Forward

Since episode 77 of Yu-Gi-Oh Arc V aired, a number of fans took note of the apparent callbacks to the Dark Signer arc of Yu-Gi-Oh 5 D's, in particular the scene in which Yuzu suffers a deadly fall all too similar to the fall of Carly. Several fans began creating beautiful works of art depicting various members of the bracelet girls as dark signers and some fans even speculated that Yu-Gi-Oh Arc V would see an actual return of these iconic villains. With the Synchro arc of Yu-Gi-Oh Arc V concluded, it is unlikely that fans will receive an actual revival of real Dark Signers in Arc V, (beyond what was given by Sergey Volkov), but this will never prevent fans from enjoying the mystical power that is non-cannon fan-fiction. To all fans of Yu-Gi-Oh, and especially those who continue to inspire other creative works with their fan-artistry, I dedicate this alternate multiverse arc. Special thanks to Corrinnetheanime for editing.

Signs of Renewal

Part 1: Chapter 1 - A Second Chance

Ruri awoke feeling cold. Normally, she was the type of girl that would leap out of bed, pop a few sore muscles, and greet the new day with a smile.

But nothing felt right. Her body felt drained and empty, as if all the vitality had been sucked from her and emptied into a bottomless void.

Ruri craned her neck to take in her surroundings, if one could even call them that. Swirling before her vision was an endless sea of pitch black mist that covered her on all sides. Despite managing to stagger upright, Ruri could see that there was no floor beneath her feet, no walls surrounding her, and no ceiling up above. Only a thick emptiness so dark, that when she put her hand in front of her face, she could not even see her own fingers. Silence permeated the gathering shadows so thickly that she felt deafened by it.

Ruri strained to remember what had happened to her in the past twenty-four hours, but only vague images, mostly names and faces, managed to flicker briefly in her mind. Ruri started to list as many as she could.

"Sayaka…" she whispered, recalling the image of a short girl with glasses.

"Yusho…" a gentleman wreathed in colorful lights appeared.

"Shun…" she saw him, her brother, stroking her hair, promising he would stay with her. Where was he? Where was she!?

She continued to try and list names.

"Yuto!" Ruri gasped as sharp pain stabbed through her chest. She could clearly see his face in her mind, warm, tender eyes staring back at her. A true friend, almost a brother, someone she could confide in even when Shun didn't understand her.

Ruri remembered feeling safe and happy when he was around. Some had jokingly called him her knight in black armor. She had called him family. And now he was gone…completely gone!

Ruri frantically flailed around in the mist, groping in every empty direction as if trying to tear her friends and family from the darkness. But she found no-one. No one came. No one was going to come. They were gone forever. As the reality of her loneliness sunk in, Ruri felt her sorrow press upon her so heavily, that she knelt and wept in the black emptiness.

Ruri wanted to stop remembering, to just go to sleep and evaporate into non-existence. But her mind rebelled against her, and more names and faces bubbled up from her memory like burning hot lava.

"Dennis…" Ruri murmured recoiling in horror. Someone who had acted like her friend before betraying her and her entire world with a cold, nonchalant smile.

From the image of his sadistic smile, Ruri saw legions of brutal soldiers heartlessly hunting down the inhabitants of Heartland while burning their city to the ground. Witnessing the horror of this destruction filled Ruri with a new emotion…fury.

What had she or any of the people in Heartland done to deserve annihilation!? Since befriending Sayaka, all she had wanted to do was bring people from across the world together with the smiles her duel entertaining could produce. And what had her wish brought her? Suffering at the hands of people whose only entertainment was causing pain to others?

A new face and name surfaced. "Yuri…" she hissed through clenched teeth. She had mistaken him for Yuto when they had first met in the refugee camp, but he could not have been more different.

He was a cruel and sadistic hunter. He had relished every second of chasing her down like a scared mouse and pummeling her unconscious in their duel. He was the one that had taken away her home and family, the one who had locked her in a cell like a laboratory animal… and he was the one who had done the exact same thing to Rin.

Rin?

"RIN!" Ruri cried into the darkness remembering her companion in captivity. Ruri had not known what to think when she had met the girl that was practically her clone. It had been even more disorienting to learn from the Academia scientists that there were two more who looked just like her.

But Rin had turned out to be far more than just a weird doppelganger. Whenever Ruri would want to give in, Rin had always shown defiance, regardless of the threats from the Obelisk guards. They had covered each other's backs throughout their imprisonment. On some occasions, they even managed to find hope after some small victories of sneaking food, passing letters, and exchanging information.

Ruri had learned from Rin that she, like her, had hoped to one day become a professional duelist…she had called it a "D-Wheeler"… and inspire others to pursue happiness through her duels. Even in prison, she continued to pursue her dream, saying that if she could even find a way to just make Ruri happy, then she would be happy as well. Rin could be as fierce as a tiger towards the Obelisk guards, and as loving as a mother towards Ruri when nothing but despair seemed to be in their future. Ruri couldn't believe she had gotten to know someone so heroic.

But where was she now?

Ruri strained to remember where she and Rin had been, but nothing coherent came to her mind.

There was a note saying Rin had a plan to escape when the guards changed. There was a security pass. Then there were short, disjointed clips of running down hallways, crawling into pipes, and climbing air vents. It was night. They reached a balcony, and then there were guards. Mechanical dogs snarled and bit at them, Rin had braced herself ready to hold them off and let Ruri escape. There was an explosion, then falling…thirty meters… fifty meters… a loud thud… and then…

Ruri's head ached. She felt a medley of pain, despair, and fury erupt within her and crash against each other like a raging tempest. Rin had not deserved what she got! She had not deserved what she got! Neither of them had done anything to anyone to deserve such cruelty!

Feeling the growing injustice of her circumstance, Ruri cried out into the darkness.

"Do you hear me!? This is not right!" she screamed in agony.

Thinking of Academia's continuing conquest, she continued crying, "None of this is right! Why are the innocent suffering while the guilty go free!? If I can do anything to fix this universe I'll do it! I'll give anything to set things right again!"

There was silence. Then…

"You will give anything?" a calm, mellow voice questioned.

Ruri recoiled in shock. She had not expected anyone but herself to even hear her, much less give her an answer.

"Who's there?" she called struggling in vain to make out some shape hiding within the black veil. "What do you want with me?"

"Are you willing to do anything, give anything, to make things right?" the voice questioned in response.

"What do you mean?" asked Ruri, still confused.

"Would you, for instance," it continued, "give your soul to make things right?"

Ruri stared back at the darkness, not knowing how to respond.

"Would you become a god?" questioned the voice. "Would you do all these things if you could truly redeem the universe and bring joy to its inhabitants?"

Ruri could not believe what was going on. Plucking up courage, she addressed the voice.

"What are you offering?" she asked.

"I offer the fulfillment of your dreams." The voice said. "The power of a god in exchange for your soul."

"How… how?" stammered Ruri wondering if this was all just a strange dream.

"You possess great potential," explained the voice, "my powers can unlock that potential and set you free from this place to use your powers as you wish."

Ruri was dumbstruck by the strangeness of the situation. Collecting her wits, she called into the darkness, "Who are you?"

Multi-colored light suddenly enveloped Ruri. As the thick shadows evaporated, Ruri could suddenly make out the blurred form of a hooded man walking towards her on empty space like it was level ground. Beneath a black cloak, trimmed with multi-colored lines, primitive-looking drawings of birds, insects, humans, flowers, trees, fish, animals, and geometric shapes glowed in radiant colors as diverse as the rainbow. As the man drew closer, Ruri could see the drawings lay directly on the man's skin like strange, luminescent tattoos. He had an average build, a pale face, short, white hair, and piercing eyes with sclera blacker than the shadows Ruri had been trapped in. Wearing a calm expression, he bowed slightly to Ruri before introducing himself.

"I am what you are, Ruri." He began folding his arms across his chest. "A soul that has suffered death and now belongs to the underworld."

He let the sentence linger in the air while Ruri attempted to take a step back in the empty air.

"Underworld?" she said looking around, "So this is… so I'm?"

The man nodded in answer.

Ruri felt tears well up in her eyes.

"Do you remember what happened?" asked the man taking Ruri in his arms and gently wiping tears from her cheek. Pressed against his cold skin, Ruri could feel that there was no heartbeat within the man.

She shook her head "no."

The man nodded sympathetically. "It happens sometimes." He said. "It's the shock of death I suppose. People rarely enter the underworld with their minds completely intact."

"What happened?" asked Ruri pulling away from the man. "How did I get here? Where's Rin!?"

The man held out his hand to stop her. "Rin stands between the doors of the living and the dead just like you." He explained. "You were both killed by the reckless actions of an Obelisk guard in your desperate escape attempt. Whether you wish for either you or your friend to survive your deaths is up to you."

"What are you saying?" asked Ruri looking at the man with skepticism. "That you can raise us from the dead?"

In answer, the man spread out his arms, displaying the myriad marks that covered his body. The images glowed even brighter while the man's dark eyes lit up like lamps before he lowered his arms and extinguished the light.

"The gods I serve," he replied, "have long possessed such power. I offer this power, and more, to you. Accept my offer and you shall possess the spirit of a god within your body. You will have the power to raise the dead, to punish the wicked, and build the world anew."

Ruri considered the man. "You said my soul was the price. Why should I give it to you?"

"What you do with yourself is up to you." the man replied. "If you decline my offer, you will stay here, and soon, Rin will join us in the underworld."

He leaned in closer to Ruri, "But do you really want this?" he asked, whispering in her ear, "Is this how your story ends? Ruri, the girl who rotted away in a foreign land while her friends and family were hunted down one by one? The girl who lived as a pawn in the plans of an egomaniacal idiot?" he smiled at Ruri, "I think we could do a little better. I think, if you were given a second chance, you could write a new story, one in which the wicked receive justice and the world is restored. Don't you?"

Ruri was deep in thought. She thought of Academia, waging war against countless cities while millions of people got carded and collected. She thought of her friends and family among the victims. She thought of Rin, fading into nothingness, never to realize her dreams.

A new thought came into her head. What if she could change things? What if she could make things right?

She thought of her friend, Sayaka, safe and happy.

She thought of Shun, enjoying school and becoming a professional duelist.

She thought of Rin, reunited with her friends from her own world.

She then thought of Yuto. What if she could see his face at least one more time? What if she could be the one to save him and everyone else in the universe?

She was suddenly caught up in a vision. Laid before her gaze were the four dimensions, Xyz, Synchro, Fusion, and Standard. She saw wars and flames engulfing the worlds as hoards of Academia soldiers carded men, women, and children.

Her vision shifted, and she suddenly saw herself standing before the oncoming hoards. Clothed with might and power, she saw herself sweeping the forces of Academia away like dust in the wind. Everywhere she went, she breathed new life into the universe, until a paradise stood where there was once rubble.

"I said I would do anything to set the world right." Ruri thought to herself. "If I have to sacrifice myself for the sake of my friends, so be it."

Ruri looked back at the man who was patiently standing in front of her with his arms folded.

"I'll take your offer," she said holding out her hand, "In return for the power to save my friends and the universe, I offer my soul."

The man smiled gently, "Thank you, Ruri." He said. "This… is going to hurt a little."

Ruri braced herself, as the man suddenly vanished before instantly reappearing behind her. Giving her no time to react, he thrust out his arm and clamped his hand onto her back.

A sudden burning ripped across Ruri's back and ran up her neck. Screaming in agony, she felt energy course through her veins as thick, black shadows swirled around her and congealed into a thick, black ooze. Stretching and writhing, the ooze slowly shaped itself into elegant black clothing with white trimming, a large cape, and a dark hood. She felt something carve itself over her eyes and cheeks while her eyes darkened and lost vision.

Ripping his arm from her back, the man stepped away and watched as Ruri recovered. Steadying herself, Ruri rose up and stood at her full height.

Shining through her clothing with brilliant white light, a massive heron-shaped mark with its body and legs on her lower back and a long, zig-zagging neck stretching all the way up to her neck, pulsated with energy. Turning to face the man, Ruri looked more powerful and intimidating than she had moments before. The whites of her eyes had blackened and her stare had become harder and more intense. Over her left eye, a white, wing-shaped mark blazed with light like a neon sign.

"How do you feel?" asked the man with a smile.

Ruri flexed her muscles. She felt strong and tough, like her body was made of stone or iron. She felt confident. Suddenly, all of her problems seemed insignificant as she felt absolute power coursing through her being. She felt driven, hopeful, vengeful… it was impossible to find words adequate to describe her emotions. All she knew was that for the first time in many months, her destiny was in her hands. The forces that had oppressed her for so long would be crushed, while the ones that she loved would be saved.

She regarded the strange man that had offered her this gift. "You never gave me your name." she said, surprised at how authoritative her voice sounded.

The man shrugged his shoulders with indifference. "I suppose it really doesn't matter. You never would have known me before, and I doubt you'd know me if I gave my name to you now."

"It is Hashimoto Yuu." He said, introducing himself with a small bow, "You can call me Yuu Sama, Yuu San, Yuu Kun, just plain Yuu… the honorifics don't really matter to me. All that you need to know," he continued, "is that you and I are now allies who share the same vision of a peaceful world. You are free to use the powers I have given you in whatever way you desire." He leaned in closer, "But know that wherever you are, I will be watching you with exceedingly great interest."

Ruri smirked with confidence as she began to instinctively grasp her ever-growing powers. "He intends to control me." She thought to herself, smiling slightly. "How about I set the record straight."

Closing her eyes, she thought as if speaking to Yuu, "You placed mental links between us. That way you can watch me and give me instruction like a little puppet."

Yuu looked astonished. Raising an eyebrow he thought back, "That was quick. Yes, I did indeed place mental links between us. You will find that we can communicate regardless of the space and universes between us." He smiled. "I'm glad you're mastering your powers so quickly. You will be a great Dark Signer." He finished in an all-too-obvious attempt to flatter her.

Ruri smiled to herself. "So that's what I am." She said. "A Dark Signer." She felt the white mark on her back.

"And this mark," she said facing Yuu, "is this the spirit of the god you spoke of?"

Yuu nodded, "You seem to be in sync with one another. I imagine that's why you're learning so fast. Which is good for you." He continued, "You'll need as much power as you can get if you wish to escape from Academia. Shall I show you the way out?"

Ruri shook her head "no," feeling that she could leave whenever she wished.

"Remember this Yuu." She said stepping towards him. Before her, Yuu suddenly looked small and insignificant. "You may have given me my powers, but you are not my master. I can watch you as easily as you watch me. Feel free to offer advice, but don't think for one moment that you can command me." She leaned in like he had done earlier and whispered in his ear, "I have my own vision for the future, and I am going to pursue it! If you stay out of my way, you can share in this vision. Otherwise, I will stamp you out!"

Yuu bowed deeply to Ruri, "Never fear… Dark Signer. I of myself have no true power over you. But let me offer my first small bit of advice." He finished looking up at her.

"Speak." Ruri commanded, eager to leave.

"You will need allies to accomplish your vision," Yuu offered. "You have the ability to share this power with others just as I did with you. My advice… gather together others with your same potential and desire."

"I already know what to do." Replied Ruri turning away. Feeling her feet navigate the empty void as easily as solid ground, Ruri slipped away from Yuu's vision before vanishing into the black mist.