Disclaimer: amithegreat25 does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's

Chapter One

Knock, knock.

Yusei Fudo looked up at the front door of the place he, Jack, and Crow were renting from Zora, startled by the noise. He glanced at the clock confusedly—it was 1:32 AM. Who would be knocking on the door at this time of morning? Granted, he was up—but he was working, and he didn't know anyone else who stayed up so late. Getting to his feet and stretching, he slowly walked up the stairway to the door, the echoes of his footsteps on the stone steps unnaturally loud. As he approached the door, he reached out and turned the knob, opening the door to the unexpected visitor. "Hello?"

Then, everything went white.

"Ohh…" Yusei groaned as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. His bed seemed a lot more uncomfortable than it usually was… He'd have to ask Jack and Crow if they'd done anything to it; it hardly felt like the soft sheets and mattress that he'd grown accustomed to—instead, it seemed cold and hard, as though he had merely been sleeping on a sheet placed over the floor.

A sheet placed over the floor? Yusei sat bolt upright, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. That sounded—and felt—a lot like his bed in the Satellite, back before any of that Dark Signer or Meklord Emperor nonsense had begun—and, of course, before the Daedalus Bridge had been completed—when his sleeping quarters were little more than a pile of rags on the ground. He looked around, carefully surveying his surroundings, his survival instincts he'd developed back in the Satellite kicking in. It was remarkable how naturally the impulses came to him—even after six months of not having to use them, Yusei now found himself as alert as he was back in the day, with the Enforcers.

But as he looked over his surroundings, he found himself even more confused: Forget any passing resemblance to his home in the Satellite; this place was nigh identical, right down to that small Turbo Warrior action figure given to him by Rally in the corner and that thick blue textbook describing the schematics of Duel Runners on the desk—it was as if someone had placed him in a perfect replica of his old Satellite hideout.

Yusei frowned. Either this was some crazy, bizarre dream—unlikely, as dreams usually made perfect sense to the dreamer, whereas this dream made no sense to him at all—or something was up. Yusei hoped beyond hope that it was the first scenario—hadn't he gone through enough trouble as it was?—but he knew deep inside that the chances of that were slim to none. So what did that leave him with?

Well, there was no point in sitting around and thinking the whole time; if Yusei Fudo ever was anything, he was a man of action, and even though his senses were acute and his observation skills at their peak, he found himself at his best when on the move. So Yusei stretched himself and stood up, walking toward the thin laundry sheets hanging from the clothesline that functioned as both his clothes dryer and his door—only to be bowled over by a red blur.

The red blur crashed to the floor along with Yusei, who immediately recovered from the assault and swung himself upright—but then—

"Sorry, Yusei!" the blur blurted sheepishly, rubbing its head, a silly grin on its face—a grin that Yusei knew very well, along with everything else about this figure—one who he could've sworn was taller than this, and whose voice was definitely deeper. "I guess I just was too excited," the person continued energetically, "but you can't blame me—I mean—I was—"

"Rally?" interrupted Yusei disbelievingly, looking at the red-haired boy as though he was just seeing him for the first time. And in a way, he was: Rally was short, too short, and his voice, while as bright and energetic as usual, was too high-pitched, almost as if this was a younger Rally that stood grinning before Yusei—a Rally that should have grown up long ago.

"—anyway, like I was saying—Blitz and Nervin are really excited too—but Tank is a bit worried—but everyone told him to calm down and have some fun, but personally I just can't wait—when are you gonna test it, Yusei, when?" Rally continued sputtering, jumping up and down excitedly.

"Huh?" Yusei's face was the picture of confusion. "When am I gonna test what?"

Rally stopped jumping, his excited expression replaced by a look of perplexity. "What do you mean, 'what'?" he asked, putting his hands on his hips, his oversized sleeves bending where his wrists were. "Your Duel Runner, of course!"

"My Duel Runner?" Yusei questioned curiously. "But why would I need to test that…?"

"Huh?" Rally asked in bewilderment. "What are you talking about, Yusei? You need to test it to see if it works, of course! I mean, you just finished building it, so obviously you should test it!"

"I just finished building it?" Yusei blinked. This was a scene that was all too familiar—a scene that had occurred a long time ago. He slowly knelt down until he was at eye level with Rally, looking the red-haired child squarely in the eyes. "Rally—I need to know something—what's today's date?"

Rally blinked, and Yusei could tell that he thought this was just a test. "Uh… well, I don't know the exact day…" he said slowly, "because, well, we're in the Satellite, and they don't exactly keep track of the calendar around here, but… I know the year!"

Yusei sighed. Oh, well, that would have to do. "All right, then, Rally, tell me: What's the year?"

"Uh… hold on—lemme think." Rally assumed a child-like posture, one Yusei hadn't seen for so long he nearly burst out laughing—his left arm holding his right elbow, with his right index finger tapping his chin. "Oh, yeah! It's 20XX!"

Yusei frowned. 20XX… Now that was a new piece of info. If his mental calendar was still accurate, then that was the year when Kalin had been captured… when he had started building his first Duel Runner… the one that Jack stole… But that was inconceivable. How could he have gone into the past?

Well, it was either that or some weirdo had gone to the trouble of trapping him in some mental illusion, utilizing his own memories to torment him, and neither option seemed very probable to Yusei. However, if the latter was the case, he had to prevent himself from getting close to any of these illusions—of course, that might be difficult, given that they were highly realistic illusions—but he still had no idea if that was true. If the former was the case, on the other hand—if he had indeed been warped into the past—Yusei's heart skipped a beat. There had been so many tragedies the first time around—tragedies that he had had no way of preventing, because he just hadn't known about them, so he knew that he shouldn't have felt guilty about those incidents—they could not have been prevented—not by him, anyway.

But now, he would have an opportunity to rectify those mistakes, because he now had foreknowledge of what would pass in the future—or was it the present?—and could make decisions based on that knowledge, which would grant him a huge advantage over the Dark Signers—after all, how frequently did people get second chances, chances to do things over again?

Actually, Yusei surmised, there was actually no way of knowing, because there was no way of detecting if someone was from the future or not—in fact, for all he knew, there could be dozens of people being whisked away to the past to do things over every second, and no one besides themselves would ever know. But since that possibility was intractable and hence irrelevant, Yusei tossed it into the back of his head. Of course, mistakes that had occurred in the even further past—for example, Yusei knew that Kalin had already been captured, because he hadn't started building his Duel Runner the first time around until afterward—could not be changed, but he could make the best of things and try to fix those mistakes before it became too late—break Kalin out, for example, before the Dark Signers got to him.

Yusei briefly wondered of deities—such as the Crimson Dragon, or Exodia—could sense changes in time, and thus know if someone had been thrown back in the timeline, but he quickly shook that thought out of his head as well—as with his earlier theory, it was simply conjecture, and unprovable conjecture at that—and so practically speaking it was useless.

Not to mention, of course, that he didn't even know if his theory that he had traveled back in time was true.

But he also knew that no matter what the reality of his situation was, he had no choice but to act anyway—and hadn't he himself thought, before Rally entered, that he was a man of action? He decided then—he would act as though everything was normal—and he would proceed forward from here, fixing all of his mistakes along the way. Things had worked themselves out in the end last time, he knew, but at the cost of so much suffering and lives… If there was any time to begin again, erase all of that suffering, Yusei knew it had to be now… right after he'd miraculously been given a clean slate to start all over with.

"Uh, Yusei?" Rally waved a hand in front of Yusei's face. "Earth to Yusei! Are you there?"

"What's taking so long?" Blitz peered in, looking at Yusei curiously. "Hey, Yusei! Are you ready to do the test?"

Yusei blinked, snapping out of his reverie. "Uh, yeah. I'm ready." He looked down at himself, seeing that he was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and his usual black sleeveless shirt with a red symbol in the center. "Just let me get dressed real quick."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Rally started jumping up and down again. "Guys! I talked to Jack yesterday, and I told him that he was welcome to come watch the test if he wanted! He said no, but… I'll go ask him again now, see if he changed his mind!"

Jack! Yusei gave a start. Of course! How could he have forgotten… The day of the test was the day that Jack had kidnapped Rally and took Yusei's Runner and his Stardust Dragon! He knew that he couldn't let Rally go talk to Jack.

"Jack?" Blitz frowned. "You asked him? I never liked that guy… He always seemed too much like the 'lone wolf' type, if you know what I mean."

"Well, yeah, but…" Rally hesitated. "He and Yusei used to be such good friends! Friends don't just stop being friends, just like that!" He snapped his fingers for emphasis. "I figured that if Jack came to watch Yusei ride the new Runner, we could snap him out of it, and have Yusei and him make up!"

"You know, Rally," Yusei cut in as he pulled on his pants and then his boots, "that's a good idea. But I think that Jack is little unstable right now. He's… lonely, right now. And that could make him dangerous." After he finished zipping up his pants, his starting putting on his trademark blue jacket. "While I do think it would be a good idea if Jack came to see the test, I think that I should be the one to go talk to him." This way, he thought, Jack can't abduct Rally and use him to force me to give him Stardust. And maybe, just maybe… he can be the first of my mistakes that I'll fix.

Rally blinked. "Uh, okay."

"All right." Yusei stood up, fully dressed. "Rally, Blitz, follow me." He strode out of his makeshift room and out into the "living room" of his little hiding spot, where Nervin and Tank were waiting.

"Hey, Yus'," Tank greeted him jovially. "So when do we start?"

"Just as soon as I get something done," Yusei answered. "I need to go and talk to Jack."

"Jack?" Tank said skeptically. "I dunno, Yusei… You and Jack haven't exactly been on good terms, lately…"

"Yeah, that's right!" agreed Nervin. "Are you sure you want him to come?"

"Jack is Jack," Yusei answered evenly. "He's always been the most ambitious one out of all of us. And quite frankly, I can't blame him. After all, remember our own dream." He took out his most treasured card, Stardust, and placed it gently on the half-broken table at the center of the room. "Our dream is the same as everyone else's dream: We want to make our lives better. It's not through any fault of our own that we were born into Satellite—and Jack's been the one who's always known that fact best. None of the residents of Satellite deserve to live like this—not us, not Jack, not anyone. Jack always wanted something more, and although that need was temporarily curbed by him being part of the Enforcers, now that Kalin's been taken away, it's back, and stronger than ever. And now that we've been able to connect to New Domino City's channels and watch Turbo Duels, his life has finally been put into perspective… and he wants out of Satellite. And in fact, that's the same thing we all want." He tapped the Stardust Dragon card on the table. "The difference is, we've got hope—and Stardust is what symbolizes that for us—Stardust and that Duel Runner of ours. Jack's got nothing like that—all he's got is resentment for the hand he's been dealt in life, and with nothing else to do, he's taking that resentment out on us. And I don't know about you," he continued, his voice rising, "but Jack is still my friend, and I'm going to reach out to him in any way I can!"

This bold proclamation was followed by several moments of silence. Rally was the first to react. "That's right!" he yelled enthusiastically. "We're going to help Jack get through this in any way we can!"

"Well said, Yusei, Rally," smiled Nervin, clapping softly. "I never really thought about it that way… but you've opened my eyes to Jack's point of view."

"That's right," drawled Blitz, smirking at Yusei. "And that's why Yusei here'll definitely be the one to find a way out of this hellhole. He's one of a kind, I tell ya. We're lucky to have him here."

"I suppose that does make sense," Tank agreed reluctantly. Then he scowled. "But I still don't like Jack's attitude toward us—like he's all superior or something—"

Yusei put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Jack is dealing with the situation the only way he knows how," he said. "It's up to us to show him that there is another way to cope." Another way for things to play out, too, he thought inwardly. A better way.

He picked Stardust up off of the table, handing it to Rally, who looked at the white-blue dragon with awe. "Rally, I need to look after this for me while I go talk to Jack, okay?" After receiving the red-haired boy's solemn nod, he stretched his arms. "Well, I'm off to look for Jack now. You guys stay here, okay?"

"You've got it!" shouted Rally eagerly, eyes shining with admiration for his hero. "We'll wait for you forever if that's what it takes, Yusei!"

Genuinely touched, Yusei gave everyone present a warm smile before turning around and jumping onto the abandoned rails that served as the entrance for their little hideaway. His first instinct was to use his Duel Runner… but something held him back. Maybe it was the fact that it didn't seem right to ride it just yet, without Jack present. Or perhaps he subconsciously realized that seeing Yusei riding a brand-new, shiny Runner was hardly going to open Jack up to what Yusei wanted to say. Whatever the reason, Yusei took one last look at the glinting white Duel Runner that he still remembered first having constructed… and took off across the railroad tracks, running toward the future.

"Jack."

The blonde man turned around and scowled, recognizing the voice of the new arrival. "Yusei."

"I thought I'd find you here." Yusei's voice was calm, steady. He'd had the advantage of knowing exactly where to look, of course, having been told by Rally after he'd rescued him, but it probably wouldn't have been the best idea to reveal that to Jack. "You always did like high places… so you can look over everything, as if you're watching over it, right?" They were currently standing on top of a huge building facing the ocean, which was raging this particularly day—perfect weather to put a little kid in, Yusei thought, to force his friend to come and rescue him.

"What do you want?" Jack asked, his own voice cold and hostile—the complete opposite of Yusei's.

"Rally told me what happened." Yusei took a step forward. "You want to change your mind?"

"Not particularly." There was no telling what was going on in the blonde man's head; his violet eyes were completely unreadable.

"Jack," Yusei pressed. "Are you sure? It could be just like old times… you could have fun again, see all of your old friends: Rally, Blitz, Nervin—"

"I don't want to see them, okay?!" Jack whipped around, all of sudden breathing heavily. "I don't want it to be like old times again! Those days are over, Yusei!"

Yusei just looked at him, calmly, silently, waiting for him to make another move.

"It's over…" As he breathed this, Jack seemed to calm down again. "All of it's over…"

Yusei wanted so badly to tell him that he knew how Jack felt, because he did know, and that everything could still work out, because he had found a way to make it work—a way for everyone to get what they wanted—for Jack to become King, for the denizens of the Satellite to get a better life, and for everything to get better—but to do that right now would result in more complications, ones that he didn't fancy having to deal with. He laughed inwardly, remembering how simple it was back then, back when their only worries were getting out of the Satellite and getting a better life—nothing to do with the Dark Signers whatsoever. And Yusei intended to keep it that way—but it wouldn't work if he didn't keep control of himself and not blurt out his plans whenever he felt like it. Instead, he said, "What do you want, Jack? Ever since Kalin left, you've grown distant from the rest of us. Is there something that you feel is missing from our life? Something that you want back?" That's right, he thought, don't push him, let him do the talking, let him wear himself out…

"I don't want something back," snarled Jack. "I want something more!"

Sensing that the barrier Jack had built was breaking down, Yusei allowed himself some inner satisfaction. Jack never was the best at distancing himself… "More?" he asked, feigning ignorance. "What do you mean, 'more'?"

Sighing, Jack turned his back on Yusei again, watching the ocean move. "I don't belong here, Yusei," he admitted, almost more to himself than to his visitor.

"What are you talking about? That's completely wrong," Yusei said. "You belong here, all right, because that's where your friends are! You belong with us!"

"No!" Jack snapped, turning around again, seemingly conflicted about something—something that Yusei already knew about, and understood, completely. "That's not what I mean! Friends used to be enough…" His voice grew softer, and Yusei had to strain to hear. "Being with you, Crow, and Kalin… defeating all the Duel Gangs… making Satellite a better place… It made me think anything was possible—that we were making a difference!" His voice grew in volume again, reaching an apex as Jack's frustration grew and became apparent. "But Kalin went off the deep end and got himself captured, and then the rest of the group—you, me, Crow—just broke apart—disintegrated! It got me thinking, Yusei!"

"Thinking about what, Jack?" Yusei asked softly.

Jack growled. "Don't you get it yet, Yusei?! All of those dreams that we had—of making Satellite a better place, of being its noble protectors—they're exactly that: nothing but dreams! It's like a wolf howling at the moon—no matter how hard he howls, he'll never reach it, because it's just too far away! No matter how good we are," he yelled, "we can't make a difference, because we're too small, and the world is too big! But you know what, Yusei?" His breathing grew heavy, ragged, irregular. "Even if we're not good enough to make a difference—and mark my words, we never will be—we're still really good!"

"Exactly," agreed Yusei. "So what's the problem? We're really good already, Jack… We can get good enough to make a difference, and if you'd just come watch me—I can show you how—"

"No, Yusei!" Jack seemed frustrated at the crab-haired man's lack of understanding. "You're wrong! But that's not the point, anyway!" He swept his hand to point at the ocean—no, not at the ocean, across the ocean—across the roiling waters at the distant silhouette of New Domino City. Yusei noticed Goodwin's old Daedalus Bridge reaching dismally across the water, and then abruptly ending—just like Jack's philosophy, he realized: Starting with unending hopes and ambitions and then beginning on a journey, going well, making progress—and suddenly crashing and burning, only to realize that the hope was simply too much, too unrealistic, too idealistic to achieve.

"My point is," Jack continued, "that we're really good! And I mean really good! A lot better than those chumps in New Domino City! That first Duel I saw with that pathetic 'King' of theirs—I spotted about seven mistakes he made in the first two rounds! And that's the problem, Yusei!" He clenched his hands into fists. "If we're so good, if we're so much better than those New Domino City pampered brats and businessmen—then why the hell were we born into the slums of Satellite with nothing, while they got everything?!"

"Maybe it's because we were born here that we're so good," Yusei said quietly. "Have you ever considered that, Jack? Have you ever considered that the people of Satellite are forced to be good, because it's not just a matter of pride to them, like it is to the people of New Domino—it's a matter of life and death? That your strength, your pride, your roots, come from the Satellite? That your life in the Satellite is the reason you're so good—why all of us are?"

Jack sighed. "I have considered that, Yusei," he said. "And don't get me wrong, I am thankful because of it. But I've grown up, Yusei. We all have. You, Crow, me—we're not those little kids that Martha used to take care of anymore. I'm nearly seventeen, and you and Crow are both sixteen—we're nearly full-grown adults! It's time for us to spread our wings and fly!" Then, the frown on his face briefly became a smirk. "Actually, that's probably something Crow would say." His face turned solemn again. "But there's only one place to fly to. And that's New Domino City. Do you see why I can't come watch your silly little games now, Yusei?" He swept is arm back to point at New Domino City once more. "I have more important things to deal with! I deserve to be King—not some chump who grew up sheltered from the world by his rich, namby-pamby parents!"

"Jack…" whispered Yusei, unsure of what to say. Now would have been a good time to reveal his plan, he thought ruefully, but then he would have to explain how he had known about Lazar's supposedly secret visit with Jack, and that would plant the seed of suspicion that Yusei had sent him, not Goodwin—and that was not something that Yusei wanted to happen.

Fortunately, he was spared from having to answer when, in a flash of impulsivity, Jack started talking. "And Yusei… Don't think that my efforts have all been for nothing. I have found a way out of Satellite and to New Domino. But I need something of yours."

"Oh?" Yusei asked, his eyes narrowing. Here it comes…

"I need your Stardust Dragon and that Duel Runner of yours. I'm asking nicely, Yusei. One friend to another. I need them, Yusei. They're my only hope for getting out of Satellite and into the city. And I'll strike you a deal." Jack's voice was earnest and sincere. "I know it's a big thing to ask of you, but I promise this: If you agree, I'll tell you how I plan to get there. And then, with your skills, I know you can cobble up another Duel Runner, and then you'll be able to get to the city, too—and then, I'll give you Stardust back—and then you can use it to help all of your friends, like I know you want to. Deal?"

Yusei frowned. Jack hadn't taken such a diplomatic approach last time… What had changed this time? Was it the fact that he didn't have an easy hostage? Or was something truly different from last time around? But then, how was that possible? If it was truly a case of time travel, shouldn't everything have been exactly the same? Unless it wasn't time travel, and it really was all just some mental illusion… But what if Jack really hadn't wanted to use Rally, but hadn't seen another way? What if, since Yusei himself had showed up this time, he felt that asking was the best option after all?

If worst came to worst, Yusei supposed that he could just give Jack Stardust. After all, Jack had promised to give it back once Yusei built another Duel Runner—and Jack Atlas was many things, not least of which were an insensitive jerk, a prick, and a loudmouth—but he wasn't a liar. But doing so would put Jack under Goodwin's thumb again, and heavens knew that his ego had had enough stroking back when he was part of the Enforcers. He could attempt to negotiate with Jack, giving him the Duel Runner but not Stardust—but Yusei knew that Stardust Dragon was part of Jack's deal with Lazar, and Jack would not back down on that. He could outright refuse, of course—but that could prompt Jack to attempt to win Stardust and the Duel Runner by force, and while Yusei was confident he could protect his gang and possessions from the blonde, violet-eyed Duelist, that was a road he didn't want their relationship to take. Or, he could suggest his alternate plan—but that, again, would lead to complications, especially how he had known about Lazar. Better to play it safe and let Jack do the elaborating than the other way around—then he could reveal his plan, having an excuse for knowing about Lazar.

Mind set, Yusei continued to prod. "I'm not sure I like where this is going. I know you always you keep your word, Jack, but this sounds a bit shadowy to me. All of a sudden, you found a way to get out of Satellite all by yourself? And I can understand needing a Runner to do it, but Stardust Dragon? That doesn't seem like it would be particularly helpful on your escapade, unless you promised it to someone else as payment for your escape plan… I'm sorry, Jack, but I need more details before I go agreeing to anything. If you won't give me details, then the deal is off."

Jack's eyes widened. How had Yusei figured it out so quickly? Had he been that transparent? His eyes hardened. If Yusei wouldn't give the card and Runner to him willingly, he could always Duel the crab-haired teen for them, but he wasn't confident that he could win. Yusei had always been just a step above him on the ladder, Dueling-wise. Sure, he had scored some victories against the crab-haired Duelist, including that time when he had been able to lecture Yusei on the importance of Dueling with heart—now that had been fun—but the vast majority of their Duels usually end in a victory for Yusei, and Jack wasn't confident enough in his win-loss ratio against Yusei to bet his future on it. At this point, the truth really was seeming like the best option.

"Well," he began, "I was visited, you see."

"Visited?" Yusei's brilliant sapphire eyes, normally so warm and trusting, seemed cold and shrewd.

"Not by anyone bad," Jack assured him quickly. He paused, debating whether not to continue. He decided that there was no harm in telling Yusei more, and so he resumed speaking. "I was visited by this clown-like fellow; called himself Lazar, really weird guy. Anyway, he said he was Goodwin's right hand man, and said that he knew I wanted to be King, and that he knew a way for me to get to the top—and he said that I needed a Duel Runner to do it, as well as two particular cards: Stardust Dragon…and Red Dragon Archfiend."

"I see." Yusei's expression was unreadable. "Continue."

"Continue?" Jack blinked. "Continue what? That's there is to it!" What was Yusei playing at?

"Well," Yusei said, "surely he didn't just tell you what you needed, did he?"

"Huh?" Jack asked, not understanding.

"Well, if he just told you that you needed a Duel Runner and those two Dragon cards," Yusei spoke slowly, "and nothing else, that wouldn't really be much help, now would it? I mean, what? You're just supposed to take the Duel Runner and cards and go… where? At the top of the tallest building in Satellite? In the western portion of the sewer networks? Or is there some secret passageway that you're supposed to ride through?"

"Yusei!" Jack snapped, his anger back in full force. "I can't tell you that! That's part of our deal, remember? I'll tell you how I'm doing it after you give me your card and Duel Runner!"

"I see." Yusei's voice was emotionless. "Well, Jack, I'm sorry I couldn't be of more use to you, then. As far as I'm concerned, there is no deal."

"What?" Jack yelled in frustration. "Yusei! You can't just—you can't just say 'no'! What happened to our friendship, huh?! What happened to the times when you could trust me?!"

"I do trust you, Jack," Yusei said.

"Well, then, give me your—"

"But," Yusei continued, interrupting Jack, "the problem is, I still need my Duel Runner and Stardust Dragon card."

"What could you possibly need them for?" Jack ground out impatiently.

"You're not my only friend, Jack," Yusei answered evenly. "Stardust is a symbol of hope for all of my friends—so life can be better for them someday. And my Runner—my Runner is vehicle that will bring those hopes about."

"Didn't you hear me earlier?!" Jack roared, looking ready to pounce on Yusei. "You can't make any hopes come about in Satellite! The only one whose hopes can come true is me!"

"Jack," Yusei said, "I know that you've always had huge ambitions. And I know that the way you see it, getting to New Domino City is the beginning of greatness for you. And you are my friend, Jack, believe me. If I could give you my Runner and Stardust, I would. But I can't do that just yet. I need to help all my friends. But… you don't need to tell me how you intend to get to New Domino City. Truth be told, I've been working on a way to get there as well. But whereas your way involves striking deals with Goodwin's lackeys… I'm going to get there all by myself, with no help from anyone from New Domino, least of all Goodwin. And I'm not just going to be going for myself, either. When I go… it'll be for all of my friends in the Satellite."

"What?" growled Jack. "You're planning on going, too? And you didn't tell me?!"

"I was going to tell you, Jack," Yusei replied evenly. "In fact, that's why I came to meet you in person, instead of sending Rally. I was planning to tell you after you agreed to come watch. I was even going to ask you to come with me. What I didn't count on… was you striking a deal with this 'Lazar' person."

"I had no choice!" defended Jack, but Yusei could tell that his resolve was cracking. "It was the only way out!"

Yusei held out a hand. "It doesn't have to be, Jack. Come with me."

"Yeah, well… How can I come with you, anyway? Your Duel Runner isn't built for two, and even as skilled as you are, I doubt you can put together another one so quickly!"

"You underestimate me, Jack. I'll bet you my entire Deck minus Stardust that I can build another one within the month."

"Yusei…!"

Yusei smiled. "You're grasping at straws, Jack. My way is better and you know it. Besides… this way, you'll actually have my help, whereas if you decide to go with this 'Lazar', I won't help you by giving you Stardust."

Jack's face tightened and relaxed in quick succession. "…Fine!" he spoke through gritted teeth. "But say I were to agree to come with you. What's the catch? There's always a catch!"

"Jack," said Yusei, genuinely hurt this time. "I'm not Lazar. How could you have forgotten? I don't force you into unfair deals. I'm sincerely asking you to come with me! There is no catch! All you have to do is wait while I build the Duel Runner, and we'll be good to go!"

"That's not good enough, Yusei!" Jack cried out, punching the door of a nearby storage closet on the building's roof. "'Just you and me' isn't how you work! You said it yourself: You have other friends to tend to! Why would you leave them behind?! That's not what you do!" Something's definitely up, he thought to himself. But what?

"I'm going for them, too," answered Yusei. "When I get there, I plan to make a deal with Goodwin. One that he won't be able to go back on."

"Oh, really?" Jack laughed bitterly. "And what makes you think he'll listen to you?"

Yusei frowned. He had to pretend that he didn't know about Jack's birthmark… but he couldn't use his own as proof because it hadn't showed up yet at that point in time. He braced himself. This next sentence required the utmost strategy… A single wrong utterance could turn Jack against him again.

"I've got some dirt on him." Not entirely untrue, he thought to himself. After all, he was the only one who knew Goodwin's true identity and goals. And besides, he'd never said that he'd use the information when striking the deal—still, Yusei knew that he was banking on technicalities to convince himself that he wasn't lying to his friends—and even though he knew that it was for the best, it sickened him to be doing this; it made him feel like Goodwin: conniving and manipulative. Was changing the future really worth it?

Jack looked skeptical. "Oh, really? What sort of dirt—and more importantly, how did someone from the Satellite get their hands on it?"

Yusei winced inwardly, unhappy about being forced to lie—misdirect, he reminded himself, misdirect, not lie—even more. "The truth is, Jack," he began carefully, "I wasn't born in Satellite. I was born in New Domino."

Jack's purple eyes widened even more, his expression morphing into pure shock. "Y-you…?"

"Yes," Yusei continued. "And my dad… he was pretty high up in the security chain. Truth is, my dad knew Goodwin personally." He was making it sound like his father had worked under Goodwin, when in reality Goodwin had actually worked as his lab assistant. "Both my parents were killed in Zero Reverse… but Martha… She told me what happened. It turns out that my dad knew something about Goodwin—" He hesitated. "I can't really say any more. But let me just say this: Goodwin was not an only child."

"You…" Jack continued to stare at him. "That's not possible!"

Yusei sighed. "You just want to believe that it isn't possible, Jack. You're in denial. And frankly, I can't blame you after such a huge revelation. But reality doesn't work that way… Believe me, Jack, even though I was originally born in New Domino, I grew up with you and Crow… and nothing's going to change that."

"No…" Jack whispered hoarsely. "You can't be… Someone from New Domino City can't be in the Satellite!"

"Yes, he can, Jack." Yusei took a step toward his friend. "And the proof of it… is right here." He spread his arms.

"You…!" Jack shook his head wildly. "All this time…? You've never told any of us anything? I grew up with a citizen of New Domino City… without ever knowing it?!"

"I didn't find out myself until recently, Jack!" shouted Yusei, which was true; he hadn't known about his heritage until Goodwin had told him during the Dark Signer incident. "Believe me, if I had known before, I would have told you! But what I want to know is this: How does that change anything between us, Jack?! Maybe I was born in New Domino, and maybe I did end up here because of Zero Reverse… but that doesn't change the fact that I grew up in the Satellite, or the fact that you're my friend! And I'm offering you a way out of the Satellite!"

"Why should I trust you?!" Jack shot back.

Yusei shook his head. This was not going at all the way he envisioned it. "You have no reason not to trust me, Jack! I've never betrayed you, and I never will! Goodwin, on the other hand—have you ever stopped to consider why a man like him would ever reach out to someone from the Satellite like you? Did you really think it's because you're really good?! Wrong! Goodwin doesn't make deals, Jack, not with people below him—he manipulates and connives! You have to trust someone in your life, Jack, or you'll just be a friendless loner—and now the only question is who you're going to trust: Me, and the rest of your friends, who've stuck with you through thick and thin, or this 'Lazar' person sent by Goodwin, who you never even met until yesterday!"

Jack grasped his head, letting out a scream of frustration, clearly recognizing that the crab-haired man was right, but refusing to admit it. "I can't help it, Yusei! Goodwin and his cronies… they're the only ones with power in this corrupt system! They're the ones who can get me to the top… and who can do it effortlessly!"

"Come on, Jack," Yusei yelled, "you've always said that you deserve to be King! Does the King let others do his work for him? Does the King rise to the top because of some deal he made? If you deserve to be King so much, Jack—then prove it! Prove it by getting out of the Satellite the hard way—with no help from anyone but your friends! Look at me! I found a way out of Satellite, and I'm planning on going—with or without you, but I didn't have to be approached by Goodwin to do it! And I'm asking you to come with me—it's that simple!"

"That's not good enough, Yusei!" Jack bellowed, expression pained. "I want—no, I need out, Yusei! Can't you understand?! I don't belong here anymore! Maybe in the past, but—"

"Why in the past, Jack?!" Yusei returned heatedly. "Maybe you're so far gone that you don't remember, but in that case, I'll remind you: You used to think you belonged because you had hope! Remember Kalin and the Enforcers?! The four of us had a dream, a hope, something to work for, to strive toward—I didn't hear you complaining back then!"

"Yes, we had a hope!" Jack snapped. "A hope that got crushed when Kalin got taken! Everything I said earlier still holds: Hope isn't enough! The only way you can get power"—he looked down at his hands, which were rough and dirty, toughened from years of abuse in the Satellite—"is by making a deal with power!"

"That's not true, Jack!"

"Yes, it is!"

"No, and you know why? Because even if your hopes are dashed, even if your dream is crushed—you can rise up and keep going! That's the difference between you and me and Crow—when Kalin got captured, every one of us felt the same thing! Despair! The difference is that Crow and I got up and slowly started building up hope again, while you sank down into the depths of self-pity! But now, Jack, I can tell you this, and I'm not kidding: Our hopes are very close to fruition, because I have found a way out of the Satellite—and I can go alone, right now, but I don't want to! I want you to come with me!"

Jack opened his mouth to retort, then closed it. "…Why me, Yusei? Why do you still believe in me? I'm… broken, a shell of the person I used to be…"

"That's exactly why!" Yusei answered, hoping that he was finally getting through to the stubborn, violet-eyed man. "You're broken because you've given up hope—and I want you to come, so that I can show you first-hand what hope can do! I want to show you first-hand that as long as you have hope, you don't need to make deals with power, you can get wherever you want—and I want to show you that by taking you to New Domino City with me! Why can't you understand that we—me, Rally, Blitz, Nervin, Tank, and Crow—just want to help you?!"

Jack's voice cracked. "I… I don't deserve your help, Yusei."

Yusei opened his mouth to answer, but the blonde-haired man continued without acknowledging him.

"The truth is, Yusei… I've always been jealous of you."

Yusei's reply died in his throat, which suddenly felt constricted and dry. Jack was… jealous of him? But why would he be?

"Out of you, me, and Crow," Jack continued, "you've always been the good one—the natural leader, while I was the loner—the light to my darkness. Somehow, along with being a good Duelist like the rest of us, you also got everyone else to look up to you—a gift that I suppose Crow also has, to an extent"—he remembered the ginger-haired teen's so-called "family" of little children—"but the thing is, that sort of thing is something I've never been able to pull off. Heck, even Kalin looked to you for advice sometimes; when he went too far overboard and realized it—you were the brain then, the balancer—the one everyone expected to be able to salvage the situation." He laughed bitterly. "And they were always right, too."

"Jack—" Yusei began, but then he stopped, realizing for the first time in their conversation that he had no idea what to say.

"It got me thinking." Jack's eyes were fixed on an invisible spot on the ground—or roof, depending on your perspective—unmoving, unwavering. "That's why I really wanted to leave. Sure, I really did think that hope was useless, and I really was sick of the Satellite, but the main reason was—I didn't—no, I couldn't—bear to see you with so many friends, while I had none. I couldn't understand how anyone could be so—so—satisfied in the Satellite, like you were, but I guess that's just another difference between us." He laughed again, though there was no humor in the sound. "You see the good in everyone and everything—no matter what the situation is, you refuse to give up, while I"—he clenched his fists—"I just see the worst. That's why I wanted to get away, ride into the city, because I wanted a place where I could actually be considered the best, and not just second-best, always behind you, Yusei. It hurt when I first admitted to myself, and to a degree, it still does, but I've come to realize that it's true, Yusei. You're better than I am. And i-if what you're saying is true, then go for it, Yusei. Take my blessing. Head off into the city. Who knows, maybe someday I'll get my head straight and come after you. I have no idea what's gotten into me"—he chuckled—"but maybe it's just the first time I've been thinking clearly in months. Go, Yusei. Go to New Domino. You're the one that deserves it—not me."

"That's not true, Jack!" Yusei suddenly found his voice again, and he panicked—his talk with Jack was supposed to motivate the other person, not break him down so hard that he gave up altogether! "You deserve every bit as much as I do—because you're my friend, Jack, and—in my eyes, at least—that makes you every bit as worthy as you seem to think I am. I said earlier that I could go alone, without you—but really, that was just a bluff, Jack—I'm not taking no for an answer! If I have to knock you out and ride my Runner to the city with you hanging over my shoulder, I'll do it! I don't care what you say, Jack—I'm not giving up on you!"

Jack's eyes looked at once hopeful and dejected. "Stop it, Yusei. You're lucky that my mind is so clear right now—otherwise, I would probably have tried to attack you and take Stardust and that Runner of yours by force, already. But stop trying to tempt me, Yusei, because my resolve isn't as strong as yours… and I can't hold out for much longer if you keep on talking to me this way."

"I'm not trying to tempt you." Yusei's voice was calm and steady. "But the truth is this: You're coming with me to New Domino City, and I don't care what you say!"

"Damn it, Yusei!" A crack! reverberated through the air as Jack's fist hit the stone floor. "Do you see the problem?! This is the problem! Even now, you hold on to that friendship of ours—you just can't let things go! This is exactly what I mean when I say you're better than me! Listen, Yusei: If you really, truly value our friendship, if you really want to do me one final favor—then prove me wrong! You kept on saying it over and over earlier: I was wrong, I'm just as worthy as you, you're not better than me—well, then, prove it! Prove it by getting on that Duel Runner of yours and riding into the city—without me! Then I'll finally have satisfaction that you really aren't any better than me!"

Yusei's eyes widened. Are these the sort of thoughts that Jack has been hiding this whole time? "Jack—I don't need to prove it! You've proved it yourself already!"

Jack looked up in surprise. "I've… proved it? When?"

"When you kept on insisting that I go without you—and how you didn't have as strong a resolve as I did, and that I should go before you gave in to temptation—didn't it occur to you that you were resisting temptation that whole time? And the whole thing about me going on without you—that's selflessness, one of the leadership qualities that you keep on saying you're so jealous of me for having! You've already proved yourself wrong—but not by lowering me to what you think is your level, but by rising to my level! If you want to be proved wrong so badly—there you go! So now, I'm going to ask you again, Jack: Are you coming with me?"

"Yusei…" Jack whispered, his expression flickering first to shock, then anger, and finally… gratitude. "You really mean it, don't you?"

"I've meant it from the very beginning, Jack." Yusei fixed his friend with a clear stare. "It was you who refused to acknowledge it."

Jack's face slowly morphed into a slight smile—the closest he was ever going to come to a full-out grin. "…Well, Yusei, I did say that I couldn't resist temptation for long, and I wasn't lying; my resolve has just been shattered. You win. No more deals with Goodwin or his lackeys for me! So now that you've convinced me, Yusei, let's hear this plan of yours—and it'd better be good!"

Yusei smiled. He had succeeded with Jack—no longer would his best friend be forced to live his life under the watchful eye of Rex Goodwin, and he would slowly continue building Jack up—until the idea of betraying one's friends was as unthinkable to the blonde-haired man as it was to the rest of them. If this was an omen of things to come, then perhaps he truly did stand a chance of changing the future for the better. Motioning for Jack to come closer, he leaned in and whispered, "Well…"

"Amazing." Jack leaned back, his eyes twinkling. He and Yusei were now seated on the roof, both gazing calmly out at the ocean, which had slowly calmed down over the course of Yusei's explanation. "I finally feel as though there's hope again—as if we can make a difference. The last time I felt this feeling was back with the Enforcers—with Kalin."

"There always was hope, Jack," replied Yusei, smiling at his friend—a friend who had never betrayed him, who as far as anyone else knew was still just plain old Jack Atlas, member of the Enforcers and friend of Yusei and Crow. And I plan to keep it that way. "You just didn't see it until now."

"But… still." Jack laughed out loud, not an empty, bitter laugh like before, but a full, deep laugh, filled with spirit and energy. It was really remarkable, Yusei thought, how much unnoticed tension had been hiding in the blonde's thin frame before—but now that it was gone, the difference was marked and altogether stunning. "After Kalin's capture… I didn't think it was possible for me to feel hope again. But now… we're going to do something better than Kalin ever dreamed—we're going to unite Satellite and New Domino City!"

Yusei nodded. "That's right, Jack, we are going to do more than Kalin ever dared to dream of—but I hope you realize that we're not surpassing his dream, Jack, we're just extending it. Kalin was the first one who taught us to hope and to dream, and we owe a lot to him for that."

"But…" The violet eyes narrowed. "If we owe so much to him… it doesn't feel right, just sitting here, talking about him. I mean, I know he's been taken by Security, but… it feels like we're dishonoring him, somehow—just by talking about him."

"That's understandable," answered Yusei, who was inwardly feeling the same way. "While we may strive to push his dream forward, it's not like Kalin's dead—he's still alive, but just locked away in the Facility. It doesn't feel right to talk about him as though he's passed away, and we're just carrying on his legacy… right?"

"Yeah, that's exactly right. It feels…"

Yusei abruptly stood back up. "That's why we're not going to just sit around talking about him, Jack." If we leave Kalin in the Facility… he'll eventually be approached by the Dark Signers… and I'm not going to let that happen. "We're going to bust him out." He had intended to bring this up after the test run, but now was as good a time as any, especially since Jack had brought up the topic.

Jack stood up as well, eyeing the crab-haired man curiously. "Really, now?"

"Yes, we are." Yusei's tone left no room for debate. And in fact, he had already formed the beginnings of a plan…

Yusei Fudo has found himself whisked into the past after a midnight visit by an unknown person. Although he does not recall the encounter, he has figured out enough to know that he must take action. Now that he has successfully convinced Jack to forget his deal with Lazar, and with a strategic plan already prepared, all that's left for the two to do is to put the plan into action: building a second Duel Runner, informing the rest of their friends about the plan, and of course, breaking Kalin out of the Facility. Unfortunately, things like that are always easier said than done… Will Yusei's plan to change to future succeed? Or will he find out the hard way exactly why meddling with time is dangerous? Find out next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Rewriting the Future!