A/N: I'm re-writing the chapters I have due to the lack of time I have, just so the people who love this story can get updates regularily. Once all updates are done, this chapter will have this removed.
Blinding lights flashed like a hyperactive kaleidoscope as the earth shook. A capsule slid shut around me as a figure stood over me, then I was ripped away at high speeds. As I flew away, an explosion destroyed my ability to sleep, bringing me back to the waking world.
My muscles cried out as I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. The stale air of the subway felt as oppressive as that tube had. Swinging my legs to the side of my makeshift mattress, I put on my boots. Walking quietly as possible, I gathered my coat and gloves on my way out of the tent. The others were still asleep, but I wasn't planning on waking them up.
Going on autopilot, I went around Satellite, searching for a chip that would hopefully work longer. There was no doubt that I was proud of my newest creation, seeing as it was far superior to my previous attempt, but none of that would matter if I couldn't get a chip that would work adequately.
However, I wasn't a fool. Satellite was not a place where anything of quality could be found besides duelists. I had read of people who referred to their home as 'practically a dump' but that couldn't compete with actually living in a dump and barely scraping by with what you could salvage. Hardly anything worked by the time it got to our wonderful little island.
After a fruitless hour of searching, I returned to our little hideaway. The other four were getting breakfast ready, which was the last of our food from the last supply run. Partially cooked beans were being put on stale bread as I joined them.
Nervin passed me my plate, "What were you up to this morning?"
"Seeing if there is any other chips in this dump. The only ones that work are the ones in Security runners, and I don't particularly feel like going to the Facility."
Tank let out a laugh as large as his stomach, "I don't blame ya Yues! Any luck?"
Shaking my head I picked at my food, "None. I'm getting real tired of being so close yet so far away."
All of them cleaned up their things, heading off to their jobs at the sorting factory. Rally ran off to wherever she goes when the others were gone, leaving me alone with my half-eaten meal. Despite my lack of appetite, I shoved it in my mouth so I could get back to work on my precious project.
Some of the runner magazines said that naming a runner helped it work better, so I had quietly started calling mine Justice. Mostly because that is what her purpose was, to help me get even with the man who nearly took everything of worth from me. All that I had left was my friends and what few things I had well hidden away.
Once more, I checked all of the parts, to ensure that they were in the best possible condition for what I was about to do.
I pushed my runner to the ground of the subway and climbed on, putting my helmet on. No use loitering around, better just to start and go as long as possible. I revved my engine and shot down the tunnel, hoping that maybe this time the engine will last long enough to go a full lap around the tunnels.
Somehow, I managed to slide gently to a stop as my engine blew, thankfully not doing too much damage. I sighed, got off and checked the damage. At this rate, I'll never get a chance to get even with that traitor. I pushed my runner back to the hideout. With the engine out, it was certainly a workout. One that I was too well acquainted with by this point.
As I arrived back at the hideout, I heard a voice I hoped to never hear again, Jack Freaking Atlas, so called King of Dueling. He was bragging about something, that was for sure. But I didn't have time to worry about his hubris. I rolled up next to the tent and revved the engine to make sure that it wasn't too bad to repair, and it purred-well, more like choked out a rattle.
My friends turned around and turned off the interview. Tank blushed, "Sorry about that Yusei, but the internet only worked in the main tent. Trust us, we tried every other place we could think of, but just couldn't get it to work."
Nervin spoke up, "He still has his unbeaten streak, unfortunately."
Blitz spoke up, "Shut up, she don't wanna know how good Jack is doing."
"Right, sorry."
I sighed, "You aren't the one who owes me an apology."
The tallest, Blitz, nodded to me, "Right, Jack owes you for what he did back then."
Nervin nodded at the runner, "So how is Justice doing today?"
Blitz glared at him, "What does it look like?"
Tank sighed, "Oh, right. I wonder what happened to your old one. It used to look so good on the TV. Haven't seen it in a while though."
I was slightly shocked when Blitz shoved his head down, "Tank, shut up!"
He pushed Blitz' hand off, "It's true though! If Jack hadn't stolen her runner, Yusei would be giving that interview right now. But because he stole Hope, he gets the fame, and we are still stuck here."
Even without looking, I could tell that the others were glaring at Tank for his comments, but I was trying to get the stupid chip working again.
"Yusei! Yusei! Are you down here?"
Blitz greeted her, "Hey Rally, we're all here!"
Tank smiled, "What's up?"
Rally ran over to me, "Look what I found!"
She held out her hand, a chip in her palm. Blitz grabbed her arm, "It's never been used, you better not have stolen it!"
Jerking away, she looked up at him, "I promised you all that I stopped! Plus, it was just in a pile of garbage!"
Everyone took a step back, and Blitz raised his voice, "Who knows how it ended up there?"
Tank nodded, "If someone else stole it and dropped it, you picking it up could be considered assisting them."
Nervin pointed at her face, "If they think we helped you steal that, we might all get marked."
Despite all of the possible ways that it could be a trap, I didn't care as I stood up and walked over, "Rally, can I see that?"
She nodded, and I looked at it, "I'm going to use it."
The others protested. Blitz argued, "You can't keep it."
Nervin agreed, "You've got to make her take it back!"
I pulled out my old chip and put in the newer one. I checked the levels, which had seriously improved with just the one piece. Then I revved the engine, and it's roar filled up the subway.
Just then a light came down through the gap in the subway's ceiling, along with a Security Officer's voice, "You are in possession of stolen property. Turn yourself in."
Blitz raised his hand, "What did you do?"
She cowered, "I promise you, I didn't steal anything!"
Blocking his hand, I rolled my eyes, "I'm the one who wanted to keep it. Don't worry about what already happened."
"What about the marker? We can't escape!"
I walked over to the computer, and made it send out a signal to disrupt the signal of her marker. Once that was done, I took my helmet from Rally, and put it on, "That'll only work for a couple minutes. Get hidden, and I'll give them something to remember."
My runner shot out of the tunnels and raced past the Securities. They immediately followed me, but I was too excited to care, because I was actually going fast, and it wasn't struggling. I pulled into an abandoned parking lot, and they stopped right next to me. The cop on the runner took off his helmet, and looked at me, "Looks like you are a distraction, seeing as you don't have a mark. Where'd you get the runner?"
Our eyes locked directly with each other's, "If you beat me in a duel, I might consider telling you."
The officer laughed, "How could you duel me? Satellites aren't allowed to own a deck!"
Resisting a smile, I pulled mine out, "I seem to have missed that memo."
He didn't hold back his smile, "You are on punk."
Another man protested, "You can't seriously be considering it Trudge."
This 'Trudge' didn't even look at him, "Go, this is my decision."
"But…"
Trudge sent him a dark look, "When was the last time I lost to a Satellite?"
The other one went back to the car, and the others all left. He looked at me, "All right, I win, you hand yourself over and tell me where you got the runner. You win, I say that you weren't the ones that were guilty."
I nodded, "That works for me."
We both lined up our runners, then activated Speed World. My first Turbo Duel! I hope I don't mess this up on a massive scale.
Trudge took the first turn, "I summon Assault Dog in attack mode and place one card face down."
Assault Dog-1200
Drawing a card, I quickly plotted out an idea, "I summon Speed Warrior in attack mode!"
Speed Warrior-900
He laughed, "You can't do math can you?"
Speeding up, I did my best to keep a poker face as my Warrior's attack points doubled. Trudge's eyes went wide, and he spluttered, "What just happened?"
Speed Warrior-1800
A smile emerged on my face, "On the first turn that Speed Warrior is out, his attack points are doubled. Now attack!"
My ninja decided that he was going to attack in a handstand rather than one of his other ways, destroying the dog in a hilarious manner.
Life Points Trudge=3400
To my surprise, he chuckled, "My dog's special effect comes into action. If one is destroyed, I can summon a new one from my deck."
Assault Dog-1200
Whoops, I should have looked out for something like that.
Speed Warrior-900
I gritted my teeth, "I set one card face down and end my turn."
He laughed, "I release Assault Dog in order to advance summon Handcuff Dragon!"
Handcuff Dragon-1800
"Now attack that Speed Warrior!"
Quickly, I responded with, "I activate my trap, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!"
His trap raised as well, "Nice try but I activate my Wire-Tap trap card, which negates your card and sends it back to the deck, continue the attack Handcuff Dragon!"
Life Points Yusei=3100
This guy is starting to piss me off.
As if his victory was amazing, he started to laugh even more, He laughed again, "No matter how many you assemble, your cards are and will always be trash! Just like you!"
I took a deep breath, Listen Yusei, keep your cool. Ignore the laughing, and kick this guy's butt into the next century. Losing your temper is not an option.
My next draw wasn't amazing, so I decided to go on the defensive, "I set Sonic Chick in defense mode set two cards, and end my turn."
Sonic Chick-300
He laughed, seriously, what is it with this guy and laughing, and sent three cards to the graveyard. He held his hand up, "I summon Montage Dragon! It's attack points are determined by the level of the monsters I sent to the graveyard times 300!"
Montage Dragon-3000
If glares could kill, he would probably have died at this point, This isn't going to be pretty.
"Handcuff Dragon attacks Sonic Chick! Then, Montage Dragon attacks you directly!"
Life Points Yusei=100
"My turn!"
Once again, my cards had my back, Thank you so much! Now we can win!
"I summon Junk Synchron in attack mode."
Junk Synchron-1300
"You have a Tuner monster? How?"
Acting as if he did not talk at all, I continued, "Next I activate the spell card, Graceful Revival, which lets me summon a level 2 or below monster from my graveyard. And I chose Speed Warrior!"
Speed Warrior-900
"Now I am going to show you what we Satellites like to do, use two things that you city folk call garbage and make them into something amazing. I use Junk Synchron to tune Speed Warrior, and Synchro-summon Junk Warrior!"
Junk Warrior-2300
He tried to laugh off Junk Warrior's attack points, "Still not stronger than my Montage Dragon!"
Trying to achieve inner peace, I ignored him yet again, "I activate my speed spell, Vision Wind! This allows me to summon a level 2 or below monster from my graveyard, and add that monster's attack points to another monster on the field."
Speed Warrior-900
Junk Warrior-3200
"Junk Warrior, attack that Handcuff Dragon!"
Life Points Trudge=2000
Trudge smirked like he won the lottery, "You should have gone for Montage Dragon, because Handcuff Dragon's special ability. It can come back from the graveyard and equip itself to the monster that defeated it. It takes away the same amount of points that it had."
Junk Warrior-1400
Rolling my eyes openly, I sighed, "I'm not a fool. I activate Equip Shot. It changes a equip spell from one of my monsters to one of yours, and then the two must attack each other."
Junk Warrior-3200
Montage Dragon-1200
Trudge's face paled as the two battled.
Life Points Trudge=0 Defeat!
His runner pulled to a stop, and I stopped next to him, "Everything and everyone has potential. Anyone who says otherwise is doesn't deserve to call themselves duelists."
Satisfied that I won on both the moral and duel basis, I drove to the only place where I could get a good view of the city, Guess who's coming for their card, Jack.
A/N: Thanks to CYmAB, PipeDream, and Lets-Go-To-Vermont for their reviews on the original version of this chapter!
