[Story] A Chat on the Side of Subconsciousness + Entry

[kattobingore]

(Log of Kaito VS Yuma VS Alex can be found HERE!)


[STORY] A Chat on the Side of Subconsciousness

Opening his eyes, Yuma couldn't quite tell if he was actually awake or dreaming. He didn't feel panicked though, wherever he was right now it felt calming to him. He felt safe. Looking around as he came to his senses, he discovered that he was simply gently floating in some kind of void.
Turning upright, logic told him that he probably wasn't awake but...

"It seems you're starting to come around."

Yuma quickly looked in the direction of the voice to see Hope stood nearby within the same void as him.

"Right now your subconscious mind is awake, but your concious mind has yet to fully stir. I'm using this window so I may talk with you before you fully awoke."

"Talk...?" Yuma was confused at first, until the memory of the duel began flooding back to him, but he didn't remember all of it. "...what... what happened with the duel? Is Alex okay? I remember the bright light and then..." he paused for a moment. "... I... remember something but... I don't think it was my own memory... it..."

"It was mine." Hope confirmed. "Mine and that of the Galaxy-Eyes that has bonded with Alexandra."

"That was your memories? Back from when you were imprisoned?"

Hope nodded. "That Galaxy-Eyes, Prime, was the one who imprisoned me back then when I was charged with a false crime, but then she fell afoul of things herself and was also imprisoned."

Yuma frowned sadly a bit. He remembered how sad Alex had looked during parts of the duel and the things she said during those times. That had to of been because she was experiencing the memories of the Galaxy-Eyes. He also remembered how old and scarred the Galaxy-Eyes had looked.

"Seems like she's been through a lot, huh."

"Yes. She has."

Yuma then lifted his head up, looking at Hope curiously.
"She said something during that memory, something about what the 'Astrals' did and what she did on their behalf. Who are the 'Astrals'?"

Hope paused, looking at Yuma, before shaking his head a little. "I do not know. Nor did I know back then.
I simply brushed that comment off back then, thinking she was mistaken, but I feel like... I feel like that word is important somehow."

"Important...?" Yuma looked down and thought for a moment. He didn't know what that word meant either, but if Hope felt it was important, then there had to be something to it.

"By the way, Galaxy-Eyes wished for me to give you a message."

"A message? To me?" Yuma pointed to himself with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Yes. 'Thank you. For protecting Alexandra.' is what she wished to pass on to you."

Yuma took a moment to absorb what Hope said, then responded with a calm smile.

"Thanks to yours and Alexandras efforts in the duel before you both passed out, Galaxy-Eyes and I were able to work together while in possession of your bodies, to force a draw between us and the Numeral Hunter. Had we not... we all would of surely perished in that duel. That Numeral Hunter included."

"What?! What do you mean?"

"I'm unsure but... do you remember the feeling when we faced Beelze and Hibiki? It was the same feeling."

Yuma fell into a stunned silence for a moment. He remembered those terrifying feelings, he really wished he could forget them, but it made him feel more unsettled that the same feeling had been present in this duel as well.
Not wishing to dwell on it too much, Yuma shook his head to try and get rid of the worrying thoughts and focus on something else.

"What about Yuya and Yuzu? Are they okay? Did their life energy get returned to them?"

Hope gave him a nod. "Yes. Before we parted, Galaxy-Eyes released all the life energy that Alexandra took from your friends and the other duelists. They will be fine now."

Yuma gave a small sigh of relief, that is, until he realized that he was still unconscious. Panicking, he placed his hands to his head.

"Oh man! Do you know how long I've been out for?! I told Izumi to pass on messages for me if she didn't hear anything from me! I don't want everyone to worry and think something bad happened to me! And Kotori...! Oh man, I don't want her to be upset or anything...!"

Hope gave out an amused grunt at Yuma's over-reactions. "You should concentrate on waking up so your friends do not worry."

"R-Right!"

"And Yuma..." Yuma turned to Hope curiously. "...I do not know where things will take us from now on, or how this situation will turn out in the end, but... I think it was definitely no coincidence that we ended up together. I'm honoured to be working alongside you and... proud... of how much you've grown."

With that, Hope held out a hand towards Yuma. Grinning, Yuma held out his own, grabbing Hope's with it.

"Y'know, even though you could be annoying sometimes, you've been there by my side, facing everything with me since Juudai gave you to me. You're... you're my most important partner, Hope! And an important friend to me! There's no way I'll let anyone take you away! No matter what, we'll face everything head-on together!"

Hope gave a nod to Yuma in agreement as the two of them exchanged determined glances. Soon after, Yuma found the void being filled with a bright light, as noises gradually appeared and became louder to him. Before he knew it, he was waking up in a brightly lit hospital room.
He blinked a few times, in order to get his eyes used to the light and once he came to his senses more, he quickly sat up in the bed he was laying in, which he instantly regretted afterwards as aches and pains filled his body. He was scraped and bruised from the duel, but thankfully, despite the pain that moment, it seemed he was no more injured than that.

He spotted his duel disk sitting on the bed side table, which he quickly reached out for. He needed to leave a message to let everyone know that he was okay and to explain the situation now that he knew Yuya and Yuzu were fine.



--------------------------------
[ENTRY]

Oh man! I really don't know how long I was out for but I'm posting to say I'm okay! I'm just in the hospital in Domino City right now! Nothing serious, I just exhausted myself!

Er, I guess I should explain for everyone who didn't know.
I... went to face Alexandra again, but, when we met up, the other Number Hunter also showed up. The guy with the robot. We ended up in a three-way duel but Alex and the other guy saw each other as imposters.
A lot of stuff went down but the duel ended in a tie for all three of us.

I've got a lot to say and explain but... I guess if you have any questions I'll cover those first.
I just want to say that I'm sorry that I couldn't mention that I was doing this, especially to the staff at Duel Academy. Alex stated that if I told any of you or Juudai, she wouldn't give Yuya and Yuzu's life energy back. I also wanted to face her and help her but... I think the situations changed a little now, after this.

Other than that, I think I might be kept in the hospital overnight, but I'll probably be released in the morning.

Comments

[theheadmonarch]

How did Alex take to learning there is another Number Hunter.

[kattobingore]

She wouldn't accept it and as I said, they believed each other to be imposters, so they were pretty hostile to each other.

I ... know the reasoning now behind Alex, what's happened to her and why she's hunting Numbers though.

[theheadmonarch]

...

Listening.

If you want to tell.

[kattobingore]

It's... probably important for you all to know. As well as stuff about the duel.

Alex has a connection to a Number... a Galaxy-Eyes that apparently was the monster that imprisoned Hope. This Galaxy-Eyes... it seems she lost a lot of important friends and allies to the Numbers, but in her revenge against them, she lost herself, hurt innocent people and ended up imprisoned herself. She's hunting the Numbers because of that but... she's remembered that Hope was wrongly imprisoned now.
Alex is aware of what she's doing and is doing it because of the connection she shares with the Galaxy-Eyes but... I'm not sure how things will be now. I'm hoping they both understand not all the Numbers are bad, like Hope, and calm down but...
... I just don't want to have to fight Alex again.

Also... the other Number Hunter used a Galaxy-Eyes Number. Number 95 - Galaxy Eyes Dark Matter Dragon. It was Rank 9. Had 4000 ATK. It was implied that it had Dark Mist's power inside it or something.
Hope had to take over for me when I passed out but, he also told me that he experienced the same terrible feeling that we faced when we dueled Beelze and Hibiki.

[theheadmonarch]

The way you're wording it, it still sounds like Alex isn't completely herself.

... Please tell me you're joking with regards to Beelze, and that there's a monster that's part Dark Mist. Please, Tsukumo-kun.

[zoomizumi]

oh, thank god.

[kattobingore]

Sorry. I probably worried you like crazy, not being able to leave this message earlier. I really wasn't expecting to end up passed out.

[zoomizumi]

DAMN STRAIGHT, you worried me like crazy! When Yuya and Zuzu woke up and I couldn't get a hold of you, I started freaking out! I thought I was gonna have to actually tell them that stuff!

Gaaaaaaah!

[kattobingore]

I'm sorry for dragging you into that stuff.

[zoomizumi]

Yeah, yeah. I forgive you, you putz. Just hurry up and get better and get back here.

[longingfreesia]

Thank goodness you're okay! I was so worried about you! I was waiting for your call.

Is... everything okay now?

[kattobingore]

Yeah.... I exhausted myself in the duel so I was out for a bit. I'm sorry I wasn't able to call you right away.

And... well, Yuya and Yuzu should be fine now. I haven't seen or spoken to them yet but, their life energy was returned.
I really don't know how things with Alex will be now but... I'm hoping things will calm down.

[longingfreesia]

I hope things will calm down too.
Just make sure to rest as much as you can, okay?

[kattobingore]

I will.

[zoomizumi]

By the way, he wanted me to tell you he loves you if he'd bitten it during that duel.

So.

Y'know.

[longingfreesia]

Yuma... told you to tell me that?

[kattobingore]

I-Izumi...!!!

[memoryistime]

... I suppose I cannot be angry, but... I do dislike situations that involve not keeping anyone informed. It feels underhanded, when that occurs.

... Will you be alright however, Tsukumo-kun?

[kattobingore]

I know. I really hated not being able to tell you guys, but it was the only way I could make sure Yuya and Yuzu would be okay!

Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm mostly suffering from exhaustion. Guess I pushed the limit of my power a little too much.

[memoryistime]

... As long as you are feeling... "Normal", otherwise, then...

... I will not say it is fine. It is not fine, that you were coerced into hiding this. But I am relieved that you were able to handle the situation.

And that Sakaki-kun and Hiiragi-san are fine, now.

[becomeanwarrior]

Alex saw the other guy as an imposter? Ugh, and here I was hoping she was going to see reason soon...

You're okay, though, Yuma-kun?

[kattobingore]

Yeah, I'm fine. Just exhausted.

I don't really know how Alex will be after this. I'm hoping she and the Galaxy-Eyes will see more reason, but... guess I really can't know for sure.

[becomeanwarrior]

The problem with Alex is that she's stubborn as a mule when she's got an idea in her head. So if she is being manipulated - whether on a mental or emotional level... She's probably not willing to really see reason.

Still, good to hear you're alright. You're beginning to remind me of me with how much time you spend gettin' hurt.

[kattobingore]

...guess you got hurt a lot too, huh?
I guess I'm no stranger to getting hurt, but, man this has been one crazy year so far.

[becomeanwarrior]

Let's just say I got the nickname 'Cockroach', for a reason. It's impressive how much punishment I ended up taking.

It's better now, at least, but yeah, it's reminding me of my days at the Academy.