Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's - Sutādasuto / Stardust Accelerator

~ by Yusei ~

Summary - "Rena awakens in Satellite with no memory of who she is. Sticking close to Yusei, the journey to uncover the past and follow the unknown Signer into Neo-Domino City unfolds. Then the adventure really begins".

Disclaimer - I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's or any of the characters.

A / N - This chapter, honestly, isn't very good. It's been something I wanted to work on and with half-term, I got that chance. But it seems I've been having trouble really getting into it lately - similar to how I couldn't get the ambience in "Breaking Point" right in the last chapter. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the chapter.


---

Rally / Nerve -Satellite- 'West Domino' Subway

Rally sighed as he seated himself on the worn sofa, avoiding eye contact with Nerve who leant against the frame of the threshold, arms folded over his chest. Taka and Blitz were absent from the subway, the pair were alone in darkness and in silence. Guilt consumed Rally, his eyes fixed on the concrete floor beneath his hanging feet. As desperately as he wanted to apologize to Nerve for the trouble he had caused, he couldn't be sure what Nerve would say or how he'd react. The first time he had stolen a CPU chip for Yusei, Nerve almost dealt him a blow - prevented only by the helmet Rally clutched as a shield. Would he lose his temper like that again? The boy couldn't be sure; he didn't want to risk the possibility.

The whirring of a D-Wheel above ground grew, the sound boring into the pair's ears, Nerve's eyes narrowed as he glared in the direction of the stairway leading to the surface before the noise halted. Rally tensed, certain that Security had returned to arrest him for his acts, ready to tattoo another of the yellow Markers onto his face. The first experience had been the most terrifying thing in his life, the pain inflicted upon him by the laser that painted the Marker beneath his eye sent a chill through his body, his small trembling form.

The silence ended, footsteps echoed as the sole of the newcomer's shoes slapped the cold step, inching closer with each second. Rally curled his body into a foetal position on the worn sofa, laying on the right side of his body as every muscle in his body tensed. Nerve observed the movement, stepping away from the threshold in order to confront the new arrival. His eyes narrowed as the shadow approached, the individual was making their way to the corner of the hut. Nerve's fists clenched tightly, ready to ambush the intruder and make a dash for freedom with the shivering Rally.

Rounding the corner, the individual stood shorter than the brunette man, bearing a brown jacket and jeans. Nerve halted his assault before it began, staring at the D-Wheeler who watched him from beneath the visor of their open-face helmet. Rally opened his eyes when he realized he was alone, gazing in horror when Nerve retreated into the room without a sound.

"What's happening?" the boy asked.

Nerve shook his head, refusing to reply with words. Rally shuddered, tears building in his eyes when he attempted feebly to translate the meaning of the shaking, certain that Nerve had returned bearing negative news regarding one of the others. The other individual passed through, removing the helmet to reveal the hair that fell to the shoulders of the rider, Rally's eyes lit up at the sight.

"Rena, you're alright!" he yelped, dashing forward.

Without giving the girl a chance to response, he lunged at her, wrapping his arms around her waist and sobbing into her gut. Rally smiled softly, placing a hand atop Rally's head and flatting the bright hat placed on top of his vibrant orange hair. Nerve shook his head as he watched with a smirk, surprised that Rally of all people could mistake his actions as a mute report of a negative nature - the boy had truly been shaken by the experience, the thought of returning to the Detention Centre and confronting another Marker to colour his face. Rena turned her eyes to him; relief drenched the trio as their hopes for a quick reunion became a reality. But that was the problem - there were only three gathered, Rena's smile diminished when her mind shifted to the absent pair.

"Where are Blitz and Taka?"

"That's just it" Nerve sighed. "We can't be sure".


-遊戯王5D's-

Stardust ~ Chapter 7 - Bonds of Trust and Loyalty! The Choice of Sacrifice ~ Sutādasuto

Rena -Satellite- 'West Domino' Subway

"What do you mean?" Rena asked, fear wavering in her eyes as she pressed on, feeling the desperation for an answer swelling inside of her chest. Her hand moved down to Rally's back, rubbing circles against his spine."Together, we all raced in the direction of the Factory, figuring this to be the best time to try and find some information about the Maintenance Pipeline" the brunette began. "We heard this laugh that we recognized - this guy showed up a few nights before Yusei planned to take off into the City, just before you showed up - he had these two goons with him. They planned to get back into the City after they were deported for some reason; he and Yusei became friends after he was trounced and unable to steal the D-Wheel. So, figuring he'd be able to help us, Taka and Blitz insisted they'd go after him and find something while Rally and I checked elsewhere".

"We haven't seen them since" Rally sobbed, gazing up at Rena through the tears that lined the bottom of his eyes. "We were going to meet up after not long, but they didn't show and we were worried that Security would come around".

"So they're still at the Factory?" Rena asked, her brow furrowing at the revelation.

"We think so, but they may have tried to come back. We just don't know" Nerve sighed.

"I see" Rena mumbled. "I'll go look for them"."What?" Nerve gasped. "But Security will still be after you".

"Only the officer that duelled me knows what I look like. Otherwise, they're all searching for someone riding about on a D-Wheel" Rena articulated. "So long as none of the other Security officers suspect here, they can't find it. That jamming device Blitz used earlier should still be in effect, blocking any chance they have of finding Rally back here and they've no way to trace me. What matters now is getting Blitz and Taka back here before anything else happens".

"Rena… why are you risking yourself like this? What about going to the City?" Rally asked.

"Blitz and Taka were just trying to help find out when the Pipeline next pauses its duty for me. The least I can do is do my best to help them" Rena muttered, placing her hand atop Rally's head again. "I don't want to just leave them while they're doing their best for me. We don't even know when the Pipeline next closes for an inspection, it could be a whole month - I won't be giving up anything".

"But anything could happen" Rally protested meekly.

"I'll do my best not to let that happen. I promise you that I'll get them back here safely".

---

Having removed the Riding Suit Rally had presented her with before, Rena stood at the base of the stairway leading to the streets of Satellite with Rally and Nerve behind her, both watching anxiously. Nerve placed his hand onto Rally's shoulder, doing his best to reassure him that the plan would work as well as holding him back from a mad dash after the girl who stood before them, smiling warmly to evade the anxiety surrounding the predicament, something to insist she was fine with what had been set in stone as a plan to locate and return the missing friends.

"Rena, you sure about this? Rally squeaked, his cheeks still damp from the tears that trickled down his face before.

"I am. Don't worry, Rally" Rena replied, nodding her head. "Blitz and Taka have done what they must to help me; I have to return the favour to thank them. I don't want to ride towards Neo-Domino and where freedom lies ahead while you're struggling and separated - it wouldn't be right. I know Yusei would do the same".

Rally watched Rena in awe as she insisted on rescuing their missing comrades. Rena smiled gently down at Rally, the boy who had shone so brightly with the hope beneath the surface of his undersized body left struggling to keep himself together. She leaned forward, laying a hand onto his shoulder, her other arm sporting the Duel Disk that had been a part of her D-Wheel hanging limply by her side.

"Don't blame yourself for all this, Rally" she insisted. "Blitz and Taka wouldn't have needed to head to the Factory if I weren't here".

"You're blaming your existence here for them disappearing?" Rally cried out.

"No. But I am going to take responsibility. I'll find them as a way to atone for getting in your way".

Before Rally could protest, Rena turned her back on the pair, her hand falling from his shoulder and swinging back to her side. Rally cut himself off before he could finish the first word of his argument. Rena glanced at Nerve over her shoulder, the brunette watching her solemnly before she advanced to the base of the stairway, turning her eyes ahead to the sunlight that fell over the steps ahead. Rena ascended to the ground level of Satellite; the same scene greeted her that she had seen the past days - empty streets, an eerie silence. A deserted district that had once been full of vibrant life while Satellite had been a part of Neo-Domino - the details of the separation remained minimal to her - regardless, she pressed on ahead

Thinking back to Taka and Blitz, what they had done for her, Rena's fists tightened by her sides - Blitz had risked himself to help her gain her D-Wheel, Taka had been determined to find information regarding the next occasion the Maintenance Pipeline would close for its condition. They were both opening a hand for her to take, ones that would push her towards the City, where she intended to be, to the answers she sought.

Streets further out showed minimal life - apparently the wailing of a Security's siren had driven the people into the shadows, hiding from the authority like mice slipping into their homes at the base of a wall. Shrouding themselves in the safety of the darkness, concealing themselves where they could feel safe, places they knew. It may have been Rena's presence strolling through the streets, but the number gradually increased, the people were becoming aware that the Security officer had departed from the area. They were not his target, they could continue struggling to continue in the cruel world that was Satellite - for many, the only life they knew.

Almost immediately, some returned to the cards laid on the edge of the roadways, snacks and bottles of water placed either side of the battlefield - the way Duel Monsters had been traditionally played before the creation of the Duel Disks, seemingly only a portion of Satellite residents could obtain one.

The dismal island was exactly what Rena had seen physically over the days since she woke beneath Rally's concerned eyes, but hope was gone - the brightness that shone in the faces of the group she had been living with was no more around the streets. Some time passed before Rena stood outside the site matching Nerve's description of the Factory that the group had rushed to and split up in. She gazed at it for a moment, taking in what was most likely the largest and most complete structure left standing in Satellite.

'Taka. Blitz' she thought, the two faces appearing in her mind.

Without further hesitation, she stepped forward, crossing the unmarked courtyard of the facility. The terrified look on Rally's face when Security announced their arrival at the top of the Subway flashed in Rena's mind - these people lived in fear of authority, and not how ordinary citizens would - there were strict laws enforced over the people of Satellite, laws that they could have no way of surpassing, no freedom to even attempt to challenge. The people were living in poverty and the City had done nothing to help them - after an earthquake had separated the two according to the others. In a way, she prayed that she couldn't have originated in such a cold-hearted place.

Through the threshold of the facility she passed, looking around for any sign of the others. The whirring of machinery sounded incessantly, people continued to live and work like slaves in the shadow of the City; children that played with cards couldn't experience a true duel, adults stripped of their jobs left to fend in the worse of conditions, pets taken from their former lives having to adapt to where they now lived. Those born after the earthquake had no experience of life, those who had perished since the incident had been buried beneath soil that may as well have been foreign. Rena's heart sank when the realization of these things hit her.

After a short while of searching the Factory, avoiding the eyes of workers and other individuals that had entered the building, Rena found herself leaning against a wall, sighing heavily when there had been no sign of her comrades. From a corridor nearby, a strange laughter rang out.

"Shishishi~"

She pressed the palms of her hands against the wall and forced herself from the surface. The laughter echoed - she couldn't be sure why, but the strange chuckled intrigued her; what was amusing? Who was making the sound? Would they know where the others were? She gingerly trod towards the crossroads where sound came from, a corridor stretching to the left identified as the source of the laugh. She pressed on, pacing cautiously through the hallway until she found herself standing at the end, the other side of the threshold was a large chamber where two ragged men stood opposite Blitz and Taka.

The two familiar faces glared hatefully at the two opposite them - the wider of the two mumbling inaudibly with a mess of hair that looked like it had perished and laid lifelessly atop his head, wearing black glasses on the bridge of his nose. The other chuckled in response to whatever the first said - the same laugh that had drawn Rena to the sight - his grey hair was curved into a shape resembling half of a circle with a clown-like horizontal base. The tie hanging loosely from his neck bounced as he continued to laugh, the forefinger on his right hand extended constantly while the rest was clenched in a fist.

From further behind the two, a blue-haired man approached the pair, clothed in a grey jacket with rolled up sleeves and matching trousers. Beneath his right eye, a small Marker had been drawn onto his skin. A fist met the palm of his other hand as he gradually stepped towards the pair who continued to protest against what the three had cornered them over.

"I'd say it's about time you guys quit playing dumb" he growled.

"We're not playing! Do you think we're stupid?" Taka roared in protest.

"I do. I know you're lying" the blue-haired man snarled furiously. "If you won't say, then we'll have to knock the answers out of you".

Having caught the faint words, Rena sprung out of her place at the end of the connecting hallway, clenching her fists by her sides.

"You'll beat nothing!" she objected.

The three turned their head to face Rena, Blitz and Taka's faces lighting up at the sight of her. The blue-haired man - clearly the leader - scowled while raising an eyebrow at the sight of a female interrupting the heated debate.

"Rena, you're here!" Blitz called. "So you're alright, that's a relief".

"Blitz, Taka, what's going on?" Rena asked.

"This guy, I think his name is Uryu, challenged Yusei before he left for the City" Taka elucidated. "He's moaning that he deserves a rematch with Yusei and believes that he's still here, hiding somewhere".

"Yusei hiding - it sound stupid, but he won't listen to us" Blitz sighed, folding his arms over his chest.

"Shut it before I beat you both to a pulp!" Uryu roared furiously. "Yusei promised me a rematch and broke his promise when he left. But I know he's back, there's no way some Satellite punk can be in the City this long without getting arrested and even deported back here".

"You know even know Yusei and what he's like. He's still over there" Taka shouted back.

"Hey" Rena called, bringing the argument to a premature halt. "I'll duel you - you want to fight someone, fight me".

"Don't Rena, this guy may have lost to Yusei, but he's still tough" Blitz pleaded.

"I'll duel, but on one condition" Uryu proceeded. "These guys said you have a D-Wheel before we jumped them - put that on the line".

"My D-Wheel?" Rena sounded.

"I duelled Yusei for his, but he won" Uryu clarified. "I came from the City not long before that, deported because the City believed I did wrong. I'm going to get back there and prove to them what I'm capable of. And if Yusei really is there, I'll challenge him to that rematch".

Rena lifted her head, giving a nod afterwards to signal her approval of the condition. The two workers exchanged anxious glances, uttering matching moans. Uryu turned to his two henchmen-like acquaintances.

"You two go find something to do, this won't take long. I'll catch up" he instructed.

"But Uryu-san…"

"Just go! I'll be right after you. Taking out some Satellite punk shouldn't take long".

"But why does that mean we should head off so suddenly?"

"Do it, okay? You guys go have some fun while I mess about with this kid",

"Kid?" Rena asked keeping her composure while raising an irrigated eyebrow.

The two turned to each other before hastily departing, agreeing that annoying their leader was not a smart move, they would have to settle for his reasons. Uryu glared at Rena once the two left, activating his Duel Disk, noting the look, Rena turned her eyes to her friends.

"You two stay back too, I'll settle this - it's my fault you came here".

"But Rena…" Taka mumbled, stepping forward until Blitz's hand fell on his shoulder.

He turned to his friend, seeing Blitz shaking his head at a leisurely pace. The wider man stepped down, remaining by his companion's side. Uryu watched as Rena activated her Duel Disk, glaring heatedly as he imagined Yusei in her place, watching back with that neutral expression he wore throughout their duel.

"But this ain't over. I'll win next time".

"Fine".

The blue haired man bore his teeth like a vicious animal infuriated. Yusei had broken an implied vow to battle again, he had spoken like an honourable man, but heading into the City had altered that image. Uryu could see nothing more than an unfulfilled duel that the two had spoken of - his thirst for battle was left unquenched, he could make up that with the duel against Rena. Both drew five cards from their decks, taking their battle stances as the chamber was filled with only the distant whirring of machinery.

"Duel!"

DUEL START

RENA -- URYU
4000 -- LP -- 4000

FIRST TURN - URYU

"I'll start this" the blue haired man bellowed, drawing from his Duel Disk. "I summon Cross-Sword Beetle [ATK 1800]".

Before the duellist, a large dirt brown beetle materialized, supported by its hind legs while revealing the four appendages expanding from the head of its body. Red eyes atop its form flashed dangerously as it awoke from the inactivity as of late.

"In addition, I'll activate my Retribution of the Ant Lion" Uryu added, slotting the Magic Card into place. "With this, every time a monster is destroyed, the owner of that card loses 800 lifepoints".

On the field, a yellow vortex appeared in the ground, energy rotating along the circular route. Rena's eyes narrowed into a sharp glare directed at the cocky blue haired man standing opposite. He grinned proudly at the strategy he was putting into play at such an early point in the duel - before Rena had a chance to do anything against the plays.

"You're out of luck. Cross-Sword Beetle is a very powerful Level 4 monster, you can't hope to beat it" he chortled. "I'll bring my turn to an end and let your suffering begin".

SECOND TURN - RENA

Ignoring Uryu's words, Rena pulled the top card from her deck, surveying it briefly as it descended into her hand amongst her other cards. Instead, she pulled another from the small collection in her grasp.

"I summon Gigantic Cephalotus [ATK 1850]" she declared, throwing the card onto the designated Monster Zone space in the centre of the machine.

Ahead of her, the familiar two-legged plant awoke, opening its wide jaws to reveal the orange interior, tongue wagging as it screeched in the face of the enemy. Uryu narrowed his eyes, aware that Rena's creature towered over his slightly in attack power, she had pulled off what he deemed impossible for a Satellite duellist.

"Gigantic Cephalotus, destroy Cross-Sword Beetle!" Rena yelled, pointing at the oversized insect.

The plant monster stumbled forward, beginning a charge towards the enemy. Standing just before the creature, the plant halted and forced its weight down to its leafy feet, using the energy to spring into the air and rise to the beetle's head. Orange jaws opened and clamped down on the massive creature, the beetle flailing in agony as the jaws sank deeper into it. Seconds into the attack and the creature exploded, leaving Gigantic Cephalotus dropping to the ground.

RENA -- URYU
4000 -- LP -- 3950

"Heh, 50 lifepoints lost is no big deal. That's not even a dent in my lifepoints" Uryu chuckled cockily, waving his hands dismissively at Rena and her retreating plant monster. Rena narrowed her eyes slightly, a glare without hatred or anger as fuel.

"But you didn't just lose 50 lifepoints" she commented discreetly.

"Huh?" Uryu sounded, gazing at her.

The yellow circle upon the ground began to glow suddenly, spitting up a ray of energy that rose enough to fall over Uryu, who yelled out in horror at the revelation. Rena watched without any kind of reaction, waiting until the energy evaporated and revealed the stunned insect duellist.

"What? What happened?" he called, pausing for a moment as he recalled his plays over the first turn. "Dammit! The same happened when I duelled Yusei!"

RENA -- URYU
4000 -- LP -- 3150

Rena cocked an eyebrow at the mention of a repeating occurrence in the duel - something that had happened in Uryu's fight against Yusei had happened again before her eyes. Did this mean that he was going to lose to her indefinitely? She mentally shook her head, there was no time to be cocky herself, she had to focus - this was the man that had threatened two of her friends who were only around because they were trying to help her. He had tried to stand in Yusei's way when he planned to head off into the City; he was doing exactly the same to her.

"Turn end".

THIRD TURN - URYU

"My turn" Uryu yelled as he drew from his deck. "I play Insect Knight [ATK 1900]".

In the place of her previous monster, a human-shaped monster appeared. The armour matched any that a human warrior would wear as they braced themselves for battle, but claws entered from the pieces in the place of hands and fingers. In the right hand, a sword and a shield in the left, it gave the impression of a human fighter until its head confirmed that not to be the case. Antennas extending from the top of its head, a glowing yellow sphere placed in its forehead above two large red eyes, beneath them was a mouth constructed of pieces resembling pincers.

"Insect Knight, avenge our fallen comrade and cut that plant down to size!" Uryu bellowed, pointing at the plant standing opposite his warrior.

As it registered the attack, the mouth at the base of its head snapped furiously, like it understood that another insect had perished before it as a result of battling the plant. In charged fiercely, leaping up before it could cross much of the field, sword gleaming above its head. Almost immediately, it dropped down, slicing the plant monster in half and leaping back before the inevitable explosion followed, gusts whipping Rena as she watched, composing herself for the sake of the monsters she had yet to play to avenge her fallen monster. At Uryu's feet, the yellow vortex began to glow again. The blue haired man grinned as the energy surged from it, falling over Rena who groaned at the sudden wave of damage that swept over her lifepoints, dragging them to the level of her opponent.

RENA -- URYU
3150 -- LP -- 3150

"Looks like we're even again" Uryu chuckled. "But it won't stay that way for long. My insects are going to wipe out all of your lifepoints, and then I'll be the one heading after Yusei for a rematch".

Rena narrowed her eyes and lowered her head slightly, glaring coldly at Uryu - to him, riding into the City was just another chance to prove himself as one of them and find Yusei to exact his revenge against what he claimed to be a broken promise. But to her, it was a window opening up, a chance to learn answers of the past she had forgotten. It didn't sound too different from Uryu's when it came to the base of the motivations - they both wanted to get into the City, potentially even return, and leave their comrades behind - in Rena's case, in a world they had lived in all their lives.

"I'll set a card" Uryu added, sliding the card into the lower level of his Duel Disk. "Turn end".

FOURTH TURN - RENA

"Draw!" Rena snapped, pulling the top card of her deck from its place. "I summon X-Saber Anaperera [ATK 1800]".

The female warrior clothed in blood red armour appeared, long blonde hair flowing from her head. She took about her fighting stance, ready to launch an assault, Uryu laughed at the display, leaving both Blitz and Taka watching anxiously.

"That monster looks like she wants to commit suicide. She can't beat my Insect Warrior" he laughed.

"Not yet, she can't" Rena mumbled. "So I'll activate Big Bang Shot and equip it to my X-Saber".

Uryu's eyebrows rose sharply when the words collided with his eardrums, the right fist of the blood red armoured woman suddenly engulfed in flames that represented the card's attachment to her. Rena narrowed her eyes sharply at the man, someone who had done all he could be stand in the way of the future that not only herself, but her friends, had been aiming for - the smug grin that had been painted upon his face as a former Neo-Domino resident amongst pitiful Satellite people had been erased.

"X-Saber Anaperera [ATK 2200], destroy Insect Warrior!"

Swiftly following the command, the blonde woman lunged forward, driving her fist into the belly of the enemy who then shrieked in agony, head rising in the direction of the sky. A matter of seconds after the strike and the two fixed in the position of battle, the deformed monster exploded, forcing the woman to leap back. Before Uryu could even transfer the card to the Graveyard and allow his lifepoints decrease, Rena continued on

"And with another monster destroyed, your Retribution of the Ant Lion activates again. Knocking your lifepoints much further down than an equal level".

As though it had been under her command, the vortex's rotation quickened, spitting up the energy that had previously rained down over both duellists. Running along an invisible curve placed before it as a barrier, the energy rose and fell towards Uryu in a circular path. The blue-haired man yelled out as the golden energy overpowered his vision.

RENA -- URYU
3150 -- LP -- 2050

"Rena's opened up a large lead now" Blitz commented, clenching his fists proudly.

"I won't be denied a chance to return to the City again" Uryu growled, glaring sharply over the forearm raised before his face defensively. "Yusei may have taught me that Satellite people aren't worthless, but I still won't lose to you all. I grew into a strong duellist in the City and you guys have just your small games on the streets - I'm stronger than you!"

"Turn end" Rena mumbled tonelessly, shrugging off Uryu's roars of determination to grasp victory.

FIFTH TURN - URYU

"Draw!" the Insect duellist snapped, tearing the top card from his deck. His eyes fell to the artwork of the card he had drawn, smirking proudly when his next strategy came to life in his mind. Instead of playing the card, he continued to hold it between two fingers as he drew another card from his hand. "I play Bee List Soldier [ATK 500]".

A small monster resembling a bee with the upper half of an armoured suit appeared, matching pieces covering its legs and antennae. In its hands, a staff of the same metal with a head that split into three, each a base for a golden rod. Tied around the creature's neck, a red bandana.

"What? He played such a weak monster in attack mode?" Blitz asked, adjusting the spectacles that slid down his nose.

Rena lowered her head slightly, darkening her glare towards the opposite field - Uryu wasn't stupid, he had just protested how strong he was, playing such a small creature in an offensive state was part of his plan.

"Now I activate my Magic Card-" Uryu called.

"Here it comes" Rena muttered to herself swiftly.

"Creature Swap. This forces you to give up one of your monsters in exchange for one of mine. Since I know this little guy needs a decent place to be, I'll give you him".

"And I have no choice but to give up my X-Saber" Rena scowled.

Around both creatures, a faint glow began to form. Faint growing stronger, into a light that consumed the beings and replaced them with opposite monster without transferring to the other side of the field. Rena scowled when Uryu's Bee List Soldier hovered in front of her while her X-Saber appeared on his side, fist flaring dangerously.

"I'd say it's your turn for Retribution of the Ant Lion to strike" the blue haired chuckled. "X-Saber Anaperera, attack Bee List Soldier!"

"Rena!" the two spectators cried out.

The warrior dashed across the field with speed equalling her previous assault. Her movements placed her in front of the bee monster before it could realize what was happening, panicking when she towered over it immediately. Without any mercy for her owner's lifepoints, she ploughed her flaming fist into the gut of the creature, which spluttered as a result briefly before it vanished from the field.

Rena groaned as she raised an arm to defend herself from the shower of pixels that scattered across the site. Uryu's grin widened as the vortex at his feet rotated violently. From the centre, energy gathered and rose, flying over the invisible barrier that would deflect it back to Uryu and descended over Rena. A small cry of agony over losing more lifepoints - a large amount - escaped through Rena's jaws, much to her disappointment. The golden stream vanished almost immediately once the damage was done, leaving trails of smoke rising from Rena's body as she launched daggers at Uryu through her eyes, bearing her teeth ferociously.

RENA -- URYU
1250 -- LP -- 2050

"Oh no, her lifepoints descended at a shocking rate" Blitz mumbled anxiously.

"Hey Blitz, has Rena been pissed off while she's been with us?" Taka asked.

"No. What are you talking about?" Blitz inquired, raising an eyebrow at his companion.

Taka pointed to the girl standing further than her opponent, highlighting the furious expression across her face - eyes blazing hatefully - fury foreign to the pair. Eyes that had not been experienced for at least two years. Blitz tilted his head slightly having identified what Taka was referring to; he turned back to his friend.

"Let's see if a girl's temper can match Jack's then" he commented lightly.

Taka sighed, unable to comprehend how his comrade could be so calm, neither could be sure what a female's temper could be like, rumours spoke of terrible things but they had yet to experience it for themselves.

"I know you can't have a monster with 2200 attack points that you can summon without a sacrifice - only the true professionals have those kinds of cards. Even I hold one like that" Uryu taunted across the battlefield.

"Attack points aren't everything" Rena protested.

"Prove it" Uryu chuckled darkly. "Turn end".

SIXTH TURN - RENA

'There's nothing I can do while he possesses one of my monsters with an attack power as high as that' Rena thought, glaring across the field at the perfidious monster.

Uryu grinned at the lack of an immediate draw, his confidence in his chances of winning climbing closer to certain victory with each moment that passed; each play that was made. Taka and Blitz tensed the muscles in their bodies as Rena laid her fore and middle fingers onto the deck.

"Draw!"

Turning the card slightly, Rena smiled at the identity of the card she had pulled from her deck. Without glancing back at her hand, she placed the card face-down atop her Duel Disk.

"I'll place a monster face-down" she announced. "And activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy the Big Bang Shot equipped to your X-Saber".

By her side, the active Magic card exploded, forcing the flaming around the female warrior's hand to perish. Uryu scowled at the move, but regained his smirk swiftly - Rena had set up a defensive play, she had nothing to fight back with.

"This isn't good" Taka groaned. "If he summons another monster and can take out Rena's monster, she'll lose next turn".

"There's got to be something she can do" Blitz insisted, clenching his fists.

"But that Retribution of the Ant Lion will take away almost all of her remaining lifepoints" Taka protested anxiously.

"Rena's not stupid, I'm sure she has a way around this" Blitz muttered, balling his fists tighter. Nails threatened to pierce the skin of his palms, the blue-haired man was determined to see Rena bounce back like Yusei had - they had both been on the edge of defeat, they both had the ability to leap across the canyon of defeat and stand victorious on the opposite - Yusei stood there, watching over his shoulder if Rena could make the distance. One of several that she had to make in order to reach him physically again.

"There's nothing more I can do. Turn end".

"What?!" both Blitz and Taka cried. Their spirits sank dramatically at the brief turn, the lack of any movements to protect herself.

SEVENTH TURN - URYU

"So you're out of moves, huh?" Uryu asked, widening his grin. "Well then I'll be the one to move this duel on. Let's see if we can put you out of your misery now. Draw".

Blitz and Taka held their breath, their bodies rigid. If Uryu had been capable of drawing a monster, it was more than likely that Rena would lose. Uryu stared at the card in his hand, pausing for a moment and allowing the tension to hold. Inevitably, he sighed and placed the card in his hand, much to the relief of the others, both spectators letting a grateful sigh in unison.

"So I couldn't draw a monster, I have one on the field now" he declared softly with a shrug of his shoulders. "X-Saber Anaperera, attack that face-down monster".

Rena's feet slid further apart gradually and moved her Duel Disk in front of her chest; the girl was bracing herself for the upcoming clash. The actions unnerved Blitz who pressed the tip of his finger against the bridge of his nose, securing the spectacles eager to slip down again. The woman unsheathed her blade, piercing the hologram of a face-down card in front of Rena. A transparent projection of a small robotic rabbit with the words "LOVE IT" printed on its forehead appeared briefly before the card shattered, taking with it the image. The golden vortex placed on Uryu's field rotated, launching the same coloured aura that fell over Rena, draining her lifepoints further.

RENA -- URYU
450 -- LP -- 2050

"Rena!" Blitz and Taka yelled together.

From behind her Duel Disk, Rena lifted her head, smirking at the opponent as his warrior monster returned to his field. He cocked an eyebrow at the look, her lifepoints wouldn't survive another blow, but she gave a confident smile.

"What are you playing at - smiling like that?" he asked irately. "You're about to lose - everything. Are you really alright with losing your D-Wheel when you were planning to head into the City? I must have dealt more damage than just to your lifepoints".

"There's no damage to me" Rena protested, continued to smirk at Uryu's ignorance to the destroyed monster. She removed the card from the Duel Disk, holding it up to reveal its identity to Uryu.

"What you destroyed was my Mecha Bunny" she elucidated. "When this little guy is destroyed by battle, it inflicts 500 points of damage to your lifepoints".

A transparent image of the rabbit appeared in front of Uryu, slamming its large feet against his Duel Disk. As a result of the blow, his lifepoints counter altered, plummeting by 500 points.

RENA -- URYU
450 -- LP -- 1550

"Furthermore, if I have another one in my deck, I can Special Summon it face-down in defence mode" Rena added, placing the card into the Graveyard.

Close to the centre of her deck, a card slid outwards, permitting Rena to take the card from the stack. Once she removed it, the cards shuffled in the holder, reorganizing the deck into another random sequence of cards. Rena placed the card on the field, a golden glow appearing on the field as a replica of the previous Mecha Bunny appeared in its hidden stance.

"So you placed another Mecha Bunny face-down, it makes no difference" Uryu chortled. "It's only got 100 defence points while my monster has a much higher attack power. Next turn, when I destroy that thing, you'll lose another 800 points from Retribution of the Ant Lion and lose the duel. Then I win your D-Wheel and a one-way ticket back to the City where I'll prove to the world who I am. But just to be safe, I'll place a card face-down and end my turn here, make your last play".

EIGHTH TURN - RENA

"My turn. Draw" Rena called, pulling the top card from her deck. Once she identified the being depicted, she averted her eyes to Uryu. "There is no next turn for you".

"Huh?" Uryu asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm changing my Mecha Bunny [ATK 800] into attack mode" Rena replied, switching the position of the monster.

Ahead of her, the same white rabbit appeared in a mechanical shell, red eyes glowing as its card hit the Duel Disk face-up. The same words imprinted on its head caught Uryu's eye, who glared at it. On the sidelines, Blitz and Taka grinned at the beginning of a strategy, believing in Rena's claim that the duel was to end during this turn.

"Because it's been flipped, its effect activates and you lose another 500 lifepoints".

RENA -- URYU
450 -- LP -- 1050

"I've still more than double the amount of lifepoints you have left" Uryu spat.

"For now" Rena protested coolly. "I release my Mecha Bunny in order to Advance Summon my Granmarg the Rock Monarch! [ATK 2400]"

Mecha Bunny's form dissolved, reduced to golden pixels floating about the creature's place. Their uncharted drifts apart suddenly halted all at once, dragging each piece back together into a miniature cyclone that roared in the centre of Rena's field. The phenomenon grew in size, altering in shape to match a massive creature with large arms and nothing beneath its torso. Around its head, two arms extended, similar to a large collar detached from its body. The brightness shattered and tumbled from the large creature of pale brown and gold. Its massive fists slammed against the ground, the tremor running through its body caused the blue fabric pieces hanging from its waist to shudder. Across its torso, various patterns marked the borders of joined segments, armour that increased the size of its body significantly.

"Tsk. So you've summoned something impressive" Uryu scowled.

"It's about to get better" Rena uttered. "When Granmarg is summoned through an Advance Summon, it can destroy one face-down card on the field".

"What?!"

The card laid between Uryu and the blonde warrior on his field shattered, vanishing immediately to his horror - the card had been set in defence against an Advance Summoned creature and now he had nothing to protect his monster. Aside from his active Magic card, his field behind her was empty. Blitz and Taka's faces brightened with the turning of tables, delighted that Rena had been able to drag herself from the jaws of defeat and bring out a powerful monster before Uryu could trap her again, the lack of a face-down card left the opportunity to strike open without hesitation.

"This ends now. You'll let me ride after Yusei and watch" Rena growled mercilessly. "Granmarg, destroy X-Saber Anaperera!"

The massive creature's arms rose slightly, forcing the weight of its body from the arms and permitting it to hover above the ground against gravity. The airborne experience was short-lived when the fists came slamming down again, ripping apart the ground. Fissures in the floor ripped towards the X-Saber who watched in horror before she could lose her footing amongst the chaos. Uryu watched in horror as she sank from view, drowning amongst the debris before her body gave in and imploded.

RENA -- URYU
450 -- LP -- 450

"That attack levelled their lifepoints again" Taka exclaimed.

"No it didn't" Blitz mumbled.

"Retribution of the Ant Lion activates, draining you of your remaining lifepoints" Rena retold while the smoke about the battlefield cleared.

Uryu yelled in terror as the vortex ejected another stream of energy that fell over him. His arms rose above his head as everything faded into the golden light, his lifepoint counter altered in the centre of the machine.

RENA -- URYU
450 -- LP -- 0

DUEL END

Uryu descended to his knees with a heavy heart, relieved that his comrades had departed from the scene to avoid showing them another humiliating defeat. Rena's Duel Disk deactivated as she watched on from her place, remaining in the place like she had not been granted permission to leave the position she had conducted battle in. On the sidelines, Blitz and Taka howled gratefully in the result that had dealt justice to the group.

Shrugging off the sounds, Rena smiled and closed her eyes briefly, stepping from the place she had been standing in during the duel and approached the fallen Insect duellist. The two observers fell silent, the only sound following was the thud of Uryu's fist colliding with the floor.

"I lost again… Why does this keep happening?" he growled in frustration.

"I don't know".

Uryu opened his eyes at the sound of the gentle voice, gazing upwards to find Rena standing over him, the hatred in her eyes long gone and replaced with a look of sympathy. A sudden shift that left him astonished.

"Yusei didn't head off to take your place in the City - his intention was far from that" she spoke calmly, smiling down at him. "I know you want to duel Yusei again, I want to duel him myself. I've heard a lot about him and seen what he can do - I'd like to be able to face that power for myself. He wouldn't have promised to duel you again if he didn't think that he would - I'm sure you'll duel him again".

Within the barriers of her mind, Rena could recall Yusei's duel against Ushio in the Maintenance Pipeline and the strange occurrence that appeared over the skies above Neo-Domino that night. The red aura that intrigued her. She wanted to know if Yusei had anything to do with it, there some was something different about him.

Uryu didn't respond verbally to the insistence that Yusei would keep his promise. Before he could even consider what to say, Rena's hand opened before him, offering assistance to rise from the ashes that had scattered around him. He smiled and took the hand, pushing himself from the ground with her slight force. When he stood, he smiled down at her, standing taller than her.

"Perhaps… we could duel again too".

"I'd like that".

"You know… there's a harbour a little distance from the back of this building, you guys should check it out. That's how I came to Satellite when I was deported from the City".

"There is?"

"Rena, we should check it out" Taka called, intruding on the discussion.

Rena turned to Taka and Blitz, smiling brightly at their proposal, relieved that they could walk away from the incident like nothing had happened. She gave them a nod in response to the suggestion that they all considered.

"We should".


---

Rena / Taka / Blitz -Satellite- Harbour

The three arrived to the stunning sight of a massive cargo ship floating on the water's surface by the concrete edge. Men worked on carrying cargo that had arrived, leaving the three teenagers to watch as they continued their daily lives.

"So this is what people have to do in Satellite? There are no opportunities outside of sorting through the rubbish of the City?" Rena asked, discouragement evident in her tone.

"Yeah. We'd work in the Factory with Nerve" Taka mumbled. "It's all we've got, we can't be someone with a greater purpose here. That was what Yusei was meant for. He and Rally worked on that D-Wheel while we would spend our days here, sometimes able to gather parts that he could use".

"And now that Yusei isn't here, we don't really have a motive for working. We just do it to stay out of trouble, stay amongst the crowd and not get picked on by Security for whatever reason they concoct" Blitz added.

Rena furrowed her brow, gazing at the scene with a new perspective - one of despair, these had been people stripped of their lives and left to their own devices on an island disowned by its parent and its origin.

"This harbour… it's nice" she muttered softly. "The sea looks wonderful and they can see the City where they hope to be. This is probably the best way to leave Satellite - if only we could use it. I've felt like Satellite isn't a place void of hope and filled with nothing for the future - I've seen you guys and Yusei working for a future, I'm sure everyone else is doing the same on their own. But I've only been here a matter of days, you guys have been here for your entire lives. Forgive me for being so naïve".

"That's nothing to be sorry for" Blitz insisted, laying a hand on Rena's shoulder.

"Besides, you won't have to worry about it - Satellite or the harbour or anything else" Taka chirped, grinning optimistically. "It maybe some fault or a precaution, we can't be sure - but the Maintenance Pipeline is halting again tomorrow night!"

Rena turned her head to Taka, shock washing through her as the message pounded at her skull, determined to slip through and register in her brain. "You mean… I can leave Satellite tomorrow night?"


---

Stardust ~ PREVIEW ~ Sutādasuto

Rena: The night I leave has come. I won't forget you guys, you're my friends and have helped me. I'll do what I can with Yusei to fulfil whatever we have to.

Ushio: Oh no, I'm not letting another Satellite scum get through the Pipeline. I'll show you this time, then you'll head straight for the Detention Centre!

Rena: That officer. He wants to repeat what happened in the Pipeline? Yusei, wait for me. Next, Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's - Sutādasuto Accelerator, "Escape from Satellite! Guiding Light Shines Ahead". Riding Duel, Acceleration!