A/N: Whoops, I forgot that the last duel of the season is a turbo duel. Koyou's Chaos Gemini deck will not be returning yet after all. In fact, I will have it return at some point later in the next season. Instead he uses his regular turbo duel deck here, with the "Chaos Signer Dragons" at his disposal. Also in case you weren't aware, cards like Flashing Karat Dragon – Stardust, which are described as "Signer Dragons with Dark Signer markings" are actually real cards that appear in the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds manga, which follows a different storyline and features "Duel Dragons" that look like the Signer Dragons but have different effects, markings on them, and are somewhat evil beings (kinda like the Numbers in Zexal in that they have a tenancy to bring out people's dark sides). I thought bringing them into the main canon as dark counterparts to the Signer Dragons was a cool idea and matched well with the concept that the Chosen of Order (as a sort of enforcer) is supposed to be able to use each side's power against them. If you look up the effects of these things, many (but not all of them) either can be used to support or cause trouble for their Signer Dragon counterpart. I did change the name of Jack's to fit the naming conventions of the dub a little better though, it was originally Enma Dragon – Red Demon.

Chapter 16: Duel of Fate

"Koyou?" I heard a familiar voice, Aki's, as I got a bit caught up in the moment as was about to run off to play hero.

I stopped in time to see her and Mei, who looked even more like she'd been through hell, come up to us. Mei, as injured as she was, was a bit slower but spoke as Aki hugged me, "I-I thought you died?"

I return ed Aki's embrace, "I sorta did, not sure exactly sure if losing a Shadow Duel counts as death. There's no time to explain in detail, but I was sent to a strange other dimension, got my head on straight again, and did some dimension hopping to get back here. It took about a day."

Aki broke off the hug, wiping her tears of happiness, "It's only been two hours."

Mom spoke up, "Time works differently in other worlds. I know in the Shadow Realm every minute here is seven there. It explains why he needs a shave when he was clean shaven this morning."

Mei finally reached me and hugged me... very very tightly, "I don't care, I'm just glad you didn't die again."

Luna came over and gave me a smile, "I'm glad you got back. Thanks for your help in the Spirit World."

"No problem. You did most of the work. I just kept the monkeys off your back, literally." I looked at Yusei, "I'm serious, there were monkeys and they tried to tackle her."

Crow pointed up at the pinnacle of the temple, "Let's get back on track here, That the guy behind all of this? Sure looks like it."

Jack scowled at his former manager, "Goodwin! What are you after? What's the meaning of all this?"

At the pinnacle, the man replied with a an air of confidence you could only have if you knew beyond any doubt that you couldn't lose. He was mistaken, "What else but absolute power? The power of both sides of this pointless struggle! I am a Signer and a Dark Signer, the power to bring an end to all this is in my hands now! The power to reshape the world into what it was always meant to be is now mine to command!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Yusei declared.

"And that goes double for me!" I added, "You think you can just walk in and take what isn't yours through pain and suffering? You don't understand the power you're after at all!"

"Ah... the reject specimen." Goodwin grinned, "My mirror image. We are so similar and yet so different. We both lost a loved one and gained their power, we both died to rise again as gods. The difference is in the will. Neither you nor your father have the willpower to master this kind of power! To use it for what it was meant for! My power is true, my power is the fabric of the universe itself! All you wield is destruction and sadness!"

Mom advanced, an angry look on her face, "Watch what you say about my son! He's twice the man you are. He fought hard to control that power, to deserve that power. His father was also willing to sacrifice his soul, he risked everything on the off chance that taking chaos into himself would seal it away. All you've done is tear the world and people's lives apart trying to undo their sacrifices! If anyone wields nothing but destruction and despair it's you, Goodwin!"

"You chosen pose as heroes, but all you do is propagate the endless cycle of war and suffering. I am here to end it! To do what none of you are strong enough to do! I'm here to take control of the madness!"

"You'll have to go through us to do it!" Yusei shot back.

The man chuckled, willing all our duel runners to appear besides us and creating a track in the skies around the temple's pinnacle, "I was hoping you would say that. Let us complete the ancient ritual, the final battle between Signers and Dark Signers! However, we have someone that is both on each side! So this shall be the battle that it has always been: My order against your chaos!"

Mom shook her head, "You understand that power even less than I thought you did." turning to me and Yusei, "Kick his ass!"

Jack grabbed the loose circuits hanging from his damaged runner, "Dammit! My runner is still totaled from my duel. Crow?"

Crow shook his head, shooting a look at Mom, "Somebody jammed my starter so I couldn't stop her from going after Roman."

Mom fidgeted, "Sorry."

Mei checked hers, "Mine's wrecked too. Somebody stole it to go after Roman and crashed."

"Look can we just get off this subject?" Mom deflected, "Yusei and Koyou have their runners, we'll just have to lend them our support from here. They can carry out justice for us."

Jack looked to Yusei, "I'm counting on you to save the day then. Not that I like not doing it myself. Don't make me have to step up anyway after putting my trust in you."

Yusei smiled at the grumpy former duel king's faked harshness, "You got it Jack."

Crow came over to me and gave me a fist bump, "Looks like I'm handing it off to you again. Get up there and get the job done, bro."

I looked at the assembled and they each gave a thumbs up to us, the gesture led by Leo. "We won't fail. We've got this guys."

Mom smiled, "Well, this reminds me of the old days. Your father went off to battle like this with our friend Jaden more than once. Good luck."

I nodded, then started my runner. The duel track Goodwin had created was shaped like a bird, and the thing tilted slowly to allow us to drive onto it while Goodwin began an explanation, "Since this is a two on one duel each of you will be starting with the standard 4000 life points of turbo duels while I will start with twice that many: 8000. Also, none of us may attack on the first turn. Are there any objections?"

"None." Yusei slipped his deck into the slot on his runner.

"That's fine with me." I changed out some cards in my deck and did the same.

We revved up and drove onto the course as Goodwin activated the card that would begin the duel, "Then allow me to start the proceedings with the activation of Speed World!"

I extended my hand, engulfed the field in a sphere of darkness. It hard to maintain without losing control of the chaos sealed in me, but I had to go for more than just a simple ward. I had to go all out, "And allow me to prevent any tricks by declaring this a Shadow Game! The loser will perish, and cheating results in an automatic loss. On top of that, summoning an Earthbound Immortal neither requires nor enables you to sacrifice innocent souls."

"You use evil powers so freely and without regard for your partner you consign him to hell!"

"Quiet, Goodwin, I'm just taking the initiative." I drew, "And the first turn. I set one monster and two face down cards, then end my turn!"

Yusei drew, "Goodwin, you can't beat us because you don't understand what true power is."

"Enlighten me then!"

"True power lies in the bonds we share with others. No force can overcome that."

"You sound just like your father, Yusei."

"Happy to hear it. Now I summon a champion of those bonds: Ancient Gear Knight!" a clockwork knight appeared on the field, reminding me of the brighter times when I'd given that card to Yusei to help him in the Fortune Cup. It had the potential to be really devastating when Speed World was in effect as, once granted its effect, prevented the enemy from activating traps in response to its attack. "After that I end my turn with a single face down."

"Then it is time for my turn." Goodwin drew, "Because you control monsters while I do not, I may special summon Oracle of the Sun. Next I normal summon Fire Ant Ascator and tune the two together! When the Sun arises, all darkness is dispelled. Light, shine brightly! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Sun Dragon Inti!" Four red dragon heads connected to a sun symbol by long necks, "I then remove the Fire Ant Ascator in my graveyard from play to special summon the dark tuner Dark Goddess Whitaka!" he tuned it to his synchro monster tapping into both kinds of synchro, "When the path of darkness is opened, the voices of despair can be heard! Become death! Dark Synchro! Show yourself, Moon Dragon Quilla!" the dragon was the same as the other, but blue and the necks connected to a moon symbol. Finally, I set two face down cards and end my turn!"

My go, "I start my turn off by flip summoning the level 3 tuner Dual Gardna!" A short but sturdy warrior appeared, lightly armored, but wielding a double-headed axe with a blade larger than his entire body. Next I normal summon Gemini Scorpion, which special summons a level 4 or lower gemini monster from my hand, in this case a testament to those bonds that Yusei talked about, another Ancient Gear Knight!"

I glanced at the field once more, nothing the levels of the monsters at my disposal, I activated my Signer and Dark Signer marks, reaching out to Aki with my heart, borrowing some power before beginning my next move, "You like playing with the powers of both sides? Let me show you my trick! I tune my level 3 Dual Gardna with my level 4 Gemini Scorpion! Obscuring tides embrace the night. Star-kissed flower, bloom in twilight! Synchro shokan! Dance! Moon Flower Dragon – Black Rose!"

Yusei was amazed as he took in the sight, "Aki's dragon? With Dark Signer marks?"

I suddenly felt dizzy, the sphere around the field blinking off for an instant before returning.

"Koyou! Are you okay?"

Goodwin laughed, "He thinks himself a god, but a true god can't push themselves too far. That is the nature of your power though, Kou. It is entirely negativity. Such pure hatred and sadness cannot be wielded for good. It will consume you like it did before!"

The man wasn't misguided in that declaration, "I'm fine Yusei." I wasn't. Summoning dark doppelgangers of the Signer Dragons without yanking the power of the Crimson Dragon out of them was more draining than I had thought it would be and was probably only possible because of our bonds. Regardless, trying to do it while maintaining a stronger than normal shadow duel was dipping a bit deep into the dark powers in me for my own good, "Moon Flower Dragon's effect activates. Once per turn... huff, huff. Once per turn when a monster is special summoned I can return a card on the field to its owner's hand. I choose Moon Dragon Quilla!"

Goodwin went for a trap, his haste betraying the fact my move as a particularly nasty one to his strategy, "I activate Destruct Potion, destroying Quilla and granting me its 2500 attack points as life points!"

I knew the card, but what I didn't know was why Sun Dragon Inti was reappearing with all 3000 of its attack ready to fend me off.

Goodwin explained, "When the moon wanes, the sun rises!"

I gritted my teeth, "My effect only triggers once a turn and I don't have enough attack to get through. Yet. I activate my trap card Ultimate Offering, paying 500 life points to normal summon Tuned Swordsman from my hand and another 500 to awaken it as a tuner! Fires of destruction, flames of creation, an irresistible force denies the impending doom! Synchro summon! Charge on through, Black Brutdrago! Attack Sun Dragon Inti!"

Goodwin didn't seem happy as the two monsters clashed in a stalemate and both were destroyed. Which puzzled me when Moon Dragon Quilla was revived, "When the sun sets, the moon takes to the skies again."

Again, Moon Flower Dragon didn't have enough attack to get through, "Black Brutdrago's effect activates! When he's destroyed, I revive a gemini and that gemini has its effect active. I special summon Tuned Swordsman in defense mode. Turn end!"

"You are again a mirror of me, both of our dragons revive something when they die."

Yusei drew.

Before he could start his turn I shouted a warning, "Watch out, something doesn't feel right. He acted annoyed when my dragon died in battle. These things must have some other effect aside from revival." I tried to think of what they could be, they were clearly themed around light and darkness, but I didn't know enough about the properties of the two sides to guess at it, "Watch your step until we figure it out."

Yusei nodded, then started his turn, "I summon Junk Synchron and tune it to my level four Ancient Gear Knight. Clustering roars turn into an echoing arrow which tears through the skies! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro summon! Show yourself, Junk Archer and fire Dimension Shot!" the robotic archer came to the field and fired an arrow that bent time and space, taking Moon Dragon Quilla out of the equation for a turn, "Now attack directly!"

Goodwin barely flinched as he took the damage, "Trap card: Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, I special summon one Supay from my hand and another from my deck."

"Turn end." Yusei ended his turn and Quilla returned to the field.

Goodwin: 8200 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 3000

Goodwin started he turn, "I activate the Speed Spell – Gift to the Darkness. I draw two cards and unless I tribute summon a dark monster this turn I must banish every card on my field." Doing so, he smiled, "HAHAHAHA! I set two cards and then tribute summon Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca!" The markings of the massive Immortal appeared in the darkness of the shadow game and the colossal condor formed from the shadows, "His effect activates! When he is normal summoned I may return up to three cards I control to the deck and make an opponent discard the same number of cards. Rasca gains 1000 attack for each discarded card!" he returned the two cards he had set to his deck, "Now, Kou, lose what is left of your hand!" I had nothing to stop the loss and his gain of 2000 attack. "Rasca attacks you directly, and Quilla will sever you bonds by destroying Moon Flower Dragon – Black Rose!"

The geyser of darkness spewing from Rasca's mouth drove me back and I lost control of my runner, worse was seeing Black Rose shatter from Quilla ripped it apart in front of me. Yusei called out to me, "KOYOU!"

Goodwin: 8200 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 800

If Goodwin and set and removed that last card in his hand, I wouldn't have been able to continue the duel, much less regain control as he set it and ended his turn. He would have one-shotted me if he'd done that. The trap must have been a big one. I was pretty much finished. One shot away from defeat and no cards in my hand... but I refused to go out like that and leave Yusei high and dry. I refused!

"It's my turn!" as I reached to draw me next card it wasn't anger filling my veins, it was resolve that formed familiar flames of power around me and flowed into my next draw, "Immediate spell: Burning Draw! When this card is drawn or revealed I activate it immediately, checking the next card of my deck. If it's a level 4 or lower monster I special summon it! Come on out!" I checked my next card, "Evocator Chevalier!" I reached out through my mark to Jack, "Lend me your strength! Let me drive your anger into the heart of enemy!" Extending my arm my two monsters became the standard stars and rings, "The warrior's vanguard will now march through here! Yield before its rampaging fury! Synchro shokan! The soul of vengeance, Burning Rage Dragon – Red Archfiend!" a doppelganger of Jack's dragon appeared, again with Dark Signer markings. I tried to proceed with my turn, my again felt my strength fail. With my life points so low it was even harder to keep it together, the sphere warding the field was blinking on and off, reforming a little less each time. I nearly crashing right then and there from fatigue. I barely hanged on, "The other effect of Burning Draw activates, when the monster summoned by its effect is used as material for a special summon, its attack points are added to the new monster!" Burning Rage Dragon literally caught fire and gained 1900 attack, "All of Burning Rage Dragon's 4900 attack is coming at you, along with its effect: Once per turn, I can destroy every other attack position monster on the field!" accelerating to catch up to my partner I glanced to Yusei and he nodded so I proceeded to activate the effect.

However, Goodwin was having none of it, "I activate Passion of Baimasse, negating the activation of that effect and destroying Burning Rage Dragon – Red Archfiend!"

My last dash shattered, my strength fading with it, but I smiled as the Shadow Game sphere dissolved, "I cleared the way the best I could Yusei..." I reached out and tapped his hand as if tagging out in a wrestling match, "It's up to you now. I'm... not the hero... the whole time, I was just here to clear the way for you."

My body failed me, and I crashed as the last of my strength, and the barrier, fizzled out. I could hear Yusei call out my name, and if I didn't know any better, I'd think I could hear the others far below us dismay at my fall.

Goodwin: 8200 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 800 (cannot continue).

Yusei took the torch I passed and ran with it, "I activate Junk Archer's effect! Since I can't target Rasca for an attack, I'll target it with Dimension Shoot!" Sharp move, Rasca's attack power was effect based, an effect that blinking it off the field reset. When it came back, it would only have 100 attack.

And I'd taken Goodwin's only protection against it away, "No!"

"Next up I summon Attack Gainer and tune it to Junk Archer! Clustering hopes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon! And because I special summoned Stardust Dragon I can special summon Stardust Xiaolong from my hand in attack position!" Quilla's effect suddenly went down 1000 points to 1500. "When Attack Gainer is used for synchro summoning, one monster my opponent controls loses 1000 attack until the end phase! Now go, Shooting Sonic!"

Stardust Dragon reader back and blasted Quilla with cosmic energy, destroying it. Goodwin scoffed, his life points raised a little instead of being lowered at all, " When Quilla is attacked I gain life equal to half the attacking monster's attack points, in this case more than enough to cancel the battle damage. Don't forget," Sun Dragon Inti returned to the field, "Whenever Quilla is destroyed, Sun Dragon Inti rises again!"

What the heck was Yusei thinking? He summoned a 100 attack monster in attack position? It must have something to do with the traps he set, "I set two cards and that'll be it, Goodwin."

Goodwin's Immortal returned with only 100 attack, "My Immortal might be disarmed, by you still can't attack me directly when it is on the field. Meanwhile you've left yourself wide open! I attack Stardust Xiaolong with Sun Dragon Inti!"

Yusei reached for a trap, "Koyou might be down, but he's still here with me and brute force doesn't work against him!" quoting me, he unleashed his plot, a familiar card, "I activate Power Frame! Your attack is negated and Xiaolong's attack becomes 3000."

"Blast you!" Goodwin growled, then noticed the life counters.

Goodwin: 8450 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 800

A smile crossed his face, "You are right though. Kou is still with you. Rasca attack him directly!" My eyes went wide as the stream of darkness shot out. It was only 100 attack but in my weakened state it sent me rolling towards the edge of the track, nearly knocking me off.

Yusei was horrified, "Goodwin! He's not in this anymore! Leave him out of this!"

"Technically he is Yusei. You even said he was a moment ago. Are your bonds so flighty?"

"Why do that? Didn't you start down this path because your brother asked you to stop him? Didn't you start down this path with good intentions? When did you go mad?"

Goodwin, enraged, glanced at where his robotic arm had once been, "Dreams mean nothing. Hope means nothing! Bonds won't get you anywhere or get anything done. Even the legendary man you Satellite people look up to figured that out the hard way. All he wanted to do was get to the city, all he wanted to do was fulfill a dying wish and the world took him and crushed him under its heel."

Yusei pressed, "You act like that man was you."

Goodwin ignored the probing, "I end my turn!"

"Then I'll start mine." Yusei drew and then set to work, "I'll attack Sun Dragon Inti with Stardust Xiaolong!" Sun Dragon Inti was destroyed but Xiaolong wasn't, "Once per turn, Xiaolong can't be destroyed by battle!"

Goodwin laughed, "It doesn't matter! Sun Dragon Inti's effect activates! When destroyed by battle I destroy the monster responsible and then inflict half that monster's attack to its owner! This effect activates in the graveyard, so it cannot be negated! Take 1500 points of damage!"

"I don't think so! I activate Equip Deflect! When one of my monster with an equip card attached to it would be destroyed, I instead destroy one of its equip spells!" Power Frame shattered and Xiaolong's attack returned to 100. "I set one card and end."

Yusei was in a dire pinch, he wasn't making any progress forward at all. All he needed was a little push. I gritted my teeth in annoyance that I hadn't been able to clear the way any more than I had. Then I looked at my duel runner, and the life counter. I really was technically still in the duel. My runner was a good twenty feet away, but I had two traps set that might help give one last push.

But it was Goodwin's turn, "I have a question for you Yusei. How strong are your bonds exactly? I surmise you must have another card to thwart my attack, but will you use it to protect yourself? Or your friend?" Rasca looked at me.

"Goodwin you bastard leave him alone!"

I shouted, "Yusei it's just 100 damage! Let it hit me! Let it hit-"

The stream shot forward, striking my runner first and sending it sliding into me, knocking me over the edge. Yusei hollered, "KOYOU!"

"It's you're own doing, Yusei. You could have saved him."

I couldn't see him, but I imagined Yusei gripping the handles of his runner tightly in anger, "GOODWIN!"

Struggling to hang on to the edge of the track, I pressed the microphone on my runner and resume pulling myself up. Well, trying to. It wasn't working very well, "I'm okay. I'm hanging on. Do something quick. You've got to end this! You've got to push through! Don't worry about me!"

"Koyou, he's going to come after you again!"

"Then do something about it dammit! You've got this! Bonds and all that jive! Just win! We're all with you!"

Goodwin smiled, "How touching. Moon Dragon Quilla attacks Stardust Xiaolong!"

Yusei triggered his trap, "Scrap-iron Scarecrow negates your attack and then resets on the field."

Grumbling, Goodwin ended his turn, "It's only a matter of time before you lose. Either the duel or your friend. The world isn't a kind place, Yusei. Why won't you just let me fix that? I can remake this corrupt world into a utopia ruled by the one man wise enough to see the truth of the old world!"

"You mean let you destroy everything and then make a new society of slaves? No way, Goodwin! There's no way I'll ever let a madman like you win! I'll stop you! After all you've done to get to this point, I won't let you inflict any more sadness!"

I reached out to him through my mark, trying to give him some of my strength, "Yusei, I'm with you. Use my power you can do it if you just reach out and meet me halfway. Concentrate!"

Yusei reached out to me and my vision faded. The two of us floated in a void that quickly filled with images. Everything that had happened flooded from me to him. My entire life, all the suffering and sadness I had been through. Every heartache and every reason behind it entered his mind, followed finally by my will to finish this and move on. Through the mark I could feel his eyes snap open and he called all the real marks of the Crimson Dragon to him. To my surprise, my own mark left me and joined him, adding claws to the image of the dragon. Even Goodwin's mark went to Yusei.

"What is this? It chose you?" Goodwin gawked.

I was stunned, "My mark was a real one the whole time?"

Through the mark it felt like we were all drawing alongside Yusei as he started his turn, I especially felt him calling upon my powers, I could feel the darkness of my sorrows surrounding him but becoming strength rather than a burden. When he put his hand to his deck, that strength flowed into it. It was time to push, "Immediate spell: Drawing Shadow!"

"What?" Goodwin was stunned, "You're not a Kou! You don't have access to both sides of the power!"

Yusei ignored him, "When this card is drawn or revealed it activates immediately, revealing the top card of my deck. If it's a level four or lower monster I special summon it." he revealed the next card, "Come on out! Majestic Dragon!" the cry of the Crimson Dragon could be heard as a dragonfly-like monster I'd not seen before appeared on the field, wreathed in the dark shadows the special summon had given it. I knew the time had arrived to act, so I pulled myself up enough to hit my trap card.

Again Goodwin was caught off-guard as I got back into the duel, "I activate my trap card, Call of the Haunted, reviving Moon Flower Dragon – Black Rose! Because it was specials summoned I return a card on the field to it's owner's hand. I choose Moon Dragon Quilla!" Using the dragon again pulled more strength from me, and my grip gave way. I struggled to hold on... to activate the other trap, "Touch of Regret! When a dark attribute monster is removed from play I inflict damage to its owner equal to that monster's attack: 2500!"

"ARGH!"

Goodwin: 5700 vs Yusei: 4000 & Koyou: 600

Yusei resumed his turn, "I tune my level 1 Majestic Dragon to my level 1 Stardust Xiaolong and my level 8 Stardust Dragon!" the standard stars and rings formed, this time around Yusei, "The shine of clustering stars will illuminate a new miracle! Become the path where its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Arrive in light, Majestic Star Dragon!" ON that note a new Stardust Dragon appeared, with Yusei and his runner taking flight long with it in the head as if it were some kind of jet. It was... well, majestic. "The other effect of Drawing Shadow activates, whenever a monster special summoned by it's effect is used for a special summon, the new monster negates the effects of of face up cards on the field until the end phase whenever it declares an attack. Go! Shadow Blaster Sonic!"

Yusei shot across the skies, diving straight at Goodwin, who yelled in defiance, "It's not enough! All your bonds and power are not enough! I'll still have 2000 life points!"

Yusei's expression didn't change. Instead, as if he saw me lose my grip and fall, he turned and dove past Goodwin, swooped around to catch me before coming around for another pass and activating a trap card, "I activate Synchro Alliance! When I declare an attack I add the attack power of an allied player's synchro monster to my own!" Moon Flower Dragon suddenly took flight from my field and joined in the attack, making Majestic Star Dragon's attack 6200. "This is the power of our bonds! It's over, Goodwin!"

Connecting with Goodwin their was an explosion of light as his life points hit zero. In the end, it hadn't been a battle between an avatar of law against chaos. Fate had its way and the Chosen of Order, as chaos-infused as I was, only did his job of helping the right side of the conflict in light versus darkness win. Funny how things work out like that.

When the light cleared, we were in an endless field of darkness and stars. If looked a lot like Chaos Zone, but felt totally different. Instead of menacing and out of sorts, it seemed calm and peaceful. As if everything had been put right. It felt good. I could almost feel the entire universe if I opened myself to it. Yusei was confused, but I knew where we were.

"This is what Ener-D really looks like."

A voice pulled our attention to a man behind us. One that looked a lot like Yusei, "It's more the place we were tapping into. This place is so far beyond anything we understood."

Yusei was caught between shock, happiness, and relief, "Dad?!"

The man smiled, "You did could, Son. I'm sorry I couldn't be there to raise you, but you turned into a great adult all on your own. At least I could see you in person once."

"Dad, I don't understand..."

"This is a place that's hard to explain. It's not a place... but it's all places. The very fabric of the universe. All life, all creation not only comes from here. They are here."

Another man came up and grabbed the elder Fudo's shoulder, "That doesn't really clarify much."

It was my turn to go, "Dad!"

He smiled, "Way to go, Koyou. That's my boy."

"I don't get it. We won. You can come back now right?"

He shook his head, "Sorry. I can't. Your mother worried it might be the case right? The force you now hold within you was fused with my soul to seal it. When I lost that Shadow Duel and it past to you, my soul was sort of... sundered. I'm not dead. None of us here are truly dead. If anything we are more alive than we've ever been. We just can't come back."

With both understood what he was trying to say, but Yusei voiced it, "You're fused with this place now."

Dad nodded, "We are everywhere, and nowhere. We are a part of everything, but we are nothing ourselves."

Prof. Fudo closed the distance and held his son, "I've always been watching over you, and I always will be. I want you to know that son, and that I'm proud of you."

"Yeah," Dad agreed, "Koyou, I'll always be a part of you. I'll always love you and the rest of the family with every fiber of what's left of my being."

I teared up, "Don't mix morbid stuff in like it's a joke."

"Sorry, I have a weird sense of humor." He strode over and hugged me, "Tell your mother and sister what happened. Make sure your mother doesn't get too crazy." he pulled away and gave a big grin, "Tell he I saw her charge that motorcycle over the bridge and beat the snot out of Roman, and that I approve. Give her a big thumbs up. That was pretty awesome."

I couldn't help but laugh, "God, you're still a dork."

"Hey, transcending the mortal coil and ascending to a higher plane of being doesn't mean I can't can't appreciate hot chicks on motorcycles kicking ass."

"Dad!"

"HAHAHA!"

I noticed Roman and Rex standing off to the side looking regretful. It seemed like they were busy having their own heart to heart with each other. Rex apologizing to his brother for losing sight of his promise to stop him, and Roman apologizing for not being strong enough to stop it himself. Overhearing it, and with everything over, I was ready to just let it go.

Roman stepped over, "Apologies won't make up for everything I've done. I should have been able to fight the darkness."

Dad shook his head, "No big deal. Stronger men have failed. Hell, if trying to take over the world because you're possessed was unforgivable I'd be in a bit of trouble. I'm in no position to judge."

I would have been shocked to learn that Dad had tried to take over the world while possessed if I hadn't been housing a potion of that evil inside me for a few days and talked to it a few times while trapped between worlds earlier in the day.

Dad continued, "The seal is still weakened though. Unless something is done to repair it, the being you call the King of the Underworld will get out."

Rex stepped up, "You said that this place and everything in it is everything in the universe, correct?"

Dad nodded.

"In my research I discovered that you used your soul to bind avatars of chaos, something you backed up just a moment ago as well."

"Yeah."

"If souls can be used as a binding agent."

Dad frowned, "Fusing this to a soul won't work. The problem is that the process is being unraveled. It's not exactly a door, weird higher-dimensional stuff that doesn't follow the rules of matter is hard to describe, but basically it's got a way out of the seal."

"Then what if I became a patch?"

"It could work, but you're soul isn't strong enough, plus you'd be gone. Even more than we are right now."

"I'm willing to make that sacrifice to amend what I've done. I forgot what bonds and purpose were and caused so much sorrow. It's the least I could do."

Roman stepped up, "I am too. Would both of us together be enough?"

Dad looked at each of them carefully, "Yeah. Are you sure you want to do this though? There's no coming back."

Roman nodded, "Of course. Someone has to do it. It should be the ones that caused it, not the one that sacrificed himself trying to stop it."

"Then I won't stop you. All you have to do is will it and it will happen. This place is beyond matter."

"Very well." Roman looked to me, "There are no words to say in this situation, but know that I'm sorry for taking your father from you."

I shook my head, "It's not okay... but I forgive you. It wasn't you."

Rex was next, "What I did-"

I waved it off, "It's the past. Saving the entire universe kinda makes up for all that stuff in both your cases."

"I hope so." Rex looked to both of us, "Thank you both, and goodbye."

As they started fading away, Prof. Fudo looked to Yusei firmly, "You two have to go now. This isn't your death and this is only a visit to this realm provided by the Crimson Dragon so we could say goodbye. So, goodbye son."

"Goodbye, Dad."

My dad looked at me, cracking a small grin, "Do you think they have checkers here? I mean I don't have my deck and, seriously, how do you even pass time in a realm beyond time, space, matter, and the very concept of existence?"

I chuckled again, trying not to cry, "I'm sure you'll ind some way to amuse yourself." I handed him his deck, "Here. I keep giving this to you in weird dimensions and it keeps coming back."

He smiled and pushed it back into my hands, "Keep it. You don't have to use it or anything, but it's not like I need it. I was joking. Keep it as a memento."

"Alright."

He grabbed my shoulder firmly, "I won't say goodbye, because you'll be seeing me again. I know these things. I've been doing this long enough to be a bit genre-savvy."

"Whatever you say."

"Seriously, there's going to be something else, I guarantee it. These things are never this simple. Live a good life while you can son, and keep your wits about you. If you don't lose sight of the people you care about," he pointed at my chest, "chaos will never take you again."

"Thanks, Dad."

I could feel us withdrawing from that place.

Dad cracked another grinned and waved, "Goodbye, Koyou."

"I thought you weren't going to-" annoyed I tried to protest, but he was gone. The last I say of him that day was him making and annoying 'Gotcha' face. The moron.

The world was peaceful again surprisingly quickly. While damages from the struggle were being fixed, the government fulfilled the promise Yusei had made Goodwin make when we first agreed to fight the Dark Signers. They finished the Daedalus Bridge and connected Satellite with New Domino City and renovations to a lot of districts got underway as businesses spotted a chance at cheap land and labor. It would be months before we saw any major changes though.

Leo and Luna applied to the local Duel Academy my mother is the principal of and got in, and soon after Aki decided to complete her education and went back. Yusei, Jack, and Crow got a place in the city with a garage and started working there. Speaking of Crow, he and my sister starting dating and they seem really happy now that all the chaos making Mei so stressed was resolved. She went back to her old energetic, flirtatious self. Kept the flirty bit exclusive to Crow of course, which stressed him out to no end. Poor guy had spent his whole life being ignored by most girls because of his criminal marks, and suddenly had one periodically pinching his butt and complementing it. It got even worse when she decided to move in with him.

Mom... well Mom was not so good. She'd lost the love of her life after all. Dad was like a part of her. She kept a brave face and all and tried to live a happy life, but not all of her was in it. Even after a few months when she seemed to have mostly recovered, I'd catch her looking like death every so often. I decided to stay with her in the house and stayed even when Mei moved out. Mei still stays over most weekends.

Oh, and someone I haven't mentioned much over the course of my story came back from college soon after she caught wind of Dad's death. My other sister, Koishii, who is adopted. Even though she's older than me and Mei, you wouldn't be able to tell from how she acts. Picture Mei on 80lbs of sugar half the time. Despite that, Dad's death hit her almost as hard as it hit Mom. Koishii pushed past the pain though and is doting on Mom constantly.

Aki and I, we're doing fine. We've been dating for a while and even though I haven't really told her everything about what was going on with me and what happened when I lost that Shadow Duel with Divine, we're okay. I haven't gone back to school yet though. Somehow... after everything that's happened I find going back to normal and pretending everything is normal is hard... Honestly... Aki and I haven't been intimate since everything finished. Right now, as I'm recording this I'm staring in a mirror in the bathroom at the reason why. The thing I can't bear to acknowledge or show her. I can't stand the thought of seeing her face twisted in sadness and pity if she saw my torso wrought with scars. Three massive gashes from a monster's claws that nearly killed me while I was between worlds, burns in the shape of Dark Signer markings from when chaos was ravaging my mind and body. It wasn't all my marks, those were invisible. It was like the evil in me was trying to burn out of my torso. I found it repulsive, more because it was a testament to the kind of monster I was than actual ugliness. I couldn't help but be scared that if she saw them something worse than pity would be on her face... I can't bear the thought that she might be revolted by my appearance.

Things are fine though, mostly. I can't help thinking though that Dad might be right, that something else is on the way, and my relative happiness was skating on thin ice.

Season 2: Reverse of Arcadia END

Next Season: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Road to Destiny, COMING SOON!

Next Season: The build-up to the World Riding Grand Prix will begin and a new threat surfaces to threaten the Signers. It will have been six months since the end of this season and not all is well in the world. Things will have happened during the time skip, and many things will have changed. To face the new threat, all the Signer's (including Koyou) will need to find a new power. New cards, new enemies, and new adventures!

A/N: Unlike all most previous seasons in these series, nest season will not be based of a DS game of the same name (as you can tell next season isn't called Over the Nexus like the corresponding DS game) and that's because Over the Nexus was disappointing and didn't life up to the excellence of Reverse of Arcadia. Instead, the events will be more show canon oriented, with elements added from what I would have had Over the Nexus' story be like. Look forward to it. It will be in a separate fic as usual. Also, be sure to review this fic. I'd appreciate any feedback you have.