Arc-V: Cultivating Future

Interlude: Gala

To commemorate the duelist that made into the top eight, and for the amazing shows, a Gala is being held, and of course the top eight are invited to it.

Well

Except Sergey.

Because no one is dumb enough for that, apparently.

Not even Roget.

Which is a good thing.

Floren hopes that twat landed his ass in serious major trouble. There are just no way people would take one look at the collateral damage Sergey caused and able to forgive it.

Unless people in Synchro Dimension is even more hopeless than she initially thought.

Speak of hopeless...

Her eyes caught red hair.

Lucciano was talking and laughing happily with a lady in stunning black and grey dress. The two are pretty close.

She want to know, just to sate her curiosity, but is Lucciano...

"Is he Aporia?" Black Rose finished the question for him. "Yes, he is."

That was interesting. But how and why he is different than Aporia Floren knows? The one who become Yliasters?

"Because he didn't go through his Three Misfortunes." Was the answer. "Losing his parents. Losing someone he loves. Become the last human on earth. Three Misfortunes that did not happens here. His parents are alive, his love is alive and they are engaged—you can look at their hands. They have matching ring." They do... "And while this society is worse than original Neo Domino, it was still a city filled with people, life, and laughs. He was not lonely, nor was he the last human alive. Without Three Misfortunes, he did not have reason to become Aporia. The person you are looking at, is someone Aporia could have become, would have become, if he did not go through tragedies that shaped him into bitter, jaded and pessimistic person he was. At least, until Rua happened."

And the possibility come true in this universe.

That's... good.

Floren's eyes meet Aporia—no, Lucciano

(was Lucciano his birth name? possible. What about Primo and Jose? Nickname? Surname?)

She did not dwell much in it. She raised her glass (ORANGE JUICE! Like hell she get sloshed with alcohol! She doesn't even like alcoholic drink to begin with!), and toasted him.

She wished him a happy future without the three misfortunes.

(This just become yet another reason to win this battle against Akaba Leo.)

.

"Miss."

Ruka hummed and inclined her glass in greeting.

"How do you find the party?"

Shun shrugged. "It could've been better." Was his answer before he put a slice of meat into his mouth.

Not far from them, the three identical, yet vastly different boys were nibbing portions of what available on buffet table.

Especially Yuto and Yugo.

One literally never ate any of these fancy foods, and other have been sustaining himself with war rations and then cheap store-bought meals.

Yuya, too, taking small bites of everything available. Since it was free, why won't he indulge himself?

He wished others are here too, enjoying this.

He also notice that Ruka keep looking outside.

"What are you looking at?" Yuya ask, purely out of curiosity.

"Oh me?" Ruka smiles. "I was just looking at the Daedalus Bridge."

Daedalus Bridge?

She pointed at the big bridge. It looks... quite pretty. For unfinished bridge.

Because it looks like it was leading to somewhere, but stopped abruptly.

What a shame.

"It was my favorite view." Ruka spoke.

"Really?"

"The Legend of Daedalus Bridge is also something I am fond of."

"The Legend?" Yugo perked up. "You mean the story how Turbo Duel came to existence?"

"I thought it was because of Security tried to arrest common over false charges." Commented Yuto.

"It was." Yugo nodded. "Once, there lived a man in place where the unwanted thrown onto. The man look towards the sea, and think a way to reach the distant land. So the man build a bridge. The people around at first laughed at him, but after seeing the conviction and earnest desire, they helped him build the bridge."

"But security happens. They don't like someone from the gutter trying to aim for better life, so the chase him." Ruka continues. "Eventually, seeing the danger, the people dropped the idea, but the man keep going on. Cornered by security, the man hopped onto his motorwheel and drive up on the unfinished bridge, and leap off."

"He leap—" Yuya chokes.

"He is." A wry smile appears on Ruka's expression. "His defiance to the security inspires the people to build motorcycles attached to Duel Disk, to honor him. And from then onward, Turbo Duel become a precious thing to these people. Symbolizing their freedom and resistance from oppression."

"Freedom, huh." The two Xyz users mused as they stare at the unfinished bridge.

To thing such bridge held deep meaning.

(Unbeknown to the group, two pair of ears also happens to be nearby and caught the conversation.

They hummed thoughtfully.

It was a familiar story. But where have they heard it before?

And why do they feel the story is incomplete? Like... some parts are missing. Like it was only halfway of the story.)

"That bridge is very dear to me." Confessed Ruka. "I can't wait to see the day it connects the city to a very precious place."

Yugo whirled to look at her. "Is the bridge gonna be completed?!" he whisper-yelled in excitement.

"Of course." Ruka nodded. "It will."

With inaudible voice, she adds,

"After all, it won't be much longer before the bridge become complete."