#in case anyone's wondering where Yuuki's right arm is

[callaeidae3]

Whumptober2023 Day 25: "They're not breathing"

After Kyle rescues Yuuki from the river, and from drowning

[kuma829]

Scout! Palace of the Ocean King Chapter Five

fufu, it’s because kaoru is my “friend.” because we are “friends” i can tell what you are thinking~♪

Cast: Souma, Adonis, Kaoru, and Kanata

Author: Yuuki Yoshino

Season: Summer

Chapter Five:

Kaoru: Oh darn, it looks like Kanata-kun’s here too. Aha, but I wonder, if it’s Kanata-kun he’d definitely be able to stop Souma-kun, right?

Kanata-kun, over here, listen, Souma-kun’s getting in my way, yeah~? Don’t you think it’s cruel?

Souma: Wh-wha…!? To get buchou-dono to be your ally, you are foul! Yet, you still consider yourself a man worthy of being called an honorable samurai!?

Kaoru: Nah, I’m not a samurai. I mean to be honest, Souma-kun you’re not really a samurai either, are you?

Your family belongs to the Kanzaki name, yeah? I can tell just by looking at you, you’re totally a kid from some strict family, aren’t you?

I don’t wanna be bound by that sorta stuff, y’kno~? I’m not some tool to be used for my family’s benefit. I have my own opinions, and I want them to be respected , you catch me?

It’d be so much easier if they left me alone, let me do what I want, but they have to come in and ruin my fun by interfering. It’d be be sweet if children could just choose their parents~

Ahaha, sorry for making things all serious. Talking about such dreadful things with Anzu-chan totally sucks, doesn’t it? Let’s cheer up and talk about happy things ♪

So, in that case, Anzu-chan, where do you want to go with me? You’re not allowed to say you don’t want to go anywhere, alright?

Well, either way, if you can’t decide, I can just decide for you.

Souma: Over and over again, you have proven to never learn!

Buchou-dono! Buchou-dono, I wish for you to give this frivolous, no good, foolish man a stern scolding!

Kanata: huuuh, it’s complicating isn’t it...?

it’s because kaoru really likes “girls.” for that reason he wants to get along with anzu-san, yes…?

Kaoru: Woah, you seriously know your stuff, don’t you? Kanata-kun aren’t you sharp?

Kanata: fufu, it’s because kaoru is my “friend.” because we are “friends” i can tell what you are thinking~♪

Kaoru: Ahaha, aren’t you funny, Kanata-kun~? Even though guys tend to dislike me.

But, Kanata-kun, I think of you as a friend too, yeah? Having guy friends gives me the chills, but, strangely, I think Kanata-kun’s alright.

Is it because Kanata-kun gives off a androgynous vibe~? No, I mean, I know he’s a guy, but the whole thing’s a bit of an enigma isn’t it?

Kanata: kaoru, you’re easy to understand, though, aren’t you? since you’re always thinking about “women.”

Kaoru: Yeah, that’s true, but do you have to say it like that?

There’s a lot of times where girls come up to me to chatter, so don’t say such misleading things, ‘kay?

Kanata: is that it? but this time it was kaoru who talked to anzu-san, right?

Kaoru: Aaah, you seriously hit right where it hurts, you weirdo.

So, Kanata-kun, are you taking my side? Or are you just going to stick up for Souma-kun?

Kanata: i’m not “taking” anyone’s side. i’ll watch over as a “neutral” party. 

because even though the two of you fight and are always on different sides of an argument, you two are “brothers” after all.

someday, i’m sure the two of you will get along better, i believe in you~♪

Souma: Bu...Buchou-dono, for me and that man to be brothers, I plead with you to not say such vile and absurd things.

Kaoru: Wait a second, I don’t need such an unlovable little brother either. Ah, but if it was a cute young girl like Anzu-chan, I’d welcome her with open arms ♪ 

Looking at Anzu-chan gives me peace, yeah? Like you could say you’re some pacifying force? 

I haven’t been around many girls like Anzu-chan, so I can’t help but bother you.

You’re free to call me oniichan if you want~ Ah, Souma-kun, you can’t call me that, okay? If you ever called me “oniichan ♪” I feel like I’d get all sick for the rest of the day.

Souma: I would not dare call you brother even if you were to ask me to!

Kanata: haahaaa... ♪

Souma: Buchou-dono...? You laugh, watching us, but what is truly pulling at your heartstrings?

Kanata: souma, kaoru, you both fight a lot. but it is because you are so close that you can fight each other that much.

i am glad you two are “good friends”...♪

to celebrate, let’s grill some “fish” to eat~. anzu-san, do you like fish?

yaaay, anzu-san, you like “fish” too then? then let us all have some “fish” and make our “bones” stronger.

Adonis: Hmm. While I wasn’t paying attention, it seems someone else came to join us. If I remember this correctly, you’re Shinkai-senpai, right?

Kanata: yes~ you are, souma’s friend, adonis, aren’t you?

adonis, do you like “fish?”

Adonis: I eat meat every day, but fish I only eat once a week. Although, if you asked me if I liked fish, I would say I do.

Fish is rich in protein. There is also plenty of calcium, which makes your teeth and bones strong. A long time ago, I used to eat fish often.

Thanks to fish, I gained strong teeth that don’t get cavities. I am grateful to fish.

Kanata: adonis, when you eat “fish,” you become one with the “fish.” you understand this well don’t you~?

adonis, i’ve taken a liking to you. adonis, why don’t you “join” the “marine biology club?”

i’ll welcome you in happily...♪

Adonis: I appreciate the offer, but I am a member of the Track club. I cannot change clubs now, and I’ve grown attached to the Track Club.

Kanata: oh, i see~. that’s a shame, but it can’t be helped.

it’s fine if you don’t join us, but visiting from time to time would be nice...♪ souma will be happy if you come too.

Adonis: Thank you. We were just about to leave for the Marine Biology Club room, so I am relieved to hear that from you, Shinkai-senpai.

Kanata: now that you say that, souma, you’re holding something aren’t you? *sniff* *sniff* is this smell “turtle” food?

Souma: As expected of Buchou-dono!

I had made this food by my own hand to feed the pond turtle; thus, we were traversing towards the clubroom to meet with the pond turtle, but…

This guy forced himself onto us and threw our plans into disarray and completely wasted our time. This is our current situation.

Kanata: mhm, mhmm. if that’s the case it’d be bad to get in your way, isn’t it?

come, kaoru, let’s go~

it’s delicious to eat “fish” with everyone, but it is also delicious to eat “fish” with just the two of us, of course...♪

///

All Chapters

Previous Chapter

Next Chapter

[adiabolikpastel]

Title: Nineteen Nuptials

Rating: PG

Word Count: 1,630

ღ Written for Yuuki’s birthday. Marking three years in the Sakamaki's care. Worried about the future, Yuuki tries to cope with the fears inside. While Kanato is never the most comforting, perhaps on this special night he can calm Yuuki's mind. ღ

Mun Yu: It may not be perfect, but I am so happy that I got this done in time! Please enjoy this turning point in the Kanuki ship!

☆+ ﾟ .+ .ﾟ.ﾟ｡ ﾟ ｡. +ﾟ ｡ﾟ.ﾟ｡☆*｡｡ . ｡ o .｡ﾟ｡.o｡* ｡ .｡

The night was cool and crisp. Somewhat reminiscent of an evening in autumn, even though it was only June. School had been finished for some months now. With this past graduation, there was no one left attending school. Despite this, the Sakamaki manor was still rather quiet. Without school to occupy their time, everyone simply found something else to do.

Reiji had taken to spending time in the Demon Realm. He wanted to further his understanding of life there, planning to make the move one day. Leaving Rika (@silencieux-aube) to pursue her own career goals, though it was not as though they were always apart. Shu would join him on occasion. Surprisingly enough, once the two of them had finished school, they started to interact more. Though it was mostly still arguing, there seem to be this understanding of the future between the two - everyone else did not understand.

Ayato had all but moved out. Most of his time was spent out with Yuko (@pureblood-prey), though that was not surprising. The two of them had been together for a long time as well, and it was only natural for thing to continue to progress. After all, Yuko had long since graduated and was on her way to becoming a respectable Police Officer – despite her delinquent lover.

Laito had moved out the moment he graduated high school, and had been out of the house for about four months now. Yuki went along with him, to everyone’s surprise. They hadn’t really been back to see anyone, but perhaps that is because Laito wanted a clean break from the family. Every now and then he would reach out via text or upload a photo on social media.

Subaru was still around, he and Akumu made their day to day routines quite known. With it not being too long after graduation, Subaru was getting used to living his life for his own reasons. This was a rough topic for the youngest Sakamaki, but thankfully he had Akumu to help. Since Shu no longer needed him, Akumu was able to strictly focus on Subaru.

Which left Kanato and Yuuki, who were taking total advantage of Yuuki’s freedom from school. Unbothered by the ideas of the future, the two of them spent their days enjoying themselves. For the past four months they had done nothing truly productive. Kanato had even refused to go to any further schooling until Yuuki was finished with high school. Even now the talks of what to do next never really came up for the two of them. Though, inside, Yuuki was curious about their future.

What was it that Kanato wanted with her? Was there even a possibility for them to have a real future? As her birthday approached, Yuuki felt herself worrying more about her increasing age. While she would continue to grow, Kanato would stay young. What if she grows too old and he leaves her? Would there be a time when he would want to change her? Does that mean that they would be married? What does it really mean to be long term dating an immortal creature?

On the night of her Birthday, Yuuki stood in the drawing room, looking out at the setting sun. It had been now three years since she first came to live here. On instinct she began to reach up to her neck, searching to the choker from her mother, but stopped as she remembered it was long gone. How could she be so okay with all of this? After all, her mother died the day she was taken. Her birthday was nothing but the anniversary of it, and yet… she couldn’t truly bring herself to be sad.

Her mother had been such a kind woman. Always telling Yuuki to find the good in other people, no matter how awful their actions. Though through the years, it was hard to recall just what her mother’s voice sounded like. Even her initial anger towards her murder had started to fade, at least for that reason. Just what was it about these years that caused her to change so much? There was now this, disconnect from the world, which she couldn’t quite explain. Past or Future. It didn’t seem to matter if it wasn’t about –

“What are you doing?” Kanato’s voice stirred her from thought. His sleepy form stood in the door way, Teddy clenched in his arms, as he wipes the sleep form his eyes.

Yuuki looked at her keeper. This monster, whom had captivated her life – her being – for the past three years. Her every thought and dream, were about him. There wasn’t a moment that passed where a vision on him did not cross her mind. “You’re awake, Kanato-san.” She smiles, abandoning her spot by the window to move towards him.

“It’s too early… why would you be… oh…” Kanato stops as something seemed to click in his mind. “It’s tonight right… you are expected me to have something prepared?” He glares at the girl, the nerve of her, to think that he would waste time.

Yuuki shakes her head and simply walks over, moving to take one of Kanato’s hands, “Of course not, Kanato-san. My greatest gift is you after all, right?”

Kanato is visibly thrown off by her answer, a deep blush spreading on his face. “… Cheeky… I suppose I could be persuaded to do something special for you. Ah, but nothing stupid like you did before.”

Yuuki thinks for a moment, “… Kanato-san… do you think we could… just talk for a while?”

He looks down at his human, annoyed, “Again with these stupid request.” He takes his hand from her grasp and turns in a huff. “If that is all you truly require of me, I can spoil you a little.”

Yuuki smile and thanks Kanato. The two go back to their room, where Yuuki proceeds to talk with Kanato about her recent fears. Of him growing tired of her. Of age continuing to separate them. Her desire to be with him for eternity. Kanato mostly allowed for her to talk, having little to say in response. When it felt like she was done, he simply sat for a moment.

“Um… Kanato-san…? I… sorry if this all is catching you off guard I just… we’re finally at this point and I…” Yuuki hadn’t meant to get emotional, but she could feel tears start to sting her eyes. “I just… I don’t want to be without you and if… you ever got tired of me … or if I got too old - I…”

Kanato allowed Yuuki to cry for a while on her own. These were all things he had never thought about, yet here she was worrying over it. To a vampire, the idea of time is lost. Kanato has no sense of urgency, no need to worry about growing too old. So of course he would never trouble himself thinking of them in the case of his doll, whom he simply assumed would always stay the same. However, that wasn’t the case. From when she arrived till now, Yuuki had already changed, while he stayed the same.

Yuuki cried softly for a while, and the more she did, the worse she felt. Didn’t Kanato even care? Was he just waiting for her to stop? Why wasn’t he saying anything? The fear of his rejection was swelling inside, and Yuuki couldn’t bare it any longer. “Please say something Kanato-san! If you hate me so much then-“

Before she could finish her outburst, Yuuki felt herself moving against her will. The room shifted as she felt the soft plush of the bed against her back. Her eyes searched the room to see what happened, but ended looking upward. Kanato was looming over her, his head down, hiding his eyes from hers. She looked up at him, wondering if this was it. This was the moment he decided to be finished with her. Too needy. Too old. Accepting her fate, Yuuki simply musters a smile. She loved Kanato with all her being, if this was to be the end, at least it would be by his hands.

However, Kanato made no moves to harm her. In fact, Yuuki could feel soft trembles on against her shoulder where Kanato held her. Then, sudden drops of water fell into her face. “… You just decide that on your own?” His voice was tumbling, “All of these thoughts… why is it that I must think them!?”

Yuuki still could not see Kanato’s eyes, but she could tell that he was crying. Not like the usually does for attention. “Kanato-san-“

“You are my doll! I decided what becomes of you! Why do you worry about these things!? I have chosen you! Your life is not something you get to decided anymore!” Kanato finally lifts his head to look down at her eyes. His tone was stern but his expression was full of sadness. “You cannot think of leaving me! Not even think of me leaving you! You are my doll!” He yells.

Yuuki looks up at him. The millions of thoughts that once raced through her mind, now fell silent. With the biggest smile she nods happily, “You’re right! Kanato-san… I’m yours forever.” She laughs a little, still feeling like she could cry, but for a different reason.

The future may not be spelled out, but it didn’t need to be. Yuuki would be able to live her life, how ever Kanato saw fit her to. There was no need to worry about aging, schooling, or anything a normal human would. She belonged to a vampire. Her future was in his hands, there was no need to worry about where that might lead. For every path, led directly to Kanato.

[higuchimon]

[fanfic] Answers To Unexpected Questions:  chapter 1

Juudai enjoyed napping under trees. He wondered at times if that had anything to do with being the Herald of the Gentle Darkness: he liked spending his time in the shadows whenever he could.

Or maybe he just liked to sleep and it was most comfortable when he did so in the dark. Wasn’t it like that for most people anyway?

Well, regardless, he stretched himself out underneath an oak tree and folded his arms behind his head. He wasn’t alone – but he wasn’t ever alone and he liked that – but he wasn’t not alone, either. Pharaoh curled up not that far away, but there wasn’t any sign of Daitoukuji-sensei.

Yubel’s fingers carded through his hair. He hadn’t sensed them emerging from within him, but that was fine. He hadn’t been paying that much attention in the first place. He did like the feeling of their hands in his hair, too. So comfortable… so relaxed…

Yubel’s laugh pulled him just the tiniest bit from sleep and he cracked one eye open to look upwards.

“What’s so funny?” Yubel didn’t normally laugh at him unless he’d done something. Granted, almost anything could spark that, but he’d been here peacefully trying to nap.

“You don’t change in some ways, Juudai,” Yubel murmured, leaning down toward him. “You always fall asleep the first chance that you get.”

He stuck his tongue out. “So? I’m awake when I need to be.” He was still a growing boy – using his powers did take a lot of energy and he had to restore it somehow, didn’t he? - and what was wrong with resting, as long as he was awake when he needed to be?

Yubel chuckled again, still caressing his hair. “Nothing at all. But it reminds me of our first life together.”

First life. He remembered that, more or less, though there were gaps in it. The memories had come fitting back in, like pieces of a puzzle, ever since that last duel of theirs. Two years, maybe three by now, and he had almost the whole thing.

He closed his eyes now and thought over it, trying to work out what was missing, now that Yubel brought it up.

He could remember meeting Yubel, the last survivor of a bandit raid in a tiny village outside of the main city. They’d both been so young then: not even five, he thought. But his father Aodh and his mother Kaien agreed to take Yubel in, giving protection that Yubel wouldn’t have had otherwise.

And giving him a friend that he wouldn’t have had otherwise as well.

His mind ranged up and down through the past, picking out random things, most of them related to Yubel. Yubel always shone strong in his memories and he enjoyed that.

“Yubel,” he murmured, one particular thought ticking at him. “Did I really have to go home naked after someone stole my clothes?”

Again a laugh but he understood why this time. “Yes, you did. I had to fly you there to make sure you didn’t catch a cold. And to make sure no one else saw their prince naked.”

Juudai wrinkled his nose. That didn’t exactly feel like his proudest moment.

Something else slipped into his thoughts and he took another look at those memories. Having enough for two lifetimes wasn’t a comfortable thing at times but he wanted to be certain on this, now that it had occurred to him.

“Yubel,” he said at last, once he was certain of it. “I think I just noticed something.” It had been there all along, but he’d never paid that much attention to it. He’d always had so much else that needed to be doing.

Yubel made a questioning noise. Their thoughts frequently entwined around each other, but Yubel tended not to know what was on his mind – and vice versa – unless they put the actual effort into doing so. That wasn’t a thing that needed doing very often. Usually only in worst-case scenarios, which this wasn’t.

“You’ve always protected me. But the first time around it was different.” He frowned, then shook his head. “No, that’s not right. Now is what’s different. What was different. When I was a kid.”

He peeked up enough to see Yubel looking back at him and sighed. “Okay. The first life together, when I was the Prince of Kuragari and you were changed for me, you protected me like… well, if someone actually attacked me. Or tried to attack me. Like that idiot who thought he could stab me in the back.”

Yubel did a lot of painful things to him. Juudai hadn’t exactly been upset about it then and he wasn’t now. Attempted murder, especially attempted murder of him, wasn’t something you dealt with via a slap on the wrist.

Besides, given the laws in Kuragari about trying to attack the royal family, the attempted assassin probably got off easy.

He dragged his thoughts back to the present, wanting to ask what was on his mind.

“But when I was a kid this time, it was different. You attacked anyone who dueled me and won. They weren’t really trying to kill me, and I think you knew that.” He peered up again. Yubel’s expression was unreadable, even for him. “You killed people, Yubel.” He did what he could not to sound accusing. He wasn’t accusing Yubel of anything.

Besides, accusing meant there was some form of doubt. He knew that Yubel killed them. Yubel knew that Yubel killed them. He just wanted to know why Yubel had killed them.

“I know. I will not say I wish I hadn’t done it. But there is a reason behind it.”

Juudai said nothing out loud, but his entire body vibrated with the need to know. This was one of the things that wasn’t in his memory, if he’d ever known it to begin with.

“Juudai, do you remember how you died?”

He blinked, ruffled through his memories one more time, then shook his head. “Why do you ask?” That was something else he didn’t remember.

Or maybe they were same thing. He reached a hand toward Yubel and caught those long fingers in his own. “Is that why? Because I died?”

How alone had Yubel been and for how long?

Yubel drew in a breath and he knew that Yubel didn’t need to breathe, not like humans did, anyway.

“Let me show you.” Before he could answer, Yubel raised their other hand to silence him. “It will not be easy on either of us. You will not see it as if you were watching television or a movie. You will live it once more. That is the only way I can show it to you.”

It wouldn’t be like when he’d gained the important memories of their past together, Yubel was saying. He’d watched those from a distance, recovering the sense and importance of them as he did. This would be something else altogether.

He nodded. “That’s all right.” He wanted to know. He wanted to understand Yubel.

Yubel considered again, then nodded. “Take us to Neo-Space, Juudai. It’s better to do this where you are safe.”

And there wasn’t anywhere in any world safer for him than Neo-Space. He nodded and called for Pharaoh, tucking the tubby cat down into his backpack. It would be easier to carry him there for this kind of trip than anywhere else.

The Neo-Spacians greeted Juudai when he and Yubel arrived there, Pharaoh leaping out of his backpack as soon as he stood on solid ground again. The cat sniffed around, found a streak of comfortable grass, and curled up to resume his interrupted nap. Juudai appreciated Pharaoh’s appreciation of sleep.

“Good to see you when we’re not fighting,” Aqua Dolphin said, poking his head out of the water. “Just visiting?”

“Pretty much,” Juudai said, finding a place he could be comfortable at himself. “Yubel wants to show me some things from my past life.”

Aqua Dolphin nodded, giving a polite glance to Yubel at the same time. Juudai wasn’t sure of how Yubel interacted with the other members of his deck and figured if there was a big problem, either Yubel or the Neo-Spacians or the Elemental Heroes or Hane Kuriboh would tell him about it.

He had a lot of monsters in his deck, he knew, and he considered each and every one of them one of his dearest friends. Though Yubel remained a friend of an entirely different order entirely.

“This could take some time,” Yubel promised him, getting into place behind him, warm arms embracing him, wings tilting over him a little.

“That’s all right,” Juudai said. “I don’t need to be anywhere for a while anyway. As long as it doesn’t take a week.”

“It shouldn’t take more than a few hours.”

Juudai could deal with that. Being in Yubel’s arms like this brought back so many gloriously happy memories. He closed his eyes at Yubel’s direction. Power stirred, slow and deep and rich, folding all around him. Nothing to fear at all; he was where he was safest, in Neo-Space and in Yubel’s arms.

Slowly his eyes closed and he let himself, Yuuki Juudai of the modern world, slip away completely. Prince Juudai of Kuragari enfolded him, as did the past of so very long ago.

Prince Juudai lounged in his chair, trying to keep his focus and his eyes open and not doing a very good job of it. If there was one thing he found more boring than his long-ago lessons, it was listening to his father doing the general business of running the kingdom.

Well, not all of the general business, because he had people who managed most of it for him, but having to interact with ambassadors and messengers from other kingdoms and the far distant corners of Kuragari itself was something the king or queen had to take care of. Sometimes even Juudai had to lend a hand, if there were matters that his parents couldn’t quite be openly involved in.

This wasn’t one of those. This was a report from one of the borderlands.

“We’ve done our best, Majesty,” the messenger reported. Juudai had heard this king of thing before. He knew the usual words that followed it would report some kind of victory. Kuragari wasn’t a superpower, but few people would’ve thought it wise to attack the home of the Herald of the Gentle Darkness.

His home.

“Our people were pushed back and three border towns have fallen.”

Juudai’s eyes flashed open at once. He’d never heard of that before. He straightened up and looked quickly to his father.

King Aodh leaned forward, worry in his own eyes. “Survivors? Prisoners?”

“Only a handful of the outposts there survived and they’re trying to regroup to see if they can accomplish anything while they’re still there. We haven’t taken any prisoners, but a few of ours were taken.”

Aodh let out a long and sad sigh. “They’re lost to us, then.”

Juudai frowned. “Father, why would that be? Just because they’re captured doesn’t mean they’re dead or would turn traitor.” How could his father have so little faith in their people?

“Juudai.” Aodh considered his words, then shook his head. “I’ll explain this to you later. Let me finish this.”

Juudai still didn’t understand, but he trusted his father to do what was best for the people. He’d have to do something like that one day, though not for one kingdom.

Once the king finished giving orders, the two of them headed to a quiet place: the royal gardens. This wasn’t an unusual way for them to spend some peaceful time together after royal duties, but Juudai quickly got the feeling this wasn’t going to be as peaceful as all that.

“Juudai,” Aodh said once they’d walked for a short time. “I know that you know we’ve had problems on the borders for some time now.”

He nodded. “I didn’t think it was all that serious, though.” How could it be? Their army remained strong and fought bravely. How could they be defeated by what was little more than a fringe mercenary group?

“I didn’t either, until recently. This enemy we face is far more than I expected.”

Aodh fell silent for a few moments. What he said after that sent chills all through Juudai.

“This army isn’t here to fight us, though they will if there is no choice, and I have struggled hard to give them no choice. They are here to fight you.”

Juudai’s words froze in his throat. People would want to fight him? To face him directly. He’d known such a thing was possible but for it to happen? For people to die or worse because of him?

“I wasn’t certain until I received more information this morning, and that report only confirmed it. The force we face is powered by the Light of Ruin itself. It takes many forms, but now it walks this world as a great sorcerer, who has taken over the minds of their followers. They will fight without hesitation or reluctance, throwing their lives away not only to take our land, but to reach the city here, and take you.”

Aodh sighed. “I knew this was a possibility from the moment we knew who you would become. This is why I asked Yubel to take on the body of a dragon, to protect you. Your power is still young and unformed within you. But if they can take you, there is much that they could do to you.”

Juudai didn’t want to hear any of that. He wanted to live out his days as he had so far, thoroughly enjoying himself with Yubel and his friends, looking forward to when he would be free to travel the world as he’d always wanted to.

But the words kept on coming. “With Yubel, you are defended. If they can destroy Yubel -”

“But they can’t!” Juudai shook his head, firm in this. “Yubel can’t be destroyed, you know that, father!” That was part of what made Yubel Yubel. He’d seen powerful attacks on Yubel fizzle away without so much as a breath of harm. Nothing even the Light of Ruin could do would hurt his beloved Yubel. Even if it could, he wouldn’t allow it.

He almost didn’t notice the way the shadows in the garden writhed to his anger. His father rested a hand on his shoulder.

“Relax yourself, my son. There is no danger at this moment. The Light’s warriors are to be guarded against and watched for, but no need to panic now.”

Slowly Juudai fought himself back to control. He needed to get better with that, he knew.

He could also feel Yubel somewhere nearby. Yubel wouldn’t interrupt his time with his father, but would make certain he stayed safe regardless.

“Yubel cannot be destroyed, but there are ways that could confine their power, and yours as well. Nothing in this world is perfect. I have done my best to protect both of you.” Aodh turned a warm gaze toward his son. “It is not impossible that we will put a halt to them before they come close to the city. I have plans to deal with them. But I cannot guarantee their success. You must be ready. Both of you must be ready, no matter what happens.”

Juudai squared up his shoulders and met his father’s eyes. “I’ll be ready.” They wanted to come for him? Then they would find it wasn’t such an easy thing to take him.

Aodh nodded before he turned toward a nearby tree and made a beckoning gesture. “I think perhaps the two of you should spend what quiet time together that you can.”

Yubel stepped from behind the tree, giving a courteous nod to the king at the same moment. All of Yubel’s true attention remained on Juudai, which surprised neither Aodh nor his son. From the moment those two met one another, they’d been the most important person in their respective lives.

“I will protect him even if it costs me my life, my king,” Yubel promised, coming over to Juudai.

“It had better not!” Juudai snapped, one arm going around Yubel’s waist as he leaned against their searing hot skin. Yubel was a dragon now and that reflected in virtually all parts of them. “I don’t want it to cost anything!”

“Everything has a cost,” Aodh said, though his words seemed more directed at himself than Juudai or Yubel. He bid them farewell and by the time he’d taken ten steps away, neither of the two noticed anything but one another. But no one else would’ve expected otherwise.

Yubel looked down at Juudai. His eyes shifted restlessly as he relived those last days, looking so much as if he merely dreamed.

Yubel wished it could be only a dream, that they’d lived a long and peaceful life with Juudai, instead of the scant handful of years they’d had then.

But that was then. This was now. Now they were united as they’d never been in the past, and Juudai had his responsibilities well in hand. There wasn’t anything else to distract either of them from what was most important.

The Neo-Spacians weren’t the only ones watching them now. Yubel had only to look up to see them all there: the Elemental Heroes, especially Neos, and Hane Kuriboh rested not that far away, watching. They could not see what was going on, but the Heroes knew it all the same, and kept their newer deck-mates advised.

For the Elemental Heroes had been Juudai’s bodyguard almost as long as Yubel had. They watched him as any bodyguard would watch their charge. Yubel had other duties, that involved defending him against the Light, no matter the cost.

And yet I failed in the end.

That was what Yubel couldn’t quite say to Juudai. That in the end, despite all the best intentions, they’d failed anyway.

But he would find that out soon enough, and Yubel wouldn’t have kept it from him anyway. If he hadn’t asked, they would’ve told him eventually.

Perhaps it was better this way. These were all of his own memories; all Yubel did was bring them to where he could experience them in a deeper way than ever before.

And there still remained much for him to learn.

To Be Continued

Notes: Well, this is a tale I've had in mind for a while now, and I finally wrote it. It's all finished already (a trend I hope to continue) so posting will be regular for the next couple of weeks.

[sailor-cresselia]

Zi-O Ep 46: (silent shock)

Okay, so… last week was… oh, right!

Everything is painful and nothing is okay!

This week?

THINGS CONTINUE TO HAPPEN AND NOT BE OKAY!

Liveblog under the cut, because there was no good early spot to break it off!

––––

So yeah, Swartz summoned Hat Woz, because of course he did. Just, you know, the ultimate insult to injury. I always wonder if Watanabe likes playing this version of Woz, because Hat Woz is just such a smug little bastard in a completely different way from Scarf Woz.

And oh look, surprising none of us, Swartz is going to try and kill Tsukuyomi, because there’s no room for her in the future he’s going to write.

Hat Woz has his Future Note again – which is odd.

See, Tsukasa had theorized that the Dark Riders were being summoned from timelines where they won, but that didn’t sit right with me. Eternal was surprised to be alive again. He wouldn’t have said anything like that if he’d won, because he’d definitely have survived his fight. You know, for the certain value of surviving he can have. Not being any more dead than he already was.

And this Hat Woz knows Tsukuyomi, says that it’s been a long time… but Daiki stole the Future Note the first time we saw him, when he may or may not have been ‘helping’ Oma Zi-O, so he shouldn’t be able to have it now.

So when is this Woz from?

Anyway, Eternal gets some good hits in on Aqua while Swartz is being distracting by way of how much of a tool he is. Swartz advances on Tsukuyomi…

And is blocked by a shoulder check from Scarf Woz Ginga.

…Ah, man, the Woz V Woz fight is gonna be hard to write, isn’t it?

Scarf Woz summons a minature star to blind the opponents, because of COURSE his Sun form can do that, why NOT! Then… okay, hang on, this one has to be in script form.

Woz: (summons a mini sun)

Woz: (turns to the camera) According to this book-

Woz: (focuses back on the scene and increases the intensity of the light)

Then when the light fades, he, Tsukuyomi, and Aqua are all gone – and we head into the recap vault, where he’s got a model of Another Decade.

Woz. Woz what are you?! What is the purpose of the recaps?! Where is this vault?! Please explain!

Anyway, the recap is basically him saying that Swartz is Another Decade, that he’s trapped Geiz in one of his Another Worlds, a brief clip of Heure being stabbed and dying in Sougo’s arms, and apparently, we’re going to finally find out what Swartz’s plan is!

––––

The current team at 9 to 5 consists of Sougo (still pretty beaten up), Woz (sulking against the wall, as usual), Tsukuyomi (depressed and blaming herself), and Miharu (less depressed but also kinda dumb). Sougo summarizes one of the current issues: Geiz is stuck in an Another World. Woz mentions that Decade or Diend might be able to get them there, not that they’d be much assistance.

Yeah, I still don’t think they’re actually de-powered the way you think they are, but sure, let’s run with it.

Sougo lets everyone know that one fo the other things Tsukasa had said was that the only way to get people out of an Another World is to destroy it… which is a problem, since that’s not a thing anyone here can do. I’m not entirely sure Tsukasa actually can, either, since I’m pretty sure they fixed that little ‘problem’ of his back in his portion of the W & Decade movie. …But only pretty sure, because the season never bothered to explain what was going on with that in the first place, or what was actually causing it, because literally the only person with answers was Narutaki. And Narutaki’s not exactly known for giving details. Though, if he shows up in the last episode of Zi-O to give exposition on this season, and still blames Tsukasa for everying… I don’t know if it’d be frustrating or hilarious.

…I kind of want that to happen, now.

OKAY, RIGHT, THE SHOW IS STILL A THING.

Tsukuyomi blames herself for falling into Swartz’s trap – which. Uh. Sweetie. You didn’t. Technically, you set a trap for him. It didn’t work, but that’s because he’s incredibly overpowered.

Same goes for you, Miharu. Don’t you go blaming yourself, either! Especailly by saying it’s because you weren’t ‘brave enough’! You’re plenty brave, you did great, buddy! Again, Swartz and Eternal are both super-overpowered. None of this is either of your faults.

Enter Junichiro for the distraction! This time, he’s got salads with white truffle oil, to bring out the flavor.

Something about the ‘white truffles’ makes Woz realize something. I don’t know if he’s got an idea, if he’s fanboying over how good of a cook Junichiro is, or both – I kind of think it’s both.

(At this point, if either of them wanted to change career paths, I wouldn’t be surprised in the slightest if they became chefs.)

There’s also a nice little aside where Woz comments that Junichiro is such a hot hand with cooking, taking Junichiro’s hand sin his own – to which Uncle mentions that Woz has really hot hands. Meaning at least one of them is probably still hot from that little stunt he pulled with a miniature sun earlier.

––––

Aw, this is actually kind of sad – Hat Woz went to the overlook where he was un-realitied during Another Blade.

Sougo & Co. show up – and they’re asking for his help. Which is a: really kind of depressing, because last time he was around they hated each other, and b: really kind of sweet, because Sougo and Woz, at least, are willing to work with him.

Of course, Hat Woz has zero reason to listen, and asks what they’re going to do if he says no.

Woz, Sougo, and a hesitant Miharu hold up their belts.

Hat Woz, probably scoffing internally, says that’s not a threat that’s going to work on him… and holds up his belt. Of course he has it back, Scarf Woz. Another Worlds are made of lost opportunities, aren’t they?

I love how he’s just… everyone else is holding their belts, ready to put them on at a moments notice, and he’s just dangling his by the watch holder. Not even with all fingers, just with one finger and a thumb. Let it never be said that Hat Woz will miss out on a chance to be incredibly Extra.

He doesn’t really want to help them, in particular, but… well, he does want to rescue His Savior.

Riiiight, Geiz Revive was, in his timeline, supposed to be the one who stopped Oma Zi-O on Oma’s Day – which I’ve doubted for some time, since Hat Woz is made of smugness and deceit, but I’ll allow it.

We cut to… oh, noooo, it’s the guy who was Victim of the Day #2 from the Den-O Arc, the one who made a contract – Takuya – reminiscing at Sayuri’s grave. Then here comes Swartz, saying that he’ll make him his own world.

Takuya is pulled into an Another World, one where ‘Sayuri’ never died.

Hat Woz starts to narrate.

Basically, Swartz is using his powers as Another Decade to place people in Another Worlds, where they relive one moment, over and over again, for eternity. We see the runner from the last episode, winning his race, before time resets, and he wins again. We see Owada winning the match, before time resets, and he wins again.

By sending people into the Another Worlds, Swartz is able to summon Dark Riders – in Takuya’s case, Kamen Rider Yuuki, from the Saraba Den-O film.

Looks like Hat Woz counts himself among the Dark Riders… which. Uh. Is a good point. Most Dark Riders are movie exclusives, usually being mirrors of the lead. Hat Woz doesn’t mirror Sougo, but he is a reflection of Scarf Woz. So… yeah, he would count.

He tells the group that in order to save his Savior from the Another World, they’re going ot have to ‘cross a dangerous bridge’ – and everyone is willing to do so.

So then. Shall they begin?

––––

Cut to a beach, with Miharu watching the ocean. Hat Woz ‘narrates’ via his book, giving an ‘instruction’ for Kamen Riders Aqua and Eternal to fight.

And so, they do – Eternal shows up, Miharu transforms, and they start exchanging blows. Sougo runs up, and joins in the fight as Zi-O.

(Sougo, please don’t use your base form for this! At least use Zi-O II! I get that the appearance of the fight is way better this way, but still. Katsumi Daido is not a Movie Rider to be trifled with!)

––––

Somehow, Swartz knows that Zi-O and Eternal are fighting. He doesn’t much seem to care about Aqua, though.

He also knows that Hora’s here, and that she’s alone.

He asks where Heure is.

She holds up his feather decoration, saying that he’s ‘right here.’ Now, give her her powers back.

Swartz smirks.

I don’t know if he believed she’d actually go so far as to kill Heure, but either way, I think he’s impressed.

Probably not in the way she wants him to be, but…

––––

On the beach, Aqua and Zi-O are fighting Eternal, up until Yuuki draws Zi-O out into a fight of their own.

Hat Woz watches, flouncy and smug as always, when Scarf Woz comes up.

Hat Woz makes a comment about how he wishes that they’d take he and his fellow Dark Riders seriously – and Scarf Woz says that he’ll be his opponent in the long-awaited Woz-on-Woz fight.

(PIC OF WOZ HENSHIN HERE)

This is a really cool transformation! I don’t think we’ve gotten a good veiw of Ginga’s transformation, so this is as good as any!

They exchange a few punches, and then go into their Rider Kicks…

And holy shit I can’t believe Hat Woz is fucking dead. He got demolished by the Ginga finisher, like, he didn’t stand a chance.

––––

…

Ah. We briefly flash back to the canyon… and he told Scarf Woz to kill him. Mercilessly.

They can’t let on that it’s an act, after all.

They’ll get their real fight later.

––––

Back on the beach, Swartz appears, clapping. That sure was a fancy display. Why not do it again? He opens a wall, and Hat Woz steps out, flouncy as ever, saying it’s time for round two.

Tsukuyomi steps out, trying to pause him, saying that won’t happen – but she’s only got some of her power back, not enough to actually stop Hat Woz.

In retaliation, he takes the wall that he’d come through, and. Uh. Whips it over to Scarf Woz and Tsukuyomi, spinning it around them until it – and they – disappear, and tells Swartz that he’s sent them off to an Another World for him.

Sougo shouts, breaking off from his engagement with Yuuki, and tries to attack Swartz, but is blocked by Eternal.

Swartz tells him to give up, he’s not going to see them again. They’re going to be there for the rest of eternity.

Kamen Rider Eternal says that he likes the sound of that word – ‘Eien’. Eternity.

He pulls out his Gaia Memory, and inserts it into his knife’s finisher slot.

Eternal! Maximum Drive!

To which I, a Double fan, have a general reaction of NOPE NO NUH-UH I AM NOT OKAY WITH THIS!!

For those who didn’t watch Double, or didn’t watch it’s summer movie, “Kamen Rider W Forever: A to Z/The Gaia Memories of Fate”, That is a very bad thing to hear. In the movie, using just that one Memory for a finisher disabled all the Gaia Memories in the city, except for the type he was using.

I mean, it’s not like it would effect the watches, but it still brings up SOME BAD TIMES.

Case in point; here he uses it to ‘conjure’ what is basically a blade of blue fire, and proceeds to slash said blade towards Sougo – AND A WALL OF FIRE EXPLODES AROUND HIM.

Zi-O’s left on the ground, in pain, but still transformed, so good for him for absolutely tanking that hit.

Aqua rushes to his defense, and is intercepted by Yuuki, as Eternal re-engages Zi-O.

Hat Woz, sighing dramatically, starts up his transformation.

––––

Tsukuyomi and Woz are in the Another World that Geiz is in.

So, before I continue actually watching the scene, I want to say what I’ve been thinking Geiz’s World might be. It’s supposed to be a moment of ‘lost possibilities’, a moment the captive regrets, and wants to take back.

So… what could Geiz’s be?

I figure… I’ve been figuring it might be related to his defeating or not defeating Sougo – or rather, Zi-O. Either way… I don’t think it could be some triumphant moment. Geiz is pretty much never in a good place emotionally, because he has seen some shit, and he doesn’t really know what his goal is anymore.

Starting back up, and…

Oh.

It’s the confrontation by the river the other day.

Where he pointed out that Sougo became Oma Zi-O, and ruined the future.

In the original moment, he and Sougo fought, yelling at each other, and Geiz took off.

Here?

He stops himself after saying Oma Zi-O created the terrible timeline he’s from. He catches himself, backing off, getting quieter.

Saying that he… he fled from there, coming back to the current time. He looks so sad. He knows he has to go back, but he doesn’t want to. He wants to stay here, to keep living in 2019, to create a new future with Sougo.

Tsukuyomi and Woz watch, stunned, as time rewinds, and Geiz starts over.

This is the moment Geiz wanted to retry.

Not a battle, not the fight against Oma Zi-O in the first episode, not any of the times he could have finished Sougo off.

It’s his not saying that he trusts Sougo.

Oh, Geiz…

––––

Zi-O and Eternal have managed to change locations, and Sougo thinks of something. It was Double who defeated Eternal before, right? So that’s who he’s going to use.

Armor Time! DOUBLE!

It’s not just the reused sound effects from Double’s transformation this time. It’s actual music during the fight. One of the more hard-boiled fight tracks, the one usually used during the final confrontation against an opponent. And I love it. We won’t get a proper Double arc, or a Kuuga one – I know that by now. There’s not enough time left in the season. And that’s killing me.

But using the fight music? That’s… that’ll have to do.

Of course, in keeping with his whole thing, Daido says that he didn’t lose, it was just that the wind changed! He activates his other Gaia Memory, Zone.

This is the one that was super destructive. The one that summons 26 Gaia Memories to him, to let him use a supercharged version of the Eternal Maximum Drive. The finisher we saw him starting to use in the preview.

A nice note: Of the memories we hear the system announce, there are Accel, Cyclone, Fang, Heat, Joker, Metal, Luna, Trigger, and Xtreme.

There are a few others mixed in that seem mostly random, except perhaps Weather, who was one of the main enemies for a time, but these nine?

These are the ones that Shotaro, Philip, and Ryu used.

…Thank you.

Sougo stands firm against the Maximum Drive, and inserts a different Ridewatch into his belt.

Zi-O! Geiz!

A beam of yellow light shoots down onto the looping, trapped Geiz, transforming him into his armor, and then into a watch.

Woz!

A beam of blue light shoots down onto Woz, transforming him into his armor, and then into a watch.

We flash to Hat Woz’s plan. The Eternal Maximum Drive can destroy a world, forever. But to use it to clear out the Another Worlds, they have to get him into one.

And we’ve already seen, during the Kabuto arc, that it doesn’t matter how far away they are – Trinity can pull Geiz and Woz from anywhere, even from Earth into space.

So, it may be a gamble, but it just might be able to cross between worlds.

It’s a solid idea, and it makes sense that Hat Woz is the one to think of it. They got the Trinity watch from him, after all.

In the present, a veil of red light surrounds Zi-O and Eternal, who is still powering through his kick. They disappear-

-and reappear in ‘Geiz’s World’.

Trinity probably either takes the path of least resistance, or follows Sougo’s will. The only other time we’ve seen it used at a great distance was the incident in Kabuto, where Sougo and Woz were both in orbit, and Geiz was drawn from Earth to them.

Here, Geiz and Woz are both in the Another World, so Sougo’s pulled to them… and so is the guy he’s in contact with.

As the Trinity transformation finishes, Zi-O steps aside, letting Eternal’s kick collide with… what might be a sort of barrier point in the world. Regardless of how, it starts cracking the fabric of reality, starting right at the illusory Sougo.

Owada’s world starts to crack, and then shatters.

The runner’s world cracks, and then shatters.

Takuya’s world cracks, and then shatters.

In reality, a dimensional wall appears, cracks, and shatters, to reveal Tsukuyomi and all of the people who had been trapped – or, well, six people. Hard to say how many more there could have been… except that we can count, can’t we?

Four Dark Riders were summoned in episode 44, so that’s four of the victims accounted for. There’s Owada, who was used for Eternal, and Takuya, who was used for Yuuki. Geiz was used for Hat Woz, so that’s technically seven people rescued.

The Trinity transformation ends, Geiz seeming surprised, like he’s just waking up. Sougo tells Tsukuyomi to get everyone out of there, and she herds the civilians away.

Katsumi ends his transformation, going back to his normal form, saying that an interesting wind sure blew through here.

Casual note from the Double Fan to those who may not have watched: He’s a native of Fuuto, just like Shotaro, so the wind metaphors and comments are incredibly appropriate. Fuuto is the ‘windy city,’ so it basically goes without saying that it’s important to them.

Sougo steps forward. He tells Katsumi he took advantage of his powers, and that he’s sorry about that.

(Sougo never wanted to erase anyone.)

But… it’s okay. Thanks to Sougo, a world where only Katsumi was revived was destroyed. Now, he can go to where his comrades are.

His team from the film. Hanehara Reika, the Heat Dopant. Izumi Kyosui, the Luna Dopant. Domoto Gozo, the Metal Dopant. Ashihara Ken, the Trigger Dopant. Maria S. Cranberry, the Cyclone Dopant, and his mother.

They all died in the movie, as did he. And he was callous then, because he had lost control, but before the events of his V-Cinema… he truly did care about them. He was slowly losing touch with his humanity, but before then… they were a team; a family, almost.

And in the Another World that Swartz created, he was the only one brought back. Now? He’ll get to be with them again.

He holds out his hand, his thumb to the side. One of his standard pre- and post-battle tics is a harsh thumbs down, signalling his opponents defeat.

This time? It’s a thumbs up.

Katsumi Daido fades back out of existence, going out with a smile.

Behind them, Hat Woz laughs. He thought they’d be able to do it, he was counting on it.

Scarf Woz… wants to know why hat Woz would make a plan that would cause himself to disappear.

It’s simple, really. He wanted to save his Savior. That was his lost possibility. His old timeline.

Sauntering up, glitching, he approaches Geiz, telling him to listen carefully. From the start, Swartz has been after-

A bolt of purple energy strikes him, cutting him off mid-sentence.

Hat Woz glitches out of existence, stuck in pain as he disappears.

As Swartz lowers his hand, Kamen Rider Yuuki shudders, fading back out of existence.

Swartz is impressed, really. They all had him fooled. But it’s foolish of them to think there weren’t any more of his Another Worlds.

To prove his point, the four Dark Riders from the end of episode 44 show back up; Fuuma, Dark Ghost, Rey, and G4.

…So… Who were the runner and the other three nameless victims for?

Woz and Geiz go to fight them. Now, Sougo and Swartz are alone. Shall they settle this?

Sougo doesn’t flinch. He’s not alone, after all.

Aqua appears behind Swartz, jumping to punch him – and time freezes for Aqua and Sougo.

Swartz isn’t alone, either. Hora is behind Sougo, lowering her hand from her customary flip of her feather.

––––

Swartz circles the frozen Sougo, giving a very… ‘familiar’ speech. Sougo really was born to be a king. He will become a king, and have the duty to save the world from annihilation.

Sougo finally realizes what we’ve known for some time now – that Swartz was the one in his dream… his memory.

Swartz continues circling, until he stopps behind Sougo’s back. He’s always been watching Sougo, and now… Now Sougo’s completed the development fitting of a king. He’s collected the powers of so many Kamen Riders, and now Swartz will be taking them off his hands.

So that Swartz can become king.

The Time Jackers have always said that they were looking for a candidate for king, and it’s been clear that he’s had his candidate all along.

At first, it was implied to be Hiryuu. Then Sougo. But no.

He’s been his own choice the entire time.

He freezes.

Hora’s not impressed. That’s what he’s been trying to do, all this time? As her hand glows red, forming a blade around it, she says that she’s going to do what Heure couldn’t, and kill him.

She stabs forward, into his chest.

He starts to move again, and looks… smug. Did she really think he wouldn’t know what she was doing?

She didn’t stab him. Her hand-blade is caught in a tiny little dimensional wall – which spreads, holding her in place as Swartz becomes Another Decade, and round-house kicks her in the face, sending her flying.

He makes a quip about how he hopes she and Heure enjoy their ‘lives’ together, as she struggles to get up for a few moments…

And then stops moving.

Time resumes for the others.

Sougo turns, and sees Hora a distance away. Coldly, he tells Swartz that he’s not fit to be king.

Swartz’s reply? Why not? He’s certainly powerful enough.

Sougo’s mad. A king is supposed to make the world better. That is what power is supposed to be for!

An enraged Grand Zi-O begins to fight Another Decade.

––––

In a dark warehouse, Geiz Revive Fury and Woz Ginga Sun fight the four Dark Riders, quickly finishing them off with a pair of final attacks.

Also, Woz’s burned through some of the columns. Maybe don’t use that one indoors again?! We’ve already seen that Sun Form can, given the right amount of time, destroy asteroids, so I’m just saying that it might be a little too powerful for inside use!

Ginga being incredibly dangerous aside, Tsukuyomi runs up.

Geiz goes to her first, with an admission. Turns out he wants to stay here, in this time period. It’s where they belong. Not just him, but the three of them. He’s saying this to Tsukuyomi, and using ‘ore-tachi.’ ‘We.’ The group. And he thanks Woz, because he really does owe him that.

Woz comments that the other him would have loved to hear that.

Of course, as Geiz says, there’s still the question of what Hat Woz was trying to say at the end. What is Swartz really after?

The orchestral version of Toki no Ouja starts playing.

The discussion they have points out that all of his timing is strange. Why wait until now to take Tsukuyomi’s power? Why not when she first found out about it, confirming that she was his sister? Why attack his Time Jackers now, of all times, when he could have dropped them at any point? Why create the Another Worlds?

Woz mentions that it all seems random, but Geiz realizes – what if it’s not? What if there’s something connecting all of this?

Woz picks up the train of thought. The targets… Heure was starting to bond with Sougo. Owada and the runner were his classmates. Tsukuyomi had long since gotten close to him.

Geiz continues. He was targeted, too.

Tsukuyomi brings up a point – that Swartz only started finally putting his plans in motion once Sougo obtained Grand Zi-O.

Geiz turns, realizing. Swartz has only had one actual target.

Zi-O.

––––

(deep inhale)

(sharp exhale)

HOLY SHIT.

Grand Zi-O and Another Decade are at that power plant location.

Swartz… oh.

He flat out tells Sougo that if he wants to stop his plans, then go ahead and defeat him. But there’s a catch to it. If Swartz is stopped, then his time axis will disappear. Swartz will disappear… and so will Tsukuyomi.

The two of them – Swartz and Kamen Rider Zi-O – can’t both continue to exist, and as such, neither can Tsukuyomi and Tokiwa Sougo.

There is one other path, though…

Aqua interuppts, running up, shouting for Sougo not to listen, Swartz is just trying to trick him! He tries to use a Rider Kick, dropping down towards Another Decade…

Who simply opens a wall that moves Aqua from in front of him to behind, before using another to move himself to face Aqua.

Swartz says that it’s a shame… as his ‘belt’ glows, jagged red rectangles of light circling the center. He swings a roundhouse kick right at Aqua, in a corrupted version of Decade’s Rider Kick, complete with scattered images of cards mixed in among the explosion, some of which hit Aqua, and some which go outward along the ground to strike Sougo, knocking the both of them out of their transformations.

A thunderstorm starts, as Aqua rolls along the ground, sparking painfully, before his transformation breaks, and he’s laying on the ground, gasping in pain, with a large burn mark on his shirt.

Sougo runs over to him, the storm already approaching full swing. Miharu struggles to breath, one hand holding tight to the pair of underwear that Eiji gave him years ago.

In accordance with the OOO rule of three.

He manages to say just a little.

“For Tsukuyomi… for Alpina… and tomorrow…”

Minato Miharu, Kamen Rider Aqua, the young man from the future who was so, so afraid of his own power, but managed to over come it and become a hero… lays on the ground, in a storm… and stops moving.

Sougo kneels beside him.

Swartz, in his normal appearance once again, starts talking as Sougo glares. He’s got three paths available to him…

One for Tsukuyomi, one for himself… and the one where he becomes Oma Zi-O.

Sougo looks down, soaked, disbeleiving. “The path of Oma Zi-O…?”

The sound of the rain trails off, leaving nothing but the sound of Sougo breathing heavily, before he yells Swartz’s name in rage.

The endscreen is silent.

––––

The preview opens with Woz and Geiz fighting Dustards and a Smash. It cuts to the quartet in the lobby of 9 to 5, with Swartz saying that ‘the destruction of worlds has begun’ - transitioning into a shot of the Gaim and Double watches, in their place on the tower, lighting up and then going dark, their color gone, but the images still there.

There’s a shot of the Orion Zodiarts and the Shika Inves (Deer Inves), accompanied by a group of Masquerade Mooks, Yummies, Dustards, and Elementary Inves.

A shot of Another Zi-O II, with someone saying they will take the last treasure – but it sure doesn’t sound like Daiki, who was the last person seen with the Another Zi-O watch. That audio clip overlaps with a shot I definitely do not like, of Tsukuyomi bent over Tsukasa, who does not look to be getting up any time soon! (Please just be passed out, PLEASE just be passed out!)

Sougo says something about ‘other worlds meeting their end’, which is played over… that is Mondo! That’s Quiz, in his civilian form! There’s also a serious-expression Sougo.

Then, a shot of… Uh.

That. Is Another Zi-O II… being fought by. Uh. Grand Zi-O… and Zi-O. Regular, base-form Zi-O.

Sougo are you going to summon yourself, somehow?!

The voice clip playing over that is a deep voice. “I am the Grim Reaper – I will surpass the Kamen Riders!”

oh no.

The next fight has Geiz Revive fighting a figure in black, silver, and purple, with a distinct engine motif.

Oh no.

Then a shot of Chase.

Then Machin Chaser, with blank versions of the three basic types of Roidmude.

OH NO.

––––

Zi-O. Toei. This is NOT what we meant when we said we wanted a Drive Arc. This is definitely not what we meant when we asked for Chase to return.

TOEI NO.

[wordsintheatmosphere]

Research

Series: Persona 5 Pairing: Akira/Mishima Rating: G Summary:

Akira invites Mishima out for their first date, but it completely sails over Mishima’s head.

Tags: no spoilers, canon setting, fluff

He gets a text from Akira on a clear Sunday afternoon, asking if they could spend the day together.

Mishima’s first thought is that maybe this is a date—they are dating, aren’t they?  Akira did ask a week ago but he can’t remember what sort of answer he gave back then, it was all so overwhelming—before remembering that Akira probably has something more important in mind. It’s the first time Akira has ever texted him first, so whatever it could be must be serious. He checks the message again, sends a question asking about what he’s needed for, but there is no reply. Important, he thinks, something he can’t tell me. So it is about the Phantom Thieves.

He laughs at himself for feeling a little disappointed, for wanting more instead of offering his unconditional help. This is part of his duty to the Phantom Thieves as their PR manager, after all, and so he shouldn’t complain. He pulls on the closest clothes he can find lying about his room and leaves. It's a nice day outside and the trains aren't too crowded today, so he reaches his destination without trouble.

When he sees Akira, he stops for a moment. It’s not that Akira doesn’t always look nice, but today he is dressed in clothes that Mishima has never seen him wear before. They seem almost new, and Akira looks like a different person. He feels compelled to double check, but Akira notices his stare and straightens. Yes, this is definitely Akira, and he is definitely waiting for him.

“You look nice,” is the first thing out of Mishima’s mouth, and Akira smiles and absently runs his hand on the back of his neck. All of a sudden Mishima feels self-conscious of the clothes he’d just thrown on without thought—his shirt has a small stain from last night’s dinner, and he didn’t exactly pick a matching jacket. He looks himself over and wonders where exactly Akira is taking him that needs such nice clothes, and if he has somehow already screwed it up.

“Sorry, I didn’t see your message. I was having trouble picking something to wear,” Akira says, and before Mishima has the time to fully regret his clothing choices, he continues. “There’s just somewhere I want to take you.”

He braces himself for whatever comes next, stained shirt and all, but the place Akira takes him is to a parfait store.

The shop smells sweet and there are girls and couples everywhere, lost in their own conversations. It’s definitely not a usual place for guys to go to, and Mishima is keenly aware of how much the two of them stand out. He freezes at the door at first, wondering if Akira has made a mistake, but Akira urges him in. There are a million questions buzzing in his mind as they are seated, and the only thing that will make any degree of sense is that they must be staking out for someone, or something.

“What are we looking for again?” he whispers to Akira as a menu is handed to him, and Akira blinks before answering.

“A parfait?”

Ah, so research on parfaits. Mishima has no idea how this is supposed to help the Phantom Thieves, but he is in no position to question him. In that case, he thinks, feeling a little better now, this is something even he could help with. He has a fondness for sweets, after all.

He eagerly scans the brightly coloured pictures of the store’s specialty parfaits, and soon his stomach is sinking at the prices beside each photo. He can barely afford the cheapest parfait, never mind the fancier ones. “Akira, I—I don’t think I brought enough money.”

“Don’t worry,” Akira answers without missing a beat, “I’ll be paying.”

“You can afford this?” Mishima raises his eyebrows in disbelief, pointing to the menu to make his point. Akira only crosses his arms and smiles, and Mishima decides not to ask where a Phantom Thief gets money. As he examines the menu, the self-conscious tension in his stomach melts away. This may not be a date, he decides, but there are benefits for helping out the Phantom Thieves at a place like this.

“Have you made up your mind?” Akira asks after a while, but all the parfaits look equally good and he is having a hard time deciding. As if anticipating this, Akira smiles and points at the back of the menu. “If not, how about this one?”

Akira shows Mishima a photo of a fancy parfait, crowned with a row of chocolate biscuit sticks, layered with about five flavours of ice cream and topped generously with jeweled fruit. It’s clearly not a regular parfait that Mishima can ever afford, but he stares at it with such transfixed amazement that Akira chuckles.

“Then it’s decided,” he says, and waves to a waitress, but Mishima snaps his head up to stop him.

“W-wait, I can’t—this is too much—are you sure?” The words tumble out of him in a confused mess because it’s the first time he’s ever been treated so nicely, and the unfamiliar kindness disorients him. This isn’t normal, he shouldn’t be accepting this much, but Akira smiles at him and somehow just the sight of it soothes the panic in his stomach.

“I want to. I’m the one who invited you here, after all.”

There isn’t anything to say to that, so the waitress takes their order. At first Mishima is surprised when Akira only orders the fancy parfait for him and nothing else for himself, but then the waitress carries their parfait over. It’s huge, comes the first thought, and then right after, it’s a couples parfait.

He gapes at the monstrous and yet beautiful sculpture of pure, sugary art in front of him, and the presence of the parfait draws the eyes of everyone around them. His cheeks immediately burn at the attention, but Akira doesn’t look the least bit concerned. With an encouraging smile, Akira picks up his spoon.

“You first,” he says, and Mishima now gapes at him.

“This is—Akira, this is a parfait for couples,” he hisses, and Akira’s smile only widens.

“I know.”

So that’s why Akira didn’t order for himself. Feeling a little foolish and a bit like he has just fallen for a prank, Mishima numbly picks up his spoon too. He is keenly aware of the curious stares and amused whispers around them, and Akira’s composure makes him envious. He could never feel comfortable with this amount of attention on him. For the sake of the Phantom Thieves, he bravely tells himself, because otherwise he’d rather disappear through the floor.

It’s a little awkward to share such a giant parfait, but with each heavenly bite Mishima loses his reservations. It helps that Akira is by his side, completely ignorant of the attention around them and only focusing on their conversation. Ah well, Mishima thinks as he enjoys the taste of the ice cream melting in his mouth, there’s no way he could ever buy something like this on his own. He might as well enjoy the moment.

Finishing the parfait takes a long time, and it is dark when they finally head to the station. Full and in utter bliss from the parfait, Mishima laughs under his breath.

“That was wonderful. Thanks for inviting me.” He rubs his arm, feeling strangely bashful, and Akira falters a little. Just as Akira steps closer to him, Mishima continues. “And uh, I know this was for research, but this felt almost like a date.”

Akira freezes at that, and the strange expression on his face tells Mishima that he has messed up. “Oh,” he says quickly, heat crawling up his neck, “oh, I mean, of course not. Haha…I just—you know—hope you got what you needed.”

His words trail off into pathetic silence, but strangely enough Akira doesn’t seem angry. If anything, he seems a little confused as he fusses with his fringe. When he finally speaks, his words are slow and careful. “Research? Mishima, that’s…well, I meant this to be a date.”

“W-what?!” Mishima raises his voice in surprise, and the passersby turn to look but he is too shocked to care. “But—I thought—”

Before he can finish his sentence, everything clicks into place—the nice clothes, the couples parfait, how close Akira is standing to him right now. All of these signs should’ve been obvious to anyone else, but it’s the first time anyone has shown interest in him and he has learned to brush off his hopes as wishful thinking. It’s frustrating how little he really knows, but at the same time there is a small glow of warmth mixed in with the embarrassment he feels. This is a date. This is a date, because Akira likes him.

Akira laughs beside him, warm and unaffected. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault that you misunderstood. I’ll be clearer next time.”

His fingers brush against Mishima’s lightly, and they feel cool to the touch. The two of them are close enough to hide their hands from wandering eyes, but it’s the affection that heats Mishima’s skin. “Hey,” Akira says, his voice low and quiet and meant only for the two of them, “do you mind if I call you Yuuki?”

The suddenness of the question throws Mishima off-guard, and it takes him a few seconds to fully process that this is the first time he has ever heard Akira use his first name. “Oh,” he breathes, and his heart feels stuck in his throat from all the words he wants to say, “Uh, sure. Yeah, of course.”

“Great. Okay.” Akira releases his breath, and it suddenly occurs to Mishima that the taller boy might be nervous too. He dismisses the thought immediately, but the light of the station reveals a faint tint on Akira’s cheeks. The realization strikes him as strange; someone as brave as Akira, who bore the weight of all the curious stares in the café without looking the slightest bit perturbed, is feeling shy too—around him, the most unassuming guy of all.

Akira’s fingers slip away as they reach the train gates. “I’ll see you later, Yuuki?” He says, and the sound of his name makes their date today feel a little more real. This time Mishima doesn’t bother hiding his smile.

“Of course. See you later.”

When Akira disappears into the crowd, Mishima takes out his phone. His smile is so wide and giddy that he’s sure it’s creepy to everyone else, but his heart is singing too loudly for him to care. With the feel of Akira’s fingers still on his own, he types out a message.

And next time, Akira, tell me it’s a date.

[ghosthunthq]

Never Say Die

For: @evil-dragon-is-evil

By: Raisedonradio [ @roseandradio]

Original prompt: Well, basically, ‘Things with Naru’.  ^^

Summary: He had been a fool to let go of her hand. [End of the Forgotten Children case through Oliver’s eyes] WC: 2056

Oliver’s clothes had yet to dry from the thorough soaking they had received earlier. The storm had brought in a crisp breeze. The break from the heat should have been welcome, but the abandoned school had a chill that penetrated far deeper.

Mai had just finished calling out the names of their missing companions, and she now kneeled close to him, mixed emotions flitting across her face. Horror that they had been forgotten so easily. Relief that the nefarious spirits couldn’t truly take her memories away from her.

He dragged his hand through his damp hair. He had been trained better than this. He knew better than to be drawn into such trickery. They had eight people missing in a location that’s main goal was to not release anyone alive.

“Yuuki Kirishima,” Oliver said.

Mai looked up at him. “Who?”

“Didn’t you see the photocopy of the newspaper? He’s the teacher who died.”

“What about him?”

“He is the culprit of these series of events,” Oliver said. “He’s the one pulling the strings. Do you think children could use such underhanded methods? A diversion is created to make us vanish one by one. If we get suspicious, they confuse us by making us believe the children were with us in the first place. Kirishima-san must be behind the scenes.”

“Kirishima-sensei – then he must be in one of the classrooms downstairs?”

“It’s dangerous to assume,” Oliver said. But it really wasn’t, was it? It was her intuition speaking, and it coincided with his own inclinations. “But I think he is most likely on the first floor. If we want to catch him, he would probably be in the classroom or the faculty lounge.”

“But…how are we going to exorcise him?” she asked.

“It’s going to be either you or me.”

Mai burst out, “You can’t do it!”

Oliver paused at the vehemence in her voice. “Then do you want to try?”

“Do you think I could do it?”

“Not exorcise, no,” Oliver said dryly, causing her to hang her head. “But I think you can convince him.”

“Huh?”

“Convince Kirishima-san. I don’t have the ability to communication with spirits. But there’s a possibility you can.”

“Do…do you think I could do it?” she said, seeming to be unaware she had already asked that question.

“Yes, if you use the same spirit you have when you yell at me.”

Mai clasped her hands together, mulling it over as she attempted to work some warmth into her fingers. But it didn’t take her long to respond.

“Okay. I’ll do it.”

Oliver nodded. “Then let’s go to the first floor. I’ll put you in an altered state of mind, like what mediums are in when they bring in a spirit.”

“Oh,” she murmured. “Okay.”

 “Let’s go,” he said. Oliver took her hand. He could feel the tension in her fingers, as if she was afraid to hold on too tightly. He may have just come out of the hospital, but he would not tolerate being treated as if he was fragile.

He said, “Don’t let go,” as he dragged her up from the floor.

“Oh, wait!” she said. She offered him something in her opposite hand. He could barely see it in the dim light. Without releasing her other hand, he took from her the pointed weapon that Takigawa carried around.

She continued, “This is Monk’s tokkosho. He said it was for you when he threw it.”

“Is that so?” he said softly.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing,” he said. “It just seems I’ve underestimated Takigawa-san.” He held the tokkosho firmly in his hand. It was a challenge. It said that Takigawa believed Oliver was fully capable of wielding it if he chose to. It said that Takigawa didn’t believe in the mask of Kazuya Shibuya anymore.

“Let’s go,” he said again.

They went down the short flight of stairs, hand in hand. The building was absolutely silent. Oliver couldn’t even hear the rain anymore. Perhaps it had stopped. The only sounds were the ones they created. Their footfalls echoed in the ears almost painfully. Oliver could hear Mai’s breathing, deep inhale in, slow exhale.

Oliver ducked through the small doorway first. He reached up to balance himself against the shoe cabinet that Lin had placed across the doorway as a spirit barrier. The cabinet started to weave and creak. It toppled towards him, and landed against the wall and created a triangle-shaped space. It left the small doorway partially blocked.

 “Naru! Are you all right?” Mai’s voice was muffled, and she sought his hand which he had released by accident. Her fingers brushed his, and without looking back, he took her hand firmly.

“I’m fine,” he said, pulling her forward. She followed easily.

They continued at a good pace down the next flight of stairs.

“Wait, wait a moment,” Mai said quietly.

 “What is it?” he said automatically, until the strangeness of her voice kicked in. Her voice was quiet because it was far away. It almost sounded like she was still by the small doorway.

His stride broke. He turned as he looked down. The hand that grasped his was skeletal, leather-like skin stretched tight against oddly-shaped bones, nails long and ragged.

Oliver recoiled and yanked his hand away. He could feel the scrapes across his skin from where the nails bit down to attempt to prevent his release. His foot slipped, and he fell down the last few stairs. He twisted and landed on a wrist and hip. It felt like small splinters had embedded themselves into his hand from the wood floor, but he stood up without taking the time to assess his injuries.

“Mai!” he called as he looked up the stairs. A small girl stood from the height he had fallen from. An overly large grin was on her face. Her hands, he had to notice, were completely normal. He didn’t know if it was brighter on the first floor, or if she produced her own light.

“Who are you calling for, onii-san?” the girl said. Her voice reminded him of clinking glass.

“Where is she?” Oliver said.

“Who?” She skipped down the stairs and took his hand before he could pull away. She twirled on his fingers. “Who is she?”

Yes, who was she? Who was he looking for again?

“Come back to class onii-san,” she said. “Sensei doesn’t want us to stay away too long.”

She tugged at his hand, and he followed mechanically. She opened the door to one of the classrooms, letting Oliver go as she rushed in.

“I found him sensei!” she said, then turned around suddenly. Oliver almost collided with her.

She asked, “What’s your name, onii-san?”

“Oliver.”

She frowned, trying the foreign name on her tongue.

Kirishima appeared behind her. He pulled the little girl to him, as if he was concerned for her safety.

“No,” Kirishima said, panic rising in his voice. “How did you get in here again? Be gone!”

Oliver stood there as a wave of surprise, which seemed to be tinged by disgust, washed over him from the unwelcome greeting.

Kirishima curled his lip and whispered, “You’re already dead.”

The little girl seemed to shrink back, just as Oliver had done to her earlier.

“He’s dead?” she asked.

“Well, no,” Kirishima said. “I meant he’s just too old. Go along, join your classmates.”

She looked up at Oliver, an infinite sadness clouding her face for a moment.

She walked away.

Kirishima turned on Oliver again. He was young, probably Takigawa’s or at the most Lin’s age. Anger distorted his features.

“Dead!” he hissed. “Go away. Leave us be!”

Oliver found it within himself to smile slightly. “You must have me mistaken with someone else, sensei. I’m not dead yet.”

Kirishima reached out to shove him, and Oliver stepped back –

– and found himself on the threshold of the schoolroom, the door already shut in his face.

After a moment of hesitation, Oliver opened the door. The air was stagnant. The room was empty of life, the desks in little rows, forever waiting to be used again. He stepped in. His footsteps echoed, a cold and empty sound. It reminded him of being on the stairs with Mai earlier. This time, he was walking alone.

He wondered if the others had seen similar scenes. It was likely, with the so-called ‘kids’ leaving a Welcome Ayako-chan display on the wall for her. He could see his group again, in his mind’s eye, the people he was currently failing by allowing himself to be caught up in illusions.

Oliver left the classroom, shutting the door again. He would have to do the exorcism himself. He didn’t know where Mai was, and what state she was in. How could he be such a fool and let go of her hand? He had fallen for the spirits’ tricks, the same ones he had warned her not to be caught up in.

His body ached from his fall down the stairs. Oliver knew he would need to gather some energy before he could do anything, so he sat down in the hallway, opposite of the classroom so he had a good view if anyone or anything decided to come out. He leaned against the wall and stretched out his legs, crossing his arms. He could feel the fabric of his shirt was still damp. It was such an odd thing to notice that he shook his head and closed his eyes, if it was in laughter or desperation, he wasn’t sure.

It would be a shame to die here, when his true goal was so close to being completed. It just couldn’t be helped, could it? If he succeeded in besting Kirishima, his companions – if they were still alive – would not be able to get him to a city quick enough, not in this already weakened physical state.

Then trust her.

Oliver jerked, opening his eyes.

Trust her for once. Mai said she could do it, didn’t she? Didn’t you believe her?

Did he?

Oliver pictured her face, the seriousness that had risen to her eyes when she said she would do it; remembered the strength in her hand when she had grasped his.

Yes. She could do this. Maybe just as well as Eugene. She deserved the chance.

There was no way to tell the time passing from his position, but he was certain night had fallen some time ago. He felt the desire to go find a broken window and draw in some fresh air. He ignored the temptation. It was easier to stay where he was for the time being.

He jumped when the door to the classroom flew open. He waited warily, ready to leap up if necessary. Nothing emerged, and then he felt it. The fog at the edges of his mind cleared. He had not realized what a stupor he had been operating in until the haze was suddenly gone.

The place was cleansed.

He heaved a breath.

“Can you stand?”

Oliver looked up at Lin’s voice.

“Yes.” Oliver said.

“Did you do it?”

Oliver shook his head, then took the hand that was offered him and stood up. He could hear voices, the real, live voices of his group. He shook off any of Lin’s additional offers of help and walked to the front door.

The outside was bathed in the cool silver of moonlight. Mai stood in the field. The glow of a spirit cleansing seemed to cling to her. She smiled at him.

He turned away.

Someone said, “It looks like it wasn’t Shibuya-san either, since you’re still standing.” Oliver wasn’t sure if it had been Takigawa or Yasuhara who had spoken, so he just shrugged in agreement. He couldn’t tell if the group was just messing with Mai, or if they really were so dense to not know she had done the cleansing.

Then he saw Takigawa caress Mai’s head, and the other quiet congratulations she received from the group as they all headed towards the cars. Even Lin gave her a small smile.

It would have been easy to just walk past her. But he remembered how often Eugene had liked verbal confirmation of the end of a hard case.

So he said, “Good job,” as he passed her.

Mai stopped in her tracks. He could feel her eyes on his back as he walked away.

[higuchimon]

[fanfic] Embrace of Fate:  Chapter 5

Juudai stared at the cards, picking through them over and over, hoping for the fainest hint that something would change. That he could once again see the bright colors and hear Hane Kuriboh’s voice.

Only nothing happened. No matter how much he stared, how much he listened, there wasn’t anything to be heard. Bright white alone looked back at him. Even when he listened to people he could normally hear – like Manjoume or Shou or Asuka or Fubuki-san – he heard them as if someone shoved cotton into his ears.

His cards tumbled from his hands and he didn’t bother to pick them up. What use did he have for them when he couldn’t see them?

Paper, that’s all they are now. Just paper and ink. No spirits in them, no souls that waited for him to call.

But throughout all of this, there was one more point that was even worse, and he wished that it wasn’t. For all the confusion that his soulmate mark gave him over the years, for all that he couldn’t remember who his soulmate was, and he worried and worried that something had to have happened to them that he couldn’t do anything about…

He’d always hoped that his soulmate was out there somewhere. His faith that they lived hadn’t wavered in his entire life.

But now his arm was bare and smooth, as if the mark and the counter hadn’t ever been there at all. He rubbed at it hard, wondering if he did this often enough, he might at least get an image of the mark.

Just like with the cards, nothing changed. Nothing looked as if it ever would.

He rubbed his forehead, wincing. Nothing had been right ever since his duel against Edo. He wasn’t sure of why; just that since that moment everything seemed so cold and so white.

In the deepest depths of his mind, he thought he could hear the tiniest of voices, whispering enticingly to him. He wasn’t sure of what it said in detail, only that it seemed like a promise. A very wonderful promise, everything that he’d ever wanted and even things he’d never known that he wanted.

Juudai ignored it. If it didn’t get him his cards back, then he wasn’t interested in it, and it probably wasn’t real anyway.

Voices in his head were never real. He didn’t remember much from when he was a child, but he remembered that, at least. His parents made it very clear once he got home from the hospital: if he kept hearing voices, they’d have to take him back. That was what the treatments were all about. It would make him better. He wouldn’t -

Juudai wasn’t sure of what he wouldn’t anymore, but the sickness he’d had involved some sort of treatment and he thought it involved hearing things. He must have been extremely sick for that.

He tilted his head back and stared up at the ceiling of his dorm room. At least when he looked up that way he didn’t expect to see anything. Not like when he looked at his arm or at his cards.

His arm tingled. Just a little and so much more like he’d slept on it wrong than anything else. He didn’t remember anything else like that before.

Juudai absently rubbed his arm, thoughts tugged inexorably back to his missing soulmate. No one knew exactly how tightly wound together soulmates could be. It seemed to vary between match-ups. Some people could barely stand to be around one another. Others couldn’t bear to be away from each other more than necessary.

I guess we’re in the middle. After all, he’d gone so long without his soulmate, even though their bond had been confirmed.

Or sort of. The mark meant that.

Only he didn’t have the mark anymore and a tiny part of Juudai wondered if he’d ever see it again. Nothing could erase a soulmate mark. Even when one part of the bonding passed away, the mark could still be seen. Faded and grayish more than anything else, but it was there.

He hadn’t ever studied what it would take to erase a soulmate mark completely. He didn't’ think anyone ever had. Or if they had, no one talked about it. That didn’t surprise Juudai at all. Who would want to study anything that could maybe destroy a soul?

That was all he could think of that would maybe wipe away a soulmate mark: a soul being destroyed. Just the thought it made his stomach churn and his heart skip beats, his skin break out into a cold sweat and his breath stutter in his throat. He tried not to think about it. Souls couldn’t be destroyed. A soulmate wasn’t even a real soul; it was just a word people used to describe someone who matched them.

But wouldn’t that mean my soulmate doesn’t match me anymore? Or... Juudai swallowed at an even worse thought.

What if he didn't match them? What if whatever happened to him so he couldn’t see his cards meant that he couldn’t be their soulmate anymore?

His heart stuttered and he lurched to his feet, icy talons of fear swiping all over him. He couldn’t stay here anymore. This was Duel Academia, home for duelists: and he wasn’t a duelist, not anymore. He couldn’t be one without his deck.

There wasn’t any use of packing. All he had here were Osiris Red uniforms and he didn’t need those anymore anyway. No books – he couldn’t even see the pictures in them and he’d never bothered reading most of them – and there wasn’t any need for his PDA either. Even when he tried to hold it, he ended up dropping it for how much his hands shook.

Where are they? Juudai wondered as he started out of his dorm room. The others had all visited him earlier – hours? Days? Something else he wasn’t certain about. Now they had all vanished and he couldn’t imagine where they were.

He’d taken a few steps out before another slash of fear ran down his spine and fairly well against his will, he turned.

The first thought through his mind was that he saw a spirit, and it might not be the kind of Duel Spirit that he wanted to see. Then his eyes adjusted and there in the shadows, far too close to his dorm, there stood a tall figure dressed in a Duel Academia uniform. Not one like his; what he saw here was far more like the Obelisk Blue uniform.

Not quite, but close enough.

The stranger raised one hand and gestured towards Juudai. Juudai started to take a step back, but the soft blur of white in his head had other ideas. His feet moved forward without asking permission from his brain, taking him closer to the stranger. Juudai wanted more than anything to get out oft here, to get into a boat and leave the island, never to return.

What he did was follow the stranger deeper into the forest, until he couldn’t see the Red dorm building or the main building or hear the crash of waves on the shore or smell the thick salt in the air that said he was home.

In a small clearing, the stranger turned and stared down at him, lips curved upward into something Juudai thought probably should have been a smile but which came nowhere close to making him happy or relaxed.

“I know you.” Juudai murmured, throat dry and limbs weak. “You’re...” The name failed him, but the other only continued to smile.

“I know you, Yuuki Juudai. Though you should be my servant, you are not.” The tall stranger’s waterfall of evening blue hair glinted in the moonlight as he continued to stare at Juudai. His eyes – an odd shade of violet – turned toward the blank area where Juudai’s soulmate mark had been. “You are in quite a predicament. You can no longer see your cards and your mark has vanished.”

Juudai wanted to say something to the effect of Tell me something I don’t know or Can you get them back for me? He’d never been one to ask for help, but in this case, he thought he had little choice.

But words continued to fail him. That white blur overpowered what he wanted to say, in favor of him staring at the stranger almost hungrily. He didn’t know what was meant by should have been his servant. Juudai didn’t serve anyone. He never had and he couldn’t think of why he would serve this one.

Because he’s strong. Because he’s wise. Because he can help you. Juudai wouldn’t go so far as to say that the white blur spoke those words, but he could feel them inside of himself regardless.

“You may call me Saiou Takuma. I am Edo Phoenix’s manager.” The stranger made no move. Juudai couldn’t say that he was in danger, but he still wanted out of here as fast as he could get himself to go. Only he wasn’t moving. That white blur kept him in place.

Somewhere underneath the blur, something else, something he couldn’t define, twitched ever so faintly, so much so that Juudai didn’t notice it all that much, not when this guy kept looking at him and white light all but surrounded him.

“Okay. Nice to meet you.” Juudai dragged the words out, trying to move over and over and still not able to do it.

Saiou’s smile didn’t change for a single breath. “You can’t see your cards. Your soulmate mark has disappeared.”

“I know.” Juudai bit those words off, wondering what this guy wanted. The longer he stood there the less he wanted to be there and the more that white blur in his mind wanted to overwhelm everything. He knew he had to get away. He knew that he couldn’t.

“I can change that for you. I can make sure that you get it back.” Saiou’s persuasive voice echoed softly in Juudai’s ears. “That’s what you want. You want those spirits of yours. You want that soulmate of yours.” For a heartbeat he stared down into Juudai’s eyes and all Juudai could see was burning white.

“The one who is in pain..”

Juudai jerked, eyes widening, heart pounding. “What?” His soulmate in pain? No. Couldn’t be. Juudai refused to let it be. His fingers tightened and his throat dried to the point he wasn’t sure if he could talk anymore.

“You don’t remember them. How interesting.” Saiou’s features fell into a blankness that Juudai had never seen before. His voice held an echo to it now, one that called up images in the back of his thoughts that Juudai hadn’t ever heard or seen before.

Every breath of those images terrified and enraged him. He wanted to scream, to wrap his hands around something and squeeze until there wasn’t anything left at all.

He didn’t want to hurt Saiou. The longer he stared at that nightmare, the more he wondered if Saiou even knew what was going on at all. That blankness, that mocking tone…

“What do you know?” Juudai forced the words out of himself, taking a single step forward before his muscles all locked down. “Where are they? Who are they?”

“How delicious. I really wouldn’t have presumed that the procedure worked so well.” A mocking, sliding taunt of a voice and Juudai hated it so very much. There had to be a way to stop it, and yet if there was, he didn’t know what it could be. That deep darkness in his mind that the white blur prevented from moving more than the tiniest scraps, stirred and twitched and heaved, though not enough to do anything.

Juudai’s fingernails dug into his palms. Tiny beads of ice-cold sweat beaded down his cheeks. “What are you talking about?”

“You don’t remember that either? Well, I don’t see any reason to tell you – unless you become mine.” That smile twisted up across Saiou’s lips. “Give yourself to me and I will give you back your duel sight. I will give you back your mark. I will give you your soulmate. And all I ask for it is you”

Juudai’s heart skipped a beat and then another. Breathing hadn’t ever been so difficult in his life. There it was laid out before him. If he accepted this offer, he would have it all back. Everything that he’d missed, whether he knew that he missed it or not.

“Is it that bad of an offer? I will restore everything that you’ve lost. You’ll never lose it again, I swear. I could even provide you with a new deck.”

One of Saiou’s hands moved and cards appeared all around Juudai, each one with a shimmering white square, that faded away to show new images. Heroes of all kinds stood there, similar to the Elemental Heroes, but one important change.

“These are the Heroes of Light. Aren’t they what you would want? Powerful heroes that will help you and stand beside you. No one can ever take them from you. Do say yes. I’m certain that your soulmate would approve. They miss you.”

Juudai raised one hand to reach toward the closest, his fingers ghosting ever so close to the card. He couldn’t read the name on it but this one looked tall and strong and powerful, with all manner of muscles and clad all in pure white from head to foot. All of them wore white, he noticed. He strained harder to see the names, but they were too blurry.

“What are they called?” He asked, traces of reluctance in his tone.

“This one is Hero of Light: Earth. He’s quite powerful and his effect allows all other Heroes of Light on the field to be immune to destruction by battle. Strong and steady as the earth itself.” Saiou – or whatever wore Saiou’s body at the moment – smiled a warm and comforting smile. “Once you accept these, you’ll see them all. You want to, I’m sure.”

Juudai wanted to touch the cards, to see if those glorious images would remain there when he laid his hands on them. His heart beat faster in anticipation. Whatever this was, whoever it was, they weren’t asking anything of him that was wrong. In fact, they weren’t asking anything of him at all.

It couldn’t be wrong to do this. He started to open his mouth to agree when another thought crossed his mind.

“You said my soulmate misses me? You know where they are?”

“Of course I do. I’ve been watching over them for years.” One of those soft, far too pleased with themselves smiles came. “I can take you to them, or bring them to you. They’re very hurt and without you, they might not survive. They’ve done so this long, but if they hear that you’ve turned away from them, I can’t promise what they would do.”

Juudai pulled his hand back, fingers tightening once more on his palms. Something didn’t feel right about this. That tiny dark spark inside of him screamed even louder, screamed so that even he could hear the faint echoes of it, demanding to know what he thought he was doing, how dare he do this, how dare he step away from what he was, he couldn’t do that, he couldn’t betray his nature…

He couldn’t fall prey to the Light of Ruin.

“I know you,” he murmured, staring into those violet eyes. “I know you.” He’d known who this was all along, even if he hadn’t been able to bring the name to his lips. “You’re the Light of Ruin. You want to destroy everything.”

Juudai couldn’t have said, in that moment, how he knew that. But he knew that he knew it, like he knew the sun was warm and grass was green and water wet and somewhere out there his soulmate loved him and he loved them.

“So what if I am? So what if I do? What can you do to stop me, Yuuki Juudai? You’re alone. There is nothing that can be done by you against me.” Saiou's’ eyes mocked Juudai’s anger. “I have seen the future with his eyes. This world belongs to me and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Not now and not ever.”

Juudai took a few steps back. “You’re wrong. I don’t know what I can do, but it’s something. Maybe it’s not even me. But someone can stop you.”

“Are you so sure? But you’re right on one thing: it isn’t you.” All around him the images of the cards and monsters vanished, popping out of existence with little puffs of smoke. “Because you can’t duel. And so long as you can’t see your cards, you never will be able to again.”

Juudai’s feet worked with him now, pulling him away and darting down through the trees until he reached the docks. He didn’t look behind himself, not until he’d already taken a boat and headed out onto the moon drenched waters. Looking at the silver-touched waves sent his stomach lurching and if he hadn’t needed to pilot the boat, he thought he would have just curled up somewhere and tried to forget the rest of the world existed.

He did glance over his shoulder once, when he was too far from the shore to see anything clearly back on the island. He could feel those eyes on him and he jerked himself around, staring at the waters ahead.

What was that? He knew, even if he didn’t put it into words. That was a monstrosity. That was the worst thing that he’d ever faced, up to and including Darkness, Camula, and the Mythic Demons.

That thing, the Light of Ruin… That’s why I can’t see spirits anymore. And why my mark is gone./i> Juudai shuddered, hands clenching harder on the wheel, wanting to do something and not knowing what it was. Whether he liked it or not, the Light had been right about one thing – if he couldn’t duel there wasn’t anything that he could do about it.

He would have to count on his friends being able to do it. They were strong. They would be able to manage this without him.

Another look, but by now he couldn’t see anything of the island but a vague smudge in the distance. It looked a lot like how the white blur in his mind felt. He shuddered and looked ahead again. If he could find a way to get that out…

If anything could get it out. Was there something stronger than the Light?

Juudai didn’t know. He wondered if he’d ever find out.

Saiou – or the Light of Ruin – stared in the direction Juudai vanished off into for several moments, before turning and walking deeper into the forest. The Light allowed more of Saiou’s mind to take back over. He would remember a bit of the encounter with Juudai, enough so that he’d not ask annoying questions, but not so much that he would cause trouble for the Light itself.

The awareness of the Light turned elsewhere, shifting and changing and twitching. In point of truth, it hadn’t expected Juudai to take up the offer. It would have been quite pleasant if he had; it wouldn’t have taken long at all to get to the serious business of destroying everything in sight, and keeping Juudai and Yubel both alive long enough to watch everything shiver into non existence.

But now Juudai had departed the island, and the Light made plans for his inevitable return. What it said about seeing the future through Saiou's eyes remained the absolute truth. Juudai would return and fight again, but the Light intended to destroy him, through one path or another. The future had been set, but the paths to reaching that future remained as uncountable as the stars themselves.

Saiou will deal with this. His Society of Light will get everything in readiness for when the fool returns.

Even without having lips, the Light smirked at that. Juudai was indeed a fool, whether or not he knew of his own true nature. He would learn far too late how much of a fool he was, and the Light so looked forward to that.

It wasn’t entirely impossible that Juudai could find a way to defeat Saiou. Many of those possible future paths led to such events. As for what came after that… that was what the Light chose to deal with now.

There was awareness. There was a flicker of a soul tied to the Gentle Darkness. The Light forever found this repugnant, but it would have to work with what it had, for now at least.

What the Light saw, if ‘saw’ was even the correct word for an entity that could regard all of creation at once, was a demonic arm floating inside of a slender tube. That tube provided nutrients to a degree – the energies that Yubel needed to survive and couldn’t get hold of at the moment without assistance. The arm flexed and shifted on occasion, full of Yubel’s indomitable will, forged into diamond hard perfection by pain and heartbreak and passion.

I’ve spoken to your beloved. The Light didn’t believe in beating around the bush, at least not when matters wouldn’t be served by doing so.

The moment that it spoke, Yubel’s awareness flickered towards it. Any human viewing would have seen little more than an arm moving around and a shimmer of pure white light. The shimmer expanded to take the arm in completely and the Light could see all of Yubel now, even the parts that no longer existed. Yubel’s essence: their soul stood there now.

“What are you talking about?” After all the years that they’d been together – though the Light knew well that Yubel didn’t think of it in any such was – Yubel still hadn’t wavered from their utter devotion to Juudai.

One thing the Light prided itself on was being quite patient. It had forever to work.

As I said. I spoke to your beloved. I asked if he wished to be with you again. The Light picked up a few human traits here and there, and copied others for the effect of it, or on occasion just for the raw amusement of it. Sometimes even the Light didn’t know which was which. He didn’t seem interested. In fact, he looked far more involved in dueling than anything else. I thought that you’d want to know.

Yubel’s eyes narrowed, a low hissing sort of growl erupting from the depths of their throat. “You lie!”

Do I? What would it serve me to lie about this? It’s as I’ve said all along – he doesn’t love you anymore. The Light sadly made a gesture that roughly analogized to shaking a human head. He didn’t even have your soulmate mark anymore. I suggested ways that he could recover it but it was as if he didn’t even know you or care about you. He didn’t even know your name.

What erupted out of Yubel’s throat weren’t coherent words in any sort of language. The Light stepped back as Yubel ranted and raved, swearing vengeance and demanding more information. For now, the Light would remain careful on what it told Yubel. Lies could be easily picked out and exposed for what they were. Truth, tailored especially to the proper needs, would be far more difficult to disclose.

What amused the Light most of all was how their plans for Juudai meshed well into one another. His friends would be his downfall, one way or another, and his love for Yubel would lead to the forging of the Light’s finest weapon against him.

The Light almost anticipated the defeat of Saiou, which would lead to the arrival of Yubel back into Juudai’s life. Seeing the look on his face when they crossed paths again…

Absolute bliss, and it hadn’t even happened yet. What a glorious future remained ahead of them.

Notes: Okay, one chapter to go. Third year. I might write something circling around season four in this world eventually, but I have so much else to do first.