onto the ground. He wasted no time looking up to see Sylvio scowling at them. In his other hand were darts. And not the suction cup kinds. Oh right, there was a student recreation room with pool tables and darts.

"Oh hey," Yuya said. "You want to challenge us to darts instead of duel monsters?"

"Don't try to act cute with me!" Sylvio growled. "I know that the calling card is your doing! The pendulum, the arc of victory, it has You Show's theatrics written all over it!"

"Where in that card did it mention You Show's name?" Yuzu calmly remarked. 

"It has the theatrics of that lowly school though," Sylvio clicked his teeth. "'Take my heart', you say? Good luck with that!"

Yuya and Yuzu blinked as a flash of light covered their vision. They saw a dark void where Sylvio's Shadow sneered at them, club in hand, skinny body draped in that cloudy lion skin.

You two are nothing but stepping stones, tools to my greatness! Shadow Sylvio snapped.

The two blinked, and there was nothing but Sylvio in the afternoon sun with his posse by his side, stomping on the remains of Yuya's lunch. Yuya growled; his mother woke up super early to make it for him while preparing to call the nearest physical therapist for Yusho!

Thankfully, the little act caused other students to take notice, and the whispers began once more.

Sylvio is getting angry. Is it because of that calling card? Does he seriously think that coward's son is a thief?

"Coward?!" A ghostly voice boomed. "You dare call me a coward?!"

Yuya and Yuzu gasped, wondering where that voice was coming from. Suddenly, Yuya felt a hand on his shoulder and his surprise turned into a smile. He gave Yuzu a side-glance and winked at her. Yuzu winked back.

"We are the Arc Phantoms!" The disembodied voice boasted.  "We are thieves off to steal the most valuable treasures of all -- the hearts of the sinful!"

Everyone gasped and began to look around in horror. They know that voice; it's impossible for people in Maiami City to not know that voice. Even Sylvio becomes terrified.

"W-who's out there?" he stammered. "Is that you, Yusho?!"

The voice doesn't respond, but Yuya sees the ghostly image of Houdin nodding at him before leaving. 

Yuzu takes note of the voices gossiping and questioning their sanity. Meanwhile, Sylvio was seeing red as he turned to Loser Sakaki and Zuzu.

"One more day." He mouthed, before snapping at his minions to follow him. Yuya and Yuzu didn't seem that terrified. Now they were much more confident for the road ahead.

"Ready when you are, fearless leader," Yuzu smirked.

Yuya grinned; he liked the sound of that.

------

"Check this out everyone!" Ayu gasped as she, Futoshi, and Tatsuya looked at a post on her phone. "The Arc Phantoms are becoming viral!"

"That's amazing," Tatsuya said. "It's time people really pay attention You Show!"

"It's giving me goosebumps," Futoshi shivered.

"Yeah!" Ayu cheered as the three entered You Show Duel School and headed straight towards the dueling court. They passed by Joey and his Magikuriboh friend, who waved back before he slammed into a wall. "We better get started on our...huh?"

"Hey, what's wrong, Ayu?" Tatsuya said, noticing Ayu suddenly frozen in her tracks.

"Is that..." Ayu said, pointing at a figure drawing cards from his deck, dressed in red with a stylish top hat. "Yusho-san?!"

Tatsuya and Futoshi turned their attention to what Ayu was pointing out and gasped. There was a duel in progress. On one side was Yuto with a monster in knight's armor. The other side had the man in red with two monsters on the field -- one a purple witch, the other with long chestnut hair in a bright green dress.

"With two Level 4 monsters on the field, I build the Overlay Network!"

The kids looked in awe as a black nebula materialized on the field. The two feminine monsters linked hands as they jumped into the event horizon.

"Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Madolche Queen Tiaramisu!"

Rising from the Overlay network was a woman on her throne with shimmering silver hair, a custard yellow dress with a brown cape draped over it, and a staff in her hand, topped with a chocolate egg. The Xyz monster turned to the kids and waved hello. The duelist in red turned to them and smiled.

"Did you like my presentation, little ones? Don't be afraid though. It is I! The Skilled Red Magician!"

Futoshi pouted. "We know that's you, Yusho. Don't try to hide it."

Yusho deflated. "How did you know it was me?"

The kids frowned and silently pointed to a poster on the wall depicting Yusho Sakaki and his ace monster, Performapal Sky Magician.

"Oh."

"Where have you been?" Ayu pouted. "Yuto said you were in his dimension and then vanished! Where did you go?"

"And why do you have a cane?" Tatsuya asked.

"And who's that monster you summoned?" Futoshi said.

Yusho sighed. "That's a bit of a long story, one I don't have that much time to explain. What I can tell you is that I've learned some new tricks and that I've opened up a new branch of You Show in the other dimensions."

"Whoa..." The three gasped.

"But wait," Tatsuya said. "What's that new monster you have, Yuto nee-san?"

"Oh, them?" Yuto said. "Let's just say that I've upped my game in the Traps department."

The kids blinked, but decided to leave the matter alone. They were just glad that they weren't the only ones trying out new decks.

"Soooo, did we miss out on something big?" Tatsuya asked. "What did you learn about Sora and that Yuri guy?"

Yuto and Yusho frowned. "It's an even longer story," Yuto said as he and Yusho turned off the Solid Vision activators on their Duel Disks. Their Duel Monsters vanished like mirage. "I don't know how we can tell it to you about what's to come."

Then let me explain it. Houdin said, materializing onto the field, causing the trio of kids to squee in awe. Professor Akaba has now declared war in the Standard Dimension and he asked Yuri, Sora, and the commanding general of the Heartland army to prepare a faction of duelists to invade.

"What?" Tatsuya said. "That's horrible! Is there anything we can do?"

Not right now. Nemesis answered. It will take some time for Yuri's brigade to arrive. Just keep your spirits high, practice your dueling, and we should also warn Taweret and Agni as well. Commander Edo Phoenix may be gone, but his army remains. It's time for the two to start training the peaceful villagers once again.

Or Taweret could ask her Scarlet Scarab avatar to join in on the fight. Dionysus snarked as Yuya and Yuzu entered the court. Either way, it's about time for us to really get started.

"Sylvio's been made aware," Yuzu said. "So we have to go right now."

"Wait, what about Yoko?" asked Yusho. "Is she -- "

"Yoko kaa-san has a Persona as well?" Futoshi gasped. "What have we missed out on?"

"We'll explain after our Palace Heist, promise," Yuzu said. "Yoko said she would meet us at Leo duel School. We just came to pick you two up so we can really get this heist rolling."

"You three train with your decks," Yuya said, briefly eyeing Yuto looking at Yuzu then hastily turning away. Yeah, he really had to talk to them later. "It's going to be a long night."

"Will you need snacks?" Futoshi asked.

"Or maybe some energy drinks?"

"How about a lockpick?" Ayu said. Her classmate, Anya, suggested this due to her love of her favorite series, Bondman. Sometimes Ayu wondered if her classmate was a psychic.

"Don't worry about us," Yuzu smiled, looking down at the three. "We're You Show duelists; nothing gets in our way when it comes to swinging things into action!"

"Yeah, let's swing into action!" The kids chorused, raising their fists into the air.

I best come along with ya. Joey remarked. My friend here was probably moved around in the confusion and he'll be peeved about how long it took for us to rescue him.

Kuri! Magikuriboh stated with a nod.

"Awww, but we loved your stories!" Ayu pouted. "You gotta tell us another one when you come back, okay?"

Of course! Joey smiled, patting Ayu on the head. Soon as we come back, come around to listen to the time the Godfather of Duels had to save the mind of his best friend being trapped in the body of a robotic monkey.

"That sounds hilarious!" Tatsuya giggled.

"I wanna hear more!" Futoshi added.

And with that, we're off! Let's go Joey Rangers!

Yuya, Yuzu, Yuto, and Yusho nodded as they left for You Show Duel School. The kids waved everyone goodbye before realized they were all alone again.

"Man, this is boring!!!" Ayu said, falling onto the floor and pretending to make snow angels. "I wish we can have fun adventures like them."

"Yeah, if we could fight alongside Taweret, we'd be able to change a lot of people's hearts through hugs and candy!" Futoshi agreed.

"I wonder how Taweret is doing anyhow," Tatsuya pondered. "Can she appear to tell us how everything is going down in Heartland?"

I'm glad you asked! 

The kids jumped for joy when they found the lovely hippo goddess approach them, scrambling to give her some hugs. "Glad to see you all so happy and care-free. Oh, did you all do something with your decks? Been hearing word from the other Persona that you have new decks!"

"That we do!" Ayu grinned. "And they each have a specific Extra Deck summoning that can be useful against the other kids!"

"They'll never see it coming," Futoshi sang. "What's going on in Heartland?"

"Good news, may of them are happy to be well-fed and warm. Commander Edo has flown the coop for the time being, so the Obelisk Force stationed there are stuck without anything to do except throwing sticks and stones for their little pets to catch. However, the supplies for many mothers and newborn children are drying up and I need donations for baby formula, diapers, and clothes, as soon as possible. If only there was a way for people to donate these items. Do you mind pointing me to the nearest maternity store?"

It was at that moment, a lightbulb shone above their heads.

...

"All right, kids!" Shuzo said, revving up the engine to his car. "Buckle up, time for a game of supermarket sweep!"

"YAAAAY!!!" The trio cheered as the car sped down the street.

Chapter Text

Chapter 26 - Shadows in Trophies

Yoko felt a thrill in her when she drove her motorcycle to Leo Duel School. Having Ashera by her side reminded her of the days when she prowled the streets as Shooting Star Yoko. If society didn't care for her, she would unleash justice in the way she knew how. 

Besides, she wanted to have a justified reason to punch Reiji Akaba in the face for all the grief he, his company, and his "preps-filled school" -- as a member who liked to call herself Ebony Way would say inbetween every swig of beer -- that didn't involve her getting arrested. It helped that Ashera also desired for blood as much as Yoko did.

Yoko was also glad that she kept many of the old weapons she and her fellow sukeban used in the closet. That was why she carried a bokken, along with a nail gun that she used for construction. She wasn't sure how durable the Shadows were, but hopefully the presence of a biker like herself would make them quiver in their boots. 

"Okay," Yoko said, parking her motorcycle in an alleyway a few blocks away from Leo Duel School. Then, all she had to do was put her hair down, put a baseball cap over her face, then wear a hoodie (the hoodie making sure to hide the bokken that she slipped behind her shirt; hiding it behind a dress would've been too obvious).  The standard disguise in superhero films. She even put a lollipop in her mouth to complete the image.

She swiftly walked towards the entrance and folded her arms across her chest, smiling a little when she saw Yuya, Yuto, and Yuzu arrive...and yet Yusho wasn't there at all. "Did he bail on me again? Or was there some flaw in his Duel Disk?"

"He's right here, mom," Yuya said, waving to some empty space behind him. "He's like that guy you can't see." He waved his hand in front of his face as an emphasis. 

"Ohhhh...." Yoko said with a nod of her head. "So, we ready to go?"

"Hold up," Yuya said. "Before we enter, you're going to need a codename. Something to keep your identity secret in the metaverse so there's no way Sylvio connect to us in the real world. Dad's already chosen one in Bateleur. So, what would you like to call yourself? I mean, you are  Queen of the Sirens. So either 'Queen' or 'Siren' or..."

"Your Persona has a nautical theme to go with it," Yuto commented. "Would that work?"

"Actually..." Yoko looked down at her wedding ring. "There's a legendary creature known as a Melusine who is similar to a mermaid who will give a noble everything he wanted if he fulfills a promise to leave her alone one day of the week and not look at her. But the temptation is too much, he peeks in, and sees her as a giant serpent. Angered by him breaking this vow, she turns into a dragon and leaves him. I feel like that is me in a sense; Yusho and I made vows to stay together, to never hide secrets from one another...and there he goes, vanishing and thinking I'll accept him while I'm wearing an apron, serving him a hot dish, and forgiving him because he's the man of the house and I simply need to know my place."

She had no idea of the shiver behind Yuya, not like she cared at the moment.

"So...Melusine it is," Yuya said, trying to change the subject. "With that said, are we all ready?"

"Let's do it to it!" Yuzu grinned, the gem on her bracelet shimmering. "Ready...and..."

The world around them rippled in red and black.

...

Yoko stumbled back in surprise when she noticed how the pristine duel school was now an elegant art museum, along with her back in her Phantom Thief attire. She then noticed the looks of Yuto, Yuzu, and Yuto, their eyes covered with such unique masks. "What's with the glow-up?"

"This is our Phantom Thief attire," Yuzu said. "They represent the deepest parts of ourselves, what we see as symbols of rebellion."

Yoko blinked and looked down at her tunic with almond blossoms, then felt the copper and pearl mask over her face, and pouted. "Really? I would've loved changing into my old 'Shooting Star Yoko' attire. Can I just imagine my outfit and it would -- whoa!"

She gasped as her body was covered in soft silvery light, before her tunic and cape were now a red blouse, along with a long white jacket and matching pants with combat boots to match. To accentuate the mask, there were now almond blossoms braided into her hair. Yuzu blushed while Yuto looked at Yoko wide-eyed. Yuya smiled.

"So mom's idea of a Phantom Thief is to be 'Loco Yoko', Queen of the Sirens." he said.

"And that's what I love about her!"

Yoko gasped when she felt someone touching her shoulder and turned around, face ready to clock whoever was in her personal space...but stopped when she recognized the black hair, top hat, and red suit. "Yusho? Wait, are you only manifesting in the Metaverse or whatever?"

Yusho smiled beneath his mask. "No, I was just pulling a Houdini so that Reiji's cameras can't catch me. If he finds me up and about sooner than usual, we lose our advantage in figuring out what he's really planning. And I'm having a suspicion that what he's planning involves more than creating an army of duelists."

"Hmm?"

Yuzu sighed. "I discussed this with dad last night; why is it strange that only Leo Duel School teaches classes for Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz? Why does everyone else have to pay a hefty sum just to teach this class? And then it hit me, it's intentional. He's doing this so that anyone who doesn't pay the exorbitant fees for his cards can become fodder to the Academia forces. It explains why Ryopanzaku was only capable of paying to use Fusion."

"Yuzu is right," Yuto added. "I did check up on Ryopanzaku and their best duelist can only use one Fusion monster. Compare that to Masumi's archetype of Gem-Knights and she has enough Fusion monsters for every month of the year if she wanted. Reiji is asking for more and more summoning methods even though he has three of those things."

"Three of them things?" Yusho asked.

"Three of them things," Yuya repeated, showing off three fingers.

"Regardless, he's asking for the other schools' loyalty in exchange for the cards. But if he's aware of the dimensions and trying to build an army...wouldn't it be smarter to, I don't know, have the summoning methods be open knowledge for everyone? Even if you disregard the dimensional war at our doorstep, he's probably losing lots of money because there aren't as many customers who are purchasing cards."

"Or...and hear me out," Yusho frowned. "What if he's building up on the idea that if and when Academia invades the streets, people will want to stock up on what he's selling. They'll fully invest in his message like a cult leader and sacrifice their lives for..." he paused as it settled in. "He's acting no better than his father."

That sent a chill down everyone's spine as Yuto looked ready to scream.

"Guess he's going to be one of our future targets," Yuya muttered. "But for the time being, we need to change Sylvio's heart this instant. We can't wait for a lawsuit to drop at our door after the stunt he pulled."

Yusho raised an eyebrow. "Yuya, son, I may not run a company but I did have to take college courses about business and law. Sylvio can complain all he wants, but until a plaintiff walks up to our door and has utmost proof that he was struck with 'emotional damage', the worst that can happen is to pay him a huge sum of money."

"And my Pendulums!" Yuzu stated. "This is all Reiji's fault for being a three-headed monster who screams 'Gimme gimme gimme!' without recognizing that he's the richest man in the entire world! Why does he want more?"

Guys, as much as I'd like to interrupt this very deep talk about businesses and dark money...Joey said, descending from above. I think you should work on getting that treasure like...right now! Security levels are super high, and it's gonna take everything you have in order to survive. Ya got yer weapons on you?

Yuya, Yuto, and Yuzu brandished their weapons. Yoko pulled out the bokken from behind her back. Yusho had a cane ready.

"You sure that cane is going to be enough?" Yuya asked. "Don't you have a ranged weapon or the like?"

"I do, actually," Yusho replied. "Do you see anything...different about this cane?"

Yuya blinked and then noticed the top of the cane wasn't the blue orb that it was originally. "Whoa! You modified your cane to become a gun?"

"Actually I had to ask Shuzo for help in purchasing this from his friend," Yusho chuckled. "In return for some karaoke..."

"Oh noooo..." Yuto groaned, grasping at his face.

"But this should do the trick," Yusho continued. "All right, Yuya. We'll follow your lead. Where do we start?"

----

"Wait, the statue is gone?!"

Arlequin looked in shock at the trophy room missing the Blue Eyes White Dragon statue. It had been a long trek back here, given that he had to wait for his father to catch up with that bad leg of his, and the security was on high alert. It didn't take long for his mom and dad to unleash Light attacks with Ashera and Darkness for Houdin, along with some buffs to increase defense and evasion, but there was no telling how much longer it would take to find that damned Treasure. All that was left was some sort of red and black seed which, when taken,

"I have to be the best! I need to be top of my division! Mom and Dad are expecting me to take over the world of Duel Monsters while they take care of dominating the worlds of Politics and Business. And only then I'll..."

Arlequin blinked as he heard Sylvio's voice fade away in his mind. It was a different side of Sylvio to be sure, but that didn't justify what he did. Was being the best meaning murdering others and putting other schools out of business to salvage your pride?

Melusine knew the look on her son's face and that on Batelur's. "It's easy to think negatively of others and one bad past doesn't necessarily mean forgiven. Once we take his heart, maybe things will change."

"Didn't know he had a mother though," Bloom remarked. "Might wanna look that up in the future."

This is gonna suck! Joey groaned, grasping his head in annoyance. Ol' Moneybags is gonna kill me if I don't free him in time!

"'Moneybags'?" Revenant questioned.

Magikuriboh squeaked. That's what Joey calls an old...ally of ours. Because he's full of money, richer than Reiji Akaba and a lot smarter when it comes to making business transactions. Even he would be appalled with how Reiji is limiting the amount of customers with how he limits the advanced Duel Monster courses to his students.

The five thieves blinked at the Magikuriboh speaking complete sentences. Joey nodded.

Yeah, Yugi is only able to speak while he's in the Metaverse. But once we get this Treasure, I'm sure he'll be able to speak in the real world as well. An added benefit is that anyone who has also been in the Metaverse will be able to see and talk with us.

"Explains why the kids and Shuzo could see you but Yuri didn't," Bloom remarked. "But for the time being, let's focus on the new location of the Treasure. We still have that broken lance from last time, but we have no place to use it. What else haven't we tried?"

"The room with the Mobius the Frost Monarch statue," Revenant answered, pulling out the map. "Mobius the Frost Monarch was the monster Sylvio wanted to se as his ace because of how it could destroy up to two Spell or Trap Cards on the field."

"And what are Pendulum Monsters but Spell Cards when you place them on the Pendulum Scale?" Arlequin gasped, putting the pieces together. "Damn, Sylvio is smarter than we give him credit for."

"But given how quick he is to give up a deck after one loss, it seems as if he'll be tossing that Monarch deck to the trash," Melusine muttered. "Such a shame; I heard Monarchs are pretty solid for an archetype that doesn't use the Extra Deck to kick someone's ass."

"I bet he'll just ditch the deck for Pendulums when Reiji finally has enough archetypes printed. And then he'll dump that deck when he loses it one time. Such a wishy-washy waste of talent," Revenant muttered.

Uh, guys, back to Mobius please. Joey reminded them.

"Right," Arlequin said. "We have to go down here...and make a left there...and that'll take us to the Mobius Room. Any objections?"

Yusho grimaces as a trio of Succubi flying towards them. "I think they have objections."

A succubus giggled as she flew towards Yusho, ready to give him a kiss on the cheek. Yusho chuckled, twirling around and dancing with her while the teen Arc Phantoms looked shock and Melusine prepared the Nailgun. Suddenly, Yusho pointed his gun and fired two shots and two of the succubi, leaving one to fall to her knees.

Please spare me! She said. I know a way to help you out.

"Really now?" Arlequin answered.

Yes. But why are you even traversing this place anyhow? Are you trying to save the world or something?

"That's right," Arlequin replied. "We can't save the world just yet, but we'll try to rally the troops so we're in this together. And if you join us, we will have a place for you to fly about and entertain the kiddies there! And you'll play an important part in saving the dimensions as well."

That sounds amazing...something that I'd love to do in the past. Succubus smiled and cupped Arlequin's chin. Very well. I, Succubus, shall join in this game, especially if the leader of this ragtag group of heroes is cute as you.

Succubus gave Arlequin a kiss on the cheek before she faded and was replaced with a mask. Arlequin smiled as he placed the mask over his face, sensing the powers of Succubus in his fingertips.

"Smooth," Melusine smirked. "I guess having high levels of charm is a requirement in the Sakaki family."

"Now let's get back to the Mobius statue," Bloom noted, bat at the ready. "Hope you don't mind a bit of exercise."  

----

Melusine had to admit, she hadn't had much excitement since she was sneaking into the headquarters of fellow gangs at night. It was a thrill of breaking the rules, giving a middle finger to the politicians in their seats who cared so little about the rats scurrying down the sidewalk, and cause as much anarchy as possible. She had no regrets swapping her biker coat and pants for some mom jeans, but she wanted to have another chance to become Queen of the Sirens once more.

Slicing enemies down with her bokken or launching nails like a gatling gun. Seeing her Persona unleash light attacks or watch Bloom and Revenant cast fire and lightning with a snap of their fingers. Watching her husband and son putting out the old Sakaki charm to woo the Shadows to either join them, give them money, or a handy healing item. Where was this Metaverse been all her life?

Melusine turned her attention towards the entrance to the Mobius room which, true to its name, had a large statue of Mobius the Frost Monarch in the center. On the walls of the room were pictures of Sylvio laughing in glee as he commanded his goons to tie Yuzu and Yuya to crosses to be...

She didn't get a chance to see what happened next as Bloom asked her Persona to set the pictures on fire. One that had Yuya and Yuzu scrubbing the floors of Sylvio's mansion in maid and butler outfits was broken in half over Arlequin's knee. She couldn't really blame them for the anger; that would be something Sylvio and Reiji would've pulled off.

Melusine turned to Bateleur, noticing that his hands were trembling. "It wasn't your fault; you had no idea how far Reiji would've gone."

"I still have a huge hand in shaping Reiji's behavior," Bateleur admitted.  "If I was there to steer him towards the truth, none of this would've happened. On his business card he's a CEO, in his mind he's a duelist...but in his heart, he's a scared little boy who has no idea what to do over having to fight his own father. No child should ever go through that phase."

Melusine nodded as she watched her son, Bloom, and Revenant try to pick the lock of a chest. "I understand. But truly, I don't think there was anything you could've done to change his mind. He's stubborn, he follows the beat of his own drum. He didn't care for peace over power but power over peace. Nothing mattered except the total annihilation of his father's army. But that also leads me to something suspicious."

"What's that?" 

Melusine sighed. "I did research about Leo Corp's acquisitions of numerous Duel Schools over the years. They don't paint a good picture of someone who wants what is 'best' for the little people. There are rumors that owners ended up having some sort of shutdown or lost their minds whenever they refused to give up their blood, sweat, and tears. It's downright supernatural. Normally it seems like a coincidence...but then I had a thought. A really scary thought."

"What's that?"

Melusine placed a hand on her mask. "What if Reiji has a Persona? He didn't seem that shocked when Yuya...Arlequin...summoned Dionysus. Perhaps he's already acquainted with this type of phenomena. If that's the case, I can only imagine a lot of trouble for us in the near future."

"I understand where that fear is coming from," Bateleur sighed. "In fact, I do have a challenge for Reiji and his precious champion after this heist is over."

"Oh?" Melusine said with a raised eyebrow. "And you're going to beat Sledgehammer's monsters like a pound cake?"

"You know me so well."

Melusine chuckled as she saw the teen Arc Phantoms exhausted from destroying everything in the Mobius room except, obviously, the statue itself. It amazed her how security hasn't arrived to throw them out of the Palace. "So, got it out of your system?" she asked.

"Pretty much," Arlequin answered. "Not like Sylvio is gonna know of our arson anyhow."

"But we found nothing inside or behind the paintings," Revenant said. "So that leaves..."

The five looked at the Mobius the Frost Monarch statue and smirked. Easy peasy.

GERONIMO!!! Joey whooped as he descended from above, his lance, combined with the spear head from yesterday, piercing the heart of Mobius. The statue cracked, light seeping from within the marble it was carved from. Then, it collapsed into multiple chunks of stone, revealing a lever with a large red knob.

"Perfect!" Bloom said, grabbing the lever and pushing it back. The room began to quake as one of the walls slid open, revealing a secret chamber. Arlequin poked his head inside, shivering at the images of himself and Revenant with their eyes scribbled out. Along with the Blue Eyes White Dragon immobilized, still holding the treasure in its claws, around Arlequin's size.

"This is it!" Bateleur breathed. "But what about the dragon?"

Joey thoughtfully stared at the dragon and sighed, shaking his head. You stupid moneybags.

The white dragon growled sharply at the remark. Joey chuckled and pet the dragon's snout. Ya know I'm messing with you. And hey, I brought Yuge here as well!

The Magikuriboh cooed and hopped out of Joey's arms and landed on the dragon's head. The dragon let out another annoyed growl.

"So, do we need to fire another Zio at him?" Bloom asked.

"Pretty much," Revenant said, asking Nemesis to fire another lightning bolt around the dragon. The lightning made the dragon's scale sparkle and shine as it unfurled its majestic wings, making everyone gasp and the Magikuriboh's eyes sparkle like stars as they bounced back into Joey's arms.

"I wonder what the treasure looks like!" Bloom gasped, seeing the glowing light in the dragon's claws fading away. There was now a large, golden crystal star-shaped trophy with his name on it.

"Of course he'd want to see himself as a superstar," Bateleur replied, reaching out to grab the treasure. But the dragon snarled, ready to lash out at the magician with its claws.

Calm down, moneybags! Joey said, hands in the air. They're with us. And besides, two of the kiddos have dragons as well!

The Blue Eyes White Dragon leaned close, sniffing Arlequin and Revenant. It growled softly as it began shrinking into a human form, similar to Joey. Silver coat and matching dragon head mask, long red hair, long black gloves, a black shirt that emphasized his abs, and long black boots.

Bloom blushed while Arlequin and Revenant growled softly. They turned to one another, blinking behind their masks. The same white-dragon helmed warrior approached Joey, trophy in hand...and clonked Joey upside the head.

Ow! What did I do this time, Kaiba? Joey questioned.

Kaiba scowled. What took you so long?! You left me alone to be...manhandled by that megalomaniac!

Joey rolled his eyes. Excuse me, this is coming from the guy with the dragon jet and the dragon themed arena and your stupid superhero gimmick! You're lucky that I'm one of the only people who can tolerate ya.

Kaiba snorted as he quickly pinned Joey to the wall, dropping the trophy to the ground with a clunk. You're lucky that I'm more pissed off at Sylvio than you.

The kids looked in shock. Arlequin covering his mouth, Revenant his eyes, Bloom her ears. Melusine raised an eyebrow and Bateleur nodded his forehead.

"GET A ROOM!" Bloom screamed.

"Kuri!!!" Magikuiriboh agreed.

"The lady is right," Bateleur said. "Let's get this treasure before the guards get on our tail."

"Right...just need to...ugh! This is...heavy!" Arlequin grunted, doing his best to lift the trophy with all his might. "Guys...little help?"

Bloom and Revenant quickly picked up the base of the trophy, the three lifting it at least one inch off the ground while slowly walking towards the exit. Melusine raised an eyebrow.

"What's wrong now, my dove?" Bateleur questioned.

"Oh nothing," Melusine said. "Except I have a feeling that this is all going down a little too easy for my liking.

Chapter Text

Chapter 27 - Shadows in Hubris

"What...is this...made of?" Arlequin wheezed as he, Bloom, and Nemesis continued to carry the trophy out of the Mobius Room, down the halls while the older Arc Phantoms used their guns to knock down any Shadows that would swoop in when the trio were vulnerable. She got to hear Joey bickering with "Moneybags" while magikuriboh giggled and cooed at the bickering, as if this was a common occurrence. The idea that the three were apparently duelists in the old world intrigued her. How did they duel in the past? What archetypes were available then? Heck, who created Duel Monsters back then? It really made her consider her place in the universe and of the dimensions more and more.

They were almost out, finally inching closer and closer to the entrance of the museum ...and that's when Melusine realized the reason why it was so easy.

"There you are, you little rats!"

And suddenly, a giant dart struck the trophy, causing it to fall onto the floor. Before Arlequin could pick it up, he sensed something about to strike him down, ducking just as another large dart, the size of a lance, nearly nicked off some of his hair. He scrambled towards the trophy, only for a foot to stomp on it.

Well, well, well... Shadow Sylvio said, lugging the trophy over his shoulder as if it was weighed as light as a feather pillow. The Losers of You Show coming in to steal my treasure? How low of you.

"You stole Arlequin's cards first, you prick!" Bloom barked back. "You almost made Reiji steal You Show Duel School as well!"

"He what?" Bateleur questioned.

Shadow Sylvio sneered. Steal? Oh no, I simply borrowed them. Yuya gave me permission to use them as I see fit.

"I did not!" Arlequin snapped. 

Deny it all you want, it was your choice to hand them over to me. After all, who would be stupid to freely show off such rare and valuable cards to just anybody?

Bateleur frowned. "Was this all by your own volition or did Reiji force you to pull this stunt?"

Shadow Sylvio clicked his teeth. Reiji gave me an order and I followed through with it! And that makes me better than all of you!

"Hardly," Revenant scoffed. "It makes you the same as the soldiers I dueled back in my dimension. Some mindless soulless being whose cards lack spirit, whose strategies are cookie cutter, whose voice and grin are nauseating!"

Shadow Sylvio's eye twitched. 

"You're nothing special," Bloom continued. "You never were anything special, and you will never be anything special."

 Then why is Yuya the one with the Pendulum cards? Did anyone notice that he had them?! Shadow Sylvio snapped. 

The five thieves paused, so did three spirits. That...was a good question.

You can't be strong, you have to be smart! Shadow Sylvio ranted. And you can't just have the cards, you have to be worthy of them! And only the strong, those from Leo Duel School deserve that power!

Shadow Sylvio began glowing, shifting, muscles bulging everywhere. And underneath his arms grew an additional pair. Soon enough, he was at least four times taller than Bateleur himself, his upper arms holding onto the trophy, while the lower arms carried two darts the size of marble columns. 

"So that's how you're gonna play, huh?" Melusine snarled, bokken ready. "Let's go then!"

"It's Showtime, Arc Phantoms!" Arlequin declared, a smirk on his face.

Joey and Kaiba nodded their heads as they swiftly shifted into dragon form, flying into the air to distract Shadow Sylvio. Magikuriboh was ready to fire some magical attacks in the hulking shadow's eyes. Shadow Sylvio grinned.

Oh, you want a performace. How about I give you one!

He snapped his fingers and five shadows emerged in front of Sylvio, dressed in pristine white tunics. On closer look, they resembled Yuya, Yuzu, Masumi, Hokuto, and Yaiba. Gospel-like music began blaring from the speakers.

"Oh no, did this become a musical?" Bloom groaned.

Shadow Yuya: Bless my soul, Sylvie's on a roll!

Shadow Yuzu: Duelist of the week in every week opinion poll!

Shadow Masumi: What a pro! Sylvie can stop a show!

Shadow Hokuto: Point him at a monster and you're talking SRO!

Revenant looked annoyed. "Okay can we just start the fight or..."

Shadow Yaiba: He was a no one! 

Shadow Yuya/Yuzu: A zero, zero!

Shadow Masumi: Now he's a honcho, he's a hero!

Shadow Yaiba: He was a kid with his act down pat! 

All Muses: Zero to hero in no time flat! Zero to hero -- 

Shadow Yuya: Just like -- 

The verse was cut short when the muses saw a large boulder crushing them utterly.

The trophy in his hands started to glow in a soft blue light. The Arc Phantoms looked in horror as the cracks and scorch marks around Sylvio's marble body began to heal.

"Of course," Melusine frowned. "So long as he has his ego to fall back on, he'll double down on his actions. We need to get that trophy away from him!"

"Then we need someone to knock it out of his hands while we distract him," Arlequin agreed. "Bateleur is a no-go because of that leg of his."

"You want me to do it?" Melusine asked. "The last thing he needs is one of my patented Mom Bombs to knock him off his pedestal."

"Or what about me?" Revenant suggested. "I'm at fault for what happened by challenging him."

"I can do it!" Bloom grinned. "I beat Sylvio's ass in a duel, I'll love the catharsis of laying the final blow on his  Shadow as well!"

Arlequin hummed; all of them were really good picks and he needed to do all he could. But then he thought about it more realistically. Melusine could buff his defense and attack. Bloom had the healing magic. And realistically, given Revenant's challenge is what spiraled into this madness...

"Revenant, it's your turn to shine," Arlequin said, placing a hand on his dark counterpart's shoulder.

Revenant nodded as he raced towards a pillar at the corner. He recalled all those days in PE when he had to climb a fifteen foot rope and ring a bell. This was no different.

I'm not letting losers like you take the spotlight I rightfully deserve! Shadow Sylvio screeched as a copy of Mobius the Frost Monarch descended from the sky, The icy titan summoned a blizzard that froze Melusine in her place. Bateleur frowned.

And I ESPECIALLY hate cheerleaders whose only words of encouragement are constantly repeating their boyfriend's name over and over again! Shadow Sylvio added, concentrating his darts on Bloom. Yuya Yuya Yuya! It's so nauseating that it's the only word in your vocabulary!

Chapter Text

Chapter 28 - Shadows in Parents

After Yusho used his invisibility to hide his presence, the Sakaki family walked all the way home, staring at the setting sun in thought. In the future, an army will come to march the streets of Maiami City, and it would be up to them to protect the citizens from being turned into cards.

Yoko knew that she was going to spend the next few nights ringing up her old Sirens to prepare for any signs of soldiers in blue uniforms and silver masks marching upon the streets. She knew that many of them were itching for a fight, and their kids would want to join their mommies for some parent-child bonding. She also needed to talk to Yusho about what he planned to do in Maiami City and how long he'd be here. He mentioned that he was leaving behind numerous students in Fusion to defend themselves while Akaba completely decimated his elite force because he found them to not fit his standards, but she knew that he was in no condition to go back to them. Especially with that leg of his. Physical therapy was in order, along with some homecooked meals to make him regain his lost strength. A phone call to one Michiyo Mikota was in top order.

"Okay, you two," Yoko said, once the three returned home and Yusho removed the invisibility. "First order of business, what would you like for dinner?"

"Ooh, can you make katsudon tonight?" Yuya pleaded. He loved how his mom made sure to double coat the pork with egg and panko breadcrums to make it extra crunchy. He gave her such pleading red eyes as he begged of this, making Yoko laugh.

"Only if you allow me to cook miso-grilled eggplant to go with it," she said. It was time for her to step away from being a Phantom Thief and just be the woman of the house. "But before I cook...we need a talk about what we want to do in the future. Yusho is going to have to reveal himself to Reiji and the world sooner or later. And truthfully, I don't think he's ready to lead an army to war with that leg of his."

Yusho nodded. "I feel bad for having to put this on you two. I should be the one taking care of you instead."

"We'll take care of one another, that's what families do," Yuya whispered. He couldn't be angry with his father anymore. "But mom is right about Reiji, though. We need to find a way for You Show to truly rise like the phoenix and it all starts with you."

Yusho hummed. "This all started because I didn't give The Sledgehammer our long-awaited championship duel, right?"

"Don't tell me, you want to fight The Sledgehammer in your condition?"

"It's the only way to redeem myself in the eyes of the public," Yusho said. "And besides, I really want to see how he's measured up since I left."

"Safe to say that he didn't level up like you did," Yoko noted. "Now that I know the basics of Xyz, I can see that he missed a good opportunity of Xyz summoning a Rank 5 monster with his two Battleguards."

"Where is The Sledgehammer now?" Yusho said. "Up in his penthouse apartment? Hitting the gym?"

That was a good question. After the exhibition duel with Yuya, no one had seen hide nor hair of the former champion. He hadn't been posting anything on his social media accounts either. Not even a congratulatory message for Yuya's unexpected victory.

"He's probably off licking his wounds," Yoko pondered. "Or perhaps he's doing some extra training in order to combat Yuya's Pendulums. Any former champion worth their salt would do that."

Yusho nodded. "Then it's settled. It seems like the only way to truly get Reiji's attention is to put on a show! Can I count on you two to help me prepare until the big day?"

"We made a vow to be together in sickness and in health," Yoko smiled. "If it'll give us a fighting chance, let's do it."

"Same with me, dad!" Yuya smiled. "And besides, I really wanna see what type of combos you've cooked up since we last saw each other. But wait, do you still have your old Performapal deck on you?"

"I do," Yusho said, pulling out a deck from his pocket. He flipped the first card over. Yuya couldn't believe his eyes. Performapal Sky Magician. "But, if I'm going to be honest, it's not mine for me to use anymore."

"What?!" Yuya gasped. Bad enough to learn that his father would have to retire from Action Dueling for good, but to give up his deck. "But dad..."

"I can't be the performer I am at this point," Yusho said with a sigh. "When the dimensions no longer have to worry about Akaba's plans, when we can smile for the future ahead of us, that is when I will draw cards from this deck. Until then, I want you to hold onto it."

Yuya felt his heart leap out of his chest as Yusho pushed the deck towards him. "No...I can't take this! Dad, this isn't..."

"This is non-negotiable, Yuya!" Yusho snapped. "I know that you will be able to use these cards better than I can. These Pendulums were gifted to you for a reason, and that was to expand what we know of Duel Monsters to the beyond. "I'm putting my faith, my hope, in you. I can't give you more than that."

"You can always teach him what you know about Xyz," Yoko remarked. "And in truth, it's about time I start learning a method of my own. Given that we have two Xyz users in the house, how about I go with Synchro? We don't have a dedicated Synchro user yet."

"That's a great idea!" Yuya said. "I think Gongenzaka texted me a while back that he also wants to try Synchro as well because you don't need a Spell Card to summon a monster from the Extra Deck. Oh wait, should I tell him that dad is back?"

"He'll figure it out on his own," Yusho chuckled. "That boy is a friend indeed, more valuable than a dragon that can rip and tear till nothing is left."

(Yuya softly heard a dragon growling in his head. Was that Odd-Eyes?)

Yoko sighed and shook her head. "We're not pushing you to take your father's deck up as your own. We know that this is a lot on your plate. But know that whenever you feel unsure on what to do, if you need someone to listen to you while you cry out, you can always count on us. We're here for you, Yuya."

Yuya sniffled as he wrapped his arms around his parents, heart even lighter than before. This was what he wanted more than anything. More than money, more than powerful cards. All that he ever wanted was to be with his family again.

As his parents returned the embrace, Yuya looked up to see two Tarot cards. The Empress for his mother and The Sun for his father. A nurturing feminine figure and someone who radiates with success and positivity. He couldn't ask for more.

"Well then," Yoko said, after they hugged it out for three minutes. "Hugs don't put food on the table. Who wants to help me cook tonight?"

"I do, I do!" Yuya said, raising his hand.

Yusho smiled as he saw his wife and son wash their hands and prep for dinner. Somehow he felt like the luckiest man in the world.

-----

Reiji should've felt like the luckiest man in the world.

A teenage CEO prodigy, master of three extra deck methods, head of the strongest chain of Duel Schools in the world with a winning streak that was unbeatable....suddenly swamped with lawsuits and bested by a housewife in jeans who was ready to hunt him down and obliterate everything he had ever loved. And she meant it.

Worse, that little stunt with Yuzu and Yuya summoning those Persona were on his mind. It wasn't possible for the likes of them to suddenly gain such power. What made them so special? Of all the schools in Maiami City that had to be blessed with such power and coincidence, it was You Show.

These thoughts circled his head as he and his mother sat across from one another at the restaurant they decided to visit tonight. Hanged Man. Neither he nor his mother ever ate at a restaurant; they had a personal chef to take care of their nutritional needs. Eating out felt like a waste of time and money to them; why go out to eat when you can just make the food yourself? Grocery stores and food companies were always peddling "Do it at home" meal kits. Any middle-class family can make their own sukiyaki at home.

Reiji himself poked at the last piece of tofu dengaku on the plate, more fixated than that than his mother's icy gaze on him. He knew what she was going to say.

"How's your little transaction with You Show going?" she sneered.

Reiji looked up and glared at his mother stabbing a piece of chicken on her plate. Her eyes were on her son's own like a predator slithering in the grass. "Three years, three years we have worked on this project only to be blocked because of that delinquent housewife arriving at quite a very convenient moment and by sheer coincidence, encountered the Yuya from the Xyz dimension. This seems too good to be true...almost as if someone or some thing specifically set it up for us to get our karma."

"This isn't a horror story, mother," Reiji remarked. He once heard a rumor that a pair of siblings in a pharmaceutical business had their entire family killed off by some unusual circumstances. Almost as if there was a curse put upon them. But rumors are rumors; not worth their salt to sprinkle on his food (not that he liked salty foods anyhow). "It just happened to be..."

"What? An act of God?"

"There is no God! That's why I stepped in!" Reiji snapped, slamming his fists on the table. No one bothered to turn around to gawk at him. He would glare at them right back by drawing in an uncomfortable silence that people would all but beg for him to stop looking at him like that. "Because if there was a creator deity around, they would have given me the answers on how to stop my father, instead of forcing me to cobble up this army with little to no prep time! Have you seen the way the students of Leo Duel School fight?"

Himika had. Individually, the students were at the top of their class. But when it came to working together, well it was near impossible. There were only two groups of three who were able to work together without butting heads or pointing fingers. The first one, obviously, were Masumi, Yaiba, and Hokuto. They was solidarity in the trio but the problem was that they like to focus on one main attacker, which doesn't work if the opposition could cripple them with a simple Spell or Trap Card.

The second trio were just as consistent as Leo Duel School's Golden Trio and acted as a mirror to the latter. One female, two males. One who used Fusion, one who used Synchro, one who used Xyz. The camaraderie between them were close, almost like siblings (which was kinda justified since all three of them were orphans who were coincidentally adopted by the same person), and seemed to have an innate mastery of the summonings without ever having to take the introductory course. Almost as if they were duelists in a past life.

Himika shook her head at the thought. Past lives and reincarnations don't exist. If they did, she'd like to find the first spiritualist that allowed her to travel into the past to see who the hell she was to marry a man as cold and heartless as her husband.

"Regardless, " Himika continued as the waiter finally arrived with her son's dish. A small rice bowl topped with simmered beef and tofu. Reiji didn't have time to eat large meals. He had a company to run, after all. Something with a large amount of protein in a bowl would be his go-to meal outside coffee and sandwiches. "We need to ensure that You Show's development in Pendulum and Persona is delivered to our doorstep. We were lucky that Sylvio's arrogance was used to our advantage. We have hundreds of social media accounts to glean over for data regarding Yuzu Hiragi's unexpected possession of Pendulum."

Reiji grunted. He saw how much Yuzu had grown. While her win-loss streak was slightly better than Yuya's pre-Pendulum, she still faltered due to how she was stuck with Tribute. But Yuzu's use of Pendulum was unique than Yuya's way of doing so. She didn't use it to set the Pendulum Scale. Rather she used the monster effects of the Pendulums to facilitate an Xyz Summon. He had a peculiar feeling where Yuzu was granted such powerful Rank 7 and 8 Xyz monsters...

"We need to draw You Show out in the open in a way that doesn't look like we're targeting them," Reiji said, stabbing one of the tofu squares with a fork. "But with the threat of lawsuits and students from all branches of Leo Duel School threatening to pull out, that's easier said than done."

"And then there's that little pet project of yours," Himika noted. "Have you made any progress manifesting other heroes of legend? Are you trying to follow in the footsteps of Alexander the Great to have all dimensions united and pacified?"

"I can think about that once my father is locked in a padded cell for the rest of his days," Reiji grumbled. "But I can assure you that the first of my idols is ready to go."

"Are they? I can't keep making excuses for them, you know."

"Trust me," Reiji said, bringing the tofu to his mouth with a smile. "Once my idols take the stage, those Arc Phantoms will fade away and classify themselves as obsolete."

Himika hated that condescending smirk, inherited from his father. She sees it at every guy at work, particularly from the Board of Directors. The Suits, for there were ten of them like cards in a playing deck. They were getting quite testy that profits had been stagnating because there weren't a lot of schools to purchase the permissions to teach, and therefore use, the Extra Deck methods. There was a high demand and a high supply but the fines weren't worth it.

But Himika has seen the records of the top three duelists of each Duel School. Aside from Ryozanpankan school with its use of Fusion, no one has been able to match the same strength and ferocity in dueling. All of them were stuck with some shitty gimmicks like quiz shows, cooking, rollerskates...all because Yusho believing that duelists should be able to unleash their "true selves" while in dueling. Let's see how those will work if they were forced to duel for their lives. If they see dueling as nothing but a game, then they have no worth in being part of something far greater than their selfish desires of identity and purpose.

So what if one school was becoming stronger? You Show only had three students and three cheerleaders. Reira could defeat those little brats with one Extra Deck method each! Their training and leveling up was too little too late. But as much as Himika wanted them gone, they were necessary. All that was needed was to give them a little push in the direction that will lead them to becoming the icons of the resistance. Like Joan of Arc coming back for more.

"Do you have a Plan B?" Himika inquired.

Reiji grinned. "There's always a Plan B, mother."

----

Nakajima (which was one of many alias he used in the past. Back when he served in Europe, he went by "Claude"), was currently in a phone call with a shady man in a suit, glasses and dark brown hair. It had taken him quite some time to make an appointment with the shady detective, but if the rumors were true, this guy was very good at his job.

He had no idea why Reiji wanted this guy to be involved in whatever schemes were connected to You Show. From what Nakajima has seen, outside the footage of those "Persona", the kids had squeaky clean records. Yuya was a clown with average grades, Yuzu had a bit of a temper and a tendency to smack people with a harisen. Shuzo was the bumbling coach dad, Yoko was the typical housewife with a love of cute animals (outside that history of hers being the legendary Queen of the Sirens. He never mentioned this to Reiji but they did tussle once. Just once. She broke his $500 sunglasses, that asshole!) The kids were from normal families but recently made purchases for decks that were for older children. Better jot that down and have Himika increase Reira's training. He had a funny feeling that Reira could be pulled away by those kids' infectious smiles.

Regardless, he had a job to do as the shadowy servant of the Demon Prince. And that was to finalize a deal with Mr...Zengata, was it?

"Nakajima." The Shady Detective on the other line said, adjusting his glasses. "You seem to be spacing out. Anything the matter?"

Nakajima shook his head. "Nothing of the sort. I just need to know when you will be arriving to Maiami City to begin your investigations."

"I'll be arriving in a few days," The Shady Detective answered. "My assistant and I just need to scour for some more information until then. You'll also be wiring my usual fee into my bank account as well?"

"Absolutely. Leo Corp. shares no expense to get the job done."

"And yet you couldn't have shared a bit of time to ask a child to look at the cards instead of stealing them?"

"...Just fulfill your end of the bargain." Nakajima growled.

"Will do. Inspector Hasegawa out."

The call ended as Nakajima then turned to the other person in the room, staring at him with golden eyes. "And you're sure this man is legit?"

"Zenkichi Hasegawa, or 'The Wolf', as he's called in some circles, never misses a target," Nakajima explained. "If we want answers as to what's brewing in You Show, he's our man. Plus, his skills will also be useful when it comes to rescuing your sister."

Shun clenched his teeth. Yuto was so focused on You Show these days, with that pink haired girl with Ruri's face always with him. How...why...didn't Yuto recognize that Ruri was missing? Kidnapped?! And yet he's getting close to students associated to Yusho?

A part of him was trying to justify Yuto's actions by having his friend go undercover. But if that was the truth, why wasn't Yuto not messaging him about it? Did Yuzu brainwash him or something?!

Shun shook his head. Screw Yuto, screw Yuzu, Yuya, You Show and everyone who wants to duel for smiles! He's going to become a lone wolf confronting the evil, hunting them down till there was nothing left.

Shun inhaled, curling and uncurling his fists. Now was not the time to become hot-headed. "So, what else can you tell me about this Zenkichi?"

----

Zenkichi Hasegawa set his phone down and sighed. Across from him was a young girl with brown hair cooking some okonomiyaki for them both. Here he was, off to celebrate his daughter's birthday and now he was being pulled into another job. Normally, he'd refuse the offer from this third-rate rich boy who's reputation was sinking faster the Titanic, but the video feeds Nakajima emailed him and the strange coincidences circling You Show had him intrigued.

"You have another mission, don't you?" The girl said calmly, dressed in a black school uniform and her bangs tucked back by a red hair clip.

"Unfortunately," Zenkichi sighed, tapping on one of the apps on his phone. "I'm sorry, Akane."

"..."

Calculating a way to make sure his daughter didn't get angry on her special day, Zenkichi immediately had an idea. "Tell you what, how about I have you join me when we go to Maiami City? I know you have a huge crush on Yuya Sakaki."

"...What are you implying?" Akane said, voice mixed with suspicion and curiosity. It's true that she loved seeing Yuya duel against The Sledgehammer in his jester outfit and his Pendulum Summoning. She was also one of the few people in the world who didn't believe in those lies that Yusho was a coward. 

"It just so happened that I got you something special for your birthday," Zenkichi continued, moving to the left to show a black paper bag decorated with a red bow on the side. "Got this with a little help from my friend."

Akane was curious as she took the bag into her hands. She stuck her hand into the bag and gasped at what she felt. She pulled out a deck of cards, the one at the bottom making her eyes widen. "No way...is this what I think it is?"

"It is. Sophie was the one who picked the best cards to go with the archetype. What do you say about you going to challenge Yuya in the future?"

"Me? Getting a chance to duel Yuya Sakaki?" Akane said, eyes sparkly. "T...that's the greatest birthday gift ever! Thank you Sophie!"

Zenkichi's phone beeped.

"Praise accepted!" Chirped the voice of a young girl with bright blue eyes and red braided pigtails. She hummed a tune to herself.

Akane kept staring at her cards in awe as Zenkichi looked down at Sophie's face. "Any info on our targets?"

"I've got plenty of information, Zenkichi." Sophie replied. "Would you like to compile that into a file for later?"

"Absolutely. Reiji Akaba being exposed like this after so long has become quite suspicious...kinda like those siblings at the pharmaceutical company."

"The fall of the House of Usher was tragic, but no one will ever connect the dots that you were the one who exposed their corruption." Sophie mentioned. 

"And I like to keep it that way. Anyhow, keep me posted on Reiji's dirty laundry will you."

"Will do, Zenkichi. Although, there's another more important matter to keep you posted on."

"....?"

"Ah! Crap! Our food's burning!" Akane yelped.

Zenkichi shouted as he noticed the burnt cabbage pancake between them and did his best to salvage it. Right. Food first, work later.

Chapter Text

Chapter 29 - Shadows in Velvet

Yusho smiles, sensing the hidden excitement in his second-in-command. The energy flowing through her invigorated him. Nothing like suspense making even the skeptics of an audience having no choice but to lean in close so not to miss what the performer has to say. He jubilantly waves hello to the guard keeping watch then pushes the door to his son's interrogation room with a smile, not even commenting on observing a bored Yuya performing handstands in a circle.

"Good morning, starshine!" Yusho greets. "The Earth says 'Hello'!"

Yuya looks up, performs a back-flip and seats himself on the chair, hands folded in front of him like a good schoolboy. "Morning sensei!"

Alexis has to stifle some laughter at father and son acting like...well, father and son. It makes her miss her older brother and his laid-back attitude. But then she shakes her head. She has to remember that behind these masks of lovable jesters were diabolical masterminds who can change the hearts of the masses with a snap of their fingers.

"I'm sure you're doing well," Alexis notes. "Do you want anything for breakfast? I may be former Academia, but I'm not that cruel to starve the enemy."

"Omelet fried rice!" Yuya pleads. "My mother makes the best omelet fried rice ever. With fluffy eggs and bacon and a cute ketchup smiley face on top! I'm sure this place has eggs and rice, right? An army marches on its stomach although I wonder how many shipments are delivered here each day."

Alexis goes to the guard and gives the orders, then watches them head down the hallway. "Okay. So while we wait for your breakfast, let's get to the next target of the Arc Phantoms. The Sledgehammer."

"But don't you want to learn what happened to Sylvio first?" Yuya questioned. "Patience always comes to women but never comes to men."

"Because I want to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible," Alexis answers. "And besides, from what I heard of the timeline, the situation with Sylvio's change of heart arrived after The Sledgehammer had been thoroughly beaten to the ground."

And truthfully. she thinks to herself. I want to know more about the Persona, a way to unlock mine if possible. There's no way that Yuya, his father, and those connected to him are the only ones with Personas. Those from Standard and Xyz obtained them easily, but there's no information about Persona uses in Synchro and especially in Fusion. There should be at least one member of the Academia Resistance who can knock Obelisk Force away. I can feel it within my very soul...a Persona just for me...

The look in Alexis's eyes concerns Yusho. "Alexis, is something wrong?"

Alexis snaps out of her thoughts. "It's nothing. Let's get this over with."

"Gladly!" Yuya says, clapping his hands. "After dinner and watching Dick Van Dyke dancing with his Ol' Bamboo, I went to sleep feeling like the luckiest boy in the world. But there was still something still lingering in my head..."  

----

Yuto wasn't coming back to the Sakaki residence.

Yuya frowned. He liked having Yuto sleep in his room, making it feel less lonely when there was a house filled with three humans instead of two. He knew that he was with Yuzu again so Yuya could have some space with his dad, but it didn't get rid of this feeling in his heart that Yuto and Yuzu were hooked up and having a relationship behind his back. 

He shouldn't feel jealous, but it seemingly felt unfair. He knew Yuzu the longest. Yuto only knew her a few months. He's only there with Yuzu because she's just a mirror to Ruri. And yes, Yuzu was always kind and compassionate to others, but it still felt unfair that Yuya was losing the rock who kept him steady for so long.

Oh no, we're at that point of your teenage life aren't we? Dionysus groaned. Just tell Yuzu and Yuto up front about your feelings. The more you let them pussy-foot you around, the more they make you act like a pussy!

"I hope you're saying that in the feline sense..." Yuya muttered. He looked at the medal adorning his neck. It didn't even have Sylvio's name on it; probably one of those medals bought online in bulk. But to someone with Sylvio's self-esteem, it was like he was granted the key to the city.

And truthfully, the only reason he had his eyes locked on the medal was so he didn't have to stare at the two decks on his desk. One his own, the other...

Dionysus shrugged. I know that you're a good person, but you have to be more assertive. Asking for what's going on isn't overstepping boundaries. If Yuzu and Yuto care for you like you care for them, they'll be more open to the new 'relationship' they have with you and to each other. Besides, Yuto doesn't have any idea how to navigate Maiami City since he's not a native. Plus, even if the two are seen together, people will just assume Yuto is you. Nothing more, nothing less.

Yuya frowned, staring up at the ceiling, feeling something tearing his heart into confetti. "I...I do care for Yuzu and I do care for Yuto as well...I want both of them to be happy...and I want to be happy with them as well."

Why didn't you say so?

Yuya's eyes widened as he suddenly felt a flash of blue light swallow him...

...

When he blinked, Yuya saw nothing but pure blue velvet walls and felt him seated on a blue velvet couch. There was a familiar table with light blue tablecloth and clear blue glasses. Three of them, to be precise. And to his left and right were...

"Yuto? Yuzu? w-what are you doing here?"  

"That's what we were about to tell you!" Yuzu gasped, dressed in a white tee and pink pants decorated with white eighth notes. Yuto wore what looked like one of Shuzo's old pajamas of black pajamas covered in red-orange flames. "We were just about to fall asleep and then...we arrived here."

"Is this the place you guys met Zarc and Ray?" Yuto questioned. "Are they here because of Sylvio? We don't even know if the change of heart wo--"

Just then, they heard the sound of doors opening. Three pairs of eyes glanced to the right as a man with golden eyes and silver hair smiled at them. Accompanying him was his female assistant with her red and black hair in pigtails.

"Welcome," Zarc said with a warm smile. "I sensed that a Palace has collapsed and new Personas have been awakened."

"Yeah," Yuya said, placing his hand on the table. He blinked as he noticed numerous Tarot Cards materializing when he waved his hand. The Fool, The Lovers, The Moon, Wheel of Fortune, The Hierophant, The Empress, The Sun. It felt like he wasn't alone in the fight. "And I'm going to be getting more and more boosts, right? I wonder what mom and dad are going to give me."

"You'll see in time," Zarc said. "But first, I think it's time we bring the other guests of honor. Ray, if you please..."

Ray nodded and turned to three figures behind her, a blue-white tablet resting in her curled arm. "You may enter."

Yuya, Yuto, and Yuzu watched with wide eyes as they saw the three newcomers: two girls with Yuzu's face, one boy with Yuya's face. The Yuzu with long ebony hair and pink eyes locked eyes with Yuto....and then she wasted no time, tackling him into a tight hug.

"Yuto..." She sobbed. "I...I never thought we'd...and I..." She bawled and squeezed Yuto even more, never noticing how Yuto's eyes bugged out of his head.

"R-Ruri...please...too tight..." He wheezed. "Gonna...pass out..."

Ruri blinked and sheepishly released the hug, tears in her eyes as she placed her hands on Yuto's face. "It really is you..."

Yuto also began tearing up as he placed his own hand on Ruri's cheek. "I can say the same thing..."

As the two stared into each other's eyes, Yuya and Yuzu blinked upon staring at their other dopplegangers: the boy with blue hair and yellow bangs, and the girl with apple green hair and light yellow strands. There was an awkward pause as each of them said one word.

"Yuya."

"Yuzu."

"Rin."

"Yugo!"

Then the four started to laugh and began shaking each other's hands. Zarc and Ray smiled to one another as they beckoned the six to sit down. 

"How are you even here?" Yuto asked, secretly eyeing Yugo. To think he once saw him as Ruri's kidnapper...

"Ray brought us here in a flash of light," Ruri said. "I suppose Zarc did the same to you."

"Yep," Yuya smiled. "Yuzu told us that you've been doing all right in the Synchro Dimension. We also saw Yuri at You Show and he told us everything going on. The fact that he and Sora were taken to Academia over your escape, the massive carding of 90% of the Obelisk Force, and...well..."

"Well...what?" Rin said.

Yuya scratched his head as he turned to Ruri. "Ruri...my dad was hiding out in Academia, but now he's back home."

"Your dad?" Ruri repeated. "Wait a second...you're Yusho's son?"

"In the flesh," Yuzu grinned., hand on Yuya's shoulder "He also has a Persona, same with Yuya's mom! Isn't that cool?"

"I can't wait for the day I get my own Persona!" Yugo said with glee. "I hope it becomes something akin to a motorcycle!"

He began imagining himself on a motorcycle with the front of it having a human face. The chibi Yugo cackled in glee as he made Security officers eat his dust.

"Yours will appear when you decide to rebel against your oppressors," Ray said calmly. "For now, I think you have something to gift to your allies."

Yuya, Yuzu, and Yuto blinked but Ruri nodded as she rummaged something in her pocket.

"Here," she said, handing a collection of cards to Yuto. "Take these and use them however you please. Just make sure they don't fall into the hands of Academia. Got it?"

Yuto looked down at the cards and gasped when the first two he drew were Polymerization and Ancient Gear Hunting Hound. "Wait. You want me to..."

"We decided to take only the cards we can use," Rin explained. "The Ancient Gear cards and anything associated with Fusion cannot be circulated in our dimension. Who knows what will happen if they fall into the hands of Security? No one will have any defense against those!"

"And anything that doesn't fit in those two categories gets sold off!" Yugo grinned. "Cards are like currency where we come from, so I'm sure some friends of ours would love to get their hands on these. And in return, we might get some juicy info about which Security officers for Ruri to beat the shit out of and some additional supplies to arm the Commons for the rebellion of a lifetime!"

"Just be careful," Yuto warned, pocketing the cards. "I have a bad feeling about all of this."

"What do you mean?" asked Yugo.

"Academia," Yuya clarified. "There was a spy in our dimension and the invasion in Yuto's own. Which leads to a sobering thought...what if there was a spy from Academia who was hiding in the Xyz dimension? And what if there are spies in your dimension as well?"

The six teens looked in horror while Zarc and Ray exchanged silent glances.

"Of course," Ruri growled. "Academia has their filthy hands in the other dimensions, planning for the day to invade it to kidnap girls with my face. But for what purpose?"

Yuzu winced. "Get comfy, because what Ray told me is going to change everything you knew about yourself."

...

"Hold on," Alexis interrupts. "How do you know this 'Zarc' and 'Ray' were telling the truth? What if they were just telling you some sort of lie to make you fall in line with whatever propaganda they were -- "

Yusho and Yuya quietly stare at Alexis, daring her to finish that question. Realizing the hypocrisy of her words, she swiftly mutters, "Continue."

"After a lengthy explanation in regards to the formation of the Arc Phantoms, Yusho returning home, and why my handsome face has been quadrupled across the universe -- " Alexis rolls her eyes. "Ruri looked ready to tear Akaba's head clean off." Yuya says, recalling the look on Ruri's face when she learned the news.

...

"I'm gonna rip that asshole's head CLEAN OFF!" Ruri screamed. 

Thankfully, she calmed down when Yuto handed her a cup of milk tea. Rin massaged her temples.

"That explains a lot, actually," she said. "They were constantly gaslighting us to believe that we aren't human, just 'pieces' of another. They called us dehumanizing names like 'En-Birds' and 'En-Winds' and forced us to duel until our arms were sore. I was also hearing rumors that they were going to inject something in our brains and we decided to just get the fuck out and escape or die trying."

"Which is when I intervened," Yuzu said with a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad..."

"You should totally come back with us," Yuya suggested. "Ruri, especially. You need to go see your big brother and all."

"Speaking of..." Ruri looked at Yuto awkwardly. "How is Shun?"

"I don't know," Yuto said sadly. "I've been so busy working with the rest of the Arc Phantoms and the news over Sora and everything else, I haven't been able to keep in touch with him. Plus, he wasn't really a team player when Yoko suggested to take us to You Show."

"Ugh, that's just like my brother to become an alone wolf," Ruri groaned. "Given that your Personas can be used as guides..."

"You want us to have them do some surveillance over certain individuals, huh?" Yuya smiled. "That's genius!"

"One to spy on Shun, others can check on Academia spies," Yuzu added. "I have a sinking feeling that Sora's not the only one who is reporting to Akaba."

"We'll also need to find a trustworthy buyer for these cards," Yuto brought up. "Someone who will just take them in, no questions asked. I don't know how much Reiji has control over the media to start spying on us, but it wouldn't surprise me that he's going all Goodchild in his attempt to take control."

"'Goodchild' my ass," Yuzu remarked.

"It's a reference to some old adult show Yuto and I watched before the invasion," Ruri giggled, face red. "Apparently there's this woman who runs around practically naked and she's all about wanting freedom for everyone, and her nemesis/lover is a man who wants to be seen as a 'benevolent' dictator. There's a lot of...tension between them."

"Are you saying there's a lot of 'tension' between me and Reiji then?" Yuya deadpanned with airquotes. 

"He wants nothing more than to have stone-cold soldiers compared to your chaotic carnival capers," Yuzu admitted. "He thinks that his order is what we want, like how he was willing to give us upgrades to the school in exchange for his allegiance, but..."

"He can't give it, can't even buy it, and he just doesn't get it," Yuto and Ruri recited as one in a peal of giggles.

"So, ultimately we want to weaken Reiji's control but not replace him?" Yugo said, question marks floating in his head. He was kinda understanding the gist of it. Order and Freedom and all that. What would happen if this mindset was applied to Synchro? If the current Security regime toppled, who was to replace them?

"Precisely," Zarc smirked, presenting a collection of drinks to the six. Sparkling blue. "For as much as Reiji is a spoiled prince thinking he's a hero, he's better than nothing. He actually has a plan."

"More like part of a plan," Ray coldly remarked as the teens took their drinks.

"12% of one," Rin commented. She began sipping her drink and relishing how bubbly it was.

"But chaos if left out of control only causes the infrastructure to destabilize," Zarc said. "For you see, things flow differently in the dimensions. It's in a state of flux."

"What do you mean?" Yuya asked.

Zarc sighed. "Each dimension is affected not just by the cards they play but also in distortions in time. Time flows differently between dimensions forwards and even backwards."

"...Huh?" The six said.

Ray kept her stoic face as she began her explanation along with a chart summoned in a puff of smoke. "For example, we can be spending hours within the Velvet Room but only five minutes have passed in the dimensions. But the time between dimensions is actually a difference in months. Between Fusion and Standard is 12 months, Fusion and Synchro is 4 months, Fusion and XYZ is 8 months. For Synchro and XYZ is 4 months, Synchro and Standard 8 months. And finally, XYZ and Standard is 4 months."

The six sat with wide eyes, drinks still in hand. Yugo felt his brain starting to malfunction in juggling all of the numbers. But the first one made Yuzu look in surprise.

"So, Fusion and Standard time is a year apart?" she asked. "No wonder Yuri wanted Sora to come back as soon as possible."

"So if we leave for Heartland, it'll be 8 months ahead?" Yugo asked. "Wait, does this mean we can celebrate Christmas in Standard ahead of time then do it again months later by hopping to Synchro! I mean, I don't wanna celebrate Christmas every day but Christmas twice a year is just as fun. People do mention that term 'Christmas in July' after all!"

"But what does that mean for Heartland?" Yuto inquired, trying to get the math in his head right. 

"What it means is that even if the Academia forces in Heartland return, they will have to get used to the time jump and the decimation of their other students since they first stepped foot in Xyz," Zarc smirked. "But it also means that escaping to another dimension won't be possible at this point. Only reason Akaba didn't pay attention to Yuto and Shun's jump to Xyz was because he didn't think it would be a problem for him. But with Ruri and Rin in Synchro, he'll be paying very close attention to any dimensional hops."

"So that means..." Ruri looked at Yuto and smiled sadly. "Guess we're only going to be seeing each other in our dreams, huh?"

"For now," Yuto whispered. He wanted to reach out to her hand, but then paused. "Ruri, there's something I need to tell you about."

"What is it?"  

"I..." Yuto swallowed. "I've found someone else."

"Someone else? Someone else to..." Ruri's eyes trailed towards Yuya and Yuzu. "Them?" 

"Yeah. Them. Are you mad?"

"...huh?" Yuya asked, remembering something that he promised to his parents the day before. "Wait, I'm included?"

"Boys can love boys?" Yugo gasped. 

Ruri was quite, a sign that made Yuto worry. Was she going to snap? Was she going to scream? Was she going to get into a cat fight? Not that he didn't want to see Yuzu and Ruri go at it, but...

Ruri sighed. "If that's who you want, then go for them. You need to find your happiness away from me after all."

"But...I finally get to see you again," Yuto said, feeling his heart crack. It shouldn't be this way; he and Ruri were puzzle pieces made to fit each other.

"We have all the time after this war is over to figure our future together," Ruri said, hastily wiping a tear out of her eye. "We're already busy with our work as Phantom Thieves, doing all we can to survive in the dimensions. Keep at it; change the heart of the small fry, not just the bigger fish."

"Now that you mention it, why don't we try changing the hearts of other assholes around the city?" Yuya suggested. "Keep the momentum going as the Arc Phantoms? I bet my mom and the members of her biker gang can search out targets for us to change."

"And we'll be doing ourselves a favor in training," Yuzu agreed. "Best do them on the weekends though; school is still important. But, back to..."

Yuto turned to Yuya and Yuzu, face red. "Y-you're not mad at me butting in, right? You've known each other for longer after all."

"Well, truthfully...I started to grow fond of you too, Yuto," Yuya confessed. "You're so cool and confident. Dark and edgy and skilled in Traps. I always like reaching out for Action Spells cause it makes things more dramatic!"

"You can't be dramatic in war," Yuto said. "It's not like in the movies."

"Yeah, I know. But you know what's found in films and in real life? The brotherhood and camaraderie that soldiers have on the battlefield. No man left behind. You are a sword to pierce through the darkness."

"You are the shield to protect everyone's smiles," Yuto said, feeling confident in his confession. Maybe it was the drink, maybe it was adrenaline. Either way, he pressed on. "And you're also brave in your own way, Yuya. You shine bright, even when the whole world thinks you should be different. You withstood an entire world's scorn for three years because of the belief in yourself and the people who cared for you. You didn't want fame or glory; you just wanted people to be happy. And I want you to be happy as well..."

Yuzu sipped her drink as she saw Yuto rise to his feet, not sure where this was going. If Yuto's lips were pressed against Yuya's...

Instead, Yuto placed his hand on Yuya's shoulder and leaned close to hug him. This surprised Ruri; Yuto wasn't a hugger.

"I want to look into the eyes of Yusho Sakaki's son, and see the hope and happiness of a brighter future."

Yuya didn't know what else to say, but then he turned to Yuzu. "You're not...mad about it?"

Yuzu playfully swatted Yuya across the head with her harisen -- how the heck did she bring it with her to a place like this? -- and laughed. "Yuya, I'd never be mad. You deserve to be happy, and that's all that matters. But I'm gonna make sure to keep both of your heads in line. Neither of you seem to think things through."

Yuya and Yuto chuckled a little, then were surprised when Yuzu tackled them both, wrapping them in a tight hug. Yuzu didn't look like it, but she was much stronger than she looked. Rin, Yugo, and Ruri watched them with fond smiles, Rin and Yugo holding hands.

"Looks like we have a celebration on our hands," Zarc smiled. "Everyone, let's have a toast to the Arc Phantoms' founding members becoming quite the energetic throuple!"

"Ooh, I get to do what they all do in weddings and reality shows!" Yugo squeed as the six teens clinked glasses and drank the contents down. The drink was fizzy and refreshing and made his head spin but he didn't care! Bring on the drinks!

Ray smiled a little, but then she had an expression of shock as she looked down on her tablet and noticed a blinking exclamation mark. "Master Zarc, it seems as if there is Persona activity in Mementos again."

"Again?" The six asked.

"It's nothing to be concerned about," Zarc said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Sometimes people can fall into Mementos without the use of the app. Thankfully, they are able to escape with minimum damage."

"But what if these are bad people who can take advantage of Mementos?" Rin pondered. The last thing needed was Yuri traversing the area and making things worse by manipulating people he hated for shits and giggles.

"Again, we have it all covered," Zarc said with a calm grin. "Now then, it's time for you to go back to the waking world, Team Phantoms and Team Nightingale. Gather as many allies as you can, change the cognitions of as many people possible. Prepare yourself."

The six nodded their heads as Yuto and Ruri shared one last hug. Yuzu and Yuya shook hands with Rin and Yugo. One by one, the six faded into light until Yuya remained with six Tarot cards on the table.

"One last thing, Yuya Sakaki" Ray spoke up. "Given how you have gained so many bonds and Persona, it is time we grant you an ability you will find quite useful."

"Huh?"

"You must now learn how to increase the power of the Personas through the ritual of fusion. Think of it it like how you can Fusion Summon. Through the use of Persona Fusion, you will be able to obtain even more powerful Personas to guide you."

"But wouldn't that be like killing the Personas I found?" Yuya said. 

Ray shook her head. "You can always summon a Persona you have acquired for a small fee. You could even fuse Dionysus if you wanted to and he wouldn't mind for he is a part of you as you are a part of him. We'll also send you a guide of all the Personas you can summon, along with which Arcana they are associated with. In addition, the Arc Phantoms have unlocked a level of Mementos for training purposes."

"Okay..." It was a lot to take in, to be honest.

"And as a token of our consideration," Zarc smiled, slapping a tarot card onto the table. "I think this will suffice, will it not?"

Yuya saw the card glow, depicting a sun with Zarc's golden eyes staring down at three people looking at the sky in prayer. The Counselor. That didn't look like a common card in the Arcana...

"We'll keep in touch," Zarc smiled as the Velvet Room faded to white...

The two adults waited till Yuya and his Tarot Cards disappeared before staring at one another. Ray spoke first.

"These fallers in Mementos...are you sure we are to just leave them be?"

"They are out of jurisdiction, Lovely Ray," Zarc purred, cupping Ray's chin. "We'll let our avatars take care of them when the time comes."

"Does this include Reiji's plan for -- "

"Especially that," Zarc grinned. "The prince is trying to prove himself as a rightful ruler, thinking that defeating his father in combat will end the war. That what he's proposing is a necessary evil that will bring peace and prosperity to all...but necessary evil is still evil, never a good. The dimensions will never learn peace by carding each other's children."

Ray raised a dark eyebrow in response but said nothing. She wasn't commanded to voice her opinions anyhow.

Zarc kept his smile. "Now then, let's take a peek at how Team Nightingale will prepare the battlefield for massacre." 

Chapter Text

Chapter 30 - Shadows in Faith

Yuya loves what he is seeing. Alexis stunned over the news as bombshell over bombshell rains down upon her. He knows that he has to push it, get her mind to open up a little more to let him in. 

"Oh come on, Alexis," Yusho teases, noticing Alexis closing her eyes, hands curled into fists on the table. "We haven't gotten to the next part. We're just filling in the blanks that these files have failed to fill for you."

"You're 'providing' me with such important information, huh?" Alexis repeats. "Well, you've given me a lot of information to digest, I admit. But I bet you're dying to know what happened in Fusion while you were out playing around in your cute costumes and masks."

"...Excuse me?" Yuya did not expect this at all. He kept track of Alexis' eye movements and facial features. None of it ever translated to "I have some news that you'll never see coming." A part of him is quite curious as to what Baldy Akabastard unleashed in his dimension. The defenses around Academia were much weaker than they were before. 

He was upset that he couldn't get any more contact with Oracle, but that was fine. She was the most vulnerable of the Arc Phantoms. She needed to give reconnaissance toward the other members and especially towards Sora.

Yuya wasn't an idiot. He knew that Sora had such a duplicitous nature. But what Yuya wanted to understand was why Sabertooth returned to them. And how old Sora really was if time was that wobbly like a top spinning on a table during an earthquake. Somehow time between Standard and Fusion was twelve times faster ? Now that Yuya thought about it, if the time dissonance was that big, three years for his dad in Heartland would've been twelve years there...but why does he look like he's barely aged even five?

Ugh; he hates not having information. Especially when it's not delivered to him by Dionysus. So all he can do is allow Alexis to give her side of the story.

"I have some information in regards to the time dissonance that Zarc mentioned." Alexis spoke up. "And this will give you something to think about in regards to Akaba's appearance."

"That is something I'm curious about myself," Yusho says. "Three years is a long time to be away from my son; imagine my surprise to learn that time is four times faster in Xyz than it is than my home world. So that means that Yuto and Ruri would be significantly older than Yuya if that's the case."

That also makes Yuya pause. If he's doing his math right, Yuri should be much older than he appeared. And yet, all of the counterparts looked exactly the same. Is this Zarc's doing?

No, there's no need to doubt Zarc just yet. He has a reason for all of this. 

Alexis raises an eyebrow. "I can tell that you're curious. The wheels are spinning in your head at this very moment. You have to know what's going on."

"...I do," Yuya says. "And you're freely going to give me such vital information?"

"It's the least I can do for you playing along as my prisoner," Alexis replies. "So how about a deal? You keep being honest with me, and I'll return in kind. Eye for an eye."

Yuya raises his eyebrows, but he knows that he has no other choice. Alexis is the only person between life and death and he'd like to be alive if he was going to be honest. "Very well, I agree. But choose your words very wisely, Miss Rhodes. I can still contact my fellow Arc Phantoms to free me and present your card as a present to your older brother."

Alexis frowns, but keeps her hazel eyes locked onto Yuya's crimson ones. "So we have a deal or no?"

"Yes."

Alexis sighs. "Thank you for your cooperation. You have no idea how long I have been keeping this all a secret."

Yuya doesn't pay attention, eyes looking at a spot above Alexis's head. A card? Here?! It depicts a priest on his throne while two devils stand beneath his feet, one with a leash around is throat. What surprises Yuya is the state of the priest. He is nothing but bones. The Faith, it reads.

He's had faith before, faith that his father wasn't a coward or a deadbeat dad. But that faith turned out to be half-correct. Yusho was a coward, but he did feel remorseful for leaving him and Yoko behind so he's not like those deadbeat dads found in family movies. The double standard would have been worse if Yoko was the one who ditched Yusho for a younger and richer man. 

Yusho sees the fury hidden in those blood-red eyes. "Calm down, son. I myself am curious about what this dimension has to offer. I heard bits and pieces that Akaba had 'connections', but if there's one thing I know is that for every person that starts a fire, there are just as many people who are assigned to put them out."

"That's correct," Alexis says. "And thanks to some information from a secondary source, I was able to get exclusive information from both sides."

Truthfully, Alexis had him to thank. Not that she'd ever thanks the like of that psychopath anyhow.

She inhales, legs crossed under the table. "This took place roughly four days in our time since the assembly. The atmosphere was tense. The empty Obelisk dorms were now filled with newly promoted Slifers and Ras who wasted no time luxuriating themselves in the bedsheets, the hot water, the food. And there was nothing and no one who could stand in their way.

"Although, you know that was a lie. Yuri was still around, and he was already planning a comeback with a little help from his friends."

Chapter Text

Fusion Interlude (1) - Shadows in Mercenaries 

Yuri found himself in a desert. Blinding white sands, an endless blue sky, a scorching sun making him feel hot and sticky all over.

He had no memory over how long he's meandered there, or how he even got there in the first place. All he knows is that he has to keep running, keep moving. If he doesn't, the desert will claim him as its bride and his mouth will be swallowed by sand. for the newlyweds to seal their vows.

Yuri...The desert wind purred. Come back, Yuri...

And worse was that smell. Not of frankincense, but something sweeter. More toxic. Yuri covered his mouth with his cape and tried to block it out, forcing his already tired legs to keep pushing forward. Even if it happened to be a mirage, he just didn't want to sit still and let some monster devour him!

Yuri...Remember!!!

Yuri ignored the voice in his head, screeching like a gryphon. Then, he looked up to see the sand rise and coalesce into a large serpentine form, its mouth open wide. With a guttural roar, it launched itself towards its purple prey -- 

Yuri woke up in a cold sweat. That dream...it's too familiar to be a dream though. A recovered memory? But he has never seen the desert before...

Ugh, at times like this, he needs tea. He wasted no time approaching the small kitchen in his room, fill it with some filtered water, then turn it on. Then, he approached a small rack of tea. Cinnamon herb tea should help.

The old Yuri would've been amused at how future him liked tea. But it wasn't just tea; Yuri seemed to fall in love with poisons, perfumes, and herbs as well. All of them plants with sweet fragrances to calm his nerves. The soaps he uses are rose and chamomile but with a chemical tang as well. Natural futilely trying to hide artificial. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the bubbling from the kettle, signaling that the water is boiled. He removes the kettle from the base and pours the water into a cup, sighing at how he could smell the cinnamon already.

After he sipped his tea, Yuri took a shower, got dressed, then left his room. The halls of Academia were quiet, but no longer empty. Thanks to the Slifers and Ras' "promotion", the atmosphere was hostile. Every man for themselves. 

But he wasn't worried. He just went to the room that had one of the only Obelisk Blues he could trust. Room 201. With three knocks on the door, he heard a voice. "Who is it?"

Yuri smirked. "Sorry, did I woke you from your beauty sleep in that pitch-black room of yours?"

The voice sighed. "Yuri, is it?"

"Yep. Rise and shine, sleepy Chazz! Hurry before all of those yellows get the last of breakfast. You know breakfast hours end at 8."

"I have an hour till it closes. Is that all you want?"

"Someone green with envy?" Yuri chuckled. "Well, forget about your petty envy for a second. We need to talk."

"...I'll meet you in an hour."

"Duly noted!" Yuri said with a cheery wave before heading towards his next location. A few Slifers laughing and whooping over getting a room to himself, quickly stepped back when they locked eyes with Yuri. Some Ras peeked their heads out of the doors then closed them shut when they saw Yuri stroll down the hall. 

Ha, some things never changed.

Yuri made it back to Sora's door once again and knocked on it. "Sora, I'm coming in."

"I want you out there," Sora replied back.

Yuri groaned. "Sora, you're not going to become a big boy if you stay there forever. Now come out and -- "

"I don't want anything to do with you!" Sora screamed. "How could things change so much in a month. This wasn't what it looked like when I left."

"...I'm sorry. Sora, did you say that you were only gone for a month?"

"Yeah. How the heck did everything change in a month?"

"Because it hasn't been a month. A year has passed since you left."

"...what?"

Yuri pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's a lot to explain, and I don't have a lot of time. There are too many serpents out there watching our every movement. Things have changed and you and Edo aren't the only people I've managed to gather to help us get out of here. But we can't speak here; get dressed and meet me in the greenhouse. Understood?"

The hesitation was killing Yuri. After five seconds, Sora muttered, "Yes."

Yuri nodded. "Good. Let's just hope this meeting goes smoothly. The last thing Akaba needs is someone else diving deep into his business."

------

In the mainland of the Fusion Dimension, people were getting ready to delve into Leo Akaba's business.

Koichi Adachi entered the office with a box of Napolitan pasta in hand. He made sure to adjust his navy blue officer jacket to make sure as he saw a familiar face sitting on the leather couch. "Yo, Vergil! Been some time!" 

The man with ashen gray hair and a black coat narrowed his eyes, polishing a gun. He was almost half of Adachi's age. "For the last time, it’s Joon-Gi Han. This Vergil joke gets way too old." 

"Not as old as those brothers and their never ending game of one-upmanship," Adachi laughed, patting Joon-Gi's back. "How did their mom ever managed to make them get along. Everything is a competition for them. And that silly catchphrase they say as well! 'Jackpot'!" 

Joon-Gi looked up, raising an ashen gray eyebrow. "Go on, Adachi. What else do you think about the brothers?" 

 "I mean, given how you look like Vergil, are you sure he didn’t have twins or something? Been wanting that to say that to Mr. Motivated for quite some time."

"Well, I think it's a miracle that that boy Nero was conceived and an even bigger miracle that he managed to grow into a functional adult, considering how his father and uncle behave...Hell, compared to those two, the boy is much more mature."  

Adachi shrugged, the Sparda family was a complicated matter in the city. On one hand, the heirs of the Sparda legacy were the wet dream of most men and women in the city. But on the other hand, they were a company of mercenaries of suspicious character, whose male members were all trapped in a love-hate-rivalry relationship of a very ambiguous and suggestive content. In addition to the controversies involving Devil May Cry -- DMC, for short -- such as Dante's perverted remarks, Vergil's historic genocide, the possible identity of Nero's mother and many, many, many other scandals, but none of them were as famous as the fact that Trish, Dante's oldest employee, had an appearance identical to the Twins' mother, the late Eva Sparda....and she used to have a 'Friends with Benefits' relationship with Dante before he came to his senses and ended the relationship. Thank heavens they were just friends now and Trish was dating another employee called Lady (real name Mary, but she stuck to "Lady" thanks to Dante) but Adachi still gets goosebumps just remembering it.

"Mm-hmm," Joon-Gi muttered. "What else?"

"How the heck do they put away that pizza? Better yet, who has been willing to make them pizza all this time? Seriously, it must be important if the likes of is are teaming with DMC."

"Again I really dislike how you compare me to Vergil. Remember the copycats who tried to mimic the sons of Spada?"

Adachi shivered, not wanting to remember THAT incident in question. "Regardless," Adachi said. "You have no idea how many times I had to hold my laugh as I heard Virgil go on lines like 'Foolishness, Akaba' or my personal favorite, 'I need --"

"A word with you."

Adachi turned around and gulped, seeing a stern face stare back at him. That of the Alpha and the Omega wrapped in a dark blue coat. Vergil Sparda.

Vergil started smiling. "Amazing how you haven't worn out your welcome, old man. Only reason you're still here is because your detective skills are the only thing that I respect about you."

"Ha...ha...it was all just a joke..." Adachi saw Vergil prepare the katana strapped to his side. Yamato. "Now, now, let's settle this without issue. I have bills to pay or it's back to the DMV with me!"

"And what does that stand for?" A suave voice stated, draped in red. "Dead Man's Vibrators?"

Adachi dropped the box of pasta on the floor and had his hands up in the air. "Dante, is this salt because I put a parking ticket on your bike?"

"Are you serious, Old Man?" A third voice asked, this one being younger and more irritable, clearly irritated by the behavior of his companion. The voice belonged to a youth a third of Adachi's age, wearing a blue hooded jacket with a red underside. His white hair was neatly combed, covering one of his eyes. "You can't go a few seconds without making a dirty joke in Public? And on top of that doing it because of a petty grudge?"

"Have manners, Nero. Don't let Dante's tactless behavior influence you. As for you..." Vergil's eyes fixed on the figure in red, Dante, who suddenly looked like a simple deer in the headlights before such an intense and disapproving look. "Behave yourself, we are at government headquarters."

Dante sighed. "Yeah, yeah. These suits better give it to us straight cause there are places I rather not be at the moment."

"Does it have something to do with that Patty girl asking you to come visit her for her birthday?" Nero asked.

Dante sighed. He didn't hate Patty; he just felt like an outcast amongst human society. "Can we go?" 

Joon-Gi shrugged and popped the collar of his coat and smirked at Vergil. "Let’s go, dad."

 Vergil sighed as the five entered the elevator, Adachi taking the time to pick up his fallen lunch. "This is never going away, is it?" 

"Nope!" Nero answered with a cheeky grin while he pressed the "5" button.

After five floors, the elevator opened and Dante was the first to step out. "And we made it right on time! The girls won't be needling me on how I can’t keep time." He stepped to the door and opened it. "Age before beauty, old man."

Adachi peered into the office and grinned at the womanly trio awaiting them. "Don’t mind if I do. I'd love to know these fine madams better."

"Be my guest," Dante scoffed. He doubted that Adachi would last more than 10 minutes in the presence of Trish and Lady. He wouldn't last five with Nico.

Adachi smiled as he dusted his coat and approached the three sharing an open box of pizza. Half pepperoni, half combo. Classic. "So, I take it that you've been having a bit of fun in your last case. You girls need a hand on the investigations and all."

"Nice try, Adachi," Trish smirked, leaning close. "You know that wooing us off our feet will never work. Even if you had that side-gig as a host."

Joon-Gi groaned. He remembered that time he and Adachi were working undercover. He had to refuse every instance of serenading the guests through karaoke.

"Ohhhh I got something interesting. Take a look at this handsome face!" Adachi slapped some papers onto the table, causing Nico to lift her glasses.  

"Wait a sec...is that Akaba?" she questioned.

"Yep...and this is me roughly four decades ago." Adachi showed a photo of himself, looking much younger and with less of a belly. "Notice anything...weird?"

Lady noticed the date at the bottom right corner of the photos. "Those dates...it looks like Akaba never aged a day!" 

"Wait, wait, wait we've barely started and you're already dropping a bomb on us!?" Dante's tone was light and playful and his posture was loose and relaxed as he approached the table and picked up the photos to compare. "You weren't ugly at all" He commented before dropping Adachi's photo and focusing on Leo Akaba's comparative photos. "He~ I always wondered why the Bastard never bothered to appear in public after becoming the Chancellor of the Central Academy."

"36 years hiding in the shadows. And no one got a good look at him until now," Nero noted. "Maybe he got plastic surgery? Life enhancement drugs?"

"Those things aren't cheap. And I sniffed out every luxury plastic surgeon and pharmaceutical company as well." Adachi said. "But then that whole propaganda about invasion got me thinking...what if there are places other than us and Heartland?"

"What is this talk of dimensions leading to?" Vergil sighed.

"Well, what if time is different in them? And if that's the case, the way they age should also reflect that. Going by a local gerontologist I met, he looks like he aged only three years."

"Ha! I don't know about you, but this 'invasion' thing seems like a big lie to me." Nico exclaimed in a mocking tone that attracted several looks from the other occupants of the room. "Oh come on, humor me for a second, since the man took control of the Academy all this man has done is talk about invasion, invasion and invasion. Constantly neglecting his role as chancellor and educator. Hell, the man rarely appears in person, ever using a spokesperson to talk to him! Look...I know I may sound crazy saying this, but despite everything he said about 'Invasion' and 'Heartland', we never got real proof that he was being sincere. Everything we have are these 'XYZ' cards that could easily have been invented and manufactured by him."

She paused for breath, letting the others have a few seconds to digest her words before continuing. "At this point, it's safe to think that this 'invasion' business is nothing more than a fucking scheme to drain money and resources from the Government and rich families. What evidence do you have that there is even an invasion? There would have been broadcasts or prisoners! I had a deadbeat dad who was part of a cult, I smell a cult leader when I see one."

"Well for one thing, Academia ranks as the lowest of all schools in the area," Joon-Gi noted. "And second, no family has been allowed to visit their children in years."

"It's not just that," Trish murmured as she went through her briefcase, taking out a stack of documents and organizing them on the table. "Since Leo Akaba came to power, the Central Academy has never held family events, festivals, Tournaments and Televised Trials, they have practically adopted an isolationist stance."

"I've been talking to several parents of students who are still enrolled at the Academy and many of them have complained about suddenly having stopped receiving bi-monthly updates to their children's Report Cards, and when they tried to contact the Academy they were simply ignored and blocked" Lady added as she handed Adachi a Pen Drive containing interviews with these parents, which had been recorded both on video and on paper.

"Speaking of contact," Dante stroke his chin in thought. "Hey kid, didn't you have some friends studying at that well?" 

"I'm not a kid anymore, Dante!!!" Nero snapped. "And yes...I have some friends inside the Academy Campus....Zane Truesdale, Yusuke Fujiwara and Atticus and Alexis Rhodes."

 This made Joon-gi's eyes widen in amazement. "Wait, those names..." He turned to Adachi with a questioning look. "Aren't they some of the rich students we are to find and rescue!? How the hell does a mercenary child with a history of growing up in a religious cult know them?" 

Right after saying that, Joon-Gi felt as if the room's temperature suddenly dropped by several degrees. When he turned back he saw Dante and Vergil giving him murderous looks, while Nico snickered at his expense. Trish and Lady just arched their eyebrows while Nero assumed a sullen posture. Clearly the Hitman's words had hit a personal button. Adachi was off to eat his pasta and pretend that Joon-Gi Han hadn't just written his will. Fearing for his life, Joon-Gi quickly tried to remedy the situation.

"I asked that without wanting to offend, of course. I'm just curious how Nero was able to meet them since he lived in Fortuna until he was 19 and only came to live with the family 3 years ago, not to mention the age difference..." 

"Because those kids used to take lessons in Fortuna and I was a big brother figure there." Nero sighed. "Before Academia. there was the Fortuna boarding school. Nice place, people studied and got good grades to go to universities. Then some mysterious man who was a representative of Leo Corp took over, bought the school, transferred all the kids there to an island."

"Oh like Arius?" Dante asked. "That explains much."

Nero barely recalled Arius. Something about Darius using a two-trick coin to stop him or whatever. "I used to get mail from them, but then they flow stopped. And then there have been rumors over some students running away and found refuge by a man with a top hat."

"Tell me you were at least able to extract some information from them." Adachi's tone was tired, talking about Akaba always tended to be a tiring subject.

Nero narrowed his eyes. "This guy was also an outsider like Akaba. It was said his deck was called Performapal. Never used an Extra Deck. He also looked haggard as if he spent years in a battlefield."

"ANOTHER OUTSIDER!?" Joon-Gi, Nico and Adachi shouted, Trish and Lady had a shocked expression on their faces while the Sparda twins looked at each other, both with a strange frown on their faces.

"But this guy is keeping the kids safe. Which is kinda needed cause something went down a few nights ago," Nero noted. "Care to explain more, Vergil?"

Vergil nodded. "There was an escape. Two girls heading to the pier. One summoned a...spirit that crushed some students in pursuit of them, then they vanished. Then, days later, a massacre unleashed. Many students suddenly gone but some say that fishermen in the sea heard...screams."

"Not long after, there started to be reports of Akaba's minion visiting orphanages and meeting points for homeless children...I think we all know what he's up to," Dante added, as he threw himself into a chair and placed his feet on the table.

"But why is no one doing anything to stop him?" Lady inquired. "Isn't that against plenty of humanitarian laws?! Are these people only caring for money like this is a business?!"

"It's not that the Government is not doing anything, the problem is that Akaba is being sponsored by many Underworld Big Shots." Dante added. 

Joon-Gi nodded. "The Underground have a lot at stake. They want whatever Akaba is selling. And if it's war, that means they gain the spoils."

"And that’s the opposite of what we want."

Three individuals entered. Men of different generations all in classy suits and plenty of wealth. The one with blonde hair spoke. "Alex Brisbane. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

On Brisbane's left side was a man with black hair that reached his shoulders and a goatee, in his hand was a silver briefcase. "I'm Slade Princeton, I'm here today representing the interests of the Corporate Families."

On Brisbane's right was a other black haired man in an olive suit with a hair style Adachi saw somewhere before. "Alder Phoenix, representing the interests of the upper class, father of Aster Phoenix."

"So, what can we do for you?" Dante questioned.

Brisbane frowned. "Mr. Adachi's findings were correct. There is something wrong with Leo Akaba. He appeared without warning, gathered enough power to kidnap children for an army and, if word is right, he will keep going after as many children possible for a war we did not sign for."

"Not only that, but he has constantly threatened us with the safety of our children and family if none of us continue funding that foolish project of his" Alder Phoenix's voice was full of frustration and hate. He was already tired of receiving calls every month from that bastard who demanded for more and more money and resources, but never allowed him to have a single glimpse of his precious son. That fucking con-man!

"Jagger and I want our brother to be the top of the dueling world, but not if it makes a massive dent in our finances," Slade clicked his teeth. "Unfortunately, neither our riches or political connections can make a dent on him without real evidence that he's been doing something wrong."

"Then what the hell do you want us to do about it?" Nico asked. "If Akaba refuses to kowtow to those with money and fame, then we're pretty much fucked. Bet he has some mind control helmets that he'll set to command his soldiers to card their own kin without pity."

"Well, there's no way to make a dent on him," Brisbane noted. "But we are hiring you to take down anyone associated with Akaba."

Joon-Gi raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me. You're giving us a license to kill?"

"Name your price," Dante said immediately.

"Let me guess, you need the money to pay the bills?" Adachi joked. "...then again, so do I."

Slade then opened his briefcase, taking out 8 sheets of checks and distributing them to those present in the room. The significant amount of zeros written on the checks were enough to make Dante whistle. "Now, that's that what I call a generous payment!"

Slade nodded. "Consider this the base payment for the Main mission: Destroy Leo Akaba and rescue the children held hostage on the Academy grounds. However, we are more than willing to add a generous bonus sum to your checks if you do an extra job for us."

"What kind of 'job' are we talking about?" Trish asked with narrowed eyes. She thought this was all too good to be true.

Brisbane pulled out a remote from his suit and pressed a button. A flow chart displaying the economic boom by year popped up. "As you may have discussed before, the country is suffering a major political and economic crisis." 

There are many crime lords out there who are profiting at our expense and using their power to suppress us." Alder added as he placed several profile sheets on the table, referring to several of these crime Lords and their associates. "And as you can see from their profiles, many of them act as sponsors of Akaba." The frown on Brisbane's face was clearly visible, completely bitter about the situation. "What we want is for you to hunt down and eliminate these organizations and cartels and recover all the money they are moving about, so that it can be put to good use."

"Foolishness, these crime lords. Foolishness," Vergil stated. "Their might is only to line their pockets, not to 'guide' people to become strong. I suggest it's time for Dante to have a little brotherly bonding."

The euphemism went over the heads of the representatives as Nero facepalmed, Trish rolled her eyes, Lady smirked, Nico burst into laughter and Adachi and Joon-Gi decided to just step back.

"We need this to be a clean job," Brisbane noted. "One of the good things about Akaba is that at least he doesn't teach children how to fight with guns. But these warlords will be hiring the best men to gun you down and keep their operations afloat."

"And I'm keeping an eye on that," Nico said. "I have pride as a gunsmith after all; guns should be given the respect they deserve."

"Still, we can't be careless, who knows what kinds of Horrors they might have conditioned these children to!?" It was a valid question raised by Nero. They knew little about the inner workings of the Academy, much less what was taught within those walls. Leo Akaba could very well be turning his students into Mafia soldiers and enforcers and no one would know and that was frustrating.

 "Then why don't we go to one of those students who managed to escape?" Adachi suggested, picking up a tissue to wipe pasta sauce out of his mouth. "We get info from them, we might get another lead."

Nero nodded. "I was able to receive one message from Alexis. Something about where the headquarters of the Resistance is. These kids, and the top hat, will need our protection for the time being."

"Then what's are we waiting for?" Lady said, slinging a bag over her shoulder. "Let’s go get the resistance first and then we start planning on raising Hell in the criminal underworld!"

"About that..." Nero began, slightly embarrassed. "The Resistance Headquarters is currently located in the abandoned area of ​​Academia Island, where it is said to have several ruins and empty structures, it would be impossible for us to go after them without Akaba being notified...But I know there are some students hiding in Domino City, we could try looking for them first."

"Right," Adachi grunted. "We best get on it now."

"And you're going to have to go with Nico in her van," Dante teased. "I'm so glad I was able to pay off that parking ticket on my bike though."

"You're not letting me forget this any time soon."

"Every time you get to call Joon-Gi Bun 'Vergil', I get to equally remind you that I was only three minutes late to my ride," Dante remarked.

Joon-Gi Han flinched. "Wha-who told you that?"

"Oh come on," Trish teased. "We know that you can't resist day-old loaves of bread and scones. It's a little joke we give one another whenever we see you having a sweet bun and guessing what filling is there."

"I hate you all," Joon-Gi groaned.

"It could be worse," Nico smirked. "Why, I remember that one time that Devil May Cry's fridge was empty so Dante and Vergil had to make due with some brandy and cucumbers."

"...what did you say?" Joon-Gi said with a twitch in his eye.

"Annnnd this is the part where we skedaddle, bye~" Dante laughed as Vergil facepalmed and Joon-Gi chased after them, stating something about pairing brandy with cucumbers to be an atrocity.

Brisbane shook his head while Slade looked like he was stranded on another planet with so little oxygen. "What have we gotten ourselves into?"

"Our only leads to unraveling Akaba's plot, that's what," Alder Phoenix answered grimly. "If they succeed in their mission, then it's going to be worth every yen we have."

Chapter Text

Fusion Interlude (2) - Shadows in Glamor

Just like Alexis predicts, Yuya is speechless. Even Yusho is in disbelief of hearing such agents in her home dimension. 

She still can't believe how her connections with Nero would end up coming in handy. Although she is still kinda creeped out that his parents are also brothers and not even human if the rumors are true. Still, she doesn't have time to savor this small victory. There's more to this story, more threads to unravel, more agents involved.

"Wha...how...excuse me?" Yuya shouts, slamming his hands on the table. "I was never told anything about this. Who in the right mind would even know of Fusion actually having competent government officials trying to uncover the secrets of an Akaba?"

Alexis grins; even Yuya's voice is no longer suave and confident.  No amount of masking the stammer can hide the look of sheer surprise at what he's just heard. Even the most confident of Academia can be hit with an unexpected draw or face-down card (not that they'll ever admit that they aren't invincible). 

"Those mercenaries...they aren't here, are they?" Yuya asks slowly. 

"Who can say?" Alexis replies, shrugging her shoulders. "Maybe they're waiting in the wings, ready to take you down....if they didn't have standards. They won't attack a kid unless necessary."

"Funny," Yusho states outloud. "You had connections to such powerful figures and refused to bring it up to me or the rest of the Resistance? How could you -- "

"Don't you dare pull the hypocrisy card on me!" Alexis snaps. "You kept things secret for years in regards to you hiding out in Heartland. You never bothered to tell your wife and son that you were going away for some time. You didn't even tell me you had a family waiting for you! Besides, it's not like I could call up Nero without trouble. So long as there was little evidence of Akaba actually brainwashing an academy to convert the students into soldiers, and the risk of someone in Academia hacking communications, I couldn't put numerous people in danger and ruin their reputations of putting a cap on a 'beloved' professor. And if Akaba had his slimy hands on Nero, let's just say his parental figures would go on a rampage."

Yusho frowns and runs his thumb on the lapel of his suit. Alexis continues, brushing off the image of Dante bashing someone across the head with a motorcycle, or Lady with Kalina Ann blowing a hole into the walls of Academia. Heaven forbid if Vergil unleashed Yamato...

"Plus, given that you were told about time differences between dimensions, did you recognize how long you were gone? It was months to you, but it was years to us! How could you not know?" Alexis said.  

"It's not like I know about tesseracts or quantum physics!" Yusho growls. "My ownly source of information was a prince wearing a paper crown, and even his information was limited. So excuse me if I'm not in the know of some sick and twisted inside joke. And how many members of the Resistance are still standing since I left?"

"Oh now you care about them?!" Alexis snaps, standing up and slamming her hands on the table. "Now you show concern of what we're going through? You never showed that type of concern as we practiced drills about trying to end things peacefully. That doesn't work in war! Not everyone is going to hold hands and sing 'Kumbaya' like a children's movie!"

"What is more violence going to do? 'Forgive your enemies and make them your friends'. If we card every single duelist, we also lose potential allies who could spill all the secrets of that machine they call a school. I understand that you eventually have to shoot a dog, but do you have to shoot all of them? Think carefully, Alexis."

Alexis inhales as she feels her anger bubble up inside, but then she sighs. This isn't all Yusho's fault. He's just one cog in the machine, a pawn in the game of chess between father and son. He's a knight, erratically moving on and using the only tricks he knows. What's going on is a crooked game, but it's the only game that he can play so long as Reiji and his father are holding all the cards. And if she is going to get to the bottom of the story, she needs to have cooler heads prevail. "I'm sorry, things are already tense as it is. I'm sorry. You wouldn't have known about the time differences."

"I'm used to being seen as a disappointment to a lot of people these days," Yusho chuckles through clenched teeth. "In truth, we're both at fault for not expressing what knowledge we had at the time, but at the same time we had no idea how important this will become in the bigger puzzle that is Leo's 'Make Academia Great Again' campaign."

Alexis groans. "We'll be going around in circles if we keep pointing fingers at one another. So let's move on to the second part of my tale. The moment when Yuri would meet up with his own troupe of rebels and anarchists whose only obligations can be described as NORA -- No Obligations, Rules or Authority."

....

Yuri dragged Sora to his greenhouse, glad to not meant any resistance from the Frightfur Duelist. The sooner he could get this meeting over the better. He just had to see who he was working with first.

Sora, however, was still stuck with shell shock as he looked all around. Was there anyone watching? Was there someone observing his every move? If there was, Bastet (or Sekhmet, he can't tell which one is which) would've mentionied it already. But no, she/they are just...quiet. Too quiet...

"Get over your shock," Yuri growled as he opened the greenhouse door. "We've got a lot to talk and lots of introductions as well."

Sora swiftly nodded as he followed Yuri into the Greenhouse. Once he walked through the door, he was able to hear several voices talking, in fact the atmosphere of the place seemed much gentler and more welcoming than the first time he had been here. Maybe it was because of the flowers being much more alive than walking down the halls of Academia. They were much more vibrant than the flowers constituting the Academia gardens.

Sora walked closer to the conversations, leading to the speakers sitting at the table. There were also lots of food. Toast, eggs, bacon, pancakes...he counted eight other students. Aside from Edo, he counted one Obelisk Blue and the rest were Ra Yellows and Slifer Reds. 

 "Come on," Yuri said, handing a cyan plate to Sora, along with a napkin and some utensils. "Eat up. You'll need your strength."  

 Sora nodded and silently stacked his plate with pancakes, fresh berries, and scrambled eggs. As he slathered on the syrup, the Obelisk Blue with spiky black hair and steely grey eyes spoke. 

 "Took you long enough, Yuri." The one who said this was Chazz Princeton, the only other person he recognized besides Edo, as he was one of the surviving Obelisks. Edo looked shell shocked at what he had seen, barely keeping it together. He didn't seem to give a damn when the Xyz people were carded.

"Stop being impatient, Chazzy. We met in the hallway, remember?" Yuri's voice was light and playful, yet genuine, very different from all those times he used that same tone to give others a false sense of security before stabbing them in the back. 

 And this was something that really confused Sora, what had happened to Yuri for him to have such a drastic change in behavior? The conversation they had in the room had helped him understand WHY Yuri wanted to defect, but not what caused this 180 degree change in behavior.

Chazz shrugged. "Still got time to gather the troops. Chumley helped make breakfast today."

"Compliments to the chef," Yuri chuckled. 

"Hey, hey, I helped too, you know!?" complained the only girl in the group dressed in the colors of Slifer Red. She then pushed towards Sora a plate full of heart-shaped Macarons, with different fillings and a bright pink frosting on top. "Here you go. I heard you had a big sweet tooth, after all."

Sora blushed as he picked up a macaron. "Uhh, thank you Miss..." 

 "Blair. Blair Flannigan, 2nd year of Slifer Red's beginner class and those next to me are Chumley Huffington and Syrus Truesdale, both from the Intermediate class" Blair's tone was full of pride at As she made introductions to the chubby koala boy and the shy spectacled kid, Sora in turn couldn't help but feel that the Truesdale surname was familiar to him...

"Ha! Since Blair has already introduced herself, then it's our turn/" Sora soon found himself being dragged into a hug by a tall teenager, with dark skin and hair tied in cornrows. That and he had a tan bandanna to imitate the head and upper jaw of a dinosaur.

"My name is Tyranno Hassleberry, 2nd year of Yellow Ra's Intermediate Class, I hope we can get along!"

"Get out of him Hassleberry, can't you see you're scaring him!?" The owner of this voice had a noble and severe bearing, like one of those Samurai that appeared in the shows that Yoko-san showed him. The teenager soon noticed that Sora was staring at him and saluted. 

"I'm Bastion Misawa, 3rd year of Yellow Ra's advanced class. It's a pleasure to meet you." And with that he turned his attention to the cup of coffee he was drinking.

"And...who is he?" Sora asked to the one not mentioned. With red and black spiky hair, a blue scarf and an inverted pyramid pendant.

"Dimitri," said the scarf-wearing Ra Yellow. "Second year. I was the guy trying to copy everyone's decks. Made a good Crowler impression as well."

Sora still looked confused and felt like an outcast amongst them. They knew each other so well, like they knew each other their whole lives...and the only people who he wanted to be with the most told him to skedaddle. Yuzu and Yuya, who treated him like a friend even though he did nothing but annoy them and didn't come to their rescue whey they needed help...

He heard soft purring in his mind and Bastet's arms wrapped around him like a nice fluffy scarf. They don't hate you, kitty. Besides, you have other things to worry about. 

Noticing Sora's discomfort, Blair quickly picked up a spare plate and filled it with bacon, eggs and toast and offered it to the boy with a comforting smile. "Eat up; there's plenty more where that came from." 

"T-thank you," Sora muttered. Secretly, he wanted to have another bite of Yoko's pancakes more than ever. But he wasn't even sure if Yoko would still want him around. (He also felt jealous that Yuto would be taking his place to have pancakes, how dare he!) 

"So...what's Standard like? I mean, what's so interesting about that place for the Professor to make such a drastic change in plans?" Dimitri questioned. He had a relaxed posture, enjoying a glass of lemonade and a piece of a egg sandwich. 

This earned him some strange looks from the table's occupants.  "What? I was asleep when the broadcast occurred, so all I know are rumors."  Dimitri defended. 

Sora didn't even bother to look up, too absorbed in his food and Edo refused to waste his time with small talk, preferring to focus on his slice of orange cake with a cup of tea.

"Well, it can't be helped then," Yuri commented with a loud sigh, while helping himself to some of the sandwiches that Chumley had made.  "The reason for the Professor's interest in the Standard Dimension is because he himself is a native of that Dimension, so much so that he has Family and Legacy there and now, his son seems to want to rebel against his will." 

Said Yuri in a disinterested tone, he had only stayed in Standard for a week and a half, but it was enough for him to gather a lot of information.

"Ah, I see...."  Dimitri then assumed a thoughtful posture for a few moments before suddenly adjusting his posture and becoming alarmed. "But wait- if he's a Standard native, why is he here in Fusion?"

 "That's something we want to know too." Bastion commented, his sharp eyes darting towards Sora and Yuri. "Being a native of Another Dimension he would not have any documents, education or proof to prove his citizenship or nationality, so how could he get the position of Chancellor so easily?"

"Isn't it obvious, he clearly faked them".  Chazz said while rolling his eyes, despite being from a rich family, Bastion maintained a certain sense of honor that prevented him from imagining people's shame, and that was irritating to Chazz, who thought he was a deluded fool.  "The man clearly has money, he could very well have paid some people to forge a diploma and an ID card."

"Oh." Bastion said calmly.  "But what else is there that made him interested in our dimension?" Syrus asked. "And that invasion in Xyz was for what exactly?"

Sora swallowed. He couldn't confess about what else he saw. About Yuya or Yuzu. "Well first off, his dimension is capable of not only Fusion, but also Synchro and Xyz. They also do things like Action Duels."

"And there was a person of interest whom Akaba wants dead on sight," Yuri noted. "He goes by the name of Yusho Sakaki."

Edo bit his lip while Bastion nodded. "Oh yes, we heard his name before, it was for not reporting him that Colonel Sanders was..."

 An uncomfortable silence fell on the table, the memories of the massacre of four days ago still fresh in their memories, and even Dimitri who had only heard rumors of what had happened, chose to remain silent.

Edo clenched his fists, the humiliation felt because of that clown had not yet been appeased. Two Continuous Spell Cards destroying every freaking card he played and powering up his Sky Magician! That is the worst way to lose a duel!

"Anyway..." Yuri began in an attempt to clear the atmosphere.  "I've been doing some digging in my brief time in Standard and discovered some interesting things about this man."

This attracted everyone's attention, especially Sora, who wanted to know more about Yuya's father and Edo, who wanted to know more about his sworn enemy.

"Yusho Sasaki, until three and a half years ago - according to the Standard calendar - was considered the strongest Duelist in that Dimension, being the founder of the 'You Show Duel School' and the so-called 'Performance Duels'. His personal creed was that Duels shouldn't be about hurting and proving who was the best, but rather about entertaining the public and bringing smiles to people's faces."

This belief made Edo and Chazz scoff, while Hassleberry, Dimitri and Bastion furrowed their eyebrows and looked at each other. The only ones who seemed to look at it positively were Sora --which was very strange -- and the Slifer Trio. Yuri continued regardless. "He was also a close friend of Professor Akaba, having been by the man's side for more than a decade. So much so that when 'Leo Akaba' suddenly disappeared, he was the one to help the Professor's only son: Reiji Akaba, who at the time he was 12 years old and had just been promoted to child CEO. 

"However, things are not so simple. About three and a half years ago, he was supposed to participate in a very important duel against a champion nicknamed The Sledgehammer, but he never appeared. Because of that his family became a laughing stock and You Show Duel School fell into disgrace with Yusho being declared a coward for not appearing in the Duel and abandoning the family for more than three years ....that is, until recently, where it was revealed that Yusho's 'disappearance' had the participation of Reiji Akaba and that he is planning some kind of rebellion against us...as for Yusho, all I know is that the man was seen in Heartland by Edo, and nothing more." 

"And that’s it?" Dimitri asked. "For someone whom Akaba wants dead, he seems very...unimpressive. Although, what’s this mentioning of a family?" 

"A wife and a son... who at the time of his disappearance would have been just 11 years old." Yuri had to contain the discomfort he felt whenever he remembered that there were other people with faces identical to his (and one who had a loving mother as well).

"So he's no better than Akaba," Chumley muttered, as if speaking from personal experience. Blair also noticed that when he ate his food, he made sure to slowly push the bottle of hot sauce to the side like it was poison. "Focusing more on their businesses than their children."

"And what about the wife and son?" Hassleberry asked. "Did they soldier on without him? What type of deck does the son play?"

Sora, in turn, started to feel nervous. They wanted information from Yoko-san and Yuya. That was bad, it was really bad! Bastian didn't fail to notice the slight change in Sora's posture and narrowed his eyes. He was about to say something but a warning look from Yuri shut him up, and noticing Hassleberry and Blair's thoughtful expressions and Chazz's mockery made him think that he wasn't the only one to notice that Sora knew more than he let on.

"About the wife..." Yuri began, while trying to divert the others' attention away from Sora. "Yoko Sasaki is certainly an...interesting woman. In her teens she used to be part of an all-female motorcycle gang called 'The Sirens', but the group split up when they reached adulthood, although they still keep in touch and are working on having playdates with their kids. Yoko was a fiery and free-spirited woman, that is, until she fell in love and married Yusho. Wen she did, her flames dimmed and she took on a more traditional role of homemaker and housewife. When Yusho disappeared, she made a point of getting several jobs to support her home and child, doing everything possible and impossible to keep the lights on in the house and have food on the table, even if it cost her health. Despite all the difficulties, she's always there for her son."

Hassleberry whistled, thinking how Yusho was the luckiest man in the world to woo Yoko off her feet. "That woman's a keeper."

Edo frowned, feeling more and more enraged. "Yoko shouldn't have to bow down to a man like him. She had a life without him!"

"Luckily..." Yuri began, in a warning tone towards Edo. "One of Yoko's friends, who is also Yusho's college friend and partner at You Show, has some ties to the local Yakuza, and thanks to this, her workload was lightened"

"...Excuse me as I do this..." Chazz said, drinking some milk then spitting it on the ground (and only the ground, if Yuri saw milk droplets on the plants, Starving Venom was spitting venom on him). "They have ties to WHAT?!"

Sora tuned to Yuri with terrified eyes. He imagined Shuzo suddenly removing his jacket to see a giant dragon tattoo on the older man's back. "What do you mean Shuzo-san is associated with the Yakuza? How did you learn that?!"

"Shuzo Hiiragi. Former professional duelist, friend from Yusho's College and co-founder of You Show Duel School" Yuri said, while pouring himself an ice-cold glass of melon-flavored milk. "He, like Yoko, works hard to support his adopted daughter, a girl the same age as Yuya, and the one who is mainly responsible for the School's facilities" With that he took a break to drink his milk while leaving others to digest the information. Once he finished, he set the glass down. "What few know is that Shuzo has close ties of friendship with Goro Majima, head of one of the main Yakuza families in Miami City, so much so that at least once or twice a month the two go out together to drink and sing in Karaoke ." 

He then gave Sora a stern look. "As for how I found out about it...be..." He pauses for a moment, shuddering at a traumatic memory he would rather forget. "I kind of...sigh I kind of caught them during one of those karaoke nights." 

"WHAT?!" Sora shouted. "How long were you in Standard?! The kids told me they just found you looking lost and brought you to You Show! It shouldn't have taken me that long from where I had been wandering about the city looking for clues!"

"From the moment I was thrown to standard until the day we returned to the Academia ground, it was 11 days, a week and a half."

"Wha...ha....how...WHY?!" Sora was pulling his hair. "Okay, prove it. What song were they singing that night?" He knew that Shuzo loved to sing into anything that could be used as a microphone and he caught bits and pieces of some songs on Shuzo's playlist.

"24-hour Cinderella." Yuri knew this because as soon as Majima noticed a shocked teenager watching his performance, he didn't hesitate to pull him to be part of the audience and witness the rerun of the so-called classic....this memory gave Yuri goosebumps. At the time, Shuzo Hiiragi was so drunk that he was unable to distinguish Yuri from his counterparts, which is how he drained information from the man.

Sora was completely unconvinced. There were plenty of karaoke bars who have that song blaring out. Apparently it's a tradition that anyone who sings it has the most ridiculous outfit ever (while wearing shoes that have wheels on them). "Uh huh, name the bar they were at. And Yuzu told me that her dad always orders the same drink and snack every time he goes there."

Yuri smirked. "Matcha mint julep along with gyoza and fried shrimp topped with mayo. The bar is named Like a Dragon."

"....Okay so you know that. What ELSE do you know?!"

"There are some Heartland refugees hiding in the Standard Dimension, and one of them...is a guest at the Sasaki Residence..." Sora's pupilhs shrank. "However, that's not the most important fact. It's that Yuya Sasaki and this refugee have identical facial features mine. And in the same way, Yuzu Hiiragi, Shuzo's adopted daughter, has this same similarity, only with 'Princess' Serena and the two girls who escaped."

That caught everyone off-guard. Sora especially. Yuri glared. "Don't act too surprised, Sora. You were tailing them and befriended the duo. I don't know why you omitted them from your confession to Akaba but clearly they're important to you."

"Because...because I want them to be safe from the likes of you!" Sora answered, finally regaining his voice. "I don't want them carded, I don't want their parents carded, I don't want their school destroyed when Academia stomps on it! I don't like how you're suddenly having this change of heart when you CLEARLY never had one to begin with!"

Sixteen eyes looked at Sora, then stared at Yuri, wondering how he'd react. yuri, for his part, rolled his eyes.

"Sora, Sora, Sora...for an elite agent, you sure are NOT insightful." Yuri scoffed, taking a look around he could see the gears in Edo, Chazz, Syrus, Bastian and Tyranno's brains working. They clearly understood the message he wanted to convey. "Tell me Sora, don't you think it's strange? That there are four girls spread across each of the Dimensions who share the same face? That the Professor insists on keeping Serena close to him despite how inappropriate it is? Or that he went so far to the point of ordering the kidnapping of two 14-year-old girls who shared the same face as the 'Princess'?"

"I..." Sora paused. It was weird now that he thought about it. "But it could be a coincidence. Identical strangers and all."

"Coincidence you say..." Yuri pulled out a cell phone that he had received from Majima and plugged a small memory card into it. "If you think it's a coincidence then tell me... why are the parties always in pairs? Serena and I are coworkers..." He then shows a photo of two 12 year old teenagers, both with black hair and indigo highlights, being that the girl was wearing a feather ornament in her hair and had a bracelet. "Yuto and Ruri from Heartland, XYZ are a loving couple." Another photo, this time of a boy with blue hair and yellow highlights and a silly smile on his face that seemed completely disturbing to those who knew Yuri, next to him, a girl with yellowish-green hair was trying to hug him, she also had a bracelet. "Yugo and Ruri, Neo-Dominó, Synchro. Raised together at an orphanage." And finally, it showed a photo of a boy with green-red hair walking next to a girl with pink-lilac hair, who also had a bracelet on her arm. "Yuya Sakaki and Yuzu Hiragi, Maiami City, Standard. Their parents are college friends and business associates. Same faces, and similar circumstances....still think it's a coincidence?" 

"Uh...I...maybe?" Sora stammered. There was no way he could refute Yuri's logic. "But why cause that invasion in Xyz in the first place for one girl?!"

"I don't know, but one thing is for sure, there is something definitely wrong with these girls. Since they were captured, the Professor never address Rin or Ruri by their first or last names, it was always 'En-Winds' or 'En-Birds'. Even Serena, I've heard him called 'En-Moon' and Hiiragi is marked in the Database as 'En-Flowers'." Yuri doesn't say what he found in the database about himself or his counterparts. Best to keep that card close to his heart.

"That sounds disturbing," Blair shuddered. "Treating women like things and all."

"Where exactly are you going with this?" Chazz questioned. "What the hell are we supposed to do at this point?"

Yuri smiled. "Well fortunately for you all, Reiji Akaba doesn't have enough 'strong' duelists to form an army at the moment. We can easily infiltrate the dimension and be in disguise until we can strike back."

He changed the image and showed them a poster of a Championship that was about to take place. Bright colors, stars, a large trophy in the center. Something that definitely surprises the onlookers.  "This is the Arc Championship, it's a big Event that will take place in a few months in Standard, with schools from all over the world being invited to participate. It seems grand, right?" A new set of photos are layed out. As well as some videos of employees moving various items and equipment of a suspicious nature into a stadium. "Despite its grandiose proposal, this is all a farce. The real purpose of this tournament is to be an evaluation test so that Akaba Jr can drag the participants into his so-called crusade."

"Sounds like a trick my brothers would've made," Chazz admitted, almost impressed.

"And that's where we come in. This event will be open to all Duel Schools in the Standard Dimension, not just those in Miami City, which is why we're going to infiltrate these Schools and participate in the Tournament."

"And then what?" asked Chumley. "We march in and card everyone in sight? Including kids?"

"But of course not!" Yuri corrected in an offended tone. Even he wouldn't target civilians. Only those who have attacked him first were fair game. "We are spies, not soldiers, Carding people is not our job." Yuri quickly played more videos and images relating to the preparations for the tournament, including an attempt to reproduce the Arena's layout. "What we're going to do is sabotage Reiji Akaba's plans."

"You do realize none of us are hackers," Syrus said. "We don't have the skills necessary to sabotage something that big. Besides; he's got an entire IT group!"

Yuri seriously wanted to slam his face into the table. Could it be that the Slifer trio were as clueless as they seemed? 

"What Yuri is trying to say is that we are going to sabotage the Tournament in the most traditional way. That is, destroying equipment, knocking out competitors, poisoning people's minds against Reiji Akaba and causing incalculable damage to the stadium that would cost a lot to be repaired and thus postponing the tournament.” Edo commented, his eyes carefully analyzing the layout shown.

"In layman's terms, we are giving Reiji Akaba his money and reputation, as well as creating a climate of distrust and rebellion in that Dimension!" Bastion finished in an approving tone. As long as he didn't card people or do anything unforgivable in his moral codes, he was fine.

"Exactly," Thank Exodia SOMEONE had brains in this group. Yuri then added, "There is one school we must avoid at all costs: Yusho Sakaki's school - You Show Duel School. It is where Yuya and Yuzu attend and...well, let's just say something is 'off' about them. About the whole place in general."

Yuri made a mental note to himself to call a meeting later -- without Sora -- to discuss the boy's strange change in behavior and set up a monitoring schedule. He refused to allow Sora to be left alone without supervision with those people. "Unfortunately, Sora will have to go back to that place, which is something I don't approve of, but as he is already enrolled there, we won't have a choice. Otherwise, people will suspect the subtly transferring schools." He showed photo of Yuto walking with Yuzu and Yuya and another of Shun Kurosaki talking to a Leo Corp employee. The trio were all smiles as they ate ice cream. Shun had a scowl that would put Edo's to shame. "As I said before, there are at least two Heartland refugees in Standard, and they both probably recognized me and Edo and ratted us out. So the two of us are going to Leo Duel School to serve as decoys, keeping their attention locked on us. The rest of you, who never participated in the raids and have a clean enough record to not be recognized, one of you will go to Leo Duel School with us to do the REAL information gathering."

"What type of school will accept any of us?" Dimitri asked. 

"Any of them," Yuri said. "You see the city is flooded with 'Duel Schools', each one with a certain gimmick involved. One for magicians, one for cooking, one for those good in quiz shows, one for pop idols, you name it there's probably one that caters to your interests."

"That's strange," Blair commented. Fusion currently only has twelve Duel Academies spread across the entire Dimension, with five of them belonging to the same Company, she then turned her gaze to Hassleberry, who was a transfer student from the Northern Academy and the saw him making a displeased face. "How is it possible that so many schools can exist in a single city?"

"It just does, probably from people with lots of money or hopes and dreams," Yuri answered. There were too many schools to count, and that's just the ones in Maiami City alone. There was probably a Leo Duel School in every continent, probably ten in Europe alone.

"There's almost a hundred schools in the city, but that's nothing compared to how Leo Duel School keeps buying schools outside of the city, absorbing it into itself to become an oligarchy," Yuri continued. "But no other school has been able to make Reiji cow into submission until Yoko Ssakaki threaten to do something to him."

"Ech, how horrible!" Blair shouted. "Still, I can't see the point of having so many Dueling Schools in a single city. I mean, isn't the Eeonomy affected? Don't they have rivalries? Other companies and enterprises could use the land the schools sit on."

"The economy is quite affected," Yuri said, deadpan. "You see, despite the dimension capable of using all three extra deck methods, only Leo Duel School is allowed to do so. Some are lucky if they can access just one like Ryopanzaku and their Fusions. This reeks havoc because in order to properly teach Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz, it's a lot of legal stuff and licensing they have to pay. And that means less duelists who can purchases cards or use them. So Leo Corp is losing profits and having to buy out other schools in order to generate some revenue."

"It's not just that," Sora whispered in a subdued tone, all eyes were now paying attention to him, some of which held silent judgment. "I know a lot of these schools were built on innocent blood." He paused, still nervous about being the center of attention. "I lived on the streets for a while and through that I ended up meeting several homeless people and low-income families who were intimidated into giving up their properties so they could be turned into schools or dueling supplie stores for uniforms and spare parts for Duel Disks. In fact, I know the name of at least four schools and three stores that were built illegally!"

"That's barbaric!" Chazz said. Even his brothers would never sink this low for a quick buck.

"And there is literally no one who is opposing him?" Edo asked. 

"There's literally no one opposing us from stomping into Heartland unannounced?" Yuri snarked. "We come in and take over Heartland and you are spouting such hypocritical shit?! Your father would be most...disappointed."

That was enough to shut Edo up. As far as they know no one bothered to stop Professor Akaba's plans. And if they did, then those people were quickly silenced.

"If I could describe Standard, I would use the following words: 'Flat', 'Tedious', 'repetitive' and 'wasted potential'." Yuri sighed as he used his fingers to list his points. "Seriously, there are no arcades, candy and dessert shops are few, most of the Educational Institutions have been extinct and there is very little to do in that place other than dueling!"

It really surprised Yuri to learn how 90% of Miami City is just for Duelists. People in that city spend most of their time Dueling or talking about duels, almost as if they had lost their free will and lived for the sake of the game. No different than the children brainwashed to believe Akaba's propaganda. Quite disturbing how cult-like this is. (Quite hypocritical given where he's lived most of his life)

Almost the entire entertainment industry was gone. And the few that remained are under constant supervision by Leo Corp, the only sector not affected was....adult entertainment.

Yuri only stayed in that city for 11 days, but those eleven days were enough for him to understand how chained Standard really was compared to the other 3 Dimensions. Heartland, according to the spies' reports and what little he himself had seen, was full of color and variety, a true paradise when it came to entertainment. Synchro, as rotten as his administration was, still knew how to balance duels with common entertainment, always having several varieties of activities for people to participate in...that is, as long as they had money.  As for Fusion...Yuri had never visited the Dimension outside the walls of the Academy, but he had heard enough reports from newcomers to know how different it was.

"That's ridiculous!" Hassleberry exclaimed. "No concerts, no museums, no movies? Is nothing sacred to them?!"

"They have what are called 'Action Duels' and it's the most popular entertainment there. But if you want to know my opinion, these duels are basically like the simulated Training Duels we have, just with some cute props." Sora commented. He had no interest in participating in these duels. For him it was more of the same, and he had no interest in participating in something that reminded him of the Academy when his intention in this mission was to have fun. It was for this and other reasons that he chose You Show Performance Duels.

"Still didn't stop you from joining them," Yuri remarked. "Or rather, the kids said you didn't want to join them when Reiji tried taking You Show by force. You sat in the sidelines instead of having Academia pride to fight back."

This made Sora cringe even more under the scrutinizing looks. He really wished he could punch Yuri for putting him in this situation. Yuri stepped back.  "But I don't blame you for that, if you had interfered you would have been exposed and captured by them."

"Hang on," Edo said. "Have you made contact with your...counterparts, Yuri? And how much did you tell them?"

"I just said that Sora and I are from another dimension and that Akaba is looking after girls with Yuzu's face, nothing more and nothing less," Yuri answered with a flippant hand motion. "Although...something about that school...there's something wrong with it.

"I met Yugo and Yuto when I was ordered to kidnap the two girls, but on those two occasions it was just eye contact." His tone was carefree and a little smug, Sora couldn't help but feel relieved to see the old Yuri back.

"My first real contact with them was when I went to drag Sora back with me. At that time the You Show members clearly already knew about the four Dimensions and that Sora was a spy. With that, all I did was improvise. I told them that I needed to take Sora with me to prison or we would have terrible consequences and that Professor Akaba had peculiar tastes in 14-year-old girls with a very specific facial appearance. A little lie that bought us time."

Soon the smugness on Yuri's face gave way to confusion and suspicion. "Despite that, I'm sure it was right when I got on You Show that my Duel Disk started to malfunction and suffer interference."

"So it was after meeting Yuya and Yuzu," Syrus commented. "But they didn't have anything on hand that could've caused interference?"

"No. Their hands were right in front of me," Yuri said, recalling it very well. Duel Disks and everything. "Plus, I could've carded them at any time I wanted. The way they looked was heartbreaking though, the feeling of someone stabbing you in the back. I like to think that this brought us enough time. No way anyone in this city was gonna believe my words about dimensional dopplegangers."

"You have a point, this would also explain why Sora missed the Professor's warning, something was preventing him from receiving the signal." Chazz deduced his eyes narrowing. "What are your thoughts, Yuri? I know you and Sora must know something more that you haven't told us yet."

"Well, remember that thing with Yoko? Around the time she confronted Reiji's mom, Yuya snapped and began laughing at how he was pushed to be seen as a coward's son. And then there was a video of strange...circumstances during Yuya's duel against Reiji.."

This was by far the most disturbing information that Yuri had received, mainly due to the strange similarity between the monster summoned by that girl and the content of the video. "Just watch..." He said as he tuned the video and let it play in full screen.

The eight member audience watched in awe and horror as Yuzu and Yuya tore off their faces, screaming in agony as blood poured down their faces before somehow they obtained a costume change and a giant spirit which they used to scare their opponents. Of course, Yuya's was the most disturbing as he started screaming about how he was a human and looked ready to murder someone with how he was laughing. Someone peed their pants.

"Wait...." Chumley exclaimed. "The one with the dress is just like that Giant Woman that destroyed the members of the Obelisk force!"

Yuri paused as she noticed the red-haired woman in her ballgown. "Really now?"

"Rumors say it was a woman on a giant swan," Bastion said. "But it was utilized by this 'En-Birds' girl as she summoned water to pulverize the Ancient Gear Soldiers hounding her."

"She also had a filthy mouth," Hassleberry noted. "There are things I can't say to the likes of Sora."

This was bad, if at least one of their counterparts and two Girls had the power of these strange beings, it would be a matter of time before the other two boys would have access to such power as well...if they didn't already have it. Dammit!