Chapter 11
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's or anything pertaining to it. I only own Rin.
Rin was walking back to the Arcadia trailer with Akiza and Sayer. Although she had wanted to stay and watch the final duel, helping her "sister" was her first priority. Or at least that's what she thought until Akiza spoke up.
"Hey, Rin. I really appreciate all your help, but you don't have to take care of me. I'm just going to be resting anyway." Akiza gave her a knowing look. "I know you want to stay and watch the last duel. Besides, you have do have the rest of the day off, after all."
"But Aki, I –" Rin was cut off by Sayer, however.
"Akiza's right, Rin. Since she is out of the tournament now, you're officially on vacation time. Honestly, you're a bigger workaholic than me. Akiza will be just fine, so feel free to watch the rest of the tournament and don't worry. I'd rather not have to order you to take time off, but I will if I have to."
Outnumbered, Rin sighed in defeat. "Fine. But promise me you'll take it easy and rest."
"I promise," Akiza told her. "Now go on. I'll see you later."
"See ya," Rin said before turning around and heading toward the garages to talk with Yusei before his duel with Jack. However, she almost unexpectedly ran right into him. "Yusei?! Where's the fire?" she asked, seeing that he was in a hurry.
"Rin?!" Yusei asked, surprised. "I thought you'd be with Akiza."
"I was. Until she insisted I stay to watch your duel with Jack and Sayer practically ordered me to take the rest of the day off," she explained. "Speaking of which, where ae you going in such a hurry?"
"Goodwin definitely knows more than he lets on. It's time get some answers about what's really going on here."
"Well, then, I'm coming with you," Rin told him.
"Alright, come on." With that, Yusei started running toward Jack's "Champion Suite". This time, with Rin close on his heels.
As they approached the door, the two guards tried to stop them. Yusei quickly knocked them out, though. As they walked through the door, they were greeted by a set of stairs. They could hear voices coming from the room at the top. One of the voices was Goodwin. The other sounded very familiar, however Rin couldn't place why.
"Director. Look, Sir, there's something I've gotta say. It's my official position that you need to stop this tournament," the familiar voice said.
"I thought your official position was mall security," Goodwin retorted.
"Very funny, but I feel this tournament is cursed or something. You witnessed the damage of the last duel. I'm concerned things are going to get worse!" the voice exclaimed worriedly.
'I'm inclined to agree with him,' Rin thought to herself.
"Officer, I don't pay you to be concerned."
"But, Sir…"
"I pay you to do what I say. And as for what you think, if I was going to pay someone to do some thinking, it most certainly would not be you. Langley! Please escort Officer Trudge out!"
'Trudge! No wonder he sounded familiar,' Rin thought as Yusei responded.
"Is Langley one of the guys guarding the door?" he asked.
"Yusei!" Trudge exclaimed.
"Rin!" Mina cried out at the same time.
"Because he's, uh… he's napping," Rin finished.
"What are you doing up here punk!?" Trudge practically shouted at Yusei.
'Oh, yeah. I forgot Trudge and Yusei don't get along,' Rin realized. Thankfully, though, Goodwin interfered as security in suits tried to apprehend them.
"How can I help you, Yusei? Rin?" he asked.
"Before I say, weren't you gonna throw him out?" Yusei asked, angering Trudge.
Goodwin nodded to his suits who promptly removed the officer by force. The entire time, Trudge was threatening to find out what was really going on. 'With any luck, we might just find that out ourselves,' Rin mussed.
"Time to talk," Yusei began. "You forced me into this tournament. You threaten me and locked up our friends. We want to know the truth. I'm not dueling Jack until you tell us why you've done this."
"Ha!" Jack scoffed before Goodwin could answer. "Are you dense, Yusei? It's because of this! This mark," Jack told them, removing his glove and showing them the mark Rin had seen so many times before.
"Ah! So I wasn't seeing things before!" Yusei exclaimed.
"He wants the Crimson Dragon's power," Jack explained. "So he's been trying to gather everyone with its mark. He got me here by lying to me and buttering me up and manipulating me." As Jack said this, his eyes never left his sister's face. Although his eyes never showed any emotion.
Rin's face, however, showed many conflicting emotions at meeting her brother face to face again. 'On one hand, I'm happy to see him again. On the other, his attitude pisses me off and he still hasn't apologized for what he's done. Oh well, I can sort my feelings out later.'
Goodwin didn't agree with the accusations. "Oh, come on, you're making me sound so devious. Jack, you wanted to be the Turbo Duel Champion."
"Yeah, but I wanted to earn that title," Jack replied with a glare. "At this point, I'm starting to think that you've been rigging everything. I think your little plan involves setting me up as bait for Yusei."
"Bait?" Rin questioned. 'If Jack is right, and under the circumstances, I wouldn't be surprised if he is, then that means Yusei was the target all along and Jack was just a means to an end.'
"Goodwin knew that Yusei would come after me if I did everything exactly as he asked me to," Jack explained to her. "Granted he hadn't expected me to bring you along, but it gave Yusei more motivation and made me easier to control. Isn't that right, Director?"
"Don't be ridiculous! I didn't even know about Yusei until you dueled him that night in the arena."
"Do you honestly expect me to believe that this is all some big coincidence?!" Jack asked angrily.
"How naive do you think we are?!" Rin added. She didn't like the fact that she and her brother had been used in such a way, even if she hadn't forgiven him yet.
"You needed to verify that Yusei had a mark, so you needed him and I to duel with passion. So you created a situation in which the stakes would be as high as possible."
Jack began telling them about what he meant starting with what had happened the day he had saved Rally from some thugs. A day Rin remembered well. Rally had come by their hideout later to thank him and invited them both to watch Yusei test drive his first Runner. However, what Jack said next was new information to her.
Jack told them about how Lazard had appeared, promising Jack answers about his mark and a better life for himself and Rin if he did what Goodwin wanted. He wanted Jack to steal Stardust Dragon and use the garbage pipeline to reach New Domino City, implying that he should also steal Yusei's Runner to get there. This infuriated Rin. 'I knew there was a reason I always hated Lazard! That evil, purple-haired, midget clown freak! When I get my hands on him…'
Rin's thoughts continued as such, hardly paying any attention while Jack finished his story. He had already admitted to her what happened next during their argument three years earlier.
"Goodwin could never have made you the same offer because you would have never left your friends behind. Not for fame and fortune, anyway. I, on the other hand, walked right into it, and by tricking me into taking your card, he gave you a reason to come after me. And I brought Rin along for the ride," Jack finished.
Rin was the only one who heard that last part, though. 'Jack… he doesn't regret accepting Goodwin's offer, but… it almost sounds like he regrets getting me involved in all this.'
"And I think that brings us all up to speed, more or less," Jack says before turning to Goodwin. "I have a demand to make. You got what you wanted, he's here, right? Let their friends go! He doesn't need to be coerced. I want this duel to be legit. No threats, no gimmicks, just us."
"If that is what my Champion wants, then so be it," Goodwin says. With that out of the way, Yusei, Rin and Jack all leave the room.
"Rin, would you mind going to check on Luna and the others? I told them to leave, but…" Yusei trailed off.
"Knowing Goodwin, he has guards stationed to stop them from leaving," Jack finished for him.
"I got it. I'll go sit with them. I'll keep them safe," Rin promised.
"Thanks," Yusei told her before leaving to prepare for the duel.
"Rin," Jack started once Yusei was out of earshot, "I know they're your friends also, but you should be careful. I don't know what'll happen in this duel."
"Thanks for the warning. I 'll keep it in mind," she told him.
She turned to head for the stands, but Jack grabbed her hand to stop her. "Rin. I don't know what it's worth now, if anything but… I'm sorry. For everything I put you through." He told her before leaving to prepare as well.
Rin stared at his back as he left. She didn't notice that she had tears running down her checks. 'Oh, Jack… You were so desperate to try and make me happy again, to give me a better life. You convinced yourself that being Champion was the only way. When Goodwin made you that offer, it was just too easy for him to convince you. Neither of us could see what he was really doing. I'm so sorry, too. For everything I said and did.' "I just wish I could tell you that."
-X-
Rin had found Tanner, Yanagi and the kids in their seats and the exits guarded just like Jack had said. Upon joining them, they had told her that Luna was indeed a "Signer" and when they tried to leave like Yusei told them, Lazard had threatened Yusei's friends in Satellite. While this had enraged Rin, she didn't let it show. She told them that Jack had convinced Goodwin to release their friends and they no longer needed to worry about it.
"Shouldn't we leave then?" Yanagi asked.
"Believe me, Gramps, if it were that simple we'd be on our way out now. Our friends in Satellite may be safe now, but all the exits are still guarded. An ant couldn't get past unnoticed. Besides, leaving is no longer an option," Rin told them all directing their attention to the track below.
Yusei had just gotten into position. "There he is!" Luna said, concern evident in her voice.
"I wonder if Goodwin told him what he wanted to know." Tanner thought aloud.
'Not nearly as much as I'd hoped,' Rin thought sarcastically.
"This is it! I'm finally going to show you that you don't have what it takes to be the best, Yusei! You never have!" Jack told Yusei as they both waited for the duel to start.
"Are you sure we should be doing this right now, Jack?" Yusei asked. "There's still a lot we don't know about the Crimson Dragon."
"Hah! This is exactly what I was talking about, Yusei! You have no guts! You never want to take any risks! Don't you want to reveal the fifth Signer?!"
'Fifth Signer? I guess there's one more person with a mark here today. But who? And where are they?' Rin question as she glanced around the stadium.
"Alright! It's time to activate the Speed World field spell!" the announcer declared. "This is the moment! Will Jack Atlas continue to reign as the King of Turbo Duels or will he be dethroned by Satellite's Shooting Star?! It's time to find out!"
The crowd responded in deafening cheers as the duel began.
Jack: 4000
Yusei: 4000
"Admit it, Yusei. The roar of the crowd is more appealing than the scamper of the rats!" Jack taunted.
'Maybe I shouldn't forgive him just yet,' Rin thought as she sweat dropped.
"Let's just duel," Yusei said as he made the first move. "I'm summoning out my Shield Wing in defense mode! Next, I place two cards face down and end my turn!"
"In that case, I summon Twin Sword Marauder in attack mode! You may have just scrapped your way to the title match, but those other duelists were just amateurs compared to me! Now allow my Twin Sword Marauder to give you a proper welcome to the big leagues, Yusei!
Jack: 4000
Yusei: 3300
You haven't grown a bit as a duelist since the days of riding around in the sewers! I can still anticipate your game and stay two steps ahead of you!" Jack declared confidently.
"Then you should know that Shield Wing can't be destroyed in one attack! It has to be defeated twice!"
"I do know that! And when Twin Sword Marauder attacks a monster in defense mode, it can attack again! I said that I was two steps ahead of you, Yusei, not just one! Go, Double Marauder Mayhem!"
'Jack isn't pulling any punches. The duel just started and he's already going all out. Yusei better step up his game,' Rin thought.
Jack: 4000
Yusei: 2600
"And to end my first turn, I place one card face down. You can't defeat me Yusei!"
"We'll see, Jack! From my hand I summon Junk Synchron! And now I'm gonna tune my Junk Synchron with my Shield Wing in order to Synchro Summon Junk Warrior! Let's rev it up! Now take out that Marauder!
Jack: 3300
Yusei: 2600
"Next, I activate my trap card! Synchro Blast! Now when my Warrior attacks, Synchro Blast can slam you with 500 points of damage!"
Jack: 2800
Yusei: 2600
"Now you're dueling, Yusei, but you won't be for long! Because from my hand, I summon Dark Tinker! Then I activate the Powerful Rebirth trap card! And with this card, I can re-summon Twin Sword Marauder from my graveyard!"
"All right! Dark Tinker is only level three! And that Sword Marauder is level 4, so he hasn't got the power that he needs to summon Red Dragon Archfiend!" Tanner said. "This is your chance, Yusei!" he shouted.
"Don't be so sure, Tanner. Powerful Rebirth has another effect. Watch," Rin says solemnly.
"Now the monster resurrected by Powerful Rebirth gains 100 attack and defense points and its level increases by one!"
"What?!" Yusei and Tanner both exclaimed.
"Here it comes," Rin said, more to herself than the others.
"Yusei, I'm the best turbo duelist New Domino City has ever seen, and that move I just made was one more example of why I'm the Champ! And now I'm going to show you why I'm going to remain the Champ… I Synchro Summon Red Dragon Archfiend!"
"Man, he's not wasting any time," Yusei said as everyone around Rin gasped.
'Thought so… The real duel is just about to start,' Rin mussed.
Author's Note: Maybe it's just the dubbed version that I'm watching, but every time Jack spoke in this episode, I thought of the Evil Spirit of the Millennium Ring from Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters. LOL :) On to more important matters, though. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I would love to know what you thought of this one, so please leave a review. The next chapter will be the second half of the Yusei vs Jack duel and a major hint towards Rin's involvement with the Dark Signer arc, so stay tuned for that. Until then, Thanks and Love you all!