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** Ai orders Yusaku that he should [[LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}} fall for him than he already has.]]
to:
** Ai orders Yusaku that he should [[LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}} [[Literature/{{Katanagatari}} fall for him than he already has.]]
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** WordOfGod says Chapter 4 has a scene that is inspired by LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom, likely the tree climbing scene.
to:
** WordOfGod says Chapter 4 has a scene that is inspired by LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom, ''Literature/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom'', likely the tree climbing scene.
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--> '''Ai''': Here! Delight in the softness of my lap-pillow!
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--> '''Ai''': Here! Delight in the softness of my lap-pillow!
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* LossOfIdentity: What essentially happens with Ai during the start of the story. He knows from his few fragmented memories that he had a close connection to Yusaku before and still acts like his goofy self, but feels he isn't complete and unsure why he would partner up with someone like [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Yusaku]].
--> '''Ai''': It’s like part of me is encrypted and I can’t hack into it. There’s no real way to know if I’m fully-formed, or if I’m missing parts of myself I once had. I’m functional, sure. But I don’t remember you. And there are parts of myself I can’t access, that I’m blocked off from, that I can’t hack. It’s annoying. Maybe those are my memories? But then there’s no logical reason why I shouldn’t be able to access them.
--> '''Ai''': It’s like part of me is encrypted and I can’t hack into it. There’s no real way to know if I’m fully-formed, or if I’m missing parts of myself I once had. I’m functional, sure. But I don’t remember you. And there are parts of myself I can’t access, that I’m blocked off from, that I can’t hack. It’s annoying. Maybe those are my memories? But then there’s no logical reason why I shouldn’t be able to access them.
to:
* LossOfIdentity: What essentially happens with Ai during the start of the story. He knows from his few fragmented memories that he had a close connection to Yusaku before and Yusaku, still acts like his goofy self, but feels he isn't complete and unsure why he would partner up with someone like [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Yusaku]].
--> '''Ai''': It’s like part of me is encrypted and I can’t hack into it. There’s no real way to know if I’mfully-formed, fully formed, or if I’m missing parts of myself I once had. I’m functional, sure. But I don’t remember you. And there are parts of myself I can’t access, that I’m blocked off from, that I can’t hack. It’s annoying. Maybe those are my memories? But then there’s no logical reason why I shouldn’t be able to access them.
--> '''Ai''': It’s like part of me is encrypted and I can’t hack into it. There’s no real way to know if I’m
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* MortalityPhobia: [[spoiler:Queen]] is revealed to a fear of death that started from watching their grandmother's reaction while dying. Ai's attack exacerbates this so much she does desperate things to stay alive like [[spoiler: teaming up with Roboppi, uploading her mind in the network and attempting to merge herself into Yusaku's mind.]]
to:
* MortalityPhobia: [[spoiler:Queen]] is revealed to a fear of death Yusaku realizes that started [[spoiler:Queen's actions]] comes from being afraid to die, stemming from watching their her grandmother's reaction while dying. Ai's attack exacerbates dying reaction. [[spoiler:It was this so much she does fear that made her do desperate things to stay alive survive, like [[spoiler: teaming up with Roboppi, uploading her mind in the network and attempting to merge herself into Yusaku's mind.]]
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* {{Robosexual}}: The fic explores how Yusaku and Ai's new partnership affects their dynamic and feelings while trying to keep each other out of trouble. [[spoiler:After Ai's memories came back, they both quickly admit their true feelings for each other and even consummate their relationship after dealing with Roboppi and running away to hide from everyone.]]
to:
* {{Robosexual}}: The fic explores how Yusaku and Ai's new partnership affects their dynamic and feelings while trying to keep each other out of trouble. [[spoiler:After Ai's memories came back, they both quickly admit their true feelings for each other and even consummate their relationship after dealing with Roboppi and running away to hide from everyone.everyone else.]]
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A few months after Ai's demise and some tireless searching, Yusaku miraculously finds an amnesiac Ai floating around the network. Yusaku must learn how to deal with Ai's new, yet familiar personality and Ai not making it easy as he tries to use Yusaku as his tool. Adding to the problem are the rising number of rogue AI and someone called "Aniki" showing interest in Ai. Now, both must learn how to work together again.
Currently sitting at 15 chapters and can be read [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26562163/chapters/64754083 here.]] Because this starts after TheStinger, expect a lot of spoilers for the anime.
Currently sitting at 15 chapters and can be read [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26562163/chapters/64754083 here.]] Because this starts after TheStinger, expect a lot of spoilers for the anime.
to:
A few months after Ai's demise and some tireless searching, Yusaku miraculously finds an amnesiac Ai floating around the network. Yusaku must learn how to deal with Ai's new, yet familiar personality personality, and Ai not isn't making it easy as he tries to use Yusaku as his tool.tool for his own ends. Adding to the problem are the rising number of rogue AI and someone called "Aniki" showing interest in Ai. Now, both must learn how to work together again.
while trying to keep each other alive.
Currently sitting at15 17 chapters and can be read [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26562163/chapters/64754083 here.]] Because this starts after TheStinger, expect a lot of spoilers for the anime.
Currently sitting at
* InsultBackfire: Ai taunts Spectre that he should return back to Revolver like a dog he is, the latter takes it as a compliment before returning a jab about Ai's true loyalties.
--> '''Spectre''': Thanks for the compliment. A dog is exactly what I am; I would never turn against him.
--> '''Spectre''': Thanks for the compliment. A dog is exactly what I am; I would never turn against him.
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* KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:Queen's]] body was found lifeless after the fiasco with "Aniki". [[spoiler:Turns out Queen is still alive the next chapter.]]
to:
* KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:Queen's]] body was found lifeless after the fiasco with "Aniki". [[spoiler:Turns out Queen is still alive the next chapter.chapter via uploading her mind in the network.]]
* LetsYouAndHimFight: [[spoiler:Roboppi]] defeats Revolver and Blood Shepherd [[KilledOffscreen offscreen]] and [[TakenForGranite turns them into statues]], then forces Blue Maiden and Spectre to duel each other in order to release one of them.
* MortalityPhobia: [[spoiler:Queen]] is revealed to a fear of death that started from watching their grandmother's reaction while dying. Ai's attack exacerbates this so much she does desperate things to stay alive like [[spoiler: teaming up with Roboppi, uploading her mind in the network and attempting to merge herself into Yusaku's mind.]]
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* QuestForIdentity: The story starts with Ai's quest to find his missing memory data while pulling Yusaku for the ride.
to:
* QuestForIdentity: The story starts with Ai's quest to find his missing memory data while pulling Yusaku for the a ride.
Changed line(s) 49 (click to see context) from:
* {{Robosexual}}: The fic explores how Yusaku and Ai's new partnership affects their dynamic and feelings while trying to keep each other out of trouble. [[spoiler:After Ai's memories came back, they both quickly admit their true feelings for each other.]]
to:
* {{Robosexual}}: The fic explores how Yusaku and Ai's new partnership affects their dynamic and feelings while trying to keep each other out of trouble. [[spoiler:After Ai's memories came back, they both quickly admit their true feelings for each other.other and even consummate their relationship after dealing with Roboppi and running away to hide from everyone.]]
Changed line(s) 56 (click to see context) from:
* TheTease: A tactic Ai cunningly [[BadBadActing (or so he thought)]] uses to manipulate Yusaku into falling for him, planning to influence him with affection to bring out his protective instincts. Yusaku actually knows what he's doing and, while he doesn't reciprocate any teasing, he lets Ai do so to prevent him from running away. In an ironic twist, it was Ai who falls for the other when Playmaker used a joke card he gave him to win the duel.
to:
* TheTease: A tactic Ai cunningly [[BadBadActing (or so he thought)]] uses to manipulate Yusaku into falling for him, planning to influence him with affection to bring out his protective instincts. Yusaku actually knows what he's doing and, while he doesn't reciprocate any teasing, he lets Ai do so to prevent him from running away. In [[spoiler:In an ironic twist, it was Ai who falls for the other when Playmaker used a joke card he gave him to win the duel.]]
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Encrypt within the Dark, to Save the Clockwork of a Heart is a ''Anime/YuGiOhVRAINS'' fanfic by Chyme set just after the finale of the anime.
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* AmnesiacResonance: Ai experiences this whenever he faces or hears something from his past, such as seeing [[spoiler:specks of Flame's data, Yusaku echoing what he said in his final fight with Revolver, and the Water Leviathan @Ignister card played by Blue Maiden]]. Yusaku is even worried when he notices how quickly Ai gets attached to him after he starts to remember more.
to:
* AmnesiacResonance: Ai experiences this whenever only has a few memories he faces or hears something from can base himself on after his past, such as seeing [[spoiler:specks of Flame's data, reformation, yet he is quick to put himself in harm's way to protect Yusaku, much to his own confusion. Yusaku echoing what remarks how he said in his final fight with Revolver, and still has the Water Leviathan @Ignister card played by Blue Maiden]]. same goofy personality even if Ai claims he's [[LossOfIdentity not the same Ai that Yusaku is even worried when he notices how quickly Ai gets attached to him after he starts to remember more.remembers.]]
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** Yusaku once again captures Ai who claims to have lost his memories. Unlike in canon, Ai really doesn't have any memories and isn't lying when he claims he's on a search for a way to unlock his memories.
to:
** Yusaku once again captures Ai who claims to have lost his memories. Unlike in canon, Ai really doesn't have any memories and isn't lying when he claims he's on a [[QuestForIdentity search for a way to unlock his memories.]]
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* QuestForIdentity: The story starts with Ai's quest to find his missing memory data while pulling Yusaku for the ride.
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* InstantAIJustAddWater: Several [=SOLTis=] suddenly gain free will and following "Aniki's" orders. [[spoiler: Turns out it was Ai's fragments acting like a ContagiousAI to all [=SOLTis=] bots it goes into, and this gives the bots some semblance of free will that Roboppi took advantage of.]]
to:
* InstantAIJustAddWater: Several [=SOLTis=] suddenly gain free will sentience and following "Aniki's" orders.run away from their human masters to a shrine where they await more orders from "Aniki". [[spoiler: Turns out it was Ai's fragments acting like a ContagiousAI to all [=SOLTis=] bots it goes into, and this gives the bots some semblance of free will that Roboppi took advantage of.]]
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* LaserGuidedAmnesia: In the first chapter, Yusaku finds an amnesiac Ai who lost, or more accurately, doesn't have access to his memories for an unknown reason.
to:
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: In the first chapter, Yusaku finds an amnesiac Ai who lost, or more accurately, doesn't have access to his memories for an unknown reason. He even lets Pandor scan his biometrics to prove he's not pretending to be an AmnesiacLiar again.
* LossOfIdentity: What essentially happens with Ai during the start of the story. He knows from his few fragmented memories that he had a close connection to Yusaku before and still acts like his goofy self, but feels he isn't complete and unsure why he would partner up with someone like [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Yusaku]].
* LossOfIdentity: What essentially happens with Ai during the start of the story. He knows from his few fragmented memories that he had a close connection to Yusaku before and still acts like his goofy self, but feels he isn't complete and unsure why he would partner up with someone like [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Yusaku]].
Deleted line(s) 35 (click to see context) :
* LossOfIdentity: What essentially happens with Ai during the start of the story. He knows with his few fragments of memories he had a close connection to Yusaku and still acts like his goofy self, but calculates every word and action he does to manipulate Yusaku into doing what he wants, to varying success. He even lets Pandor scan his biometrics to prove he's not pretending to be an AmnesiacLiar again.
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* VirtualGhost: Playmaker stumbles upon [[spoiler:Lightning's copy in LINK VRAINS]], who puts one copy in the off-chance of someone searching for the Cyberse World ruins.
to:
* VirtualGhost: Playmaker stumbles upon [[spoiler:Lightning's copy in LINK VRAINS]], who puts one copy in the off-chance of someone searching for the Cyberse World ruins.ruins after his death.
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* ColdBloodedTorture: "Aniki" subjugates [[spoiler:Aoi Zaizen]] in a mockery of the Lost Incident in a misguided attempt to format itself like an Ignis. Yusaku and the Knights of Hanoi, especially Ryoken, certainly [[ThisIsUnforgivable didn't take it well once they found out.]]
to:
* ColdBloodedTorture: "Aniki" subjugates [[spoiler:Aoi Zaizen]] in a mockery of the Lost Incident in a misguided attempt to format itself like an Ignis.Ignis, preventing themselves from being overwhelmed by its programming again. Yusaku and the Knights of Hanoi, especially Ryoken, certainly [[ThisIsUnforgivable didn't take it well once they found out.]]
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** Discussed in chapter 14 when they discuss how [[spoiler:Queen's]] pride being destroyed is a reason for her actions just like how a hit on Go Onizuka's pride drove him to do dangerous and idiotic things.
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** Discussed in chapter 14 when they discuss how [[spoiler:Queen's]] pride being destroyed is a reason for her actions just like how a hit on Go Onizuka's pride drove him to do dangerous and idiotic things.things that made things worse.
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* VirtualGhost: Playmaker stumbles upon [[spoiler:Lightning's copy in LINK VRAINS]], who puts one copy in the off-chance of someone searching for the Cyberse World ruins.
to:
* VirtualGhost: Playmaker stumbles upon [[spoiler:Lightning's copy in LINK VRAINS]], who puts one copy in the off-chance of someone searching for the Cyberse World ruins.ruins.
* YouOweMe: Yusaku banks in SOL Technologies's debt of him saving LINK VRAINS many times as one of the reasons they should stop following Ai, which gives them enough time for them to leave Den city before the police raid his apartment.
* YouOweMe: Yusaku banks in SOL Technologies's debt of him saving LINK VRAINS many times as one of the reasons they should stop following Ai, which gives them enough time for them to leave Den city before the police raid his apartment.
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Creating page
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Encrypt within the Dark, to Save the Clockwork of a Heart is a ''Anime/YuGiOhVRAINS'' fanfic by Chyme set just after the finale of the anime.
A few months after Ai's demise and some tireless searching, Yusaku miraculously finds an amnesiac Ai floating around the network. Yusaku must learn how to deal with Ai's new, yet familiar personality and Ai not making it easy as he tries to use Yusaku as his tool. Adding to the problem are the rising number of rogue AI and someone called "Aniki" showing interest in Ai. Now, both must learn how to work together again.
Currently sitting at 15 chapters and can be read [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26562163/chapters/64754083 here.]] Because this starts after TheStinger, expect a lot of spoilers for the anime.
----
!!Tropes found in the fanfic:
* AmnesiacResonance: Ai experiences this whenever he faces or hears something from his past, such as seeing [[spoiler:specks of Flame's data, Yusaku echoing what he said in his final fight with Revolver, and the Water Leviathan @Ignister card played by Blue Maiden]]. Yusaku is even worried when he notices how quickly Ai gets attached to him after he starts to remember more.
* AwfulTruth: [[spoiler: Ai has a mental breakdown after he finally remembers he encrypted his own memories as a last-ditch attempt to prevent Roboppi from reviving him.]]
* BigBad: There's someone called "Aniki" who kidnapped Aoi, thought to be the reason why many [=SOLTis=] suddenly gained sentience as the [=SOLTis=] follows his orders.
* BigBadDuumvirate: It's later revealed that [[spoiler:Queen]] joins forces with "Aniki" in collecting data from [[spoiler:Aoi's torture]] to improve the Ignis Algorithm.
* BrainUploading: [[spoiler: Queen uploads her mind into the network to escape being hunted, but Roboppi outright says she's in too much pain from the transfer that she busts them out of prison to make it stop. Ryoken speculates she will slowly lose her humanity without the connection to her body. And it's discovered that she deleted parts of herself in order to make it stop, but it made her less human.]]
* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler:Diamond Dust,]] the card Ai steals from a little girl proves vital in Yusaku's duel against [[spoiler:Blue Maiden]] since it's the perfect card to counter water monsters.
* ColdBloodedTorture: "Aniki" subjugates [[spoiler:Aoi Zaizen]] in a mockery of the Lost Incident in a misguided attempt to format itself like an Ignis. Yusaku and the Knights of Hanoi, especially Ryoken, certainly [[ThisIsUnforgivable didn't take it well once they found out.]]
* ContinuationFic: The story takes place just after the stinger of the final episode.
* DamselInDistress: [[spoiler:Aoi Zaizen]] was kidnapped by someone called "Aniki". Yusaku and Ai find her in LINK VRAINS but was forced to duel her before realizing they cannot save her as her real body is hidden somewhere.
* DramaticIrony: Ai's grand plan of [[spoiler:killing himself via splitting his data into the [=SOLTis=] bots in case he won the final battle. Now, many [=SOLtis=] start to gain sentience after some of his stray programming code incorporates into their software. He can't help but feel bitter at the irony of it all.]]
--> Ironically the grand plan he outlined to Yusaku to get him to duel him properly, to send AI with free will into the world has come true!
* EveryoneHasStandards: Ryoken still doesn't have a lot of love for Ai or any [=SOLTis=], but he sincerely apologizes for using him to bait out [[spoiler:Kitamura in an underground market for [=SOLTis=] sexbots to find Roboppi's location.]]
* EvilTowerOfOminousness: Since he's trapped in a virtual desert full of android corpses by "Aniki", Blood Shepherd creates one [[spoiler:made out of Flame's data]] to lure in Ai and Playmaker.
* FirstKiss: Yusaku and Ai share a passionate kiss in chapter 13, with a nonplussed [[spoiler:Lightning]] watching on the sidelines.
* FugitiveArc: Yusaku and Ai spend a few chapters laying low in the countryside when SOL Technologies began hunting down Ai for his supposed involvement with [[spoiler:Aoi's disappearance.]]
* HardLight: [[spoiler:The Allure Queens attacking SOL Technologies are made physical with the improved Ignis Algorithm as they demonstrate by demolishing SOL Technology's main office. Ai observes this must be one part of Roboppi and Queen's plan from gathering data from Aoi.]]
* HistoryRepeats:
** Yusaku once again captures Ai who claims to have lost his memories. Unlike in canon, Ai really doesn't have any memories and isn't lying when he claims he's on a search for a way to unlock his memories.
** Discussed in chapter 14 when they discuss how [[spoiler:Queen's]] pride being destroyed is a reason for her actions just like how a hit on Go Onizuka's pride drove him to do dangerous and idiotic things.
* InstantAIJustAddWater: Several [=SOLTis=] suddenly gain free will and following "Aniki's" orders. [[spoiler: Turns out it was Ai's fragments acting like a ContagiousAI to all [=SOLTis=] bots it goes into, and this gives the bots some semblance of free will that Roboppi took advantage of.]]
* JustAMachine: Ai compares the modified [=SOLTis=] as empty hardware at worst and little more than animals at best at Ryoken's provocation.
* KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:Queen's]] body was found lifeless after the fiasco with "Aniki". [[spoiler:Turns out Queen is still alive the next chapter.]]
* LapPillow: Ai lets Yusaku sleep on his lap twice, the first after a tiring ordeal with "Aniki" and after [[spoiler: SOL Technologies captured "Aniki"]]. Chapter 10 is even titled after this.
--> '''Ai''': Here! Delight in the softness of my lap-pillow!
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: In the first chapter, Yusaku finds an amnesiac Ai who lost, or more accurately, doesn't have access to his memories for an unknown reason.
--> '''Ai''': It’s like part of me is encrypted and I can’t hack into it. There’s no real way to know if I’m fully-formed, or if I’m missing parts of myself I once had. I’m functional, sure. But I don’t remember you. And there are parts of myself I can’t access, that I’m blocked off from, that I can’t hack. It’s annoying. Maybe those are my memories? But then there’s no logical reason why I shouldn’t be able to access them.
* LossOfIdentity: What essentially happens with Ai during the start of the story. He knows with his few fragments of memories he had a close connection to Yusaku and still acts like his goofy self, but calculates every word and action he does to manipulate Yusaku into doing what he wants, to varying success. He even lets Pandor scan his biometrics to prove he's not pretending to be an AmnesiacLiar again.
* ManipulativeBastard: Yusaku outright muses Ai as this:
--> He really is a manipulative bastard, Yusaku thinks. Utterly shameless about using him – if it hadn’t been for that recording of the duel with Bohman, with Yusaku reacting so emotionally to his death, would he even have bothered coming back to him?
* MercyKill:
** Ai dismantles all the data of the broken and discarded [=SOLTis=] bots he and Playmaker encounter in the virtual desert out of pity.
---> 'Bye-bye,' he intones humourlessly, watching the last of the data glitter and disappear. 'Maybe you'll be happier like that; at the very least you won't feel any more pain.'
** In chapter 15, Ai gives [[spoiler:a digitized Queen]] a quick death to stop her pain-induced rampages even though Yusaku, who is nearly absorbed in her and understands that she's too far gone, is unhappy that he's the one to do it.
* MomentKiller:
** After a few failed attempts in the hot springs, Ai ramps up his enticement game with Yusaku nearly falling into Ai's seductions, then Ryoken bursts into the room.
** [[spoiler:Lightning, or a VirtualGhost of him]] disturbs Yusaku and Ai's intimate moment after watching them making out for an uncomfortable amount of time.
* MythologyGag: Diamond Dust, a card Rio used in Zexal, appears in Yusaku's duel with [=Blue Maiden=].
* NearVillainVictory: [[spoiler: Once again, Roboppi is about to win his fight but Ai unleashed the virus building up in him, giving Blue Maiden time to interfere with an illegal card to stop the duel.]]
* TheReveal: [[spoiler:"Aniki" is actually Roboppi, who inexplicably survived their death and now wants to revive Ai and take care of him his own way.]]
* {{Robosexual}}: The fic explores how Yusaku and Ai's new partnership affects their dynamic and feelings while trying to keep each other out of trouble. [[spoiler:After Ai's memories came back, they both quickly admit their true feelings for each other.]]
* {{Sexbot}}: Characters note that there is an underground market for [=SOLTis=] sexbots, as SOL Technologies is unwilling to make one so illegal suppliers do some unauthorized modifications down there. [[spoiler:Kitamura is revealed to be running one after he's fired from SOL Technologies.]]
* ShoutOut:
** WordOfGod says Chapter 4 has a scene that is inspired by LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom, likely the tree climbing scene.
** Ai orders Yusaku that he should [[LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}} fall for him than he already has.]]
* TakeThat: The stinger at chapter 13 takes a swipe on the Allure Queen archetype's useability in the card game:
--> Another, an avid player of Duel Monsters, snorts. 'Lame,' they declare. 'They should have used better monsters. Allure Queen is such an unworkable archetype.'
* TheTease: A tactic Ai cunningly [[BadBadActing (or so he thought)]] uses to manipulate Yusaku into falling for him, planning to influence him with affection to bring out his protective instincts. Yusaku actually knows what he's doing and, while he doesn't reciprocate any teasing, he lets Ai do so to prevent him from running away. In an ironic twist, it was Ai who falls for the other when Playmaker used a joke card he gave him to win the duel.
* VirtualGhost: Playmaker stumbles upon [[spoiler:Lightning's copy in LINK VRAINS]], who puts one copy in the off-chance of someone searching for the Cyberse World ruins.
A few months after Ai's demise and some tireless searching, Yusaku miraculously finds an amnesiac Ai floating around the network. Yusaku must learn how to deal with Ai's new, yet familiar personality and Ai not making it easy as he tries to use Yusaku as his tool. Adding to the problem are the rising number of rogue AI and someone called "Aniki" showing interest in Ai. Now, both must learn how to work together again.
Currently sitting at 15 chapters and can be read [[https://archiveofourown.org/works/26562163/chapters/64754083 here.]] Because this starts after TheStinger, expect a lot of spoilers for the anime.
----
!!Tropes found in the fanfic:
* AmnesiacResonance: Ai experiences this whenever he faces or hears something from his past, such as seeing [[spoiler:specks of Flame's data, Yusaku echoing what he said in his final fight with Revolver, and the Water Leviathan @Ignister card played by Blue Maiden]]. Yusaku is even worried when he notices how quickly Ai gets attached to him after he starts to remember more.
* AwfulTruth: [[spoiler: Ai has a mental breakdown after he finally remembers he encrypted his own memories as a last-ditch attempt to prevent Roboppi from reviving him.]]
* BigBad: There's someone called "Aniki" who kidnapped Aoi, thought to be the reason why many [=SOLTis=] suddenly gained sentience as the [=SOLTis=] follows his orders.
* BigBadDuumvirate: It's later revealed that [[spoiler:Queen]] joins forces with "Aniki" in collecting data from [[spoiler:Aoi's torture]] to improve the Ignis Algorithm.
* BrainUploading: [[spoiler: Queen uploads her mind into the network to escape being hunted, but Roboppi outright says she's in too much pain from the transfer that she busts them out of prison to make it stop. Ryoken speculates she will slowly lose her humanity without the connection to her body. And it's discovered that she deleted parts of herself in order to make it stop, but it made her less human.]]
* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler:Diamond Dust,]] the card Ai steals from a little girl proves vital in Yusaku's duel against [[spoiler:Blue Maiden]] since it's the perfect card to counter water monsters.
* ColdBloodedTorture: "Aniki" subjugates [[spoiler:Aoi Zaizen]] in a mockery of the Lost Incident in a misguided attempt to format itself like an Ignis. Yusaku and the Knights of Hanoi, especially Ryoken, certainly [[ThisIsUnforgivable didn't take it well once they found out.]]
* ContinuationFic: The story takes place just after the stinger of the final episode.
* DamselInDistress: [[spoiler:Aoi Zaizen]] was kidnapped by someone called "Aniki". Yusaku and Ai find her in LINK VRAINS but was forced to duel her before realizing they cannot save her as her real body is hidden somewhere.
* DramaticIrony: Ai's grand plan of [[spoiler:killing himself via splitting his data into the [=SOLTis=] bots in case he won the final battle. Now, many [=SOLtis=] start to gain sentience after some of his stray programming code incorporates into their software. He can't help but feel bitter at the irony of it all.]]
--> Ironically the grand plan he outlined to Yusaku to get him to duel him properly, to send AI with free will into the world has come true!
* EveryoneHasStandards: Ryoken still doesn't have a lot of love for Ai or any [=SOLTis=], but he sincerely apologizes for using him to bait out [[spoiler:Kitamura in an underground market for [=SOLTis=] sexbots to find Roboppi's location.]]
* EvilTowerOfOminousness: Since he's trapped in a virtual desert full of android corpses by "Aniki", Blood Shepherd creates one [[spoiler:made out of Flame's data]] to lure in Ai and Playmaker.
* FirstKiss: Yusaku and Ai share a passionate kiss in chapter 13, with a nonplussed [[spoiler:Lightning]] watching on the sidelines.
* FugitiveArc: Yusaku and Ai spend a few chapters laying low in the countryside when SOL Technologies began hunting down Ai for his supposed involvement with [[spoiler:Aoi's disappearance.]]
* HardLight: [[spoiler:The Allure Queens attacking SOL Technologies are made physical with the improved Ignis Algorithm as they demonstrate by demolishing SOL Technology's main office. Ai observes this must be one part of Roboppi and Queen's plan from gathering data from Aoi.]]
* HistoryRepeats:
** Yusaku once again captures Ai who claims to have lost his memories. Unlike in canon, Ai really doesn't have any memories and isn't lying when he claims he's on a search for a way to unlock his memories.
** Discussed in chapter 14 when they discuss how [[spoiler:Queen's]] pride being destroyed is a reason for her actions just like how a hit on Go Onizuka's pride drove him to do dangerous and idiotic things.
* InstantAIJustAddWater: Several [=SOLTis=] suddenly gain free will and following "Aniki's" orders. [[spoiler: Turns out it was Ai's fragments acting like a ContagiousAI to all [=SOLTis=] bots it goes into, and this gives the bots some semblance of free will that Roboppi took advantage of.]]
* JustAMachine: Ai compares the modified [=SOLTis=] as empty hardware at worst and little more than animals at best at Ryoken's provocation.
* KilledOffscreen: [[spoiler:Queen's]] body was found lifeless after the fiasco with "Aniki". [[spoiler:Turns out Queen is still alive the next chapter.]]
* LapPillow: Ai lets Yusaku sleep on his lap twice, the first after a tiring ordeal with "Aniki" and after [[spoiler: SOL Technologies captured "Aniki"]]. Chapter 10 is even titled after this.
--> '''Ai''': Here! Delight in the softness of my lap-pillow!
* LaserGuidedAmnesia: In the first chapter, Yusaku finds an amnesiac Ai who lost, or more accurately, doesn't have access to his memories for an unknown reason.
--> '''Ai''': It’s like part of me is encrypted and I can’t hack into it. There’s no real way to know if I’m fully-formed, or if I’m missing parts of myself I once had. I’m functional, sure. But I don’t remember you. And there are parts of myself I can’t access, that I’m blocked off from, that I can’t hack. It’s annoying. Maybe those are my memories? But then there’s no logical reason why I shouldn’t be able to access them.
* LossOfIdentity: What essentially happens with Ai during the start of the story. He knows with his few fragments of memories he had a close connection to Yusaku and still acts like his goofy self, but calculates every word and action he does to manipulate Yusaku into doing what he wants, to varying success. He even lets Pandor scan his biometrics to prove he's not pretending to be an AmnesiacLiar again.
* ManipulativeBastard: Yusaku outright muses Ai as this:
--> He really is a manipulative bastard, Yusaku thinks. Utterly shameless about using him – if it hadn’t been for that recording of the duel with Bohman, with Yusaku reacting so emotionally to his death, would he even have bothered coming back to him?
* MercyKill:
** Ai dismantles all the data of the broken and discarded [=SOLTis=] bots he and Playmaker encounter in the virtual desert out of pity.
---> 'Bye-bye,' he intones humourlessly, watching the last of the data glitter and disappear. 'Maybe you'll be happier like that; at the very least you won't feel any more pain.'
** In chapter 15, Ai gives [[spoiler:a digitized Queen]] a quick death to stop her pain-induced rampages even though Yusaku, who is nearly absorbed in her and understands that she's too far gone, is unhappy that he's the one to do it.
* MomentKiller:
** After a few failed attempts in the hot springs, Ai ramps up his enticement game with Yusaku nearly falling into Ai's seductions, then Ryoken bursts into the room.
** [[spoiler:Lightning, or a VirtualGhost of him]] disturbs Yusaku and Ai's intimate moment after watching them making out for an uncomfortable amount of time.
* MythologyGag: Diamond Dust, a card Rio used in Zexal, appears in Yusaku's duel with [=Blue Maiden=].
* NearVillainVictory: [[spoiler: Once again, Roboppi is about to win his fight but Ai unleashed the virus building up in him, giving Blue Maiden time to interfere with an illegal card to stop the duel.]]
* TheReveal: [[spoiler:"Aniki" is actually Roboppi, who inexplicably survived their death and now wants to revive Ai and take care of him his own way.]]
* {{Robosexual}}: The fic explores how Yusaku and Ai's new partnership affects their dynamic and feelings while trying to keep each other out of trouble. [[spoiler:After Ai's memories came back, they both quickly admit their true feelings for each other.]]
* {{Sexbot}}: Characters note that there is an underground market for [=SOLTis=] sexbots, as SOL Technologies is unwilling to make one so illegal suppliers do some unauthorized modifications down there. [[spoiler:Kitamura is revealed to be running one after he's fired from SOL Technologies.]]
* ShoutOut:
** WordOfGod says Chapter 4 has a scene that is inspired by LightNovel/MyNextLifeAsAVillainessAllRoutesLeadToDoom, likely the tree climbing scene.
** Ai orders Yusaku that he should [[LightNovel/{{Katanagatari}} fall for him than he already has.]]
* TakeThat: The stinger at chapter 13 takes a swipe on the Allure Queen archetype's useability in the card game:
--> Another, an avid player of Duel Monsters, snorts. 'Lame,' they declare. 'They should have used better monsters. Allure Queen is such an unworkable archetype.'
* TheTease: A tactic Ai cunningly [[BadBadActing (or so he thought)]] uses to manipulate Yusaku into falling for him, planning to influence him with affection to bring out his protective instincts. Yusaku actually knows what he's doing and, while he doesn't reciprocate any teasing, he lets Ai do so to prevent him from running away. In an ironic twist, it was Ai who falls for the other when Playmaker used a joke card he gave him to win the duel.
* VirtualGhost: Playmaker stumbles upon [[spoiler:Lightning's copy in LINK VRAINS]], who puts one copy in the off-chance of someone searching for the Cyberse World ruins.
