WARNING! Mentions of alcohol!
Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 17: Back to Satellite
Yusei and I sat on his Duel Runner with helmets on and waited for the drop-off. I couldn't help but wrap my arms a bit tight around Yusei's waist. I was nervous about the drop. Would something go wrong and we would get hurt? I didn't doubt Yusei's skills with handling a Duel Runner, but I was still scared.
"Don't worry", Yusei spoke up, getting my attention. "I promise we won't get hurt."
"How did you know I was nervous?" I questioned as I lightened up the grip a bit.
"It's easy to tell when you try pushing last night's dinner up from my stomach", Yusei joked.
"Moron", I commented sarcastically with a small smile, grinding my right knuckle on his back.
Yusei chuckled, but his body went rigid when the cargo hatch opened behind us. He did a final check of his Duel Runner before he rolled the motorcycle backwards. I pulled up my feet and closed my eyes, preparing myself for the drop-off.
Next thing I knew, I felt my hair flying upward as we fell through the sky. My body jumped a bit when the Duel Runner hit the ground, but I never let go of Yusei's waist. I opened my eyes just as Yusei braked the Duel Runner and saw we were in an area that was full of mountains with junk and garbage.
"We made it…", I sighed in relief and leaned my forehead against Yusei's back. "Thank the Crimson Dragon…"
"Nice landin'!"
Yusei and I looked up to see another Duel Runner at the top of the biggest junk mountain. "Who's that?!" Yusei called before he gasped in disbelief. "Crow?!"
"You've got some explainin' to do, pal!" Crow called as he got off his Duel Runner and jumped down to us. "So start talkin'!"
I removed my arms around Yusei so he could get off his Duel Runner while he removed his helmet. He pushed the helmet into my hands as I remained on the Runner to see what those two were going to do.
The two young men raised their fists, looking ready to fight, but all they did was clapping their hands and bumped fists.
"Good to see you, Crow. What've you been up to?" Yusei asked.
"Aw, c'mon! You know me! Still fightin' a good fight! Robbin' the rich to feed the poor and all that!"
They patted each other's shoulders and laughed heartedly. It was a nice sight to see, but I didn't want to be left out, so I got off the Duel Runner and put Yusei's helmet down on the seat before taking mine off.
"So I see Sector Security got to ya", Crow commented, referring to the marker on Yusei's cheek.
"Well, yeah…", Yusei glanced up at Crow's Duel Runner. "I see you finally have your own Runner."
Crow turned to his motorcycle with a proud smile. "Yeah, I finished repairing her last year. She's a beauty, right?"
Finished repairing her? That sounded like he got the Blackbird Duel Runner from Pearson not so long time ago.
Crow turned back and noticed me as I walked up to the boys. "Who's this? Your girlfriend, Yusei?"
I would normally blush by the comment, but after hearing that so many times by now it just made me groan inwardly.
Yusei turned to me with a small smile. "Crow, this is Estelle Malmström. Estelle, this is Crow Hogan; one of my childhood friends."
"Nice to meet you, Crow", I greeted as I held my hand out for a handshake.
"Great meetin' ya too!" Crow grinned as he shook my hand. "I saw the rewind of the Fortune Cup. You almost beat Yusei, but he's always too stubborn to lose."
"I can lose a Duel once in a while, Crow", Yusei mumbled with a sheepish smile.
"But, anyways, are you two an item or somethin'?" Crow questioned.
"No, we're just friends", I shook my head.
"Well… That's a bummer", Crow frowned before shrugging. "Yusei's never been interested in the opposite gender for as long as I've known him."
"You don't have to tell her that, Crow", Yusei groaned.
Crow chuckled before giving us a thumbs up. "Hey, what'd you say we hit the streets?"
Yusei and I returned to the red Duel Runner while Crow climbed up the mountain of junk to get to his Runner. We put on our helmets and the boys drove off to the streets of Satellite. It was just morning and early noon, but the streets were empty. It was usually full at this time of hour from what I could remember when I lived in Yusei's hideout.
We reached to the middle of a street and got off the Duel Runners to sit on a half-destroyed bridge to have a conversation instead of talking while driving. Yusei and I explained to Crow why the two of us participated in the Fortune Cup in the first place.
"So Goodwin captured your friends and forced you to Duel in that tournament?" Crow questioned in slight disbelief.
"Now I need to make sure they're safe", Yusei nodded.
"Well then, let's head over to your old hideout", Crow suggested.
I looked around at the empty square of the street. "Hey, Crow. How come the streets are so empty?"
"These creepy cads have been coming around lately", Crow explained. "Like down there. Look…"
He pointed at two black-cloaked men who were walking towards an alleyway with a small group of people behind them. The people looked like they were hypnotized because the way they moved their bodies reminded me of zombies.
"They spout these wacky teachings and things, trying to round up followers", Crow continued. "I hear they're gathering everyone deep within Satellite."
"Wait, you mean underground?" Yusei questioned.
"Things have gotten weird here, Yusei. Weirder than usual", Crow nodded.
"Then we better look into this…", Yusei mumbled as he turned to me.
I nodded softly. "It must be related to them."
XXXXXXXXXX
We reached the street where Yusei had the hideout without any issues. He and Crow drove down the stairs to the old subway and drove through the tunnels until we reached the hideout. The lights were on, so someone was there. Three familiar heads peeked out from the wooden shelter before their frowns were replaced with smiles.
"Yusei! Estelle!" Rally exclaimed in joy. "You came back!"
"Hey there, you two!" Nervin waved his arms.
"What a surprise", Blister chuckled.
"Yusei?! Estelle?!" Tank's voice echoed from an old subway cart that was next to the hideout.
"Seriously?!" Blitz exclaimed in disbelief.
Yusei and I got off the Runner and removed our helmets. "Did we miss anything?" Yusei asked.
"Long time no see, boys", I waved my hand before I put on my glasses.
Rally rushed straight to Yusei and wrapped his arms around his waist. "Hey, the craziest thing happened to us last week, Yusei! You won't believe it!"
"Well, now that we're back here at Satellite, we're going to set things straight", Yusei chuckled as he patted Rally's head.
Rally removed his arms from Yusei before he gave me a hug as well. "I missed you both so much!"
I smiled gently as I patted his head. "Have you been looking after the others, Rally?"
"You bet I did!" Rally grinned with a big toothy smile.
"Blister, thanks for helping me out with my friends", Yusei nodded to the man.
"No worries, Yusei", Blister smiled.
I let go of Rally and turned around to see Crow getting off his Duel Runner before taking off his helmet, surprising the others. "Is this an exclusive club, or can anyone join?" he asked.
"Hey, Crow!" Tank and Blitz exclaimed simultaneously when they saw the newcomer.
"I didn't recognize you with the helmet and bike!" Nervin commented.
"Yeah, Yusei's not the only Turbo-charged Duelist in Satellite anymore", Crow grinned proudly as he turned to Yusei. "Right?"
The peace got broken by the noise of sirens and a voice calling through a megaphone from topside. "This is Security! ID number 8WX74098, give yourself up!"
"Heh, and he's not the only one with a knack for ticking off Sector Security either…", Crow commented as he scratched the marker on his left cheek.
I looked up at the crack in the ceiling before I saw a round item falling into the tunnel. "Look out!"
The others didn't react in time, but the bomb exploded and released a cloud of smoke. I grabbed my jacket and kept it over my nose and mouth to not breathe it in.
"They're trying to smoke us out!" Nervin shouted before coughing by the smoke.
"We need to split up!" Crow suggested. "Let's meet at the Daedalus Bridge in two hours! That's where my hideout is!"
"Okay!" all of us nodded.
"C'mon, Crow! Don't make this difficult! You can't escape this time!"
The two Turbo Duelists hurried to their Duel Runners and put on the helmets before driving out of the tunnel.
"Let's go!" Blister told the boys. "You guys know where this Daedalus Bridge is?"
"Yep, we do!" Rally nodded as he grabbed my hand.
"Then let's move out, boys!" I called.
XXXXXXXXXX
We ran across the streets, but made sure to hide if we ever spotted Security patrolling nearby. We made it to a huge crack that separated Satellite from the B.A.D. area where Crow was living. The only way to get to B.A.D. was by walking across a highly insecure rope and wooden bridge. We came up with the idea to let one person walk first and once there was some distance, the next person would walk on it, and repeat.
When it was my turn, I made sure to hold onto the railing while keeping my head up to stare forward. I had to repeat in my head not to look down, but that made me just more nervous.
"Tank, stop shakin' the bridge!" Nervin called, frightened and nervous, from the front as he stopped walking and looked over his shoulder. "Everyone's gonna fall!"
"Will ya stop sayin' that, Nervin?!" Tank retorted irritably.
"Just keep walkin', okay?" Blitz shouted.
"Easy for you to say!" Nervin spat irritably as he continued to walk. "This bridge breaks; I'm the first one down!"
"We've gotta get across! It's the only place in Satellite we'll be safe", Tank told Nervin.
"Even Sector Security won't come out here", Blitz added.
I walked behind Blitz as Rally stayed close to me, but kept the proper distance. "Why is that?"
"The B.A.D. area is where the most vicious criminals hide and stash the stolen goods", Blitz replied.
"If it's that bad… No pun intended, then why is Crow staying here?" I questioned. "I mean, he's got the Duel Runner that could be the jackpot for many criminals."
"Beats me", Blitz shrugged.
"Just great", Blister commented sarcastically. "We're going somewhere worse than that rat-infested bunker you call a hangout?"
"Look! The bridge!" Rally shouted suddenly. "It's beautiful."
I looked over my shoulder to see the young boy pointing at something in the distance. I turned back and spotted the construction of the old Daedalus Bridge that became a huge symbol for Satellite.
"They say one day, it'll connect Satellite with New Domino City", Tank told me and Blister. "After that, everything will be better."
A wind blew by which reminded us that we were still on an unstable bridge. "Let's save the chitchat for later and hurry off the bridge", Blitz suggested.
"I'm all for it!" Nervin shouted.
Once we were off the bridge, it took around half an hour to reach Crow's hideout. We encountered a few criminals, but they left us alone. One of them even warned us the creepy guys in black cloaks had been seen nearby. That was useful information. Rally and the others asked me if I knew something about those black-hooded people, but I told them Yusei and I would explain everything once we were at the hideout.
When we made it to the hideout, it was all quiet. Not even the kids that Crow looked after peeked out from the huts and ruined buildings to see who had come. It was a good thing the Blackwing Duelist had taught them about stranger danger.
"We were supposed to meet Yusei here…", Rally mumbled as he stayed close to me. "Do you think something happened to him?"
"I'm sure he's fine", Blister assured the boy. "Let's just wait."
"I hate waitin'!" Blitz clicked his tongue.
"What if he's caught?!" Tank exclaimed in shock by the thoughts. "And what if we never see him again?!"
"Quiet!" Blitz snarled at the big guy. "What are you tryin', jinx us or somethin?!"
I felt my Mark throbbing in a gentle way, giving me the signs that Yusei was nearby. "Don't worry, he's coming."
Just after I said that, we heard two Duel Runner engines roaring as they came closer. I turned to the noise and saw Crow and Yusei appear by a corner.
"Hey, look!" Rally called. "They're here!"
"And not a single scratch on them", I smiled in relief.
Rally waved his arms at the arrivers. "Hey, Yusei!"
"Crow's back!" several voices shouted all of the sudden, scaring us all.
I turned around and saw five children running out from the huts, all of them smiling and waving their arms to Crow like a hero's welcome. I was surprised to see the five children that were usually with Crow after the Dark Signers war, since in the anime he looked after at least eight to ten children. They rushed past us as we looked at them interacting with Crow. A little puppy also ran out from the shelters and joined the children, wagging its tail at the sight of the "big brother". The orphans were asking him if he had any new cards for them or even some candy.
"What're you talkin' about?" Crow questioned sarcastically after he took off his helmet. "You guys want more of my cards? Look at me. You see a beard and red hat? I'm not Santa Claus." That caused the children to beg, giving him puppy eyes. "Hold on. Hold on. Well, I don't have cards, but I brought something even better." He turned to Yusei and raised his arm towards him. "May I present to you; Yusei the new Turbo Duel champion!"
Yusei took off his helmet before the children gathered around him, excited and thrilled to see the new champion. They were praising and telling him how they watched him on television when he won the Fortune Cup.
"I want an autograph!"
"I saw your Duel! I watched it ten times!"
"Aw man, this is so cool!"
"Hey, try and be careful with the poor guy", Crow chuckled, enjoying the sight of the happy children. "He's not some kinda stuffed animal, you know."
"Where'd those kids come from?" Rally questioned, but his voice told me he was a bit jealous that the children had Yusei's attention. "Look at 'em! It's like they've never seen a Duelist before. I mean, it's just Yusei." He clicked his tongue. "C'mon!"
"Jealous?" I asked Rally while patting his head.
"No!" Rally pouted and looked away, making me giggle.
"But maybe… If I got his autograph, then…", Tank spoke before chuckling mischievously and rubbed his hands together. "I'd sell it online and get rich!"
Rally didn't like that idea and kicked Tank on his buttocks, making him yelp out in pain. He jumped around a bit while rubbing his sore backside. Blister, Nervin, and Blitz laughed at the comical scene.
"Atta boy", I praised Rally with a grin while placing my fist against my right hip. "That will teach him to think twice next time."
Rally grinned proudly as he clapped the invisible dust off his hands. "That's what I'm good at."
"He's strong for a kid…", Tank commented while still rubbing his buttocks.
I turned my attention around when I felt someone tugging my jacket. I glanced down and saw it was the little girl with brown hair tied in a low ponytail and brown eyes. I think her name was Kokoro.
"Are you Estelle who Dueled in the Fortune Cup?" Kokoro asked shyly.
I squatted down to her eye level. "Yes, that's me."
Kokoro's eyes shone in joy. "Do you really have Blue-Eyes White Dragon? The same dragon you used in the tournament?"
I smiled softly and patted Kokoro's head. "Yes, I have it."
Kokoro grinned widely before looking over her shoulder. "Hey, guys! Estelle really has Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
That caused the children around Yusei to freeze for a second. They turned their attention at me before they rushed over while begging me to show them my Blue-Eyes White Dragon. I could see on Yusei's face that he was a bit relieved not to have the children around him, but he was still smiling at them as they gathered around me.
"Wow, it's Estelle!"
"Do you really have Kaiba Seto's Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"
"I wanna see it!"
"Are you a Kaiba?!"
I giggled at their enthusiasm before waving my hands to calm them down. "Okay, children. I'll show you Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
XXXXXXXXXX – Yusei's POV
"Wait, did I miss somethin'?" Crow blinked confusedly. "Estelle has the mythical Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"
"Yep", I nodded as I got off the Duel Runner. "Didn't you watch the Fortune Cup?"
"I only watched the rewind of the final part when you and Estelle Dueled each other and then the Turbo Duel with you and Jack", Crow confessed. "So I didn't watch the whole thing yet."
"Come forth, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" Estelle called.
I looked up to see the summoning gate appear in the sky before Blue-Eyes White Dragon came out and landed on the ground behind Estelle, kicking up some dust. The children eyed the dragon in awe. Even Crow got stunned by the sight.
"It's really Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" one of the boys exclaimed in joy.
"Amazing! I've always wanted to see Kaiba's dragon!" one of the two girls in the group confessed.
Estelle giggled at the children before she turned around to face Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The Monster lowered its head to her before she rested her head against its muzzle while wrapping her arms around him with a gentle smile. I blinked my eyes when I realized something.
Estelle's body didn't go through the hologram. Did she possess psychic powers like Aki and could make Duel Monsters real? Was it part of her Priestess powers?
XXXXXXXXXX
We sat on rolled sleeping bags around a small campfire Crow set up in the evening. He then tried putting the children to bed, but when he failed, he let them play around for a while. I even allowed them to play with my Duel Runner as long as they took it easy. Crow joined us with a few bottles of beer which he gave to Tank, Blitz, Nervin, and Blister. He offered a bottle to me and Estelle, but both of us declined. I wasn't the type to drink alcohol. I remembered the old times when Crow, Jack, Kalin, and I were in the Enforcers and how we were "silly" teenagers back then who tried some "adult stuff", such as drinking different types of alcohol whenever we found an intact bottle and smoking cigarettes. One time, I drank until I got intoxicated, and I woke up the next morning with the worst headache ever. That was when I promised myself to never drink again.
Estelle and I told our friends about the Dark Signers and the threat that could devastate Satellite.
"So what you're tellin' us is that these Dark Signers want to destroy the Satellite Sector?" Nervin asked after we finished explaining.
"That's right, Nervin", I nodded. "Estelle and I saw a vision of it when I was Dueling Jack in the tournament."
"If it's true, what do we do?" Blitz questioned.
"I know!" Tank raised his hand. "We go home, pack up, and then use that pipeline to get outta here!"
"Sounds good to me", Nervin agreed. "If these Dark Signers are here, we should all go over there. I'm good with a Deck, but once the shuffling part's done it's all downhill after that."
"You okay, Estelle?" Rally spoke up.
I turned my eyes to Estelle who sat silently and stared deeply at the flames of the campfire. She looked like she was in a trance, but she snapped out of it when she heard her name.
"Pardon, Rally?" she blinked her eyes.
"You looked pretty lost there just now", Rally said concernedly. "You worried or somethin'?"
Estelle gave Rally a small smile. "Yes, I am worried. It's just…" She let out a sigh and lowered her tense shoulders. "The Dark Signers…want to kill me."
"WHAT?!" everyone, except me, gasped in shock.
"Why's that?" Nervin asked. "Did you do somethin' to tick them off?"
Estelle turned her eyes at me, giving me a look that said "We-should-tell-them". I agreed to it and gave her a nod.
"No. They want her gone because of her powers", I told our friends.
"What powers?" Blitz raised an eyebrow.
I pulled down my glove and then pulled the sleeve of my jacket up to reveal my Mark. The others stared at it confusedly.
"Since when'd you get a tattoo, Yus?" Tank asked.
"It looks like that glowing mark you had back in the Daimon Area when the Witch showed up", Blister pointed out.
"It's the Mark of the Crimson Dragon", I explained. "There's a legend of five Signers who have the marks of the Crimson Dragon's body parts. Remember Jack's Mark that looks like a pair of wings? That's his Mark."
"Jack's also a Signer?!" Nervin gasped in shock, connecting the dots together fast.
"Who would've thought that…", Blitz commented.
"It's up to us Signers to defeat the Dark Signers before they destroy Satellite", I continued. "But we can't do that alone. That's where Estelle comes in."
Estelle rolled up the sleeve of her top to reveal her Star Mark. "I have the Mark of the Crimson Star, and that makes me the Crimson Star Priestess."
Rally leaned in closer to look at Estelle's Mark. "You're part of the Signers?"
"In a way, yes", Estelle nodded. "I'm supposed to be the motherly figure for the Signers and use my powers to create miracles when all hope seems lost."
"So the Dark Signers want you gone because of your powers to create miracles", Blister concluded before he turned to me. "Yusei, you better look after her from now on."
"I will", I nodded determinedly before I reached over to Estelle and put a hand on her shoulder. "Estelle, no matter what happens, I'll be there for you, okay?"
Estelle nodded slowly with a shy smile. "Thank you, Yusei. I appreciate it. And I'll be there for you and the other Signers as well."
She looked cute while being shy… Wait. Where did that thought come from?
"You know I'm with you, Yusei", Crow nodded. "A crow never backs away from a fight, and I've got my nest to protect." He took a quick glance at the children still inspecting my Runner. "But if they damage your bike, just say the word, pal! And they're gone! Seriously, I mean it!"
"That's not true!" Kokoro called before she threw her arms around Crow's shoulders from behind. "You'll always protect us!"
The children had lost interest of my Duel Runner and decided to join us by the campfire.
"Can you tell us a goodnight story, Crow?" Taiga asked.
"How about a scary one?" Ginga suggested.
"But you're afraid of the dark and you always run off before he gets to finish it", Kokoro blew a raspberry at the two boys.
Crow chuckled, "How about I tell the one about 'The Bridge to Nowhere'?"
"Tell it!" the children chanted eagerly.
Crow told the tale of the Mystery Man who started building the Daedalus Bridge to connect it to New Domino City for a better future for the people in Satellite. It was an old story that Martha used to tell me, Jack, and Crow at bedtime when we were kids and lived in her orphanage. The story became an inspiration for the three of us to one day unite Satellite with New Domino City. That story symbolized hope; something many people in Satellite had given up on a long time ago.
"No one ever saw him again. Duel Runners were ruled illegal in Satellite, and to this day the bridge remains unfinished…", Crow finished the storytelling.
"Someone must know where he is!" Rally growled, referring to the Mystery Man. "Who can just fly away into thin air?!"
"I don't know, Rally", Crow shook his head. "He did what he meant to do. He gave us hope. But if you want to find him…"
"Just look in your heart!" Crow and the orphans said simultaneously as they held their hands close to their hearts.
"I love that story", Tank commented. "Though, I wish he was able to finish the bridge."
"Someday. And until then, we got campfires and ghost stories", Blitz chuckled.
"I just noticed… Your Duel Runner has a pair of wings too", Rally told Crow when he took a closer look at the black Runner.
"Oh, well, of course! I'm the stranger", Crow joked.
"You are?!" the children exclaimed in surprise.
"Just kiddin'!" Crow grinned before shooing them with his hands. "Okay, time for bed! The adults need to talk."
"Like me!" Rally imitated Crow.
"But he's not even grown-up!" Taiga glared at Rally.
"He's still in diapers!" Ginga taunted.
"Hey!" Rally growled, feeling offended.
Estelle giggled softly before she got up and walked over to the children. "Come on, little ones. I'll sing a lullaby for you if you are good kids."
"Yay, a lullaby!" Kokoro cheered happily before she grabbed Estelle's hand.
Estelle followed Kokoro to one of the several huts where the other kids waited for them. I watched them walk into the hut as the light inside dimmed a bit.
"Is it just me, or did Estelle change in a way while you two were in New Domino City, Yusei?" Nervin commented as he adjusted his glasses.
"What do you mean, Nervin?" I asked.
"I don't know, it's just…", Nervin shrugged. "Something feels different about her."
"Is it because of her miracle powers? 'Cause we seriously are gonna need them against the Dark Signers", Tank stated.
"Maybe it's just her motherly side that showed up now because of the kids", Blister chuckled. "Don't forget; she's a woman."
"Thank you, Blister, for tellin' us something we're already aware of", Blitz said sarcastically.
Before we knew it, we heard Estelle singing to Crow's children inside the hut. We snapped our heads to that direction and listened closely. I held back a smile when I realized it was a nursery rhyme, sounding similar to a few Martha used to sing when I was a child.
I noticed the others had closed their eyes to enjoy the song, so I did the same. It wasn't every day we got to hear someone singing.
And Estelle was good at it.