Huh... I finally managed to get away from school and competitions... so, without further ado, dive in!
„Yo, people, time to go out!" Kalin shouted to the unresponsive trio in the room. Groans sounded from three people's throats.
"Kalin, just leave us alone", blonde yawned. Crab-haired ravenette merely turned around and continued snoring, and ginger didn't even move. Kalin, silver-haired boy and leader of their little gang, growled and stalked over to the bed, expertly flipping the mattress over and sending the three occupants sprawling all over the dirty floor.
"Damn you Kal, can't you let us sleep in just this once?" blonde whined.
"If you notch up that whine of yours a little the whole Satellite will hear you Jack, so shut up and wake up! Otherwise I'm siccing Rally on ya", Kalin snarled. "Same goes for you two Crow, Yusei!"
"We're up, we're up!" Yusei was the first one to scramble off of the floor, swiftly followed by Crow and Jack; 'Rally-threat' always made the lazy trio shift into fifth gear – while they all admitted Rally was nice kid and all, his overbearingly cheerful personality never failed to grate on Enforcers' nerves.
"Okay, boss, you got us listenin' – where're we going this time?" Crow was pumped up, almost complete opposite of his appearance just twenty seconds ago.
"To the docks", Kalin said with a small smirk, joined by his companions. They were known as 'Enforcers', a gang dedicated to ridding the Satellite, slum district of shiny New Domino City, from dueling gangs which made the already difficult life in Satellite even harder.
"Time to poke into Hornets' turf, huh?" Jack was smirking with satisfaction: last time they ended up there, Yusei and him had to save Blitz and Rally from Hornets.
"Yup", Kalin nodded. "Think you're ready?" After receiving affirmative nods, he led them out of their 'office' in the half-ruined building. It wasn't the prettiest thing around but it was more-or-less whole – which couldn't be said for most of buildings in immediate vicinity.
"So, how much of nuisance are they, Yus?" Crow asked nearly skipping. His whole body language showed his readiness; he practically itched for battle. Yusei shrugged.
"Fairly low-level", he assessed. "Their strategies are next to non-existent, and most of decks are simply beat-downs. The only problem would be their leader and second-in-command Syl and Mark: their decks contain mixture of high-level and low-level effect monsters." Jack grinned in sync with Kalin.
"Leave them to us", the two of them chorused, then glared at each other.
"Let's just go there", Yusei snapped, not willing to listen the usual argument again - he was sick of it.
"Aye, aye, oh fearless leader", Crow mock-bowed and slipped away from Yusei's hand.
"Knock it off", the tech-whiz snarled, "and concentrate! We're currently trespassing, remember?" Kalin grinned fiendishly.
"Not if we sweep 'em off their feet."
Twenty minutes later, Enforcers finished the last thug off. Jack and Kalin were amicably chatting, making fun of mistakes their opponents made, and Yusei and Crow sat on the bench nearby docks.
"Can you believe he tried to pull that? I mean, it was obvious it was a trap, but trying to chain it to monster that pathetic?" Jack exclaimed with Kalin nodding.
"I agree - " Crow interrupted.
"You guys actually agreed on something other that patrol schedule?" Indignant hey! resounded, but Yusei shushed them.
"Shut it you guys! I just heard something moving." In an immmesurable instant joking mood vanished, replaced by wariness and alertness. Jack subtly shifted forward, deliberately showing his protective side standing behind crab-haired Satellite. Kalin calmly walked up to the bench Yusei and Crow, laying his hand on their shoulders.
"Then, let's check it out, shall we?" he murmured, nudging the group off the bench. Crow rose with slight grumble and Jack unwillingly pulled his ass off his seat.
"Sure Kalin", Yusei exhaled lightly, creeping to the nearby dark alleyway, straining to hear unfamiliar sound again. The source didn't disappoint: the sound reappeared and became louder, and the gang recognised it as combination of sobbing and heavy breathing.
"Oh, damn", Crow muttered. He had a soft spot for kids since forever: he even created his 'nest' for unlucky kids without home - and this was, without any doubt, a kid; or more precisely, a girl about a year or so younger than the rest of them.
"Hey kiddo", Kalin called out with surprisingly gentle voice, "you can come out. Hornets are gone, and we won't do anything to ya." Girl raised her head slightly, her face hidden by a tangle of dirty hair. She hiccuped softly and spoke, shocking them with melodius undertone to her voice.
"Why should I believe you?" Yusei rubbed his head, Jack snorted inaudibly and Crow smiled bitterly.
"Well, it's your choice kid, but if it makes you feel any better, we just thrashed Hornets", Crow said to her, not entering damp alley.
"You did?" Disbelief colored her voice. She rose unsuredly, her stance reminding seasoned gang of fight-or-flight stance oh-so-typical for street fighters.
"Sure we did", Jack bragged proudly. "And we destroyed their Duel Disks: they won't bother you anytime soon." Girl gave him a scalding look and smiled at Crow.
"I like you", she proclaimed totally nonplussed. Crow blushed and smiled, and Kalin smirked.
"Another hatchling for your nest, eh birdbrain?" silverette teased his ginger companion, which earned him a whack over his head from ravenette with golden highlights and snicker from blonde standing behind him.
"Stop insulting his deck Kalin", Yusei reprimanded. Girl sniggered, drawing Enforcers' attention back to her. She covered her mouth in mock-horror.
"Did I just got a look from my knights in shining armor?" Jack doubled over laughing, followed by Kalin and Crow. Yusei was the only one with straight face, although his lips were slightly curled up.
"Kid, I like you!" Jack exclaimed. "What's your name?" Girl immediately sobered up and started twirling strand of her hair, which shone with brown-reddish gleam from sunset.
"I - I don't know. I don't remember anything; including my name."
...
The quartet stood dumbfounded. Here they stood in front of an amnesiac girl who couldn't remember her name, right in the middle of Satellite, probably the most dangerous place for here in range of fifty miles.
"Are you... absolutely sure?" Yusei asked quietly. "I mean, trauma can do that to you, but..." She shook her head.
"I have only one real memory, and I think it's just my dream." Crow looked troubled.
"Okay, but come on out; I'm sure bench is bit more comfy than asphalt here." She wordlessly went out, revealing herself completely. Her black locks were dirt-strained but healthy-looking, her cobalt blue eyes blazing not unlike Yusei's, and tattered and dirtied sky-blue dress with deck holster revealed her bare feet.
"You have a deck?" Kalin inquired.
"Yeah, but it can't help me much without Duel Disk", she replied tiredly, sitting on the stone bench and curling in herself, drawing her knees up her nose and embracing them.
"Hey, don't be sad", Jack piped up, "Yus' here can fix anything: if we find you a Disk in junkyard he'll repair it for ya." Yusei nodded to show his agreement. Girl smiled humorlessly.
"It's okay, I don't want to be a burden. Besides, I thought you wanted to hear my story?" Enforcers huddled around her, reminding her of puppies eager for a piece of juicy meat.
"Well, here it goes." She cleared her throat and began.
The first thing I remember, was floating in deep space, in the middle of nebula. For a second, I truly believed I was there: then I noticed the wafting smoke travelling beneath me and figured I was dreaming. Let me tell you, it was unnerving being there: the silence was absolute. No sound at all; not even the sound of my breathing. I couldn't move, but it didn't feel restricting in any manner. Then, out of nowhere, I heard a soft voice -
"Voice?"
"Jack, don't interrupt the story!"
"Thanks Crow. Anyway..."
I heard a soft voice. It told me: O' daughter of man, I pity you and your kin: more fragile than flowers, and born way before your assigned time. I'm sorry, I cannot let you remember anything but do not despair; when you find stardust in ruins of neon light, your path home will open, and you will return to your family.
"'Born before your assigned time?' 'Stardust in ruins of neon lights?'" Kalin was mightly confused, and his companions didn't look any closer to enlightement. The girl put her hands up defensively.
"Hey, I'm just telling you what I've seen! It's not like I have a reasonable explanation for that!"
"Okay, I think we tortured the poor girl enough", Yusei cut in smoothly. "So, you say you can't remember your name right?" She sadly nodded, sinking even further nto her cocoon. "Then we need to find you some name - we can't keep calling you kid or girl all the time..."
"Heba", she blurted out then covered her mouth, like she wasn't supposed to say anything.
"Run that by us again?" Kalin said sharply.
"Heba. My name - for now - will be Heba; game." For the first time in the past fifteen minutes, smirk graced Crow's lips.
"You really do have a sense of irony, don't you?" Newly named Heba bowed her head in admittance.
"If I'm going to throw myself into this mess, I'd like to do it thoroughly." Kalin gave her a wink.
"No girl should be without surname. So Yus', are you ready for having baby sister?" Yusei and Heba gaped for a moment, then shut their jaws and looked at each other, grinning.
"Oh believe me Kessler, I am. Right, Heba Fudo?" Heba's only answer was evil smile, which sent shivers down boys' spines.