In the days after Proteus being handed over to the police, Yuma was happy that things had returned, somewhat, back to normal. Or back to how they had been before Astral had returned anyway. The only thing that he noticed was a hooded figure that seemed to disappear when he did a double take. But since the news hadn't said anything about anyone escaping from police custody, Yuma just put this down to his mind playing tricks on him. He had mentioned his concerns to Shark, who was very supportive and was keeping an eye out for the hooded figure.
It was a few weeks before the end of the school year, when a lot of things happened at once. Yuma was lost in his own thoughts as he was walking to school when he walked head long in to something solid. He landed with a slight thud on the footpath.
"Sorry," said an accented voice, from above Yuma, "I wasn't looking where I was goin'. I didn't see ya comin'."
"No, its ok," Yuma said, getting to his feet, with the aid of the stranger, "I was lost in my own head. OMG!" Yuma had only just looked at the face of the person he had collided with. His mouth dropped open. It couldn't be. Could it?
"What?" the stranger asked as he looked at Yuma's shocked and disbelieving face, "I haven't got a piece of dirt on my face again? My partner back home keeps whipping it off when he sees it. I'd be lost without him. He's a real hero to me."
"But you're..." Yuma stammered repeatedly, finding his voice but not his full vocabulary, as he looked at the tall, teal haired late twenty-year old man in front of him, wearing a deep blue hoodie and a pale violet shirt.
"I am so sorry," the teal haired man said blushing, as Yuma's scarlet eyes met his emerald ones, "I've gone an' plum forgotten my manners. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Johan ..."
"Andersen of the Crystal Beasts." Yuma interrupted with the energy of a six year old who had been told Christmas had come early.
"Ya know who I am?" Johan asked, blushing harder, closing his eyes and seeming a little shocked.
"Of course I have." Yuma exclaimed, "Is it true that your cards chose you? Is it true that you are currently dating the world duelling singles champion, who you share the world tag duel title with? Is it true that you are looking to break into the world of turbo duelling?" The questions tumbled out of Yuma's mouth faster then he could prevent them from coming out.
"Um," Johan began, a kind but taken aback look on his face, "yes to the first, I am actually married to the second, and only my other half is currently looking to start turbo duelling. Oh and yes, my other half is the current world champ. Any way, I gotta be leavin', its my first day after all. Nice meetin' ya..."
"Yuma." Yuma called after Johan, "My name is Yuma, and it was nice meeting you too."
"See ya round, Yuma." Johan called back running off.
When Yuma got to the school gates, where his classmates were waiting for him, along with Kite and Trey, Yuma couldn't help but blurt out his encounter with the world number two Pro duellist. This lead to many disbelieving, envious and excited exclamations, which kept up all the way to homeroom.
As Yuma and Shark settled into their seats at the back of the classroom, as they usually did, Yuma got his second surprise of the day, as Johan walked behind the desk. The whole class went very quiet as though the air had been vented from the room.
"Hi." Johan said to the silent and shocked class, "I suppose ya'll already know who I am. I will be your full time replacement for your last teacher." With that Johan took role call and began their lesson as if he had been there all year, and wasn't new to this class.
The whole school was buzzing with the news by lunch time, and it hadn't died by the time the day was over.
"I'll wait by the gate for you." Shark told Yuma as he left.
"Yeah, I'll be as quick as I can." Yuma called after his boyfriend. Miss Leng, his rather severe looking history teacher had asked for him to hang back. It turned out not to be serious. She just wanted a more direct way to contact his parents for one of her lessons. She wanted them in as guest lecturers. But it was as he was making his way through the now empty corridors when he heard Johan's voice drifting through an open door.
"... I'm tellin' ya I think ya spot on." Johan was saying. Yuma poked his head around the door. Johan had his back to it. He seemed concerned in a very business like way.
"Your senses have never been wrong before Judai." Johan said into his phone, "There is power in these here parts that resembles ours. I also can sense the destructive power that possessed your Yubel. But it doesn't feel like it's here yet. I also think I have met the people that can help us." There was a pause. "No, ya can stay in Neo Domino for now. I can handle things here. Ya just get who we need there on side first." Another pause. "Yeah, we stick to the plan." Johan then sighed, "I can't wait to go home. We can be a couple again. I really miss that. I miss ya so much."
Yuma's phone then chimed loudly. It was his news alert. He quickly darted round the corner, knowing he couldn't eavesdrop anymore. When he was sure he was clear, and hadn't been caught, he took his phone out.
"No." he whispered as he read the news headline.
Gun happy teacher escapes police custody. No clues as to how they escaped.
"Yuma?" Astral asked, having come out of the key, having sensed the change in Yuma's mood. All Yuma could do was turn the phone so Astral could read it.
"Proteus has escaped." Yuma breathed. This meant that danger was coming again. But then had it ever really gone away. The peace was good while it had lasted. This lead to his visit to Shark's place turning into something of a strategy meeting, that Astral was aloud to attend. In fact all of Yuma's friends were there. The ultimate take away was, because they had no way to know who Proteus was posing as yet, they could only wait. Yuma hated that he agreed with Vector when it came to feeling like a sitting duck, and just wishing they could do anything else to deal with this problem.
"I'm sure things are going to be alright." Tori reassured Yuma, they were walking back to Tori's to pick up a few things before going to the mall to meet the others, who had decided to continue with a planned cinema trip.
"I will feel a lot better when Proteus is out of the picture." Yuma growled, not noticing the concerned look his best friend shot him, not caring that to her this tone was out of character, "I just wish he'd ask for a fair fight."
"No you don't." Tori said sternly.
"Yes I do." Yuma said. This caused Tori to stop and put her hands on her hips. Yuma stopped also, and turned to face the greenette.
"You don't mean that." Tori said.
"I do." Yuma repeated.
"The Yuma I know wouldn't."
"I am the same person..."
"I am not so sure." Tori said folding her arms, "You have changed. Ever since Astral came back. Something has changed in you. Bronk and the others might not be able to see it, but I can. And I don't think it is entirely Astral's fault. What's going on Yuma?"
All Yuma could do was stare at Tori. Looking back over the last several months, he knew to anyone who wasn't in the know, it would look like he had changed. But the way he saw it, he was only becoming more of the person he had always been. That he hadn't changed at all. But he didn't know how to tell Tori without telling her he had lied to her. That he was aching to fight Proteus head on, only because he was a warrior reawoken to memories and instincts from past lives.
"Yuma, behind you!" Tori yelled, pointing. Yuma only got a fleeting look at a blurr of red and blue black hair, before darkness covered his eyes.
"Yuma! Yuma! Wake up! Yuma!"
Yuma came round to the sound of Tori's distressed cries. He looked around. He was in a sitting position, he could feel the rope binding him to a mesh fence. He looked around, ignoring a thudding pain in his head. Tori was bound next him, crying, looking confused and scarred in equal measure. Next he noted they were in a dank alley, covered in rubbish from over flowing bins.
"Yuma, what's going on?" Tori asked when he turned his face to hers, "Why does he look like you?" Then he remembered how they had gotten into this mess. He could have sworn his assailant had looked remarkably like him. Then he heard an evil, triumphant laugh.
"You know," came a voice that sounded like Yuma's, but was coming from a shadow leant against one of the slimy bins, "listening to your friend crying in fear is great and all, but I have been waiting for you to come round Yuma."
"Proteus." Yuma said, as his double stepped forward, giving him a proper look at him. He had taken the Astral key. "What's your plan? Why didn't you kill me?"
"I want you to suffer, human." Proteus answered, "I am going to turn your beloved on you. That will serve you both right for killing my brother."
"Don Thousand had lost his mind!" Yuma exclaimed, "If he had one to begin with."
"Shut up." Proteus shouted.
"Then make me." Yuma said, struggling against his bonds.
"No. You are only human. A drop in the ocean, to which I wish to add the living tears of both you and your lover to. When I'm done you'll both wish I'd killed you." Proteus sneered, "I just needed the Astral Key to complete the look. I am just glad there was a person who was dead that looked so much like you Yuma." Proteus then left. Yuma didn't care that his foe had mistook him for human. But he was more concerned what he wanted to do to Shark. All he knew was he would stop at nothing to make sure Shark wasn't harmed in any way.
"Yuma, what's going on?" Tori wept, "Why is..."
"Tori, I'll answer your questions later," Yuma cut her off, tugging at his bonds trying to loosen them enough to move his hands so he could untie them, "right now I'm more concerned about the others. Did Proteus ask you anything?"
"Yes." Tori answered.
"What?" Yuma asked as he got the slack in his binds that he wanted.
"Where Shark was going to be." Tori answered as Yuma freed himself, and went over to help Tori.
"Did you answer him?" Yuma asked, helping Tori to her feet.
"I told him about the cinema."
Yuma pulled Tori into a sprint. They had no time, he was sure of it. But he had to try and get there. He had to try and stop Don Thousand's mad brother. No matter the cost.