i overate victory ✩

"I speak as someone who is in the same state as you. To think we are the same age..."

Without him watching over every movement, the slight personality that remained of the original peaks out, overtaking what is now the prime soul within the body. it won't last for long.

Ryouga sneers as he spits the words out. As far as he's concerned, if V's just here to talk cryptic nonsense, he's not interested - yet he can't help but feel a slither of anger start to rise up inside him at his words. What right does he tell him not to be angry with IV? After everything IV did to Rio and to him, and the way he continuously delights in their pain, like even now he wants to dig their wounds deeper?

"Don't act like you've got the right to say that!" he growls, fists clenching by his sides despite knowing that losing his cool won't help him. ...Deep down, Ryouga hates how quickly he is to lose himself to rage. He knows how easy it is for people to take advantage of that feeling, and resents the thought of being a slave to his emotions...

But anger can be a weapon, as well, and Ryouga has no intention of stopping on the path he's set out on. And even if V seems to think it'll shake him, he'll be as relentless and unforgiving as he has to be.

v knew plenty when it came to his siblings and father, though most of the time he kept it to himself. he couldn't apologise on his brother's behalf, simply cause his brother was twisted.

there wasn't any way he could calm him down, a soft sigh escapes his lips, even if yuma were to get in the way, he'd duel him (even if he knew he'd lose?)

"say you get your revenge, are you going to be happy?" he asked, one he knew too well how that rage would feel at the end, "will it make you satisfied? there is more to it than just my brother," at this point, the last barian has yet to appear.

"...Hang out?" The Duelist asked, "How about I accompany you for now?...I've got something to ask you about anyway..."

Rei wasn't expecting to meet up with Mali during her trip into Neo Domino City; She was actually looking for leads into finding the whereabouts of her own father and the city was just too big to be searching blindly.

a light-hearted laugh emitted after, so she wanted to know about the wrgp; she couldn't give too many details but enough for it to be public knowledge. "well, you need at least a team of three to enter. a~and, my work is one of the sponsors for this event. so it will be quite busy for me, my boss will also make an appearance...but," she paused then let out a small sigh "i think he'll just be surrounded by plenty of women like always."

she then cleared her throat "other than that, the team shares life points and cards on the field. if a duelist loses, they have to reach their team mate for the next turn, otherwise the team loses and you can't help your team mate either."

a light-hearted chuckle emits from her lips, "of course." she agrees before opening her sketchbook, contents filled with memories of her past life that he could see, atlantis, the palace, the advanced technology and her past self on the throne with her husband. it didn't bother her that he saw, everything inside appeared fine.

"but in the end, once the gods are summoned again into this world. Your , our body will return to ashes. So what you do inbetween is your own business."

Devack own, entire body, personality seems to have shifted when talking with the other dark signer. As if someone else was talking here. His voice much softer now.

his expression softened for a moment, as if it were someone else. "kind?" he scoffed, "i already know that. the second chance we were given is based on our feelings, how deep hatred for the one who wronged us."

"...Truth be told, I can't recall a single memory of being a Dark Signer; And yet, there is only a feeling of guilt weighing me down. It feels so heavy it's hard to even breathe sometimes." Rei spoke softly, eyes cast down at her own feet. To know he remembered all of it while she couldn't conjure even a sliver of a memory, really put everything into perspective for the young woman.

"...It must have been scary to remember everything; I can't even begin to imagine how heavy that burden is for you to carry...I'm sorry, Kyosuke."

Silence fell between them as the Duelist took time to contemplate his words; It was the first time in her (second) life that she was able to take time to think over past mistakes, or even the meaning behind all of it.

"...Perhaps it was in the cards for us to become what we had after all...It seems too unreal to be a coincidence." Rei broke the silence after moments of solemn thought. Her gaze shifted with her posture at that moment, looking up to the sky and sitting back with arms folded, "Satellite took everyone I loved from me, and I thought someone had to pay for it...Perhaps what we did is unforgivable, but-"

She cut herself off momentarily, the words getting caught in her throat; This truth was a bitter truth to swallow indeed.

most people didn't address him by his first name, although he allowed it from those close to him. he remains silent, pondering on what he should say or if it would be right for their conversation.

"there's no need for you to apologise, rei. i've come to terms with it," he paused, even when he was still beating himself up for it, he knew he couldn't do this forever. his head nodded in agreement, as if becoming dark signers was a second chance - as if he knew coming back after a defeat was possible. it made him glad his eyes opened after he lost.

"...Would I?"

"All I remember are smiling faces. A dagger in the heart. But I feel calm, but its been so long since I could see those people. I do not know if they are alive or not, or why..."

"If you think too long, everyone faces become something you want to kill."

"This is not a situation you can go straight into. But...this is the cards we have been dealt with."

      it was repulsing as if there was a feeling like regret for devack. that feeling and unsurety "if you don't know whether they're alive, why not check?" he didn't know who the guy was referring to and nor did he care.