He's a Lady
Author's Note: Title is a play on the song, "She's a Lady." Ruka's unnamed friends from the epilogue are here named after two of the voice actresses who provided extra dialogue in episode 153. The nickname "Jelly Bean" originates from the card Jelly Beans Man (Jerry Beans Man), which is one of Ruka's spirits. Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's series.
Pairings: Established Rua x Rally. Referenced past Rally x Ruka.
Summary:
Rua and Ruka reunite with someone from back home. The twins introduce Rua's cutie pie to Ruka's university friends.
"'Draw 2 cards' was the correct choice."
"I answered 'Your opponent draws 2 cards.'"
As Ruka and her schoolmates crossed the campus gates, the male student body turned her way. Half a dozen jocks and nerds bumped into one another, so wrapped up ogling the green-haired maiden they forgot to watch where they were going. At twenty-one, their gawping stares were all too familiar to her. While cautiously flattered, Ruka knew her sibling would never permit even a complimentary coffee unless a prospective gentleman caller held the purest regard for his dear sister. And since Rua was protective to a fault, that meant Ruka rarely entered into any lasting romantic relationships.
Jeez! She didn't go around judging his dates! Though truth be told, she didn't have to. Despite not interfering with his love life, Rua kept to a sweetie of one.
It was a bothersome double standard, and how she lost her first boyfriend.
When Ruka bewailed Rua's mollycoddling, Mika and Hisato expressed obligatory sympathies. However, the pity directed toward her remained short-lived. Her friends had come down with a case of "brother-itis," as she phrased it. The ladies fawned over him just as the lads did over her. They were twins, identical in all respects except gender, it seemed.
Five minutes ahead of schedule, Rua zoomed up astraddle his D-Wheel, tires screeching to a halt. Hundreds of schooldays, he'd done no different. Only this time, he was carrying a passenger that wasn't his sister.
"Who's that?" Hisato probed the second rider in Ruka's helmet.
"My brother's Jelly Bean."
The women squealed.
"You didn't tell us your brother wasn't fair game!"
"I'm dying! Lucky!"
Aloud, they praised the lass (mostly out of envy), but internally, they picked apart her appearance with a fine-tooth comb. Why the tattoo underneath her eye? How'd she get her hair so frizzy? Was that a bathrobe she was wearing over her sundress?
Ruka introduced the newcomer to them as Rally Dawson, a childhood friend of a friend of hers from before she and Rua emigrated to London.
"Long time no see, Rally. How's Satellite been treating you?"
Ah, Satellite. The former ghetto connected via the Daedalus Bridge to Neo Domino City. Harsh contrast to the affluent Tops district where she and Rua used to crash. The name brought back wonderful memories of Yusei and the rest of Team 5D's.
Mika remembered Ruka's stories of the district.
That explained Rally's questionable, bargain/trash bin fashion sense.
"Same old, same old. But you know us Satellite scum," Rally laughed, dabbling in the self-derogatory. "Resilient and hard-working."
Rua perched his chin on Rally's shoulder. "Well? Where are we eating?"
"Still a fan of grilled lettuce and bell pepper beef kebabs?" Ruka asked Rally.
"You bet!"
"Wow, that's oddly specific! You must have been tight!" Hisato commented.
"Is it that unusual?" Ruka thought not much of it. "Rally's my ex."
"Tap the brakes. Ruka, you dated a chick?"
"Excuse me! I am not a girl!" Rally stressed.
The reveal struck like cannon fire. Like a turbo-boosted rocket. A one-shot to the head.
"Then you –?" Mika's gaze swerved between Rally and Rua.
"You and he –!" Hisato clawed the sides of her face.
Rua chuckled at the misunderstanding. Not an uncommon mistake. "Sorry to disappoint you he's my guy."