SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't seen episode 46 / 47 of ZeXal, then please hit the back button now.

I watched episode 47 today, and could not help but write this - it's an account for the episode and the previous one in Astral's POV. I felt so sorry for him in episode 47 - he really couldn't do anything to help Yuma. I just had to write about that.

I suppose this can be taken as Keyshipping, but it's based off the show directly. I use actual dialogue based off of a sub video I saw on DailyMotion, and the events of the duel are real as well. I hope you guys enjoy this, even if I wrote it in about an hour ^^'' I'll probably add to this once episode 48 comes out on March 19th.

Chapter 1: Forty Seven

'What has he done to you…Yuma…please wake up! You have to remember it! Remember Kattobingu! Remember me…hear me! I don't care about what happens to me here…but seeing you like this…it's killing me. This isn't you – it never was who you are!'

Even before this nightmare began, I knew the duel was a bad idea. I did not trust III – I had been carefully observing him the whole time while he paid Yuma's house an unexpected visit. I knew this was somewhat normal human behavior, considering Yuma's friends would always appear seemingly out of nowhere all the time to "hang out" as Yuma called it. III was a bit of an odd one for me to read – he was nothing like his brother IV. He seemed gentler, a fairer duelist – for that reason, I paid him more respect than IV, who would brutally attack his opponents even after their life points were gone.

But, when III ran out on the human meal time, something was bothering him. Something had changed about his demeanor. Yuma followed him, and I was forced to come along. III seemed very dedicated – I could feel the intensity of his beliefs. He truly thought what he was doing was the right solution – I was not sure of his situation, so I was not sure whether he was right or not. But, I knew that sort of dedication was dangerous – and when he called Yuma an enemy, I knew we needed to watch out for him. He gave Yuma a map and issued a challenge.

I had a bad feeling about the upcoming duel, which Yuma told me in his room once we returned home that he absolutely wanted to attend. Yuma wanted to help III, and I understood that – that is how Yuma is. He did the same thing to Shark earlier that day, though he was far too reckless. I just hoped he didn't forget about all that was at stake – the Numbers, the World Duel Carnival, his promise to his father, his dreams, and my own life.

We set out later that afternoon to find III, and I was torn. I knew that this duel would be a tough one, but also that it was the only chance we had to get into the finals of the World Duel Carnival – that was where all the Numbers were. I could not help but stop Yuma as he ran off to face III.

"Yuma, is this really alright?" I asked, a bit hesitant to proceed as we had initially planned. "III…his resolve is real. I don't know if we can really win against him."

"I know!" Yuma replied, turning to face me. "But…I want to know his true feelings….I want to do a fair duel against him!" He looked me in the eye as he continued. "You were the one who told me that when you duel against someone, you will find out everything about them!"

I closed my eyes. Really, how could I argue with him when he was throwing my own words back at me?

"Alright, I won't say anything more." I still had my worries. But I let him carry on, with his friends in tow.

'This never would've happened if I had said no…then again, knowing you, you would've gone anyway. You would've said "Fine, I'll just do my own duel then." You would've…the Yuma I knew would definitely have said that. The Yuma before me now…I know it's not you! It's III and what he did to you…'

We met III in the designated place, and started to duel. From the second I saw him, I knew III was different – even more so than earlier today. Something had definitely changed, and it immediately put me on my guard. I could tell immediately that III was focused to win – his moves were all focused on that one thing, making him easy to predict. I watched him summon two monsters on the first turn, then set down a card. This immediately made room for blowing through our defense; then a direct attack and no doubt his face down card was a counter trap, meant to allow him to deal more damage to our life points.

I had Yuma defend first, and watched as my predictions unfolded perfectly. Yuma and I were dealt 1800 points of damage by a three monster combo, and then our trap card combined with Gagaga Magician dealt III an equal amount of damage. The players had life points of 2200 – we were tied again. Yuma was doing his Kattobingu and I was reading III like a book. It looked like everything was going to be alright at that point.

"Let's keep going and win, Yuma." I told him.

"Alright." Yuma said.

'I should've known it wasn't going to be that easy.'

Yuma spoke to III as he staggered to his feet, eyes hidden behind his bangs.

"III – to sacrifice your OOParts Monster…this isn't how you would duel! I don't know what kind of power you received, but just do your own duel!" I watched as tears fell from III's eyes.

"Yuma, you're so annoying! You're bothersome! Everything about you!" Suddenly the mark on his hand began to glow green. I watched as his outfit changed, his clothing being replaced by strange golden armour. I could feel power flowing through him, but before I could react, he screamed at Yuma, unleashing a green beam of right at him. Yuma screamed as it hit him, sending him spiraling through the air and crashing down on the ground on his back.

"Yuma!" I cried, in alarm. I flew to his side as he sat up. He looked fine, just a bit bruised and cut up – nothing he couldn't handle. Yuma had been beaten up far worse. Suddenly he looked down towards the Ou's Key, which was motionless around his neck.

"What's this…the Ou's Key…!" Suddenly his expression went blank, and he stood to his feet almost numbly. I watched, wondering if something was wrong.

"Hey, Yuma…hey!" I said to him. He didn't respond or even acknowledge my presence.

"I'm scared…I'm scared…why am I…?" He said softly. Something was definitely wrong – Yuma would never say that. Now I was really starting to get worried.

"Yuma, what wrong Yuma?" I called again, looking right at him. The expression was blank…there was no fire in his eyes.

"There's no way I can win…" He spoke again. My eyes were wide in shock. This was not Yuma. I looked at his eyes, then gasped when I saw the mark on III's hand – so that's what it was.

"Don't tell me…this is because of his marking's power?" I was shocked and starting to get nervous now. I looked right at III in shock. This was III's new power? Was it his intention all along to do this to Yuma? III looked right at me – normally, I would've pondered why he could see me, but I was too stunned to think straight.

"The Kattobingu has disappeared from his heart. Right now, Yuma can't even see you!" He said clearly, defiantly. My eyes went even wider.

"What!" I turned back to Yuma, frantic. "Yuma, don't fall into the power of darkness! Yuma!" I reached out to try and grab him, but my hand and arm passed right through his body. I starred at my hand in despair, pulling it back and clenching my fist.

'There had been many times where I wished I could touch things. I wished I could turn the television back on once Yuma turned it off at night. I wished I could play the cards for Yuma when he refused to listen to me during duels. But…I had never wanted to touch something as badly as I did in that moment with Yuma. I wanted to grab him, shake him, smack him – whatever it took to wake him up from this nightmare, to save him from the darkness. I wanted to let him know I was there – I wanted so desperately to help him, but how could I when he couldn't see me? When he couldn't hear me when I was right there beside him, screaming in his ear?'

III spoke again, addressing me directly.

"Astral, I won't let you stand in my way!" I turned my attention back to him as the ground shook, a giant brick tower emerging from the ground behind him.

"What…!" I was shocked again – what was he going to do this time? Wasn't erasing Yuma's memories enough? Apparently not for III – though I was the target this time, not Yuma.

"Within this marking, it has the power to seal you. Disappear, Astral!" He called, unleashing the marking again. There was nothing I could do to avoid it. It struck me and passed through, pain shot through my body. I screamed and felt my body fading, dissolving like dust. Everything went black for a few seconds, and then suddenly I could see again. I was overlooking the battlefield below – my arms, legs, and body were chained near the top of the tower that III had summoned. I watched in horror as III called Machu Mache to attack Gagaga Magician. Yuma was in no position to defend. I watched helplessly as Yuma was swept off his feet, screaming as he was pounded into the ground a second time, life points reduced to 1700.

"Yuma! YUMA!" I called in alarm – he was getting hurt, and without Kattobingu…would he get up again? Suddenly, a green light pulsed through the chains, shocking my body with electric beams. I screamed again, though through the beams, I could see that Yuma was not getting up. My fear was only for him.

"Yuma…YUMA!" I screamed, my voice amplified by the pain. Yuma still did not stand.

'I wanted him to hear me…I needed him to hear me… Please Yuma…please remember! Don't give up. It's not like you to give up! Yuma!'

TBC