"No way I'll see heaven
So let's raise a little hell."
-Bonnie and Clyde by Frank Wildhorn
"Crow," Lina's face lit up into a brilliant smile. The last time she had seen him, it had been right before she had been taken away by Public Maintenance three years prior. Times had changed. Crow had more marks on his face than Lina remembered, and Jesus fuck what the hell did he do to the vest she made for him.
Crow had a D-Wheel. She could remember a time where Team Satisfaction sat down and talked about making D-Wheel together, but that dream never had a chance to happen.
"Crow!" Lina greeted out again, her eyes sparkling up. She barely flung her helmet to the side before she was running forward towards Crow. Crow slid down the pile of trash he was on, just so he could catch Lina tightly into a hug, where he then spun her around. Lina couldn't help the bubble of laughter that escaped her lips. Yusei was watching from his position standing in front of his D-Wheel. A smile met his lips.
Crow lingered on the embrace, something Lina didn't miss. He didn't want to let go. It had been far too long.
"You've got some explaining to do, pal, so start talking!" Crow's smile never left his face, despite the fact he punched Lina in the shoulder as he moved away. Lina pouted. "First, you disappear, and then I see you a year later on the TV with Jack, being called Lina Atlas! What gives!?"
"Weeell," Lina drawled out the word. She held a sheepish smile to her face. "It's a long story. Let's just say I got forced into it. But hey, I'm still me!" She hoped so, anyhow.
"Sure you are, Princess," Crow had a smirk to his lips. Lina narrowed her eyes as she was the one who tried to aim a punch at Crow, but Crow easily dodged while snickering. "And you!" Crow turned to Yusei. Yusei merely raised an eyebrow back. "I hear you're some big shit Champion!"
"Perhaps. What have you been up to?" Yusei stepped forward so he was standing beside Lina. Crow noticed how close the two were standing together.
"Come on, you know me!" Crow grinned. "Still fightin' the good fight. Robbin' the rich to feed the poor, taking care of my nest, and fucking with Public Maintenance. I got myself a partner now."
"Replaced us that easily?" Lina inquired innocently.
"Hey, what do you expect me to do when my friends leave me to become pro duelists?" Crow chuckled. "I think you'll like them. They're apart of my flock. As for you, I see Public Maintenance finally got to you," Crow was eyeing Yusei's mark on his face.
"I see you finally used how to use a wrench," Yusei countered back easily.
"And learned some sewing skills," Lina was giving his vest the evil eye. "So, didn't like what I made for you, huh?
"You don't like it? I think I spruced it up!" Crow showed off his vest. He had taken off the fur and added pockets.
"Spruced it up," Lina echoed back in a nasty tone.
"Maybe we should go somewhere to talk. It sounds like we have a lot of catching up to do," Yusei suggested as he put a hand on Lina's shoulder to calm her down.
"Sounds like a plan! Let's hit the streets. Think you can keep up with me?" Crow gave them a mischievous smirk.
"We'll manage," Lina replied with one of her own smirks as the duelists all moved to get on their D-Wheels and take off into the streets.
"So the Director captured your friends, forced you and Lina to duel into the tournament, and was the one who told Public Maintenance to take Lina to Neo Domino City?" Crow processed all of the information he had been quickly given with a frown.
"Now we need to make sure that Yusei's friends are safe," Lina nodded determinedly. "We have to make sure that Godwin kept his end of the bargain."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's head over to your old hideout!" Crow wasted no time.
"Crow, why are the streets deserted?" Yusei was the one to ask. Lina just now noticed that they were the only ones in view. The streets were completely empty, something uncommon for the middle of the day.
"You're right," Lina's eyes widened as she looked around. How had she not noticed until Yusei said something? "What happened?" Lina turned to Crow.
"These creepy bastards have been comin' around lately. Like down there," Crow nodded. Lina and Yusei looked to see two robbed figured walk out from behind a corner. Following them were four bystanders. They almost seemed to be in a trance. "They spout bullshit and people seem to eat it up. They're getting people from all around the Satellite."
"What do you mean?" Yusei turned to Crow with a frown.
"Things have gone batshit here, Yusei. More than usual," Crow held a grim look to his face.
"Then we gotta fix it," Lina nodded, a set look in her eyes. "Come on. Let's start by seeing if Yusei's friends are alright. Besides, I want to see this hideout of yours!" Lina turned to her boys with a grin. She wanted to see where Yusei and Jack lived before their descent into Neo Domino City.
Yusei was the one who lead the way to his old hideout, which was located in a subway tunnel. Lina was amazed at the ingenious idea, despite the fact that Yusei told her about it. Seeing it and hearing about it were two different things.
Lina drove right behind Yusei, with Crow after her. By the time Lina pulled up and took off her helmet, Yusei's friends were already greeting him.
"Did I miss anything?" Yusei was smiling. He was happy. He was relieved to see his friends were alright. Lina couldn't help but watch, an infectious smile on her face that was caused only because Yusei was happy.
"The woman of the hour herself," Saiga was the first to notice Lina's presence. He gave a nod in greeting to Lina, to which Lina returned with a large grin.
"You're too kind," Lina returned playfully. Yusei's friends seemed to also take in who she was, and their eyes widened.
"This is Lina? Your friend from Team Satisfaction?" Rally's mouth had dropped open.
"She's prettier than what we saw on the TV!" Taka commented. Lina's grin dropped, and her cheeks flushed.
"So, this is your girlfriend you just had to go to Neo Domino City for," Nerve raised his eyebrow at Yusei.
"Girlfriend?" Both Yusei and Lina commented at almost the same time. Lina's tone held a mix of panic and embarrassment, while Yusei's held annoyance. Lina's cheeks grew redder as each comment rolled by.
"Like Yusei notices anyone but his D-Wheel," Saiga rolled his eyes.
"Saiga, thanks for helping me out here," Yusei attempted to change the subject.
"No worries. Hope Anya did a decent job at taking care of the place," Saiga expected Lina to comment, but the blonde still had a frozen look on her face as she processed the comments Yusei's friends were making.
"She gave me a lot to think about," Yusei kept his answer vague, but Saiga knew what he was talking about. After all, he knew who Anya was as a person.
"So, is this an exclusive club, or are we done talking about just Lina?" Crow hung back. He was watching everyone's interactions with a grin.
"Hey, Crow! Didn't recognize you with the helmet and bike!" Blitz waved to their old friend.
"Liina and Yusei aren't the only turbo duelists around Satellite anymore!" Crow as about to say something else, but he stopped.
"Crow, get out of there! Public Maintenance is on your tail!" A voice, high pitched, sounded from Crow's D-Wheel. A noise echoed through a loudspeaker.
"This is Security ID number A-W-X-7-4-0-9-8, give yourself up."
"And Yusei's not the only one pissing off Security Security," Crow shook his head. A grenade soured through the crack in the roof of the subway tunnel. The area filled quickly with smoke. Lina lifted up her shirt to cover her mouth and nose as she made her way to her D-Wheel.
"They're trying to smoke us out!" Blitz exclaimed out.
"We need to split up!" Yusei notified the group.
"Let's meet at the Daedalus bridge in two hours, that's where my hideout is," Crow gave out the information.
"Come on, Crow. Don't make this difficult. You can't escape this time."
"Just watch us!" Lina revved up her engine and took off on her D-Wheel. She was following Yusei for a short period until Lina took a turn. She was trying to catch Crow from the opposite way to make sure Public Maintenance had more targets to distract. Lina had always been the fastest D-Wheel out of the group, and riding wasn't any different. As Lina made a turn around another building, she noticed Yusei and Crow being followed by what looked to be something Public Maintenance related.
"Don't think you're going to do anything without me!" Lina joined in on the other side of Crow.
"Hey! You're just in time for a duel!" Crow looked behind him to the Pursuit Bot.
"Don't think you're tag teaming a duel without the champion herself," Lina was the founder of Team Tag. She liked to think she knew a thing or two about tag team duels.
"Looks like you're just in time," Yusei stared down at his D-Wheel. Speed World had been activated on all of their D-Wheels. There was no escape now.
"A duel it is!" Lina couldn't help but feel excited. She felt adrenalized. This duel didn't have high stakes like the ones with the Shadow Drones. "How about I start first? Winners always go first," Lina held a smirk. "And I never lose. Let's duel!" Lina drew her first card, signifying the start of the duel.
"Just like old times!" Crow looked to Yusei with a smile. Yusei couldn't help but feel lighter. This was just like how it was back in the old days.
"Gotta find him, gotta find him, ahh!" Carly was running to the metro station. How did she lose Jack Atlas? It wasn't like he was that difficult to spot! Not to mention, she was the one who let him get away in the first place! Her scoop was gone! Jack chose Carly over Lina Atlas, his sister, and he still managed to leave her! What could she do!?
It was then that Carly spotted Jack through the doors to the station. The height, mixed with his signature jacket gave it away. He seemed to be having trouble getting through the kiosk. Carly had to think fast. The crowd around him were started to talk about Jack and notice who he was. Carly ran forward, moving to stand in between Jack and the crowd, and started to drag Jack away. "Nothing to see here, folks! Come on, uh, buddy, let's get you home!" Jack didn't protest as Carly led him away, but he did look startled. "Are you insane?!" Carly realized how loud her statement was and adjusted her voice. "Don't you know the press is looking for you? If you get seen, you're done for! You'll be a dead fish to a sea of hungry sharks! And you haven't recovered yet. Now you're just going to walk away? What if people recognized you? You need to go back to the hotel and lay low for a while!"
"What do I look like to you, an imbecile?" Jack's glare was harsh. "I can take care of myself, thank you. Now, if you'll leave me alone." Jack began to walk away. He slipped the sling off of his arm and tossed it aside as he did so. Carly had to think of something fast.
"I don't believe you!" Carly called out, forcing Jack to stop in his tracks. "I saved you, I helped you, and now you're just going to walk away? That's how you repay someone? I understand you now, Jack Atlas! You're just a spoiled brat who doesn't know how to get on a metro rail by himself!" Carly had one last idea. "Hey, everyone! Look over here! Check it out! It's-" Jack yanked Carly to his side, effectively cutting her words off.
"What the hell is it that you want?" Jack hissed out the words. "You want me to hang out with you? Fine. I'll repay you, but I'll do it with dignity. After this day, my debt to you is over."
"Perfect!" Carly held out a shopping bag to him, one that was filled with clothes. "Put these on and we'll get started! I know the perfect places to go! We're going to have so much fun!"
This was the start of Carly's Day of Fun. Carly led him to a nearby amusement park, because that's what friends did to have fun, right? Carly was having fun as they rode the rides available. Jack held the same stone-faced expression no matter what he was doing. Rollercoaster? Nothing. Bungee Jumping? Jack did not give a single shit.
Carly sat beside him as they took a break on a bench. He had his phone out. At the top of his screen were the words "Lina." There were three words at the bottom, a text that had come in the night before.
Lina: I love you.
"That was great. I feel like we really bonded just now," Carly was trying to distract him from staring at his phone screen.
"I've had a better time sitting and watching my coffee get cold," Jack's tone was cold. Carly panicked. This wasn't going so well! "I'm leaving," Jack stood up. "Consider your debt repaid."
"Hey, wait!" Carly called after him.
"What do you want from me?" Jack didn't stop walking.
"Hey, Jack! Jack Atlas!" Two little kids ran up to him, a boy and a girl. Jack stopped to look down at them.
"No, no, this isn't Jack Atlas! He just looks like Jack Atlas!" Carly stepped in and tried to smooth over the situation.
"I know it's him!" The boy declared. "My sister loves Lina, but you're my hero! My friends say you're a loser 'cause you lost to some guy from the Satellite, but you're still the King to me! You're gonna show them all!"
"Is she around here? I really really want to meet her!" The little girl whined out. Jack shook his head.
"That's nice, but I'm not Jack Atlas," Jack patted the little boy's head as he started to walk away. The kids weren't phased. They yelled after him, wishing him well.
I am a loser, Jack lamented to himself. He lost the tournament to Yusei. He lost his sister, Lina, to Yusei. He had nothing. The crowds didn't care anymore, and neither did Lina. Nobody cheers for a has-been.
"Hey!" Jack looked into the fountain. He could see Lina staring back at him, a brilliant smile on her face. "Why the glare? Did the coffee shop discontinue that expensive shit you always order?"
"You wouldn't understand," Jack had said back to her as he looked away.
"Wouldn't understand? Just try me, asshole," Despite Lina's words, Jack could remember the memory. He remembered the way her eyes lit up. She had led him to the couch and took his hands in hers. "I'm your sister, metaphoric or fake. Please? I wanna know! It can't be that bad. You still got me in your life, after all, and yours in mine," Lina had shot him a warm smile.
Jack turned his back to the image. He had a request to ask of Carly.
"We did it!" Lina felt the wind blowing through her long blonde hair. They had won the duel. "Crow, you've gotten a lot better since we were kids. Maybe if we dueled against each other, it would last more than three rounds now!"
"Hey, watch it! I knew there was a reason I called you Jack Junior, but I never thought it would actually happen!" Crow let out a teasing laugh. Lina rolled her eyes. "Speak of the devil, did you hear about Jack?" Crow aimed this question at Yusei. "Some reporter found out he's really from the Satellite, and now the shit flew off the grid."
"We know," Lina informed Crow before Yusei could answer him. "I know where he is. He's okay."
"Guess that's something. You still pissed at him for what he did?" Crow raised an eyebrow towards Yusei.
Yusei shot a quick glance towards Lina. He was hesitating. "Not anymore, no," Yusei finally answered. "Jack did what he thought he had to do at the time to save someone he cared about. He thought if he didn't grab that opportunity, he'd still be stuck in the Satellite, and Lina would be dead. I can't blame him for making a choice when he didn't think he had one." Lina was silent throughout Yusei's speech. She was staring at him in awe.
"You're a bigger man than I am," Crow shrugged.
"Maybe," Yusei stole another glance towards Lina. Jack had saved her life. That was something Yusei couldn't be angry about.
"I made him apologize," Lina added as an afterthought to the conversation.
"Now that I would have enjoyed seeing!" Crow couldn't bite back his laugh.
Carly knew that Jack was either really upset about losing to Yusei or he was upset about his fight with Lina the day prior. Or maybe it was both. All this time and all Carly had been doing was trying to write an article about Jack's life. She was horrible. Jack had caught her talking to Angela of all people, and now she couldn't find him. Despite that, Carly felt she knew where Jack was.
The sun was setting. Jack stood at the rails on top of the observation platform. Carly quietly walked up. For a few moments, she just watched him.
"Jack," Carly spoke the words gently. "If...if this is where you wanted to go, you could have just said so." And yet, Carly was the one being selfish. She hadn't cared what Jack had wanted to do. She just wanted him for herself, for a story. Jack didn't answer her. Carly tried to think of something else to say. Jack was staring at his phone again, only this time it appeared to be a map. On the other side, on the other island, was a light blue star. Carly realized that Jack was checking in on Lina's whereabouts in the Satellite.
"Can you see the Public Maintenance from here?" Carly asked Jack. Jack stiffened. Carly knew she had found what he was doing. "Do you miss it?" Carly continued as she stepped closer to Jack. She was beside him now. "Do you wanna go back there or something? Its okay...you can tell me."
"Two years ago, I gave up everything I knew to come to the City from the Satellite," Jack was still staring off into the distance. "I betrayed my best friend, the people I grew up with, and I turned my back on everything I was. What did I gain? Temporary greatness. I lost sight of the duelist that I really am. I wanted to be the greatest, but I see now that I took the easy path. I lied to the one person I cared about most because if she knew the truth, I knew she wouldn't stay. I was selfish. It's too late now. She won't want to come back."
"It's not too late, Jack!" Carly put her hand over the top of his from their position on the railing. Jack didn't react. Carly took that as a cue to continue. "You could have a do-over! You could use what you've learned and move forward. Think of it this way, Jack. The old Jack lost in the battle against Yusei, and new Jack was reborn. You can do it again! You can go back to the Satellite and fix everything. Lina said she was waiting for you, right?"
Jack could see the memory. It was of Yusei and his gang of friends back in their old subway tunnel. Yet, that wasn't where Jack was happiest. Jack's mind traveled back further, to his days of Team Satisfaction. He could see Lina sitting at the table, her glasses perched on her nose, and her messy blonde hair pulled back out of her face. Kiryu was teasing her about something she had done on the mission, while Crow and Yusei were complimenting each other on duel strategies the other had pulled off.
"You know what? You're right. I can do this," Jack took off his shades. "There's no more hiding. No more feeling sorry for myself!" Jack threw off his hat. "It's time to move on and make shit right!"
"That was my hat," Carly protested weakly.
"Sorry about that," Jack didn't sound that ashamed. "It's time for me to show the world who I really am."
"Then you'll need this!" Carly shoved the shopping bag into his arms. Jack had his jacket on, the one Lina made for him years prior, back on again.
"Write whatever you want about me," Jack smiled at Carly. Carly's heart fluttered.
"Actually, I think I'm not going to write the article," Carly's voice was soft. "Neo Domino City will just use it as an excuse to point fingers at you. I don't want to be a part of that." Carly shot him a smile. "Maybe we've both learned a bit more about who we really are."
"Maybe we did," Jack stared down at his phone. Lina's star had finally stopped moving. "Thank you, Carly. I know what I need to do." Jack began to walk away. Carly ran after him.
The Daedalus Bridge. Lina knew the story very well from her childhood. Lina had heard Crow tell the stories many times to the neighborhood children, and she was present when Crow first was told the story by a vendor in the marketplace. Lina shouldn't have been surprised that Crow's new hideout was under the infamous bridge.
The kids came running as soon as they heard Crow's D-Wheel pull in. Lina could hear that they were all asking for more cards. Crow really hadn't changed since the days of Team Satisfaction.
"You kids want more of my cards? What do I look to you, a vending machine!?" Crow was complaining. The kids started to protest more. "Hold on, hold up! I don't have any more cards, but I brought something even better!" Crow stepped aside to gesture to Yusei and Lina, who both stared wide eye back. "May I present to you Yusei Fudo, the new turbo duel champion, and Lina Kazukata, one of my best friends!"
Kazukata. Crow introduced her by her real name and not her fake one.
Lina couldn't think about it too long. The kids flung themselves onto Lina and Yusei, demanding autographs and talking at once. Crow yelled something out, but the kids barely took any notice. Lina saw that despite the attention, Yusei was smiling. Lina couldn't help but observe him.
"Hey!" One of the girls tugged on Lina's jacket. Lina looked down at the girl. "Are you Lina Atlas? You kinda look like her!"
Lina didn't know how to respond.
"Hey, leave her alone," Lina was saved from answering by the appearance of a new person. The figure was maybe around Crow's height but had pink hair that went down just slightly past their chin. A small braid hung in front of her right ear. The first thing Lina noticed was the pink kaleidoscope glasses on their face. The figure lifted the glasses to perch on top of their head, revealing golden brown eyes, and three dots below her eye. She was marked. "The name's Riku," The figure stuck out their hand in greeting. Lina shook their hand in return.
"Lina," Lina smiled back at them. "So, I'm guessing you were the voice we heard on Crow's D-Wheel?"
"I'm the reason he hasn't been arrested more times than the normal," Riku gave a short laugh.
"Hey now, I've been doing fine on my own!" Crow gestured for everyone to sit around the campfire he had just started. Riku rolled their eyes, causing Lina to chuckle. "Alright, kids, get over here! The sun's starting to set. You know what that means!"
The kids were climbing over Lina and Yusei's D-Wheels as if they were jungle gums. Lina and Yusei stared helplessly as they hoped to any gods listening that the kids didn't break anything.
"Hey guys, if they hurt your bike, just say the word," Crow held up a fist.
"That's not true! You'll always protect us!" The little girl from earlier hugged Crow around the neck. The kids were finally starting to make their way over to the campfire.
"Can you tell us a goodnight story, Crow?" One of the little boys asked.
"You should tell the story about the bridge to nowhere," Riku interrupted the kids before they could start bickering on what story to tell. The kids agreed. They began yelling to Crow to tell the story. Lina sat down beside Yusei, her fingers resting just on top of his. Riku sat on the other side of Lina.
"Okay! A long time ago there was a special place," The kids were transfixed on every word Crow said. Even Yusei's friends, Taka, Nerve, Blitz, and Rally were listening closely. Saiga seemed bored.
Lina had heard this story more than a hundred times before. "What's your story?" Lina turned her attention to Riku with a raised eyebrow. Riku's hand went to their face, right where her markers were.
"A misunderstand, mainly," Riku seemed embarrassed. Lina nodded at them to continue. Riku hesitated. "My parents...are important people," Riku settled on the word. Her parents were Public Maintenance officers. "They sent me here after- this," Riku gestured to their face. "I tried robbing Crow- imagine my surprise when it was just a bag of cards. He invited me back to his hangout, and I've been here since. Riku Tanaka, the hacker genius, is at your service," Riku beamed to Lina.
"You sound fun," Lina gazed at Riku. She couldn't imagine how young Riku was to have been sent to the Satellite to live alone.
"I guess that's one way of putting it," Riku shrugged. "I call it hell, but I think another name is the Satellite."
Lina laughed at the joke. Riku looked back with a crooked grin.
"That's not right!" Rally roared out. "Build the bridge!"
"Let him finish!" One of the kids scolded Rally.
"I'm just saying," Rally clapped back.
"They're really getting into the story," Lina glanced over to Yusei beside her, who was also listening to Crow's tale. Yusei seemed to have noticed Lina looking, as he glanced at her, squeezed her hand, and smiled. Lina smiled back.
"Yeah, the kids adore him. I don't blame them," Riku was looking to Crow. "He's a dumbass, but he would do anything for the damn brats. I mean, flock."
"He cares about them. When you care about something, you usually do a lot for them," Lina replied honestly.
"Yeah, I bet you would know from experience," Riku's tone was dry. Lina was about to question Riku further, but Crow and the flock yelled, "Just look in your heart!" Lina knew from experience that the story was over.
"I want him to finish the bridge," Riku spoke quietly. Lina had to lean over to hear. Yusei looked over, obviously listening in on their conversation. "Everyone deserves a chance to live in Neo Domino City. The kids here, they don't even get a chance at a life. This isn't living. " Riku's voice held both a tone of passion and bitterness.
"The bridge will be connected," Yusei's vow made both Riku and Lina turn to him and gawk in wide eye confusion. "I'll make it happen."
"Big plans there, huh?" Lina bumped her shoulder to his. Yusei didn't answer. He was lost in thought.
"The Legendary Man. Another myth that people use to make themselves hope," Saiga rolled his eyes. "The bridge is a joke. If anyone wants to connect the Satellite, it'll take more than wasteless dreams."
"Doesn't mean I can't try," Yusei stood up from his seat. Lina watched him. Crow turned to Yusei in surprise.
"Come on, you can't believe in an old myth like that, can you?" Saiga looked disappointed in Yusei.
"I didn't know we brought Anya along," Lina grumbled under her breath.
"It's getting late. We should all go to bed," Riku gave a pointed glance towards the group.
"Yeah, good idea. Goodnight!" Blitz waved to the group.
"Sleep tight! See you in the morning, but that's only if the Dark Signers don't sneak up on s first! Sweet dreams!" Taka rambled on.
"Taka, shut it!" Rally smacked his arm.
"I'm going off to. Have fun dreaming," Saiga gave a mocking wave.
"Lameass," Lina shook her head.
"I'm going off too," Riku nodded to Crow. "See you in the morning."
"Wait, you two!" Crow called out to Lina and Yusei as they started to get ready to settle down for the night. "I got something for you!" Crow hurried into his shack. When he came out, he seemed to be carrying something in his hands. "I snagged this from your hideout after it got trashed. Thought you would want it back safe and sound, and not with Public Maintenance," Crow handed Yusei something that Lina couldn't see.
"What is it?" Lina tried to look over Yusei's arm, but Yusei had put the object in the inside pocket of his jacket before Lina could get a quick look at it.
"Don't worry about it!" Crow smirked at her. Lina's eyes narrowed in response.
"Come on," Yusei took off his jacket and handed it to Lina. Lina knew he was letting her use it as a blanket. Lina was tempted to automatically check in his pocket to see what he was hiding, but she knew Yusei trusted her. It probably wasn't a great idea to break it. He would show her eventually. "Let's call it a night. We'll talk strategy in the morning," Lina didn't trust the look in Yusei's eyes. He was up to something.
"Sure," Lina agreed. She would find out what he was planning.
"This was a fucking brilliant idea," Anya stretched out on the couch in Saiga's apartment. Himuro and Yanagi went to Ruka and Rua's place in the Tops to keep an eye over them, while Anya and her new gang of kids rested in Saiga's. Anya and Yui's apartment just couldn't hold all of their kids, especially since they added Val. It was a studio apartment, after all, and was really only meant to house one person.
"Are you sure it's alright if I stay for the night?" Val asked again, causing Anya to sigh in frustration. It didn't matter how much you reassured the kid, he still felt guilty.
"We want you to stay," Yui draped a blanket over his shoulders from his spot on the couch. Val looked alarmed by the kind gesture.
"Yeah, you almost killed Lina. That's something I've wanted to do since I met her. I'm actually kind of jealous," Anya snickered out. Val looked away, while Yui shot Anya a warning look. "Sorry," Anya didn't appear to be that guilty. "Might be too soon for those kind of jokes."
"Do you remember anything?" Eito was leaning over the couch beside Yui.
"No," Val shook his head. He had been trying to remember the night, to help the group with their mission, but it felt like a blank hole. He had been on his way home from his dance studio, and then nothing. His next memories were Lina Atlas and Yusei Fudo watching him.
"I don't remember anything either," Leiko was sitting on the couch, her legs propped against Val's. She had taken a liking to the boy, their shared connection being a huge factor. "Which is weird. I think it's karma. I called Yusei a fake and then I got my ass kicked for it. Seems like a fair trade to me." Leiko shrugged. She was less bothered by the events than Val was.
"I don't think I did anything to deserve what I did," Val was picking at the loose string on his pants.
"You're being too hard on yourself," Yui's voice was soft. "You didn't do anything. Nothing is your fault for what you did. It's the Dark Signers who used you to do what they wanted."
"Yeah..." Val let his words trail off. He wasn't quite sure if he believed her.
"Hey," Anya stood up suddenly, her phone in her hands. Everyone's attention went to Anya. "Get this. The Nazca Lines in Peru? Yeah, well, they just fucking disappeared."
"Okay, so what does that mean?" Eito frowned. He wasn't sure where Anya was going.
"Y'all said you had a spider mark on your arm when you were possessed?" Anya showed her phone screen to the group. The spider mark was pictured. "Guess what disappeared in Peru?"
"So they're related somehow," Yui whispered in worry. "Lina..."
"The dumb bitch followed the hero into some deep shit, that's for sure," Anya put her phone back into her pocket.
"But it's just some marks on the ground," Leiko didn't follow their thinking. "Why do lines disappearing connect to anything?"
"A spider on your arm, and a spider on the ground that disappeared. They happen to be the same mark. Yeah, totally not connected," Eito was being sarcastic. Leiko smacked him on the arm.
"What others disappeared?" Val looked at Anya.
"The Hummingbird, the Dog, the Giant, the Lizard, and the Monkey," Anya listed off the characters on her hands. "So far, we've just seen a glimpse of the spider."
"And the dog," Eito's eyes widened. The Dark Signer he fought had a mark that looked like a dog on his arm. "The Dark Signer I fought? He had a dog on his arm."
"A dog and a spider," Val mumbled as he thought.
"The end of the world is going to be caused by house pets. Who would have guessed?" Leiko sighed.
"Turn on the TV," Yui was asking Anya. "Maybe we'll find out something else."
"Maybe," Anya didn't look too convinced as she reached for the remote and turned on the news station.
Lina could feel when Yusei moved in his sleep. Lina pretended to remain asleep, despite the fact she knew Yusei was going to get on his runner and leave.
Lina gave him a head start before she too stood up, Yusei's jacket still draped around her shoulders. Lina was right about thinking he would try to leave without them. Yusei had started to push his runner away.
"So," Lina's one word made Yusei stop right in his tracks. "Going somewhere?"
"Lina," Yusei tried to defend himself, but Lina held up her hand.
"We're a team, Yusei," Lina stressed the word, a hurt look crossing her features. "Or did you forget that?"
"Lina, you almost died yesterday because of me," Yusei wouldn't look at her.
"Because of you?" Lina was confused. "I'm sorry, were you a Shadow Drone who challenged me to a duel to the death, and then pushed me off a roof?"
"You wouldn't have been in this if it weren't for me," Yusei couldn't stop blaming himself.
"I'm here because I chose to be, idiot," Lina shook her head. "When will you get that? Nothing is your fault. You don't have to do anything alone, not when you have us."
"Classic Yusei. Has to take the blame for everything," Crow appeared behind Lina, causing the blonde to jump into the air. "Sounds like the old times," Crow was giving Yusei an unreadable look, but Yusei seemed to understand what he meant. Lina didn't.
"Not you too," Yusei grumbled.
"If you're planning on dueling, I'm coming too," Crow held no room for argument.
"You're not getting rid of me either," Lina nodded with conviction.
"It's too dangerous out there. Just go back to bed. This is my battle," Yusei finally looked up at Lina and Crow.
"It's mine too!" Lina almost shouted, but lowered her voice as she remembered everyone asleep. "Anyone who attacks my friends? That becomes my battle."
"And just try and stop me!" Crow smirked.
"I've already put enough people in danger, Crow," Yusei was gazing at Lina.
"Stop making decisions for me," Lina's voice was low and harsh. "You do that, and you're no better than anyone else in my life, Yusei."
Yusei seemed taken aback by Lina's words. Lina and Crow both took the opportunity to stand in front of Yusei's D-Wheel before he could start to move it again.
"Who's gonna watch your back out there, huh?" Crow crossed his arms over his chest.
"The battle is real. Lina, you know this," Yusei almost sounded as if he were pleading. "You lose, that's it. There's no going back from that. Tell me, does that sound like fun to you?"
"I've battled worse," Lina narrowed her eyes.
"You sure haven't lightened up, have you?" Crow let out a chuckle. "You're not the only one with somethin' to lose here, Yusei. All those kids, and Riku. If you lose, we all do. Count me in."
"You two..." Yusei hesitated. "There's no going back."
"We wouldn't be here if we weren't sure about this," Lina walked over to her D-Wheel and grabbed her helmet. "Well? Where are we headed?"
"We're going where it started: the old reactor," Yusei mounted his D-Wheel and placed his helmet on his head.
"What do you think you're going to find there, tetanus?!" Crow exclaimed. "I'm not going there!"
"Thought you wanted to help me save the world?" Yusei sounded amused. He revved up his engine and took off.
"Keep up, Crow!" Lina waved to him before following after Yusei.
"Dammit!" Crow had no choice but to follow. The more they drove, the foggier it became.
"It feels like I'm driving with a blindfold," Crow complained.
Yusei's arm began to glow. Ahead of them, a massive form made of purple light glowed through the fog.
"Do you guys see that? I think I'm going fucking mad," Crow's eyes widened in alarm.
"Okay, someone better tell me what's going on right now!" In the helicopter, Carly was panicking. Where were they going? Why did it have to be in the middle of the night?
"It's Yusei," Jack spoke simply. "He's about to duel a Dark Signer."
"A Dark Signer," Carly echoed. "So, whoever took control of Ushio is the same person who's dueling Yusei?"
"No," Jack was looking out the window. "My mark is telling me it's someone else."
"Your...mark," Carly repeated lamely.
"Jack, are you sure she should be here?" Mikage's voice was neutral from the front of the plane.
"If it weren't for me, Jack wouldn't be here! I saved him!" Carly told the older woman smugly. "We're BFF's now." Carly looked towards Jack, but she noticed he wasn't paying attention to her. His focus was on something else entirely. Carly had to think quick to cheer him up. "You know, you're still the Champ, Jack," Carly bumped her shoulder to his. Jack's glare cut to hers. Score! She had his attention! "How can someone from the Satellite ever compare to someone like you?" Carly didn't notice Jack stiffen in anger.
"Yeah, you're right. Those from the Satellite aren't worth it," Jack snapped out the words. Carly grinned. "I was born there, you know. And as far as Yusei's concerned, he was born right in the Tops of Neo Domino City!"
"WHAT!?" Carly almost fell back. "You and Lina- were born in the Satellite!?"
"Not Lina," Jack let a sigh. "You want to know where I'm from?"
Carly gazed at Jack. This time, her voice was soft. "Of course I want to know the truth, Jack."
"Well, here it is," Jack sat up straight. "Lina and I aren't siblings. Atlas isn't even a real name. I made it up when I was a kid because I never even got to meet my parents. Lina was born right in the Tops with Yusei as Lina Kazukata, the daughter of a model and a card maker. Yusei wasn't just some orphan. His parents were the brains behind the first Ener-D Reactor."
This was perfect! What a scoop!
"Then how did you and Lina end up as Lina Atlas? How did Yusei end up in the Satellite?" Carly fired off the questions. "Did he do something bad?"
"It wasn't anything he did, but his parents. Lina-" Jack was interrupted by Mikage.
"Jack, are you sure this is a good idea?" Mikage sounded worried.
"Oh, come on! I won't tell anyone. My editor won't even talk to me anymore." Carly had to hear the rest of this story.
"Carly's right. I'm tired of these lies," Jack looked at Carly with steely purple eyes. "The Ener-D Reactor formed the split between Satellite and Neo Domino City, not an earthquake like everyone thinks. Yusei's parents were never seen or heard from again after the accident. He was sent to a Satellite orphanage as a baby. That's the Yusei I know. Lina's parents died in a car crash when she was five. Public Maintenance shipped her to Satellite because they thought she was just some orphan." Jack spoke the words bitingly. "We grew up together. Lina ended up being taken away when we were teenagers. I saved her from the Arcadia Movement. Godwin suggested the sibling story, and here we are. That catches us up to speed, doesn't it?"
"I have to call my editor!" Carly jumped into the air. Jack let out a snort.
"I'll make sure to visit you in the Facility if you try," Jack didn't fuck around when it came to Lina. Carly deflated back into her seat.
"No story, then," Carly laughed nervously. "And another scoop goes does the drain..."
"The light disappeared? What the hell does that mean?" Crow called out.
"It's almost always bad, from our experience," Lina shouted back. A card was thrown, almost clipping Crow in the shoulder. Crow quickly dodged but fell off his D-Wheel in the process.
"Crow!" Lina turned around to make sure her friend was alright. She hopped off her D-Wheel to rush over to him.
"I'm okay here! Get off, I'm fine," Crow swatted his hand towards Lina as she tried to help him stand up.
"I know that card," Yusei was looking at the thrown card.
"Yusei!" A figure called out. On top of a pile of trash sat a D-Wheel just barely visible. "And his bird-brained friend! And-" The figure's voice caught. Lina stood up straight, her helmet in her hands, revealing her long blonde hair and pale green eyes. She wanted to get a closer look at the figure.
"And Lina," The figure sounded shocked. Lina tilted her head curiously. Did she know him? "You don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment. It's a shame it'll be over so quickly."
"How do you know our names?" Lina yelled up at the figure.
"How could I ever forget?" The figure ripped off his hood, revealing white hair. His face was deathly pale, his eyes dark pits, and on his face was a mark too dark to be like Yusei and Crow's criminal mark. He laughed at the group's reaction.
"Kiryu!?" Yusei's jaw dropped open.
"But you left the Satellite!" Crow was in disbelief.
"Kiryu!" Lina knew that glowing mark on his arm. He was a Dark Signer. "You have to stop whatever the hell you think you're doing! You're our friend!"
"Seems like you missed a lot, Lina! I was once your friend, but now I'm your enemy!" Kiryu jammed the helmet on to his head and began to ride his D-Wheel over the edge of the cliff. As he soared in the air, purple flames erupted from the ground, separating Yusei from Lina and Crow.
"Lina!" Yusei called out once he got his vision back.
"Geez, Yusei, we're fine!" Crow returned back.
"After what you did to me, this is sweet justice, old friend," Kiryu's tone held something. Lina couldn't put her finger on what exactly it was. "You destroyed my life. I'll destroy your home in return. The Satellite will burn!" Kiryu revved up his engine.
"The Dark Signers got to you," Yusei tried to talk through to Kiryu.
"I chose this, Yusei. This is the real deal," Kiryu held up his mark. "When you left me to die, I knew I had to get my revenge."
"Lina, come on. We gotta get a better look at this," Crow shot forward on his D-Wheel to the top of the pile of trash. Lina followed, her breathing heavy.
"This is insane," Lina breathed out, her eyes watering. "Crow, what are they talking about?"
Crow was rescued from answering when a helicopter flew overhead. Lina and Crow both looked up to see Jack.
"Jack!?" Lina's hands moved to her mouth. Everyone was here.
"Was that Jack Atlas?" Kiryu cackled out. "This is great! Team Satisfaction is back together again! It's good to see you again...Yusei." Kiryu's tone was suggestive.
"Kiryu, what happened to you?" Yusei was trembling. He never thought he would see Kiryu again.
"Are you surprised?" Kiryu's smirk was malicious. "And to think- we used to be so close. We were a golden couple, weren't we?" Kiryu's words made Yusei stiffen. "In case you were wondering all these years, no, I haven't forgiven you for your betrayal."
"You went too far, Kiryu. You betrayed us," Yusei almost looked as if Yusei were trying to convince himself that he was in the right.
"I didn't take things far enough!" Kiryu snapped out. "Because of you and your feelings!"
"I had no choice," Yusei's words were resolute, but his voice betrayed his regret. "You had to be stopped."
"Public Maintenance took Lina away! I was trying to make Satellite a better place. Do you really think they had our best interest in mind?" Kiryu snapped out.
"They're talking about me," Lina spoke the words in horror. "Oh my gods." Lina stepped backward, almost as if she could walk away from what was happening in front of her.
"Lina-" Crow grabbed Lina's hand and pulled her close to him. His arm went around her shoulders. Lina was shaking.
"I'm going to kill you, Yusei," Kiryu was facing Yusei. "Come one! Duel me! Are you scared, Yusei?"
Yes. "No," Yusei closed his eyes. He had to save his friend.
Val was staring out of the window, his whole body trembling. A purple sign glowed in the sky.
"Another one," Yui murmured, her hand resting on Val's in comfort.
"That stupid bitch better not be there,"Anya's hands were clenched at her side. "I'll fight them all down myself if someone happens to her. I fucking mean it."
"What happens if I lose?" Yusei questioned Kiryu. "Do I become one of you?"
"Not quite. That fate is saved for someone else," Kiryu's answer was vague. "You'll die, just like you let me die all those years ago!"
"Someone else?" Yusei realized who he was talking about. Lina. "That's not going to happen!" Yusei's voice was harsh. "I'm going to stop you, and save her and the Satellite!"
"You're going to throw our past away for her?" Kiryu scoffed. "I see how it is, Yusei. Let's duel!"
"Crow, what are they talking about?" Lina turned her gaze to Crow. "What aren't you guys telling me?"
"It's...complicated," Crow used his free hand to pull up the duel on his D-Wheel.
"I don't care. I want to know," Lina demanded as the duel started. Lina's hand went to the sun pendant on her choker anxiously.
"No, you don't," Crow's voice was hard.
"That's not your decision to make," Lina's body stiffened.
"Yes, it fucking is, because I'm not telling you," Crow didn't let go of Lina, but it was obvious he was getting agitated. Lina glanced up at the helicopter. She prayed Jack was okay.
"Why did Kiryu mention me when he was talking about taking down Public Maintenance?" Lina couldn't stop shaking. "Why did you and Jack leave? Was that the line? Am I the reason Kiryu went after Public Maintenance?"
"Lina, is right now really the time to ask?" Crow was watching the duel.
"Yes!" Lina didn't hesitate with her answer.
"Yusei!" Crow cried out suddenly, causing Lina to whip her head to stare at the duel. Yusei was attacked. His bike went out of control. He slammed into the fiery edge of the arena but managed to get control back.
"The powers of dark shadows really suit me," Kiryu cackled aloud. "What do you say, Lin? Wanna join me?" Lina sucked in a breath when Kiryu called her by his old nickname for her.
"Leave her out of this," Yusei growled out.
"I remember that hero complex. It won't do you any good now! My Infernalty Fiend is going to attack you directly! Have a helping hand, friend!" Kiryu let out a maniacal laugh.
"Yusei, watch out!" Lina cried out.
"The power of your monster is no match for the ability of my Scrap Iron Scarecrow!" Yusei saved himself. Lina let out a breath of relief as she leaned against Crow.
"This is torture," Lina whispered the words out. She knew how Kiryu dueled. He was the best out of everyone in Team Satisfaction. She had never been worried for Yusei before, but she was now.
"Kiryu was never one to pull any punches," Crow agreed in a low voice.
"I'm scared," Lina spoke the words aloud. Crow's hold on her tightened.
"Good news- the twins are okay," Eito had just gotten off the phone with Ruka. "She's worried sick. Apparently, she had been calling Lina's phone for the past hour to see what was going on."
"That big shit in the sky says she's busy," Leiko pointed up at the sky.
"Leiko, language," Yui gently scolded her fifteen-year-old sister.
"Yeah, watch your fucking language, small shit," Anya had pulled back the curtains to watch the sky. Yui shot her a look. Anya smiled innocently.
"The real thing," Val rubbed his arm, the one that used to hold his mark. "Is Yusei able to defeat the Dark Signer?"
"He beat me, so probably," Leiko shrugged.
"A horribly hard feat indeed," Eito's voice was dry. "I wonder how he, Yusei Fudo, the new Neo Domino City Champion, beat a little girl."
"I'll call Lina when this is all done with. We can't sit here and worry too much. There's no fucking point until it's done." Anya closed the curtain. She was just as agitated as everyone else.
"One-Hundred Eye Dragon," Lina stared in terror at the massive dragon.
"Kiryu never had that in his deck," Crow uttered out. After all the duels I've been a part of, neither has anyone else."
"Yusei doesn't have anything to beat that," Lina had never seen that dragon either, and she had been in a lot of underground duels with plenty of weird monsters. "Yusei!" Lina jumped as Yusei was attacked by Kiryu's dragon. Yusei was having trouble taking control of his D-Wheel.
"I want to make sure you stick around for this. I've been dreaming about this moment for years, Yusei, and now I get to deal you some satisfaction." Kiryu's smirk could only be described as cruel.
"But Kiryu," Yusei whispered the words helplessly.
Kiryu paused. It almost as if he felt something. He looked away. "But nothing, Yusei. It's over."
"What's over?" Lina was gripping Crow's arm tightly in her hand.
"Lina, please," Crow was begging her at this point. "Don't make this harder than it already is."
Lina stepped away from Crow, right out of his embrace. Lina was staring right into Crow's eyes as she walked over to her D-Wheel and pressed a button. Crow realized what she was doing.
"Lina-" Crow moved forward to stop her.
"Kiryu," Lina didn't take her eyes off Crow.
"Lin," Kiryu realized Lina was sending a message to him. "What a pleasant surprise. Did you miss me?"
"What happened to you?" Lina's voice was stiff.
"Yusei helped me free the monster I was holding back," Kiryu sounded delighted.
"That's a lie!" Yusei sounded desperate. "I only tried to help you because you changed!"
"You changed first!" Kiryu snapped. "You wanna know what happened, Lin? We controlled the whole city, just the five of us. We had them all. The crime was down. People felt safe. The Satellite was a place you could call home. We were winning the war. There was only one left. I saved Yusei. Then Public Maintenance took you away. I had to make them pay. The streets weren't safe with them." Kiryu sounded disgusted. "To think, I saved you that day, Yusei. Now all I want to do is to kill you, love." Kiryu spat out the word.
"Kiryu..." Yusei looked as if he were struck with an arrow.
"Love..." Lina whispered out the word. Her eyes widened as she figured it out. "They were together," Lina understood. "That's what I was missing. They were together after I was gone, weren't they?" Lina looked to Crow. He didn't respond.
"Yeah," Crow finally said something. "Hey, stop it," Crow knew Lina was blaming herself. "He would've gone after Public Maintenance if you were taken or not. He went off. You can't blame that on you."
"I was the line," Lina hugged her arms to her body.
"Lina, stop it! You can't-" Crow cut off abruptly. Lina glanced over to the duel. Yusei had disappeared from view.
"I could have given you everything!" Kiryu shrieked out. "But you were too scared! You held me back!"
"Yusei, come on! You can make it! Keep riding!" Crow encouraged. Lina could only watch. Yusei rode through, moaning, but managed to come back onto the field.
"Don't you get it yet, Yusei?" Kiryu was mocking him. "You know the only way the Satellite could be ours was if we eliminated every threat. We were a team until you convinced Crow and Jack to try and take me down!"
"We weren't a team after Lina left," Yusei argued back.
"She didn't leave! She was taken by the same people we were trying to take down!" Kiryu shouted at him. "Do you think Lina would ever voluntarily leave Team Satisfaction?!"
"Crow, look," Lina pointed at the bottom of the trash pit. Yusei's friends were there.
"Looks like Yusei has more backup," Crow rubbed the back of his neck. It was more people to worry about something happening to.
"Yusei," Lina's hand flew to her mouth. His D-Wheel was unstable. She had been in a fair amount of crashes to know when a D-Wheel is about to quit.
"It's not going to last much longer," Crow agreed solemnly. "Yusei better finish this fast, or he might be finished."
"He has to be fine," Lina was trying to convince herself. "It's Yusei."
"Against Kiryu," Crow reminded her.
Yusei summoned Stardust Dragon. That meant he had to stand a chance. Right? Kiryu's life points finally took a hit.
"Kiryu's got a card in his hand. His combo he built is useless now," Crow sounded relieved. "Yusei's got a chance."
"It's not over until someone loses all of their life points," Lina nodded.
"Or until Yusei's D-Wheel quits on him," Crow had a smile on his face. "If Yusei's move is successful, he wins."
Lina held on to the handlebar of her D-Wheel. It wasn't over. Not if she knew Kiryu.
It wasn't over.
Something sinister lingered in the air. Lina felt sick. She didn't know why. She felt like she was going to throw up. Maybe it was just her anxiety about the situation.
In the fire, dozens of figures in robes began to appear. Crow pulled Lina back to him at once.
"Crow, who are they?" Lina clung on to Crow.
"The same people who were taken by that shitty underground group," Crow informed her with a glare towards Kiryu. "I knew they were taking them."
"What is he going to do with them?" Lina was horrified.
"Something fucking crazy," Crow didn't know, but he knew it wouldn't be good.
"What do you think I''m going to do, Yusei? They're going to help me summon my monster, my Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu!" Kiryu stretched his hand into the air. The ground shook. The robbed figured screamed as the purple glow absorbed them, each figure shooting into the sky. In its place, a massive hand burst from the ground. The Earthbound Immortal arose. Jack was hanging onto the edge of the doorway of his helicopter. Lina shrieked. The negative energy was overwhelming. Crow had to hold her up. It felt the same as when Lina was in the presence of the Crimson Dragon. She couldn't understand it. It felt as if someone was screaming into her head.
"Lina, you gotta get up," Crow was pleading with her. "Yusei!" Crow sounded frantic.
"Lina, you need to hurry. Something's happening," Sun Hope's Magician spoke to her. Lina shakily got up, only to see Yusei fall off his D-Wheel. A shard of metal was lodged in his stomach.
Lina didn't waste any time crying. She rushed to her D-Wheel, ignoring Crow's protests, and rode down to where Yusei was.
"The duel ended before the duel can end you!" Kiryu was taunting Yusei. Lina drove her D-Wheel in between Kiryu and Yusei, her small body-hopping off to stand in front of Kiryu. The Earthbound Immortal was still on the field.
"Don't touch him," Lina glared at Kiryu.
Kiryu regarded her with interest. "You know, Lin, I have no problem with you. You can come with me. You can rule the world with the Dark Signers. Together, just like the old days!"
"I would rather die than become one of you," Lina spoke bluntly.
"That's what we're trying to do!" Kiryu cackled. "Think of it, Lin! It's your fate! You think you can protect him? He can't even protect himself!"
"I'll stop you myself if I have to," Lina took another step closer to Kiryu.
"You have your own surprise waiting for you, Lin," Kiryu smiled at her. Lina felt no warmth from it. "Can you hear it calling out for you, Lina?"
Lina heard nothing from his monster. She felt its darkness. She heard alarm bells in her head when she tried to concentrate. Sun Hope's Magician stood next to her.
"Stay strong, my friend," Her duel spirit encouraged.
"I will," Lina vowed, her pale green eyes never leaving Kiryu.
"You think you mean something to him? Let me tell you, so did I! You're going to end up down the same path as me!" Kiryu lifted his card in the air. The Earthbound Immortal disappeared. Lina felt the darkness disappear. "You can't fight fate, Lin."
"Go fuck yourself. I'll fight fate, and I'll win," Lina wouldn't let him touch Yusei.
"What did that tournament emcee call him? Satellite's Shooting Star? More like Satellite's falling star! Call me when you see the dark side, Lin." Kiryu drove off. Lina turned her attention to Yusei as soon as he was out of distance. Yusei's friends came and joined them.
"Lina!" Crow called out. "Put him on my D-Wheel! I'll take him to Martha's!"
"Roger that! Come on, help me," Lina and one of the boys- Nerve? Blitz?- helped Lina move Yusei to the back of Crow's D-Wheel. Jack's helicopter began to fly away. She wanted Jack to stay. She needed him.
Lina wasted no time hopping back on her D-Wheel and following. Martha's house looked exactly the same as the last time she left it.
Martha was already outside. Crow and Martha were moving Yusei inside to lay on a bed while they waited for the Doctor.
"Martha," Lina called out just as she did as a little girl. She was standing in the doorway of the house. The tears were streaming down her face. "Martha!"
"Lina?" Martha turned to face the blonde, the same small blonde she hadn't seen since she was sixteen. She noticed right away Lina was crying. "Come here, my little girl," Martha rushed to Lina. Lina automatically wrapped her arms around her foster Mother. "It's going to be alright, my sweet girl. He's a fighter, just like you."
Lina began to sob. All of the emotions of the night had caught up to her.
Lina was sitting on the couch. Her thoughts were running a mile a minute. The Doctor was surgically removing the metal out of Yusei's stomach. Yusei's friends were here but barely clothed. They had pushed Yusei's runner all the way here.
Yusei's jacket was wrapped around Lina's shoulders. It was torn in some places, but Lina would fix it when she could think again. Crow sat next to her, his hand resting on her knee. No one spoke. No one had anything to say. They were all thinking- worrying- about the same thing.
Something in Yusei's pocket jammed into Lina's side. Lina reached into his jacket and pulled out the object that Crow had given Yusei earlier in the day.
It was Lina's glasses. The same glasses that the gang had given her for her fourteenth birthday, the pair she lost when Public Maintenance took her.
He had kept them all this time.