Author's Note: It has been a while since I've posted anything here. Which doesn't mean that I haven't written anything; I have the feeling I wrote more in the last month than in the whole of 2008 (which I admite wasn't very much anyway XD).

Reason is, that I mostly disappeared to LJ and that is also where I post my stuff now, though it will also appear here when I feel like spamming the 5D's section (or whatever fandom I might work in).

Sometimes ago I started roleplaying there, and together with North (or Artemis Ignitan as she is called here) I play out a mess we call Martyr!verse (which should be explained in the following fic.)

Please enjoy.

Warnings:

1. Spoiler for Episode 54/55 flashbacks.

2. Martyr!verse? Which, means: get out the tissues guys XD

Summary: Drabble Series, Martyr!verse – To Kiryu his team was his family. He would have done everything to keep them to him. And ended up driving them away in process.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's. I don't own Martyr!verse either; it's Norths brainchild and I've been allowed to play with it.

--- The driven Leader ---

Kiryu had never felt so free.

Now that they had taken over the last zone within the Satellite; now that they finally had reached their goal – the shock of almost losing one of their own, of almost losing Yusei of all people, already forgotten…

His hands shook as he filled the last bright spot on their map with the black marker, marking all of the Satellite as THEIRS and he felt the other three looking at him in expectation until he declared it official. They had dominated Satellite.

And then he started laughing, feeling free like never before, and a heartbeat later his team joined in – sounding unrestrained, sounding free. Sounding satisfied.

And then Kiryu Kyosuke knew that he never wanted this moment to end. This only moment he had ever felt true satisfaction. Freedom.

-----

Kiryu kept hunting.

He knew he couldn't stop, because if he – if they stopped hunting, he would lose them. His team. The only family, he had ever known…

To Kiryu, his team was everything. Before meeting them, he had been alone, had only trusted himself and never relied on others. Often they had told him, that he had been their savoir, their guiding light that kept them from falling into the despair Satellite was known to bring to its children, but he thought that it had actually been them who had saved HIM, just as often. He just had trouble saying it aloud and he WAS their leader after all.

So he kept hunting, urging himself and them to fight any duelist who happened to cross their path, because if they kept fighting, if he kept giving them purpose then they would stay with him.

Crow and Jack left nevertheless.

-----

Kiryu recognised their true, final enemy the moment he laid eyes on them.

Security, the Citys tool that oppressed the Satellite. Security, who had given Crow that marker for shoplifting of all things, for such a trivial matter like a missing apple…

With Security about, true freedom – like they had tasted just weeks ago when they had conquered all of the Satellite – was like a soap bubble; pretty to look at, but easy to burst…

But if they defeated Security, Satellite would be free – they would be free.

But it would take all of them, this was nothing he could do alone.

This would become Team Satisfaction's last duel and it would be glorious.

-----

Kiryu had always known that Yusei would never let him down.

Because Yusei, for all his silence, was easy to read and loyal to a fault. That was what he counted on.

He KNEW that Yusei thought that he wouldn't dare to go up against Security without anyone who backed him up and he KNEW that he would tell Jack and Crow about this development.

And he knew that they would be there to help, should Security ever manage to corner him. They wouldn't let him down. They were his team. His family. They would fight on his side and as long as they were together, Security would never stand a chance.

When they refused to fight, when they urged to him to run, he couldn't help but feel bitterly disappointed.

And for the shortest moment he wondered if they had ever actually been on his side.

-----

Kiryu had reached a decision by the time Security attacked him.

If he had to, if his team refused, nevertheless he would fight alone.

And when the Security, cockily came at him, thinking that the D-Wheel alone made him superiour – Kiryu struck.

'Crush Security…', the voice in his head whispered, sounding foreign, but right.

'Crush Security and they will never leave you. You'll never be alone. You'll be free.' it whispered.

And Kiryu readily complied.

-----

Kiryu had never felt so angry, so utterly betrayed when Yusei stopped him from finishing the job.

How dare he to stop him, when Kiryu was doing this for them, for their freedom as well as for his own? How dare he to take control of the team, of HIS team?

Angry, unforgiving he starred at the ravenhaired boy as he ordered the others to 'take care' of him. Unforgiving he stayed as the younger one stepped out of their hiding spot, never looking back once.

Had he known, that this was the last time he would see his younger brother in all but blood alive and well, he would have acted differently. Perhaps.

-----

Kiryu had always been good in ignoring consequences until now.

He had been able to ignore his hopeless surroundings for the better part of his life.

He had readily ignored odds when faced with them, whether they came through skill or numbers.

He had ignored everything he hadn't want to acknowledge. Until now.

Until, a day after Crow and Jack had dragged him away from the streets, both quiet and reserved. And now when he had asked about Yusei, far calmer than he had been the day before, Crow exploded.

'Gone' he said. 'Yusei is gone.'

And when Kiryu realised just what had happened, that Yusei had actually gone ahead and dared to sell himself as Team Satisfactions leader, he was speechless. For one because he painfully realised that Yusei hadn't betrayed him, had stayed loyal to a point of idiotism.

For another because for the first time in long he had to acknowledge the consequences of his actions.

-----

Kiryu had spent much time thinking.

Thinking about his desire to keep Team Satisfaction together and of how fruitless, how naive it had been.

Thinking about Yusei, who had given himself up so he could stay free.

Thinking about Jack and Crow, who both had stopped talking to him now. But that was fine with him, he had no use for comrades who would rather run than fight, who abandoned their own.

And thinking about the one enemy that was still out there. Security. But not for long, Kiryu promised them and himself. Not for long.

He would get them. Would crush them, with guts and boldness. For Yusei. For himself. So that they all could be free and together again.

--- FIN ---

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