This is based on my theory that Z-ONE probably has access to multiple timelines and universes. And that sometimes Placido takes his frustration over canon!Yusei Fudo on AU versions of him. Because why not.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's

Pre-Emptive Strikes

By Bilbo-sama

From the safety of his pocket dimension outside of the multiverse, Z-ONE watched one of the many timelines in which the world ended because Yusei Fudo was unable to prevent it.

His eyes narrowed as he saw the initial event unfold.

A young man in a white robe wandered the dark streets of Satellite. Occasionally someone would try to approach him but the man would draw out a sword from a sheath hidden within his robe to scare them off.

Eventually he approached his destination: an apartment building that looked as though it was overdue for some repairs.

He calmly opened the front door, pulled out his sword and strolled down the hall before he knocked on a door.

"Yusei!" a child's voice rang out, "Jack's back!"

"Already? But Crow's place is at the other side of Satellite." Yusei's muffled voice said as he unlocked the door, "Did you forget something, Jack?"

"No," said the man in white as the door opened, "I haven't."

Before Yusei or the red-headed child beside him could react, the man swiftly raised his sword and skewered Yusei's abdomen with it. He pulled the sword out and watched in satisfaction as the teenager collapsed. The child ran out of the room to the nearest stairwell screaming for help.

"Why?" Yusei asked.

"Because you would have ruined everything. By killing you sooner, Yliaster's, no, my goals would be achieved."

"I don't-" Yusei groaned as he felt a spasm of pain, "I don't understand."

"Then may you die ignorant." the assailant spat. With no one around to stop him, he stabbed Yusei one more time before calmly walking into the room and wiped the bloody sword clean with a tattered curtain. He made his escape by summoning a portal. Before entering he looked at the bleeding form of Yusei Fudo once more. Knowing that he would die before any help would arrive, the man in white walked in the portal. The portal closed, leaving no evidence of its creator's existence behind.

As Yusei Fudo laid dying, he heard a voice offering to keep him alive if he would agree to serve the Earthbound Gods.

He refused its offer and breathed his last breath.

Z-ONE frowned as he reviewed the world's original timeline. This Yusei, had he lived, would have been scouted by Rex Godwin and be forcibly moved into Neo Domino City where he became the king of riding duels.

Z-ONE then felt another change to a world's timeline. He watched Placido approached the hideout of a female Yusei Fudo and realized what his subordinate was doing. He froze the timeline and plucked Placido out before any more damage was done.

After smiting Placido and placed him in a rebuilding tank (again), Z-ONE watched as Sector Security took the girl to a hospital in Neo Domino City. Thanks to Placido's actions, she was forbidden to duel until she completely healed and was unable to build her second D-Wheel for a year. When the Crimson Dragon came to mark her as a Signer, it granted her the power of invulnerability.

In turn, because her D-Wheel was incomplete, she and Kiyru had a traditional duel.

Because of the duel's rules, Yusei's invulnerability power was suppressed when she lost.

That just made it easier for Kiyru to kill her.

Placido's scheme for this Yusei came true as well, Z-ONE noted.

Perhaps he should plant Antinomy into some timelines sooner…