Lise fell into step beside Yusei. They didn't have a clear direction or destination. Goodwin's garden was rather wanderer friendly.

"So about the whole being related to Goodwin thing?"

She cringed heavily. Hands clenched, grimacing, and shaking. The thought alone was disgusting. "Still gross."

"He was probably lying. It's what Goodwin does," Yusei suggested.

Lise shook her head. Leaning her shoulder moodily on the nearest tree. A palm tree. No doubt imported to show off more of Goodwin's wealth.

"He wasn't lying."

Yusei did a double take, whirling around to join her at the tree. "He wasn't? What – You're sure?"

"He doesn't have anything to gain from admitting it. He finally told us the truth because, even though we stormed his gates, he doesn't want the world to end either."

Her brow was knotted so deeply, Yusei had the sudden urge to want to untangle not just her eyebrows, but all these truths. If Goodwin had already spilled all, then there wasn't any reason to try to intimidate him further. Really took the air out of one's sails. Lise was right.

"I just wish I was the one that got to punch him," Lise cracked her knuckles pointedly. One eyebrow raised at him now.

"You still can," Yusei reminded her with a laugh. "He definitely deserves to be punched in the face again."

"If we end up saving the world, I have one saved for him then."

"For not telling you the truth sooner?"

"That and being a terrible uncle."

"Lise," Yusei's tone had dropped. Much more serious. "It doesn't matter who you're related to. No one thinks of you any differently."

"No?"

Yusei offered her his hand. Heart skipping a beat when she took it. He gently pulled them further along into the garden. "If anything it makes him even worse. Guy couldn't even stick around and be an actual family member or guardian. No wonder he had to surround himself with all this beauty in his mansion. He gave up so much of it a long time ago."

Lise was suddenly extremely grateful to be out of his direct eyeline. She was certain Yusei would see steam coming off her burning face.

That's practically three times Yusei's called me beautiful.

She pulled her hands to her cheeks to hit herself back to her senses. Lise had to keep her hands and head busy or she'd do something stupid. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea.

When Yusei looked back to see how far she'd fallen behind, Lise was more…task focused than behind. She'd already plucked a small handful of flowers as she walked along. Weaving them together slowly.

"Thanks." She shot Yusei a smile as she walked past. "It feels like a limbo sometimes. Like I'm not saving the world for dipshits like him, but for all the more people like you and our friends."

"L-Like me?" Yusei stammered, processing her words. Distracted he didn't notice Lise moving ahead into the large, hedge maze Goodwin also had on his property. "Uh, Lise?"

"You – ya know, um…" Her voice sounded nervous even through a wall of greenery. "You're nice…"

"That's kind of a low bar for humanity," Yusei joked, setting about following Lise's voice through the maze.

"Shit," Lise swore under her breath. "Dead end." She backtracked as she mulled over the other dead end she'd backed herself into. "I mean, you're really smart too, w-with machines, I guess."

"You guess?"

He'd been teasing her. And now she was just making herself look like an even bigger idiot by the second.

She couldn't say all the real things trying to burst out of her chest. It'd sound stupid anyway. All the little things she loved about him. Worse: it'd make her want to inappropriately kiss him.

"I think just the…the small things you do to make your friends happy is really a-a-admirable," Lise finally settled on.

A pause. "Hmm, don't stop now."

Lise rolled her eyes. "No way, now you're just being a dick and milking it!"

His laugh. "Okay, guilty!"

Finally, Lise made it out of the maze. Grassy clearings rolled across the rooftop up to the back door. Grasses dotted with various, more traditionally wild-grown flowers. Even a few that could be classified as weeds, like daisies and buttercups. Goodwin's gardener was slacking.

Yusei found her shortly after, sitting in the grass, working on her weaving. The open back of her new shirt and the Dragon Seal reminding him of the gruesome task ahead of them.

They might not all make it.

"Lise, I… I'm…This fight has me really scared." He sat in the grass beside her.

"Me too," she admitted. Fingers pausing for a minute. "It's going to be painful."

Yusei tapped the back of her hand with his fingertips. "But we'll be fighting together, right?"

"Right," Lise sighed. Despite her misgivings, his warmth was comforting. She flipped over her creation between her hands a few times before resting it squarely on Yusei's head.

She'd crafted a flower crown. Woven golden and yellow flowers together. Large, soft flowers she'd collected back in the main gardens for the main part, and the tiny buttercups from the fields braided in the edges.

Yusei struggled with the urge to see the crown and the desire to see himself with it on, but it was infinitely better, he decided, to see the smile on Lise's face.

"It matches your gold streaks," she laughed. Her fingers running through the aforementioned hair of his.

"It-It doesn't look weird?"

"No, like a real king of gold flowers."

"Then, would you be my queen?" Yusei held up the single flower he'd picked. An orange flower with large petals.

Lise's hands froze. Cheeks pink. "Your…?" She let him tuck her hair and the flower by her ear. This couldn't be…He was just teasing again…right?

"Oh, excellent work, Lisie. Just like we used to make with Cerise!" Fish slid in between them with narrowed eyes, examining the flower crown handiwork. "An impromptu coronation before we go isn't a bad idea."

Jack had heard king and coronation and had appeared out of nowhere to block the sun with his height. "I wouldn't say no to a crown!"

"Okay, well if I'm gonna make more, I'll need a full stomach," Lise sighed in relief. She brushed herself off and hurried away before anyone could protest.

Thank god for Fish's cock blocking.

/

The twins and Aki were just finishing up when Lise walked in.

"Hey!"

"Somebody's feeling better."

"Much," Lise agreed, sitting down with her plate. "Future events not considered, of course."

"This is new," Aki gently caressed one of the flower petals in Lise's hair. "Did someone have fun exploring the gardens?"

"Uh… Uh huh."

"They're big, right?!" Rua's hazel eyes were wide, buzzing with excitement. "It's like a maze!"

"There is a maze out there. I met Jack, Fish and Yusei on the other side."

"Come on, Ruka, let's go!" The boy grabbed his sister and raced outdoors like he was afraid of missing some action.

Aki smiled at her friend once they'd left. "Is Yusei doing better too? He was worried about you."

"I think so. It won't be easy, dueling Kiryu again, but if anyone can get through to him, it's Yusei.

"How are you doing?"

"Better, but I'm itching to see this garden once you're done. We've still got some time to goof off before we stop the end of the world, so I plan to enjoy it," Aki declared, crossing her arms. "And apparently so does Fish. She's on a rampage lately."

"I noticed," Lise laughed, finishing off the last of her brunch. "I made a flower crown like we used to when we were kids, and she demanded I make more for everyone."

"I can help with that. Let's go!"

Lise enclosed one of the other meals in its provided box. Slipping in a fork before she sealed the paper wedge openings closed.

She directed Aki through the gardens and the maze. Allowing her friend to stop and marvel at all the different flowers. Especially the roses. Aki was adamant about picking out colors for everyone.

"So…do you like Yusei?" Aki asked halfway through the maze.

"Wha?" Lise practically tripped on a root. "N-No! Why would you ask that?"

Aki shrugged nonchalantly. A bit too nonchalantly. "Just thought I noticed something. What if he likes you?"

"He doesn't. Besides, I've been trying to avoid spending too much time around everyone."

"What're you, contagious? What're you talking about?" Aki's smile dropped. Her almond eyes narrowed at her friend. This was a strange thing to say when they needed to be a united team.

Lise kicked at the ground. "We don't know what's ahead of us. I want you all to make it out of this and be happy."

"Even if that removes your happiness from the equation?" Aki whirled around to find herself alone in the maze.

/

"Hey, you guys!" Rua and Ruka joined the others. "Are you ready for this? I can't wait to watch you take those Dark Signers down! It's gonna be so totally awesome! You're the best!"

"Thanks," Yusei smiled at the twins.

"I already feel exhausted and we haven't done much of anything today," Ruka admitted quietly to Yusei.

"It's the calm before the storm, Ruka. It's always nerve wracking."

Rua had redirected his attention. "You're awesome too, Jack, even though you're not the best anymore."

Jack's eyes blazed dangerously as he glared at Rua. "Just cuz I lost doesn't mean I'm not the best!"

"Don't worry. I still look up to you and everything!"

"Look you, I'm always gonna be the best. Do you understand me?"

"Okay, but technically Yusei is the best now!" Rua pointed out with a grin.

"Technically nothing, you worm, I'm the best."

"You lost the championship. That makes you number two!"

"I dunno, I'd put both of them at the bottom of the junk pile," Fish tapped her chin in mock consideration.

"Whereas I on the other hand…" she tipped her hat off like an old-fashioned gentlemen. "Have chosen to grace you with my presence."

Jack rolled his eyes. "Thank you, your majesty."

"Yeah," Yusei said, genuinely trying to maintain calm and seriousness. "Thanks. For earlier. I really needed-"

"Can it, Crabby," Fish snapped. "Don't go getting mushy. This changes nothing. Except that I'm better than you."

"I suppose there's no question of you coming with us?" Jack ventured.

"Course not! Who would supply the comic relief if I didn't come along?"

"How about Yusei stumbling over never being able to tell Lise he likes her?" Jack suggested.

Yusei rounded on him so fast the flowers still in his hair whipped around. "It would be easier if some people would stop interrupting!"

Ruka clasped her hands over her chest. "You like Lise?!"

"Yusei likes Lise! Yusei likes Lise!" Rua taunted in a sing-songie voice.

"Yeah? So what if I do?!"

Jack put up his hands in surrender. "Nothing, mate. Better you than me."

"I still say Lise can do better," Fish shook her head.

Rua shrugged. "I mean, I don't really get it? But Lise is awesome and fun, like you, Yusei."

"And pretty, and smart," Ruka added.

Yusei put his red face in his hands. "Thanks guys."

"We brought more flowers!" Aki announced her and Lise's return. "Who else wants a flower crown?!"

They were swarmed by the twins, Jack and Fish demanding colors and flowers for their own crowns. The gardens had never been so noisy.

Lise made sure to sneak Yusei the little box of food she'd swiped from Goodwin's buffet. Couldn't have him as the only one who hadn't eaten lunch.

Despite the distance between them, and Fish giving him the stink eye, Yusei was content for the time being to watch Lise enjoy herself as he ate. She and Aki made a red crown for her, pink for Ruka, light blue for Rua, white for Jack, and dark blue for Fish. Lise kept her one orange flower tucked with a lock of hair behind her ear.

/

Black shadows surrounded the island of the Satellite. Purple lights erupted from the giant crater that used to be the Old Reactor.

Even Crow and Lazar could see it. "Whoa! What's happening? Do you think it's the Dark Signers?"

Lazar's knees knocked and his hands shook. The quaking of the Earth had nothing to do with it. "I'm not sure, but I'm not planning on sticking around so I can find out! Have fun, Crow! It's been… BYE!"

The clown ran pell-mell out of the abandoned factory.

"Hey! You can't just run away! We're in the middle of a duel!" Crow protested as he gave chase.

"Fine, you win! Congratulations! I'll send you a gift basket!"

"That's not how it works, you clown-faced cheater!" Crow threw his grappling hook at Lazar's head.

"Some things are more important than dueling, Crow, like my life!"

Lazar thrust his hand up at the sky. A large yellow sheet that expanded into a large yellow balloon popped out of his sleeve.

"It's been a pleasure, but I wouldn't hold my breath for that rematch!" Lazar called down as he flew off into the sky.

"What's your hurry?!" Crow yelled back up at him. "What do you see? Get back down here and duel me!"

The ground shook even harder and black fog rolled out of the Old Reactor crater like black gooey quick sand.

"Hey, wait for me!" Crow ran as fast as he could for his runner. He didn't even slow down as he popped his duel disk into his runner and sped off. "What is that?! It's everywhere!"

The smoke was so thick it blocked out the sun as it rolled over the decimated city of Satellite.

"Come on!" Crow ground his teeth together. Whatever that stuff was it was gaining! "Just a little faster! I can't catch a break! First it was clowns, now it's clouds!"

In seconds the entire island was deserted. Cards were abandoned on the street, black smoke drifting everywhere, food and water neglected, Crow's runner on its side and riderless. Nobody to be found…

/

"You need to see this," Mikage said. She adjusted the large monitor to display Satellite.

A collective gasp went through the Signers and company. Every screen depicted a dark, empty city. Darker than usual without even a single sign of people.

Lise scowled at the display. Looks like the bubble of happiness has burst. Time for the real fight.

"Everyone's vanished," Aki murmured.

"It looks like a ghost town," Rua said.

Yusei spoke next. "It has to be the Dark Signers."

"Yeah," Jack agreed. "Can we fly in?"

"I think so, but it's dangerous."

"Really? I was expecting a welcome party," Fish said. "Fanfare. Balloons. Maybe some cake."

"Our scans don't penetrate," Mikage continued, ignoring Fish. "We could lose our video feed at any second."

Just as she finished speaking, every monitor in the room turned to a mess of fuzz.

"Well, I've heard enough. We should be going right now. It sure beats sitting here and doing nothing, you hear me?"

"Of course. I'll call the helicopter, but Jack, we have no idea what's waiting for you over there."

/

At the sight of the helicopter on the landing pad, Ruka took a deep breath. "Well, this is it."

"Yeah…"

"Jack, can I ask you a question?"

"I'd prefer you not," Jack snapped moodily at Mikage.

"We both know that the Dark Signers love revenge and anger."

"Your point being they might be able to use that against me? Carly's out there somewhere. I just know it. And I'm gonna get her back even if it means taking out every Dark Signer that dares get in my way."

"Let's stay on task," Goodwin broke in. He had elected to say goodbye to the Signers and Vessel before the departed on their impossible task. His chin bruised a deep purple. "You need to get to the original Ener-D reactor in the Satellite."

"Original what now?" Fish asked.

"It's the source of the negative energy that caused this dark smoke to appear, and in a twist of fate, it was built by Yusei's father."

"I thought you were going to tell us everything, Goodwin," Lise spat at him. Her expression close to murderous.

Yusei stepped up beside her. Fists clenched. "Yeah, if anyone else has a connection to all this, now is the time to fess up."

"This is the one chance you have to heal the mistakes of the past, Yusei," Goodwin continued smoothly. Completely ignoring the clear threat of violence from both teenagers.

"And now all of you have the chance to make things right again. You must beat the Dark Signers and find the reactor. Then, if you're able, activate it in reverse. Hopefully, this will create a surge of positive energy and imprison the shadow army again."

A helicopter descended on the landing pad before everyone.

"I've arranged for special transportation to the Satellite sector. I believe you already know the pilot."

"Reporting as ordered," Trudge reported, saluting from the boarding station on the whirly bird. "We're fully fueled and ready for take-off."

"That's excellent."

"Seriously? Him again?" Fish complained.

"What? I'm supposed to fly you?!" Trudge pointed at Lise and Yusei. "I've had enough with them! You want me to fly them to Satellite? Well, you can forget it!"

"Officer Trudge, nice to see you," Mikage greeted sweetly.

"Oh Mikage, it's so good to see you too," Trudge replied quickly, regaining his composure. "Did you get the flowers I sent you?"

"Of course I did. You should probably know that I'm flying too."

"You are?" Trudge said dreamily. A light smattering of blush appeared on his cheeks.

"We're good to go. Now let's board up."

"We're not going anywhere yet, Goodwin," Yusei hadn't budged. "Even now you're still withholding information while we go out to fix wrongs that clearly were made by people connected to us."

"Yeah, you told us we had the whole story, and now you throw some junk about Yusei's dad in the mix? What's next, you found my dad?"

Goodwin's cryptic smile was less than comforting. "I believe I'm not obligated to tell you anything I don't think is relevant to your mission."

"Why you-"

"Fine," Yusei cut off Lise from telling Goodwin what would no doubt have been an accurate string of insults.

I have a better idea.

"Then let's make a deal instead."

"A deal?"

"If we're successful and save the world, you need to finish that bridge connecting the Satellite and the city. People have a right to be free."

"It may not even be possible to do what you ask, Yusei."

"Why?"

"For years the people of the Satellite and the city have lived far apart. It's a way of life everyone accepts. Change takes time."

"It also needs someone to take the first step," Lise argued. "It would mean a lot more for your hoity-toity ass to make the move than it would for any of us."

"Right," Aki nodded, smirking at the Director. "And I can have my father, the Senator, support you."

Goodwin stared at the group of kids and teenagers before him. He didn't understand the flower crowns, but he did understand adolescent stubbornness. Even the twins, in their own way, were clearly not going to take no for an answer.

Goodwin nodded slowly. "Very well. I'll build the bridge."

"Let's move it, pretty boy!" Trudge commanded from the helicopter's side. "There's no time to waste!"

"Good luck, everyone! The fate of the world is in your hands…"

Despite Trudge and Goodwin's insistence to hurry, they didn't. It was stupid, they all knew it deep down, but the majority of them didn't have many people that would miss them should they not return. They aligned their flower crowns on the grass, as far away as they could get from the helipad. Lise placing her single flower inside Yusei's crown. She'd made it first after all.

"Okay everyone, get in already!" Trudge grumped.

The sun was gently vanishing at the edge of the horizon.

They had all chosen to go through with this. The longest night of their lives had begun.

There was no turning back now.