A/N: I apologize for the extremely late update, excuses at the bottom...but anyway, on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything- except my complicated thoughts and plot!

-talking-

-/thinking/-

Chapter 4- Darkness and Resolve

By the time Yusei turned around on his runner, it was very dark, and he was quite a ways away from where he started.

Mind finally at ease, Yusei was glad that his mind was empty of crazy voices; they were starting to make him question his own sanity.

/I should probably head back.../ he thought as he went along, the wind gently caressing his face and making his coat flap in the wind.

It was here, just riding, that Yusei was able to clear his head and think about nothing except the road in front of him and the bike beneath him; and all of his problems just seemed to melt away.

And although it was a type of escape for him, all good things eventually end, and Yusei dreaded going back to Zora's and facing his suspicious friends- after his outburst how could they not be?- and lying to their faces. Again.

The thought made Yusei grimace as he stepped on the gas and sped along the street, trusting his ability to drive in the almost- pitch black night.

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Meanwhile, his friends, after witnessing in Yusei's strange behavior, were in the kitchen area eating a meager meal in utter silence as both pondered over the afternoon's events. As both of them were not currently in possession of a functioning runner, they had no choice but to wait it out until Yusei returned.

Crow, for once not really all that hungry, dropped his fork with a clatter and leaned back, crossing him arms and heaving a small sigh. Jack glanced up from his plate.

"What are we gonna do?" he asked out loud, more to himself than anyone else. Jack knew exactly what, or really who, he was talking about without asking. Being a person who wasn't really used to caring about much of anything, much less anything this serious, Jack didn't have a reply. But Crow continued on, stressed out with the problem at hand.

"I mean, he just freaking ran out of the house after we saw that he's obviously not okay! How long has this been going on?! I don't even- hey!" Crow cut off, all but yelling as Jack reached across the table and snatched Crow's fork from his plate, loudly snapping the utensil in half.

"What was that for?!" he exclaimed, and Jack was silent as he placed the now broken fork on the table.

"To get you to shut up," Jack replied bluntly, and Crow could only stare at him incredulously.

"Now that your quiet... I think we both know that Yusei's up to something, but we both know that he's way too stubborn for his own good sometimes. So instead of screaming my pretty little head off about it, I'm actually going do something about it. I'll handle this."

Crow only eyed him for a moment, almost inspecting him in the way one would a stranger. Then he spoke.

"I think that might just have been the smartest thing you've said all day..."

Mentally face-palming, Jack immediately retorted back, asking if Crow was questioning his ability to "deal with things". And just like that, the serious atmosphere between them immediately dissolved into nothing as the two returned to their seemingly endless arguing.

But, coming to stand at the end of the hallway where they would part to their separate bedrooms, both boys stopped bickering and paused a moment. As steely gray eyes met blazing purple, both owners gave a small nod before retreating to their rooms. There was now a mutual understanding between them; they were comrades. They were friends. They were brothers. They could get through this.

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Carly, who was camped outside the café that Jack visited daily, collapsed over one of the outside tables and was snoring lightly when Yusei came around the corner. Startled by the sudden light and noise, the infamous orange- vested reporter yelped and clumsily crumpled to the ground in the dark as Yusei passed her in a streak of red and blue. Carly squinted through her trademark glasses as she stood back up, spotting the last glimpses of a retreating red duel runner and its owner.

"...Yusei?" She murmured aloud, and Carly sat back down in her chair, wondering what she just saw.

/What's he doing out this late?/ Carly wondered as she glanced at her watch. /Speaking of time.../

/Ah!/ Carly mentally exclaimed, quickly collecting her things and racing off into the opposite direction.

/If I don't get this new story up by tomorrow, my boss will KILL me!/

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Rolling into the garage, Yusei got off his red runner and removed his helmet, crab hair once again returning to its gravity- defying state as he did so. Looking around, he was glad to see that both Jack and Crow were no where in sight, most likely they were already in bed. The relief he felt at not having to face his friends was so immense that he inwardly chastised himself for feeling so.

Making his way to his own room, Yusei removed his blue jacket and kicked of his boots as he sat on his bed, pulling out his deck and quickly rummaging through it until he found the card he was looking for.

Stardust Dragon, still captured in its card with the same dazzling picture it had always been in, stared back at Yusei with small, gleaming eyes. Squinting, Yusei brought the card near his face for closer inspection, confirming what he thought he first saw. In the upper right corner of it, Yusei discovered that there was a gooey, black substance that covered the card and the tip of Stardust's left wing.

/Well that's odd.../ Yusei thought, but he (for now) placed his cards on the bedside table as he wearily glancing at his clock, which read 11:37 pm. Yusei blinked in surprise; he had been gone for roughly 5 hours. Did his absence really go unnoticed by his friends? They didn't seem to care enough to chase him after him when he left...

But he just shook of the ridiculous thoughts, and blaming it on the lack of sleep, Yusei tiredly climbed into bed, ready to sleep in his greasy clothes from earlier. He found that sleep found him rather easily, and Yusei quickly let himself be consumed by darkness.

It would have been a peacefully dreamless night, if only a maniacal laugh didn't echo from the back of his mind, and Yusei was filled with a dreadful knowledge of what was to come. Suddenly, Yusei was seized with panic when he realized that he wasn't able to open his eyes.

A/N: I will try and make sure updates come more frequent, as exam week is finally over for me. All that I ask? Review, review, review! I love to hear what you guys think, and I also want to thank the people who have constantly reviewed. Listening to your comments always brightens my day! So please review and share the love!