Work Text:
It was all ready. He had prepared for tomorrow, or rather, today. He had just taken a look at the time on his clock, and it was past midnight.
He took in a deep breath. How long had it been since he finally installed Rush Duels? It had felt like so long ago…
And yet, here he was, about to head to the moon to battle the man who had helped him install it in the first place. His motives were still unknown, but he had a guess on what they were; the creation of the Sevens Road archetype, the tournament to uninstall Rush Dueling…
He closed his eyes, setting his final tool back where it had been. It had been a while since he cleaned up his room, hadn’t it?
He shifted through his boxes, putting them back in order as his tools went back to where they were, neater than before.
“Kouzo, you really don’t clean up at times, don’t ya?”
“Haha! It’s an organized mess, Incho!”
“That’s not happening. Clean up, now, brat. I don’t need my kids getting involved with this mess.”
His hands paused suddenly as he slid the last box in place.
It… had been a while hadn’t it? He had just turned ten when they left, so he had…
He shook his head. No, he couldn’t falter now. He had to do this. For everyone’s futures.
He… didn’t really have one in the first place, he supposed. Never really thought about what would happen after Rush Duels. Maybe he could become a mechanic, maybe he could become a worker at Goha to change it all?
To Yuga, there was a fight to win, both in starting the revolution and the fight against a corrupt chairman.
Rush Duels were his responsibility. Sure, he had had help making it, but it didn’t mean that he could let others get hurt because of his selfishness. He had strung them along long enough.
He closed his eyes. Took another deep breath.
“Incho, I wonder how are you now?” He murmured under his breath.
How long had it been, since that day? The day right after he had received Sevens Road Magician?
The day he discovered the existence of the afterlife?
It was hard not to notice something had changed in his room.
At the fresh age of eight, Ohdo Yuga knew his mess. While most people would think he was sloppy, he was actually meticulous and needed to put everything together or else he would panic. It was one of the things of being gifted, he supposed.
So when he came back from school and saw the boxes shifted ever slightly, he knew that there had been an intruder.
He hummed. He had an old GPS that he could use… maybe he could modify it into something to alert him where it was?
But that aside, he had to check on something.
He went over to his bed, and slipped his hand into the safe he had made once to check if it was still locked.
He nodded slightly. Yep, it was still there. The new card he had received would remain safe until he could figure out how to use it in his current deck.
Green eyes then scouted the room as he slipped his hand out. Now, where was that GPS-
He paused.
What was… THAT?
Walking closer to his study desk, he blinked. That was… a watch, a white one with a clear dome over it and four colours decorating the inside.
He didn’t recall buying this. Whoever had come in, had left this for him.
Curiosity now brimming, Yuga stepped closer to the watch, slipping out a screwdriver out of his tool box as he did so.
“What are you?…” he murmured, gingerly looking at the bottom to find any screws.
He didn’t find any, surprisingly, and his eyebrows furrowed, but then he noticed the button off to the side.
Yuga pressed it, and jumped as the dome went up, and a purple light sprung out of the watch. It wasn’t lighting up the inside, but the outside?
“Interesting!” His eyes shined, but when he pulled it closer to investigate, and turned around to head to his workbench, the light…
“…. Ahre?” was all that could leave his lips.
“Finally, you can see me.”
“F-finally?” He stammered, backing away and yelping as he felt his back hit his study desk. “W-who are you? W-why are you in my house?!”
“It was the closest place I could find shelter in from Ikakamone’s henchmen,” he answered simply, as if it was the obvious answer. “I actually find myself missing Mutsuba Town and UTS before it became this mess.”
“Mutsuba… that’s what Goha City used to be…” He tilted his head. “You’ve been there before?”
He decided not to comment on the UTS bit, since he had no way of knowing that his ancestors had been leading the work there.
“I’m a Youkai, kouzo. Of course I have. Been alive for that long,” he grunted.
“A… Youkai? They’re… real…” he repeated to himself, the wonder overtaking his senses. “That’s… really cool!”
His head snapped over to him, and the one yellow eye leered at him. “Oi, are you crazy? That’s not cool! People like Ikakamone exist! I could rip your heart out any moment now!”
“Rip my heart out? But if you kill me, they may know you’re here,” he reasoned. “So killing me wouldn’t benefit you at all. Plus… you may need help when you’re trying to stop that Ika- ikakakamone guy?”
“Ikakamone, but he’s a beast who will stop anyone who gets in his way. Plus, you’re nothing but a midget!”
“And yet you gave me the watch that allowed me to see you. You were desperate right?”
His mouth went open, and Yuga looked up at him calmly. “But if you want my help, then I want your help too.”
“And what would that be?”
“I want to create a new style of Dueling. You may not know what it is, but-“
“Kid, I’ve seen Dueling and it’s a bunch of hogwash,” he snorted. “Seriously, you like that?”
“I do, but… it’s gotten too restrictive, and I want to fight back! That’s why I want to make a new style of Dueling! A new… a new Road to the future that’ll bring smiles to everyone!”
He closed his eyes. “But I can’t do it alone. I need help, because I don’t know where to start.”
He looked up. Met eyes with the big yellow one. “So if you agree to help me, I’ll help you take down Ikakakamone.”
A snort was all that escaped his lips. “You have guts, kid. I’ll give you that.”
“I’m Ohdo Yuga!” He cheerfully greeted. “What about you?”
“I’m Yaburekabure-Incho.”
“Ya, yabarekubaa-“ he shook his head. He couldn’t say that! “That’s too long! What about Incho then?”
“As long as you don’t call me an aunt ever again.”
He chuckled to himself. Ah, he was reminiscing again. Maybe he could wonder what his Youkai form would look like…
Heck, maybe he could prepare ahead of time and have his watch sent to one of his friends.
If he ended up in Goha City after dying, at least.
Because he had a feeling that Otes would not give up until he got what he wanted, so…
This would be the final time he stepped into his bedroom, perhaps as a human.
He sighed. Maybe he should get some sleep. Incho never did well with sentiments, and it seemed that he couldn’t either.
For now, best to rest and get up bright and early so no one suspected his plan.
It was nearing that time. The Goha siblings were already closing in, and soon, his plan would be set into motion.
Yuga slid back into his seat, ready to make the hand signal for Kaizo to show himself and take the crowns.
This was it, wasn’t it?
He would… he would die protecting the thing he and Incho had worked together to make, honed through battles with Youkai and personal practice alike.
His face betrayed nothing.
Inside, he was ready.
I’m sorry, Roa, Asana, Nail. Romin, Gakuto, Luke…
This is the final Rush Duel, the final time you’ll see me…
His hand started to move.
“Hey, Yuga. I have one request before I go.”
Suddenly, he was back at that time, two months before he installed Rush Duels at long last.
The day he said goodbye to the Youkai.
The damage their fight against Ikakamone had done wouldn’t be so easily replaced, which was only fueled by the fact that he had used very powerful Youkai for this fight using his Youkai Battle System Road. All the switching, all the constant healing… it had won them the fight, but…
He had to stay strong. He couldn’t let the tears get to him.
Still, his words came out in a gasp, “Y-You’re using my name now?”
“Hey, don’t get the wrong idea, Kouzo,” he scoffed, but despite himself, a smile formed. “I’m just glad that we both got what we wanted.”
“It was still a deal to you, even after all this time?” He teased him, ignoring the way his chest constricted. He had to say goodbye to Incho? After two years of working together, he had to-
“Of course not. I am glad that we both managed to accomplish our goals, but I’m also thankful that we met.”
When did his eyes get so cloudy? “I-Incho?”
“Look, just one promise, okay? It’s nothing big, but knowing you, you’ll need it.”
“Depends on what it is.”
He exhaled. “I… want you to stay alive as much as possible, and… when the time comes and you make true friends like you did us Youkai…”
“ I want you to lean on them once in a while, to trust that they have the strength to support you instead of the other way around. ”
“B-But who would even…? I-I’m just a gifted person to them, s-someone who can do anything a-and not rely on anyone…” his words were breaking all over. It was too much, it hurt too much.
A hand found its home on his shoulder, and Incho spoke softly, “You need to speak up. Communicate honestly and be frank and clear about how you feel, Yuga. Just like how you are with us.”
“B-But how?! H-Humans are so much more complicated….” He snapped.
“You can’t rely on yourself all the time, Yuga. You need to risk the guards going down. It’s…” he hesitated. “It’s hard, but it’s possible. It’s scary, but… once you really show yourself… using Rush Duels, using whatever method there is… they will hear you. I promise you that.”
He sniffled, rushing in to hug Incho as he sobbed, “W-Will I get to see you again?”
“I don’t know, but the moment I can? I know where to find you.” He winked.
Their secret lab, the one they had built together in that shed…
Yuga pulled away, wiping his own tears away, and nodded. “That’s where I’ll be. S-so you better keep it!”
“Of course.”
They smiled, and even shared a laugh.
And with that, the last of the embers faded, and…
He was left on the outskirts of Goha City, holding his goggles with tears falling down his cheeks.
He froze.
“Ahahahaaha….” A smile bloomed onto his face. Of course, what an idiot he’s been. He had been dancing on Otes’ plan this entire time. He could believe that the madman would predict he would go alone to confront him, that he would abandon it all to fulfill his responsibility as the creator of Rush Duels.
When had he lost sight of the vision? Sure the premise had been built up from an ongoing fight against Ikakamone, but the main purpose stayed true.
He had wanted to bring smiles to everyone, and what would destroying Rush Duels do? Make them sad.
Not to mention, wouldn’t he be dishonoring Incho if he had gone through with that stupid, stupid plan? No wonder his partner had called him an idiot. He had been so blind.
“Are you okay, Yuga-kun?!”
“Do you need some curry? I can go grab some-“
“DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, ROMIN!”
He shook his head, and pressed a button to connect to the other ship.
“Ohdo Yuga?” Yuran came onto the screen, and he said, “Sorry, I think the plan has changed. I have a better plan, but it’s one that…”
His threat constricted. Could he really say it?
Could he really say those words?
But he had been relying on them all this time, hadn’t he?
He just hadn’t realised how close they had grown.
He laughed. He really was blind at times.
“Yuga-Chan?”
“Iya, I… I need your help, once more, if that’s okay. It may be selfish and all but…”
“Say no more. The Mutsuba name is behind you,” Asana spoke as she turned her head.
“In the name of providence, I shall cooperate with this crazy plan of yours, whatever it is.” Nail looked over at him.
“Yuga-Chan, you still promised to chase me and become the King of Duels! I’m not going to let Rush Duels die out so easily,” Roa teased, but the sincerity was clear.
“We’ll support this endeavor as well,” Yuran promised.
“No words needed! I will back you as Sogetsu Gakuto!” Gakuto saluted at him.
“Okay, leave it to us,” Romin said with a wink.
“You just needed to ask, of course,” Luke grinned. “So whatcha need from us?”
Was this a dream? Had he really… finally found the friends he had once dreamt of as a kid?
Yuga felt his tears flowing, but he turned around and shook his head at Kaizo, who blinked, but nodded as he backed away.
“Jya, is there a way to reinforce the Robot?” He turned back to the screen.
Silence.
And then everyone let loose their “EHHHHH?!”s.
Against all odds…
He was home.
Setting down his things once more, Yuga looked around his room, and smiled.
“I wonder what I was really thinking back then. Otes must have gotten to my head to much…” he shook his head. “To die to reset the world of Dueling… He’s crazy…”
But then again, so was he, and he had nearly made a fatal mistake over it.
Looking over at his bed, he placed the pillow aside to reveal the safe embedded into the bedframe, and pressed down his key code to allow it to open, revealing the white watch and a medal.
He took out the medal and fingered it, smiling a bit.
“Arigatou, Incho. You may have made mistakes in the past, but… you’ve saved lives today,” he said with a grin. “I really am thankful that you’re my partner.”
Then he closed the safe, but kept the medal as he readjusted his things before curling up in bed, exhaustion taking over his body….