New chapter! New chapter! New chapter, from me, to you! The wait has been long, but I have it done! So please take it, and make sure to review~! I'm really sugar high right now, so I have the energy to type up this new chapter for all of you! Two new genderbent characters will be featured, and more of the mystery will be unraveled for you! Alright, I'll stop talking! You guys have your fun at reading! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Kazuki Takahashi owns this. Not me.
~Chapter Eight: The Pain of Memories is that of Thorns~
(The Tops, Northern New Domino City, 10:00 AM)
Yusei sighed as she exit the small bathroom, steam spilling out from the door and curling around her feet as she dried her hair with a yellow towel, a white bathrobe around her body. She heard a knock from outside the light blue room, interrupting the still silence.
"U-Um, did you enjoy your shower?" A shy voice asked, Yusei remembering that it the blue-haired twin, Luna, she had met earlier that morning. The female twin was very shy, compared to her brother.
"Yes, it was nice." She said as she walked over and pulled the door open. Luna scurried in with pressed clothes in her arms.
"I have your other clothes in the washing machine. You can use some old clothes mom doesn't wear as much." she said, placing down a soft and long-sleeved, light blue shirt with light-wash jeans and white socks. "You can keep them. Just in case, you know?"
"Thanks. I mean it, really. You guys are helping someone you just met yesterday." Said Yusei with a light smile, her memory so blank that she didn't even know her real name. Luna smiled back, her shield of worry melted away when she saw the Satellite resident's smile. A bad person would certainly not be able to have a smile that genuine.
"It's alright. Well, Leo and I really want to help you find your memory." She suddenly made a face. "Speaking of my brother, I'm glad I stopped him before he came barging in here. This whole morning, he's saying that he wanted to make sure you were safe in the shower." She then shook her head with the roll of her eyes. "As if! He's like a love-sick puppy!"
"Hey, don't tell her that!" Ducking his head from behind the door, Leo realized his mistake as he shook in place. "U-Uh, I was just-"
Luna sighed, shaking her head and walking over to the door, pinching her brother's ear.
"Come on, we have to let her change. Geez, at least try not to be a stalker." Ignoring her brother's whining, the golden-eyed female dragged away him away, leaving Yusei to give a light laugh and time to change.
In a short time, Yusei walked out of the bedroom she changed in and she walked into the living room she had slept in, her eyes blinking as she stared at the still water of the pool outside the sliding door of the room. She looked over the small gardens of palm trees and flowers, before she turned when she saw Leo walk into the room.
"Hi! Are you still hungry? We got leftovers if you want, Miss. Amnesia Girl." He said with a friendly smile. Yusei shook her head, tugging on a stray strand of her hair that fell against her forehead.
"I'm fine, thanks. Um, Leo, was it?" When he nodded, she looked back to the world outside the window. "Where exactly are we?"
"This is the Tops! A place where only the most richest in New Domino live! Sis and I have been living here with our parents, but they're out on business." He walked over to Yusei, looking at her up and down. "Wow, I didn't know another girl can make my mom's old clothes look pretty." He suddenly blushed and stuttered. "W-Wait, I-I didn't mean anything w-weird like you look like my mom, or- wait, that isn't-!"
"You'll lose your tongue if you keep talking like that." sighed Luna as she walked into the room with Yusei's washed jacket, gloves, tank top, and jeans. She handed them to her and tilted her head. "So, have you remembered anything yet?"
Yusei looked at the clothes she was given, sighing, placing them down on the table, and shaking her head.
"Nothing."
The twins sighed in unison and Leo began to pace, mumbling to himself.
"Lets see . . . If getting a bump on her head is what took away her memory, maybe hitting it again will bring it back! All we need is a mallet . . . Luna, where'd we put the-"
"We're not using a mallet."
"But why?!"
As the two bickered, Yusei looked over the room and a pair of stilled eyes caught her own. Curiously, she walked over to a poster of Jack, a small shrine lined up on a shelf dedicated to him. Her fingers ghosted over the face of his picture, the pads lightly brushing the smirking face.
"Huh? What are you doing, Miss. Amnesia Girl?" asked Leo as he walked over.
"I've . . . I've seen him somewhere . . . Before . . ." She mumbled, her eyes tracing every pale, sharp, and handsome feature. Despite the fog within her mind, her stomach was flopping and her heart rate was going faster. Just why was this guy causing her body to react this way?
"Oh, maybe you're a fan of Jack Atlas, too! He's my all-time idol!" beamed Leo, picking up a plush toy of Red Dragon Archfiend. "You could be a fan of his, too. A lot of girls go after him, I think." He shook his head, looking at Yusei with a smile. "But just wait! I'm gonna go against him and be the next Turbo King!"
"You can't even ride a real bike, let alone use a D-wheel." sighed Luna. Leo raced up to her with a glare.
"Luna, not in front of Miss. Amnesia Girl!" he growled.
"What? I'm not doing anything." Luna lowered her voice into a whisper. "Besides, she's too old for you. She's like, nineteen or something! That, and she doesn't even know her own name! We can't bother people with stuff like this." she said with a frown. Leo stuck his tongue out at her before turning back the black-and-golden-haired girl, putting on his best smile.
"OK, so maybe you're not a fan or anything. But maybe . . ." A light bulb flashed in his mind. "Oh! Maybe you're a Turbo Duelist! You have a D-Wheel and everything, so that must be a reason!" He ran over to his shrine and picked up a white envelope, running back to Yusei and handing her the letter. "Here! Does this bring back anything?"
Pulling open the envelope, she pulled out a white note card and looked over the letters written in golden ink.
"Fortune Cup?" She read aloud.
"Yeah! It's a huge competition that's sponsored by KaibaCorp. and everything! Jack Atlas and a lot of other famous Duelists are gonna be there, too!" Leo's excitement was showing as he bounced on the balls of his feet. "And-And get this! I'm in it, too! They asked me to join personally!"
"Actually, they asked me." Pointed out Luna, only to be interrupted by her brother.
"Alright, they asked her, but she's too scared! That's why I'm gonna dress like her, put on some make-up-"
"Leo wears make-up~! Leo wears make-up~!"
And bickering again they went. Yusei shook her head, walking near the door where her red D-wheel was parked. The harder and harder she looked at the bike, the blanker her mind got. Not a recollection of her past, or a shard of remembrance came to her. Her head felt as empty as a shell. She looked at the envelope in her hands, then back to the fighting twins.
"Listen, guys," The tone in her voice caught their attention. "It's been really nice and all that you guys are helping me, but none of this is ringing any bells." Coolly she threw the invitation to the shrine, walking over to the door. "I should get going. I've troubled you enough."
"B-But-!" Leo began to sputter. "But you still don't know who you are! You can't just go out there without knowing who you are! That's unsafe!" He suddenly thrusts his finger up and he ran to a nearby closet. "Wait, wait-wait-wait-wait-wait! Hold on, I got something!"
"Leo, she wants to leave-"
"This'll only take a second!" Running back to Yusei, he held up a blue and white Duel Disk with golden markings. "Miss. Amnesia Girl, I challenge you to a Duel! 'Cause on TV, Jack Atlas said that a true Duelist finds himself from how he Duels! And this counts for you, too, since you have a deck! We'll Duel, and you'll get your memory back! Let's go, lets go, lets go!" He began to attach his Duel Disk to his wrist, only to groan as it kept slipping to his elbow. "Dang it! This thing keeps slipping off! Hold on, hold on . . ."
Yusei stared at him as he worked, blinking as her vision blurred and the surroundings turned into a dark room. Leo's turquoise-blue hair went red and curly, his golden eyes turned slate-grey, and he looked more like someone she knew. The young boy was assuring her, promising her that he would get something fixed for her. He then turned back into Leo, the area turning back to normal, and the blue-eyed Duelist finding herself smile nostalgically.
"Actually, you're reminding me of someone I might know." She paused walking over to the red motorcycle and disengaging her Duel Disk. "Yeah, lets try this out." She looked over her shoulder, smiling as she attached the disk to her arm. "You up for it?"
Leo was already bouncing around the room, screaming at the top of his lungs.
"Awesome! This is going to be AWESOME!" He cheered, pulling open the glass panel and running outside.
"He's too excited over this." said Luna, standing up herself and walking near the door. She looked over to Yusei and tilted her head. "You think this will really bring back your memory?"
Yusei walked over to her, shrugging and looking at the pale-blue skies.
"Hopefully. If not," She smiled as she watched Leo try to do a cartwheel, only to fall flat on his face. "At least one of us will be happy." she chimed, walking out. Luna stared at her for a second, cocking her head before following and closing the door.
(The Tops, Northern New Domino City, 12:00 AM)
"Ugh! This stupid thing won't-!"
"Here, let me see that."
Yusei crouched to Leo's eye-level as she helped him fasten his Duel Disk. Once it was secured, she looked at him with a smile.
"That good?" She asked, Leo blushing and looking away.
"Y-Yeah! Thanks," He stuttered, finding himself tongue-tied. As skinny and boyish as she looked, Yusei was a very attractive girl. He couldn't help himself, given that he was only in middle school. Shaking off his beating heart, Leo ran over to the side of the courtyard and pumped up a fist.
"Alright, Miss. Amnesia Girl! Lets get our Duel on and bring back your memory!" He cheered. Yusei nodded and she looked to Luna, who sat in one of the lounge chairs nearby.
"Going to watch us?" She asked. The female twin shrugged.
"Have to make sure my brother doesn't hurt himself." She said. Yusei shrugged and looked back to Leo.
"First move's all yours, Leo."
"For real?! Alright!" With that declaration, the both of them turned on their Duel Disks.
"Lets Duel!"
Yusei: 4000
Leo: 4000
"Ladies and gentlemen, the game has started! It's the Amazing Leo verses the Mysterious Miss. Amnesia Girl!" Shouted Leo as he drew his card, smiling as he did. "And it is an awesome card he drew, folks! I summon Morphtronic Celfon (LV:1/ATK: 100/DEF:100) in attack mode!" He summoned a robot that had morphed from a yellow cell-phone, black eyes twitching with electricity "And now, I use his special ability He can dial a random number between one and six! Depending on what number it lands on, I have to draw the same amount of cards! And if it's a level four or lower, I can summon it! Here we go, boys and girls!"
The dial was turned, and it instantly landed on three.
"And it's on three! The crowd is awed!"
"The crowd is sad that they are related to you."
"Luna!"
Grumbling, Leo drew three cards and his smile returned.
"And the amazing Leo is given a stroke of luck! Because the monster is a level three, I summon Morphtronic Magnen (LV3/ATK:800:DEF:800) in attack mode! And the crowd goes wild!" Leo imitated the "roar of the crowd" as the magnet he summoned on the field morphed into a blue-armored fighter. "I place one card face-down, and end my move! With two monsters against her, will Miss. Amnesia Girl be able to pull off a save!?"
"Just to let you know, he narrates all his Duels." Sighed Luna, Yusei ready to make her move.
"I just hope this jogs my memory." She said as she drew, looking over her hand and the card she had. Quirking a brow the slightest, she tried to remember what kind of Duelist she was, depending on how her cards were. Shaking her head, she laid a card in her Monster Zone.
"I summon my Speed Warrior (LV:2/ATK:900/DEF:400),and now I play the Battle Phase!" He Master of Speed made his entrance, Yusei holding one hand out. "And because of that, his attack points are doubled!"
"Doubled?!" Yelled Leo, eyes widening as the move was made.
Speed Warrior:(ATK: 1800)
"And now, Speed Warrior attacks Morphtronic Magnen!" called the raven-haired Duelist, her Warrior tumbling in a synchronization of cartwheels with strutting legs.
"Is this the end? Haha, fear not, ladies and gents!" Leo drew up a his face-down from before, his Morphtronic Magnen changing back into a magnet. "Because with his face-down, Leo just saved his monster from that brutal attack!" cried the blue-haired male. Something flashed in Yusei's mind, a slight smile came to her face.
"Hey, this is bringing some memories back." She said to herself, small bits of her memory returning. Leo gave a cry as he stumbled suddenly, trying to hold up his Duel Disk.
"Maybe you should get a smaller Duel Disk?" asked Luna, Leo blowing a raspberry at her.
"No way! This one is perfectly fine." He returned to the Duel. "So, that's all, right?"
"Yeah, I end my turn." replied Yusei, Leo drawing a card on his turn.
"Alright, then! I summon another Morphtronic Magnen, but in defense mode! And with the two of them on the field, none of my monster can be attacked due to their double defense! Yes, Leo has his victory under lock and key!" shouted Leo with glee, his twin magnet monster forming a barrier of magnetic energy around the field. "What will Miss. Amnesia Girl do?!"
"We'll find out when she makes her move." said Luna, looking over the field. She had to admit that the odds were almost on her brother's side. But she still had her hopes on Yusei. This stranger that appeared into their lives seemed more special than any other average Duelist.
"And I still move on! I use Morphtronic Celfon's ability," His monster stopped at two. "And draw two cards! And it's another level three, will you look at that!" Whooping it up, Leo bought down another monster, bronze armor cover its small frame. "I've just summoned Morphtronic Datatron (LV:3:ATK:1200:600) in attack mode! And now, I play Gadget Box, and use the token I get from it to give you six-hundred points of damage!"
The charged attack was sent Yusei's way, the fake flames brushing past her as it hit her Life Points.
Yusei: 3400
Leo: 4000
"He uses weak monsters in ways you can never imagine. Huh. . ." A heat flash sparked into Yusei's mind, small and blurry visions coming into her mind. She could see herself sitting with a group of people, talking and showing other cards. Or her and those same people sitting around the D-Wheel that was inside. Small flashes of that man she saw in Leo's shrine whirled pasts her, several other people as well, making her recollections come back. As Leo cheered on for himself, Yusei rested on the back of her heels, looking up at the sky.
"Things are starting to come back . . ."
(Public Security HQ, New Domino City, 1:00 PM)
Goodwin eyed the sky past the large window in his office, his gaze dropping to the city below.
"What is the status on the Fortune Cup, Lazar?" he asked, the Vice Director pulling out an envelope from one of his coat pockets.
"All of the invitations have been sent as you requested, sir. Well, except for one." He said, smirking at the small invite in his gloved hands. Goodwin held back a sigh, his stormy-grey eyes gleaming once.
"I'm guessing it was Yusei's," Goodwin had yet to turn, starring only at his reflection. "Where is she? It should have been sent to her just as the other's were."
"She recovered her D-Wheel, but officer Trudge had intervened and chased her into the Tops. From what has been gathered thus far, Trudge has surrounded the area, and Yusei has no means tn escape." Replied Lazar. Goodwin threw a glare over his shoulder.
"Wasn't he told to back off?"
"Sometime's, people just do not listen, sir. Shall I pay him a visit and show him who's in charge?" asked the creepy man, the director allowing the silence to answer him.
(The Tops, Northern New Domino City, 1:15 PM)
Yusei: 3400
Leo: 4000
"My move, Leo," said Yusei, drawing her next card. "And by sending one card to the Graveyard, I play Card Rotator, which means that all of the monsters on your side of the field change battle positions." As this card was played, Leo looked like a gaping fish.
"No way! All of them?" All of his monsters were switched and set on opposite positions. "Ladies and gents, the Amazing Leo-"
"Should focus more on the Duel! Leo, you have to focus!" scolded his sister. Leo looked ready to panic.
"But I'm toast-"
"Not yet," Interrupted Yusei. "Though you might be, since I now summon Junk Synchron (LV3/ATK:1300:DEF:500)." Her tinker monster was bought out, ready to get to work. "And because of his special ability, I'm allowed to bring back a level two or lower monster from my Graveyard. So I'm bringing out Nitro Synchron (LV:2/ATK:300/DEF:100)." Another tinker appeared, rather childish and covered in pink foil.
"She can Synchro Summon a level seven!" Groaning, Leo shook his head. "Because she has two level two monsters, and a level three!"
"That's not how it works. She can only use one tuner in a Synchro Summon." Luna said, shaking her head.
"She's right. Just watch, Leo. I use Junk Synchron and Speed Warrior in order to bring out Junk Warrior (LV:5/ATK:2300/DEF:1300). And then, I tune up him with Nitro Synchron, and bring out my next monster!" The green rings turned and spun around her monsters, her eyes closing as the winds blew around her. "Lets rev it up with one of my favorites, Nitro Warrior (LV:7/ATK:2800/DEF:1800)!" From the green rings came a monster with green and rusted skin, the head of the monster giving a chant as he entered the match.
"This is amazing!" Leo had forgotten his fear of losing of a moment. "You are remembering! You just said that Nitro Warrior is your favorite! It must be! I knew it! I knew it! I-"
"Leo, I have to agree with your sister here. You need to focus, this could be a good lesson for you," Throwing her hand forward, Yusei pointed at Leo's group of monsters. "Nitro Warrior first attacks one of your Morptronic Magnen." A brutal punch knocked out Leo's magnetic monster, along with a lot of his Life Points.
Yusei: 3400
Leo: 2000
"The crowd is liking this." Whispered Leo, all excitement drained from him.
"Then the crowd won't like this, either. As a part of his special ability, Nitro can switch a monster in defense mode into attack mode. And I choose your Morphtronic Celfon."
"Aw, man! No way!" Gasped Leo, his monster switching his position.
"Yes, way. And now, Nitron attacks Celfon with Dynamite Crunch!" Yelled Yusei as her green-skinned beast flew and obliterated Leo's monster. Leo gave a yell as all his Life Points were knocked away, ending the Duel.
Yusei: 3400
Leo: 0
Leo's lower lip began to quiver, his throat holding back a whimper as tears welled-up in his eyes.
"Leo, you can't just cry after you've lost." Luna walked up to her twin, trying to speak softly yet be firm with him. The golden-eyed youth shook his head, sniffling and quickly rubbing his eyes with his wrist.
"I-I'm not crying. . ." He sniffled, closing his eyes.
"She's right," Yusei walked over and knelt to him, smiling softly. "Because of our Duel, you helped me remember who I am. And you are a good Duelist, Leo. You just need to remember that your opponents can counter-attack. So you need to think of a follow-up plan instead of trying to get your monsters where you want them all the time." She smiled again. "Thanks, Leo. You're a pretty cool kid." She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. The latter blushed bright red and backed away, scrubbing his cheeks.
"N-No! No kisses! C-Cooties and all that! Germs!" He stuttered, his face going beyond red and his heart beating erratically A little bit of him thanked his lucky stars. Luna giggled behind her hand softly, smiling at her brother.
"You did well, Leo. Great work, brother." she said. The color from Leo's cheeks went away and he smiled at Yusei.
"So since you remembered, are you gonna tell us who you are?" he asked. Yusei shook her head, pointing at her cheek.
"'Fraid not. See this mark right here? Trust me, the less you know about me, the safer you two will be." she said.
"B-But how can we be friends, then?" asked Leo. Luna patted his back with a knowing smile.
"I think the point in her telling us this is that we can't be friend's, Leo."
"Yes, we can!" argued Leo, puffing his cheeks. Luna rolled his eyes, turning her smile to their blue-eyed guest.
"Anyway, Miss., you should stay for the night. At least get another day of rest before you have to leave." She said. Leo nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, then you can tell us who you are!"
"Leo!"
"What?"
Yusei couldn't help but smile, nodding as she turned off her Duel Disk.
"Alright, then."
(The Tops, Northern New Domino City, 11:55 PM)
Silently, Yusei placed the last of her work on the dinning room table, turning and making sure the twins were asleep Luna was cuddling under a pink blanket with her teddie bear on the love seat while Leo was sprawled on the two-seater, snoring and gathering drool over his blue blanket. Smiling softly, Yusei tip-toed out the hotel room, dressed in her old clothing, and to the near elevator, pushing along her D-Wheel silently.
'Sorry, guys. If I stick around any longer, you'll just get in trouble. Its better this way.' She thought, entering the elevator and making it to the last floor. Walking into the garage of the Tops, she got on her ride and powered it up, driving out of the Tops and into the streets of North New Domino.
It felt good to feel the brisk air against her face, the lightly rumbled of her machine driving down streets. A flash of green passed her eyes and she pulled to a stop as Trudge suddenly raced in front of her, causing her to stop.
"Yusei, I thought you were starting to hate me!" He mocked with a bark of laughter. "It's about time you got out of there. Now come along quietly, ya brat. Your adventure ends here!" He glared at her sharply, challenging her. "Now, are you going to be a good little girl, or do we have to settle this with a chase?"
Yusei gave a brief spat, already powering the acceleration on her Runner. She was about to start the chase before a blinding light startled her, making her hiss and shield her eyes with her arm. Trudge looked as confused as her.
"What the-?"
The both of them stared at the limo as the door opened, Lazar stepping out of it and smirking at the confused Trudge.
"Officer Trudge, aren't you supposed to be watching the calendars-and-candles kiosk at the outer-rim mall?" He asked, eyes flashing dangerously.
"I didn't get your name, short stack." Growled Trudge, trying to hold back his surprised look. Lazar pulled out an ID card the badge attached with it gleaming by the street lights.
"Special Deputy Lazar, working for the Director-General. And I outrank you-Sorry!" He added with a childish laugh.
"How come I never heard of you, then!" Trudge exclaimed, narrowing his eyes.
"I'm on official business, Officer Trudge," Lazar said "So I would advise you to leave the area immediately."
"This little punk's a menace!" exclaimed the officer, pointing to the Satellite girl in outrage. "She stole that Duel Runner from the Impound Center-"
"Officer!" Interrupted Lazar, his devious eyes coldly glaring. "There's very little room in this city for a street-beat cop who doesn't know their place or when to shut their mouths." He snapped. Trudge bit back an insult, already knowing he was in deep trouble.
"So what official business are you on?" Yusei asked, Lazar taking a few steps to her.
"Delivery for a Miss Yusei Fudo," he said as he handed her a Fortune Cup invitation, similar to Luna's. Yusei opened the letter and noticed something else besides the letter, gasping as she saw it was a photo of Rally, Blitz, Nervin, and Tank."We would like for you to participate in the Fortune Cup. If you refuse, then the four people in that photograph will pay the price for your rogue actions you took in obtaining this Runner." Lazar chuckled to himself as he walked back to the limo. "Have a pleasant evening, Miss. Fudo."
As the limo and Trudge drove away, Yusei crumpled the note in her hand, glaring at the limo. She sighed and took off her helmet, feeling the need to have the cold air take away the sweat gathering along her brow.
"I guess saying 'shit just hit the fan' would be an understatement, wouldn't it?" Yusei flinched and looked around, taking in a breath as she saw it was Blister. A look of relief replaced her scared look.
"Blister, you're alright. And yeah, I guess you could say that." She sighed.
"I should be asking if you're alright. Alex said he lost you since yesterday." Said the goatee-wearing man, giving a wince as Yusei's eyes fluttered from drowsiness.
"I'm fine. I'm just a little tired, is all." She yawned. Blister gave a smile, turning and walking back to his own ride.
"Come on, you can tell me all about it in this place I have. Follow me." He said, already starting to race away. Yusei got on her own D-Wheel, following Blister until he led her to a run-down garage. He knocked once on the steeled-down, the building open from the inside and a head of purple hair popping from the crack.
"Blister, is that- YUSEI!" The door was slid open and Yusei was pulled into a crushing hug, her lithe body spun around by a giddy Alex.
"Hey, hey! Easy there. Alex, you're gonna make her up-chuck." Scolding, Blister fixed a look on the young man, who laughed sheepishly and placed Yusei down, settling with a small hug.
"Sorry, I got excited!" He said, gleefully looking over Yusei. "Yusei, it's awesome to see you're alright, sis! What happened yesterday?" He kept badgering questions even as she pushed her Runner into the garage, her eyes looking over of what little the room had.
"This is the place. You'll be safe until the Fortune Cup." Said Blister as Yusei placed her Runner on it's kick-start. Everything looked a little old and dirtied, a few cartons of take-out piled near a trash can and all sorts of items scattered around.
"Not quite five-star, but it's got all the creature comforts you would expect from this part of town. You know; cockroaches, mice, stray cats . . ." Alex had listed off, counting his fingers.
"Thanks," Yusei lifted a brow at the spider making an elaborate design on its web near a corner of a room. ". . . I think."
"I decorated the place myself," Blister said this as he took a dust rag and shook it, coughing as the dirt gathered in the air. "Th-This is the least I can do. After all you did."
"Speaking of which, have you talked to Arra yet?" She asked, Blister suddenly looking nervous.
"N-Not yet. But I know she lives here in New Domino! She got a job at a daycare or something like that. Once I get the time, I'm gonna find her and beg her to forgive me. Hell, I'll drop on my knees if I have to." He swore, determination in his eyes. Looking at the passion in his eyes, Yusei smiled.
"Good. You do that." She said, yawning behind her hand. Alex patted her back, looking concern.
"Sis, get some rest. You look like you're gonna pass out." He said. Yusei shook her head.
"I'll rest when my friends are safe, Alex." Yusei she said, looking ready to work. "I'm not letting some head injury stop me."
"I hear you, Yusei, but you're no good to anyone if you don't have all your strength." Sighed Blister, walking over to a cabinet and pulling out some old blankets.
"Don't worry, I heal real quick." Said Yusei, briskly, looking out the window and spotting the the glowing lights of the city. 'And I'm gonna show Goodwin just how good I feel.'
(The Tops, Northern New Domino City, 8:00 AM)
"She's gone!? No, no, no, no, NO, NO, NO!" Crying out with anguish Leo, looked over anything that seemed like a good hiding place, his hair askew and his search even stretching to look under the couch cushions.
"Did the Tooth Fairy forget you again?" Asked Luna tiredly, wiping her sleepy eyes with the back of her hand.
"Luna! She took her runner and left!" He yelled.
"Well, did she leave a note or something?" asked his sister, looking around for anything that could have been of the black-and-golden-haired girl.
"No!" Leo cried, shaking his head about as he ran around the room in a frenzy. "This is your fault! You should have been nicer! She was gonna teach me to be the best duelist ever! She was nice and cool, and pretty, and she didn't treat me like a kid, I bet she would have let me dated her when I turned sixteen-"
As he rambled on and on, Luna caught sight of her and her brother's Duel Disks, looking at the few parts that were around them. She picked up her's and looked it over, Leo walking over and picking up his own.
"What did she do to them?" He slid it on his arm, grinning as it fit perfectly. "Hey, it fits now! So how does it look, Luna?" Luna looked it over and nodded, before looking at her own.
"Pretty good. Now I just wish we know who she is so we can thank her." She said, her fingers drawing around the system.
"She had amnesia and we helped her. If she had only told us her name, then we could." commented Leo.
"I guess so . . . But why no goodbye? Maybe she wanders the streets and helps out struggling duelists. She's like a guardian angel, but with a deck!" Luna looked lost in a fantasy world, her eyes getting a little misty.
"A guardian angel? Sounds more like a superhero. And her name's some big secret!" proclaimed Leo, giving a big grin. Luna rolled her eyes, a beep from their video phone sounded through the room. The screen flashed and a young girl about Luna and Leo's age came in. Her brown hair was cut in a bop and her eyes were light brown. She wore a white blouse with a dark blue skirt, a black sweater, and a red bow tied in her hair, black-rimmed glasses dropping on the bridge of her nose.
"Hey, Leo? You there, buddy?" She asked. Leo ran over and smiled, knowing the girl.
"Destiny! Guess what, some girl-"
"Pause! There's no time for that! I got us a lead!" Interrupted Destiny, giving a firm look. Leo looked at her with confusion.
"A lead?" He asked.
"Duh, the Black Thorn!"
"C'mon, Destiny. The Black Thorn's just some urban legend." Sighed Leo.
"How you been, Destiny?" Asked Luna, walking over. Destiny gave a quick wave.
"Cool and fine! But listen, the Black Thorn is no legend. He's the greatest duelist ever. His cards come alive! And I rebuilt my deck to take him on." She said with a pumped fist. Intrigued, Leo pressed on the issue further.
"So, where is he, Dest'?" The brown-haired girl herself typed something on a small laptop she had, the connected laptop displaying a blog with the words Black Thorn's Vines as the title.
"I was reading some blogs earlier this morning, and check this out! There's a rumor going around he's gonna pop up at the street-duels today!" She said excitedly.
"Then let's go!" replied Leo, holding up the arm that had his Duel Disk. Destiny blinked.
"Leo, how come your duel disk isn't falling off?" She asked.
"Right! See, this superhero stopped by and-"
"She's not a superhero, Destiny, she's a guardian angel-"
"What are you two talking about? Who fixed up your duel disk?" Frowning, their friend placed her hands on her hips. Leo nodded and tried to explain more.
"Right, so this girl's Duel Runner is red and-"
"Uh, Leo. Until we know more about this guy, I think we should keep quiet." Whispered Luna as she pulled her brother away from the screen. Leo looked at her before nodding with a sigh.
"OK, good point."
"Hey, what's going on?" Destiny gave a huff.
"Uh, nothing! We were just discussing about how much we love your new hair ribbon! Leo thinks you look totally cute with it!" Lied Luna, Destiny and Leo's cheeks ablaze.
"H-Huh, what-!?"
"Listen, we gotta go now. See ya," The blue-haired girl quickly turned off the video phone. "Listen, Leo, this is our secret." But it looked as if her brother was off in his panic pacing, looking at his hands.
"Y-You just had to say that to Destiny!? You know I like Miss. Amnesia Girl! I mean, not that Destiny isn't cute- But she's my best friend since we were in diapers! Though, she and I have a lot in common- But Miss. Amnesia Girl is really pretty and she looked like she would give me a chance! Ugh, Destiny- Miss. Amnesia Girl! Destiny- Miss. Amnesia Girl!"
Luna only sighed, wondering just how she was related to Leo.
(Blister's Spare Garage, Northern New Domino City, 9:00 AM)
Yusei, with the handle of a screw driver between her teeth, looked over her D-Wheel's engine, nodding to herself as she saw that no damage was on it. At this time in the morning, she was making sure that nothing had changed since it was under Sector Security's watch. Blister walked in with a cup of black coffee then.
"Alex went to get breakfast. Hope you like week-old bread and milk." He said.
"I'm use to it." Replied Yusei, not looking up as she tested a few spark plugs. Blister took a seat on a stool and took a sip of his coffee.
"By the way, what exactly did that purple-haired freak say about you? You know, about the Fortune Cup? When Yusei didn't answer, her tried again.
"Well?" Yusei sighed, pulling away from the spark plugs.
"It's not what he said, but what he showed me." She said, pulling out the photo of her friends and handing it to the brown-haired information broker.
"So these are you friends, huh?" He asked, noticing Rally, a kid that didn't look past his teen years yet.
"Yeah, and if I don't show up, Goodwin said they'd pay the price." Mumbled Yusei. Blister shook his head.
"Sounds like something Goodwin would do. If it's not a bribe, it's a threat," Blister looked at the photo again. "So, are your friends in the Satellite?" Yusei was silent before she answered.
"They are. . ."
"Oh man," Blister caught the lost look in Yusei dark eyes, making up his mind as he stood up. "Look, I'm gonna help you out. I'm gonna go check on them, and make sure they're safe."
Yusei nearly dropped the wrench she had, looking at Blister with wide eyes as he walked over to the door.
"You can get to the Satellite?" she asked. Blister opened the door as he nodded.
"I can get anywhere. Now don't worry, you'll be reunited with your buds in no time." he said, closing the door behind him.
'That's if Goodwin will ever let's me see them agai.,' Thought Yusei, just as the door opened again with Alex coming in, bags in his hands.
"Who's hungry?" He asked, his grin falling when he noticed how quiet Yusei was.
"What I miss?"
(Crystal Sky Penthouse, Western New Domino City, 9:30 AM)
"So how is your training coming for the Fortune Cup?"
"If you mean sitting on the couch, just great." Growled Jack before he took a sip of tea, not feeling that fresh in the morning and pretty upset that Goodwin was interrupting his morning. Mina was right by his side, ready to tend to his needs.
"Well, you might want to change your attitude Jack," Said Goodwin, looking at the blonde Duelist. "I've invited an additional contestant this year. Someone you know." He added. Jack gave an interested look.
"Who?" He asked.
"Your friend from the Satellite, Yusei Fudo."
Jack gave a rather surprised look, though only a fraction of his features showed it.
"Yusei'll be there?. . . I like." He said, drinking more of his hot drink.
"I'm glad. I hope that would motivate you. Well, I should let you get back to your," Goodwin paused, finding the right words, "Training regiment. I'll show myself out. And Jack, make sure you win this time, OK?" With that, he left the room.
"Do you have any idea what this means, Mina?" asked Jack, looking at his reflection from his tea. Mina bit her lip, looking away.
"Um . . ."
"I can finally take on Yusei again." Said Jack, briefly seeing the dark blue, swirling depths of Yusei's eyes in his drink.
"And that's a good thing, isn't it?" Asked Mina as Jack finished his tea.
"It's so much more than that; it's a chance."
"A chance for what, Mr. Atlas?" asked Mina. Standing up, Jack picked up his deck from the coffee table and he slipped on his coat.
"A chance to redeem myself," he checked his deck and pulled out a card, selecting Stardust Dragon. "I underestimated Yusei in our last match, but I'll prove to her once and for all that I'm the best."
"What? Like right now?" Jack gave her a cold look.
"I'm just going to go and even up the playing field so that Yusei definitely shows up. And if I'm right about this, the Crimson Dragon just might show up at the Fortune Cup as well."
(Blister's Spare Garage, Northern New Domino City, 9:30 AM)
"Going fast, makes me feel alive~ My heart beats, in hyperdrive~"
Hymning to herself, Yusei was still at work on her D-Wheel, Alex taking a nap on the couch as the radio played a song Yusei was familiar with. She sang along with the band as she worked on her ride.
"Do you think you can win-only if I lose~Just let the destiny choose~"
Yusei tested the engine, nodding to herself.
"I can feel you breathing~I can see you coming~I can feel the wind, it's blowing, me around~"
She made a face as she saw a loose bolt, fixing it up right away.
"Take a shot at me, runnin' side by side~It's a blur . . . as I go by~"
Yusei pulled away a few buffed up a few scratched near the mainframe.
"I can feel you breathing~I can see you coming~I can feel the wind, it's blowing, me around~"
She looked over the engine again, making sure nothing with chipped or rusted. She nodded to herself, the last of the chorus play.
"See the sun a-rising~Fire in the sky~Greatness thrusts itself into our lives."
The last chord played, Yusei satisfied with herself.
"My, you have the voice of an angel, Dolly! An angel, I say!"
Yusei shook her head and looked behind her, eyes widening as Blister, Tanner, and Yanagi behind her. The sudden break of moderate silence woke Alex up, the latter looking around tiredly.
"Who'sitwhat'swiththepancakes-Tanner and Yanagi!?" He slurred then realized, rubbing his eyes to make sure he was awake.
"You guys got out already?" asked Yusei, turning off the radio. She knew they had early release, but not this early.
"And it's all thanks to you," said Blister, clapping Yusei on the back.
"When you out-dueled Chief Armstrong, we didn't just get early release, we got way-early release. So we headed right over to this . . ." Yanagi looked around the dusty place. "This. . . interesting. . ."
"This place is a dump! Why don't you throw in a throw-rug and work some fung-suey in here?" asked Tanna, Yanagi sighing.
"Tanner, you said you'd be nice!" he mumbled.
"That was nice." laughed Tanner, his eyes landing on the Yusei Go! "I'm liking the Duel Runner, though. Twin exhaust, turbo rotor, holo-display, and your own Deck. Bet'cha wish you had that back at The Facility," His eyes gave a mirthful glint. "Whad'a you say you let me take her for a ride and see what she's got? I'll bring it right back with a full charge, and not one scratch."
"Yeah right, you mean with your last runner?" Joked Yanagi.
"How 'bout we duel? I win, and I take her for a spin, OK?" Yusei gave a smile, feeling like a Duel would do them both good.
"Sounds good to me."
"Aw, yeah! Sis steps into the ring again!" cheered Alex.
"And you get to see her Duel, too! You didn't see their first Duel, right?" asked Yanagi. Alex nodded, looking excited.
"Yeah! I wanna see sis here wipe the floor!"
"Hey, who says I won't win this won?!"
The four of them laughed together, as if they were old friends.
(Abandoned Lot, Northen New Domino City, 10: 00 AM)
As Yusei and Tanner prepared to Duel on the barren patch of land, their three spectators made small talk.
"So what's your story?" Yanagi asked Blister. "I bet you didn't think I was a famous explorer who treked across the globe for the worlds most rarest artifacts. I also gone around the world collecting the most amazing cards ever made!" He boasted.
"But Tanner said your deck's just a joke, Yanagi." commented Alex. Yanagi gasped.
"What? He did not! Just see for yourself!" The old man pulled them out, shoving them to Alex. "I got Crystal Skull, Ashoka Pillar..."
"OK, Grandpa," Blister chuckled, looking back to Yusei and Tanner. 'Where did you get these guys, Yusei? The ex-champ you met in the Facility; he went from foe to friend in one duel. And then there's grandpa, and he thinks you're tied to some ancient prophecy about the end of the world. You're one-of-a-kind, that's for sure. Arra would have liked you from your very first meeting.' He shook off his thoughts, not wanting to think about his ex-fiancee. There was time for that. Later.
When they were ready, both Yusei and Tanner nodded at each other.
"Lets Duel-"
But the sound of a powerful engine cut them off, the both of them looking up and all of them gasping as they saw it was the Wheel of Fortune ridding and stopping near them. Yusei held back a gulp as she saw it was Jack. She was glad that she had her memory back. It would have been a pain to ask who he was.
Tanner was the one to break the silence.
"It's been a while, Atlas. What's up?"
"My career, thank you." Muttered Jack. The tallest guy in the group made a move to punch him, but Yusei gave him a look that told him to stay put.
"So what brings you here, Jack?" She asked, eyebrow raised as her old friend pulled out Stardust Dragon.
"I heard you'll be at the Fortune Cup." He said. Yusei sighed and shrugged.
"Word gets around fast."
"I got a deal with you, Yusei," Jack flipped the card held in his grasp." Add Stardust Dragon to your Deck. Win, and you can keep the card. I win, I get it, and then you and me are straight, right?" Yusei still had her eyebrow raised.
"Straight? What about my friends?" She asked. Jack gave a questioning look.
"What? What are you talking about?" Jack looked beyond confused. Yusei glared at him, angry that he looked so dense. If he was trying to joke with her, then she wasn't laughing. Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the photo and threw it his way, Jack catching it without even flinching.
"Your purple-haired pal Lazar stopped by. And he said if I don't duel, they pay!" She glared harder as Jack's look turned bewilder. She bared her teeth."Surprised, Jack?! Don't be! I know Goodwin's behind all of this. And he can guarantee he's gonna regret putting this Satellite's friends in harm's way!" she yelled.
"Then you'll definitely be needing youe Stardust Dragon, now won't you?" Jack said, tossing the girl Stardust Dragon and the photo, the latter catching them. "And just so we're clear, I don't know anything about this threat. Got it? I Duel for me. Goodwin's got his own agenda." He wanted to make this clear, but he felt it was to prove to Yusei that he wasn't lying. He didn't know why. As he mounted his ride, he added. "I guess I'll be seeing you, at the Fortune Cup, then. And Yusei, you had better bring your A-game with you!" Yusei nodded back to him.
"I will." She said vibrantly.
Jack spared one last smirk before he drove off in a huff, leaving the quintet.
"I have to see that card!" Called Yanagi, Yusei showing it to him. "Ah, it's true! The Stardust Dragon card! It's amazing! This is big stuff! You are a Signer!" Yusei gave a shrug, pocketing the card.
"Don't you see? With that card, you made the Crimson Dragon appear!" Insisted Yanagi.
"But Jack was there, too." Said Yusei.
"Then that must mean you're all Signers! You're all connected!" Yanagi pressed on. Yusei shook her head.
'But what does it all mean?'
(Street-Duels Square, Eastern New Domino City, 7:00 PM)
The area was lively for those who wanted to Duel. Those who were close to poverty, yet still wealthy enough to have an apartment in the city, gathered around to play and trade cards. The sun was dropping to the sky as sunset was nearing, and the subtle winds were nipping at the noses of the Duelists. Yusei, Tanner, Alex, and Yanagi were watching a Duel between a young man and a blonde girl with a snappy accent.
"Is that Jesse Wheeler?"
"Nah, that's her cousin, Jessica Wheeler."
"Yusei, good news. I found a work boat that'll take me to the Satellite tonight." Blister walked over to them as the crowds cheered for the victor.
"A work boat?" Asked Yanagi. "Don't those things carry trash and disease?" Blister gave a smirk of pride.
"If you're lucky. This ain't some pleasure cruise. It's to check on Yusei's friends. They could be in trouble, grandpa. So Yusei's got bigger things to worry about." He said, patting said girl's shoulder.
"Like the Fortune Cup? Hey, Yusei will clean 'em out! Sis knows what she's doing." Argued Alex, giving a pointed look.
"There's much more at stake here than just the tournament, Alex," Muttered Blister, looking back at the Duel as the two competitors shook hands. "Goodwin and Atlas forced Yusei to Duel. If she isn't involved, something bad's going on." Yanagi and Alex looked at Yusei, the girl of their group being silent for the entire time.
"Like the end of the world!" Yelled the old treasure hunter. "Everyone in New Domino, marker or not, Satellite or citizen, all our fates are tied to the Signers," He looked at Yanagi, sighing softly." To Dolly." He felt bad for her, not able to imagine the heavy burden that was over her shoulders. She was so young, and a girl, after all.
"Hey, lets not underestimate our girl here," Tanner gave a self-mocking grin. "She's lived in the Satellite her whole life and she took on the Facility and came out with only a few scratches. She can handle anything." He then gave a laugh. "For a girl, she's got balls."
"Yeah, lets go with that," Sighed Blister, shaking his head and placing one hand on Yusei's shoulder. "But just to be sure, just win for the sake of all of humanity, OK?" Yusei looked at him, before finally speaking.
"Sure."
"Mister, hey mister, have you seen the Black Thorn?"
Yusei looked up, spotting a head of green-blue hair. She only knew one person who had that hair color.
"Nah, don't you know he don't exist? Maybe he's Dueling one of you imaginary friends." An older man sighed, walking away from Leo and Destiny.
"Maybe he doesn't exist, Dest'." Sighed Leo, running one hand through his hair. Destiny shook her head, her hair lightly swaying.
"Well, I know the blogs don't lie. He'll be here!" Leo shrugged.
"Are you sure? I mean, do you know who he really is?" The brown-haired girl puffed out her cheeks.
"Well, he'd better show up, 'cause my deck is ready for him!" She said stubbornly as she eyed the deck on her Duel Disk, looking at it fondly, then. Leo rolled his eyes, looking to the sky.
"Well Dest', we been looking for the Black Thorn all day. Maybe we should go home." He made a move to start walking, but his childhood friend grabbed his hand.
"G-Go home?! The Black Thorn is the greatest duelist ever! They say his cards make real monster, his spells are like real spells, and his traps are like-"
"Let me guess. . . real traps?" Leo deadpanned. Destiny sniffled and looked at the ground, looking ready to cry.
"If you don't wanna help me, then fine. But I'm staying. And it'll be your fault, as the best friend I thought you were, if I get hurt, or kidnapped, or sick, or-"
"Don't cry, Destiny~! I'll protect you from all the scary things out there~" Giving her a noogie, Leo laughed as his old friend struggled.
"I don't cry! Let go!"
"Leo? What's up!" Called Yusei. Looking up, Leo gave a happy shout, releasing Destiny from the head-lock.
"Look! Over here! Destiny, look! It's the superhero who fixed me and my sister's Duel Disks! Look, look!" He exclaimed running over to Yusei with excitement. Destiny gave an unimpressed look.
"She's a superhero?" Nonetheless, she followed Leo.
"Hey, what's up?" Asked Leo, grinning ear to ear as both he and Destiny caught up with Yusei.
"What are you doing here, Leo? This is a dangerous place for little kids. Where's you sister?" Asked the tanned-female, looking around for signs of Leo's twin.
"She didn't wanna come." Leo shrugged off the question like a breeze of the wind. Destiny looked at Yusei's criminal mark, gasping when she saw that Tanner, Yanagi, and Alex had some as well.
"L-Leo!" She whispered hesitantly, hiding behind Leo's shoulder. "I-I don't think this girl's a superhero! And I-I don't think it's safe that we hang around with these guys! L-Look what they have on their faces!"
"That's her secret identity!" Argued Leo with a look. "And she's really cool! She's nice once you get past her eyes, and she kissed me! On the cheek, too! That means she's a good guy . . . Uh, good girl!" He fixed.
"What are you doing here?"
Destiny gave a cry and hid behind Leo more from Yanagi's question, Leo seeming unfazed.
"We're looking for the Black Thorn!"
"Hey, how do you know these kids, sis? Got a little boyfriend while you were away?" Teased Alex, backing off when Yusei gave a fixed look.
"This is Leo. He and his twin sister helped me out when I hit my head and lost my memory. He helped me get it back in a Duel. He's cool." Explained Yusei. Leo grinned and he pushed Destiny from behind him.
"Yes! I'm cool! And this is my best friend, Destiny. O-Oh, and we're not on a date! I couldn't date my best friend!" He added, rather sheepishly. Despite feeling a little red in the face, Destiny gave a tiny wave with a shy smile.
"Uh, hello. . ."
"This girl's the best!" Leo gushed on and on." She's got this combo that's like 'whoa'! You should definitely Duel her." Destiny shook her head, still meek around the group.
"Uh. . . Maybe some other time?" She asked, stopping when she saw Yusei invitation sticking out of her pocket."Hey, is that . . .?"
"That's an invitation to duel at the Fortune Cup! You're in it, too?" Asked Leo excitedly. Yusei gave a half smile.
"Yep." She confirmed. Leo began dancing in place.
"I get to Duel you! I get to Duel you! But this time, you're going down, too!" He said with determination, before turning to Destiny. "Maybe if I win, she'll take me with her on her adventures! Isn't that cool?"
"I-I guess?" Asked Destiny, laughing lightly.
Something suddenly shot through Yusei system, and she gave a pained gasp as she dropped to one knee, clutching her arm. Everyone gathered around her, worriedly starring at her as she held her arm.
"I-I'll go easy on you, promise!" Stuttered Leo, thinking that he caused the problem.
"It hurts like before!" gasped Yusei, her whole body shuddering as a liquid fire began scorching her arm.
"Before?" asked Blister, he and Tanner holding her up.
"When it first appeared. . .The Crimson Dragon!" She gasped, barely able to shout as the crowd of Duelist ran past them yelling, scared out of their minds. Many of them were shouting from the lone playing field, the group of seven staying where they were.
"Let's get outta here! It's the Black Thorn!"
"There is no Black Thorn!"
"Black Thorn?!" Asked Tanner, his own eyes widening as people fled.
"The Black Thorn is just a myth! He's not real!" Yelled Blister.
"Then how do you explain that large tornado?" Shouted Alex, shielding his eyes as the winds began to pick up violently. Blister shook his head, looking back to the scene.
"There's a reasonable explanation for this!"
Yusei gave a cough and looked up, unable to see as much due to the dirt stinging her eyes. Rubbing them as quickly as she could, she looked up again, gasping at the silhouette of a dragon appearing past the smoke and dirt. From what she could make out, it's lower body had the decor of a rose-surrounded center-piece.
"Whose dragon is that?" She whispered, crying out when the burn on her arm intensified. She pulled back her glove and sleeve, her eyes looking over the odd, tail-like design glowing on it. "It's just like when I Dueled Jack!" She breathed, her friends making it back to her.
"Oh my!" Yanagi was at a lost for words.
"That's no tattoo!" Shouted Tanna, Yanagi nodding in agreement.
"You're right! It is the Mark of the Dragon!"
Leo saw that mark himself, he himself seeing it before. Before he could voice it out, he looked to the playing field and gasped.
"The Black Thorn is real!"
Yusei heard him, and without a second thought, she ducked her way into the cloud of dust, despite the pain she was experiencing. Leo gasped and raced after her.
"Wait, come back! It's too dangerous, even for a superhero! Let me protect you, at least!
Yusei barely heard him, searching her way through the cloud of dust. She took a few more steps forward, gasping as she saw something beneath the shadow of the dragon's hologram. A young man, who stood at least a few inches taller than her, stood there. He was dressed in a dark red tuxedo with a black rose decorated with thorns pinned at a lapel a black cloak around his head with locks of magenta-red hair poking out from behind the white mask he wore. Attached to his arm was a black and red Duel Disk.
"Black Thorn?" Yusei asked, throwing her question over to Leo.
"Yeah, but be careful. They say he's really strong!" Said the blue-haired boy, Yusei holding one arm out to keep him from coming any closer.
"Alright, so he's not made-up," said Blister as he and the others walked over. "What now, grandpa?"
"I don't know!" Cried Yanagi, cowering behind Tanner.
The Black Thorn looked to them, glaring behind his mask. Through the small slits of his mask that allowed him to see, he looked at Yusei. He held back a gasp as he spotted the mark on her arm.
"Your arm! You also have a mark!" He shouted, his voice muffled and altered by the small microphone that he had planted on the inside of the mask. It made his voice sound monstrous. Yusei blinked as the mysterious young man covered his own arm. She took a few steps to him.
"I do-" But the young man took a step back, as if Yusei were a wild animal.
"Stay away from me!" He yelled, taking a card from his Deck and slapping it down on his Duel Disk.
"Yusei, look out!" Cried Alex, running and taking a dive, taking Yusei with him as the area began to explode. He covered her smaller form with his own as the wind and rocks whipped around them, everyone else ducking and crying as the attack was lashed out. When it all calmed down, everyone looked up and looked about. The Black Thorn was gone.
Alex groaned from a bruise on his head from a rock that struck his head. He rubbed the spot and looked over Yusei.
"You OK, sis?" He asked. Yusei coughed and nodded.
"Yeah," She looked up and smiled at Alex. "Thanks, Alex."
The purple-haired lad blushed and scrambled up, pulling Yusei up quickly and turning away.
"D-Don't mention it! I'd t-take a blow for ya any day, sis!" He said with embarrassment , trying to calm himself down. He still hadn't gotten over how cute Yusei looked when she smiled.
"Amazing!" Yanagi cried, running over along with Tanner and Blister. "That's what I called an exit for the ages! What do you think his encore looks like?" He added this, shaking like a leaf.
"We found him!" Destiny took Leo's hands and gave happy jumps. "The Black Thorn is real!"
"That was awesome!" Yelled Leo, just as excited and awed. Yusei, in the meantime, looked at her arm, her mark gone as if were a washable tattoo.
"The Black Thorn said you also have a mark. What does he mean by that?" asked Blister, looking at Yusei's arm, too.
"Where did they go?" Asked Leo, he and Destiny walking over.
"Vanished!" Gasped Yanagi. "Like magic!" He was star-struck.
"I know. That's why I have to find this 'Black Thorn'." Muttered Yusei, everyone else silent and surprised that she declared this. And as if on timing, night washed over the city like a bucket of black paint, the day coming to an end.
(A dark alley, Eastern New Domino City, 9:00 PM)
Wheezing and gasping, the Black Thorn made a turn and pressed his back against a alley wall, catching his breath. A truck drove by, and he shoved himself to the corner deeper, hiding himself as the head lights passed. Taking in a breath, he slid down the wall and crouched to his knees, recalling what had happened a while back.
"Thank marking . . . Why did she have one?" He growled, remembering that girl with amber-gold highlights and deep blue eyes. He shook his head, pulling off his mask as rivulets of sweat dripped off his nose. With the cold air filling his lungs, he finally fell to his behind and rested.
(Fortune Cup Stadium, Western New Domino City, 8:00 AM)
Fireworks were launched into the air over a large stadium, people of all ages, sizes, and types piling in to get last-minute tickets, snacks, or to shuffle themselves into their seats. Booths were lined around the area with items to buy and food to sell. Everyone looked excited.
From the special VIP room that had a large window, Goodwin and Jack stared down at the entire area, looking at the millions of spectators that were ready for the event. He looked to the PDA he had in his hand, smiling secretly as he saw the list of the contestants.
1. Jack Atlas
2. Shira 'Shinigami Reborn'
3. Luna Katayanagi
4. Gill Ransborg
5. Prof. Frank
6. Comannder Koda
7. Grieger Bommer
8. Akiyuki Izayoi
9. Yusei Fudo
"And all is going as planned. Soon the Crimson Dragon will rise." He smirked. Jack gave a hard look, looking at the scene himself.
'And Yusei will fall . . .' He thought with a fire in his eyes.
Let the games begin.
To Be Continued . . .
And that's all I have for now! Please let this make up for my lateness! I'm gonna be updating this more regularly! I promise! My laptop is all fixed up now, and I'm ready to get back on track with this! Thanks to RikoJasime and Wolfpackersson09 for giving me the idea of Male!Aki! :D Also, thanks to RikoJasmine for the idea of the Black Thorn! She has an awesome picture of Fem!Yusei and Male!Aki! Just head over to DeviantART and look for Black Thorn and Shooting Star, it is amazing I hope you all like this chapter! Make sure to review and I'll get back to all of you real soon! Bet'cha didn't expect these genderbents, did'ja? XD Well, there will be more soon! So keep an eye out! See ya!
This is me saying, Peace!
