How long had she been asleep this time around? Did she miss waking up during her last life? Last two, maybe? Yue can’t help but wonder as her consciousness slowly awoke in response to surging pain throughout her new reincarnation’s body, it now laying bruised in an ally way in an unknown place. Icey blue hues are the ones that open up this time as the soul takes command over the body for the first time, Yue slowly rising to her feet as if the pain from the crash meant nothing.
Despite her slumber, she isn’t unaware to the situation. Her host’s memories were shown to her in her dreams, allowing her to experience everything as if she had lived it herself. Crescent Diana Kaiyo was certainly a special host. She looked exactly like Yue once did in her first life, a direct reincarnation of her soul. That fact, along with seeing the girl’s pure and innocent personality and pain she kept hidden behind smiles, made the spirt desire one thing above all else: to keep this girl out of harms way and crush those who dared tried to hurt her.
After all, what other purpose did she have left to exist?
Before she can even get a moment to get used to her surroundings, the woman senses strangers approach. They appear clad in blues and golds, all matching uniformly as if they were all cut from the same cloth. Her gaze shifts to look at their arms, all adorning duel disks. They were not the same rounder model she had seen in Crescent’s memories, instantly getting her suspicious. Why did she see such a look of hostility in their eyes? Could they sense her power? Doubtful, but still a possibility.
“Who are you, and what happened here?” One man asks, gesturing to the damage walls from the dimensional wormhole crash.
“Did you cause this destruction?” Another accused falsely, Yue’s reaction remaining unchanged as she stared them all down.
“We’ve been sent by the Leo Cooperation to take you in for questioning. So, if you will, please follow us, miss. Otherwise, we will have to take you in by force.” Not even two minutes in this place and she is already being threatened? Luckily for her she’s used to this kind of welcome, and is prepared to do what is needed.
“Guess I don’t have a choice in the matter. What a shame. I was hoping my first battle would be against worthy foe, but I suppose you’ll have to do.” A blue aura begins to envelop her being, her hair flowing in the energy she makes. Her eyes light up in the darkness of the night, as if she was a predator about to pounce on her prey. “Let’s dance, shall we?”
And so began her first battle of this life, one where she did not even have to whip out her cards that were oh so eager to join her on the battlefield...
“So, I’m guessing you’re the one who sent those goons after me? I was expecting the boss of presumably powerful organization to be someone...older, but I’ve learned to never judge one by their age.” Yue’s voice echoes as she appears in a flash of blue glitching light, her powers clearly still needing some time to awaken after being dormant for who knows how long. It took her quite a few teleports to get to right room in this building, but she figured the big boss would be at the top. They always were.
Amethysts eyes framed by crimson red glasses stared into her icy blue ones. He may appear to be a teenager physically, but even Yue could sense whoever this boss was that he was not a regular man. Running a company with as much influence as she presumes his has is a feat not often seen. That just made her question all the more where exactly she was. This certainly was not Heartland. That much she knew considering it was not in the midst of a war...
“It was quite impressive that you managed to get your way in here, and through some of my top men. You have my congratulations on accomplishing such a feat. Though, now I must question what exactly you are, and where you are from.”
“I have some questions I’d like answered as well.” The woman approaches his desk, arms crossed over her chest with a sharp glare in her eyes. “For instance, I’d like to know why you sent those men after me not even a few minutes after my arrival. You must have eyes and ears all over this place if you were able to react so fast, but for what purpose would you feel the need to send so many to greet me? Unless...you were expecting some...unexpected guests from...out of town.”
Even though it was subtle, she could see a slight reaction in the other’s body language. It wasn’t her first run in with the ultra serious stoic types. Living so many lives has taught her many things about reading the signs, a useful tactic to learn your surroundings and find out if you are dealing with an enemy or a potential ally. This guy could be either, depending on how this goes. Yue is ready for either possibility.
“Your arrival sent off a massive surge of interdimensional energy. I simply sent my people to investigate the source of it. That is all.”
“Inter...dimensional...energy?” Eyes widened in surprise at his words, knowing his use of the word is important. What did that mean exactly? Where exactly did she end up?!
At her reactions though, the stranger makes a slight smile. Seems he too was good at reading people. “Your look of confusion at my words tells me you do not know as much as I would have assumed, or...that you are the enemy I seek to protect this world from.”
She subtly grits her teeth in annoyance. His vague statements were starting to get on her nerves. Not only that, she didn’t like being kept in the dark. The more she didn’t know, the more her ability to protect her host would be hindered. Feet swiftly move towards his desk next, Yue’s hands slamming them without any regard for the expensive objects on it.
“I don’t have the patience for this! Tell me what you are going on about, now! Unless you want the same thing to happen to you that happened to your goons!”
She stares at him for a moment, the ferocity in her eyes not wavering for a second. However, what he does next catches her off guard. His own eyes close, a hand gestures to a seat behind him. He was...surpassingly calm, not intimidated by her in the slightest. “I have no objections to an information exchange. Please, take a seat.”
Yue blinks. Was he serious? It was...that easy? Something seemed fishy, but she decides to go along with it. After all, it seems like this person was the only one who has the information she needs right now. Time wasn’t exactly on her side, either. The last thing she wanted was for Crescent’s spirit to awaken.
“We should begin with proper introductions. My name is Reiji Akaba, the current president of the Leo Cooperation here in Miami City. And what might I call you?”
Yue’s gaze shifts to the side, obviously avoiding the question. She is debating as to whether introduce herself as Yue or Crescent. Though, this guy has seen her form, probably would certainly note the personality, eye, and hair shift back when her host awakens. The last thing she wanted was to have the innocent be charged with her own actions.
“...Yue. To you, I’m Yue.”
“Alright then, Miss Yue. Tell me, where are from?”
“I’m from...” She takes a moment to ponder on it, digging through her own knowledge base built from Crescent’s memories. “Heartland.”
“Yes. I’m guess you’ve never heard of it before, considering I have never heard of any place called Miami City prior to you mentioning.”
“Let me ask another question of you, then. What...summoning method do you use? You are a duelist, are you not?”
Her hand instantly moves to her duel disk, taking the deck out and flipping through the cards. Images of her Dream Mirrors, the spirits who have fought alongside her for so long now, appeared in her hands. These were not the cards her host uses. Those spirits seem to be hiding for the time being, hiding until their duelist returns to control this body once again. So, she makes the appropriate answer.
“I see...So, you are from there, then.”
“There? What do you mean? Does...does it have to do with that interdimensional energy you spoke of before? Am I from-”
“Another dimension. It appears that you are, and if you truly use XYZ summoning, then that must mean you are from...the XYZ Dimension.”
“Xyz...Dimension...?” His words truly rocked the spirit’s core. Since when were their more than one dimension of humans? She knows of the world of human and spirits, but not...not this! What exactly happened when she was asleep?!
“That’s right. You are from one of the other dimensions other than this one.”
“Other...You mean there is more?!”
He nods. Reiji moves to show her a display on his monitor to go along with his explanation, moving his finger in time with his words. “This world is known as the Standard Dimension. Your home is known as the XYZ Dimension. Aside from our worlds, there are two others that exist: The Synchro Dimension and...The Fusion Dimension.”
“Standard...Xyz...Synchro...and Fusion...That’s...one world for just about every summoning method.” He made no mention of Ritual in his explanation. Did that mean it was apart of this world, or was it a constant in every world? This entire thing was all so confusing, even for someone who has seen many things in her entire time existing. “How...how is that possible?! And how do you know about all of this?!”
“It is information I gathered from research my father left behind, developed in pursuit of his goal of interdimensional conquest.”
Hearing those words flash memories in the spirit’s mind, memories that are not her own but are vivid all the same. She sees Heartland being destroyed. She sees citizens running from their lives from an army of mysterious dueling soldiers, and she sees...people being turned into cards before her very eyes. A hand clasps over her mouth as she bends over, Reiji’s expression shifting in response to the sounds he hears of subtle sobs.
“My father has finally made his first move sooner than I expected, then.” He then stands from his desk, his red scarf flowing behind him. Her position is stagnant as he moves closer to her, kneeling at her side and using a hand to lift up her face. His movements are so gentle, a stark contrast to the serious cold of his expression.
“Yue, please. Please tell me what happened to you...and your home.”
The tale is then told, Yue slowly delivering the play by play of events. Reiji shares his own knowledge in exchange, speaking about his time a few years ago regarding his unexpected visit to the enemy’ lair and what he learned there. Turns out his father, known as the Professor, was leading the Fusion Dimension to wage an all out interdimensional war to conquer and unite all the other dimensions through the power of dueling. It all seemed so familiar to her, and yet so different from what she’s experienced.
It’s moments like this when he appears in her mind, ever hanging over her existence like a shadow...An ever present reminder of the scars of her past...
“Yue.” Reiji reaches out his hand to her, his expression filled with determination after the discussion they had regarding the chaos caused by his own flesh and blood.“Will you fight? Fight along side me as one of my Lancers against my father’s ambitions? Fight to save the remaining two dimensions from the same fate as your home? Fight to perhaps...save your home?”
Icey blue eyes stare at his hand for a brief moment before taking it, her gaze displaying her own determination. As a Fusion duelist herself, she does not appreciate people using it in such a way. Sure, she used her own power to fight battles, but only against enemies who dare threaten the innocent. The Fusion dimension soldiers were battling everyone and anyone, the opposite of what any supposed ‘noble warriors’ should do.
“I have one condition that must be fulfilled before I agree, Reiji Akaba.”
“You must promise me keep her out of this battle. Give her a peaceful life that was taken away from her by your father’s cruel ambitions.”
“Who are you referring to? Is there another person who came to this dimension with you?”
She moves a hand towards her chest, fingers gently moving to reveal what is hidden behind the golden moon of the locket. Inside of it is a photo, a photo of Crescent Kaiyo and all of her companions: Shun Kurosaki, Ruri Kurosaki, Yuto, Kaito Tenjo, Allen Kouzuki, and Sayaka Sasayama enjoying an outing in the park together. Her finger moves to point to Crescent in particular, focusing on her emerald green eyes that are not the ones he’s been gazing at this entire time.
“This is Crescent Diana Kaiyo...the true owner of this body. For I am nothing but a spirit bound to her, a spirit whose only purpose is to protect her from harm.” That’s how she is choosing to explain her situation, anyway. It was not a lie, but it was not the whole truth. However, it is just enough to hopefully get him to understand her reasoning.
“She does not know I exist. No one in any world does except for you, now. I want it to stay that way. I will fight as one of your Lancers against Leo Akaba, while she will remain off the battlefield to instead know nothing but peace and happiness.”
“How do you plan to do such a thing, when her heart is already wounded by the scars of war?”
“I plan to erase her memories.” Yue says, somberly closing the locket shut. “I plan to erase her memories of her past. For when she awakens here, she will be given a fresh start. You will help me give her one, yes?”
Reiji’s own eyes close, opening them up again after a moment to reveal Yue’s own hand stretched out this time. And with no hesitation, he shakes it. “Yes. I accept your condition. I will ensure she will no longer suffer.”
“Good.” She breaks away from him then, moving to walk away from his desk towards the couch in his office. Her body then gently lays upon it, in a stable position for her host to soon inherit. Yue plans to switch over control in just a moment, giving Reiji the perfect chance to introduce himself to Crescent and make up a scenario as to what happened. She will be none the wiser to this or any of their future conversations, as it should be.
“If you ever need to speak to me, simply say this phrase to Crescent. Tell her ‘Mirrors reveal the truths of our souls’, and I shall appear post haste. Until we next meet, Reiji Akaba. I am counting on you.”
The eyes of the spirit close, the same light blue aura appearing once more. Crescent’s hair grows back to it’s normal length, and as it does, the picture in her locket and all the memories associated with it and her past...begin to fade away as if they were only fragments of a dream she would never recall...