Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Rainbow Stardust (OLD)

Chapter 15: Duel of Fate

TW: Very very emotional and with not-so-slight hints of insanity and mental instability. This is one of the worst possible points it gets to, but it isn't the last time it'll be like this.

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I don't know how long I cried for. All I remember of that emotional scene was the pain in my heart as the police manhandled Greiger for his disruption. His broken voice when he announced what happened to his village, the desperation in his dueling style when Yusei defeated his ace monster... Even though he accepted his loss to Yusei, he couldn't accept a loss to Goodwin, whom he blamed for the destruction of his home.

Somehow, that felt... familiar to me, almost as though I might've gone through something similar. But, of course, I couldn't remember what it was. Was it my situation with Sayer? He did technically steal me away from what I then considered the only place I could belong, and thus my home. But, that didn't feel quite right. Sayer didn't kill my family or friends, as far as I was aware.

"As far as I was aware," huh? A shiver ran down my spine at the thought that... maybe, just maybe I could've gone through something similar to Greiger. Something too familiar to ignore, yet too far away to reach. Just the right distance to torture me with its emotional influence.

The screens changed to the director's face, and somehow, I felt as though I'd seen it before; before, as in before yesterday, when he appeared in person for the opening ceremony. He didn't even look remotely fazed at what Greiger did, or the state his tournament was in now. His voice was calm, clear, and showed no signs of emotion.

"Everyone, please remain calm. As the director of Public Security Maintenance, I have the duty to protect you. That being said, it is very unfortunate that a duelist as skilled as Greiger has suffered a complete emotional and mental breakdown after such an intense duel. But rest assured, he'll get all the help he needs. I will protect you, even in exchange for my life."

What a perfect and practiced speech. Everything that came out of Goodwin's mouth felt calculated and nearly robotic, as though he was unnaturally built perfectly. And, of course, the crowd ate it all up. But the raw emotion that Greiger felt and displayed when he broke down...

I could understand and empathize with it all too well. That wasn't the drivel of a man going insane, or someone trying to trick other people. That was real, true pain, and I felt it in every inch of my body.

"Hmph. We have our own duel to worry about now," Akiza told me. "They're nearly finished cleaning up the arena. And while they do that, we'll settle things."

I wiped my salty tears and turned to face Akiza. There was no possible way for me to hide my tear-streaked face or the red, puffy eyes from her, and I was certain that when she hesitated or flinched, it was because of her surprise in seeing my face. Still, despite the shaking in my voice, I spoke to her with resolve. "You... you're only thinking about our duel? Greiger risked everything just to send an important message. And you're just going to brush past it, Akiza?"

Akiza swung her arm in front of her, an emphatic and emotional gesture to put space between us, as she spoke with a clipped tone. "Don't talk as if you're the same person you once were!" she yelled. "You're siding with Yusei, is that it? You're just going to go back on the kindness the Arcadia Movement showed you? So you're just like the others! Betraying me once it suits your needs!"

"Akiza--"

"Enough! We'll settle this on the dueling field, traitor." Akiza walked past me, her heels clicking, and just as her arm brushed past mine, without looking back, she whispered in my ear, "I can't believe I even thought to call you my friend..."