Yu-Gi-Oh GX - Shatter (5/8)

[heleentje]

Series Title: Shatter
Chapter Title: Unity
Author: Heleentje
Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh GX
Rating: K+ for this part, T overall
Characters: Gem Beasts, Johan, Juudai
Word Count: 1262
Warnings/spoilers: spiritshipping-if-you-squint, spoilers for season three and four
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh GX or any of its characters

5. Unity

They know there’s trouble when Johan starts giving commands. Not because Johan is a bad leader, but because Johan never takes charge unless he knows they’re in danger.

 

And now there’s danger everywhere. Once they might’ve considered being solid a good thing, but now they realize that it only makes this situation so much worse. ‘Cause if they are solid, if they are real,  it means all the other monsters are too.

 

They can’t count on Juudai. The duel with Cobra has exhausted him to the point where he can’t even walk on his own anymore. He has to rest first, and in the meantime they need to calm down the entire school. Why did these students even end up here? They had nothing to do with Cobra, or with the weird energy being that manifested right before they arrived here.

 

None of them are naïve enough to think that this is a coincidence. Duel Academia has been the epicenter of disaster more than once, so while it is terrible that they are here, it isn’t entirely illogical.

But what caused it all? Cobalt Eagle muses. They know what the answer is, know who the answer is, but they won’t say it out loud.

 

Unless Johan is in immediate danger, they won’t show themselves. Their appearance would only cause panic with the students who aren’t used to seeing spirits, and panic is the very last thing they need right now. Especially since the other students are already nervous and rebellious. If only they’d listen to Johan! Why can’t they keep calm?

 

And why are the Dis-belts still working? How can they protect Johan if it’ll only hurt him? Who is playing such a sick game with them?

They really should try to watch what they’re saying. Because just when they think this situation can’t get any worse, it does. Now they’ve got one missing student, one wounded student, and no efficient medicine at hand. The girl -Rei- is getting worse every minute, and they can only watch helplessly. They hate it.

 

Luckily they’ve still got a chance. If the boy who just arrived, tells the truth, there’s a submarine in the desert. Maybe they’ll be able to find medicine there. Naturally the journey isn’t easy, but in the end it’s worth it. Even though Johan loses even more of his energy, they still manage to find what they need and get out of the submarine safely. Now all they need to do is get back to Duel Academia, treat Rei and try to find a way to go back home.

 

… But of course it’s not that simple. Amethyst Cat wonders bitterly why they even suspected things would work out in their favor. The school seems deserted when they arrive, but it doesn’t take long for them to discover the truth. Zombies.

 

Of all things, it just had to be zombies. The concept is so incredibly ridiculous that they’d laugh, if the zombified students weren’t so dangerous. They’re absolutely everywhere, and they just don’t give up. With only a few surviving students, how do they stand a chance?

 

Eventually they do manage to escape. Juudai even manages to defeat Ayukawa-sensei and save Rei. Topaz Tiger takes her away gladly, and a bit later they’re all safe. They can relax for now.

 

Safety, of course, is relative. Because then Martin, the missing student, shows up again. Only he’s not himself. They know very well that something’s taken control of him and they even know what took control of him.

 

“After all,” Topaz Tiger says, “it’s not like there’s much choice.”

But why? They don’t know. Only that Martin wants a duel, and that Johan wants to take Juudai’s place. They can’t fault him for thinking the way he does. Johan’s probably right, everything centers around Juudai. But for them, it’s Johan who is most important. Johan is family, Juudai’s just a friend. A good friend, but a friend nonetheless.

 

Still, they’ll do whatever they can. They’ll always do whatever they can because that is what family does.

 

Sapphire Pegasus wonders about their opponents. Is it really a surprise that O’Brien got the Masked Knight of Laughter and Jim got the Masked Knight of Anger? And is it really a surprise that Johan, passionate, outspoken Johan, has to duel the Masked Knight of Impassivity? Whoever’s behind this likes irony, that much is certain.

 

Eventually, they beat him, but it takes them a lot longer than they would have liked. By the time the duel ends, Juudai has disappeared and there’s talk about the ‘Three Sacred Beasts’. It sounds ominous, and they don’t want to find out what those monsters are capable of. Knowing their luck, they probably will anyway.

 

But then it all doesn’t matter anymore, because then suddenly, they’ve got contact with their home world! There’s a way to return, and best of all, it involves Rainbow Dragon. Rainbow Dragon has been found and will be sent to them!

 

Finally, finally, their family will be complete.

 

Johan will have to duel Hell Kaiser. They’ve heard about him, from Juudai and from the rumors that spread throughout Duel Academia, and they know it would be bad to underestimate him. Luckily it isn’t an official duel. All they have to do is create enough energy to open a gateway between dimensions. It will drain Johan even more, but this time they all agree that it’s worth it. Once they find Rainbow Dragon, they can go back home, and this time, they will together as a complete family.

 

Of course, then Juudai gets roped into a duel with the entity possessing Martin. They’d like to help him, just like Johan, but they have to find Rainbow Dragon first.

 

… Which actually turns out to be surprisingly easy. Cobalt Eagle gets attacked a few times, but he doesn’t get into any real trouble. And even though they almost lose Rainbow Dragon to the sand, it’s Johan who saves the card and Rainbow Dragon who protects him in turn.

 

They can feel him already. Rainbow Dragon, the last member of their family. His presence is warm and comforting. He promises to protect them and they promise the same without a second’s thought. Their family is complete, finally complete! This feeling is unlike any feeling they ever felt before. They are together. They belong.

 

Now they only have to help Juudai, defeat the being that caused all this and find a way back home. It suddenly doesn’t feel impossible. They’re one family and as long as they stay together, no task will ever be too difficult. Even the Three Sacred Beasts won’t be able to stop them. Now that Johan has managed to summon Rainbow Dragon, their opponent won’t stand a chance.

 

… Yubel won’t stand a chance.

 

Admittedly, they’re surprised. They have known for a long time that Juudai was important and that this being was somehow obsessed with him, but they hadn’t expected their connection to be of this nature. But that doesn’t matter. Yubel threatened everyone, and Juudai obviously wants nothing to do with her. So this time, they will save everyone. They’ll go home…

 

“Rainbow Dragon… Fly. Become everyone’s bridge!”

 

So beautiful… So beautiful to have their family together at last… They can only watch as Rainbow Dragon takes everyone home. They’re transfixed, all of them, but Johan most of all. He’s so fascinated that he doesn’t even pay attention to Yubel, even though she’s still there. Neither do they, but they should have. Oh, they should have…

 

And now it’s already too late.

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