In Memoriam

Author's note: It's a one shot fanfic for . . . Memorial Day. Well, it's the closest holiday that's coming up in my country, but I find that perfect to do this one shot.

This one-shot takes place after the events of episode 55, after Kiryu's 'death'. Each member of the former dueling team, Team Satisfaction, is each hit hard with this news, whether they were there or not. But each is able to find a silver lining in Kiryu's death.

Crow's POV

I could only stand on the cliff as I watched my friend, Fudou Yusei, cry out in agony at the death of his friend, Kyosuke Kiryu. I could feel his pain. Not only had I experienced the kids disappearing right in front of my eyes, but Bommer, a man Yusei had met during some dueling tournament in Neo-Domino whose past was very much like my own, dying, or as I'd like to call it, turning into a bunch of rubble.

I had also learned, from this youngster named Rua, that while I hid in a empty refrigerator to save myself from being taken by a mysterious black fog that covered Satellite at one point, that Martha had also died during a duel between Yusei and the leader of the Dark Signers, who Rua called Rudger. For some reason, that name, 'Rudger', strikes a bell. But, I haven't quite placed my finger on why yet.

Also, in the midst of all this Dark Signer mess, some of Yusei's friends, whose names I believe were Rally, Taka, Blitz, and Nerve, have also perished during this fight. And when I heard how Rally died, my anger towards the Dark Signers burned even more fiercely than ever before. However, I am angrier at how fate is playing with my friend like this. One by one, he's losing someone that he cares about and it's just making me sick to the core.

Just a couple of years ago, nothing like this was ever thought of. Just my friends, the kiddies, and I playing Duel Monsters without a care in the world. If I had known my friend, Kyosuke Kiryu, was going to go insane and almost step on someone's head or kill a police officer, I would have done something. If I had known Jack was going to be asked to be the King of Riding Duel in Neo-Domino, but had to steal Yusei's ace dragon, Stardust Dragon, first, I wouldn't have abandoned Yusei and Jack because I felt that they weren't taking me seriously at all. If I had known Yusei's life was going to become more and more of a hell hole as the years come and go, I wouldn't have left him alone. But I did. And all of these events did happen. And now, we have another fallen comrade among us: Kyosuke Kiryu.

I again looked at Yusei, who looked very pitiful at this moment. I had never seen him in such despair before, but it's a despair I can relate to. But in some way, he still acted like himself, a young man who can express sadness without tears. Back when I first met him, when I was about ten or so years old, I couldn't understand how he could do that. Expressing sadness without tears. But now, I understand. He's numb inside. He's out of tears and can't cry anymore. Just like Jack. And unlike me.

I wanted so much to go down where he was, who is still shaking his fists and punching the ground with them, and to tell him that it's not the end. That he will see Martha, Kiryu, and all the others he had lost in this fight again, as soon as this war is over. That as soon as this war was over, things can go back to normal, if not even better, when Neo-Domino finally realizes that residents of Satellite aren't 'trash', but are people just as capable of doing the things they can do. That it could be like the old days, when the world was at piece. But yeah. Easier said that done. Everything always sounds better in your head than when you actually say them. So I stood firmly on the ground, trying to fight back tears. I had to believe in what I was thinking.

Kiryu WILL be alive again. Martha WILL be alive again. The kiddies WILL be okay. Neo-Domino WILL finally respect the residents of Satellite. I just had to believe in these thoughts, and they WILL happen.

"Crow . . . Crow . . ."

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked down at Ruka, the younger twin sister of Rua, who was holding her cards Ancient Fairy Dragon and White Lion Regulus in her right hand.

"Yeah, Ruka-chan?"

"Will Yusei be alright?"

I sighed before giving my answer. Then, I flashed a grin at her and said, "Yusei has gotten out of tough spots before, hasn't he? He'll get out of this one! But he can't do it alone. He needs our help. He needs everyone else he cares about to help him. Can you do that, Ruka?" Then, I looked up at Rua and asked him, "Can you do that, Rua? Ushio?"

All three of them nodded, and Rua said, "I knew from the day Ruka and I met Yusei that he was capable of doing the impossible. We'll never stop believing in him! Right, Ruka?"

Ruka smiled and nodded at her brother.

I looked down at Yusei again and smiled, despite that he was still angry over the situation and thought to myself, Whatever you do, Yusei, NEVER give up!

Jack's POV

KIRYUUUUU!

I knew that voice from anywhere. It sounds like Yusei Fudou has lost yet another human being that he cared about. And, it was Kiryu. Kyosuke Kiryu.

Normally, I would already be down there knocking the crap out of him, telling him to get over it. Normally, I'd tell him to shut up and listen to me, that it's not the end of the world. However, this time, he didn't forfeit to Kiryu, but he actually defeated him. How do I know this? Shortly after seeing a shiny dragon that I had never in my life seen before, I heard a faint voice in my head telling me goodbye and that it'll see me soon. And that voice, sure enough, sounded like Kiryu becoming dust.

Kyosuke Kiryu. Yeah. I know him. He was the one who saved our sorry asses from becoming bullied to no end in Satellite a couple of years ago. He was, basically, our savior. Then he, Yusei, Crow, and I became Team Satisfaction, the only dueling team in the history of dueling teams to conquer Satellite. We were the best team around. However, near the end of the Team Satisfaction Movement, Kiryu went crazy. He almost stepped on someone's head at one point, the same someone who Crow refused to duel because he didn't want to hurt him. That's when I told him I had enough. Enough of his crazy games and talk and I didn't want to hear more of it. And Crow was smart too. He too also left. But apparently, Yusei wasn't.

And, I clearly remember what had caused Team Satisfaction to break away completely. Kyosuke Kiryu had murdered a police officer, claiming it was to 'protect us'. Yusei was smart to turn on him at that moment. He turned Kiryu in to the law. Although Kiryu was pissed beyond hell to have that happen to him, for once, I didn't care. He deserved to be in jail, to have the crap beaten out of him in prison. But he didn't deserve death. I don't get why that had to happen to him still. Sure, he was a maniac, but prisoners shouldn't deserve that kind of treatment. I used to think otherwise, but that was before Yusei was put in jail for no reason. Well, wait a minute. He did trespass into Neo-Domino when he shouldn't have, but the treatment they gave him was unforgivable. It almost makes me sick thinking about it.

Kyosuke Kiryu. Something in my gut tells me that he will be alive again, as soon as the war between the Signers and Dark Signers are over and when I finally get some answers from Carly.

Oh yeah. You don't know who Carly is.

She used to be this nosy reporter that followed me almost everywhere. I first met her while I still had a sling around my arm, an injury I had obtained after being defeated by Yusei. But, however, she wasn't just any reporter from the country. She also seemed to be one who cared about you, whether you had a messed up past or not. She told me that if I had realized that much that my life as the King of Riding Duel was over, why not start over? And that's exactly what I did. Though, she did some stupid things too, like taking me to an amusement park. Ugh. My least favorite place in the world to be.

However, that was before she became a Dark Signer, like Kiryu.

I have no idea how or why she became a Dark Signer. That's why I'm trying to find her, to get some answers. I had learned that people become Dark Signers only after they died and if they have some kind of resentment, or in Carly's case, compassion for or against a Signer. It's puzzling me to no end. Where could she be hiding?

If it is beginning to sound like that I like Carly more than a friend, you're no further from being lied to. It's the same mistake that my secretary, Mikage Sagiri, made. I like Carly only as a friend. Got that?

I don't know about you, but I find more silver linings in Kiryu's death than anything else. It sounded like, according to how Yusei yelled his name, that Kiryu was finally able to see the light before he died, that everything wasn't Yusei's fault. I believe that if a person is able to realize their crime before they die, they can be saved, or in this case, brought back to life. I'm sure we'll be seeing Kiryu again. And I'm sure that Carly will be saved also.

Suddenly, I hear Crow's voice in my head, saying, Yusei has gotten out of tough spots before, hasn't he? He'll get out of this one! But he can't do it alone. He needs our help. He needs everyone else he cares about to help him.

Crow has a point. I have never known Yusei to be the one that can magically feel better and normal quickly. Rather, it takes him a long time to heal mentally and emotionally. Although he does try and hide it at times. And if that everyone else includes me, he'll be himself in no time. I just have to believe it enough. And then, my thoughts join Crow's, thinking, Yusei, it's NOT the end of the world. Kiryu will be alright. Just believe this long enough, and Kiryu, Martha . . . everyone you care about, will be alright! Just believe, Yusei! Just believe!

Yusei's POV

Kiryu . . . Kiryu . . . Why? Why, Kiryu? Why do you have to add to this pain?

It's just what I need, Kiryu. More pain, more suffering, thanks to you. But, at least you finally saw the light. You finally saw it, and unlike Demak, you can be saved, Kiryu. I have a feeling that this is true and it will be true. I will defeat the Dark Signers and I will save you, Kiryu.

Those are the thoughts that are swarming in my head, some that are not my own, as I stare at the hands that held a weakened body, the body that belonged to Kyosuke Kiryu. A body . . . that belonged to my best friend. A body that turned to dust without any explanation for it. That was the so-called death of a Dark Signer when they lose. They turn to dust. I had experienced this kind of death twice. Once after Ruka and Rua defeated Demak and the other time was after Crow defeated Bommer.

Is this how you treat me, Destiny? Do you enjoy tossing my feelings around, Fate? And what about you, Mother Nature? Do you enjoy seeing others in pain?

Kyosuke Kiryu. He was my best friend, even more so than Jack or Crow. He was the only one who understood how I felt and he was the only one who could understand me as a person. Jack couldn't do that because he was too aggressive at the time. And Crow couldn't understand me either. He couldn't understand my emotions as well as Kiryu had. It was because of that reason that I stood firm by his side, even when Crow and Jack couldn't after Kiryu nearly stepped on someone on the head. I stood firm because I believed during that time that Kiryu would become himself again. But, at the time, I guess I was wrong.

He only went crazier, believing that just because I was standing by his side that it meant his actions were acceptable. He couldn't be any farther from the truth. Yet, I continued to stand by him, until I couldn't take it anymore and walked out on him. And that's when the worst happened in Team Satisfaction history.

He had murdered a police officer by blinding the officer. When I saw him after that incident, I had turned him in to the law . . . and that was the worst mistake I had ever made in my life.

He had seen me with the head chief at the time, and he went even crazier. I had protested that it wasn't what it looked like, that I was only helping him recover from his crazed state. But he kept yelling at me in anger. And thus, his hatred towards me.

I had learned about his treatment in prison. It was worse than the time I had been in the detention center. He was kicked to death almost every single day and he had a marker on his face that was identical to mine. In fact, his treatment was so cruel that he died as a result from one of the beatings he received. And then, thanks to Rudger, he resurrected as a Dark Signer, who was ready to slam his anger down on me. To avenge himself.

The first time we faced each other since his death was nothing but a shock to me. At the time, I didn't realize why he hated me so much, even after he explained to me. What I had done was an act of justice, wasn't it? Justice should be more important than friendship, right?

But then, I remembered. Satellite wasn't known for harboring righteous people. Satellite was known for having 'scums' and outlaws whose only purpose for living is to work for the greater good of Neo-Domino. Justice was a rare sign in Satellite. And that's when I realized that Kiryu valued friendship more than justice. But, now he hated me and my existence and wanted me down in hell with him.

Just seeing his Jibakushin that first time was hell enough for me. I had seen nothing else like it and I got scared of it. I even saw in my nightmares, after having to forfeit to him due to a shard being in my abdomen. But time passed and I slowly started not to be scared of his Jibakushin, but to fight it bravely, like what Rua and Ruka and Crow had done. And so, I had summoned Savior Dragon, to not only defeat Ccapac Apu, but to save Kiryu from eternal damnation.

He had fallen off his D-Wheel after Savior Dragon attacked his monster and he looked like he was dying . . . which he was. And that was when I remembered he wasn't just Kyosuke Kiryu. He was a Dark Signer, and he was going to die.

He told me that he was sorry that he had caused me so much distress and worry, but that I shouldn't give up just because he was dying, but that I should continue to fight hard, just like what I had done with him. And then, he turned to dust.

Suddenly, a voice started to pound in my head.

Yusei, it's NOT the end of the world. Kiryu will be alright. Just believe this long enough, and Kiryu, Martha . . . everyone you care about, will be alright! Just believe, Yusei! Just believe!

It was Jack's voice. And he was trying to state what Kiryu already had told me. But for some reason, it was giving me more hope than when Kiryu told those same words to me. It was giving me the hope . . . that everyone will be saved.

"Hey! Yusei!"

I looked up and found Crow grinning at me from a cliff, with Rua, Ruka, and Ushio with him. I smiled, got on my D-Wheel and drove off to meet my friends, those who will help me overturn this emotional Destiny.