Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or anything to do with the franchise. This fan fiction is merely for entertainment purposes and not my own profit.

Author's Note: Howdy ya'll, Mag-san back with another exciting chapter! Well, exciting-ish. Well, some stuff is going to happen. Some magic, some fighting, some mystery, no romance though (we're not there yet). Can't have the characters falling in love when they've barely gotten to know each other. This ain't Romeo and Juliet, no love at first here. Well, Crow kind of has a thing for Libera when he first sees her but he doesn't go, "Forsooth, fair maiden, thou hast bewitched me" and such. Where was I going with this? Oh, yeah, the chapter. So Rua is going shopping! And dragging Yusei, Jack, and Crow because they're best friends forever! And the guys wanted to see the city for the first time and used the shopping as an excuse to go. So, let's get on with it!

Chapter 11: Adventures in the City

Carly stood back with Gear in her arms as she watched Rua work his magic. He focused as he created his earth giant. This time, the process moved at a faster pace. The young boy glowed with magic, his mind on one thing. As the form smoothed into place, Rua slowed the flow of his magic, his creation complete. He took a deep breath before turning to his mentor. Carly said nothing, walking up to inspect his giant. She looked it over with sharp eyes, taking in every detail. She did a full circle, her head going up and down. Rua tried to keep his cool. His hands were sweaty and his heart was pounding. He hoped he had done a good job. He had really poured himself into his studies as of late. He didn't want to disappoint his beloved mentor. Carly believed him in a way no one had. She didn't treat him like a kid all the time. When he acted childish, she scolded him. When he acted mature, she praised him. Despite her appearance, Carly was a very strict teacher, not sugar-coating important matters. But she really understood Rua, and he wouldn't want anyone else to teach him even if given the choice.

"This," Carly said, placing a had hand on the giant, "is wonderful. Rua, you've progressed so much! Such amazing crafting, and the level of skill to form a giant of this size…Not an easy feat, I'll tell you that."

"Really?" Rua squealed in joy.

"Yes," she nodded. "I'm so proud of you. I knew you could do it, at your own pace."

Rua was moved by her words, jumping with his arms around her waist, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I couldn't have done it without you, Carly! You're the best teacher ever!"

"Aw, you're so sweet," Carly giggled, hugging him back, Gear flying above them. "But yourself some credit, Rua. It was your hard work that has resulted in this!"

"Oh, wait!" Rua jumped back, excited. "I can make it move too!"

He breathed in, concentrating. As he felt the power flow through him, he extended his arms up, the giant doing the same. Rua took one step forward, the giant following. He took another, and another, taking his time with each step. The giant mirrored his movements. Rua powered down, his arms down, the giant returning to a frozen state.

Carly clapped with pride, "That was incredible, Rua! Your command of the earth giant is amazing. More training, and I can see you becoming quite a warrior on the battlefield."

"Really?" Rua squeaked very giddy.

"Whoa there," Carly placed her hands on his shoulders. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I say this now, but I don't want you thinking the battlefield is a place where you can show off. It is a place where lives are on the line, where every decision you make has consequences, both good and bad. I don't want you going into battle with some glamorized vision of battle, but rather what it is. It can be an ugly and haunting experience. It can and will change you. Do you understand?"

"Yes, ma'am," Rua nodded, taking her words to heart.

Carly was battle-harden warrior, someone the kind of experience Rua knew he could benefit from. He wasn't stupid, he knew being a duelist, a Guardian, came with a big downside. He remembered when he first used his powers to protect his sister. He hadn't much control back then, but through sheer luck and will, they had survived. But from that moment on, Rua swore to never face an opponent in such a rash way ever again, especially if it endangered Ruka or his friends.

"Hey," Rua looked up Carly held his face in her hands. "You'll get there. Give it time. Rome wasn't built in a day."

There was an assurance in her eyes that eased his mind.

"Guys!" they looked up to see Shun walking up to them. "Wow! Look at this behemoth! Rua, you are one impressive kid."

"Thanks," Rua blushed. "But I know I still have a long way to go."

Carly smiled, knowing the young boy took her advice well.

"Smart boy," Shun petted his head. "Carly, Rutherford needs to you."

"A mission, or more paperwork?"

"Sorry, he didn't say," Shun smiled sympathetically.

"Greaaat," Carly drawled. "Well, might as see what he needs. With any luck, it will be an actual mission. Rua, you go rest up. I know you've been working hard, but sometimes one needs to rest the mind and the body. Constantly training does have its drawbacks."

"Got it," he saluted her, making her giggle again.

She waved bye to him and Shun, walking away as she hoped she did not have to help with more paperwork again. Please let it be a mission, please let it be a mission, PLEASE!

Rua was about to leave too when he pulled back by Shun, "Ah, Rua, you might want to take care of you 'little' friend here."

The boy sweat-dropped as he realized he could leave an earth giant on campus like that. So, he powered up again, this time lowering his arms as the giant melded back into the ground until there was no evidence it has ever been there. Gear landed on Rua's head, nuzzling his head on the boy's forehead.

"Thanks, Gear," Rua smiled. "Hey, Shun."

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering, I wanted to thank Carly for everything she's done for me. I mean, I know it's her job, but she's so nice to me and Ruka, so I wanted to show her my thanks."

"That's very thoughtful of you," Shun said, pondering what could help. "Well, how about a present, something she'll love."

"A present? Like what?" Rua asked.

"Let me see, Carly isn't very hard to shop for," Shun tried to remember what she liked. "She loves photography. But a new camera would be very expensive, and I don't think she would be too happy if you spend so much for her. She would probably end up returning it out of guilt."

"Yeah, that does sound like her," Rua blanched.

"Maybe a book on photography?" Shun suggested. "She also loves cats. But getting her a pet wouldn't do either."

An idea popped into Rua's mind, "OH! What about a book on big cats? Like lions and tigers?"

"That's perfect!" Shun exclaimed. "I think one of her favorite photographers just published a book on big cats from his travels through the worlds. I'll get the information."

"That's awesome! Thanks, Shun," Rua beamed from ear to ear. "I can't wait to see the look on Carly's face when I give her the book! She's gonna love it! Oh, I should ask Ruka to come with in case she sees something else Carly would like."

"Good idea, get a girl's perspective," Shun nodded, looking through his phone for the book's title. "Ah, here we go. The book is called, Rare Felines of the Wild."

"Awesome! Thanks, Shun," Rua said, Gear letting out the cutest attempt at a roar. "I gotta find Rua. Thanks again, I really appreciate it!"

"No problem!" Shun yelled as the young boy ran off. "So much energy. To be young and oblivious to the bad of the world. He's going to go far, though, that I know for sure."


Aki was watching as Rosetta and Lumina played in the air while she and Ruka waited for a waitress to serve them. They had decided to take a break and go to a nearby café. Ruka was entranced as she was reading a news article about the popular new jewelry that was sweeping the world. Ever since Misty Lola had been seen wearing the Incan-style stones, pieces were selling left and right. Almost every girl in school had one. Though every time Ruka was near one, she felt this odd sensation, a blaring warning to stay away from them. Ruka had wondered if it had been the Crimson Dragon sending her sign. She wanted to ask Aki what she thought, since the older girl had been away visiting her parents over the weekend. Ruka knew why Aki had left. Aki and Scott had been growing close, everyone could see it. It had been the first time Aki had ever shown interest in someone. But she was always so guarded. She didn't let anyone in unless she knew she could trust completely. Aki had agreed to go on a date with him, after he had asked her 100 times before. They were supposed to have gone out that weekend. So, Aki had left for her parents to not think about how she was supposed to have been spending it with Scott. She needed their support and they had welcomed her home with big hugs and warm smiles.

From what Ruka could tell, Aki seemed to be doing better. There was still this sadness that her eyes held whenever she let her thoughts overcome her. Ruka wished there was something she could do to cheer her mentor up. She knew she was young and couldn't understand what it was Aki was going through, but Ruka was determined to help her. Maybe she should ask about the stones another time. It could be Ruka was being paranoid after what had happened. Then again…Rutherford had advised her to not ignore what her instincts told her. And right now, they were telling her something was wrong with those stones. Perhaps she should bring it up, especially if it had something to do with the Dark Signers.

As she decided to speak up, Rua came running up to them, "Ruka!"

"Rua, what's up?"

"Hey, I'm going into the city and I was wondering if you wanted to come with," he said, Gear joining the other dragons. "I'm getting Carly a present, to say thank you for everything she's done for us."

"That's so nice, Rua," Aki smiled. "Did you decide on what you're getting her?"

"Yeah, a book by one of her favorite photographers," Rua announced proudly. "It just came out, so I know she hasn't had a chance to buy it herself."

"Oh wow, that's great," Ruka chirped, an idea popping in her head. "I'll definitely go! Aki, you don't mind?"

"Of course not, go ahead," Aki waved them off.

"Thanks, come on," Ruka grabbed her brother's arms as the two ran to the nearest train station, their dragons following.

Aki watched them, the waitress arriving, "I'm sorry for the wait, Ms. Izayoi. What can I get you?"

"It's alright. I'll have two lavender milk teas with the mocha cake, and can one of those teas be in a saucer?"

She directed her to Rosetta who had curled up on the table.

"Of course, I'll be right back," the waitress bowed, heading back to the kitchen.

Aki leaned back, relishing the gentle breeze that passed by. Going home to her parents had been a spur of the moment sort of thing. She hadn't thought about it at all until she had looked at her calendar and saw, in big, bold letters, "DATE WITH SCOTT". Her heart had stopped. She looked around, suddenly not wanting to be at the academy. So, she had quickly packed a bag and ran out of the dorm. Running into Beauregard on her way out, she practically yelled how she couldn't be there and was going to stay with her parents in the city for the weekend. He hadn't said anything, Aki in too much of a hurry to notice the caring smile he gave her. He understood and would relay her message. Getting home, she knocked, trying to compose herself. However, once the door opened and she say her mother standing there with a worried look for how her daughter looked, Aki jumped into her arms and started crying. Her mother held her as she cried, and cried, and cried. Her father had just arrived as well and looked on in concern as his wife held their grieving daughter. They let her vent and cared for her. She needed to see them, and it had helped. Now, she had to work to do.

"I can't let Scott and the others down," Aki sighed deeply, Rosetta mewling. "Thanks, girl. We have a long road ahead of us. But we're not alone."

Rosetta nuzzled her head on Aki's hand in agreement. The only thing she could was move forward.


Yusei was deep into his book while Crow and Natsu talked about the lessons with Raphael, Jack sitting down opposite them with a monotone face. Their car was almost empty except for themselves and a few students on the far end of the cart. Crow was arguing about one lesson in particular where he had almost lost his head, literally.

"I was this close to becoming the Headless Horseman's sidekick!" Crow demonstrated by pressing his thumb and index finger just a hair-length apart. "I know this is all supposed to make us better duelists and prepare for real missions, but that's crazy!"

"I know it may seem that way, but trust me when I say, Raphael would never really try to kill you, unless you turned traitor, which in case, you're basically screwed," Natsu replied nonchalant.

"How's that supposed to make me feel better?" Crow yelled annoyed.

"I didn't say it would," Natsu admitted. "It is how it is."

"You're no help," Crow blanched.

"If you can't handle the training, too bad," Jack chipped in. "We're being trained to deal with life-or-death scenarios, no one said this was going to be a walk in the park."

"No one asked you," Crow frowned.

Jack ignored him, which only made Crow angrier. The blonde's thoughts were on what they learned just a week ago. His mother had grown up knowing Yusei's father, and she had helped in the construction of the Ener-D Reactor. That must have been how his father, Nicholas, had known about the impending disaster of that fateful day. If these Dark Signers were really that powerful, then it was logical to conclude they were the ones behind the meltdown. They were the ones who had torn the city apart, causing so many deaths. They were the ones who had caused all the suffering he and his brothers had faced growing up. He wondered if Yusei felt the same anger he did at how much those demons had destroyed. It was a lot to processed, and with how hectic their classes had become, the three of them hadn't had the chance to sit down and talk about it.

"Hey, Jack!" he looked up as Natsu called his name. "You alright there? You looked like you were miles away."

"I'm fine," Jack said.

"Riiiiight," Natsu smirked knowingly. "Like I'm going to believe that. I think I know what's on your mind."

Jack closed his eyes to ignore him as well.

"It's about the Dark Signers," Natsu was undeterred, and it worked as Jack's eyes snapped opened. "I haven't faced them myself, but Raphael and Varon have."

"Varon is one of the Swordsmen of Orichalcos, like Raphael?" Yusei asked, now fully into the conversation.

"Yeah, and they barely made it back with their lives," Natsu shared, his tone grave. "I'd never seen the two of them so…defeated. The Dark Signer really took it out of them. They looked so frail and beat-up, I wasn't sure they'd ever recover. Fortunately, it will take something far worse than a bad beating to keep those two down. Still, it was a sobering sight to see."

"That's comforting," Crow gulped, his worry for Jack growing. "If two of the strongest duelists in the world couldn't defeat one Dark Signer, how are Jack, Aki, and Ruka supposed to?"

Jack glared at him with daggers.

"No offense!" Crow defended, wailing in his arms in protection. "But Raphael and Varon are seasoned warriors, extremely powerful. And you three…Aki, I haven't seen her fight, but she's still young. You're still in training. And Ruka is even younger and inexperienced."

"It's a good point," Yusei said with a pensive look. "Maybe it's the blessing of the Crimson Dragon that gives them an advantage."

"Right on the money!" Natsu replied. "And there is a reason they were chose to be Signers. It's no coincidence you all bear the Dragon's Mark. There are also two more Signers yet to be revealed."

"Two more?" Jack repeated surprised.

"Yeah, the first we found was Aki, then Ruka, and lastly you," Natsu pointed to Jack. "The other two will be revealed in due time. Unfortunately, once that happens, that's when the Dark Signers and the Earthbounds will be revealed as well. You're all bound together, in a way."

They remained quiet as they took in Natsu's words. He was being honest with them, and they appreciated it. Yusei looked back to his book, the words not reaching him as his mind wandered. Everything seemed so complicated since their arrival at the academy. He had thought they would only be learning how to harness their powers to help people, which they were, but then Scott and his team died, and they had found about their respective families, and the Signers, and the Crimson Dragon, and the King of the Netherworld with his own Dark Signers…This was not how he had pictured his time at Duel Academia would go. And there was still more they didn't know!

Realizing he had lost interest in reading, Yusei closed the book as a familiar voiced called his name, "YUSEI!"

He looked up as a very happy Rua ran up to them as he boarded, his sister following at in a modest walk.

"Hey, guys!" Rua was as full of energy as Carly.

Yusei wondered if they were related somehow from how energetic both were. Gear instantly landed on Natsu's lap, cooing as the young man petted him. Ruka held Lumina in her arms as she joined them.

"Hi everyone," she smiled.

"Hey," Crow greeted them.

He remembered she was a Signer like Jack, so he decided to keep an eye out for her whenever he could. He really did have a mother-hen complex. Jack looked over at the girl with a serious expression that caught Ruka off guard. She wondered what she had done wrong. Then, she remembered Aki had shared with her the secret that Jack was like the two of them, a Signer. Her mentor had given her the same expression after she had found out the truth of their marks.

"You know," Ruka said in a strong tone she rarely used.

Jack nodded, holding his right arm, "I have the Wings."

Ruka held hers, "I have one of the Claws. Aki has the other."

"What are you talking about?" Rua asked perplexed by their exchange. "Why are you two so serious all of a sudden? It's like some big secret has come out…"

Natsu counted down, "3…2…1…"

"OH MY GOD! JACK'S A SIGNER!" he shouted in disbelief, almost falling back after his sister clamped her hand hard over his mouth.

"SHH!" she hissed angry. "That's supposed be only between us and the Guardians!"

Rua muffled indignant, as the other students on the cart had left at the previous stop.

"We already know," Yusei revealed, leaving Ruka stunned. "The Chancellor thought it would be good for Crow and me to know the truth as we are family to Jack."

"Really?" Ruka said, Rua muffling the same thing.

Natsu nod of the head confirmed it.

"Okay," Ruka sighed. "But we still need to be careful, Rua. We can't have the Dark Signers or their followers finding out who we are right now."

"Sorry," Rua offered sheepishly.

"With that little drama out of the way," Natsu said, changing the subject, "where are you two going? I thought your lessons were done for the day."

"We're going into the city," Ruka answered, motioning to her brother. "Rua wanted to get Carly a thank you present for her help in his training."

"That's great. I'm sure Carly will be touched by your appreciation," Natsu smiled, Gear mewing in agreement.

"Wait, this train heads directly into the city?" Crow asked, excited.

"Yep," Natsu said, a thought emerging in his head. "Oh, you guys haven't been to the city yet, have you?"

Crow shook his head, while Yusei and Jack shared a worried expression.

"Well, now's your chance!" Natsu announced proudly. "Why don't we tag along with the twins? It will be a good way for you three to get a feel of what Neo Domino is like."

"Seriously? Count me in! Guys?" Crow turned to his brothers, who seemed less enthusiastic about it. "Ah, come on, guys! We're just helping Rua get the present, we're not going sight-seeing! Just a quick peak."

Yusei knew it wouldn't be too bad, but just because they were treated fairly at the school, it didn't mean it would be the same in the city. Though, honestly, Yusei knew he had been actively avoiding it. Natsu had offered to show them around a few times, as had Shun. Even Raphael had thought it would a good idea to get used to a big city like Neo Domino.

"Why not?" Jack replied, being more open to the idea that Yusei. "What's the harm in it? And Natsu here has told me he knows the city like no one else. Who better to show us around?"

Looking between them, Yusei knew he was beaten. Two to one.

"Alright, I guess it would be fun," Yusei relented.

"Yeah!" Crow and Rua high-fived in victory.

As though on cue, Aero, Dante, and Shadow flew in as the train reached the next stop. Each dragon joined their duelist.

"Looks like someone else wants to explore the city," Natsu chuckled.

Yusei could sense how thrilled Aero was to see a new place. If there was someone he could not say no to, it was his partner, Aero.

"Fine, you can come along."

Aero roared happily. They remained in the train as it rolled through each stop in campus until heading straight into the city. While they rode on, Yusei inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself. It was just a city, not a battlefield. Jack smirked as he watched him try to compose himself. Rua was freaking out about the guys' dragons, practically examining each one. The dragons themselves seemed to get along with the twins'. Though Dante did get a little agitated with Gear's playfulness. He snapped at the latter, which did scare him for a bit. It didn't last as soon enough Gear was back at it again. Dante gave up, sulking on Jack's shoulder. Natsu tried not laugh. A duelist's monster tended to take after their master, and this was no more obvious than with Jack and Dante. They had the same temperament and it was cracking Natsu up.

"NOW ARRIVING, DOMINO SQUARE STATION…NEXT STOP, COMMERCE STATION."

They all got up as the trained slowed down. Once the train came to a full stop, the door slid open, the air filled with lively chatter. Natsu led the way, with everyone following. Yusei looked around, surprised by how different Neo Domino was to the Satellite. People were walking about, some in business attire, others casual, enjoying their day. It was Thursday, close to the weekend, so everyone around was in high spirits for work week to end. Natsu had asked what Rua was going to get Carly.

"It's a photo book called," Rua pulled out his phone, having forgotten the name, "Rare Felines of the Wild."

"I think I heard of it," Natsu said as he led to the book district close-by. "It just came out and selling fast. Carly's going to love it!"

"Carly loves photography, and cats, so this is a perfect present for her," Ruka explained to the guys.

"Okay, so where are we headed?" Crow asked, trying not to run off to explore the city, Shadow trying to be a good boy and not do the same either.

"The famous Domino Book District," Natsu announced with wide arms. "It was one of the few places not left in total disarray after Zero Reverse, so the city is very proud of its fame, second only to Faye. The shopkeepers actually opened their businesses as shelters and helped with the aid to survivors."

"No wonder the city is proud of it," Yusei mused, a tad excited to see the famous district.

"Here we are!"

Turning the block, they saw the expanse of the Book District. It was entire city block, with book shops lining the streets. It was amazing how popular it was from the number of people strolling about. Each shop had its own unique style and draw. Some were modern while other kept a vintage feel. Either way, there was something for everyone here.

"Okay, let's go get Carly's present!" Ruka exclaimed, Gear roaring.

He was about to run off at full speed when he and Gear were pulled back by Ruka and Lumina, "Hold it. You can't go the first shop you find selling the book. You need to see who has the best price and condition."

"Really, Ruka? It doesn't matter," Rua whined.

"It doesn't matter?" Ruka snapped, the first the guys had seen her mad. "How do you know you won't end up being scammed by some jerk who probably bought it and then tore it up? Or if they just glued on the cover to completely different book? Do you want to make Carly sad with some bad copy?"

The thought of his beloved mentor crying scared some sense into Rua, "No, I don't! You're right, Ruka! Help me find the best one, please!"

"Will do!" Ruka winked happily. "Okay, let' see…

As the young girl surveyed the stores, Jack chuckled impressed, "She knows how to handle him, huh?"

"They are twins," Natsu said. "She knows him better than anyone, vice versa. They're lucky to have each other."

There was something in Natsu's voice that caught Yusei's attention. There was more to the twins that he was holding back. Did it have something to do with their parents, and why they preferred to live in the academy than in the city?


Carly reading the files carefully as Rutherford waiting for her response. He had asked for her opinion on what Scott's team had managed to send back. She sighed deeply as she set the information aside.

"This is a mess," she said tired. "It's no wonder they were ambushed so badly. And this man who was supposed to be their way out…"

"We have yet to locate him, but rest assured, I have our top trackers on the job," Rutherford said, wearing a hard expression. "He had lost his Cursor-status in the aftermath of Zero Reverse. He apparently had intel of Rudger's plans, but kept it to himself due to the money he was being paid by the former. I didn't trust him with my students' lives, but Nanae was persistent in her belief of his change of heart. It breaks my own thinking how betrayed she must have felt when he turned on them and left her team for dead."

"Nanae was always too naïve," Carly held a pensive gaze. "She had a good heart, always seeing the best in others, but…that kind of thinking can be dangerous in our line of work. I won't speak ill of her. However, I felt, eventually, her way of thinking was going to get her killed."

"She didn't like pushing people into certain labels," Rutherford replied in defense.

"Yes, and I get that, but we go out there and risk not just our lives but those of our teammates, our family," Carly argued back. "After everything that had happened, I knew letting her go on this mission was a bad idea. I should have said something, I should have come up to you, to tell you she wasn't ready to get back in the field!"

She stood up, pacing back and forth as her guilt at not acting sooner ate at her.

"Carly," Rutherford tried to comfort her, "we're only human. We all make mistakes, some bigger than others. You can't blame yourself for something out of your control. I should have held Nanae back, I saw the signs. I just…didn't want to treat her like she was made of glass."

Carly inhaled deep, exhaling all her doubts away for the time being, "Okay, thank you. Now, about what they send. It seems to me that Rudger has gathered four of the Dark Signers, including himself: the Spider, the Monkey, the Lizard, and the Giant. That leaves the Whale and the Hummingbird to be revealed. Though, from reading this, it looks like they may be closing in on the identity of the Whale's duelist."

"Unfortunately," Rutherford said, clasping his hands together in thought. "For now, they won't make a move until all five are found, both Signer and Dark Signer."

"Shouldn't we start preparations for evacuating the Satellite? That is where the battle between the two forces will take place, right?"

Rutherford felt the weight on his spirit, "I'm afraid until the Dark Signers make their presence known, Director Godwin deems it unnecessary to evacuate the Satellite."

"ARE FUCKING KIDDING ME?!" Carly's screams of anger could be heard echoing outside. "By then, many of the populace will be under his psychotic brother's control, or worse!"

"I know, Carly, believe me," Rutherford placed his hands up in agreement. "But Rex is ridiculously paranoid. He believes bringing over the 'negative' energy of the Satellite would only turn Neo Domino into a warzone."

"Then the solution is simple. Evacuate the city," Carly suggested as if it was no big deal.

"Carly, relocation of the citizens of the Satellite is one thing, but Neo Domino is a port city, to evacuate the entire region would takes days, maybe a week or so," Rutherford explained.

"The city will become a warzone, regardless of Godwin's 'precautions'," Carly slammed her hands on his desk, making it shake in her anger. "Chancellor, you have you to make him see the obvious dangers his paranoia will cast on the citizens. Please!"

Rutherford looked her in eyes, the conviction too strong to ignore, "Very well, I will speak with him about evacuating the people of the Satellite and Neo Domino. I do understand the danger of the situation, Carly. I wasn't particularly happy with his decision to pull the aid efforts to the Satellite. Though in truth, it wasn't because of the negative energy that remains there, but to hide the fact he was partially responsible for Zero Reverse."

"Wait, what are you talking about?" Carly asked him, pulling back cautiously.

"Rudger may have been the one to orchestrate the meltdown, but it was in due part to his young brother's support that Hakase Fudo was removed as Head of the project," Rutherford revealed, not hiding his utter disdain for the director. "Rex Godwin was blind to the change in his brother that was so obvious to everyone else. It was his choice to follow his brother so ignorantly that caused Hakase his position."

"No way…" Carly sat back down. "And he has the nerve to act like the savior of the city. In my opinion, he's worse than Rudger."

"You are not alone in that opinion," Rutherford raised his cup.

"Oh god!" Carly slunk back in her seat. "Why does he have to make everything so complicated?"

Rutherford shrugged his shoulders, having wondered the same thing many times before. He finished his tea, Carly rubbing her temples. The Chancellor knew it was big news to reveal, but her sullen demeanor told another story. There was more going on with the young woman.

"Carly, is there something else you wanted to talk about?"

"Uh, maybe," she said behind her hands. "I don't think it's anything really, but I've been having…dreams."

"Dreams?" his interest was piqued. "Do tell."

Rutherford loved deciphering dreams as a hobby. It was his own form of counseling.

"Okay," Carly straightened up, her eyes closed as she remembered. "So, the way it all starts is with me floating. My mind is calm and nothing seems wrong, like I'm meditating. It is all serene. Then, as I'm resting, I feel this…energy, a force that's growing closer and closer and closer. I can't move. I can feel it reaching for me. It's cold, and dark, and…familiar. It surrounds me, like a sea of darkness trying to drown to me. I try to fight back, to keep it away. But then it starts to break my protection, it starts shattering around me. It swarms at me at once. Then, I wake up, feeling drained and out of breath."

She opened her eyes, seeing his attention on her description. Rutherford sat back in his chair, his hands cupped in front of him.

"It would be, if nothing else, a warning," Rutherford explained. "Your dreams are warning you of what is to come. At the beginning, you are in a safe place, your everyday life. Then, the darkness begins to show itself, to wrap itself around yourself and those close to you. It would appear you may be developing clairvoyance."

"Really?" Carly couldn't believe it. "I didn't think anyone could receive the gift of Sight at my age."

"It could be that you always had this power, but it was only through recent events that it emerged."

It made sense. Due the Dark Signers acts, it could be her Sight was developing in order to aid her friends in the battles to come. Her grandfather and father had the Sight, but Carly had assumed it had skipped her. Better late than never.

"I don't know how I feel about knowing of things yet to happen," Carly admitted.

"Carly, the future is not set in stone. It is always changing. You just have advance viewing," Rutherford joked, earning a giggle from her. "I will speak with Lady Ishizu, to see if she can come and help you with your new power."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Carly jumped in joy, knowing the woman was skilled in the Sight.

Though she wasn't comfortable with her new power, Carly knew this gift would be essential in the battles to come. She had to master it, knowing it could save lives. No pressure there.


Yusei watched as Ruka observed each shop with keen eyes, trying to scope out the best deal for her brother. She was like a hawk. While she looked for their "price", they would stop and look through each shop, seeing how varied the selections were. Crow was glued to a book on Cursors and their history, not parting with it. He bought and was deep into the book while they checked another shop. Crow just waved his receipt to the shop owner as he continued to read. The old man just smiled, already used to having customers buy from another shop and walk into his. The dragons flew above, taking in everything with curious eyes. The owner didn't mind, his own monster lounging in the back. Meanwhile, Rua was searching on his own, trying to spy the book.

"Is there something in particular you're looking for?" the saleswoman asked him with a bright smile.

"Yeah," Rua pulled up his phone, showing the image of the book.

"Oh, yes! That is a very popular book these days," she clapped. "Apparently, there is a limited edition of the book with the writer's personal notes, his autograph, and even the time he crossed paths with the King of Games himself, Yugi Muto!"

"No way!" Rua was standing on his toes in excitement. "Do you have any copies?"

He hoped they did, Gear squealing as though asking the same.

"I'm afraid we only received a few copies of that edition which already sold out," she apologized, realizing her blunder in suggesting something they didn't have.

"What about online ordering?" Ruka asked.

"Unfortunately, the special edition was only printed once and small quantity," the saleswoman said crestfallen. "They won't be printing anymore copies."

"Dang it!" Ruka huffed, Gear imitating him. "And it sounded perfect too! Carly would have flipped out."

"My brother wants to buy the book as a present for his mentor," Ruka explained.

"Well, we still have the regular edition, if you would like," the woman offered. "I'll even give you a great discount! It was my fault for getting your hopes up with that special edition."

"Are you sure?" Yusei said, all of them except Crow looking to the owner.

"Go ahead," he smiled kindly. "It was your goof, bringing up the special edition when you know we sold out already."

The woman laughed sheepishly, directing them to the register, "How's 50% off?"

"That sounds great!" Ruka nodded, Rua agreeing.

"Okay then, let me just pull a copy from the back real quick," the woman said as she disappeared to retrieve the book.

"Told you we could get a good deal if we were patient," Ruka boasted.

"Yeah, but I still wish we could have gotten that special edition," Rua moped.

Gear tried to cheer him by nestling his head on the boy's cheek. He giggled, petting his partner in thanks.

"Oh wow! You won't believe it!" the saleswoman came back, extremely excited. "Look what I found!"

She turned the book around so they could see the cover, revealing the special edition art. Rua was beyond ecstatic.

"I was getting one of the regular copies when I bumped into a shelf. When the books fell, it was sitting right there. It must have gotten lost after we received our last shipment," the saleswoman glanced over to her boss. "I told you I hadn't miscounted."

"Everyone makes mistakes, Zuzu," the owner seemed to apologize, in his own way. "Now finish checking these youngsters out so they can go about their day. They don't want to waste their free time in this dusty bookstore."

"Yes, dad," she grumbled, still giving Rua the discount and even wrapping it up as a present for them. "Here you go."

"Thank you," Rua bowed as he took the paper bag. "I really appreciate this."

"Not a problem," Zuzu beamed, waving after them as they walked out. "Have a nice day!"

They waved back as they headed back out onto the street.

"Okay, mission complete," Rua announced, striking a heroic pose with Gear and Shadow.

"Now what?" Jack asked, looking around. "Should we head back to campus?"

"Well, we still have time to kill," Natsu said, already walking ahead. "Why don't we grab some lunch before getting back? I know this awesome noodle shop you guys have to try. Best handmade noodles in the world!"

"That sounds good," Jack followed, appearing nonchalant.

"Jack loves ramen noodles," Crow whispered from behind his book to the twins. "He's kind of obsessed with them."

Crow felt a sudden heaviness on the back of his head, slowly turning back to see Jack glaring dagger at him.

"What are you talking about?" his tone was deadly.

"I was saying how good those noodles sound! Hmm-hmm, yummy! Let's go," Crow quickly closed his book and pushed Natsu forward to avoid further questioning.

Natsu said nothing, already knowing to just remain silent. The twins laughed, Yusei smiling at how relaxed everyone was. So far, Neo Domino seemed okay. Granted, he had only seen one part of it, but overall, he felt at ease. The noodle shop was close-by, everyone looking at the menu while the cook finished with another customer.

"Welcome!" the cook greeted them with a big smile and opened arms. "Hey there, Natsu!"

"Hey, Mako," Natsu shook his hand. "You manning the shop alone today?"

"Toya has a big game coming up and can't miss practice," Mako said while the others decided what to get. "Can't complain. The boy loves to play and he's damn good at it! There couch told me there might be scouts there too."

"Whoa, that's huge!" Natsu cheered. "Oh, sorry! I'm so rude. These are my friends: Crow, Rua and Ruka, Yusei, and Jack's over there."

He pointed to each as they were named.

"Anyone friend of Natsu's is welcomed here, especially Academia students," Mako said, adjusting his apron over his blue robe.

It was cut at the shoulders, showing off his muscles. He held his wild, blue-green hair back in a low ponytail. Crow had the inkling he knew him from somewhere.

"You look familiar," Crow said, eyeing the man carefully as he took their orders.

"Well, I did do my fair share of dueling back in the day," Mako said while busy behind the counter.

"Dueling?" it took a moment for the light to flip on in Crow's head.

"Wait, you're Mako Tsunami!" everyone looked up with wide eyes.

"Mako Tsunami?!" Rua squeaked. "No way! This day just keeps getting better and better!"

"It's nice to meet you," Yusei nodded. "But I thought you were working somewhere studying marine life."

"Oh, I am. A friend of mine owns this shop and needed extra help while my son goes to practice," Mako answered while serving them. "Toya works here, but he's close to signing up with a big team soon."

"What sport does he play?" Jack asked, not waiting for the soup to cool and took a mouthful of hot noodles.

"AH! Aren't those really hot?" Ruka whimpered.

"Ruka, what's his element again?" Crow said with a quirked brow.

"Oh," it figured nothing hot would bother Jack.

Mako walked around the counter, placing smaller bowls on the next table for the dragons. They mewed in delight as they ate.

"Enjoy," Mako bowed, pulling up a chair to join the students.

He had no other customers at the time. The lunch rush had ended and the shop would be slow until dinner rolled around.

"Now, to answer Jack's question, Toya plays Blitzkrieg."

"Cool!" the twins oohed.

Blitzkrieg was a game where the rules changed with the terrain. It could be played in the skies, on the ground, even underwater. There were two teams, each fighting for possession of the ball, trying to score on the other team's goal. Magic and Duel Monsters were allowed, which added to the fun and danger of it. Of course, one the main rules was no killing, so at worst, one would end up a few broken limbs and whatnot.

"Your son must be very good if scouts are going to his game," Jack added, nearly done with his bowl.

"He's one of the best, my wife and I are real proud of him," Mako gushed.

A few customers walked up, so Mako had to go to work. Everyone enjoyed their noodles, bellies full and warm. They decided it was time to head back, so they paid up and thanked Mako for the meal. He waved at them as they left, Rua making sure the book was still wrapped up nicely. As he walked past the other customers, he heard them talking excitedly amongst each other over their new jewelry.

"I'm so glad we were able to find a vendor in time!" one the girls chirped, adjusting her new bracelet. "Misty Lola has the best taste!"

"And they're so subtle too," her friend added. "Not too gaudy or over-the-top."

As the girls went on about their purchase, an idea popped in his head. Thrilled at his new goal, he ran after the others.

"GUYS!" they stopped as he called to them. "We can't go back yet."

"Why not, Rua?" his sister asked.

"I just thought of something else I could get Carly, a little something extra!"

"You don't think that book is enough?" Yusei said.

"It's just what those girls back there were saying," Rua explained. "They were super happy about this new jewelry that's being sold all over the city. They said even Misty Lola wears it!"

Ruka stiffened at the mention of the jewelry. Not good.

"Misty Lola?" Crow repeated.

"She's a world-famous supermodel," Natsu replied. "She's high in demand, whenever she wears something new, shelves sell out. I've heard every major company wants her as a spokesmodel."

"What's so impressive about that?" Jack scoffed with an annoyed look on his face. "All modeling is just standing around in expensive clothes in ridiculous poses. None of it looks real. And most of those girls look near starvation. How is that seen as attractive?"

"Well, things have changed in the fashion industry," Natsu defended. "There's more emphasis placed in models' health than before."

"And how do you know that?" Crow teased.

"Nanae did some modeling on the side while in training," Natsu revealed, everyone else instantly dropping the subject.

"Hey, Ruka," Rua stepped up, hoping to convince her brother not to buy the jewelry. "Let's just go home. It's getting late, and Carly will be more than happy with the book you bought her."

"I guess," he sighed, knowing she was right.

They walked back along the still busy Book District, waving at Zuzu and her dad as they passed by. As they rounded the corner, Rua noticed something.

"Look!" he pointed at the vendor across the street.

Ruka grimaced internally. This was not happening. Rua was already crossing the street, Natsu and Crow going after him. She had to stop him, but how? Those stones were bad news, she knew it. Seeing the line growing at the vendor, Ruka knew she had to careful how she approached the situation. She couldn't outright forbid Rua from buying anything. As she waited with the others, Ruka was beginning to realize she should have spoken with Rutherford or Aki about her suspicions. I really should have thought this through better. Lumina cooed in sympathy, knowing what was going on in the young girl's head.

"Whoa! This stuff is really popular," Yusei observed. "It appears to be similar to Incan jewelry."

"Yeah," Jack said, the line moving at a good pace.

Ruka stayed beside Yusei and Jack, unsure of what to do. For the most part, the stones seemed to have no effect on people, but somehow, she knew it could be a different case were it a high-level duelist, like the Guardians. Luckily, none of them seemed interested in the new jewelry. She gripped the strap of her bag tightly, not knowing what to say. The Crimson Dragon was warning her, she had to do something!

"There's something wrong with those stones, isn't there?" Ruka froze at Jack's words.

"You…you know?" she whispered, bewildered.

"What do you mean?" Yusei inquired, now eyeing the vendor with sharper eyes.

"I'm not quite sure, but there's something not right here," Jack responded in a serious tone. "It's as if there's faint sensation in the back of my head telling me to be wary of those stones."

Ruka gasped loudly, realizing what was happening, "Jack! It's the Crimson Dragon!"

She scanned around, making sure no one could eavesdrop on them. Lumina growled at Aero and Dante, speaking to them in their Draconian tongue to keep an eye out as well. They growled back they confirmed her request.

"Okay," Ruka smiled, happy the dragons were helping out. "Jack, the Crimson Dragon is warning you. I guess you can call a sixth sense that warns you of impending danger. Your Signer powers must be close to awakening!"

Jack was taken aback by this news. Then those stones were trouble. He was about to stride over when he felt his arm be pulled back. He turned to Ruka, who gave him a panicked expression.

"You can't just go over there and demand they stop selling those stones," Ruka practically pleaded with him.

Yusei aided, standing in Jack's way, "Ruka's right, Jack. Whatever these people are up to, we have to get proof that something is indeed wrong. Right now, all we have warnings from a celestial being that only shows up after some thousands of years. Not exactly soundproof."

Ruka and the dragons nodded vigorously. They were right, but Jack didn't like this sense of dread that was egging him. He had to do something.

"This is awesome! I hope Carly likes this bracelet I got her," Rua beamed from ear to ear, holding the second gift in a smaller brown bag.

"We should head back now," Natsu said, leading the way back to the station.

Yusei looked over at Jack and Ruka, knowing he had to share what he knew with the others. Rua could not give that bracelet to Carly. For all he knew, it could end badly. He decided to wait when they were back on campus so they could handle it properly. They waited on the platform, the train not arriving for another 10 minutes according to the screen above. Rua couldn't wait to give Carly her gifts. The look on her face would be worth it. As they waited, Yusei quietly explaining to Jack and Ruka what the plan was, a group of teen boys seemed to notice their uniforms. One of them made a comment about Crow's marks, the leader of the group looking not too pleased.

"Hey! You!" everyone on the platform looked up, not knowing who was being called. "You with the marks!"

Crow quirked his brows, pointing at himself.

"Yeah, you!" the leader walking over. "What the hell is this? What's someone like you doing pretending to be going to Duel Academia?"

"Excuse me? I am going to the academy," Crow said, trying to remain calm.

He looked over at Jack, who was known among their friends in Satellite to lose it whenever someone picked a fight with the ones he cared about. And at the moment, Jack looked a tad miffed.

"Yeah, right!" the leader mocked. "Look at all those marks! If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're from that dumpster heap called the Satellite!"

The leader and his friends laughed loudly, earning dirty looks from everyone else at the station.

Before Crow or Yusei or even Jack could say step, Natsu beat them to the punch, "And what's wrong with coming from the Satellite? You think just because you were born on this side you're better than other people? Because newsflash! It seems to me you're jealous of my friend here for having the talent to be accepted into Duel Academia while you did not."

"Shut up! Stay out of this, asshole!" the leader threatened.

Yusei pulled the twins behind him, the dragons beginning to hiss. Shadow in particular did not take kindly to anyone speaking ill of his partner.

"No, I'm going to stay in this because you chose to single out my friend over his appearance," Natsu kept on, towering over the boys. "You want to fight him? You'll have to deal with me first."

"Huh, you don't look so tough. Just because the Guardians are all hotshots doesn't mean shit. I mean, look at what happened to those losers that went and got killed! How weak were they! If you ask me, if they couldn't up a good fight, they all deserved to die!"

That did it. Something in Natsu snapped. Out of nowhere, the station was filled with white electricity, all of it centered on Natsu. The boys stumbled back, terrified by the sheer force of Natsu's power.

"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?" Natsu spoke in a powerful, booming voice. "HOW DARE YOU SAY SUCH THINGS ABOUT MY FRIENDS, MY FAMILY? WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HONOR, ABOUT SACRIFICE? THEY HAD MORE POWER AND VALUE THAN YOU COULD EVER DREAM OF. NOW APOLOGIZE."

He motioned to Crow, the boys too scared that their voices failed them.

"I SAID, APOLOGIZE!" Natsu boomed, electricity sparkling wildly.

"We're sorry!" the boys cried, shivering away as much as they could. "We're sorry, we're sorry, we're sorry!"

Natsu released his power, the electricity instantly dissipating.

"Good," his voiced returned to normal. "I hope you learned your lesson. Don't judge people on first appearance, and don't disrespect the dead. Got it?"

They all nodded, terrified of what would happened if they didn't agree. The train arrived, everyone else too stunned to notice.

"Here's our train," Natsu said, getting on, seeing the others not follow. "Well, come on, we don't have all day."

Everyone, including the bystanders who witnessed the whole scene, sprang to live as they got on. As the train rolled away, the boys remained shaken by the event. Most passing by muttered how they deserved it after speaking so ill of the fallen Guardians.

"That…was…awesome!" Rua shouted, other passengers chuckling in agreement. "Natsu, I haven't seen you go crazy like that, ever!"

"I'm sorry about that, guys," Natsu bowed, embarrassed by his outburst.

"You did nothing wrong," Jack said in his defense. "Those little shits disrespected your friends, you had every right to get mad. If you had decided to beat them up, I would have joined you."

Natsu laughed, happy they understood.

"Jack's right, and they didn't have reason to try to pick a fight with Crow just because he's from Satellite," Ruka scowled, angry there were still people with that kind of mentality.

"It's okay," Crow tried to calm her. "It doesn't matter what they said. It's not the worst I've heard."

Ruka and Rua shared a worried look, having been oblivious to how the guys' status would be perceived by others. They had no problem accepting them, everyone at the academy was very understanding, many having come from difficult backgrounds as well. Sure, the twins' upbringing hadn't been the best, but they had lived relatively normal lives up until entering the academy. They didn't know what it was like growing up struggling to survive, where food was scarce, what it was like to be looked down on because of where you were born. Rua wanted to apologize, but as he raised his arm to Crow, the boy noticed he was missing something.

"Oh no!" he stood up, looking all over the cart.

"What's wrong, Rua?" his sister asked.

"The bracelet I bought Carly, I must have dropped it when those jerks showed up!"

Though she felt bad for her brother, Ruka was relieved the piece of jewelry was gone. Still, she did need to speak with Rutherford about her suspicions. If Jack was sensing something amiss as well, then it had to be the work of the Dark Signers.

"Don't stress out about it," Yusei assured him with a pat on the back. "Carly is going to love the book you got her. That's what we went searching for in the first place."

"Yeah, you're right," Rua sat back down, knowing Yusei was right.

Riding along, everyone remained quiet, too tired to talk anymore. They rode peacefully, Rua swinging his feet back and forth, too anxious to wait. He really hoped Carly would like her present. Meanwhile, Jack stared out at the moving scenery, his mind rattled. From what Ruka had revealed, he would awaken as a Signer soon. He wondered how it would happen, and if it would change him. Both Aki and Ruka seemed fine, and the latter hadn't seemed concerned about it. Another matter that came to mind were his parents. Had they known he was a Signer? His father had been aware of the Dark Signers' attack, so naturally, his mother must have known too. And Yusei's parents had created the Ener-D Reactor. Everything was connected in some way. He hated how there was this bigger picture and he only had a couple of pieces of the puzzle.

Back at the station, the crowd had dispersed, the boys having left with heads bowed in shame. The vendor walked along the empty platform, jumping down onto the tracks. He picked up the fallen bag, exhaling in his annoyance. He had been close to getting the stones to one of the Guardians, the green-haired boy having shared the fact that Carly Nagisa was his mentor. Everything was going as planned, until those idiots decided to pick a fight and the boy ended up losing the bag. No matter, there would be plenty of chances. Many of the students had already bought the jewelry. It was only a matter of time before they found their Hummingbird.

Hey, hey, hey! So, things are picking up, huh? Poor Natsu…it will take some time before he can move on. I am going to get his relationship with Nanae. And yes, ya'll are going to hate me. Maybe she'll come back, or maybe not. Who knows? Oh, yeah…ME! Muahahahaha! It can't all be happy times. Though Aki understands more of how Natsu is feeling than anyone else, since she was growing closer to Scott, who I will get into as well. So sad :'(

Please review, it is always fun to hear from you all.

Preview: Raphael tests the students yet again, this time showing the difference in power between themselves and the Guardians.