Chapter Text
“I am sooooo done with Yuyaaa…”
Zuzu sighed aloud with a downtrodden look on her face, holding the bag of ice cream while Allie giggled lightheartedly. They were walking back to You Show
“I mean, I know he spent an hour washing up and that he and the boys started begging for ice cream after you let loose about your craving, but-“
”That’s not it Allie,” Zuzu cut her off, anxiety starting to bubble within her. “I swear, he’s not himself anymore, and… I’m just worried… It's like something happened and he won’t tell me. Or Kiki. Which is weird.”
“Wait-“ Allie paused, looking at her upperclassman with wide eyes. “Not even Kiki?”
“No! Not even Kiki! And he tells her everything!” She huffed, but before she could continue-
“Oi! Zuzu Boyle! Turn around!”
She froze.
That voice…
“YOU!” She shouted, spinning around to see a certain LDS Student. “What do you want, Sylvio?!”
To his credit, he didn’t seem scared, but instead wore a calm, stoic expression, one that sent shivers down her spine. Zuzu could tell that Allie was terrified, and couldn’t blame the poor girl after what happened 2 days ago…
“Relax Zuzu, I just wanna talk, but the kid can’t hear. Actually, I want her to go get Yuya, this is something he’d want to hear,” he replied coolly, eyes flicking between the girls as if he was studying them- or maybe judging them? She couldn’t tell with his steel like eyes, devoid of any emotion.
”Say I agree… Why can’t Allie hear?” She demanded, discreetly reaching for her fan while she locked her gaze onto Sylvio.
He didn’t seem unfazed by her dark glare, almost as if it didn’t worry him much. “Look Zuzu… this isn’t something to be taken lightly. And plus, I don’t wanna traumatize a child.”
That made her blood run cold. Traumatize? What would Sylvio possibly know that concerned her but could be considered that awful to a child? She snuck a glance at Allie, who was looking between the duo with childlike confusion, clearly not understanding what was going on. Sylvio was right, whatever this was, she didn’t need to know.
“Allie, go get Yuya,” She ordered, then looked back at Sylvio. “Where are we going?”
“To the warehouse. No one ever goes there unless someone needs to reveal… important information.”
-_-
Yuto… You need to look… look right now!
Said Phantom Knight user sighed, not expecting much from Ruby, shuffling his deck again as he sat atop the roof of the warehouse he and the others were hiding in. “What is it now?”
Some people are coming nearby, to the warehouse on the right!
That got his attention, his head snapping to the right to see a brunette with blond bangs opening the door for…
…
A pink haired girl… with Lulu’s face.
It was here. This is the girl Hazy saw when she spied outside of You Show.
“Good eye Ruby,” he whispered, getting up and dusting off his jacket. “That pin…” he eyed the male again, seeing the logo for Leo Corporation’s Institute of Dueling. “Hey, Ruby, isn’t LID Leo’s old school? The one he had in Standard?”
Huh? How should I know? Yuto had to resist the urge to choke the crystal spirit, but couldn’t keep his eye from twitching in irritation.
“Whatever. Either way, I’m having a talk with that guy…”
-_-
“All right, spill Sylvio, and make it quick.”
He tried to keep his breathing steady as he sat down at the couch, gesturing for Zuzu to follow suit. “First off, before Yuya comes, I owe you an apology. I went too far with the whole hostage situation I set up to make Yuya duel me.”
For a moment, surprise flickered on Zuzu’s face before it set back to its cold glare. “I’m gonna think about forgiving you. But why bring me here? What could possibly be happening that you said would be traumatizing for her?”
“Well…” Sylvio started, suddenly forgetting the whole speech he had prepared. Gods, they deserved to know, they truly did, but what if Declan was right? What if this was a bad-
“You.”
Their heads snapped towards the door to see… well…
…
Hm. This individual…
… Well… Sylvio had a feeling where he came from, with his disheveled appearance and all… It was one or the other, but most certainly not fusion…
“I’m sorry, can I help you?” He tried, hoping that his hunch wasn’t right, that this was just some druggie or homeless teenager-
“You’re from the Leo Institute, aren’t you? Owned by Leo Corp?”
… shit. He is from another dimension… the question is… which one? Guess there’s only one way to find out…
”Perhaps I am, would you like to see my skills in a duel, perhaps~?”
-_-
“Hey Yuya, what’s up with all the jewelry you wear?”
The tomato head in question blinked, staring at his new student with a bewildered look, looking up from his deck that he was shuffling while the kids and Kiki stared.
“Uhm… you wanna know about my jewelry?” He repeated with a raised eyebrow, making Sora enthusiastically nod. “Okay uh… why?”
“Because you’re always wearing it! C’mon, there has to be a story behind it, right?” Sora pestered, his intrigued face making Yuya chuckle a bit.
“Okay, okay!” He put down his deck and started pointing to each one, describing them all as he did so.
“These earrings were a gift from Zuzu for my 12th birthday when Mom let me pierce my ears, the pendant is obvs a gift from Dad and Mom, this ring is from Declan for my 13th birthday- and I know what you’re thinking, no it’s not a promise ring, we’re not dating, he’s AroAce- and Allie and Tate and Frederick gave me these bracelets for my 14th birthday!”
As he finished his little speech, he let of a breath, then smiled again. “Any questions?”
Sora didn’t look satisfied, only confused. “Hold on, what about your collar?”
… crap.
…Tell him you bought it at a thrift store. Or make up a lie…?
Don’t get Yuya wrong, he liked the crystal spirit, but he really didn’t know what to do in situations like these.
“W-Well…” he started nervously with a sheepish laugh. “It’s something that just means a lot to me. It…” he trailed off for a moment, remembering him, the one who he saw as a brother, who everyone fought to keep his memory alive for. “It reminds me of someone I lost. Someone I consider family.”
Kiki, who was polishing her sword, froze, then glanced at her brother, eyes wide in understanding and emotion. The kids didn’t seem to understand, but Yuya didn’t expect them too. They were too young to get what he was talking about.
Sora paused, looking at the collar, then down at his own wrist, where he wore a viney bracelet, seeming to think about what his teacher was saying, before he spoke. “I know that feeling.”
… wait… “W-What do you mean?” Yuya asked, not sure if he understood.
Sora’s eyes went wide, as if he realized what he said, but before he could correct himself, Allie came barreling through the door, clearly frantic. “YUYA, YUYA!
SYLVIO TOOK ZUZU TO THE WAREHOUSEEEEE!”
-_-
Ruby wasn’t sure to make of the situation.
He understood Yuto’s rage against the Fusionists. They had hurt him, and his home too.
But still…
HE. DIDN’T. EVEN. USE. FUSION. Are you crazy Yuto?! He’s on the ground now!
Ruby could barely contain his rage, but he knew he was right. Like, c’mon, the dude was clearly in pain-
“He’s up to something Ruby, be quiet and watch,” Yuto whispered, not with anger, but with finality.
He wanted to protest, to argue more, but that Zuzu girl beat him to it. “Who are you talking to?” She demanded, and Ruby could feel Yuto freeze with surprise.
“I-“
“It doesn’t matter, XYZian.” The trio turned to Sylvio, whose hand was on his mouth, but Ruby could tell he was smiling. “Y’know, I didn’t realize you somehow attributed Leo Corp with that place.”
… ‘That place’…?
“You know about that, then.” Yuto hissed, fists balled.
“Eh, the bare basics, truth be told…” Sylvio got up, his hand inched away to reveal a manic sort of grin, one that sent shivers down the crystal spirit’s spine. “But something tells me you hide that mug of yours for reasons… not scars… but familiarity…”
“F- What are you talking about?!” The XYZian demanded- only for Sylvio to come barrelling forward…
and only for him to rip off his mask.
“Y- WHY DO YOU LOOK LIKE YUYA!?” Zuzu demanded, and Ruby could only watch as Yuto paused, then slowly stared at Sylvio.
”… Give. That. BACK!” He roared, grabbing the mask out of Sylvio’s hands and shoving him do-
CRACK!!!
… Huh?
… that sound… the way he landed on his side… the way he was now clutching his side, the fact that Zuzu ran to him and was trying to help him…
… Yuto… what have you done-?
“GUYS!” Ruby spun around and his eyes went wide as he saw…
a living… breathing… duplicate… of… Yuto?