Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's – D-Mechs
by Yusei
Summary – "5DX. Fighting against the oppression of Neo-Domino, the Arcadia Resistance in Satellite uncover the weapons behind power and take a stand, fighting for all of Satellite. A new era is about to begin".
Disclaimer – I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's or any of the characters.
A / N – I have a feeling what you're thinking; "Card Games in Mechas". Well, yes and no; this fic is more of 5D's meeting Gurren Lagann and Evangelion. Honestly, it's been something in the works for a while and, while there's still a few other fics in desperate need of attention, it was something I couldn't keep myself from working on. Hopefully, it was worth it. At this point, I'd like to add that this does crossover with GX and DM later on, at which point, '5DX' will be in the title. Hope you enjoy, please read and review.
It was in the year 20XX when the disaster ripped Neo-Domino City into two. A new plain was born – the isle of Satellite. The parent failed the child and Satellite was abandoned; left as a barren wasteland and a test of survival for those trapped on it. The attention of Neo-Domino had been drawn to the creations that had been produced over the past years – D-Mechs. These machines represented monsters, capable of fitting a human inside to pilot them to the master's will. Many had been lost in the disaster that tore Satellite from the womb, some were suspected of being on the isolated plain. The disaster itself was a result of a major testing operation; to combine D-Mechs with energy used to power them and the City – Momentum. To create a D-Mech out of momentum had never before been considered, but in the wildest dreams of some, it was possible. The real world was another matter.
Thousands were killed in the incident and many more separated from life. The government of the City covered the truth by claiming a terrible storm had attacked the city, simply Mother Nature's invoked wrath against the incredible evolution of mankind. Those in Satellite cared not for excuses, but waited for rescue. To get their lives back. That never came. As a result, those in Satellite quickly became bitter to the City, blind to the needs of those walking alive and lost. Neo-Domino constructed measures to protect itself from the rebellious child and disowned the people completely. There were no physical links between the two, leaving Satellite in the ruins of the past while Neo-Domino continued to prosper and advance.
Officers of the Security military would patrol Satellite using their D-Mechs and helicopters as transport. The journey between the two could easily wear down a strong D-Mech, forcing many to abort a full flight and rely on the manmade copters. There were several types of D-Mechs; ordinary servants and those that evolved when younger machines combined – Synchro and Fusion. Synchro D-Mechs could be created by combining a rare Tuner with a non-Tuner, unleashing a new power that had become a fascination of the creators and experimenters before the incident; Zero Reverse. The Synchro Core in these machines could rely on power or time, but neither could support it across the divide entirely, even evolution had its limitations. Fusions were completely different – two D-Mechs of the correct nature could literally combine, reshaping themselves into one being in a different manner than those of Synchro. The procedure was a fatal one in certain circumstances, but Fusion was still a new concept and D-Mechs capable of pulling it off were rarer than Tuners.
War could easily be waged with these machines as weapons, far more powerful than handheld guns and grenades. That didn't make them invincible, there were many flaws. Regardless, they were a treasure of Neo-Domino. And of those in Satellite. The Resistance of Arcadia had managed to uncover a decent number of D-Mechs in the ruins and soil of their abandoned home, combining themselves as a movement against the oppression from Neo-Domino and willing to fight back, no matter what the cost. Headed by one man, they were small in numbers, but stronger than anyone else in Satellite. They were the people's only chance.
«/File Zero-One: 'Unleashed Power'
«/Location: Satellite – 'Junkyard'
The sun beat down on the barren scrapyard within the parameters of Kuzuyama Tetsuzo's land; there was no breeze to cool the area. Thick clouds of carbon dioxide swam overhead, far beyond the reach of any of Satellite's surviving buildings. In the yard, two young men threw items of twisted metal and broken components out of a garage, into a trailer. One stood and wiped his brow, feeling the drops of sweat clinging to his back trickle downwards. His hair matched the shade of any lapis lazuli sphere, pointed at the edges upwards. He wore a khaki shaded t-shirt, a small golden pendant hung around his neck, clinging onto narrow black rope, and jeans held up by a black belt. He smiled down at his companion, who remained crouched in front of the mass of junk.
"He better be paying us well" he chuckled.
The other didn't answer, but sifted through the pieces in front of him. Black hair divided into spikes hanging over the back of his neck with larger versions either side of his head stood, bent and some with blond highlights. He wore a sleeveless black shirt with a circular crimson pattern over the front, arms of the markings stretched over his shoulders and onto his back. Grey jeans held by a brown belt joined the shirt and brown boots with black soles and small, flat orange circles fixed onto the sides.
The blue-haired man's smile diminished into a neutral line while watching the silent hunter, his eyes moved to the trailer where their jackets hung on the edge; his own was grey with a large steel coloured collar while the other was navy blue, decorated with a complex pattern of black lining and orange half-orbs fixed onto the elbows and collar, two brown gloves matching the boots of his friend were beside the two shirts.
Beyond the junk-filled cart, a small posse approached, led by a rounded man in a lemon yellow suit. On either side of his head, tucked into the short, combed ultramarine hair, his ears hung with lobs long enough to challenge any deity with similar features. Jewels shone by his knuckles. A pattern of alternating rubies and emeralds and a spiked moustache like crooked clock hands pointed upwards from his top lip. He didn't seem the type to run around in Satellite, and he didn't have to – he chose to. As a loan shark and dealer in all black market goods. He was a criminal on the run.
Behind him, three young men and a boy with the body of a girl followed. One with dark blue hair tied into a series of united ponytails and spectacles, another with his spiked hazel hair suppressed by a sky-blue bandana and the third a wide man, umber shaded hair with roots pressed together in a yellow band stretching across his skull, his features wider than those of his friends. The child smiled as he spoke with his friends, long red hair flowing down his back, his scalp hidden beneath a loose yellow hat with an orange badge with black eyes and mouth matching his smile. The most notable feature about him was the yellow triangle beneath his left eye – proof that he had been arrested by Security once before for a crime.
There were a range of punishments, from Markers to periods in a prison on the fearsome Detention Island, even execution. Neo-Domino was strict; it may have turned any icy shoulder to its child, but there was still discipline. The five approached the garage connected to the empty house of the elderly man who was out for the day.
"Hey, they're coming" the blue-haired man whispered to his friend.
The darker-haired worker stood, turning to face the group, none seemed threatening; the leader looked the most comfortable and surprisingly, the more dangerous, of them all. The other four looked as though they wouldn't last long in a decent fight.
"Ah~" the wide man sighed loudly with a sickening smile. "How have you boys been?"
"Fine, though we know it doesn't matter to you" the blue-haired scowled, tightening his eyes as the group. "Who are the new groupies, Garome?"
"Ever the blunt one and eager to get to business, huh, Uryu?" the man chuckled, shaking his head. He stepped aside opening his hand to the four – the blue-haired, the bandana-wearing brunette, the wider man and the child. "Blitz, Nerve, Taka and Rally. They've had a few run-ins with Security as you can see and they came to me looking for protection. I'm offering what they want; of course, they know they'll pay me back". He rubbed the tips of his fingertips like there were notes of paper between them; Garome was all about the money.
"How can you be sure they'd pay, you know not many people in Satellite have money to support themselves, let alone extra to pay for your 'services'" Uryu scowled, bending his middle and forefingers over the last word. He had always been sceptic of the man, someone who charged ridiculous prices for his help.
Garome turned from Uryu and to the silent black-haired boy. "And what of you, Yusei? Have you finally got some money to pay me back?"
"No" Yusei replied bluntly. "Uryu and I have been working to get enough, but like he said, people in Satellite don't have much".
Garome cackled; it was the same story every time; after giving Yusei some money to get by, the boy had been constantly working to pay him back, with the ever-rising interest rate. Of the original agreement, only a small amount had been repaid. He clutched the edge of the cart beside the jackets with one of his glimmering fingers.
"I'll make you a deal; I've got some goods over in the Daimon Area – y'know, the place that people usually steer clear of if they want to get out alive in Neo-Domino. It's a stretch, but there is a barge leaving that you could take to get there, I'm sure they'd give you a ride if you mentioned my name" he spoke with the same greedy grin. "The goods are being taken to the ol' Security Impound Centre, seems the cops got to 'em first. I need you to go get 'em out before they reach that place – you do that, and I'll let you off and cut the amount you owe".
"That amount will only be made up by the next increase in interest" Yusei mumbled coldly.
"Just get the stuff in the convoy and I won't get some thug to bust your ass" Garome snapped, poking Yusei's chest with the tip of his wide forefinger.
"Any thug you pay isn't enough for us" Uryu laughed smugly, pressing his hands against his hips. "Didn't you learn the last time you tried to use that trick? What was the guy's name? Aoyama or something, right?"
"You've got to learn to hold that tongue of yours before it gets someone in trouble" Garome laughed bitterly, casting a cold glare at Uryu, who smirked nonetheless. He then moved his eyes back to Yusei. "They'll be in Daimon tomorrow night; I'll be waiting at Ichisan's place for you if you manage to pull it off without getting yourself caught".
The wide suited man strolled on; the quartet watched the pair for a moment before hastily rushing after their guard. Uryu turned to Yusei, they had few options, and Garome had helped Yusei in the past, including getting him under and clear of Security's radar.
"So what do you plan to do?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Cynicism was written across his face, shining clear in his narrow eyes fixed upon his friend.
Yusei moved his eyes from Uryu and to the ground. Without a word, he crouched and rose in quick succession, holding onto what resembled the exhaust of a car, moved to the cart and tossed the piece in. Immediately afterwards, he snatched his gloves and pulled them on his hands before he looked back.
"He's right. As much as I hate it, I still owe him" he sighed. "I'll have to find out what this convoy is and get what I can out of it".
"But it could be anything. You can't carry 'anything' to the docks and back onto the barge" Uryu protested. "Besides, you know that place is crawling with Security, it's got ex-convicts and such there. This task is crazy; it may as well be suicide".
"Crazy or suicidal, there's no telling what he can do if I refuse" Yusei answered, tugging on his right glove, stretching it over a dark red marking on his arm. The symbol had been there for a while, like a tattoo on his skin in a shape resembling a head, jagged teeth cracked open and an eye in the centre of the spiked head. No-one knew the origins or the meaning of the symbol – on rare occasions, it glowed, but those were times set eras apart.
Uryu sighed, pressing his right hand to the back of his head and looked to the sky in defeat. "I guess you're gonna drop us in it again". He returned to Earth and back to Yusei, whose jacket hung over his arm, a subtle smile lifted the corners of his lips. "I'll go with you. After all, knowing Garome, it's probably parts from the black market. You can't carry those, I can. I'll bring Insect Knight to the docks tonight. Meet ya there".
"You're bringing your D-Mech?" Yusei stated; a hint of surprise in his tone as he watched his companion in the same manner as always. "You'll become a magnet for Security".
"Would you rather you draw their attention?" Uryu questioned, cocking a playful eyebrow. "You want get a Marker like that Rally kid to make you stick out when you pull all-nighters to work?"
Yusei frowned; Uryu was right – without a D-Mech of his own, there was no way to take on any threat from Security. He needed backup. And Uryu was the best he had on such short notice.
"Alright, meet me there tonight" he replied. "But that won't be strong enough to get us across the water entirely".
"I'm sure the guys will let us hitch a ride part of the way" Uryu chuckled. "Besides, to keep Security off your back, I'll just set it down somewhere and let the batteries recharge".
"You make piloting one of those things sound easy" Yusei mumbled with a vague smile.
"Once you get the hang of it" Uryu laughed, beaming smugly. "They're like the cranes you use; only a little more advanced".
"Subtle, aren't you?" Yusei joked.
«/Location: Satellite – 'Docks'
Dusk fell upon the island, plunging streets into complete darkness. Yusei stood alone in the evening shade, keeping his head still and eyes darting across the place for any sign of Uryu and his Insect Knight D-Mech. There had been nothing for a quarter-hour; Yusei folded his arms impatiently over his chest, twisting his neck to scan a large section of the dock around him. Further down the ruined bay, a barge floated, unloading the last of the trash deported from the City. Silhouettes skated up and down the slanted bridge, carrying loads small enough for human arms.
A whir came from the opposite direction, that of a D-Mech engine. A large insect in the shape of a human body dropped to the ground, embers in the soles of its feet dying. In one hand, the armoured creature clutched a circular shield, in the other, a gleaming silver sword. Mandibles hung from the head, snapping beneath two crimson eyes lighting the body of the beast. The head rose, tilting back and unnaturally pressed the skull against its spine, two metallic panels opened, revealing Uryu seated in a complex cockpit hidden within the chest of the machine.
"Hey, Yusei" he saluted.
The dark-haired teenager turned to his companion, his face the same steeled stoic look as ever. "You're late".
"Not late, just wanting to cut it close" Uryu chuckled, rubbing the back of his blue head.
"So then let's go, before they leave without us" Yusei mumbled, throwing his arm in a circle around his shoulder, beckoning the pilot after him.
The steel plates closed, shutting the sight of the seated Uryu from the world. Yusei led the way, escorting the enlarged bug to the ship. A man, presumably the captain, puffed on a cigarette, small rings of smoke beating in the air for a matter of seconds before dispersing. He caught the movement of two in the corner of his vision, his old neck turned, moving the two into the centre of his eyes.
They then scanned the area; Security was often around, for now however, there was no sign of officers. No power of the City on Satellite's charred soil. A crooked finger set itself on the D-Mech towering over Yusei.
"You planning to take that?" he asked with a hoarse tone.
"If you've got room" Yusei answered.
"Captain; we've got contacts – half a dozen Security officers on the way!" a mariner hissed with a raised voice.
The captain cocked his head in the direction of the vessel. "Best hurry up and get it on; I ain't going down because you two are messing around".
Without a word, Yusei darted past the captain and into the bowels of the vessel, Insect Knight stomping behind him. The slanted edge of the ship creaked as it rose, shutting behind them and sealing them inside the lower deck of the vessel. On the outside, three Security officers followed two mariners, who gladly opened their hands in the direction of their ship; two connected segments held together in the centre; the back end once filled with rubbish and the front, with walkways stretching across the rear for the sailors.
"You see? We're just doing our job, as always" one scowled.
"We're just here to make sure, you'll be lucky if we don't check that hold. After all, you guys could have stashed anything in there" the lead officer scoffed, tilting his head back to look down his nose at the captain. "What are you hiding this time? Drugs? Stowaways?"
"Stowaways? On my ship?" the captain laughed. "Do you honestly believe I want dirty Satellite bastards on my ship?"
"You do carry crap that the City doesn't need anymore" one of the trailing officers commented blandly.
"From the City to Satellite. Not the other way around" the captain spat, poking the air with his grey cig, spraying ash and smoke into the territory of others.
"I'll believe you this time, I suppose. But if our boss was here, you'd have every inch of that thing searched, just to be sure" the lead officer retorted, pointing at the rounded behind of the ship. "Just get going before he gets here".
"Normally, I'd beat you for trying to assert your power over us and telling where and when to go, but this time, I'll let you go" the captain replied. He turned to the men in the vicinity. "Alright boys, get ready to head back to the City".
The men clambered up the slanted plank of wood acting as a bridge, eight in all standing on the deck with the captain. Two of the mariners seized the edges of the wooden board and pulled it back, removing it from the concrete of Satellite and pressed it against the edge of the upper deck. It began to float, sailing away from the edge of Satellite and in the direction of Neo-Domino, peacefully and without spying eyes sneaking through every nook and cranny on-board.
Moments after setting off, footsteps reverberated through the lower deck and onto the upper, Yusei and Uryu climbing onto the surface level of the boat and into the captain's eyes once more.
"So, you boys getting a ride all the way there, or are you using that toy of yours?" he asked cockily.
"We'll only go hallway with you; we should be able to manage after that" Uryu replied. "By the way, what was all that stowaway business about?" His arms crossed over his chest, accompanied by a raised eyebrow.
"It's an act; I may not be fond of Satellites, but I don't just abandon them. Hence why my men warned us before Security came along, I could've had you two carted off if I wanted" the captain answered with a shrug of the shoulders. "Now it's too late, cause if I want you two gone, I have to give up myself too".
The night continued on, cold and silently. For most of their time on the vessel, Yusei and Uryu leaned against the railings on the upper deck, gazing down into the rippling water below. Reflections were unstable, melting away as soon as they got anywhere near what they were supposed to resemble. Uryu smiled, taking his eyes from the water and to the dark blue sky; over Neo-Domino, lights of the twilight kept the City from complete blackness.
"You know, it would be nice to go wherever we wanted like this all the time" he mumbled, taking in the crisp air.
"It'll happen; one day, I'm sure" Yusei replied, casting his eyes to his friend. "I'd like to live long enough to see it though".
Uryu turned his face to Yusei who continued to stare at the lost horizon, hands hanging over the edge of the railing. His mouth flipped into a frown, a strange sense of sorrow washed over him with the words Yusei brought. He lifted his left hand, dropping onto Yusei's closest shoulder, drawing the young man's azure eyes. A smile was across Uryu's face again.
"You will. I know you will" he asserted lightly. "We all will".
Yusei didn't mirror the smile, but instead, looked out to the black dim horizon. A sea breeze passed over the vessel, brushing his spiked bangs in front of his eyes. Even with hope lying deep with Satellite, he was still pessimistic over it all; like he dreaded mixing with the City people. It was too risky to do so currently, leaving the people of Satellite with no choice. Those who could reach the City could only stay a short while before they would be discovered by Security and deported back to Satellite or shipped off to a correctional facility.
Footfalls tapped behind them, bringing Uryu back into the boat and facing the captain, who clutched a lighter in his left hand. "We're almost there; you boys want to get ready?"
"Yeah, thanks for this" Uryu replied, giving a nod to the man.
The captain repeated the action and turned his back on them. Uryu laid his hand onto Yusei's shoulder, bringing him back again. He gave a nod to the younger Satellite male, withdrawing to the open space in the deck, leading to the hidden D-Mech. Yusei turned away from the waters, watching as the blue-haired man crossed into the partner of the ship, sinking deeper into the shadows. A moment passed before a low roar rumbled across the level and the Insect Knight D-Mech floated towards the exposed surface.
Within seconds of firing up, the D-Mech pressed its feet against the wooden boards, towering over Yusei with its human-and-a-half sized body; somewhere in it, Uryu watched through the blood eyes. The left arm stretched forward, the hand hidden beneath the shield exposed when the limb turned, beckoning Yusei to its steel body. The scene captured gazes and hanging mouths of those around them, Yusei ignored them long enough to wrap his arms around the thick steel trunk, climbing up the short distance and clutch onto the shoulders of the robotic beast.
"You sure you'll be alright out there?" Uryu asked through the mouth of his machine.
"I'll be fine, so long as you get us to that convoy before dawn" Yusei called. "You sure you know where you're going, or what it looks like?"
Uryu shrugged his shoulders, gripping the clutches inside tightly. The wings of the D-Mech rose, buzzing with life behind Yusei, the Satellite holding onto the shoulder. The captain and his mariners watched as the machine lifted from the deck, choppy waves crashed against the hull amidst the isolated darkness, blood eyes flashing under the starry sky; a lone flicker of life over the uneasy waters.
Uryu slammed the handgrips forward, throwing the D-Mech ahead and towards the City; cutting a path in the waves below, throwing up spray in the faces of those watching in awe and envy. Yusei struggled to keep hold, the bitter gales forcing his eyes closed, following the feeling in his guy blindly. Inside the cockpit, Uryu had pulled up the sight of his friend in a monitor to his left, he frowned at what he saw; but there was no time to go back and sort order now.
The flight over the waters to Neo-Domino's ports lasted a matter of minutes. Insect Knight land softly against the square concrete; free of chips and cracks. Uryu set his eyes onto the monitor showing the chilled Yusei clutching numbly onto his Insect Knight, almost shivering after the bitter flight.
"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked. "I could always go on ahead alone; spare you all this aggro".
"No" Yusei answered firmly. "I have to do this; I'm not going to put you in harm's way".
Uryu sighed, giving in relatively quickly in comparison to normal; but this wasn't normal. They had a matter of minutes before the convoy was due to cross through Daimon, information that they had managed to get up from Security's database with Yusei's impressive hacking abilities.
Insect Knight continued further inland on foot, moving to the shadowed streets of Daimon; an area of Neo-Domino where many bore Markers as a result of their imprisonment at the correctional facility for crimes of varying degrees. Nobody in Neo-Domino dared to enter, unless they had sunken to the level of criminals; drugs ran amok, alcohol and tobacco were more common than any other product, theft was common and firearms could easily be found on the black market. The place was a paradise for those trying to build their own D-Mechs in the blind hope of succeeding.
A hum came from across the main plaza where exchanges and gatherings would normally take place during dusk. Insect Knight turned in the direction of the noise, hovering towards it. The insect machine leapt onto the low roof of a circular building, the twisted ends of a broken railing in the shape similar to a segment of a rollercoaster hanging overhead. The area resembled Satellite, but there was life. Three trucks rolled across the plaza, one after another in a straight set. Uryu set his eyes on Yusei again, opening his mouth and breathing as quietly as he could.
"What do you plan to do?" he exhaled.
"Just drop me off on one. Knowing this place, Security may think nothing of it" Yusei answered in an equally hushed tone.
Beneath them, two men stood, one holding out his hands for a clear plastic bag in the grasp of the other who now clutched a wad of notes in his other hand. They both set their cold eyes on the trucks passing through the plaza in a line. Uryu lifted his D-Mech from the roof of the building, shooting through the air, taking only a few seconds to cross the clearing, Yusei dropped off and onto the roof of the back truck. The driver in the vehicle in front searched his mirror for any sign of the D-Mech's reason for hanging around. His partner shook his head and smirked at him.
"Forget about it; just some kids mucking around".
The driver shrugged his shoulders; not completely convinced, but enough to resume his duties. On the roof of the final vehicle, Yusei crawled with his stomach pressed against the top of the carrier. To the rear he made his way, eyes latched onto the moving ground. With the truck moving as cautiously as it was, climbing down meant little risk, but it was still fast enough to move out of Daimon within a few minutes; long enough for Yusei to grab a hold of the handles and clutch onto them tightly – the only thing keeping him from falling back to the ground.
His right hand dove into the pocket of his jacket, pulling out a screwdriver. The narrow end slipped in between the handles, fiddling with the lock and waving side to side. After a moment, a click and the doors moaned, slowly falling from each other and swinging apart, Yusei clambered around the edge of the left door, leaping inside to find crates. Behind him, the doors swung wildly as the truck began to speed up, bringing the possibility of being discovered already to the surface. There was nothing to back up the chance, settling Yusei's mind.
Instead, he moved cautiously to the crates in front, wooden cubes holding whatever it was Garome was after. His hands fell over the corner-edge of the nearest, searching for any words that would inform him of the inside, there was nothing. The screwdriver stabbed the wooden divide, bouncing up and down, the crate spat out splinters until a crack stopped everything. The hum of the truck continued incessantly. Yusei pulled the lid up, carefully guiding it backwards and over the opposite edge, unveiling the cargo inside – a small orange D-Mech. Yusei's head tilted to one side, puzzled by the small robot. The circular white eyes flashed to life and the machine elevated, hovering above the crate.
The true nature of the creature was unveiled; separate fragments of orange armour coating robotic limbs, decorated with pale bolts. A string was tucked into its breastplate, a rounded pale head sat between the shoulder plates, sporting a large rounded helm. Beady black pupils set themselves onto Yusei.
"This is… a D-Mech" he breathed.
The machine hovered left and right, bouncing in the air above his head, seemingly thrilled to be free of its wooden prison. Yusei's eyes turned to the swinging doors; if he was to continue the task set and stay out of Security's sight, he had to hurry.
In the furthest truck forward, a blip flashed on the monitor fixed into the centre of the dashboard, drawing the passenger's eyes. He frowned at the movement of the flashing circle, raising his head to his partner.
"Seems we've attracted trouble; the cargo's spark has been discovered" he murmured.
"It was only a matter of time. Radio in Sierra-One" the driver commanded.
The passenger officer nodded, removing a small grey rod from his pocket and pressed down with his four fingertips, a transparent screen flickered to life, lighting the compartment. An image of three men appeared, two in identical grey uniforms like the two escorts and a third dressed in a separate colour; a viridian attire.
"Sierra-One, we've got contacts".
Yusei managed to drag himself back onto the roof of the truck, now on the central lane of the highway. The orange D-Mech hovered behind him, catching his eye again; at least transporting it back to Satellite would be easier. A subtle smile crossed his face for a half-second. As quickly as the light-hearted look vanished, spotlights blared down over him, casting his shadow across the entire roof of the truck. Bearing his teeth, Yusei lifted his right arm over his face and turned to the source of the blinding brightness.
"Step away from the Mech and surrender yourself; you've nowhere to run to".
Unfortunately, that was all too true. Yusei scanned the area around the convoy for any hope of an escape route, but there was no guarantee one would even work – with reinforcements, capturing him would be an easy task for Security. His eyes moved to the twin vehicles in front roaring down the highway. He pointed to the roof of the one in front, setting his eyes onto the small D-Mech by his side.
"Do you know how to attack?" he asked. "Can you blast that open?"
The D-Mech blinked and turned to the target, taking half a minute to figure out if it had the strength or ability. Its right fist tightened and craned back, shooting forward like it had been held back physically and unleashed a small orange orb of flames. The blast collided with the top of the lorry, tearing a hole in the metal and smoke billowing out. Yusei wasted no time in darting forward and into the pillar of blackened smoke, the D-Mech followed.
The larger machine piloted by the trio of Security officers hovered forward, unveiling itself as a hydra-headed dragon, decorated with azure scales and cream muscles. Three white helms were fixed upon the heads of the beast, two purple wings flapping behind it and two large hands with faded golden claws hanging beside its sides, identical to the feet hanging beneath. The central pilot – the man dressed in a separate colour – smirked cockily. To his left, the pilot of the third head tapped the monitor in front of him, altering the dragon's senses to focus on heat.
"Ushio-san, I believe we've got him. He definitely hid in the central vehicle" he confirmed.
The black-haired man's smirk widened, stretching across more of his whitened teeth. "Doesn't look familiar, maybe he's some Satellite scum".
"We should get this over with then" the right-hand officer sighed, unimpressed by the new recruit to the world of crime.
In the trailer, Yusei ducked behind one of the crates stacked beneath the twisted gap, the orange D-Mech still floating by his side. He set his eyes on the being, unsure what it was supposed to be called and pointed to the crate in front of him.
"Try and open this; the more of you I get out of here, the better things will be when we get back to Satellite" he whispered.
The machine turned to the wooden surface in front of it, holding another like it captive. Like a scorned animal, it began to throw itself at the edge, to Yusei's astonishment, pounding the crate's face with its small fists. The spotlight from the hydra dragon shone down, blocked only by the piled crates.
"It's pointless to run; you can't escape. Face it, kid, you're not fit for this world".
Yusei scowled, tightening the fists by his sides and tensing the muscles in his arms; it wasn't being captured that he detested, it was giving Security the satisfaction they had won. A crunch brought him back inside to find a gaping hole where the small D-Mech had been repeatedly punching the wooden face. He pulled a few loose fragments away to find another D-Mech on the inside; grey with what resembled a gas mask over its face and skates on its feet. In terms of height, it was slightly smaller than Insect Knight, making it one of the smallest kinds to be piloted from the inside. The chest compartment opened, revealing its internal system, Yusei's mouth hung open subtly – he knew the system.
"It looks like the cranes from Satellite. Is that what D-Mechs are based on?" he asked himself. It began to make sense why Uryu could control Insect Knight so easily.
He crawled through the hole made by the partner D-Mech and climbed into the chest of the creature, moving his legs into the narrow passages made in the robotic legs of the creature. His fingers flew across the keyboards and tapped the monitors, bringing up all kinds of fascinating information over the being's mechanics and other facts hidden from Satellite deprived. A low roar interrupted the intake, drawing Yusei's eyes to the blackness overhead; beyond it, Security was waiting. His head returned, glaring in the direction of the orange D-Mech.
"Garome will have to deal with what I've got; I'm not giving up my life for him" he uttered sternly. "Accelerate!"
The grey D-Mech shot through the wooden face, almost slamming into the orange partner. Yusei moved through the hole above first, followed by the lone machine.
"He's stolen the spark, get him!" one of the co-pilots hollered.
"Montage Dragon can take out those two things in a heartbeat" Ushio's voice came.
Yusei tightened his hands around the handgrips, directing the grey machine down the highway he had travelled up. The mechanical beast named Montage Dragon unleashed a ray of three shades; pink, golden and jade. The triple-coloured blast tore up the road in front of Yusei, bringing him to an abrupt halt, shielding his eyes with his arms. Flames roared in front of him, cutting off any immediate dash; leaving him trapped behind the wide trench of red and orange. He snarled as he gazed over his shoulders, the grey D-Mech mimicking every move he made.
"So how about it?" Ushio laughed. "Are you going to give yourself up like a good boy, or do we have to take you down with that thing?"
Yusei's eyes tapered, intensifying the invisible glare. His D-Mech leapt back and somersaulted in the air, twisting itself to face the dragon and deliver a kick to its chest. Ushio laughed suddenly, unnerving Yusei mere seconds before the head to his left smashed into him, throwing him against the rocky wall of the highway. The D-Mech slid down, seated against the rock face. Yusei shook his head and glared at the monitor in front of him, finding the trio of heads already building the same attack they had before; the triple beam that ripped the road apart with ease – if they landed a hit on him, he was as good as dead on the spot.
A drop of sweat slid down the side of his head; it couldn't end like this. A young squeal rang out through the night air and, all of a sudden, the orange machine was in front of him, its arms stretched to its sides. Yusei picked himself up, staggering to the machine until it was in arm's reach. The smaller being tugged on the string tucked into its chest plate, lighting a brightness inside of it. The light began to grow, becoming so bright that Yusei and the Security trio had to shield their eyes from harm, a groan escaping each.
When the light faded and it was safe to open his eyes, Yusei found the cockpit very different to the one he had left in blackness. The D-Mech had become larger, more spacious, and there was no sign of the small machine in front. The warrior encasing him wore a suit of purple and grey armour, large blood red eyes fixed into a head equally pale to the smaller counterpart.
"No way! He managed to tune those D-Mechs together?" Ushio's stunned cry roared through the Montage Dragon.
Yusei had no idea what had happened, nor what 'tuning' was. All he knew was that he had a chance; according to the figures running up the monitor, the newer D-Mech had power to take on the enemy. The problem was; he would have to adapt to the new system, one more advanced than those of the cranes in Satellite, or anything else on the isle.
The purple warrior pounded its knuckles together and shot forward; even without knowing, experience would be useful, and freedom had yet to be won. A number of punches were launched, crashing into the torso and back of the dragon, yells of the three inside erupted through the mouths of the creature with each new blow dealt.
Above the battle, Insect Knight hovered, finding the warrior pummelling the dragon. Uryu creased his brow; something didn't feel right – why was Yusei fighting Security in D-Mechs meant for Garome? A possibility ran through his head; one where Yusei planned to betray both Garome and him, the worst case and the only one he could stick with once it formulated inside him. His hands tightened furiously around the controls and thrust them forward, launching his Insect Knight into battle.
"Yusei!" he yelled, jaws cracking as they hit their limits.
Hearing the familiar voice filled with venom, Yusei turned to find Insect Knight diving at him. He frowned; Uryu was a good friend, but he had grabbed the wrong end of the stick, experience had taught him that a long time would need to be spent dealing with whatever the problem was. But he didn't have that much time. He would have to fight, despite Security breathing down his neck. The head encased by the purple helm jumped between the diving Insect Knight and the recovering Montage Dragon; he couldn't fight both at once.
A simple apology passed through his jaws and he shot up at Insect Knight, grabbing the left leg and swinging it around. Uryu's voice filled the cockpit as he yelled out in both hatred and shock; hands released him and sent him flying into the three heads of the dragon. The two D-Mechs toppled together, crashing on the ground. Yusei gave the fallen comrade a sorrowful glance and shot off, heading in the direction of Satellite without looking back.
Uryu climbed off of Montage Dragon, steam hissing from the chest segment as it opened and offered him fresh air. He rubbed his head and moaned. Ushio leapt out of the collar of Montage Dragon, storming towards the fallen Satellite man and towering over him.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he roared. "You're not from the City; I'll have you back in the Detention Centre when I'm through with you".
Uryu opened his eyes, finding the scarred officer with large arms folded over his chest. He scanned the sky, finding nothing of Yusei or the D-Mech; he had been abandoned. A sigh escaped him and he fell back to Earth, landing on the cold concrete a broken man. Hearing the two other Security officers charge towards the one over him, a thought crossed his mind and he smirked at Ushio, catching the man's attention. A wide eyebrow rose on the sceptic face.
"What's with the weird look?" he asked.
"I'll make you a deal; you don't throw me in that detention place and let me a chance to fight for Security" Uryu replied deviously. "And I'll give you info on the guy you just lost. Fudo Yusei; one of the Arcadia Resistance you guys have been having trouble catching".
"Arcadia Resistance?" Ushio called out. He stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment.
An awkward moment without sound passed, followed by the lead officer pulling out another steel rod, opening a transparent screen identical to the one his colleague had opened to contact him. Uryu watched with sweat sliding down his face as Ushio tapped the display, pausing seconds before a grey man appeared with cold eyes upon him.
"What is it, Ushio-kun?"
"Director Godwin" Ushio stated, snapping his empty arm into a salute. "I've found an insider who can help us deal with Arcadia. He claims that he knows one of them – a Fudo Yusei".
«/Location: Satellite – 'Junkyard'
Dawn was approaching when Yusei made it back to the shore of Satellite, his D-Mech moaning. The soles of the warrior's boots hit the ground close to Tetsuzo's home and white took control again. When it vanished, the orange and grey machines had separated. Yusei scanned through the files of his D-Mech, finding the power levels of the previous machine; apparently, crossing the water solely with the purple warrior was a risky move, and could have cost him it had the flight lasted any longer. Rumour had it there were D-Mechs strong enough to cross the water, but even for them, the flight was draining. In addition, names were logged in the files; 'Speed Warrior', 'Junk Synchron' and 'Junk Warrior'.
The theme was far from Yusei's mind when he set his eyes on the cluttered home of Kuzuyama Tetsuzo; Garome had mentioned he would be at Ichisan's place at dusk, but there was still hours before then; the day had only just begun. He would have to find Garome, but there was something else bothering him. Speed Warrior's skates rolled, carrying him across the torn ground, his eyes sharpened into a glare; Garome had cost him a friend, he would hunt him down and get even.