#if fonda won’t let them kiss SOMEONE needs to

[one-1-eye]

the fact that there are only 31 greenbone saga fics on ao3 and not ONE of them is ayt mada/kaul shae is a CRIME and i am taking it personally

[fumingspice]

All The Things She Said

Requests are open!

Part | 1 2 3

Pairing: Lana Winters x Reader

Summary: almost caught by Lana’s husband. Dinner with mom. Brief mentions of having a bad relationship with food. Slightly irritating ending but its okay because I hate me too

There had been many close encounters. Too many to be overly confident in the situation. Her husband coming home too early during particular heated make-out sessions. Teachers passing by in cars while you walked through towns outside of your own during dates.

Weeks flew by and the rollercoaster of a relationship you had with your teacher went up and down like the waves of the ocean that you could see from your bedroom window.

The worst had come on a sunny Friday. You had taken a hard tumble on your run outside of Lana's help and you stumbled your way to her front door for some help. She gasped when she saw you.

She offered her arm to do as you limped into a kitchen and helped you to sit on her counter.

"Gosh, Y/N. This isn't a good look," she muttered, grabbing the first aid kit from one of the drawers.

You chuckled through your pain. "You're just annoyed that you can't get me on my knees." Lana raised her eyebrow and tilted your chin down to see your eyes.

"I could, still."

You shook your head. You knew Lana would never touch you like that before you left high school, the promise she had kept this far. Lana dabbed your cut-up knees and shins with cotton balls dipped in alcohol. Blood had dripped down your legs and gathered and your socks. The brunette padded your knees and taped them with some medical tape she had found. They were pretty nasty gnashes after all.

Lana wiped blood from a smaller cut on your chin and dried it. It wasn't bleeding anymore. Your arms and palms were a different story.

You had unconsciously clenched your hands while you walked through Lana's house and upon opening them realised that blood had pooled.

"Oh, baby-" Lana started, stopping herself when she realised what had come out of her mouth. She went straight to cleaning your arms and applying bandages to your other injuries.

"Did you just call me 'baby'?"

"I'm sorry, I just wasn't thinking straight."

You cocked your head at her. "I didn't think there was ever a straight thought in your head, baby."

Lana stared at you with a shocked expression.

"Too much?" You asked. You answer was a kiss as Lana pulled your legs around her waist and carried you over to her couch.

Careful not to disturb any of your injuries, Lana knelt between your legs and her tongue beckoned entrance to your mouth.

Your hands found at each other’s closed as you shift your bodies to straddle her.

Lana stripped off your running top and threw in onto the couch while you worked at the buttons on her blouse, only to be interrupted by the sound of the turning lock at the front door.

You hissed a profanity as you got your shirt back on as quickly as you could and fetched a glass of water to seem less suspicious whilst Lana tidied herself up.

“Afternoon, Lana,” her husband muttered as he strod towards her, taking her by the waist and kissing her. It almost felt as though he knew to prove something to you. Like he wanted to show you that on paper Lana was his. You bit your tongue and turned away, a pang of annoyance coursed through you as you saw Lana's lips on another, even if you knew she didn't want it. Even if you knew that he was completely cold towards her.

Oliver glared at you. "Why are you over here this time, hm?" he asked. "Isn't it a little inappropriate to be in your teacher's house so often?"

You rolled your eyes hard to keep the absolute diva inside you at bay. You turned to him and gave a coy smile. "I'm here as a neighbour," you retorted. Your heart smiled at Lana's silent chuckle. "I fell outside, and Ms. Winters cleaned me up." You motioned to the pads on your knees which were almost beginning to bleed through.

Lana shook her head at you, blushing slightly at your tone. Oliver shrugged as if your answer was satisfactory enough for him.

"I also came over because my mom wanted to know if the both of you wanted to come for dinner tomorrow night," you said. Lana's eyebrow raised as if to ask when you would stop trying to grind at Oliver. You knew rightly that he left for New York in the morning.

Oliver hummed to himself. "I'm afraid I won't be able to come, but I'm sure Lana would feel more than comfortable by herself."

Lana stared at him. "What does that even mean?"

Oliver shrugged. "Well, you're very comfortable with your student and her mother as it is. You don't need me around anyways," he said, he gripped Lana's wrist hard for a moment and released again when she winced.

Oliver stalked out of the kitchen and you stayed where you were until you hear his office door close upstairs.

Lana breathed a sigh of relief and clasped her hands to her head as you approached her with open arms. Lana lent into your embrace. “That was far too close, Y/N,” she whispered, her fingers tight around your arms. “Maybe we should stop doing that for a little while.”

You pursed your lips. You had felt Lana growing more detached for a while, worried that someone would find out before you would make it known.

Lana pressed her lips against your neck softly, laying them up to your jawline. “I like you, Y/N,” she whispered softly. “I can’t let anything bad happen.”

You shook your head to get her to stop talking. “How about you just come around tomorrow? We can watch a movie before my mom comes back. A little movie date, hm?” You played with a lock of her hair and put your forehead against hers.

Saturday morning came quickly. Your mom was still at work.

8am.

Oliver would have been gone for two hours and you had another few hours before your mom came home in the late afternoon.

You were quick to change into something comfortable and grab something to eat. Your relationship with food had been rocky for a while. Somedays you found yourself comfortable with your eating; you were careful with what you consumed out of your enjoyment for en bon santé which your mother often beamed upon, simply happy that her daughter didn’t have a constant craving for junk food. Other days however, you often found yourself over-calculating the calories in your head. It was so often a game of numbers that you were determined to win. Spitting snacks into the bin without thinking.

Lana had noticed your behaviour straight away and walked you through old tips.

“Food is not your enemy, sweetheart,” she told you as she watched you throw a napkin into a bin. One of your dates, you had got boba and waffles together.

You shrugged it off, but Lana stopped you. “You don’t get out of talking about this, Y/N,” she said. You had walked through a park and sat in the roots of a massive oak tree. You were against the tree and Lana lay between your legs with her back against your stomach.

“It’s nothing, Lana,” you said. It was true, in fairness you hadn’t thought about it as much other than a way to have a few snacks without worrying about what you were eating.

Lana propped herself up on you. “Well, no matter what it is I’m here for you to talk, and I’m not going. I was a teenager once too; I remember the pressure. But-” The brunette took your face in her hand and planted you a kiss. “-for what it’s worth, I’m so fucking proud of you.”

A knock came at your side door, followed by its opening and Lana walking in through your kitchen as you had advised.

“Hey, sweetheart,” she cooed as you strode into her arms for a hug. She planted a kiss on your forehead then stood against the counter, watching you make breakfast.

Your excitement to see your soulmate had almost made you forget that you were standing with only a crop top and shorts on. Although Lana clearly didn’t mind. “What are you staring at?” You giggled with a plate of pancakes in hand, reaching in to give Lana a quick kiss on the lips.

Lana rolled here eyes at you playfully and took your outstretched hand. “Any movies you want to watch?” You asked, smiling at the gratification you got as you felt her lace her fingers through yours.

You used your hips to force your bedroom door open, letting go of Lana’s hand for a moment to walk in. You noticed she wasn’t moving.

“Y/N, I meant what I said when I don’t want to go further than kissing you before you left school,” she said quietly.

You chuckled. “You don’t know me as well as you think. I don’t have sex in my bed. I like it too much to ruin the sheets,” you replied. Lana still looked unconvinced. “I only brought you up because I want to cuddle. In my bed. If it makes you uncomfortable, we can go to the living room with a blanket. It’s up to you, baby.”

Lana thought it over for a minute before straightening up and following you to her bed. She lay down first, and you lay down on top of her with your head between her chest and shoulder, your arm and leg draped over her body slightly.

You had chosen to watch Nine-To-Five. Brilliant movie in your opinion. Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Dolly Parton. You used to watch it all the time with your mom after she left your father. It was one of those movies from the 80’s which always made you feel on top of the world after. Or maybe that was just Jane Fonda’s general influence.

You relaxed into Lana as you felt her hand lay down on your back, tracing swirling patterns in your skin that made your heartbeat at a hundred miles on hour.

You talked during the movie. Lana told you about anymore nightmares that Oliver had stirred up for her with the divorce that seemed to be going nowhere. She had even stopped wearing her necklace unless she knew that only you would see it.

Your mom came home a few hours later, after you had changed your clothes and went downstairs to look a little less inconspicuous. Your mother seemed to the think nothing of it, but for Lana it was a different story, and you could sense it in her.

“You better not be up to what I think you’re up to, Y/N,” your mom muttered when Lana excused herself to the bathroom during dinner, looking straight at you and taking a sip of her wine.

“Which would be...?”

Mom set her glass down hard. “You know exactly what I’m talking about. She’s your teacher.”

Your mother’s ability to clock almost every single little thing never failed to amaze you.

“I’m nineteen in two weeks.”

Your mom waved. “Oh yea, sure. You’re nineteen in two weeks, that changed everything,” she muttered, her voice heavy with sarcasm. “Are you crazy?”

You debated answering that, given that it would’ve been a “yes.”

“The only reason that I’m not absolutely swinging arms with her, nor is she on my hit list, is because I saw the necklace,” she said.

“What about them?”

Your mom glared. “What do you mean, ‘what about them?’” She had a way of repeating what you said in a humorous tone when you said something silly. “I know that she’s your soulmate, Y/N. It still goes that you’re a student and she’s your teacher. Please, for both of your sakes end it for collage before one or the both of you get into trouble, hm?”

Your mom left to clean her dishes and Lana returned, your mom’s words still haunting you.

At the end of the night, your mom hugged Lana goodbye, telling her she was welcome over anytime. When your mom was visibly distracted you walked Lana outside.

“You know I could hear the conversation with your mom, right?” She spoke. You had been hoping to avoid having a conversation about this. “I don’t necessarily think she’s wrong.”

You broke away from Lana’s eyes and trained them on the ground, trying to compartmentalise her words.

“Listen, so far we’re just casual. Let’s put this to rest before something bad happens, and then as soon as your finished school I’m going to take you on a date to the nicest restaurant in the state,” she said.

“Casual,” is what she called it. You nodded your head and muttered goodnight. Lana, although noticing your behaviour, replied back, and left to her own house again.

Your mom stood in the hall. “I’m impressed,” she said. “I honestly didn’t think you would do it.”

You shrugged. “I didn’t.”

After that night, school was less enjoyable. You had even went as far as lodging a request to move to another class. You had barely been able to bring yourself to look at Lana from the sheer embarrassment. The request, to your dismay was denied and you had to face the added humiliation of Lana knowing that you had tried to leave the class and failed.

“You could at least talk to me about it,” she said when she asked you to stay behind. “You’ve barely glanced at me in the last two weeks.”

You shrugged again.

You felt like you had nothing to stay. Still stung from “casual.”

It was clearly bothering Lana, and you knew that her ego was the only thing that was keeping her composure. You knew it clearly didn’t help when Manny, the quarterback on the football team gave you a massive promposal in the cafeteria.

It was a gimmick. You’d been best friends with Manny since you were a child and he often flirted with you jokingly in class. Lana didn’t know of the extent of your friendship with him and you knew it stung her with jealousy to see the handsome, popular, insanely talented football player giving you all the attention.

Even Manny’s boyfriend, who lived in Arizona, teased you about the joke flirting.

You turned around, noticing Lana’s eyes fall when you looked at her.

You accepted, and boy were you in for it with Lana now.

taglist: @sarahp-stan @jumpoffabridge-t @sarahpaulsonsoftie @definitelynot-a-writer @bottom4delia @delias-bitch-craft @creepingwolfberry @thesapphictimelady @goodeday2u​ @that-fucking-error

[ladyofstardust]

Love is a Glitter Cannon in an Empty Pool

Word Count: 3.8k

Rating: T

Summary: In which Sarah gets her hands on a glitter cannon, owes 500 will o wisps a favour, and gives Jareth old cereal for his birthday. Everything goes exactly to plan.

Notes: Apartment-verse fic.  Set after the events of Carol of the Goblins.  I’m also posting them over at Ao3 in order if you’d prefer to read that way.

So true funny how it seems Always in time, but never in line for dreams Head over heels when toe to toe This is the sound of my soul

- True, Spandau Ballet

“Can you,” Sarah huffed, pushing on the extremely heavy iron base.  “Lift up the front just a littttttle? I just…want to get it into…the deep end.”

“Man, you are lucky I’m even letting you borrow this thing, let alone having me carry it into this pool.  It’s too heavy for that Sarah!” Laurel complained, letting the front of the cannon drop with a thud.

“No one will know!” She said, the base of the cannon unmoving against her shoulder.  “I promise we won’t break it.”

“You promise a lot of things for a woman trying to push a glitter cannon into an empty pool,” Laurel said appraising the situation.  “I’m half convinced you only picked this day because you knew I had that wedding to attend and cannot watch the absolute shitstorm this will be.”

“It won’t be a shitstorm, it’s going to be a glitter storm.” Sarah corrected, finally giving up the ghost on the glitter cannon, settling for its place in the shallow end.  “Also it’s his birthday, I didn’t pick it!”

This was…mostly true.  She knew Jareth had a birthday - everyone had a birthday!  But she didn’t know when it was. In fact, she was pretty sure he didn’t know either.  She’d bugged him and asked him enough, and every time he gave her a different date. Some of them weren’t even real dates as the 47th of Mercury wasn’t really something she could find on any of her calendars.  So the next time he threw out a (real) date she decided to run with it. His fault for not being more specific.

She’d been planning this for the last three months.  He was always doing these surprise romantic things for her.  It was easy enough for him to take her to Prague on a whim, or twirl her around skating on the frozen over bog.  Fine, points to King. But she had a friend who was an operations assistant for the local baseball team. The local baseball team that so happened to be in off-season.  That so happened to be in off-season with a currently unused glitter cannon. Then she found out her parents were going out of town, and their pool would be drained for the season, and the whole thing just started coming together.  

But Laurel couldn’t be there.  Sarah knew there was no way in hell she was getting unfettered access to that glitter cannon without Laurel insisting on attending.  Which in fairness, given that Sarah and Jareth had been a “thing” now for a while, Laurel was past irritated and solidly into suspicion.  She completely lucked out that her friend had to go to her brother’s wedding that weekend and couldn’t be there. This was her glittery shot for romance GK style and she was going all out.  

“Why does he like glitter so much anyways?” Laurel asked.  “It doesn’t even have a purpose.”

“Says the woman with the glitter cannon,” Sarah said with a smirk.  “And who even knows - maybe he was dropped on his head in the middle of studio 54 as an infant and the glitter invaded his cerebral cortex.  Or maybe David Bowie came to him in a dream and told him to be Glitter King henceforth. Or maybe he’s secretly a magpie and is just really into shiny things.  The possibilities are endless.”

“So, I mostly know you’re joking, but given some of the things you’ve told me about him in the past, I’m unwilling to rule anything out.”

“That’s the right call.  Last time I made an assumption about him I ended up flat on my back.  Well…actually that ended up going pretty well for me eyyyy” she said holding out her hand for a high five.

“Dude.”  Laurel deadpanned.

“Listen buddy, you were the one pushing us to start banging.  Now either give me a high five like a good friend or go inside and get the smoke machine.”

With a sigh, Laurel lifted her hand for the high five and Sarah forcefully returned it.

“Do you guys just spend all your time together having sex and high fiving about it after?”

“Pretty much!” Sarah grinned, running into the house to search for the aforementioned smoke machine.

“You’re gross!” Laurel called after her.

“Nope just happy!  Deal with it!” Sarah shouted behind her.  

Sarah started digging under the kitchen sink for the smoke machine.  Laurel had offered to lend hers, but Sarah actually had a few from a halloween party her parents threw a few years ago, and they wouldn’t notice if say, a goblin decided to turn it into a vomiting purple goop machine.  Sarah sighed thinking of her poor George Foreman grill. Forever ruined, sitting with the rest of the electronic graveyard in her apartment storage locker.

“My lady, where did you want the wisps?”  Sir Didymus asked from behind her, gesturing to a large glowing collection that someone might mistake for fireflies, but it was likely to be their last mistake.

“Just take them into the basement for the next half hour or so, I still have humans around.”

Sir Didymus nodded once and called to the will o’wisps to join him.  Sarah still had to pick up a few things for the party, Karen didn’t keep non-healthy snacks in the house, but Sarah knew Toby had a secret stash of Mars Bars and Fritos under his bed.  But she wouldn’t do him like that, he was already mad at her that she wouldn’t admit her boyfriend was the Goblin King. But there was no way in hell she was risking letting that slip in front of Karen or her dad, and twelve year old boys were never the pinnacle of discretion.  

Laurel promised to finish setting up the cannon before she left (but not before extorting a promise that she’d get photos of the end result), and Sir Didymus was busy coaching the wisps for their parts in the basement.  How he managed to get over 500 will o’ wisps to agree to this was a question for another time, but she was grateful he pulled it off. Sir Didymus loved his king, and would do anything he asked. But for Sarah he’d move worlds and she knew this.  Jareth knew it too, she suspected he encouraged her friend’s behaviour.

When Sarah returned after a very fruitful snack run, she noticed her friend had done her a solid and also set up the smoke machine as well.  Pool emptied out, and cannon and smoke firmly in place, Sarah spent the rest of the afternoon putting on her best taffeta and aqua-netted look, getting all the snacks in order and hooking up her old boombox before she declared the situation Ready for Party Time.  

She chose the pool as party central because she both wanted to contain the glitter, but didn’t want anyone peering over fences and happening to catch a glimpse of any magical mayhem.  The pool was both outside, and slightly hidden from view, as long as they stayed in the deep end. Plus it kinda looked like a middle school gymnasium with all the water gone and decorated with crepe paper.  This was exactly the look she was going for and Sarah was pleased.

“Didymus, are the wisps ready on my call?” She cried out to her friend, who was standing on the diving board, preparing to conduct the wisps like a maestro.

“Ready whenever you are my lady!”  

“Okay Didymus, cue the smoke machines!”  

The pool began to fill with a slightly stale smelling fog and Sarah hit play on the boombox.  

“Alright folks,” she said to no one in particular.  “I wish the King of the Goblins would come and party with me right now!”  

“What. In. Stars. ”  She heard him deadpan from across the pool.  

That was her cue.  Covering her ears, she let off the cannon and the large boom it made nearly knocked her over, but it began to rain glitter into the pool.  The will o wisps began dancing in an array of neon colours giving their best impression of the laser light show she’d shown them, and Spandau Ballet’s True echoed against the pool’s walls.  The hundred or so balloons she had managed to get the goblins to actually blow up, drifted along with the smoke and glitter and Sarah thought it had all come together rather perfectly.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY JARETH!”  She ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck kissing him.  

“I don’t…have a birthday?”  He said confused looking around at the scene.

“Of course you do, just because you don’t remember it doesn’t mean it isn’t there.  This was the date you gave me last time I asked, so I decided from henceforth, today is your birthday.  I don’t get enough opportunities to celebrate you, because despite my snarking you’re pretty freaking great.  Also you can’t call dibs on all grand romantic gestures, and I needed some points in the good girlfriend column.”

“You’ve already a good girlfriend…and I’m not sure I understand. Are those…will o wisps?  Pretending to be … lasers?”

“I’m frankly shocked you know what a laser is but yes.  Welcome to your 80s music dance party. Featuring all the trimmings.  I’ve got 80s themed snacks, 80s themed smoke, 80s themed will o wisps and the goblins are all wearing neon sweatbands, and have gotten really into Karen’s old Jane Fonda workout tapes, so they’ll be completely out of our hair.  

“You did all this for me?” He said looking around at the scene.  The glitter was still raining down into the pool and Sarah felt her stomach turn.  Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea, maybe there was a reason he didn’t celebrate his birthday.

“I did,” she said nervously.  “Because I love you, like a lot.  So if you hate this I’ll stop it right now and we can just go inside and watch the goblins learn jazzercise.”

He broke into a grin and kissed the top of her head affectionately.  

“I love it.  You’re the best girlfriend in this world or any other, title to Ms. Sarah Williams, I’ll arrange for your sash and sceptre in the morning.  I’m completely surprised, but admittedly this does explain a few things.”

“Yeah…yeah…I kinda thought there might be leaks on this plan.” She wasn’t so optimistic to think that there was any way to keep roughly 30 goblins sworn to secrecy but she figured that Jareth would hear “laser light show” from goblins and assume…well she didn’t think he’d jump to surprise birthday party at least.

“So what now?” He asked, catching a piece of falling glitter on his palm.

“Now we slow dance like middle schoolers.” She said seriously, placing her hands on his shoulders.  He went to place his hands in the proper dance positions but she swatted them away. “I said middle school!  Hands on shoulders mister and they better not wander.”

“But it’s my birthday,” he whined.

“Only technically,” she said rolling her eyes.  “Besides we’re going to do this right. I am committed to the theme.”

They swayed quietly to the echoing synthesizers for a few minutes until the song changed.  At which point Jareth took his opportunity to pull her closer.

“Middle school’s over,” he said giving her a twirl.  “Though I notice your dancing has improved significantly.”

Sarah couldn’t hid her pleased smile.  “Yeah I’ve been watching some youtube videos.  Something about fifty goddamn years of dance is real intimidating and...I actually had fun at the last faerie ball and you know, I could be convinced to go again.”

Jareth’s grin could have split the night it was so wide.  “They’re much more enjoyable with you, I’d actually go to more of them if you were with me.”

“Do you want to go to more of them?  I’ll go to any of the ones I’m expected to be at as Official Goblin Girlfriend but honestly I’d rather spend my Saturday nights watching movies on the couch with you.  They’re fun on occasion though. Too much Fae time is bad for the brain.”

“This is true,” he agreed.  “But I think we should avoid Samhain for the next little while as it’s always…a bit much.”

“Yeah ok fair enough,” she said.  “Besides I already have our couple’s costume planned out.”

“Sarah I don’t dress up for Samhain it’s an important date Underground and - what why are you smiling like that?” He said stopping mid-sentence.  

“Because I was gonna let you go as Elton John…” she said with a grin.  “I could go as Princess Di and you could do your trick with the fire again.”

“I’d rather not,” he said, brow furrowing in concern.

“Oh would that be because it wasn’t a trick and instead it was just you lighting me on fire?” She said, sticking out her tongue.  “What about all that ‘no Sarah, I promise it was very safe, just magic I swear I didn’t accidentally throw a fireball inside’ talk hmm?”

“I’m going to remind you again that it is my birthday and I should not have to answer questions regarding highly flammable outerwear,” he said deftly avoiding her question.

“Yeah whatever,” she rolled her eyes.  “You still owe me a new scarf.”

“Do you not have a running invoice at this point?” He teased.  “I’m fairly certain I’m several thousand in debt by this point.”

“Once you start factoring in the Goblins it does start getting up there,” she said.  “But what’s yours is mine and what’s mine is a forfeited security deposit so one of us is going to have to do some fancy talking when it comes time for me to move out.”

“Move out?” He stopped dancing.  “For what possible reason? Where would you go?  Why do you feel the need to move?”

“Hey whoa,” she said pulling him toward the snack table.  “I’m not planning on moving anytime soon. I mean, I’ve thought about it of course.  My apartment was never designed to be the nexus of weirdness and goblin halfway house it seems to have grown into but it…kinda is now?  To be honest I’ve spent more time wondering if there’s any way you could expand it so we had more room for our friends and goblins without them encroaching into our bedroom.”

“I looked into it, while it was achievable it was unlikely to be reversible.  Presenting a bit of a challenge for the next lodger after you.”

“I thought you didn’t want me moving,” she said with an arched brow.  

“Let’s just say I had a few thoughts of my own, I just thought I might be consulted before making any decisions,” he trailed off.  

“And you will be, because a glitter cannon in an empty pool says that where you go I go,” she pointed to the cannon in the corner which was now sort of sadly puking out small puffs of glitter and giving her strange high school prom flashbacks.  

“I suppose I always assumed after you left your apartment it would be to move into the castle,” he said, pouring a glass of Tang.  

“It might be,” she said with a noncommittal shrug.  “I dunno, like I said, I wasn’t planning on moving out anytime soon.  But I mean, I think we both like having a place Aboveground to call our own. I know you have all those other properties under your name though, so I was more thinking that might be a good next step.  Moving into one of your houses together. But not today.”

“Why not today?” He asked, taking a sip of Tang.  The face he pulled was, in Sarah’s estimation, 100% worth pushing a glitter cannon into a pool for.  “What is this appalling drink?”

“Tang,” Sarah said, opting for a crystal Pepsi instead.  “And because last I checked the only one paying rent on my place was me.  I’m also the one who has the utilities in their name, and the internet though to be honest it might…actually be Hoggle on my cable package.  He loves HBO.

“I like being self-sufficient, this isn’t news,” she popped a Frito into her mouth.  “If I move into one of your guaranteed ridiculously over the top homes, it’s just a hop skip and a jump from there into kept woman territory.  I know I can keep my job, but God I hate my job. If I didn’t have to do it…I’m not sure I would.”

“Something tells me this has less to do with you than it does Linda,” Jareth replied carefully, waving away the Tang and producing something that smelled distinctly like Goblin Ale.

“Yeah well, that’s the thing isn’t it?  Mommy issues run deep and true, and unfortunately they don’t die with their human counterpart,” she said.  “But regardless, I’m not down to live in some brownstone downtown just yet.”

“I was more thinking Upper Nyack,” he said glancing around her parent’s expansive backyard.  “I’m feeling a bit sentimental about this town and I enjoy your parent’s company.”

“You’re just saying that because my Dad promised to take you to a Rod Stewart concert.  Which by the way, might actually kill me.  If I wasn’t so worried about what you two would talk about I’d be coming down with a terrible flu.”

“Nice try Sarah,” he laughed.  “What was it you said, ah yes, half the fun is seeing your face.”

“Ughhhh,” she whined, throwing her head back.  “I hate that you like dad rock.”

“Consider it my birthday gift precious,” he said, kissing her on the tip of her nose.  

“Yeah and what was all this then,” she said in mock indignation, gesturing around the fog and glitter laden pool.  

“A wonderful surprise,” he grinned.  “Though I still don’t quite understand how Sir Didymus managed to get the wisps involved.  They are not known for taking direction well.”

“Oh what won’t Didymus do for me,” she said waving him off.  “Honestly, I feel I could ask him for the moon and he’d start building a ladder.”

He’s not the only one,” Jareth replied.

“I think I proved I’d build a ladder for you too tonight,” she pointed out.  “A ladder made of Funyuns and Red Vines.”

“Is there anything on this table that isn’t decades past its expiration date, or comprised of pure sugared rubber?” He said, looking unhappily at the snack table.  

“Uh there might be,” Sarah said glancing at the table filled with technicolor treats.  “But I don’t know why you’d want to eat it. Corn syrup and aspartame is the backbone of this country.”

“Is this really what you ate during your childhood,” he said, gesturing to the bowl of Smurf Berry Crunch.  “I don’t even know what species this is supposed to be.”

“Yeah I actually…don’t know?” she said tilting her head to look at the box.  “Also there was only one girl smurf, Smurfette. Which raises a lot more questions.”

“Has this been in your step-mother’s cupboard this whole time?”

“Haha no way,” Sarah laughed shaking her head.  “Karen’s way too fastidious for that. No I got some of it off eBay, some of it from the basement where she never goes, but this was an eBay find.”

“You got me used cereal for my birthday?” He said, raising a single eyebrow at her.

“It’s not used, the box isn’t even open.” She said, grabbing the box.  “Also it’s got so much sugar in it there’s no way it can actually go bad.  It’s fine. I’m sure it’s fine. Pretty sure.”

“Forgive me if you don’t fill me with confidence love,” he said, delicately taking the box out of her hands.  “But have you considered, there are food options that don’t carry such a caveat of ‘pretty sure’.”

“Goblin Ale is not one of those options,” she said pointing to the glass in his hand.

“Perhaps then the saying, better the devil you know,” he said, taking a long sip.

“You’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of that saying,” she said, sniffing his glass.  “Every time I smell or decide to do something stupid like taste the thing it’s different.”

“Funny you should mention that,” he said.  “The goblins don’t actually have a word for drink.  All drinks are called ale and all ale is a drink. They are synonyms to them.”

“Yeah stuff like that is the reason I have to hide my blender,” she said sighing and taking a sip of his drink.  It burned worse than the cheapest tequila. “It still tastes like death.”

“Well it’s an acquired taste,” he said rolling his eyes, and taking his drink back from her.  “Just like you.”

“Just like you,” she said, giving him a playful poke.  “Though I did try tonight. So if there’s something missing here that you’re looking for, you have my permission to magic it in.”

“No strings?” He said with a wicked glint in his eye.

“Please do not make me regret saying this,” she said, raking a hand down her face.  “Something nice maybe?”

“I have just the thing,” he winked.  

It took Sarah a second to realize what he’d done.  Then she noticed there wasn’t any music playing. The “lasers” were gone.  She also didn’t hear any of Sir Didymus’ shrieks about the wisps breaking formation.  

“Did you just bog everyone?!” She said, anxiously looking around the pool for any errant wisps.  

“I sent them home.” He said.  “Where they are more than welcome to continue celebrating my non-birthday.”

“Jareth I’m not going to have sex with you on the floor of my parent’s drained pool no matter how real your birthday is,” she said crossing her arms.

“While I won’t say the thought didn’t occur to me,” he said, leading her back towards the epicentre of the glitter cannon explosion.  “That’s not why. Well, it might be why later.”

“It’s not,” she said.

“Nevertheless!” He replied brightly.  “Look up Sarah.”

Sarah looked towards the sky and was surprised to see a full meteor shower happening all around them.  Down into her parent’s pool, the glitter cannon started spurting again, and Jareth restarted the music.

“Better than lasers?” He asked her with a smirk.

“Always gotta show me up huh?” She said grinning.  “Yeah that’ll do pig, that’ll do.”

“Pig?”  

“Babe,” she said giving him a kiss on the nose.

“Yes?”  

“Don’t worry about it,” she said with a laugh. She wrapped her arms around him and looked back up towards the meteor lit sky.  “Happy Birthday Jareth, let’s watch these stars fall.”

[subcutaneous7]

The Way You Look Tonight [Grace/Frankie]

Frankie returns from Santa Fe when she and Grace receive a special honor for their business. Inspired by Jane Fonda’s dress at the 2017 Emmy Awards. You know the one (or rather, my interpretation of it. See author’s note). Hope you enjoy (: Here on A03.

***

“I really wish you’d let me take you to Patty’s,” Frankie guilt-tripped for the third time that morning, shuffling after Grace as they approached Lord & Taylor.

“Why, because you’re afraid of the revolving door here?”

“I’m not afraid,” Frankie insisted, hiking her purse up on her shoulder, stopping in her tracks to stretch her calves. “I just prefer establishments that don’t force me to vault myself through a human-sized blender before I can get my shop on.”

“Well, come on then.”

“I mean…okay. You go first.”

“Fine,” Grace sighed, quickly pushing past the spinning entrance. When she reached the other side, she turned back only to find Frankie still waiting, pressing her hand to her sternum as she watched the golden slats between the panes of glass go round and round, counting to herself “One, two, three, one, two, three,” like she was memorizing some sort of life-or-death dance routine. Grace felt her patience running thin, the usual let’s go, Frankie bubbling up inside, but she held it back this time, determined not to do that so much anymore. She pushed it down instead, crossing her arms, trying not to tap her foot as she waited.

“One, two, thr…good fucking Christ…okay, and I’m through,” Frankie exhaled loudly, wiping her brow as she stuck the landing, shaking out the adrenaline. “Alright. Show me where the fancy ladies buy their fancy lady clothes. I’m all yours.”

Grace bit the inside of her lip, blinking a few times before leading them past the men’s ties and the escalators, thankful they didn’t have to brave another “man-made death trap” as they found their way to the evening gown section of the department store.

A few weeks ago, when she received the invitation honoring them and other female entrepreneurs at the Southern California Women’s Business League’s Annual Gala, Grace almost tossed the invitation right in the trash. She and Frankie being honored for Vybrant had to be some kind of joke. Certainly an organization made up of mostly upper to middle class older, white, straight-laced women who were more prudish than she’d ever been had to have made a mistake. They’d done quite a bit of work at winning over that market online, where they could still remain somewhat anonymous. There was still plenty of work to do in person. And yet there it was, right on the mailer, confirmed on their website. They’d even pulled a photo of she and Frankie from the Vybrant media kit, making it clear this was in fact serious. They were receiving some kind of award, and as co-owner of the company, Grace didn’t think she should make the decision to attend or not on her own, even if her best friend and business partner had up and left a few weeks earlier.

Santa Fe was only temporary, Frankie promised. A trial run. A last hurrah, if anything. Grace knew that wasn’t true, not after the pep talk she’d given, not after she’d stupidly restored Frankie’s confidence and made her rethink breaking up with Jacob in the first place. So, the next week, Frankie packed up half her studio and went with him to visit his property there, simple as that.

Except the day she left, Grace could barely make it downstairs to say goodbye. She was nauseous all morning, but played it off like it was a stomach bug she’d picked up from the grandkids. She refused to get Frankie sick before taking the train far away from her doctors, so Grace held her breath dramatically while Frankie threw caution to the wind and wrapped her arms around her anyway. She settled for an air kiss to either side of Grace’s cheek and then hopped into the Lyft with Jacob.

Grace stood in the doorway, watching all her sanity, her safety and stability, the foundation she’d begrudgingly and inevitably built over the past two years get in the car and pull away. But before it could, Jacob looked back one last time from inside the car, made eye contact and slowly mouthed “Thank you.” It took all Grace had not to hurl her coffee mug at him, to stop the cheap Toyota in the driveway by chipping away just a little more at its deteriorating paint job. Instead, she went inside and back up to bed, where she stayed for the good remainder of the day.

That was a little over a month ago. Since then, she’d been determined to let Frankie do her thing, figure out if Santa Fe, and Jacob by extension, really was worth picking up her life and starting over somewhere else. Still, Grace thought it only fair to tell Frankie about the invitation to the gala, not as an excuse to get her to come back. No, definitely not that she told herself. It made sense to present her with all the options. As a business owner. As equals in their mutual success.

She waited until the very last minute to tell her, with only a few days left until the big event, thinking that might make things easier all around. Little did she know Frankie would be so excited, she’d book a flight that very night and be back in town two days later. That gave them just enough time to shop for dresses and make it to the party that evening.

“So, what should I be looking for?” Frankie asked. “What’s the dress code at one of these things anyway?”

“Black tie,” Grace repeated. “That’s why we’re here in the first place.”

“Yes, because you wouldn’t let me take you to Patty’s.”

“Because I don’t feel like showing up to a high society dinner in a mumu made from alpaca fur,” Grace rolled her eyes, running her fingers over the garments calling from their little islands in the center of the showroom.

“Now when have you ever seen me wear alpaca? I mean, outside the house? That I haven’t crocheted myself? You can’t find that at Patty’s. We’d have to go somewhere way out in the bowels of Encinitas for…”

“Can we just focus on what we’re here for, please?” Grace clipped, immediately cursing herself for the tone. She’d really resolved to do better. She had to.

“Okay, Ms. Priestly, then tell me what the latest trends are? What would look good on a woman with my hip-to-ass ratio? Got any hot tips?”

“Maybe don’t talk about your ass when we get there tonight,” Grace smirked, pulling out a navy blue number that might just work. “How about this?”

“Ugh, too boring,” Frankie whined.

“This isn’t backstage at a Rolling Stones concert, okay? This is a business affair.”

“I know that. But what do they always say? Business in the front, party in the back. Is that right? Speaking of which, check this out,” Frankie lifted a bright fuchsia gown off the rack, twirling it between them, mesmerized by the attached necklace, a strip of faux diamonds with emeralds dangling from the hanger. She swatted at it with her free hand, making it swing as it hovered over the extremely low neckline, or what Grace soon realized was the back of the dress. “Jesus, this would look great on you.”

“Me?” Grace balked, mouth agape. “I…yeah, maybe if I was forty years younger.”

“Uh uh, don’t even start with that ageist bull. You know you can rock any gown in this place, and this one’s got you written all over it.”

“Are you kidding me?” Grace continued to look for other options. “Since when have you ever known me to wear something that…that…”

“Unconventional? Exciting? Not that often, I must admit, but why let that stop you? The color’s perfect. It even matches our packaging, sorta. Come on, won’t you try it on for me? Pretty please?” Frankie batted her lashes.

“Why? So you can take a photo and put it up on Snapfish or whatever the hell you want to do with it?”

“Snapchat, Grace. Don’t play dumb, you know what it is. And no, I won’t take any pictures. I’ll be a perfect gentlewoman if you just try it on. And I’ll try on whatever you think would look good on me.”

“What is this, an impromptu say yes night?” Grace complained. “Because I didn’t agree to any…”

“No, no, not tonight. There’s too much pressure, I know it. I wouldn’t do that to you. Just trust me on this. This dress will make us stand out from the crowd, not that we need much help with that. But believe me, they’ll notice you. For all the right reasons.”

“And what about you? I’m not worried about me as much as I am about you. I’m not letting you walk into that place in clogs and a peasant skirt.”

“Oh don’t worry, we’ll find me something. But first, this. Come on, the suspense is killing me. If you hate it, we’ll move on to the next one. What do you say?”

Grace looked down at the dress again. It really was stunning, not something she ever would have picked out for herself, but maybe would have stopped to compliment on someone else if she saw it. Then again, there was no telling unless she tried it on. Frankie clearly saw something she didn’t. Far be it for her to cut down her vision so prematurely.

“If I can’t get it up over my hips, don’t even start to drag me over to the dessert table tonight.”

“Honey, there was no way you were gonna eat any of that anyway,” Frankie shook her head. “Let’s go.”

Read the rest on A03.

[real-life-pine-tree]

Leo Will Never Know: Survival Duels and Bio-Bands (5/?)

In an alternate timeline, Yugi indirectly prevented the events of Arc-V from ever happening. But how could this small change have an impact on a few selected people? A spin-off of the Arc-V Aftermath series. Based on the hilarious comic by @justanotherotakuandartist​​. Co-written with @violetganache42​​.

Michael and Ray's final year was rather interesting because four students from the foreign branches were invited to attend: Adrian Gecko from East Academy, Axel Brodie from West Academy, Jim "Crocodile" Cook from South Academy, and Jesse Anderson from North Academy. However, Professor Thelonious Viper's exhibition match between Jaden and Jesse was an example of what was in store for Duel Academy: Survival Duels. Students must wear these hard-to-remove wristbands called Bio-Bands that can keep track of their data and send them to Viper to help him determine if they will stay or be expelled. There was only one way to remove them, but let's just say that method was too…violent.

However, at the moment, Michael and Ray were more focused on the exhibition match. Jaden and Jesse were acting a little too friendly towards each other, constantly complimenting each other's strategies and cards.

"Are they...flirting?" Ray ultimately realized.

"Looks like it to me," Michael answered.

As they watched on, they were getting more convinced about something. Is Jesse the perfect match for Jaden? Because it definitely looks like it.

"Sorry, you're gonna halfta wait," Jesse said.

"Me, wait?" Jaden asked. "If you won't summon it, then I'll force it out!"

For the remainder of the duel, Jaden's LP decreased rapidly, but managed to turn things around when Elemental Hero Air Neos destroyed Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth; Jesse wanted to special summoned Rainbow Dragon...but took it back, saying that he was bluffing and he ended up losing the rest of his Life Points. Viper returned to congratulate them on their exhibition match and then proceeded to explain the students about the mandatory Survival Duels and the Bio-Bands to determine the students' fate of staying or leaving Duel Academy. Afterwards, Chancellor Sheppard tried to explain how Michael and Ray don't need to wear them since they're the best students in their class, but Viper wasn't having it because mandatory means mandatory.

"All students have to participate," Viper said. He proceeded to grab Ray's wrist to put a Bio-Band on her. "No exceptions."

Suddenly, Ray began to have a panic attack, preventing Viper from putting the Bio-Band on her as she slapped it away. After witnessing Jaden and Jesse's exhibition match, she feared the risk of getting shocked like last time. This was why Sheppard didn't want her and Michael to participate; they may be the best students, but she was easily prone to getting worried and scared if she spotted something extremely concerning.

"I apologize for Ms. Akaba's behavior," Sheppard said. "She had an unpleasant experience with mental abuse last semester, so she gets panic attacks whenever she sees electro-shock devices."

"Very well," Viper said, releasing his grip on Ray. "But what about Mr. Lindonson?"

Michael immediately got tense after listening to that question. If he does wind up wearing the Bio-Band, there was a certain chance Ray may freak out if she sees it…unless he doesn't duel a lot. He realized how there is a fishy scheme unfolding and these Survival Duels are a mere disguise in order to fulfill it.

"I'm alright," Michael said, holding out his left wrist. "I'll take part in these Survival Duels."

"Are you sure?" Ray asked.

"Trust me," Michael reassured, looking at her deep in the eyes.

Ray could tell from his face that he had a reason for accepting to take part. Nodding her head in assimilation, she stepped out of Viper's way so he can attach the Bio-Band on Michael's wrist.

"You made the right choice, Mr. Lindonson," Viper said.

"I know," Michael replied. As long as he rarely dueled, he should be fine from any possible injuries.

Several days later, the Survival Duels have begun and it was taking a toll on a lot of Duelists. It began one night when Axel abducted Syrus, who was briefly promoted to Obelisk Blue, and challenged Jaden to a duel or else his friend will fall into the ocean. The Elemental Hero/Neos user won, but both Duelists felt weak and he fainted shortly after Jesse and Hassleberry rescued the Vehicroid user. By the next morning, Jaden was reenergized as he wolfed down his food like he always did, but Fonda advised him to not duel for a few weeks. Shortly thereafter, Hassleberry and Jim dueled each other because the electromagnetic energy waves affected the Ra Yellow student's dinosaur DNA, landing both of them in the nurse's office after Jim won.

Michael and Ray have heard what was happening to their friends, but they weren't the only ones losing energy. The students all over Duel Academy were getting drained so bad that they started acting delusional; at one point, Syrus mentioned that he was a wimpy sidekick with nothing important to move the plot along. The couple got suspicious about these Bio-Bands because they were making everyone think they were characters in a TV show. Their behavior was in a very similar manner to the comedic style of a British creator of a popular online abridged series.

At the same time, they also got invitations for a tournament Adrian was hosting in the Obelisk Blue dorm. Needless to say, the two weren't interested.

"Should we go?" Michael asked.

"I'm not sure," Ray admitted. "We're trying to stay undercover, so it might be a bit suspicious to attend the tournament and not participate."

"Then what are we supposed to do?" Michael asked.

"Well... What if we just hang out in my dorm?" Ray suggested.

"An Obelisk slumber party?" Michael asked. "For discussing dueling strategies?"

"Uh... Sure!" Ray answered, sounding a bit too cheerful with that outburst.

"Great," Michael answered. "We could use a break to take our minds off of these Survival Duels."

On the night the tournament took place, Ray and Michael hung out in her dorm room to discuss new strategies they can come up with and experiment through tabletop duels. He was right about them taking a break from Survival Duels… Maybe a little too right. His girlfriend seemed to be showing subtle hints of a change in behavior as they dueled.

"Uh... Ray?" Michael asked, noticing his girlfriend was staring at his chest. "My eyes are up here."

"What?" Ray asked. It sounded like she was snapping out of a trance. "Sorry. I use Hope Dragon Flower's special ability to special summon Arcana Force VI - The Lovers-"

"That's Hope Dragon Wind," Michael corrected.

Ray looked down on her side of the field to see her Wind dragon, not Flower. She lifted her head up and apologized, with a light hint of blush forming on her cheeks. Michael noticed she was a bit off tonight, but he wasn't sure why.

"Are you alright?" Michael asked.

"I'm not sure," Ray admitted. "But you sure have grown over the past four years."

"You too," Michael agreed. "You survived electro-shock abuse and managed to recover from that. I'm amazed on how well you recovered."

"That's not why I meant..." Ray shyly admitted.

It was true that the two have grown during their time at Duel Academy. When they first attended there, they were young teens who were childhood friends and had no idea the amazing surprises and changes Ray would bring with her talent for sewing and natural fashion instinct. Now they are legal adults who were the best students—along with Jaden, who was Duel Academy's best Duelist—and have been dating for a couple years. However, it wasn't their personalities that have matured; their bodies have as well, which the Hope Dragon user was referring to.

Michael blushed, realizing what Ray was talking about. "Are you saying you want a break from dueling?" He asked, taking note on Ray's now-longer hair.

"Of course," Ray answered. "I am getting a bit tired from all these practices."

Michael was preparing to organize his cards and put them away when he heard a noise from across the table. He lifted his head up see where it came from, only to be surprised by a kiss from Ray, who had reached to his side to lock lips with him. As he dropped his cards, he almost instantaneously gave in as his left hand caressed her right cheek, with her arms wrapped around his body and her hands firmly grasping onto his shoulders.

Not too long after that, Viper was in the old research Super Animal Learning—or SAL—lab where Wheeler the Monkey was being experimented on a couple years ago. Inside it contained the equipment used for the Survival Duels and a canister filled with some kind of liquid containing orange fluid-like blobs and a mysterious eye.

Suddenly, a large blob had materialized in the canister. "What's this?" Viper asked aloud.

He noticed the large blob reflecting off of one of the computer screens that was monitoring various locations of Duel Academy and the jungle underneath the lab. He got off from his seat and walked over to the canister to see the shut eye surrounded by the orange substance, with one of them more voluminous than the rest. He assumed that this must be from all the students that attended Adrian's tournament.

"Well done, Mr. Gecko," Viper said. "I thought the procedure would take the whole school year to complete, but your plan seems to have sped up the process."

The next morning, a sleeping Ray slowly woke up to hear faint sounds within close proximity. Her eyes gradually opened wider to help wake her up and she could make out that she was in bed with someone as heard by the barely audible snoring and seen by the blanket covering the two of them; however, she felt the fabric covering her entire body from the neck down and his body from the torso down with their bare skins. She asked herself if they did what she thought they did last night, with a voice stating the usual four-word sentence to basically answer her internal question.

"Leo will never know..." Michael muttered in his sleep.

Ray's eyes then shot wide opened as she quickly remembered what happened last night. What started as innocent kissing gradually became more passionate. He untied her pigtails as their uniforms were discarded and the next thing she knew, they were in her bed having sex. Although she enjoyed having her first time doing it with him, she immediately got worried about what may happen as a result of them losing their virginities; will she end up getting pregnant?

"Michael?" Ray asked softly, stroking his hair in hopes of him waking up. "What are we going to do now?"

No response except the sound of him still snoring. Did the two having sex tucker him out that much? Ray smiled, admiring how cute her boyfriend looks in a relaxed state.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. "Ray? Are you up yet?"

Ray bolted upwards, covering her nude body with the blanket because she recognized that voice anywhere: it was Alexis. Was there something important that she wanted to tell her?

"Don't come in yet!" Ray exclaimed, feeling incredibly nervous. "I'm not dressed yet!"

She jumped off the bed to grab her clothes off the floor and ran into the bathroom to get dressed. Alexis politely waited outside of the dorm room to give her privacy, but she couldn't help but notice how worrisome her classmate sounded. Regardless, she needed to tell her about what happened to most of the Ra Yellow and Obelisk Blue students after Adrian's tournament.

Ultimately Ray was able to get dressed and she left her dorm as she tied her hair up in pigtails. "Sorry about that," she said, sounding a bit tired. "So what did you want to tell me?"

"It's about Adrian's tournament," Alexis explained. "By the time it was done, nearly everyone participating in it passed out."

The news shocked Ray; at least what happened last night was actually a good thing since she and Michael didn't participate. She followed Alexis inside Duel Academy and into the gym, where they met up with Jaden, Jesse, Syrus, Hassleberry, and Jim. They looked down onto the gymnasium floor to see the unconscious students scattered everywhere in sleeping bags and blankets; the number of casualties was so high that bot all of them could fit into the infirmary.

"Ray!" Jaden exclaimed, rushing over to the Obelisk Blue junior fashion designer. "You're alright!"

"Of course I'm alright," Ray said. "I ended up having a small sleepover with Michael last night."

"A sleepover, huh?" Jaden asked. "Sounds pretty sweet."

"Yeah..." Ray agreed, blushing slightly. "It was."

After that exchange, Ray and the others stared at the students who fell victim to the Bio-Bands, which frustrated Jaden because of the recent events going on at the school. They all decided to talk to Crowler and Bonaparte—who had joined the Academy's faculty last year—about where Sheppard is, only for them to find out he was away and left the two in charge until he gets back. Without any idea on how to stop Viper, Jaden and Jesse explained how everyone was losing energy and how the Bio-Bands are irremovable unless if it resorted to a brutal last resort.

At that moment, Syrus noticed Ray's bare wrists. "Hold on," he said. "Ray, why aren't you wearing a Bio-Band?"

"Because I thought they were electro-shock devices," Ray explained. "Ever since that incident with the Society of Light, I've been getting panic attacks whenever I see those devices." Her hand slowly moved to her neck. "I was afraid of falling victim to another round of abuse."

She never forgot her first panic attack during the Genex Tournament back when Syrus lost to Zane. Seeing the two getting shocked whenever they lose Life Points was one thing, but seeing her Ra Yellow classmate pass out from electrocution took the cake as it fully triggered her.

"Panic attacks?" Jesse asked.

"It's kinda a long story," Jaden replied. "Right now, we need to focus on our current problem."

They then went to the Obelisk Blue dorm to see if Adrian was awake; after his victory against Chazz, they collapsed from energy loss and were now recovering in the dorm room and the nurse's office respectively. Fortunately, despite being bedridden, he was conscious enough to tell them the location of Viper's headquarters. He informed them the Venom user was residing in the SAL lab in the forest, with Syrus commenting that their encounter with Wheeler was "a weird episode". They then left the dorm to make their way to the forest, unaware that this was a distraction for Adrian to infiltrate the old lab on his own.

"So Ray, where's Michael?" Jaden asked.

"He's still sleeping," Ray answered.

Her companions started to grow concerned about Michael still sleeping; he's usually not the kind of person to oversleep like that. "You sure he's just sleepin'?" Hassleberry asked.

"I'm sure," Ray replied. "He was perfectly alright last night after..." She blushed.

The gang wondered what Ray was going to say until Alexis remembered stopping by her dorm room earlier. She asked her if she was okay because she sounded extremely fidgety through the door. "I think I saw someone in your bed," the Ritual user recalled. "Was that Michael?"

Ray wasn't sure how to respond, but her blushing face said everything her friends needed to know. "You slept with him, didn't ya?" Jesse asked.

"Okay, yes, I did!" Ray admitted. "But it's not a big deal!"

"It kind of is," Syrus said. "What if that's why Michael is sleeping heavily?"

He does have a point; sleeping with someone and not fully waking up due to the heavy slumber was kinda important to recognize. Ray remembered that Michael did speak in his sleep and concluded that their first time must have exhausted him.

"The poor guy must have been wiped out," Ray said. "Although it was pretty exhausting for me too. The last thing I remember before falling asleep was a flash of light from Michael's wrist-"

Her sentence was cut short as her face changed into an expression that says, "Oh, crap". The other six students saw her shocked realization at what she didn't finish stating. Just as Jim was about to snap her back into reality, she blurted out how the Bio-Bands can apparently drain people's energy through sex and not only duels.

"But Michael wasn't like the other students from the tournament," Ray recalled. "He never passed out. He's just sleeping."

"Are you sure?" Alexis asked.

"I heard his light snores," Ray answered. "I know he's sleeping."

She has known Michael for over ten years and can tell he was sleeping to regain his strength after last night based on what she determined. They all settled on checking up on him once they've dealt with Viper.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the SAL lab and entered through an automatic door which was opened by Viper, who was setting up a trap for them. After searching the interior of the building, they came across an elevator that leads to the basement. Jim's device detected high levels of electromagnetic waves, meaning they were on the right track. With Jesse taking charge as leader and reminding everyone to stay alert in case of traps, they gathered into the elevator and descended down into the basement, which looked more like a jungle than an actual basement.

"What happened to Chazz last night?" Ray asked.

"He dueled Adrian last night," Jaden answered. "Apparently he got suspicious about his motives."

"Well I hope Chazz is alright," Ray said, sounding a bit sad.

"You still like that guy?" Hassleberry asked.

"He was originally in Obelisk Blue," Ray said. "I know he's now in Slifer Red, but I believe us Obelisk students have to stick together and look out for each other."

This was a belief she stood with throughout her time at Duel Academy, as seen when she helped Damon and Belowski during the Genex Tournament. After all, those who were ranked in Obelisk Blue will always be an Obelisk student in her eyes, regardless if they end up in different dorm or not.

Shortly after the elevator reached the floor of the basement, the doors opened to let everyone out and into the artificial jungle. They split up with Jim, Alexis, and Hassleberry heading in one direction and Ray tagging along with Jaden, Jesse, and Syrus in the opposite direction. As quickly as they begun the search, the lights went out, which was the result of Adrian successfully infiltrating the old lab and hacking the control panel to kill the power in the basement and all but one of Viper's cameras.

The search ended up with a rocky start for both groups; Hassleberry and Alexis ran for cover while Jim and his pet crocodile Shirley were fighting against a tiger that was about to attack them. As the two students ran, Alexis fell through a trap door. At the same time, Jaden got separated from Jesse, Syrus, and Ray in the heat of the moment, only for him to be lured into a trap set by Mr. Stein, a professor in Duel Academy. He took the Slifer Red student to the locked door and challenged him to a duel; if Jaden won, the door will unlock and open, but he'll also find out soon enough that it comes with a terrible price.

Throughout the duel, Mr. Stein used a Scab Counter archetype to take control of Jaden's Elemental Heroes and Neo-Spacians through the effect of Scab Scar Knight and kept bringing back Scab Blast from the Graveyard to inflict more damage to him. The professor also blamed him for having the students sleep in class and not showing up at all because he was the Academy's best Duelist, without showing any care if the student didn't mean to do it. He believed everyone was following their role model's footsteps, with Alexis being the last student to stop attending class; however, Michael and Ray always showed up on time to his classes and paid attention to the lessons, making them his favorite students. Speaking of Ray, she returned to the elevator with Syrus and Jesse, who informed the two that the killed power must have also deactivated it as well. They then heard Jaden's voice from across the basement and ran to where it came from.

As Mr. Stein continued to accuse Jaden, a hologram of Viper interrupted them to show Alexis trapped in a room that was filling up with water. The more Life Points Stein loses, the faster the water fills up until she drowns when his LP reach 0, disturbing the two until they were shown footage of why Alexis stopped going to class. She told Jasmine and Mindy that she didn't like the lessons being taught, prompting the teacher to continue the duel. At one point, he activated his face-down Scab Scream to destroy Elemental Hero Neos and tributed Scab Scarknight to special summon Scar Knight, his most beloved card and Spirit Partner. During his time as a pro Duelist, he would use its effect to win multiple duels; consequently, it became more battle-damaged as his views on life altered. His exhaustion from getting a teaching degree didn't help, especially during his unfinished duel against The D, causing him to retire and become a teacher at Duel Academy.

Meanwhile, with Hassleberry and Jim, they haven't had any luck in finding Alexis, but Shirley found the trap door in which she fell into. Although they weren't able to open it, she led them to the waterfall that was most likely filling up the room below. She and her owner swam underwater to find said room and demolished the wall to rescue the Obelisk Blue student. Jaden saw this and can now finish the duel without any worries. He ended his turn by summoning Chrysalis Larva and playing a face-down. Stein used Scar Knight's effect to destroy itself and all monsters on both sides of the field to result in a draw, but the face-down Cocoon Veil protected his opponent from any damage by tributing Larva, causing him to lose. He saw Scar Knight fall onto the bridge and picked it up, but the Bio-Band drained his energy and he fell into the abyss. Jaden tried to rescue him, but fell unconscious as his Bio-Band sucked his energy out as well to feed the devilish eye.

[real-life-pine-tree]

Arc-V Aftermath: Butterfly Connections (16/26)

When all is said and done, things have quickly recovered in the four dimensions. But when weird things start happening, the Yu-Salad Boys and the Bracelet Girls quickly realize they have some loose ends to fix. Co-written with @violetganache42​.

WARNING: Dub names will be featured in the story.

With the Team Duel Tournament slowly inching closer to its grand day, all twelve participating teams have been working extremely hard to prepare themselves for the big day. Team Noble, on the other hand, hasn't been fairing well recently. Lulu was still healing from her back surgery, anxiously and desperately waiting for the day she makes a full recovery, preferably before the tournament starts. Shay made plans to have Yugo check his prosthetic leg; his parents gave him a day off to make sure it gets repaired, so he decided to use it tomorrow. Yuto was also deducing from a list of XYZ Duelists which one will be the team's stand-in. With all three members forced to face their own problems, they may not be fully prepared to compete.

At the moment, Yuto was getting frustrated. He tried to find good XYZ Duelists to see if any of them would make a good stand-in, but due to Shay and Lulu coming from a high background, anyone he met became too scared, fearing their cards weren't on the same level as the Obsidian siblings. So right now, things weren't looking good for him.

As a breather, he decided to go somewhere to take his mind off of this and relax. Maybe the local museum the Yu-Salad went to? At this point, he needed anything to lower his frustration and focus on something else for a little while, so the museum may be the best place to go.

At the museum, Yuto was still a bit upset. His best friend and girlfriend were counting on him to find a stand-in, but he couldn't. He didn't want his team to get disqualified, but what could he do?

Frustrated, Yuto pounded his fist against a display case. "I wish there was a way to fix this," he confessed out loud, leaning his head against the display case. "I wish I could be helpful to my team. I wish..." He let out a frustrated sigh. "I wish things were back to normal!"

"You seem rather distressed."

Yuto heard an adult female voice and turned around to see where it came from. He noticed a tan-skinned, blue-eyed woman with straight black hair that went below her shoulder and two locks wrapped in gold rings, stopping past her neck. She also had a gold head wear around her head that had an emerald on the front of her forehead. She wore a white, ankle-length dress that partially exposed her shoulders, having black patterns around the neck and rims of the sleeves, and a pair of white flats. She even had some sort of golden Egyptian necklace. Who was this woman? Is she one of the museum's employees or was she visiting as well?

"Sorry," Yuto said, stepping away from the display case. "I have a lot on my mind. I'm-"

"You are Yuto Osaku," the woman said. "The fragment of Zarc Nightstone who is loving and compassionate."

Yuto was a bit baffled. "How...?"

"My apologies," the woman said. "I have heard about you and your other selves from the news. You four are taking part in an upcoming tournament, correct?"

Yuto nodded his head, still left a bit speechless on how she easily knew who he was. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am Ishizu Ishtar," the woman answered. "I serve as the museum's curator. I recall seeing your friend, Yuya Sakaki, a while ago in this very room."

He also remembered that moment as well. He explained to Ishizu that after Yuya was revived, he, Yugo, and Yuri were temporarily fused into the tomato-haired teen's body, while also indicating about how he went on a tour of Paradise City and was shown the Egyptian exhibit.

"I see," Ishizu said. "So why have you come to visit?"

"It's my team," Yuto answered. "The tournament is in a few days and I'm worried my teammates won't be able to recover."

"Because of the injuries they received from the Invasion?" Ishizu asked.

Yuto looked anguished when he heard that, but it was true. He told her about Lulu receiving a huge scar on her back, ended up with temporary spinal plates, and recently got surgery to have them removed. As for Shay, he had his left leg amputated and replaced with a robotic prosthetic and how it's been on the fritz. As a result, he needs to find a stand-in for their team.

"I cannot blame them," Ishizu said. "Your best friend and girlfriend had grown up in an elite environment. They had to learn to adapt to harsh conditions. You, on the other hand, were born a commoner, thus the only injury you received was a light scar on your right ear."

Okay, her knowing who he was and what he was doing was one thing, but how does she even recognize their hardships like it was nothing? Was she psychic or something? Did she witness these events as well?

"How did you know...?" Yuto asked.

"I can see your scar hidden underneath your hair," Ishizu explained. "I have learned to pay attention to every detail, even the sorrow in your eyes."

Dang, she was extremely good at deduction. His scar was small and barely noticeable, so having someone with a keen eye and an observing mindset was pretty impressive.

"I can also tell you are nervous about other things," Ishizu continued. "While a recent formal party assured you that your girlfriend genuinely loves you, you are worried it might not last very long since you two met very recently compared to your other selves. You are also concerned about her not being able to walk again."

Maybe she was a little too good at observation. How did she even know what he was going through? Yeah, he had met Lulu several months ago and has grown to love her, but with recent complications, he kept finding himself questioning their relationship, even wondering if they would get married at all. He even felt bad about the spontaneous proposal when he first visited her. Has Ishizu been visiting the hospital for the past few weeks? He obviously doesn't recall seeing her there, so this situation became a bit more baffling.

"I can assure you that everything will work out," Ishizu said, lightly touching her necklace. "As long as you remain loyal and kind, you will have a bright future with her."

The necklace began to glow and flashed a bright light, blinding Yuto. In a matter of seconds, he regained his vision to find himself in a church, with a lot of people sitting down. At first, he wasn't sure what was going on and who these people were until he saw someone that looked like him and was wearing a suit. Is that his adult self?

"Is that...me?" Yuto asked.

There was no denying that this person was an older Yuto, but what was going on and why was he formally dressed up like that? He heard the sound of the church's double doors opening and turned to see who it was. There was no doubt it was a bride, but he immediately spotted the long, dark purple hair. It was Lulu, and she was…standing? She began to walk down towards the altar as the person played music on the organ. But how is that possible? Fonda said there was a high chance of her not walking and she had to be in a wheelchair.

"This is your future, Yuto Osaku," Izhizu explained. "You will live a long and happy life with your girlfriend. While it is true that you only met months ago, the love between you two is unbreakable."

Based on what she said, does that mean he and Lulu will get married? According to the vision, it seemed most likely; even though voices weren't heard from the people at the church, it was clearly a remarkable ceremony. He couldn't believe that this was actually his future.

"I do."

"I do."

Yuto witnessed the priest declaring his and Lulu's future selves husband and wife before the two embraced in a kiss, leaving their friends and families overjoyed and some with tears of joy. He was left nonplussed yet relieved and also a bit excited that this was the future that Ishizu predicted.

"So that's my future," Yuto said as the vision ended. "I really am going to marry Lulu. How can I make that vision come true?"

"While I cannot tell you everything, I can tell you two things," Ishizu answered. "First of all, speak to the lilac-haired girl who still believes in fairytales. She will be happy to act as your team's stand-in. Secondly, the next time you see Yugi Muto, tell him to come to this museum. I wish to talk to him about something that should have occurred years ago."

The lilac-haired girl who still believes in fairytales… Is she referring to Sarah Glitters? Does she know she'll be a perfect backup member of Team Noble? It sure sounds like it. Sarah and Lulu were great friends, so she actually may be the perfect choice for her to fill in the Lyrilusc user's place. Also, who was Yugi Muto? His name sounds familiar; although Yuto was within Yuya's merging mind, he may have had an idea of what his appearance was, but he might need to bring Yuya along to help find him just in case.

"Thank you," Yuto said. But he was about to leave the museum when Ishizu placed her hand on his shoulder.

"There is one last thing I must tell you," Ishizu said. "Lono is very proud of what you have done."

Yuto raised both eyebrows in astonishment. All this time, he believed he never got to fulfill his mother's last words and had let her down. Seeing where he currently was, from helping Yuya end the War to getting a job at ObsidianCorp, he realized Lono has always been proud of his achievements. He thanked Ishizu again for the kind words before leaving the museum to fulfill the two things that needed to be done. Since there was no school today, he can rule out Heartland Duel School as one of the places to look, but where was Sarah? If he had his Duel Disk with him, he could contact her, but he had the search for her the old-fashioned way.

Meanwhile, at the hospital, Sarah was visiting Lulu, who was still recovering from her surgery. She was healing at a steady pace, but she was uncertain if her back would be fully healed before the tournament begins.

"Shay is going to get his leg checked tomorrow," Sarah informed. "He'll still be able to take part in the tournament."

"I hope I can recover by then," Lulu sadly said. "My family chose to sponsor for the tournament to help improve our fortune. Being on that field and representing the Obsidian name is important."

"I know," Sarah said, gently squeezing Lulu's hand. "I might not understand what you're going through, but you have my full support."

Sarah then asked how Yuto's been doing during the past few weeks and learned that he was struggling with finding a stand-in for Team Noble in case Lulu doesn't heal in time. He's requested as many Duelists as possible in the conglomerate of Domino City, New Domino City, Heartland, and Paradise City, but so far he had no luck. Right now, he was trying to de-stress for a while before resuming with his objective.

"Poor guy," Sarah said, sounding concerned. "The stress must be getting to him."

Just then, approaching footsteps were heard from outside of Lulu's recovery room. As they got closer, a figure appeared in front of the room. It was Yuto; "speak of the devil", as the old saying goes. Lulu and Sarah were both glad to see him; the dark purple-haired girl wished she could give him a hug if it weren't for her spinal scars. Nonetheless, the girls mentioned that they were talking about him and were worried if he was going to be alright. It was almost as if his instincts felt two people discussing a topic regarding him.

"Hi Yuto," Sarah said. "What brings you here?"

"Sarah, I'm so glad I found you," Yuto said. "Would you like to be Team Noble's stand-in?"

That was a question Sarah didn't expect to hear. He must've asked hundreds—or even thousands—of Duelists the same request, but it never occurred to him to ask her? Regardless, she happily responded that she would; since she rarely duels, this was an opportunity for her to use her Fairy Tails again. She was also curious as to why Yuto suddenly asked her with only a few days left until the first day of the tournament.

"Why me?" Sarah asked.

"I remember seeing your strategies in the dueling club," Yuto answered. "Your Fairy Tail deck is amazing and I want everyone to see them in action."

She recalled those rare moments when she did duel a few times in the dueling club. She worked as hard as she could to perfect her strategies ever since the day she first got her Fairy Tails. With her regained confidence during Yuya's time in the XYZ Dimension, she will be a prefect backup player for her team, especially helping out her friend win the tournament and represent the Obsidian family.

"Okay," Sarah said. "I'll do it."

"Great!" Yuto exclaimed, sounding too happy. "Now can anyone send a message to Yuya? I need him to locate someone named Yugi Muto."

The two girls' eyes widened when Yuto said Yugi's name. Sarah has never heard of him before, but he and Lulu both explained that their Pendulum counterparts met him when they went to the Fusion Dimension to have Leo initiate the separation procedure early due to the sudden mind merge. They both have an idea of what he looks like, but Yuya and Zuzu know him better than the XYZ duo, so that was why the tomato-haired teen needed to be notified. Fortunately, the spectacled girl brought her Duel Disk with her and said she'll message Yuya to help Yuto find Yugi.

"Thanks Sarah," Yuto said. "This is what Yuya needs to know."

Meanwhile, at the Sakaki residence, Yuya was skimming through his Performapal, Odd-Eyes, and Magician cards, memorizing the strategies he, Zuzu, and Gong came up with. They made great progress with their training, especially considering the fact that he and his pink-haired girlfriend have both excelled in using their Skills, both in and out of a duel. He stopped scanning through his deck to see Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and softly smiled while his eyes grew determined. They will soon be ready to start bringing smiles to the audience now that everything is officially peaceful. His deep thinking was cut off when a notification alarm sounded from his Duel Disk. He went to his nightstand and grabbed the Duel Disk to see who was messaging him.

Yuya's eyes widened as he read the message. "Someone wants to speak to Yugi at the museum?" he mused. "But why?"

Whatever was going on, it was clear Yuto needed his help in locating him. He replied to the text, asking Sarah where his XYZ counterpart is and where they should meet up. After clicking "Send", he organized his cards and placed them back into his Duel Disk, then he started putting his shoes on.

"Mom, I'm heading over to meet up with Yuto!" Yuya called out.

Yoko replied that he should make sure he returns before dinner, with her son saying that he will upon leaving his bedroom, bringing his Duel Disk with him to see if Sarah responded. Back at the hospital, she received Yuya's message, saying he's on his way, where Yuto is, and if they should meet up somewhere.

"How about telling Yuya to meet him at that small game shop?" Lulu suggested. "Celina said it originated from the Fusion Dimension."

"Small game shop...?" Sarah asked. "You mean Kame Game Shop?"

"Yeah, that's the one," Lulu answered.

As Sarah responded to Yuya's text, Yuto thought that was an interesting place to meet up. He figured that's where Yugi lives, but since all eight counterparts, especially Yuya and Zuzu, were frantically finding a way to get to Duel Academy and the Pendulum duo conveniently stopped by at Kame Game Shop, he might need to ask someone in the Fusion Dimension for directions. With this in mind, he made his decision to head to the Domino City portion of the mashed-up unnamed city immediately; after all, Ishizu most likely had something important to say to the tri-color-haired man.

"Ishizu sounded a bit concerned when she told me she needed to speak to Yugi," Yuto recalled. "I hope what she needs to tell him is important."

Before Yuto left the hospital, he quickly explained to the girls that Ishizu was the museum's curator who also knew about Zarc, Ray, and their reincarnations from the news, just to be sure they weren't confused. He said he'll explain more when he returns with the Obsidians, resulting in Lulu nodding her head and saying she'll see him later and Sarah stating she's looking forward to the tournament. Yuto waved goodbye as he headed down the hall towards the elevator. With a click of the "Floor 1" button, it brought him down to the main lobby at a steady pace. He departed through the automatic doors and proceeded to run down the sidewalk to meet up with his cousin.

Some time later, Yuto arrived at the Domino City section of the city; at one point, he chose to take the bus because it was most likely a far walk to there from the Paradise City section now that all four dimensions merged back into one. After being dropped off at one of the bus stops, he had to find someone to ask for directions to Kame Game Shop. He had a feeling of what path Yuya and Zuzu took to get there, but he wanted to be sure. He began running again through the streets of the Domino City section to look for the first person he sees.

"Excuse me?" Yuto asked a brown-haired teen wearing a green hoodie. "Where's Kame Game Shop from here?"

"Right down the block," the teen answered, speaking in a gruff tone.

Yuto thanked the teen as he made his way down the block. He wasn't kidding because the closer Phantom Knight user got to the game shop, the easier it was to recognize Yuya. Then again, it isn't hard to lose him due to his tomato-shaped haircut, Odd-Eyed-colored irises, his goggles with a light blue star on the right lens, and his main appearance in general. It's like finding a needle in a haystack…except the needle sticks out like a sore thumb.

"Hey Yuto," Yuya said, happy to see his cousin. "This is Kame Game Shop."

"Great," Yuto said, relieved. "Now we just have to find this Yugi person."

"Yeah... About that..." Yuya said as he and Yuto entered the shop.

Their search was going to be the shortest they ever went on because little does Yuto know is that Yugi lives and works there. Lately the shop has been a hit because he was selling vintage cards, which have become a popular trend throughout the city; how else was Zuzu able to obtain a vintage Polymerization card for Rin?

"Welcome to Kame Game Shop," Yugi said. "How may I- Hey there, Yuya. Long time, no see."

"Thanks Yugi," Yuya happily said. "Glad to see you too."

Not long after the Original Dimension returned, Yugi managed to keep in touch with his high school friends. He has also gotten much happier as his eyes are more open and no longer glazed. He noticed the eggplant-haired teen that looked very similar to Yuya although he was wearing glasses.

"I think I saw you before," Yugi said. "You're Yuto Osaku."

"Correct," Yuto answered. "I'm Yuya's cousin."

"Cousin?" Yugi asked. "Is that what you interdimensional counterparts are calling each other?"

"No, just me and Yuto," Yuya explained. "Turns out our moms are sisters."

Yugi was surprised to hear this revelation; he never thought those two were actually related. He was also informed about how their mothers were also residents of the Original Dimension before the split occurred. Speaking of past events, he shared his mournful words to Yuto about what happened to Lono since he now had an understanding of the Interdimensional War. He thanked the tri-color-haired man for his sympathy and explained how he, the Obsidians, and the Sakakis attended a quick, private funeral because he never had time to mourn her death until a few weeks ago. Naturally, Yugi understood what Yuto meant by that. With side talks done with, he asked why the two cousins stopped by.

"Ishizu Ishtar, the museum's curator, wants to speak to you," Yuto answered. "She didn't say why, but that I had to bring you to her."

Yuto also noted that she was a bit concerned about what she wants to say and it was also really important. He assumed it probably had something to do with the Egyptian exhibit the Yu-Salad checked out a while ago since he visited there earlier. Yugi was intrigued by this exhibit Yuto mentioned; he's heard of it from a few people, but he never got a chance to see it for himself because of him working.

"Wait..." Yugi realized. "How did she know my name?"

"I'm not sure," Yuto answered. "But my cousin and I better come with you just in case."

"Huh?! How did I get wrapped-up in this?!" Yuya asked.

Yuto told Yuya that something this important might have a possibility of them also being involved, so it never hurts to tag along and find out for themselves. Besides, Yugi has never been to that part of the city ever since Zarc's attack and the dimensional split, and the two are the only ones that can help bring him to the museum since they know how to get there from here.

"You are right about us being involved," Yuya said. "Who knows what else Zarc did when he was whole."

The Yu-trio all agreed to head over to the museum immediately, with Yugi hanging up a sign on the door saying what time he'll be back. As they walked down the street, Yuto remarked on how he took the bus to meet up with his cousin, which means they'll be heading towards the same bus stop that dropped him off. In all honesty, it definitely beats running several miles to Kame Game Shop in Yuya's opinion, even if the run was beneficial for his health. The three had already passed the spot where the brown-haired teen was; he probably went off somewhere, trying to find his insect-loving rival. A few minutes later, they reached the bus stop and waited for the next bus to take them to the Paradise City section.

During the bus ride, Yuto noticed Yugi was inspecting him. "Can I help you?" the eggplant-haired teen asked.

"You feel...familiar for some reason," Yugi confessed. "Almost like something is missing."

Yuto wondered what Yugi means and why he said something like that. Is he trying to remember an event or a specific person; well, he knows who Zarc was, what he did, and the aftermath of his onslaught, so it obviously couldn't be that. Ruling that out still left an igniting question: what quality does Yuto possess that felt familiar to their companion?

"How come?" Yuto asked.

"Seeing you seems to trigger a voice calling out to me," Yugi answered. "An ancient, powerful voice."

An ancient, powerful voice? Why would Yuto trigger it? Was it because he has something in common with it? Was his knightly, noble, loyal, and determined demeanor similar to it? Whatever the case was, it made him have more questions than answers. Hopefully, their conversation with Ishizu can help clarify things.

Yuya noticed his cousin's confused expression. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I'm sure this Ishizu woman has a good explanation."

Yuto looked at Yuya when he spoke, only to have his face change into a more "I hope so, too" expression. He wondered if this parallel between him and the voice is connected to what the museum's curator had to say. During that time, the bus dropped him, his cousin, and Yugi off at one of the bus stops in the Paradise City section. Coincidentally, it was the same bus stop that Yuto was at. Now they just need to figure out how to get to the museum.

"This area of the city isn't that different from Paradise City," Yuya said. "I know where the museum is from here."

Yuya led the way as the two headed downtown to the museum. As they walked, Yugi looked on his left and right to see the city section's different views. As a citizen of the Original Dimension who grew up in its Fusion reincarnation, he has never been to Yuya's hometown (at least, something very similar to it), so this was all new to him. The buildings were constructed in a way that greatly contradicted how his hometown was structured; it actually felt more like a city. Their stroll through the downtown portion left him awestruck; he couldn't believe how beautiful it appeared. Once the talk with Ishizu was done, he may have to schedule a day to visit the Paradise City section.

Pretty soon, the Yu-trio arrived at the museum. They climbed up some set of stairs before entering through the double doors. Inside the building, Yuya tried to look for Ishizu, but Yuto decided to take over since he knows what she looks like and will most likely meet up with her at the Egyptian exhibit. Yugi followed the two cousins through the museum until they reached the exhibit. Sure enough, the curator was still there, waiting for them.

"Hello Yugi Muto," Ishizu said. "I'm glad you could make it."

"You must be Ishizu Ishtar," Yugi said. "What is it you wished to tell me?"

"It is rather simple," Ishizu answered. She glanced at Yuya and Yuto. "Yuya Sakaki and Yuto Osaku, you were never meant to exist."

Yuya and Yuto were both taken back by what she said, with wide eyes and dropped jaws. All this time, they weren't meant to exist? But why? What event caused them to even be around in the first place?

"You're kidding!" Yuya exclaimed as Yuto clenched his fists in anger.

"No, I am not," Ishizu explained. "And neither were the other six counterparts. It was always supposed to be Zarc Nightstone and Ray Akaba. When I heard the Millennium Puzzle was discovered, I was able to see a series of events unfold before me. It was a straightforward timeline with two separate futures: a world with Synchros and a world with XYZs." She lightly touched her necklace.

Before the Yu-trio knew it, they were blinded by a light that emanated from the necklace. They regained their vision to see an island with some sort of castle; was this part of this timeline they were told about? In the island were a bunch of Duelists scattered around the island engaging in duels, but there was one group in particular that they spotted. They noticed Yugi and Téa with their friends, which the tri-color-haired man immediately recognized as Joey Wheeler and Tristan Taylor, leaving them speechless as what they're witnessing.

"You recognize those people?" Yuya asked.

"Of course," Yugi said, sounding happy. "Those are my friends!"

"Then what is this place?" Yuto asked.

"I'm not sure," Yugi admitted. "I never went to a place like this."

They soon were whisked away into a city in Japan, where a tournament was taking place; they saw someone that looked like Yugi dueling against a mind-controlled mime wielding a powerful monster. From the looks of things, he activated Brain Control to take control of the mime's token, causing an endless loop of drawing cards that let him win the duel and obtaining a monster card called Slifer the Sky Dragon. Of course, the person controlling the mime's mind wasn't very happy, which was later revealed on who he was as the Yu-trio then saw a blimp flying over the city. In it, Joey had won a duel against a bald Egyptian man, who had just fell unconscious, resulting in the darkness taking over his adopted brother named Marik Ishtar.

This villain, dubbed Yami Marik, was the main threat for Yugi and his friends as Seto Kaiba's Battle City Tournament progressed with its finals, before getting sidetracked by five former KaibaCorp employees and a green-haired kid. They soon witnessed another duel going on, with Yugi's look-alike and Kaiba going against an Atlantean person, who was the leader of an organization and the creator of a very powerful Spell card called the Seal of Orichalcos, which was capable of capturing the loser's soul to help reawaken an ancient leviathan. They also got a glimpse at a tournament being held in KaibaLand somewhere in America, where a pink-haired teen from Kaiba's past released a virus that removed a lot of his rival company's files. Finally, they saw a Shadow RPG between the Yugi look-alike and a sinister white-haired thief; as it turns out, the two were spirits from Ancient Egypt and a quest to regain the pharaoh's lost memories, leading to a Ceremonial Battle between Yugi and his other self, which was revealed to be Atem.

With that, another bright light flashed in front of Yuya, Yuto, and the adult Yugi, bringing them back to the museum and leaving them stunned at the set of events that should have unfolded years ago and how it affected the future.

"Those events led to many bright futures," Ishizu continued. "And many more Duelists became great heroes, including a bi teen named Jaden Yuki, a motorcyclist named Yusei Fudo, and a soon-to-be explorer named Yuma Tsukamo. If it wasn't for you, Yugi Muto, those Duelists wouldn't have been inspired."

"But what happened that caused that to change?" Yuya asked. "And what does this have to do with me and my cousin?"

Ishizu brought the three over to the golden box that supposedly contained the ancient puzzle. "It was when Solomon Muto donated the Millennium Puzzle to the museum," she answered.

"My grandpa?" Yugi asked. "I don't remember him having a puzzle."

"You were very young when it happened," Ishizu explained. "Solomon heard about the explorers who died trying to find the Puzzle, so when he obtained it, he feared for your life if you were to accidentally come across it. He thought donating it to the museum would keep you safe."

Yugi leaned forward to read what the hieroglyphics said in the box, which said, "The one who solves me shall gain the powers and knowledge of darkness…" He understood that his grandpa did this for his safety, but he was in disbelief that the Millennium Puzzle never made him into the more confident person that he saw his younger self become. The explorers must have died because they may not have been considered worthy of owning the Puzzle. He stared at the box containing the pieces of one of the Millennium Items, with a sad look on his eyes. He muttered out Atem's name because the two would have been amazing partners, much like brothers.

"So what lead to this timeline?" Yuto asked.

"In the original timeline, Seto Kaiba had scheduled to meet up with Leo Akaba in hopes of improving Duel Monsters," Ishizu answered. "But due to complications, the meeting was canceled."

"What complications?" Yugi asked.

"Your grandfather's Blue-Eyes White Dragon," Ishizu explained.

Yugi was surprised. "But why?" he asked. "That card is still in the shop. I never took it out of the box grandpa put it in because of how much it meant to him."

"Then how about I show you instead?" Ishizu replied, her necklace glowing once more.

The trio was then brought to a vision of where he and his high school friends were at Kame Game Shop when Kaiba showed up. He wanted to have Solomon's Blue-Eyes White Dragon because there were only four in existence, but despite the offer of a suitcase of Duel Monsters, Solomon rejected the offer because of the connection he had with it. Later, the tri-color-haired man was seen the aftermath of what happened. He and his friends were mad at Kaiba for hurting Solomon after winning the duel against him. Just then, he took out a Blue-Eyes White Dragon card from his pants pocket.

"And look at the sweet prize I won," Kaiba said as he ripped the card in half, leaving everyone shocked at what he did.

"Grandpa's most treasured card!" the teenage Yugi exclaimed in total incredulity. His alternate adult self also watched as the events unfolded, much to his initial dismay.

"Why are you showing me this?!" Yugi asked Ishizu, tears forming from his eyes.

"Wait, I think there's more," Yuya said. But Yuto remained quiet, almost as if he was thinking about something.

The three saw teenage Yugi being handed the deck Solomon used, with the latter reminding his grandson to believe in the heart of the cards. As Joey, Tristan, and Téa escorted his grandfather to the hospital, the Millennium Puzzle started to glow; it looked like he was transforming.

In a flash of bright light, standing in Yugi's place was Atem, under the alias of Yami Yugi prior to recovering his memories. This left Kaiba startled at the transformation while the Yu-trio were more amazed. Well...almost.

Yuya had to cover his mouth to muffle a laugh. "What?" Yuto asked.

"Wow, Yugi," Yuya said. "Are you some kind of magical girl in this timeline?"

Yugi blushed out of embarrassment; there was no way he would be considered a magical girl—or a magical boy, technically speaking—in that timeline. ...Could he? He brushed off the thought as he, Yuya, and Yuto witnessed Kaiba and Atem's first duel; the rules to Duel Monsters were a bit different at that time before Battle City, so the cousins were a little confused. Regardless, they watched as the resurrected pharaoh was backed into a corner now that his opponent had summoned his three Blue-Eyes White Dragon, leaving them worried. Fortunately, their worries subsided when a victory move was about to be made that would construct the path to Yugi's legacy.

"Draw your last pathetic card so I can end this, Yugi," Kaiba said, sounding a bit impatient.

"My grandpa has no pathetic cards," Atem said. "But he does have..." He revealed a card. "The unstoppable Exodia."

Yuya was greatly confused. "Exodia...?" he asked. "Never heard of that card..."

"Not one card," Yugi explained. "Five."

He explained that there are five cards that create Exodia the Forbidden One: two arms, two legs, and a head. If you have all five of them in your hand, you automatically win the duel. Yuya and Yuto were dumbfounded at the fact that a monster existed with such an unbeatable effect. One might say it was basically invincible.

"That sounds a bit unfair," Yuya admitted.

"I guess the rules really were different back then," Yuto speculated, sounding a bit sad as his fists were clenched.

He was right; Duel Monsters had completely different rules when it was becoming popular. Back then, Duelists had 2000 LP and can summon high level monsters without tributing. At the same time, however, he couldn't stop thinking about what Ishizu said earlier. If he was never meant to exist, then what was the point of having a happy future with Lulu?

As the vision continued, Atem had just places all five Exodia cards in the monster zones. An aquamarine star appeared on the duel field, with arms and legs coming out of it before revealing a head and out came the Forbidden One. Kaiba stood there in fear as the winning move was about to be declared.

"Exodia, obliterate!" yelled out Atem.

With that, the unstoppable monster blasted away the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons as Kaiba screamed, bringing his LP down to 0. Off in the distance, his younger brother Mokuba was having a hard time comprehending that his older brother just lost a duel.

"This can't be right..." Yugi said. "In my timeline, Kaiba was unbeatable. How could I...?"

"There's more," Ishizu spoke, her voice heard inside their heads.

Yugi, Yuya, and Yuto continued watching to see what she means. They noticed a symbol appearing on Atem's forehead that resembled the eye on the Millennium Puzzle.

"Mind Crush!"

With the Punishment Game given to Kaiba, he fell to his knees, opening a gate that would lead him to become Yugi's greatest rival.

Meanwhile, at Leo Corporation…

"Mr. Akaba, I just received a call from KaibaCorp," an employee said. "Seto Kaiba has canceled the meeting due to suddenly falling ill."

"I see..." Leo said. He let out a sad sigh. "I hope he recovers. I wanted to see if he could help me add mass to the current Solid Vision technology."

A bright light flashed in front of Yugi, Yuya, and Yuto's eyes yet again, bringing them back to the museum with Ishizu standing not too far away from the display case. They were all very confused, especially, the cousins, on why it abruptly cut over to Leo Corporation.

"On that day, Action Duels were never developed," Ishizu explained. "Leo Corporation was soon forgotten as KaibaCorp became successful. But all was not lost. During the events of Battle City, Ray Akaba met a boy named Michael Lindonson, and over time the two became friends, which soon blossomed into romance and eventually became marriage."

That name struck a cord with Yuya and Yuto. "That must have been Zarc's real name," Yuya realized.

"Correct," Ishizu said. "But without that fixed point, Seto Kaiba was able to have his meeting with Leo, allowing Action Duels to trend. But because Seto first demonstrated Action Duels through rather violent strategies, that became the new trend, leading to Zarc Nightstone destroying the world."

Yugi definitely remembered that part because he was there when the attack happened. Prior to the end of the world, he had also heard the news of Kaiba and Leo releasing Action Duels to the public. Although they were enjoyable to everyone, he felt something was off about them. He wasn't the kind of person who likes violence, so he preferred not to conform to the social norm, which were violent duels.

"But there is more," Ishizu continued. "Originally the Natural Energy Cards were only supposed to free Zarc from the corruption of his dragons. But by that point the timeline was severely damaged, so the four dimensions were created as an attempt to maintain reality, something that not even the Akabas were aware of. As a result, duplicates of various people from the original timeline were created among the confusion."

"Then how come I never heard of Kaiba?" Yuya asked. "If Yugi knew about him, I should have seen him in the Fusion Dimension."

"You have," Ishizu answered. "His name is Declan Akaba."

Now THAT was a twist the Yu-trio didn't expect to learn about. A highly flabbergasted Yuya was very puzzled on how that was even possible. For the Yu-Salad and Energy Girls, it was understandable, but there may be more counterparts than he thought. Confusion kept racing in his mind and felt like he was going to pass out, with Yugi and Yuto helping him not faint. The tomato-haired teen then barely managed to regain his composure.

"But I saw Kaiba from those visions!" Yuya pointed out. "He looks nothing like Declan!"

"Correct," Ishizu said. "But when the four dimensions were created, Seto Kaiba was erased from existence, resulting in Declan Akaba being created to take his place. I am not sure why that occurred, but I suspect it was reincarnation."

Yuya felt like he needed time to process what he was discovering so far while Yuto was still saddened about how he was never meant to have a happy future after all. There were so many pros and cons to the two differing timelines that they don't know if them existing really was pointless. They weren't having suicidal thoughts, don't worry; they were just wondering what was the point of the Interdimensional War if Yugi was destined to have the Millennium Puzzle.

"So you're saying this is all because someone decided to protect his grandson?" Yuto asked, shaking in rage. "IT'S ALL HIS FAULT?"

Yuya tried to comfort his cousin, but Yugi wasn't sure if it was a good idea at the moment and recommended waiting until Yuto calmed down a bit. At the same time, Ishizu was wasn't expecting the sudden mood change from the eggplant-haired teen.

"You said I was going to have a happy future with my girlfriend!" Yuto told Ishizu. "Why did you show me that vision if I wasn't supposed to exist?!"

Ishizu honestly wasn't sure how to respond the situation, but she did feel bad about Yuto learning this discovery. The best she could do right now is to try and help him relax. "I only wanted you to bring Yugi Muto to the museum," she said. "You and your cousin were never meant to hear this."

"But I'm here!" Yuto exclaimed, tears coming from his eyes due to conflicting emotions. "What am I?! Why was I created?!"

Ishizu was silent for a few seconds, but she ultimately spoke. "You and the other counterparts were originally supposed to recreate the four original heroes and their love interests," she explained. "It was the only way to prevent the timeline from collapsing, but Zarc quickly realized what had happened, so he vowed to not let his legacy be forgotten."

With tears still pouring from his eyes, Yuto slowly began to understand the true reasoning behind the Yu-Salad's Awakenings. They were signs of Zarc wanting to reawaken his legacy, which explained the dark aura that sometimes emitted from Yuya and Yuri. The darkness was that desire to pick up where he left off. To continue his reign of terror all across the dimensions. To bring fear to everyone with only one single purpose: winning.

"Then that's all I am," Yuto realized, looking at his clenched fist. "Nothing more than a puppet for someone else's enjoyment."

"Yuto..." Yuya said, sounding concerned.

Suddenly, Yuto took off his Duel Disk and gave it to Yuya. "I'm sorry," he said. "But I can't take part in the tournament." Then before his cousin could say anything else, he ran out of the museum, heartbroken with the revelation.

Yuya, Yugi, and Ishizu were all concerned about Yuto and how what he has discovered will affect him. They should take action as quickly as possible, but they weren't sure how. The tomato-haired teen looked down at the Duel Disk his cousin gave him. As a lonely and timid child, he had no interests in Duel Monsters and only had his Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon, which led him to playing the card game. Does that mean Yuto was thinking about not dueling anymore? The thought of it made Yuya upset.

"I better speak to Shay about this," Yuya said, clutching his cousin's Duel Disk. "I can't stand seeing Yuto this upset."