Cold winds blew across our faces as we arrived at the helipad, Goodwin waiting for us with a serene expression on his face, "Please remember that the fate of the world rests on your shoulders."

He continued his monologue without waiting for any responses, "At some point, the magic of the Dark Signers attached them to a creation deep in the Satellite known as the Ener-D reactor. In order to stop them, you must lock the Ener-D reactor. But, in a strange twist of fate, one of our Signers is the only child of the creator of the reactor, Hakase Fudo."

Everyone stared at me, but I ignored it and glanced at Jack, who promised to ask instead of me, due to the voice issue, "Yusei and I won't go unless you promise to finish the Daedalus Bridge. We want Satellites to have the same opportunities as those who are born in the city."

Goodwin gave a very deep bow, "If that's what my champions want, so be it."

His hand gracefully gestured to the helicopter, "I am certain that at least one of you knows your pilot."

I watched as Officer Trudge stalked out of the helicopter, immediately locking onto the fact that I was there. He bristled up, "Wait one moment, I have to escort Fudo?"

Just as calmly as most people spoke about the weather, Goodwin looked him dead in the eyes and said, "Yes. In fact, your job is to ensure that Miss Fudo and Miss Izayoi stay as safe as possible."

Trudge froze completely, staring at me with wide eyes, "Miss Fudo?"

Pushing past me, Jack got right up in his face, "Yes, Yusei is a woman. Do you have a problem with my sister?"

"No sir."

Jack marched onto the helicopter with me following directly behind him. Without looking up, he pointed at the spot next to where he sat down.

Rolling my eyes, I flopped down next to him. Thankfully, Aki sat next to me, "Why do you put up with that?"

"Trust me, it's a mutual thing. We've been through enough together that even when he's driving me insane, I can tell when he's just trying to look out for me. I push him around, he pushes me around. That's how our family works."

She smiled, "If you say so."

The twins took the bench opposite from us, neither buckling themselves in. Instead, they chose to kneel so they could look out the window as we started to lift off the ground. After a couple minutes, they started to both yell out the window, "Bye Tanner! Bye Yunagi!"

Smiling, I leaned back against the seat, enjoying their enthusiasm. I was caught off guard when Aki spoke up, "Mina-san? What do you know about this Ener-D Reactor?"

Her response was almost robotic, "It was created by a group called the RRD and Doctor Fudo was the head of the project. He dedicated his life to it. Unexpectedly it started spinning backwards and destroyed the city. It's what separated the two parts of New Domino."

Leo looked over at me, with a somber expression across his face, "Does that mean that her dad…?"

Mina nodded, "No one has heard or seen him since."

Tears were starting to gather in the corner of my eyes when Trudge decided to enter the conversation with the delicacy of a nuclear weapon, "Why would they let a Satellite nobody be in charge of such a huge project?"

Jack's glare and voice could individually cut glass, "Dr Fudo was from the Tops, as is Yusei. I'm the only so-called Satellite on this helicopter. Do you have a problem with that?"

Wisely, Trudge backed down from the fight instantly. Instead, he turned his attention back towards the front windshield, muttering to himself, "With all of this lightning, we'll be lucky to make it safely."

Despite all of his complaints, nothing happened as we went through the black bubble over my home. The second we broke through, we could see for ourselves the empty streets.

I tapped Jack, showing him the screen of the datapad where I wrote down the words: Ask him to land next to Martha's house. He'll argue with me if I say anything.

He stood up, leaning over Trudge's shoulder, "I want you to land in that park, next to the doctor's house. We need to see if she's okay, and if she's not it's probably the best place to stay."

Trudge opened his mouth, only to be interrupted by Mina, "Land here."

Sighing dramatically, he guided the helicopter down, eventually landing not too far from Martha's house. While the blades were starting to slow down, Martha emerged from the house with a few kids scattering around her. All of the color left Jack's face the second he saw her, "Yusei? How much trouble do you think that I'm in?"

His only response was a smirk and a raised eyebrow before I made my way to the ramp. Martha rushed forward as I climbed out, "I'm so glad that you're back safe!"

I pointed behind me as Jack came out, and was immediately abandoned by Martha in favor of Jack. She yanked him into a hug, before pushing him back, "It's so good to have you back. But we are going to be talking about some of your choice in a little bit, okay, Jack?"

"Yes, Martha."

Some of Martha's kids gathered around me, "Hey Yusei!"

"Hey, everybody. Have you been behaving for Martha?"

"Uh-huh!"

"Yup!"

They scattered, some going back inside, but a couple going over to Trudge. While that was happening, Martha gestured to the house, "Come on inside everybody."

Jack spoke before I realized what he was going to say, "Martha, Yusei used that card again."

My body prepared to flee for my life as Martha's infamous glare latched onto me, "I know that it means a lot to you, miss, but I made it very clear that I never wanted for you to use it again. Hand it over."

I shook my head, "I keep it in the bandages, so I can't pull it out right now."

Her face got even more stern, "Yusei, why is a machine talking for you?"

Aki stepped in between us, "The card took her voice for a little bit in exchange for some information that we really needed to hear.

"For a day, and Jack's just saying all of this to distract you from yelling at him."

Martha paused, "Let's talk with everyone first, and then the three of us are going to have a serious discussion."

Jack and I exchange looks that were part smug and part terror before following everyone into the dining room. Martha sat at the head, "Yusei explained part of it to me. You are all here to keep the city safe from people who would want to kill everyone for some petty revenge. And I missing any points?"

Mina piped up, "Each Dark Signer has chosen a Signer that they specifically want to kill. So far the only one we know is the one who attacked Yusei."

Aki spoke up, "Martha? How many people were here when everything happened?"

Her face fell, "Just the five kids I am raising, Blister, Doctor Halifax, and myself."

Blister piped up, "Rally, Blitz, Nervin, and Tank had gone out for groceries, and Crow hasn't come back since he dropped off Yusei."

I bit my lip, fighting the tears, when Martha spoke up, "Well, no use worrying about what we don't know. You can all stay here until everything is settled. Feel free to wander around and get used to it. Jack, Yusei…"

We both nodded, and everyone else left. Martha gestured for us to move closer to her. Jack sat on her left, and I on her right. She looked at both of us, "I swear that the two of you are going to send me to my grave early. Constantly fighting, arguing, and forgetting what means so much to the other. You are both equally loyal to those you care about, you just manifest it in different ways. So why are you always at each other's throats?"

The two of us just sat at the table in silence until Martha spoke again, "We'll talk about this more, but for now I'll settle for taking the card and postponing Jack's scolding."

I pulled out the card, handed it to Martha and went to find the twins.

They were talking to the other kids in the front yard, but the second Luna saw me, she walked over, "Are they normally this happy?"

I smiled at her, "Yes, because they all have experienced what it's like to live on their own. Martha took them in, and is now taking great care of them. When you've lived in a tough place, it's nice to have someone who loves you."


When it was time for dinner, we gathered into the dining room, where the Signers ended up on one side of the table, while the kids were on the other. Martha and Doctor Halifax sat on either end of the table, with Martha sitting in front of the window. One of the kids spoke up suddenly, "The Security guy made the stew!"

I saw Jack put down his spoon and start eating the bread instead. I decided to break up the tension, "Once we defeat the Dark Signers, the Director said that he would build a bridge between the city and here. Then you can be anything you want."

The kids all cheered up, and ate with more enthusiasm, talking amongst themselves.

Glass exploded over the room, while our marks started to burn.

I ran to the window as Martha checked on everybody, and saw a man standing outside. His arm had a purple spider on it, and when lightning cracked behind him I noticed that his shadow was also a spider. I pushed the window open, "Who are you?"

He held up his arm as he spoke with an incredibly deep voice, "My name is Roman, and I bear the mark of the spider. I heard that the Signers were in town, and wanted to welcome you all. But, of course, us Dark Signers only have one way of saying hello."

Chills shot up my spine as the name rung a bell in my head while I examined him. He was wearing a robe with dark purple designs on it, and his duel disk had a mouth where the deck normally went in.

Carefully, I pushed the window open, climbing out, "If it's a duel you want, then fine. But we'll duel where I want to."

He smirked at me, "Then lead the way."

As I got on my duel gauntlet and duel disk, Aki walked up, "If you want, I can do the talking for you so you don't have to keep grabbing the datapad."

I nodded, and gestured for her to come with me.


A/N: Thanks to Lets-Go-To-Vermont and Dark Lord of the Fallen Angels for reviewing on the original version of this chapter.