Chapter Eighteen

An abandoned house at fountain plaza, that was how Daichi described his hide-out. Well, Yuito was at fountain plaza now, but there were a bunch of abandoned houses. Or, at least it was still called fountain plaza, but the only fountain that had ever been here had already been torn down. Vandalized, Yuito assumed. Stuff like that happened a lot when most people left an area of the city. Without legal supervision, what do you need a fountain for?

Since several houses were missing its doors already, and those were usually not safe to settle, Yuito just picked one that still had one and knocked. When nobody answered, he moved on to the next one, and then the next one, until on the fourth one finally somebody opened.

"Get lost," a dark-skinned man who towered at least one head above Yuito yelled at him.

"I'm looking for Daichi," Yuito calmly said, "is he here?"

"Are you this Yuito he told us about?"

"He told you about me? Should I be flattered?" Yuito asked, "again, is he here?"

"Yeah, he's upstairs, come on in," the giant moved aside, letting Yuito step inside, "he had a girl over, but she made a disgusted getaway like ten minutes ago, so you should be safe to go up."

"Thanks for the heads-up."

The house from the inside was like any other abandoned house he had seen so far. Walls ripped back down to the concrete and the bricks, no doors, no lamps, no windows, just planks where they used to be. Mattresses all over the floor, some even with people on them, some of which barely seemed to be alive.

Taking the stairs, he eventually found himself at a slightly larger and more well-kept room. You could smell that it belonged to the boss of the group here, namely Daichi.

"Yuito!" the giant brute said as he saw him coming up the stairs, "I see you decided to value my offer."

"I'm not here for cheating on Keiji," Yuito joked, before going back to being serious, "I need your help. Badly."

"Why not do both?"

"Because I don't have time for that," Yuito replied, "Daichi, someone is trying to kill me. I barely made it out of my apartment alive."

"Point me in his general direction, and I'll mess him up so badly he'll not be able to tell the police who did it."

"I wish it was that easy," Yuito started to explain, "first of all, it's a she, and she has a katana, with which she seems rather well merited. And I'm afraid she probably has… superpowers or magic, or… I don't know how to properly describe it."

"You sound more like you need some methadone," Daichi replied, "I'll tell one of the fatasses from downstairs to get you some."

"You don't believe me?" Yuito asked.

"You're one of the most sober guys I've known but that sounds hardly believable. I mean, superpowers?"

"Give me some time to explain then."

"Fine," Daichi said, taking a seat on a couch, "explain then."

He patted the seat next to him, but Yuito rebuffed him: "I'm sorry, but I'm not sitting closer to you than necessary."

"You wanna say I reek?"

"I wanna say you should keep your arms down or I'll pass out on you."

"Fair enough. Then, stand and explain."

"Alright," Yuito took a deep breath before he started, "do you know the urban legend about the Crosspoints? Those things that grant wishes?"

"Yeah, of course. Remember that a few years ago a few fatasses and me were actually trying to find one?"

"You should stop calling your gang The Fatasses."

"It has some ring to it."

"It doesn't."

"Fuck off."

"Anyhow, apparently, they only come to life every thousand years. When they are, they will be collected by people and eventually, two people with all the Crosspoints between them are supposed to fight a final battle. The last time this happened was exactly a thousand years ago, where two sisters girls fought that last battle. Those two girls are somehow still alive and one of them was the one that attacked me. And she did that, because I have one of those Crosspoints and because I can fight in that final battle. She apparently doesn't want that, and that's why she's trying to kill me now."

"Man," Daichi replied after listening to his story, "that sound mad amazing!"

"I know it's… wait what?"

"It's like a fantasy novel, that's awesome."

"Never took you to be into fantasy novels."

"I need something to pass my time as well."

"You can read?"

"You're not the only one who had a life before all of this happened, you know."

"You wanna talk about something too?"

"Not really," Daichi replied, "but anyhow, we need to get you a safe house."

"I… I thought this was a safe house?" Yuito asked confused, "I thought I could just stay here for a while?"

"Not really safe against a killer with superpowers. Plus, the fatasses down there are really unlikely to put up a fight should someone roll in with a sword or even a knife."

"Well, what do you suggest then?"

"Now I'm the one to tell an urban legend," Daichi started, "have you heard of the Garbage Queen?"

"Of course I have," Yuito replied. Every time a known guy disappeared from the streets, everybody joked they were taking in by the Garbage Queen, as a fancy way of saying that they died. The Garbage Queen, or at least her legend, was someone who took in homeless guys and girls and gave them shelter, food and clothes in exchange for their work. The thing, however, is that nobody ever saw her, or knew how to find her, if she even existed. But as the Crosspoints also existed, who was he to doubt that.

"Well, I might know how to find her," Daichi continued, "if anybody out here can keep you safe, it's her."

"Sounds like a plan," Yuito replied, "how do we go about this now?"

Apparently, Daichis plan had been to just take off and walk straight there, which was… a surprisingly good idea, considering Ava cannot possibly know his location at the moment and running into her was unlikely.

"Don't be nervous," Daichi said, "if anybody jumps on you, I'll break their arms while you run away as fast as you can."

"I'm really grateful you're doing this for me," Yuito said, "thank you a lot."

"Honor among thieves buddy, already said that once if I remember correctly," Daichi replied, "besides, I've been dying to meet the Garbage Queen. She's said to be smoking hot."

"You think she'd be into you?" Yuito joked.

"We'll see. Sounds a lot like my type," Daichi said, "hot and wealthy."

"I'm exited to seeing you dealing with her," Yuito said, "and really curious how this will play out."

"But enough of me, how have you been fairing in the circus?"

"Well, considering I only played four official duels so far and lost half of them, I'm doing rather well. People say I'm the next upcoming thing, especially since I'm using Ritual Monsters."

"So you made it? Straight out of the dumpster?"

"I mean, I still live in a tiny apartment and barely get paid. But considering where I've been before, it's a quantum leap."

"Sometimes I wish I was a good duelist," Daichi replied, "then maybe that would work out for me as well. But I've got my own room, goons who do my bidding and if anybody tells me to shower I can just break their jaws so… I think I'm good as is."

"Sounds like you're also better off than last time we've met," Yuito said and took a step to the side, "but I can confirm that nobody told you to shower since then."

"It's not far from here," Daichi said, brushing off Yuitos quip, "right this way."

He moved into a small, dark alleyway, until he reached a basement window which he gave five knocks in a specific rhythm. At first, Yuito wondered whether anybody, but then he saw that all the other windows were all smashed in and realized the one they were standing in front of was made of bulletproof glass.

It didn't take long for someone to answer: "How many and what do you want?"

"Two. My friend is in danger. He needs the queens help," Daichi answered, "I'm taking care of him till then."

"Come in," the voice said, opening the window and allowing Daichi and Yuito to squeeze themselves though. While the latter managed with relative easy, it took the former a few tries and helping hands from both sides.

They found themselves in a small basement room with just three doors at the sides and not much else to see, except from the two guys who helped them in.

"We'll have to search you," one of them said, "it's just for safety purposes."

Yuito could see that Daichi wanted to protest, so he quickly said "That's fine." and spread his arms so they could check him.

They both looked rather clean, they were dressed in rather simplistic black clothing, but look tidy and clean all over, had well kept hair and didn't smell as strongly as Daichi, so not at all what Yuito expected from formerly homeless guys. The Queen had taken really good care of them.

After searching both of them and only confiscating Daichis switchblade they pointed them towards the door right in front of them: "The Queen has been informed of your appearance. She will see you now."

The next room was slightly larger, furnished with couches, tables and cabinets, and a large armchair on a pedestal right across the room.

"May I present to you, the Garbage Queen," one of their guides said, pointing towards the arm chair. A blonde girl was casually lounging on it, her hair in a ponytail, white blouse, pearl necklace.

"Yuito," Jeanie said surprised, "What turn of events brought you to my side?"

It took him some time to process that Keijis sister was just sitting in front of him, so he just asked the first thing that came to his mind: "I thought you were out with Keiji?"

"I just returned, you got lucky," she replied, getting up from her chair.

"Wait," Daichi spoke up, "you know this goddess? I mean you know the Garbage Queen? Does that mean we could've saved this whole hassle and just went through the front door?"

"As a matter of fact not," Jeanie answered, before Yuito could react, "we met a while ago, but he had no idea of this profession of mine until just..."

When she got too close to Daichi during her explanation, she eventually stopped and held her nose, before pointing to her underlings: "You. Get this guy a shower, fresh clothes and lots of deodorant. You. Buy more air freshener."

"I'm not leaving Yuito. I promised to keep him safe," he replied, but he was cut short by Yuito.

"It's fine Daichi. I trust her," he said, "and you could really use a shower."

"If that's the case," Daichi complied, turning towards Jeanie, "anything for you."

After he had left with the two guys that let them in, Jeanie went and got a bottle of wine and two glasses from the cabinet. "Now that that is dealt with for now," she said, taking seat on one of the couches and prompting Yuito to sit next to her, "tell me what's wrong, and what you need from me. I'm a big fan of long stories."

And so Yuito told her the long story. From the very beginning when he encountered Tian in that alleyway. Over his duel with the police officer and his visions during the duel with Ever White. All until meeting Tian again in the dressing room and Avas attempt on his life.

"So," Jeanie eventually said after he was finished, "what are you gonna do then?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you gonna try and make a wish to the Crosspoints or are you gonna not?"

"I don't know yet," Yuito answered, "I mean, Ava tried to kill me, but that doesn't mean she's necessarily wrong and that bad things wouldn't happen if I wished to the Crosspoints."

"You said the entire gig takes place next Saturday?"

"The night between Saturday and Sunday. A few hours after your duel ends I presume."

"So if you were to hide until Saturday, then the convergence couldn't take place because there aren't all Crosspoints involved?"

"Yes. The Crosspoints in my card. I may have left my Duel Disk at my apartment, but at least I took the deck with me so nobody cannot get that."

"You don't have a Duel Disk at the moment?" Jeanie said, getting up and walking over to one of the cabinets, "can't let that be a thing. I think this color suits you."

When she turned back around to Yuito, he couldn't quite believe his eyes when she held a relatively new blue Duel Disk in her hands.

"Here, take this one," she handed the Disk over to Yuito, "it'll do for now."

"I cannot accept this," Yuito said, "this has to cost a fortune."

"Nah, I got this rather cheap," she replied, "besides, I have a few spare ones and doubt I can pass all of them out until Saturday."

"Why is it important you pass all of them out until your title duel?"

Jeanie took a moment of consideration before answering: "Can you keep a secret? Also, haven't you wondered why I took up this Garbage Queen thing?"

"Charity probably?" Yuito mused, "but I can indeed keep a secret."

"Charity comes rather close," Jeanie answered before lowering her voice, "we're gonna overthrow the king."

As Yuito was quite clearly at a loss of words, Jeanie just continued: "Look around. We're living in a city where 60 percent of the buildings are currently uninhabited. Poverty rate is shockingly high, 50 percent of our population is homeless, 70 percent of those are under the age of 25. This is not as things should be."

"I do realize that," Yuito said when he found his voice again, "but isn't a revolution a little drastic?"

"What else are we supposed to do? Get into politics?" Jeanie responded dismissively, "it's gonna be years until I could make real change, we need it now."

"And why you? And even how?"

"Why me? I ask you who else. Other people had years to solve those issues. Nobody did. I think I should get a shot," she explained, "and on the how, well. After I defeat Eivin this Saturday, everybody in this city will be watching me. I get to give a speech. Three guesses as to what I'm gonna use this speech for. The masses will have to rise up, and that's all I need."

"And what if they don't?"

"I have a contingency plan for that," she continued, "that also includes the Duel Disk I gave you. You know, regular Duel Disks have a limiter installed in them that tampers with the Solid Vision generator. It makes them less… everything. You know, how a hit from a giant just gives you a slight smack instead of crushing you into a bloody pulp."

"Carry on," Yuito said.

"The Duel Disks I've been handing out to my underlings can have that limiter disabled, and when they log into the system, they can spread a virus that disables the limiter of other Duel Disks within certain radius. We're gonna literally gonna fight against the state with our cards."

"So you're Summoning huge, real monsters and have them clash with the police?" Yuito asked in disbelief, "that's gonna cost hundreds of life."

"Sacrifices have to be made, sometimes," Jeanie said, "but I hope it doesn't get that far. I'm reckoning the police is gonna switch to our side either way, so we're only up against the kingsguard, which I can take care of on my own."

"Okay," Yuito tried to sort out what Jeanie just told him, "let's pretend you succeed. And then what?"

"I have a few concepts, to re-establish housing in the abandoned parts of the town and to re-educate the homeless," she said, "don't worry about that."

After Yuito kept quiet, Jeanie just continued: "Don't get me wrong, I don't want you to fight for me. Maybe your friend, only if he is up for it. I had this Duel Disk as excess. I have enough people to fight on the streets and spread the virus around, if there is the need for fighting. I'd never put you or Keiji in danger. He means too much to me, and you mean too much to him."

"That sounds… nice, thank you."

Jeanie wanted to continue talking, but she was interrupted by the ringtone of her Duel Disk: "Speaking of the devil. Keiji."

"He might be looking for me," Yuito said confused, "but I don't know how he knows I'm with you."

"I suppose we should find out," Jeanie said, before answering the call: "Hey brother, how's it hanging?"

At first, the speakers remained silent, before both of them could hear heavy, pained breathing, followed by a faint "help me". After a few seconds, the connection was cut off, leaving the pair of them in horrified silence.