DUEL Heroes
"Come on, Carly! We're gonna be late!"
A crash came from the back room, followed by a harried-looking reporter. Her glasses were askew, clothes and hair in disarray. Carly scrambled her way to the front of the small apartment, grabbing various notepads and pens as she went.
Mokuba stood in the only clear space: directly in front of the door. He didn't know why he bothered trying to hurry her. It wasn't like they ever got good spots even when they were on time.
"Sorry! Sorry! It's just—I don't know where…? My badge, have you seen…?" Carly patted her pockets, frantically turning every which way as if it would magically appear if she just turned fast enough.
Mokuba stood and waited for Carly to notice the news pass he had been fiddling with the entire time.
"Oh! You found it! You're a lifesaver, Mokuba! Thank you!" Carly snatched the badge from his hands and quickly shoved it over her head. Mokuba didn't even blink, simply bending down to retrieve the pile of junk Carly had dropped in her haste.
"Omigosh! Sorry, Mokuba!" Mokuba slapped her hands away before she could make the mess worse. He stacked everything neatly and dropped the pile into the open canvas bag hanging off the girl's shoulder.
"Don't even start! If you start apologizing we'll never get there." Mokuba scolded not unkindly.
Carly flushed. "R-right!" She adjusted her glasses, visibly pulling herself together. "I'm ready!"
Mokuba smiled to himself. Carly was usually so scatterbrained he sometimes forgot she could be determined and focused as well. With her clumsy and shy personality, it was easy to underestimate her when in fact, Carly was one of the most successful investigative reporters in the Hub. Although the incredibly thick glasses kinda detracted from the image.
His hands clenched into fists thinking about it. About how Carly had to scrape together whatever she could just to keep up with the big networks and stay afloat. They had been lucky lately, finding a couple stories here and there before the big networks could get a hold of them, but it wasn't enough.
We'll show them! We'll show them all that we are twice as good as any of them!
A gentle hand on his shoulder drew the young boy from his thoughts.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" Carly asked gently. Mokuba couldn't see her eyes behind the giant glasses, but he knew what he would find there if he could.
"Don't worry, Carly, I'll be fine." Mokuba patted the hand still on his shoulder, voice just as quiet. They stood there, enjoying the silence before Mokuba clapped abruptly, making Carly jump.
"Alright! That's enough of that! We've got a story to find! Now let's go before that rainy lady gets all the good interviews again!"
Carly recovered again, and cheering with enthusiasm, the pair left for the Arena.
"O-okay. Okay. I can do this. He's just a normal guy like everyone else. An ordinary guy with a normal, ordinary, average job. J-just an average job that just so happens to be driving high-powered vehicles at breakneck speeds for a living. Ordinary helmet. Ordinary shoes. Ordinary clothes…leather clothes…" Carly's thoughts trailed off.
Ordinary leather clothes that clings to ordinary legs…a nice chest…strong arms… Carly shook her head and went back to pacing nervously.
It was only the beginning of the racing season, but the competition was already heating up. Fans had already started a new round of Racing Rally fundraisers for their favorite racers. Bets were being placed for the final seeds that wouldn't even be determined for another three months. Not to mention Moto-Madness had already started. Getting an exclusive with any of the racers would skyrocket a reporter's career.
Although, there was only one racer Carly really wanted to interview. The swarm of reporters were already circling the doors to the locker rooms, clogging the hallways. Carly and Mokuba had staked out a spot at the front, but had been pushed back as more and more network crews showed up. Now they were hanging towards the back with the tabloid crazies and sweaty fanboys.
Mokuba watched Carly pace from one side of the hallway to the other. "Relax, already. You've done this before, haven't you? You weren't this…twitchy at the Arcadia press conference."
"Well…yeah. Yes! Of course I have! It—it's just that…it's not the same." Shouting and camera flashes had Carly almost giving herself whiplash. All the air in the room was suddenly too thick to breath. Her heart was trying to lodge itself in her throat making breathing that much harder.
"Jeeze, Carly. Calm down, would you?" Carly 'meeped', quickly turning away from the doors and attempting to appear as uninterested in the commotion as possible. Considering she was fidgeting even more now, it wasn't exactly effective.
"I-I am calm!" She huffed. Carly glared down at the young boy, her cheeks only slightly pink. When she looked back towards the still flashing swarm, it was with a look of calculated determination. Mokuba noticed and readied his camera, awaiting orders.
"The race ended twenty-three minutes ago. All the managers will still be schmoozing in the private boxes. Any crew members will be in the pit looking over the motorcycles." Carly stared off into the distance, fingers twitching in the air as she thought. "Anyone who didn't place in the top three will try to leave as soon as possible to avoid the circus."
Mokuba looked over at the mob as a racer he didn't recognize was escorted out the back with minimal interference. He snapped a quick pic, just in case.
"Atticus and J—The King will come out last. Atticus will most likely draw as much attention as he can, so we'll need to stay on the sidelines if we want a chance to get around the rush his scene will definitely cause." Even with her mind focused elsewhere, Carly managed to steer Mokuba to the stairs. Hands on his shoulders, she position her cameraman just so.
Mokuba trusted his partner to give him the signal and allowed his mind to wander back to the race. Or the V.I.P. boxes to be completely accurate. Sure, he had taken as many pictures of the race as possible, but the real stories always happened behind the scenes. So while Carly took notes on the race (re: drooled over 'The King'), Mokuba had spied on the presidential box.
There were the usual bribes and blackmails happening between racing managers, so nothing new there. But there had been a few faces that didn't quite add up. The Director of the Hero Department was rubbing elbows with Jack Atlas' manager which wouldn't have been strange if Divine hadn't come alone. Unusual by itself considering Divine had been known to dislike motoracing in general. What possible reason could there be for those two to be talking with each other?
Then there was Yugi Mutou. The undefeated King of Games, who usually only made appearances for tournaments had been sitting front and center in the presidential box. There had been rumors going around that the young duelist was ill and had retreated from society. That Mutou had only recently become a weird dueling recluse was strange enough, but then there was the huge, golden bling he had been sporting. Mokuba made sure to get close-ups.
Last, but certainly never least, was the large group of Kaiba Corp. Executives. They had taken up most of the seating in the private box, doing most of the wheeling and dealing. Mokuba knew they were also the source of many under-the-table deals. Kaiba Corp. was the largest privately owned technological company, but they made sure to keep their fingers in as many pies as they could. So it was expected that there would be any number of Kaiba Executives at any large-scale event.
What made it out of the ordinary was that the man himself—
"Step aside. You're blocking the stairs."
Was right behind him.
Seto Kaiba swept down the stairs, long white coat billowing in the nonexistent wind. His pack of executives scuttled after him, trying to appear superior and as pompous as possible without drawing the ire of their temperamental employer. Seto Kaiba was already a tall figure, but as he swept through the crowded hallway he was practically regal.
Carly and Mokuba were on his tail the moment he stepped off the stairs. Mokuba snapped photos as fast has he could while angling himself so that other reporters couldn't get close.
I may be small, but I sure as hell ain't weak.
Mokuba smirked triumphantly at the pissy look on the Channel 7 reporter's face. Angela Raines may be the lead reporter for the top news channel in the city, always on top and always looking good doing it, but she had the best bitch face. One of Mokuba's life long goals was to get the blonde reporter to make a bitch face on live television.
A few more strides and Kaiba was standing directly behind the mob of reporters, arms crossed and completely relaxed. He seemed to be waiting for something, but Mokuba wasn't sure for what. His brother didn't care for anything other than his company and Duel Monsters, so there was absolutely no reason for him to be at the Arena today. A couple of reporters attempted to get a statement from the CEO, but only got dismissive glares for their efforts. Soon there was a ring of no-man's land around the tall man.
Carly and Mokuba were the only ones to be just an inch closer to the intimidating figure. When the doors to the locker rooms opened once again, the mob's attention shifted, almost reluctantly, to the new arrival. Atticus Rhodes emerged with a flourish, and as predicted, the majority of the reporters were drawn in by his exuberant energy and then immediately surrounded by the swarm of screaming fangirls.
"Hmph. Pathetic." Seto watched the proceeding circus aloof and disgusted by all he saw. He hardly spared a glance at the obnoxious brunette and his groupies, even less for the reporters trying to get exclusives from the second place winner. Carly slowly took out her recorder and stepped quietly up to the CEO, Mokuba reluctantly following after.
Kaiba side-eyed the duo cautiously approaching his personal bubble. "You're the reporter that is always the first responder to Hero sightings? I read your article on Flame Wingman's latest escapades. Excellent work."
Carly stuttered out a thank you, her recorder shaking violently in her outstretched hand. Mokuba was worried she was going to drop the thing, but stayed silent behind his camera. He knew Seto was aware of everything that happened around him, so Mokuba knew his brother knew he was there and was deciding not to say anything.
If that's how he wants to play it, then fine by me. I'll just take my pictures and wait. He can't keep this up forever.
Kaiba appraised the shaking reporter. "I guess you'll do." He seemed resigned as he said it; Mokuba wasn't sure if being 'approved' was a good or bad thing in this case. "Your blog is small but popular. Whatever I tell you will be reported accurately and quickly, becoming viral within the hour?" It wasn't a question, and Kaiba wasn't asking if Carly would do it. He was telling her what was going to happen, whether Carly agreed or not.
"Y-yes, sir!" Carly managed to squeak out, blushing slightly. Kaiba looked over the girl again, as if making sure his orders were understood before 'hmph'ing his approval.
"Very well. Listen closely. I don't enjoy having to repeat myself."
Before Kaiba could say anything else a particularly brave reporter stepped in, shoving his microphone into Kaiba's face.
"Mr. Kaiba! Do you have anything to say to the recent allegations that your company supports the Society of Light?! Can we assume that your wardrobe today shows your support for the Society?!"
Mokuba was sure that the idiot reporter's microphone was picking up the pissed off growl coming from the tall brunette. For some reason, the idiot couldn't hear it though, and refused to move until he got an answer. Kaiba growled down at the man, drawing himself even taller to tower over the idiot.
"I did not come here to discuss my fashion choices. Anything I do or don't decide to wear is no one's business but my own. Now. Back. Off." The idiot finally got with the program and scurried to safety outside of Kaiba's No-man's Land as if the CEO were about to bite his hand off.
"Yeah, Mr. Kaiba." Yet again, the reporter duo was denied their exclusive, although this time Mokuba didn't think Carly would mind. "Everyone knows the Society only wears white. What's your excuse?" Jack Atlas had finally appeared during all the ruckus. And now the two reporters were standing awkwardly between the two weirdly tall celebrities, although Carly was turning a bright pink and Mokuba was just glad they weren't the center of the attention.
Kaiba glanced down at Jack's completely white racing uniform. He looked back up at Jack, one eyebrow raised in question. There was a wealth of meaning in that one expression, mostly mockery and contempt, but Kaiba didn't have to say a word to have Jack sputtering in anger.
"This isn't white! It's eggshell cream! I've been wearing this way before the Society even existed!" Jack's face was starting to turn red, and he stepped closer to get in Kaiba's face.
Kaiba didn't move, and his expression didn't change, but his "I'm sure," sent Jack into hysterics.
"What the hell is a prissy boy like you doing here anyways?! I'm never going to be on your stupid racing team! No matter what Jaeger promised you!" Jack jabbed a finger in Kaiba's face to emphasize his point. He crowded into the brunette's space, trying to use his height to his advantage. Unfortunately, the two were exactly the same height, which just seemed to make the blonde that much angrier.
Kaiba held his ground, staring down the furious blonde with his own ice cold gaze. Jack was spitting fire in his rage, but Kaiba was as solid and immovable as an iceberg. His lack of reaction threw Jack off; he backed up a few inches, giving Kaiba room while Jack collected his thoughts.
"Two weeks from today. Noon. The Hubcap. Bring your deck." Kaiba glanced sharply at the dark-haired reporters before turning and heading back the way he came. His posse of executives followed hurriedly after him. Carly fumbled her recorder, trying to make sure she had caught everything.
"What? What the hell does that have to do with anything?!" Jack yelled after him, his voice carrying over the crowd without even trying.
Kaiba stopped, halfway up the stairs. He looked back over his shoulder, smirking down at the enraged blonde. "Not everything is all about you, Mr. Atlas." A sweep of his long white coat and Kaiba disappeared once again into the crowd.
Jack yelled in frustration. He probably would have thrown something if there was actually anything to throw. Instead he crossed his arms and fumed, still standing in the middle of the hallway.
Mokuba rolled his eyes behind his camera lens. What drama queens…
Carly shakily extended her recorder to the motoracer. Mokuba applauded her courage to keep trying, even as he knew it was no use. Jack's temper was even more legendary than Seto's. There was no way anyone was going to get anything but grunts and angry noises out of the guy.
"U-um. Mr. At—Mr. T-The King, sir? W-would y-you mind…gi-giving us a-a a statement?"
Jack was still glaring at the stairs, clenching his fists as if to keep himself from punching something. Mokuba waited a full thirty seconds before attempting to draw Carly away. He wasn't sure how long it would take for the man to cool down, but the boy was sure it was longer than it would take for the blonde to snap. He had gotten his partner to at least lower the recorder when Jack spoke.
"Not today, squirt." Jack muttered. He spun on his heel and stomped back towards the locker room, shoving any reporter not fast, or smart, enough to get out of his way.
"Come on, Carly. Ignore him. We—"
"He said 'not today'! That means next time he'll let me interview him!" Carly clutched her tape recorder to her chest. Mokuba wondered if there were stars or hearts in her eyes.
"Uh-huh. Sure, Carls. Whatever you say. Now let's get out of here before we get swarmed." Mokuba could already feel the hungry gazes of reporters ready to jump them for information. The dark-haired boy dragged his partner up the stairs, through more hallways, and out of the Arena.
Mokuba dragged Carly all the way back to their apartment. Carly was going to listen to her recording for at least the next five hours and he wanted to make sure she at least did it where no one else could hear. Including himself.
"At least it was a productive morning…"
Every superhero has a weakness. Jaden could probably name every Hero in the Department's weakness in under a minute. Not to mention listing every 'kryptonite' of the heroes in his comic books. Compared to being allergic to the color yellow or something, being highly distractible by motorcycles wasn't that bad.
…or it's the most pathetic thing in existence and probably the worst possible weakness in a city that seems to have these things around every corner!
Jaden had been wandering the city in search of possible targets for likely bad-guy attacks. He never did manage to find the Main Water Supply Plant, the number one target for any would be villain, although he did manage to find the Industrial District. (Or the 'Abandoned Warehouse District and Bad Guy Hideout Central' as Jaden was calling it.) He had been distracted by the most beautiful, bad-ass pieces of two-wheeled transportation Jaden had ever seen in his life.
If it weren't for the light of the setting sun bouncing off the polished chrome, Jaden would have never noticed them. Down a short alley were two gleaming motorcycles in an otherwise closed-off courtyard. Jaden was practically drooling on them by the time he noticed he'd veered off his original path. A quick glance around the small courtyard showed that the owners were nowhere to be seen.
Which means there's no one to tell me to scram before I can get a good look at these beauties! Jaden had to stop himself from outright giggling with glee. Wringing his hands with anticipation was entirely involuntary.
Jaden looked around again just in case. The courtyard was completely blocked in by the surrounding buildings. The only way in was through the small alley Jaden had used to get there. The far wall was actually a large metal garage door, probably big enough to fit a car or two.
This must be the back door… Jaden couldn't think of another reason why there'd be such a large door that lead to such a narrow exit. Said door was currently closed, but a small gap at the bottom showed there were lights on inside. Satisfied that the rightful owners weren't coming back without a warning, Jaden turned back to the stunning mechanical ladies.
Both were incredibly different, but breathtaking in their own way.
One was a bright cherry red that drew Jaden's eye immediately. The shining chrome of her chassis only made the red paneling stand out even more. The handle bars were set higher than normal, the bike's body sweeping down in a dramatic curve that had the seat set low, leaving the rider to be positioned in a semi-recline. She drew your eye no matter where you looked; demanding attention from anyone who passed by. She was a dynamic Lady in a red dress.
A Badass Lady with tattoos who could kick my ass…and I'd probably thank her for it. Jaden shook his head at the thought. Fetishizing a motorcycle was not a good idea in any situation.
The only thing that seemed out of place on the bike was the helmet. A simple bicycle helmet-looking thing nestled innocently on the seat. Jaden picked it up curiously. The worn leather felt nice in his hands. He moved to put it back down when Jaden caught the decal on the back.
"Bitch" was spelled out in white cursive across the bottom edge.
Jaden huffed a quiet laugh and returned the sassy helmet with a smile. Whoever rode this lovely thing certainly had an attitude to match.
Where the first bike called attention, the other dared you to even glance in its general direction. As if it were shrouded in its own shadow, lying in wait for any unsuspecting pedestrians.
From end to end the bike was a sleek, polished black. It still shone in the fading light, but in the way an oil slick would. If Jaden had to pick one word to describe the second bike, it would be 'sharp'. Every part of her, the exhaust pipes, the paneling, mirrors, and even the small windshield, came to a point. Unlike the first bike, this one required the rider to almost lay horizontal, hugging the body of the bike as you drove. Anyone who rode her had to know every inch of her to be able to ride at all. She was a jet black Speed Demon; a monster that ate up miles and miles of track in seconds.
Jaden's fingers itched to pick up the dark helmet and take her for a ride.
Geez. Even the eye shield is black! How are you supposed to see anything?
Jaden had just about convinced himself that he could at least try on the helmet for a minute when the garage door opened. He hadn't realized how quiet the small courtyard was until the clanking and clattering of the old door almost gave him a heart attack.
Jaden dove behind the bikes. The sun had set just enough that the light from the open garage cast the two figures in complete shadow.
"I'm telling you, the guy's just paranoid! If I wanted parts for my baby, I'd get them myself."
"And the fact that you've ripped parts off the others' rides?"
Jaden clutched at his chest, willing his heart to settle. The voices were still coming from inside the building, but they wouldn't be for much longer. Slowly, Jaden put the helmet on the ground, careful not to scratch it on the cement, and started to make his way back to the alley.
"Pfft! Please. If they weren't such easy marks they wouldn't need me to teach them a lesson."
"Hmph. Keep your hands off the gang's bikes. Focus on the marks in The Hub." Jaden was back in the safety of the alley when the garage door clattered closed again. Out in the open, the two voices bounced clearly around the courtyard.
"Hey! It's not my fault the stupid PSB hogs have ridiculous tracking systems on them. Maybe that's why they're called Security?"
Jaden froze. Uumm…did I just hear what I thought I just heard?
"Well now you know. Next time steal a ride that isn't so hot. Maybe then we could get some parts we could actually use."
It was still a few hours 'til sunset, but the wall surrounding the city was tall enough to prolong the twilight hours. Perfect mood lighting to steal car parts apparently.
Looks like I found a chop shop to bust. Jaden couldn't say why he'd decided to hide, but he was glad he had. Now he had the element of surprise. Jaden started to look for a good vantage point. It seemed to work the last time Jaden had busted a bad guy in an alley. So who's to say it wouldn't work in a small courtyard next to an alley?
Jaden spotted an old fire escape on the opposite wall of the alley. The ladder springs had already broken which meant he wouldn't have to make a racket trying to jump up to it. The metal landing wrapped around the building enough so that it actually overlooked the courtyard. The two figures, now making their way towards the bikes, were walking right underneath the metal walkway.
Perfect! They won't know what hit 'em!
Jaden ran to the ladder, making his way up as quietly as possible. The whole thing was covered in rust; it was a miracle it held his weight, let alone didn't creak as Jaden climbed. Surprise attacks didn't work so well without surprise, after all.
Now, which hero should I use this time? I could fly down with Avian again or maybe even Clayman. He'd definitely scare the pants off these guys. Jaden climbed up on the railing. It wobbled precariously for a second, but Jaden hardly noticed.
Maybe I shouldn't use Clayman…don't wanna accidentally crush them with 20 tons of falling rock… Maybe I cou—!
Something in the rusting metal finally gave after years of neglect, sending Jaden crashing toward the ground. Jaden felt his head spin and stomach swoop. He flailed for the platform but only managed to whack his hand on the definitely-still-hard metal on the way down. Jaden clenched his eyes shut and waited for the vertigo to stop and the pain to start.
If the vertigo stopped, that meant he had stopped falling. If the pain started, well, at least everything hadn't stopped and the brunette was still alive.
"What the hell?!"
Jaden groaned on the lumpy ground. He felt like he'd actually managed to transform into Clayman and had created a crater to collapse in. Jaden couldn't think of another reason why he wasn't lying broken on the pavement…or even conscious for that matter. The brunette had just barely managed to open his eyes to assess the situation when he was suddenly flung to the ground again. Whatever he had landed on wasn't happy being on the ground anymore.
I guess that means I didn't land on the motorcycles. Jaden raised his head to see the guy with the leather jacket pull himself up off the ground. People are much better landing bags than giant metal contraptions.
"Heheh…Sorry about that, guys…" Jaden jumped up and started dusting himself off. He needed to buy himself time to get his breath back. The two bikers looked about ready to start dropping bodies of their own.
"So…uh…what are two fine gentleman such as yourselves doing out here on such a pleasant evening?" All three were sizing each other up as Jaden spoke. The bikers were both taller than the brunette by at least a head. From what he could tell, the blonde was slim, but ripped - or at least, his bare arms looked more impressive than Jaden's. Meanwhile, the one with the silver hair could have been hiding any number of weapons under his ridiculously huge leather coat.
Jaden had the training and the skills, but he certainly didn't look the part. Luckily, the bikers seemed to be judging him just by his looks.
"We could ask you the same thing, wise-ass," the blonde replied, slowly stalking towards the brunette. The one in the leather coat just crossed his arms, blocking the only escape to the alley.
"Well, that's an easy one." Jaden smiled easily. He knew he could take these two, he knew that the bikers didn't know that, and Jaden knew he could use that to his advantage.
"I'm here to bust up some hardened criminals, but I think I fell into the wrong back alley…" The blonde kept stalking towards Jaden, although it was really more like strutting. Jaden had to stop himself from giggling when the blonde flexed 'intimidatingly'.
I bet he thinks he's such hot shit.
"I mean, you two? Really? Hardly criminal material." The guy in leather had never stopped glaring, but the blonde's smirk immediately dropped.
"What was that, punk?" The blonde growled dangerously but Jaden just smirked. Now was a perfect time to practice his witty banter. There wasn't much call for it when fighting giant duel monsters, after all.
"Just that I'm surprised a couple of third rate thugs, like yourselves, managed to rip off a couple of Security guys." The guy Jaden landed on glared but the blonde one spluttered with indignation. "They must have been too busy dealing with real criminals and didn't notice a couple of lame-ass wannabes steal their keys." Jaden couldn't help it; the blonde guy was fun to rile up, but it was going to be a challenge to get the other one to break.
"I'll show you 'third rate'! I'll kick your ass!" The blonde rushed him, planting a foot to snap a kick aimed at Jaden's head. Jaden ducked in time to feel the wind on his face.
Wow. Talk about a short fuse. Jaden blinked in surprise. He hadn't even thought about moving out of the way, his training had just jumped in for him. Jaden didn't have time to gather his wits before his mouth jumped in next.
"Is that all you got, assholes?!" Jaden ducked the punch aimed for his face, turning it into a duck to the side to avoid the kick from the guy behind him. The guy in the leather jacket didn't seem too impressed with Jaden's taunts, but the guy with far too much bling looked like he was starting to enjoy himself.
"Ha! You wish, you little shit!" He dove for Jaden's legs, which would have been impressive if it weren't for the fact that it was such a completely obvious tactic. Jaden managed to jump at just the right moment to leap frog his assailant mid-dive. Jaden turned, expecting to see the guy in bling crash into the wall, only to be forced to block yet another kick from the blonde man; he'd managed to turn the flying leap into a controlled tumble. The blonde man had somersaulted once, using his momentum to kick at Jaden's face from a handstand.
"Why you guys gotta aim for the face?! That's the money maker y'know!" Even though he blocked the kick, Jaden could feel the force of the blow rattle his teeth.
The blonde flipped back onto his feet and into a fighting stance. "I bet that's not the only thing." He gave Jaden a once over and winked.
Jaden shivered. The look on the guy's face was like someone dumping a bucket of slugs down your shirt: slimy, and the inescapable need to take a shower. Lacking an available shower unit, Jaden launched into the offensive.
By keeping the fight in close quarters, both fighters were limited to attempting to punch and grapple each other, it even forced the leather guy to back off or risk hitting his partner. Considering the blonde guy had thrown quite a few kicks so far, Jaden counted this as a point in his favor. It had been too long since his last sparring match at Arcadia, so a simple street brawl was the best Jaden could hope to do.
Unfortunately, his opponent's fighting style made the brawl less of a straightforward kickboxing match and more like fighting a wet noodle. The guy was thin and wiry, lean muscles taut over a thin frame yet incredibly bendy. The gold bands on his arms acted like armor so when he blocked Jaden's punches, Jaden was the one who felt the impact more than the guy actually getting hit. They also added extra weight to the guy's punches which forced Jaden to use both hands to block and absorb the blow to prevent himself from breaking an arm. Yet the added weight also slowed the blonde guy's blows, giving Jaden a chance to strike back.
Of course, even when Jaden did manage to throw a punch, the guy would just bend out of the way again.
"What are you? Some kind of…of…shiny, noodle ninja!?" Jaden brought his hands up, ready to block however the guy decided to attack next.
"Come on, kid! Hit me! I thought you were gonna give me a challenge?" The blonde was taunting him. He knew Jaden was on the defense and didn't even bother pretending to put up a guard.
Jaden smirked. This wasn't some school yard bullying, nor a high stakes monster battle to protect the city. They were fighting in an abandoned district with nothing but the birds as witnesses. There were no paparazzi to avoid, no Divine to watch his every move and judge them. There was no one to protect but himself, and no back up on the way.
Jaden was alone and was just starting to get the hang of it. Exhilaration thrilled through his veins like fire, setting his nerves ablaze with anticipation. It was time to let loose.
"Careful what you wish for!" Jaden rushed forward, forcing the blonde back towards the wall. Bling Guy sidestepped, just as smug as Jaden had been about the move that would have made his opponent eat brick. Maybe more so, since Jaden had proved himself to be less flexible than Noodle Man and therefore less likely to dodge.
Which meant that when Jaden used his momentum to run up the wall, jump, and use Bling Guy's shoulders as a launch pad, he was completely stunned.
Jaden flipped off the blonde's shoulders to land directly in front of him. He took a second to plant himself (he had moves, but Jaden wasn't a ninja like some people) and enjoyed the dumbfounded look on Bling Guy's face.
"You just might get it!" Jaden smirked. His next punch landed without a problem. Right in the face.
The blonde's head flew back to almost smack into the wall. He caught himself though, one hand on the wall behind him, the other clutching at his bleeding and probably broken nose.
That's gonna hurt in the morning.
"Ooh! Sorry about your money maker! I hope you had it insured!" Jaden bounced on his toes, ready for the next bout. The other guy was a noodle, a ninja, a good fighter, and Jaden had only managed to land a single blow. But it was a good start. All Jaden had to do was keep bouncing off the walls.
Jaden was about to do just that when the blonde finally looked up. Jaden froze. He felt his heart stutter before trying to escape from his chest.
The blood from the blonde's nose was dripping down his face. Most of it getting into his mouth that was stretched into an obscene smile. Too sharp, too wide, showing too many teeth. His smile seemed like it was trying to cut the blonde's face in half. But it was the look in his eyes that had Jaden's stomach turning.
They say the eyes are the window to the soul. If that were true, the blonde's soul had been brutally murdered and swallowed by some blood-thirsty demon. What Jaden saw in the other's eyes promised more bloodshed than a measly bloody nose.
The blonde straightened, his eyes focused unblinkingly on Jaden, his smile stained red with the blood still dripping down his face. Jaden took a small step back before he could stop himself.
"Uuh…looks like someone's ready for round two. Bring it on." His opponent's demeanor might have changed, but that didn't mean Jaden couldn't beat his ass into the ground.
If midfight banter doesn't throw him off, maybe the psychotic break will…
Jaden's palms weren't sweaty, his knees weren't shaking, and there was no sudden chill down his spine. All the same, Jaden couldn't help the feeling that this fight just got a lot more difficult.
The blonde's eyes flicked to somewhere above Jaden's head. His smile grew.
"Wha—Ghk!"
Jaden was too busy with the blonde to notice that the guy in leather had snuck up behind him to wrap a belt around Jaden's neck. He yanked hard, stopping Jaden from breathing for a few precious moments, making his eyes water. Jaden struggled to pull away to just breathe but stumbled instead. The leather guy and his improvised garrote following him until Jaden was held up against the man's chest, barely choking in air.
"Tough luck brat, I think he likes you." His voice was sibilant and rough, like the cold slick skin of a snake sliding over sandpaper; completely at odds with the warm breath at Jaden's ear.
Jaden was starting to panic.
The man had to bend down to keep the pressure on Jaden's neck, but he could still feel the light brush of the man's hair against his cheek. Held captive like he was caused the man's leather coat to drape around the smaller teen, blocking his peripherals. Jaden was surrounded by blackness, and with the spots starting to dance in his eyes, all he would see soon would be more blackness.
Jaden felt a dark chuckle rumble through his back.
How is this my life?
And that's how Jaden found himself in a chokehold by a guy with a leather fetish, while facing down a bling-tastic noodle ninja with a hard-on for smack talk and punches to the face.
Jaden's mind stuttered. Amidst the desperate, internal shouts of air!need!ohgod!air! and goddammitI'mbetterthanthisshitgoddamn, there was now Dontlookatthepantsdontlookatthepantsdontlook! careening through Jaden's inner monologue. He really didn't need to know how right he was, or was not, about the blonde guy's 'situation'. Adrenaline did funny things after all. No need to check. Jaden kept his eyes locked on the man's face.
"That was a nice stunt you pulled back there. He didn't see it coming at all." The silver haired man commented.
The blonde punched Jaden in the gut, forcing out whatever air Jaden had left. The pressure on his neck eased enough for Jaden to gasp in some more, only for the belt to tighten once again. The blonde punched him again.
"So what do you think now? Still third rate?" After each blow forced the air out of Jaden, the belt would loosen enough for him to take a breath, and then tighten again. All the while, the man kept whispering in Jaden's ear. It seemed that the blonde was too focused on landing blows to the brunette's gut to continue bantering on his own.
"You really stepped in it, huh kid? Is this what you had in mind? Getting your ass handed to you?" The panic was rising in his throat but was trapped by the garrote. Because of that and the lack of oxygen, Jaden was having a hard time focusing.
A punch.
The taste of fear.
A breath of relief, then pain again.
"Or maybe you were looking for something a little more exciting." Despite the fear and rushing in his ears, Jaden could still hear the dark promise in those words. Jaden shivered.
The guy in leather must have given some sort of signal. The punches stopped coming and suddenly Jaden found himself dragging in large lungfuls of air. He was still held tight against the man's chest, the belt still rubbing his throat raw, but at least Jaden could breathe.
"Life not everything it's made out to be in The Hub? Tsk tsk. And look at this." Jaden had been trying to inch his fingers under the belt, but froze again when it tightened in warning. "How could any perfect parent let their precious baby get even a single scratch? Let alone the so called 'Security'." The man's voice held nothing but contempt. The blonde shared his sentiment by spitting in disgust.
"If you want real security, you should run with people who can actually back up what they promise. Who can handle themselves in a fight and watch your back."
Is this guy really..?
"People like us!" The blonde cut in.
"And people like you." The man cut in. The pressure let up on his neck again. Just a little more and he could maybe make a break for it.
"Waddya say, kid? Wanna take a ride on the wild side?" The blonde smirked, mischievous and dangerous all at once.
Oh. My. God. He is! Seriously?! Jaden coughed through his sore throat.
"I-is that how you sweet talk all the ladies?"
Whatever mirth had made it back to the blonde's humanity morphed back into rage. Jaden's blood ran cold at the sight, but couldn't help but to give a strained chuckle.
It was such a perfect setup. How could I not?
The man in leather chuckled as well, completely ruining Jaden's awesome line. Jaden managed to suck in another breath before the belt tightened again. If he came out of this whole ordeal without losing any brain cells, Jaden would be surprised.
"Don't worry. We've got all the time in the world for you to change your mind…"
Shit. Jaden's vision started going fuzzy again. There was a roaring in his ears and bright spots of light were taking up anything else he could possibly see. Everything was gray and fuzzy at the edges except for the bright spots of light slowly getting larger.
This is it…I'm gonna pass out…they're gonna take me back to their hideout…chain me to the radiator…make me watch celebrity monster duels on ice…
The lights stopped dancing then disappeared entirely, as well as the roaring in his ears. Apparently Jaden wasn't as bad off as he had thought. He could just make out another person making their way towards the group.
Great…now there's another civilian. He's seen too much by now… Jaden watched the blonde turn towards the newcomer, seemingly in slow motion. Things might have gone south from what he'd originally planned, but there was no way Jaden was going to let anyone else get hurt because of his mistakes.
Here goes nothing!
Jaden jerked his head forward, the pain flared again at the sudden strain to his neck, then slammed his head back again. He felt a crunch, a flash of warmth on his neck, and then sweet relief once again. Jaden scrambled to stand between the newcomer and the two bikers. He was wheezing, but at least he was conscious and on his feet.
"St-stay behind m-me!" Jaden's coughing was worse this time. His voice was weak, but it was firm. The bikers looked on in shock, both now sporting bloody noses.
"Took you long enough! Where the hell have you been?" The blonde was smiling again, all aggression suddenly gone. Almost like they were all gathered for a barbeque and the last person had finally showed up with the chips. "You missed all the fun!"
"…uuuh…what?" No one was paying Jaden any attention. The blonde was still smiling, no hard feelings over the recent fight-turned-beating-and-attempted-gang-initiation.
The silver haired guy popped his apparently broken nose back into place and Jaden grimaced at the snap it made. Jaden turned to the still silent guy behind him to see if he was as confused as Jaden was and just about fainted on the spot.
If anything, Jaden blamed his flailing and stumbling on the recent lack of oxygen. He would have fallen flat on his butt again if the new guy hadn't caught him.
"Easy."
Jaden knew he was gaping like a fish, but he couldn't help it. Of all the back alleys in all the city, he just had to happen upon the one Jaden was in. What were the odds that he'd run into the same guy from his first attempt at solo heroing?
"Uuh…I…um…" The other guy just quirked a brow at him before turning back to his 'friends'.
"Marik. Explain."
The blonde shrugged like it was no big deal. "What? Don't look at me! That kid's the one who started it!"
"Marik, calm down. Go get your bike. We're leaving." The silver haired man cut in again. The blonde 'tsk'ed and walked over to the red Lady. The guy in leather watched him go then strode over to Jaden and the new guy. His nose was perfectly straight again, but two lovely shiners were already starting to show up. Jaden felt a little proud at the sight.
"Yusei."
"Kiryu."
Jaden was glad to finally have a name to go with all the faces, but really, stuck in the middle of a macho contest wasn't exactly fun. And 'Yusei' still had a tight grip on his upper arm. Unless he wanted to draw all the attention to himself again, Jaden wasn't going anywhere. Not that he would have wanted to go anywhere in the first place. The whole situation was still confusing and leaving without a clear answer to what the heck was going on would just be disappointing.
While Kiryu and Yusei continued their Staring Contest of Wills, Jaden took the time to really look.
Of the three, Kiryu had the lightest hair and skin tone. His silver hair and pale skin gave him an almost undead vibe. The only color on him was gray, black, darker gray, and more black. Even his eyes were a flat, metal-gray color. Whatever kind of gang these three were in, Kiryu was definitely the leader. No one would be able to pull off the all black, Dark Harbinger of Death look and get away with it without being in charge.
The blonde, Marik, was grumbling to himself. His skin was darker than the others', a dark and even tan that was either natural or required the kind of upkeep that one could only achieve with a gold membership to a tanning salon. During the fight, Jaden had noticed that Marik's eyes were a deep, royal purple, which complemented the lavender sleeveless shirt he was wearing. Thick golden wrist and armbands, heavy gold earrings, a perfect tan, and the sleeveless shirt and skin tight black pants to show it all off? Maybe he did have a gold tanning salon pass, and maybe he even had a personal beautician on retainer for his 'blonde' hair.
Really, out of all of them, Yusei looked the most like a 'normal person', crazy highlighted spiky hair notwithstanding. He was wearing the same blue leather riding outfit he had the last time Jaden saw him. At least the t-shirt he was wearing underneath looked normal. Yusei's leather seemed functional, unlike what the other bikers were wearing, despite the strange orange shoulder guards. Mostly functional in any case. Although they must have a thing for matching their clothes to their eye color in this gang. Yusei's eyes were a deeper blue than Jaden remembered. They were focused, piercing, and sent chills down Jaden's spine.
Jaden's heart was racing in a way that he wasn't sure he could blame on the adrenaline. He was still staring and heat was rushing to his face and Jaden didn't know why. His eyes were darting all over the taller guy's face when they landed on the gold tattoo on Yusei's cheek.
Jaden blinked. His heart was still thumping a mile a minute, his face was still flushed, but that tattoo…Jaden looked back at Kiryu. He had one too. In fact, Kiryu's tattoo was an exact reflection of the one Yusei had. Jaden couldn't tell if Marik had a tattoo somewhere as well. Not that he would have been able to tell his jewelry apart from a metallic tattoo.
Kiryu sighed, drawing Jaden back to the present. "Don't worry about it, Yusei. It's nothing. The kid'll be fine." Jaden snorted, but kept his thoughts to himself. Whatever was going on, it was obviously over and he wasn't exactly keen to fight three on one at the moment.
At least not without a head start and some cough drops…
Yusei still held Jaden by the arm and moved him so the brunette was slightly shielded from Kiryu. They were both still acting like Jaden wasn't there, but even Jaden could tell that was far from the case. Whatever their staring contest came down to, the brunette was the cause. He was suddenly glad to have Yusei between him and the creepy, leather coated biker.
"Kiryu." Yusei said, warningly.
"I said it was nothing. Right, kid?" The Staring Contest of Wills was still going strong even if Jaden was suddenly included in the conversation.
"Yup. All good here. We're just fine and the bestest friends ever!" His voice was scratchy, but he still managed to get in all the sarcasm and energy the situation deserved. Macho standoffs were fun and all, but Jaden was starting to miss Marik and his banter.
Kiryu flicked his eyes to Jaden's and smirked. "If that's the way you want it, kid."
Ooooor maybe not. No more banter for me, please. I seriously can't tell if I just joined a gang or not. At least if Marik had said that line I'd know he'd mean more than friends. It honestly hadn't taken long for Jaden to tell that Marik had all the flirty-funny bones out of all of them; he just wished the others had a sense of humor that didn't give him the heebie-jeebies.
Something on Yusei's face must have agreed with him. Kiryu smirked, but held his hands up in surrender and backed away towards his own bike.
Okay, so leader-man with the awesome-leather-coat Kiryu just lost the Macho Man Staring Contest of the Ages to some punk who can't drive his own bike through downtown? Yusei's tattoo shone for a second as he relaxed, drawing Jaden's eye again.
Maybe the tattoo is some kind of status marker…
Before Jaden could think on it further Yusei pushed him towards the alley. "Leave. While you've got the chance."
Jaden was breathing easier and was steadier on his feet. He could feel his Duel Monsters shifting restlessly in their deck. They had a small taste of excitement and were ready for more. Jaden was ready and willing to give them the chance. Only his throat was injured, and that barely hurt anymore.
His throat twinged in pain, almost like trying to swallow with a barbed wire necklace, as if to make a point. Jaden winced but otherwise ignored it. There was definitely something going on with these tattooed bikers, something bigger than what Jaden had overheard. He felt like he was on the brink of finally being able to do something on his own. Now wasn't the time to give up.
"'While I've got the chance'? What, you gonna fight me next? You sure about that? Cuz I totally just kicked your friends' collective butts." Jaden addressed the back of Yusei's head. He hadn't turned after pushing Jaden away.
Yusei turned just enough to pierce Jaden with one deep blue eye.
"Leave."
Jaden flushed and his heart was jackrabbit fast again. Whatever feeling had gripped him before was back tenfold. His body was reacting in a way that it shouldn't when faced with an opponent. Jaden couldn't stand it.
He needed to find out more about their gang and chop shop plans without actually joining the gang itself. At least not yet, anyways. He already had enough secrets without having to add another to the list. Jaden needed more information, but there was no way he was going to get more out of them by just standing there and talking.
Jaden made eye contact with Yusei again and shivered.
Especially not when Yusei was so tight-lipped in general. Jaden could almost count on one hand alone how many words Yusei had actually said so far.
Maybe later. For now, maybe a tactical retreat would be good.
Jaden tried his best naïve smile, but it felt unnatural even to him. "I'll see you guys later then." Jaden could feel Yusei's gaze follow him as he turned and left the little courtyard. Jaden walked a few blocks, then turned down another alley, before he felt like he could breathe easy again.
"Daaaaamn it. That could have gone better." Jaden lightly touched the wound on his neck and winced. His hand came away clean, but Jaden could feel the heat coming off of it. "Of course, it definitely could have gone worse. I think I'll call this one a tie." Jaden peeked out the alleyway to make sure they weren't following him.
"I bet I could use Sparkman again and follow them. But then again, that Yusei guy has seen him before…might tell the reporters again." Jaden frowned at the thought. There was no way Yusei could have been the one to shoot the video from the first time, since he was also in it. But Yusei was actually a real life thug, not an innocent civilian with brake troubles, but a criminal. Maybe he had connections that were involved with the video and was using it for some kind of…something.
Jaden wasn't sure how anyone could use amateur footage of Hero events for personal gain, but he was sure Yusei and his gang could find a way.
He pushed the thought away. Jaden slapped his cheeks and started jumping in place. Anticipation was on the rise again, Jaden practically buzzing on the spot.
"Alright! I got this! I can do this!" He pulled a card from his deck and smiled down at it. "I mean we got this." Jaden raised the card in the air then slapped it down on his bare arm. He watched his arm slowly turn blue, the ground inching further away as he grew before having to shut his eyes against the bright light of transformation.
Jaden blinked his eyes open, grinning excitedly, and felt his newly formed cape flutter behind him. He used the opportunity to strike a dramatic heroic pose.
"Let's do this, Bubbleman!" Jaden almost made it ten steps before he heard a scream from the opposite direction. He stopped, conflicted. Jaden could hear the revving of motorcycle engines, there wasn't much time to lose if he wanted to tail Yusei and the others.
There was another scream and this time Jaden could make out some shouts as well.
"Get yer hands off my sister!"
A quick pivot and Jaden was sprinting to the new commotion, away from where he knew the biker gang was heading. Whether to follow the people he knew were no good and who might be up to something or to investigate a conflict with trouble already started with unknown players was hardly a decision at all.
Like my daddy always says: 'When in doubt, follow the screaming.' A little strange, but it hasn't failed me yet!
Jaden was comfortable enough to admit to himself that he was a little disappointed that the bikers and their potential plans to go steal bike parts were going to get away with it. But at the same time, if they were going to try and rip parts off another Security bike, he could rest easy knowing they were in for a harder time than they thought. Jaden knew for a fact that the Security Officers were downright paranoid about their rides, motorcycle or otherwise. He still remembered the paperwork Jaden had to fill out the first time Flame Wingman was required to ride in one of their blimps. Not. Fun. And that didn't even include the fifty million regulations he'd had to memorize.
Bubbleman rounded a corner at a sprint, coming upon a group of guys in robes struggling with two teens in the middle. He took in the scene with a blink. Bubbleman raised one of his blasters and fired two shots at the men on the fringes. Large bubbles sped towards the men before exploding with loud pops, flinging the targets to the ground.
Hopefully they were clean hits and the two targets were unconscious. Bubbleman was in the fray proper now and didn't have time to check. He could see three more of the robed men throwing somekind of weapons around, trying to hit a tall blonde teen.
Are those yo-yos?
The thought barely crossed Jaden's mind before one of the yo-yos was flying at his face. He got a fist up in time to catch the string around his arm. As soon as it stopped winding around, he grabbed the string and yanked. Thankfully the robed man who threw it still had a tight grip and went sailing into Bubbleman's fist.
"Fear not, citizens! Bubbleman is here to save the day!" Jaden had made it to the teen's side and nearly had a heart attack.
What the hell?! Is today 'Give Jaden an Aneurism Day?!
"What the fuck 're you lookin' at?! Don't help me, help her!"
Jaden looked to where Jou was gesturing, I can't believe it's Jou! What the heck?, and saw two more robed men trying to drag a girl with long brown hair away.
"Jou!"
Jaden swung his stolen yo-yo at Jou's assailants, leaving the blonde with a little bit of breathing room, before flipping over to help the girl.
"Unhand the lady, ruffians!" The robed men only growled in response. This was grade A material and they were giving him nothing. Figuring it was simpler to end things quickly, Jaden grabbed the attackers by their collars and knocked their heads together.
Quick and painless. Mostly. Can't knock the classics! Giggling to himself would have ruined his image, so Jaden just gave the girl a little bow before turning back to the last two. Jou was holding his own, landing successive crushing blows, but hey, when you're on a roll…
One last shot from Bubbleman's wrist canon sent the last two the way of the first two: out cold in a heap on the ground. He picked up the two that had been trying to take the girl and carried them over to the rest, dumping them all in one big, purple-robed pile.
"Are you alright, citizens?" Jaden turned to the last two people standing. Jou had rushed over to the girl as soon as he could, running his eyes over her worriedly looking for injuries. The girl seemed to take the fussing in stride.
"Uuh..yeah. Thanks, man." Jou moved to stand between the girl and Bubbleman, ready to take on the new weirdo even if he'd just seen him beat to a pulp the guys he'd been having trouble with only moments before.
"No need to thank me, citizen! It is my sworn duty to protect those in need!" Jaden tried to reassure his friend. Jou didn't look too comforted, but the girl giggled, obviously amused by Jaden's theatrics.
"Thank you, kind sir, for helping us." She stepped towards Bubbleman, ignoring Jou's hissed 'come back here!'.
Jaden knelt with a flourish of his cape. He gently took the girl's hand in his gloved one and placed a light kiss to the back of it. She giggled again.
"It is my pleasure, my lady. I am honored to be of service to you and your companion. Please don't hesitate to call on me again should you need my assistance. Upon my word, these streets will be safe to all who travel along them!" Jaden continued to kneel before the girl throughout his entire speech. Laying it on as thick as he could, to the amusement of one and the exasperation of the other.
"Yea, yea. Where were you last week? Sure coulda used yer help then."
Jaden dropped the act as he stood.
"This isn't the first time you've seen these guys?" Jou nodded gravely. His shoulders relaxed when he realized Jaden was done with the flowery talk.
"We've seen 'em around a coupl'a times, hangin' 'round dark alleys 'n bein' creepy. Just thought they were more lunatics like those Society nut-jobs."
Jaden thought back to his recent experience as Avian and the guy in the robe he'd landed on. He hadn't thought much about it at the time, and he was starting to regret it.
"Streets just ain' safe anymore. That's why I've been walkin' my lil sis everywhere." Jou ruffled his sister's hair. She smacked his hand away with a pout, but the smirk on his face was unrepentant.
"No worries, citizen! Bubbleman is on the job!" Jaden hated to break up the moment, but now seemed like the time to beat a hasty retreat before someone asked any compromising questions.
"Say… You wouldn't happen to know Flame Wingman would ya? Think you could get me his autograph?" Jou looked Bubbleman up and down appraisingly. Jaden tried not to flinch under his inspection.
Questions like that…
"Uuh...well…y'see, I work alone. And uh…" Jaden found it was easier to stare off into the distance when he was taller than Jou. Although he didn't have time to enjoy it. On the other side of the street, Jaden caught a glimpse of someone ducking behind a building.
"Ah! It seems one of the rapscallions has gotten away! Never fear! For I, Bubbleman, am on the job!" While he was gesturing wildly, Jaden slipped one of his trackers onto the pile of unconscious creepy guys. Once that was done, he sprinted off towards the retreating figure.
Jaden thought he heard Jou grumble something about 'adrenaline junkie wannabees' before he was out of earshot.
"Busy, busy, busy. So many opportunities for fighting crime today!" While Jaden was happy to go from one fight to the next, he tried not to think about the days when he wouldn't be able to be there. That was what Public Security was for, but still…
Bubbleman rounded the building he had seen the figure disappear behind and came to another cramped and dark opening. He wasn't sure if it was another alley or just poor city planning. Either way, Jaden was making "alleyways" the first stop on crime fighting nights in the future.
After running into two people he already knew that night, finding a third hiding in the shadows wasn't exactly surprising anymore.
"Greetings, citizen! Are you injured? Public Security will be here soon to apprehend the criminals. Should you require medical assistance…" Jaden trailed off. He could see that the other wasn't obviously injured, so it was doubtful he'd need any first aid. But that was just more confusing for why they were there in the first place.
The last time Jaden had run into this particular guy in yet another alleyway, he hadn't thought much about it. It had looked like a regular mugging situation and the crazy haired teen hadn't said anything different.
He hadn't said much, in fact. Now that Jaden thought about it, the guy didn't even look shaken up about the whole ordeal. Jaden knew Jou was a pretty tough guy himself, and after holding his own against the robed men, even he had looked a little rattled. Of course, it looked like this teen had just been observing a mugging this time around, but most people would be a little freaked out at watching a violent crime in progress.
Said teen was now staring Bubbleman straight in the eyes. He was perfectly still. Beyond statue-still, and directly to unnaturally still. His face was blank but Jaden had the feeling he was being laughed at all the same.
"How long have you been watching? Why didn't you call Security?" They were perfectly logical questions but for some reason Jaden felt inept for asking them.
Jaden was surprised when he actually got an answer. He was expecting a smirk or sardonic laughter, maybe even more silent staring. At least Jaden managed not to jump at the other's deep voice.
"He looked like he could handle himself. The girl is fine." The last part was said so quietly Jaden almost didn't catch it. The mysterious guy was already setting Jaden's hair on end, but now warning bells were starting to go off. It didn't sound like the guy was glad Jou's sister was okay.
This guy was just going to watch a girl get kidnapped while her brother was beaten and possibly taken as well. Really, the strange guy had twice been found in dark alleys, away from Security cameras and prying eyes, when the creepy purple-robed men had been involved.
Actually, Jaden had never seen the mysterious guy and the robed men be anything but civil to each other…Jaden was starting to think he had jumped the gun that first time before checking if there was an actual mugging happening.
"You don't understand the forces you are dealing with here. I suggest you stop interfering before you get yourself hurt."
Whether it was a warning or a threat, Jaden wasn't sure he cared. Twice now, people Jaden had assumed were innocent bystanders had turned out to be less innocent than what he'd originally thought.
Well, Jou seemed pretty normal. But now I'm not so sure…
Jaden's stomach turned at the thought of suspecting one of his new-found friends. It had only been a couple of days, but Jou and the others had already become important parts of his life. Jaden almost felt like throwing up and it was all this guy's fault.
Chazz's face jumped to Jaden's mind.
The angsty bully had been a pain for as long as Jaden had known him, short as it was. Despite that, Jaden still wanted to do all that he could to reach out to the other boy. Jaden knew, deep down, that there was good in him.
As much as Jaden wanted to write this creepy guy off as just another street thug, he couldn't do it. For one, he didn't have proof that this guy was bad; just an uneasy feeling. For another, it just wasn't in Jaden to completely hate a person to the point of refusing to try and help them if he could.
Heck, he still wasn't sure about Kiryu, Marik, and Yusei, and there was a lot less ambiguity about their actions. Jaden had even tried befriending Chazz more than once, and he knew he'd be trying again the next chance he got, no matter what.
"That sounds like something a criminal mastermind would say…are you a criminal mastermind?" Jaden tried to ask jokingly, but couldn't keep the suspicion from creeping into his
voice.
"Sometimes I'm not even sure myself…" The other teen chuckled, almost to himself.
The sound was somehow not as mocking as Jaden thought it should have been. It was deep and dark, making Jaden's skin crawl, but at the same time, it was melancholic.
Something in the other's eyes wrenched at Jaden's heart; as if Jaden's soul recognized the loneliness in his eyes and was straining and stretching itself to reach out and comfort the other teen. Or maybe to take the sorrow upon himself to save the other from the pain. Jaden gasped, suddenly breathless at the sensation.
The feeling abruptly vanished when the mystery guy suddenly disappeared into the shadows.
Jaden rushed forward to stand exactly where the guy had just been. Bubbleman had had the guy backed up against the wall of the building; there was no way he could have slipped by without Jaden noticing. It was almost as if the mysterious guy had phased through the old brick wall itself.
Jaden placed a hand on the wall, dumbfounded.
Yup…completely solid…
"…well that was maddeningly unhelpful…and completely unexpected."
Jaden released the transformation with a dull pop, absentmindedly catching Bubbleman's card before it could flutter away. The brunette stood and stared at the wall, mind whirling. He stayed that way for a few minutes before blinking several times and finally coming back to himself.
"Well…that happened." Jaden had turned and walked about five blocks before realizing he was heading home without even thinking about it. He looked down in confusion at the duel card still in his hand. Jaden calmly put the card back in his deck before striding towards the Hub.
It was not the time to question everything he'd ever learned about physics. Clearly he didn't know much in the first place if people were walking through walls now. He knew he should be more worried about the consequences of mysterious figures coming and going from, say, bank vaults and what not, but Jaden could only think about how cool it would be to walk through walls.
"Now that's what I call a superpower. An honest to goodness mutant ability." Jaden crossed his arms behind his head and walked, staring at the sky in wonder, completely at ease once again. All worries of ghost people, purple cults, and roving packs of bikers gone from his mind.
"If it even was mutant. I've never seen Aki do anything like that before. And Jim and I certainly can't pull it off, so I don't think it was duel spirit related." Jaden hummed to himself, lost in thought.
If it turned out the guy was connected to the robed men, then he'd make a good arch rival for Jaden to track down and fight for the fate of the city in a final showdown. Maybe on top of the tallest building during a thunderstorm, or in an abandoned building right as it's about to explode. Maybe even on top of a blimp!
But if he wasn't a bad guy…if he was just another misunderstood hero-in-the-making like Jaden had been… Jaden started compiling a list of potential pranks the two could pull once the other joined the Arcadia Department.
Jaden's phone rang, interrupting his glorious prank fantasies. Thankfully the thing hadn't broken after falling from the fire escape and had escaped any damage from Jaden's fight with Marik.
He looked at the caller ID and blanched.
Shitshitshitshit! What time is it?! It can't be that late already! Oh man, I am so dead! For sure this time!
"Fuck." Jaden's fingers shook as he answered the call.
"H-hey, dad! How's it hanging?"
Okay, this marks the beginning of chapters written during NaNoWriMo. So I have my buffer back and will hopefully have a few more chapters posted sooner than twice a year….sorry about that… Anyways, I've dual-posted DUEL Heroes to AO3 if anyone is interested. Same story, different site. But I will always post here first! :) Hope everyone still likes it, and if so, teeeellll meeeee. ;)
Happy Holidays! 3