Chapter Eleven

The Crimson and the Dead

Sector Security chose the roughest boat and waters for my trip to New Domino City. Vomiting the second we reached the piers didn't improve my exhaustion. The escorting pair of officers shoved me for barely missing their shoes. Made me regret not aiming right for them.

The Facility in New Domino City perched upon a sliver of land overlooking the sea, sort of like Team Satisfaction's hideout. The Satellite was dark across the ocean even in the morning light. A Security pushed me forward, preventing me giving my home one last good-by.

Check-in inside involved intrusive pat-downs, removal of any personal items in my pockets, and an argument between guards about there not being a jumpsuit able to fit me. They agreed to leave me in my own clothes. I mourned the loss of my cuffs, though. They were my last physical memory of Team Satisfaction.

The ruder of the pair escorting me led me into a dark room. A single light swiveled over a machine. He shoved me into the chair and locked my wrists into manacles. A woman's voice explained criminal marks over the loudspeaker.

Criminal marks were implanted on the faces of every prisoner who had stayed in the Facility. The bright yellow injection could serve as a tracking marker, since first-time inmates are likely to commit more crimes or attempt escape. Marks also served to alert others to the danger of the marked individual. The yellow facial "tattoo" was hard to miss, after all. Each visit to the Facility garnered a new criminal mark.

The machine on the table scanned my face. The mark would be placed underneath my right eye in the shape of two joint crescents. One faced up, outlining the underside of my eye. The other faced outwards on my right cheek, and its top tip blended into the first crescent. The shapes reminded me of double the moon my last night in the Satellite – one for me and one for my partner.

Agony like molten lava burned the underside of my cheek. Tears stung the back of my eyes and my throat fought for the breath to scream. I resisted; they would not have the satisfaction of my pain.

The next item on the list was a visit to the warden's office. The plaque outside read, "Armstrong." Behind the desk sat a large, dark-skinned man with black hair and a sailor's beard. His arms were ripped despite his potbelly, and his nose was similarly fat. Black, beady eyes scanned the forms in his hand. When he leaned back, I noted his navy blue chief's uniform.

"A Satellite, huh?" His voice deep voice was excessively loud. "And a girl? Never had one of them around here! They have special Facilities for you. Must be some sort of mistake. Unless you're real dangerous."

He shot me a glare of disgust, so I returned it in kind. "Filthy Satellites taking up space. What kind of charges? Aiding a fugitive and assaulting Security officers in the process? In possession of a duel runner? Those are some serious crimes, kid! Oh, here's your ticket. You're a powerful psychic duelist known to harm civilians and Securities alike with your powers. You're dangerous, all right. Throw this Satellite trash in a special room. Hope you have a horrible time!"

He loosed joyous laughter as I was led to my cell. The crueler of my escorts pushed me inside. I tumbled to the floor. A metal slab of an electronically locked door shut me in alone. Obstructing my hopes of escaping were columns of iron bars over a window looking out onto the City.

Though every room I passed was a single cell, this one had two beds. So that's why he called it special. They wouldn't catch Kalin. My partner would show them.

The pain of my mark had exhausted me, so I turned in early. The mattress was so thin, I wondered if they stuffed it full of hair. My thoughts wandered back to my room at Martha's. Stars above, she would be angry with me. A smile found me.

Next thing I knew, a racket outside of my cell dragged me out of sleep. A guard hollered, "Breakfast!"

A tray of mush slid through a slot at the foot of the door. I couldn't eat. Though I had no regret for the resolve I'd found, my stomach still coiled in knots. In mere hours, my team and partner had unraveled at the seams.

I slapped my cheeks and told myself to focus on the present. I peered outside the window. Beneath the sky's endless blue, the raging sea clashed with the steep coast. A salty breeze blew by, offering a whiff of New Domino's clean air. The City skyscrapers towered above crowded streets in the distance. My cell was about two hundred feet off the ground. A massive, white wall rose to half the Facility's height and ringed the structure.

The door to my cell opened. A guard yelled "Rec time!"

Eh?

When I was slow to react, he entered my cell. "Get a move on, Satellite!"

He grabbed my elbow and pushed me toward the exit. I landed hard on my shoulder. I struggled to my feet and left. The guard followed close behind, and jabs of a nightstick in my back instructed me on which route to take.

The recreational room held two duel fields and a large row of bleachers. A library was tucked in the corner. Many other prisoners wandered around aimlessly. I didn't understand why duel fields would be there – assuming their decks were taken away, which I had heard they were. Then again, Crow had said that about the Satellite Facility.

Sudden weight dragged down my left arm. My duel disk had returned to me. I swore the thing had a mind of its own.

"Hey, you!"

A big man with spiky blue hair shouted in my direction. The guy had about three heads of height on me. Muscles bulged out of his thin, brown vest, which he wore over a black shirt and jeans. Guess they didn't have a jumpsuit to fit him, either. His criminal mark slashed diagonally down his cheeks. A full deck was stored in his duel disk. I pointed at myself, and my eyebrows lifted.

"Yeah, you. Guess the rumors are true: there really is a Satellite girl in here now." Rainbow energy traced along his duel disk's card zones. "The name's Bolt. Bolt Tanner. Duel me."

I answered by activating my disk and pulling my five cards. He belted out a tremendous laugh, stating, "A woman of few words! I like you already!"

"DUEL START!"

"I'll take the first shot! I summon Jirai Gumo!" Bolt shouted. A giant red spider emerged from the ground boasting 2200 attack points. "I'll end my turn by placing two cards face down."

The cards in my hand didn't match the archetypes I typically used. My deck had swapped like during the duel Kalin taught me how to Synchro Summon during. How did the deck change, and how did the disk disappear and reappear?

"Heard Satellites were slow, but this bad?" Bolt commented.

"The spell card Terraforming brings the Field Spell A Legendary Ocean to my hand, and I'll play it." An underwater scene drowned the rec room. "I activate Field Barrier, a Continuous Spell preventing my Field Spell's destruction so long as it's active. Next, I'll summon Giga Gagagigo in attack position and attack that spider!"

The mechanical lizard flung itself at Jirai Gumo. Sharp claws spilled arachnid guts, and Tanner's life points fell from 4000 to 3550. The monster phased through him. My attack didn't cause pain. That's… good. I didn't want to hurt him. Was that why my monster wasn't real? Yusei had suggested they were related to emotions. "I'll end my turn by placing these two cards face-down."

"Humph. Pretty impressive. Your Field Spell reduces your 5-star monster to 4 stars, so you can summon it outright. Nice to know the Satellite can read!"

Was that a compliment, an insult, or both? A grin stretched his face at his drawn card. "I activate Cost Down! Discarding reduces the level of monsters in my hand, too. Ushi Oni's level dropped to 4, so I can summon it. The ability of Giant Ushi Oni follows! By tributing Ushi Oni, I special summon the bigger guy!"

The spindly legs of a spider carried the upper body of a blue bull. The horrifying combo had me grimacing. Giant Ushi Oni boasted 2600 attack points, 50 less than my Giga. Bolt said, "Don't get too excited, Satellite. I'm not done yet! I equip Axe of Despair to my Giant Oni! This increases his attack by 1000. Strike down the lizard!"

"My Normal Trap, Waboku, prevents Battle Damage and monster destruction."

Three blue men halted the charging bull. Bolt grumbled, "Stupid stall card. I end my turn."

I drew my card and was too giddy to keep a poker face. "I sacrifice Giga Gagagigo to summon level 6 Levia-Dragon Daedalus. Like your monster, I can tribute this monster to special summon his advanced form: Ocean Dragon Lord – Neo-Daedalus!"

The waterlogged fish dragon emerged from the ocean depths wielding a whopping 2900 attack points bumped up to 3100. Red gills flapped open. Neo-Daedalus roared. The water muffled the sound. Bolt said, "Pfft. You bad at math? 3600 beats 3100."

I said, "I activate my Dragon Lord's effect. Neo-Daedalus removes A Legendary Ocean from the field. After successful removal, every single card on the field and in our hands is sent to the graveyard – except the Ocean Dragon Lord!"

"Yer kidding me!" he shouted.

My hand cast to the side as I commanded, "Drain the Ocean!"

The holographic water swirled into Neo-Daedalus's gut. My monster roared a typhoon. The resulting destruction left the field empty. Fishes flopped on the floor. I said, "Direct attack! Sea Current Strike!"

The dragon spit a jet of deep blue water. Bolt's life counter dropped all the way down to 650. I said, "I end my turn."

"Hey, hey! You do pack a punch. For a Satellite, anyway. My turn, down but not out! I summon another Jirai Gumo in defense mode and pass."

The spider's red altered to shades of blue, which showed its defensive position. After my draw, I decided I was a fan of the WATER deck. "I summon Gagagigo in attack position and destroy Jirai Gumo! The Ocean Dragon Lord finishes the duel with a direct attack!"

Another jet stream of water shot forth. Bolt's life points reduced to zero. "Hah, nice job! No one's beat me in a long time. I didn't realize Satellites were smart enough to play card games! Whaddya think, everybody?"

A cheer arose, and I realized the wanderers in the room had gathered to observe the duel. My mouth twitched down, and I resisted an embarrassed blush. Bolt asked, "Got a name, kid?"

"It's, uh, Rain."

"I didn't ask about the weather!"

"No, that's my-"

He laughed as he packed up his cards. "I know, I know! Just kiddin' with ya!"

"Rec time's over," a guard yelled. "Get a move on! Back to the cells!"

My friendly guard prodded me back towards my block. After spending some time in my cell watching the stars, I fell into bed. The following day was the same as the last. I was woken abruptly for breakfast. Today, though, I was hungry enough to eat it. The tasteless slop was better than nothing.

Hours passed. I daydreamed about Martha's stew, Crow's popsicles, and Yusei's granola bars. My regular guard opened the cell and dragged me to the rec room. Both of the fields were in use. I slumped onto the bleachers and watched the ongoing duels.

"Hey!" Bolt lounged next to me. "How's it going?"

My nose wrinkled. "Why're you so… friendly?"

"Why're you so stingy?"

"I- I wasn't trying to be like that," I muttered. "Sorry. I just- when I thought of the Facility, I didn't really imagine someone like you."

His laugh was louder than the clashing holograms. "I got you, Rain! Someone has to keep the peace, and I took it upon myself. There's no order in a place like this unless you make it yourself."

"Order? Did our duel have something to do with that?"

"Nah," he said, "that was for your sake. Look around, Rain. Don't you notice something different between you and everyone else here?"

I observed the dueling inmates. Others were chatting in cliques, reading, or sitting around looking bored. I said, "Um, they all have criminal marks."

"You have one of those, too, kid!"

I blinked. "I, uh, forgot."

Bolt burst out laughing. "You're a Satellite for sure! I was trying to get at the fact you're a girl. This Facility's all male besides you. That could be real dangerous, so… I challenged you to a duel because I heard you were a psychic. Guess it was just a rumor, though."

"Are you saying you wanted me to use my powers?"

"That's right." He leaned in. "Because if you did, you'd scare off all the guys who might think of gettin' a piece of you."

"You mean you were trying to protect me?"

He moved back and crossed his arms. "Look, it's not specifically for you. It's to keep order. That's my job in these walls, Rain. You bein' here is a problem for what we have going on!"

I laced my fingers together and rested them on my lap. "Well, it is sort of scary. Thank you for making me your problem."

"It's not something you're supposed to thank me for!" he barked.

"Oh. Sorry."

"Don't apologize for-" He sighed. "You're not a regular Satellite, are you? You're goddamn clueless!"

My apologetic smile didn't change his frustration. "In the Satellite, I mostly did what people told me to. This may sound strange, but being in here is the most freedom I can remember having. Well, less freedom and more loneliness."

"Great," he grumbled. "Means I'll have to keep a closer eye on you."

"I appreciate it."

"I'll bet you do!"

A strand of white hair curled around my finger. "So… what do you do for fun around here?"

"Duel," he answered. "Most people have their decks confiscated, so there's not a big pool for competition."

"Have you ever asked a Security to duel?"

"Bad idea."

I wasn't so sure. A duel field freed up. I hopped off the bleachers and approached a Sector Security guard. I flashed a grin and said, "Hey. Would you like to duel? Uh, for fun."

A blow to the stomach answered me. I doubled over while he spat, "Crawl back to your fellow scum, Satellite."

Anything I wanted to say couldn't make it past my forced coughs. I clutched my aching abdomen. The guard stabbed his nightstick at my gut. His breath was hot on my ear. "I know about you, shadow. A Satellite psychic like you is owed back the pain they deal. Here's what you deserve."

He struck my face with such force that I fell to the ground. He returned to his post as if nothing had occurred. None of the other guards batted an eye. Trembling, I rose to my feet and wiped the blood from my mouth.

"I said it was a bad idea, Rain." Behind me, Bolt glared daggers in the direction of the Security. "Most people in the City are like that when it comes to Satellites. You're all supposed to be on your island other than being here, in New Domino's Facility."

I observed the splotch of blood on my index finger. "Isn't there a Facility in the Satellite, though? Why did they bring me here?"

"Sometimes that one overflows," he said, "or it could be because you were too dangerous to go there. That'd make sense. I hear they arrest psychics on the spot in the Satellite and never let 'em out."

"…They what?"

"Rec time's over!" the guard shouted. "Back to the cells!"

Guards split us up and directed us back to our blocks. Bolt called his good-by. I was heaved back into my cell and left to watch the sky. I thought about what Bolt had said. It was probably some rumor that didn't bother my attempts to pass out one bit.

When I slept, I had my second dream.

I sat on the lip of a stone fountain. My legs crossed at the knees. I threw my head back and watched the water lap against the fountain edge. Crimson stained the ripples.

A drop fell from the sky and landed on my forehead. The liquid slipped down the curve of my nose. My eyes crossed to focus on it. The rain wasn't normal. It was thick, red, and smelled metallic.

Blood poured from the black clouds in buckets. I didn't bother shielding myself. My red-stained hair clung to my skin. I brushed it back from my shoulder and smiled.

Shivers wracked my body. I shot awake. The air I swallowed was clean – no metallic tinge to it. The bars on the door and window confirmed my place in reality: the Facility. I pressed my hands into the limp mattress on my cot. This was real, not that other place. I hugged myself, shut my eyes, and repeated, "It wasn't real. It wasn't real. It wasn't real."

A guard banged on my cell for rec time, and for once, I was happy for the interruption. At the arena, Bolt ambushed me. He gestured towards the bleachers by the duel fields and said he had some questions for me.

On the bleachers, we watched an Amazoness duelist brawl with a Koa'ki user. Bolt had his eyes on his own deck as he arranged his cards. He said, "I wanna know what your charges were, kid. In case you didn't know, those're the things that got you thrown in the slammer."

"Oh, like what Armstrong read to me when I got here?" I asked. Bolt confirmed with a nod. "Mkay. It was aiding a fugitive and assault on Sector Security officers."

His focus flicked to me. "It's hard to imagine you attacking Securities. Whoever that fugitive was must have been important."

"Yeah," I said, my voice quiet. "Very important."

"So, who-"

A Security hollered, "Rec time's over!"

"Wha?" Bolt said, his shuffling hands pausing. "They cut it short. Somethin' must've happened. Somethin' big."

"Like what?"

He shrugged. "Rumors leak more than the faucets around here. We'll find out. Talk tomorrow."

I was thinking too much to respond. My head was spinning at the possibilities of what event occurred. A prison break? A murder? The theories were endless.

And, well, it was something to think about. I walked with my escorts back to my cell with my eyes on my feet. As soon as I saw my bed, the memory of my dream came back, and anxiety scared away the curiosity.

Having nothing to do was more difficult to manage than I'd expected.

I held up my right hand. Moonlight shone silver against the three etched letters in the foreign language on my fingerless black glove. I wondered if whoever I used to be would be proud of my choices.

I wondered whoever I used to be.

The sound of footsteps and dragging withdrew me from my thoughts. The door slammed open, followed by a guard yelling, "Say hello to your new roommate!"

A limp body was tossed through the open door, which was quickly locked shut. Laughter echoed down the hall. I tilted my head to observe what I had been left with. My breath caught. "K-Kalin?"

They had beaten my partner so badly he'd lost consciousness. His new criminal mark started at his hairline, slashed down the far right of his eye, and ended at his chin. The headband and usual outfit were replaced by a Facility jumpsuit.

Nononono. He was supposed to be free. He was supposed to…

Careful not to touch his bruises, I pulled him onto one of the beds. I raised his head and placed both pillows underneath. I eased in beside him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

I hated how happy I was to see him.

"Is this a dream?"

The rumble of his voice was weak. His fingers shook when he ran them through my hair. I looked into his pained eyes, and my heart broke for him. I said, "I wish it were."

"Well," he started, "I certainly hope you're the real Rain, because I have a bone to pick with you."

I pushed up on one arm and looked down at him with wide eyes. "Y-you do?"

He rolled onto his back and crossed his arms behind his head. His hazel irises, their color electrified by his new criminal mark, never once broke away from mine. "Hell yes I do. You're not supposed to be in here. So why'd you do it, Rain? Why'd you give yourself up for me?"

"Um," I said. "B-because I wanted to be in here."

His eyebrows rose. "Is that the best lie you could come up with?"

"Yes?"

The corner of his mouth jumped. "I don't know why I expected being here to change you."

"It's not so bad!" I said. "I even made a friend! I mean, I think he's my friend. He's nice to me, at least, when he's not calling me a clueless Satellite-"

"Rain." His expression was somber. "It's worse than 'bad.' The guards know I was the Satellite who attacked Sector Security. This beating is far from the last, and it's personal for them."

I recalled my interactions with the guards. "They are not very nice."

"As long as you're here- will they target you, too?" Kalin's focus drifted to the ceiling. His fear darkened to anger. "This is all Yusei's fault."

"Yusei?" My head tilted. "Yusei didn't do anything."

He propped up on his elbows. "Are you kidding? He sold us out! He's a traitor! He had you surrounded by Securities and sent me straight into a trap!"

"Huh? Yusei was trying to save you."

"From your point of view," Kalin said. "You can't see it all. If you could- Tch. I know the first thing I'm doing when I get out of here."

"Um. Go home and live a happy life?"

Weariness defined his smile. "That your dream, Rain?"

"Not really, no. I don't like to think about my dreams. I guess it's sort of like my dream for you."

"Why would that be your dream for me?"

"Because I want you to be happy."

He laughed a little. "Shouldn't you have more personal items up the priority list like, y'know, your memories?"

"I am content with just that."

Kalin sat up with difficulty. He tipped up my chin, closed his eyes, and pressed his lips to my new criminal mark. While heat rose to my face, he commented, "Matching sides. What a coincidence."

"We just have to go and do everything together, don't we," I said. He laughed and fell back onto the pillows.

"Everything," he repeated.

"You should get some rest." I lay my head on his chest. "You seem like you could use it."

"Me? Naaah. I'm fine."

"Some honesty would be nice," I murmured. His breathing hitched, causing his chest to compress as though a great weight lay upon him.

"Right. Hey. Can I tell you a secret?" I hummed a confirmation. His hand moved to rest between my shoulder blades. He said, "It's selfish, but I'm incredibly glad to hold you again, partner."

I grasped his jumpsuit. "I… I feel the same way."

The rhythm of my partner's heartbeat lulled me to sleep. No dreams plagued me. The emptiness was a peaceful getaway. Too bad it was only temporary.

Something poked my arm. My face twisted in annoyance. I flipped and buried my face in the pillow. "Aw, c'mon! You're seriously gonna keep sleeping? It's so late in the day!"

I cracked open an eye. His hands were on the mattress, which masked the bottom half of his face. His bright eyes showed his energy. If he was still in pain, he wasn't showing it. He said, "Psst. Want some breakfast?"

"Mmmf." I sat up. "Sure, I guess."

I dug into whatever mush he had left me. I glanced through the barred window to see the sun had long risen. "Huh. Must almost be time for…"

"Forrr what?"

"You'll find out." I pushed myself off of the bed. "What have you been doing?"

"Checking out the City." He jerked his chin towards the window. The clouds in the sky were pure white, the opposite of the Satellite's dark smog. "Crazy how much better everything is."

"I dunno. The Satellite is a home to me."

"You should have stayed there," he whispered. "I just wanted you to be free."

"I am so long as I'm with you! Partners stay by each other's side no matter what, right?"

He was still staring at his feet, his expression pained. "You care too damn much. You should have stayed away like I said. But I- I didn't mean any of it, okay? I just didn't want you to get caught up in everything."

"I kinda guessed. It's alright. I forgive you."

"…You shouldn't." He balled his fists. "If only goddamned Yusei hadn't blown it."

Before I could ask what he meant, our cell door clicked open. A couple of guards pushed us in the direction of the hallway. "Rec time, you two. Come on!"

Kalin leaned over and whispered, "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"If we make it there. Wait."

He grasped my arm as a guard blocked our path. The Security hissed, "Kessler. Been waiting a long time for you to show up. Your show left my little brother with chances of never walking again."

Kalin didn't respond. The guy said, "Not even an apology. Heard you Satellites travel in packs like rats, so let's see how you like it."

The guard marched forward. Kalin's grip on me tightened. The Security sprinted forward and swung. I was focused on my tense partner and realized his true target too late. Metal cracked against my jaw. I dropped to a knee and tasted blood.

Kalin stood between us. "Wrong Satellite."

"No," the guard promised, "it's not."

He swung at Kalin, who dodged easily. That gave the guard an opening to smash my skull. Pain flared across the crown of my head, and my sight shut off. My body went limp. Vague shouting swirled in my deadened hearing. I felt myself being picked up. My arm slung around someone's neck, and my feet dragged underneath me.

"Can you hear me, Rain?" Kalin's voice rung in my ears, but words refused to escape me. He propped me sitting against a wall and slid into the spot beside me.

"That's one nasty hit. What happened to you two?"

The voice belonged to Bolt Tanner. Kalin must have brought us to the rec room. Kalin said, "Guards decided to pummel her. Who're you?"

"My name's Bolt. Your friend Rain and I are already acquainted."

"Bolt, huh. I'm Kalin."

"Kalin! Good name. You must be the fugitive."

"What?"

"Nothin," Bolt said. "Can't believe this shit. Why're they allowed to do whatever they want? So what if you're Satellites. This ain't right."

I tried to say something, but it came out as a low groan. Kalin stroked my hair. "Rain? Can you speak?"

"Rec time's over," a voice in the distance yelled. "Back to your cells!"

"I'll take you back so you can lay down. You'll be fine, you'll be fine…"

He sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than me. He lifted me up. We must have made it back to the cell uninterrupted, because soon I felt myself being placed on the itchy cot. My head throbbed, and my eyes refused to open. Sleep was my only option.

I woke up a few hours later, and this time, my vision worked. I propped myself up on my elbows. My head throbbed, and my muscles gave. The moon hung high in the ink sky beyond the barred windows.

"You're up." The breathlessness with which my partner spoke suggested he thought I might never have awoken. "How are you feeling?"

"Can't- move," I murmured.

"That's okay," he told me. He helped me to slowly sit up and turn to a comfortable position. Kalin plopped down beside me. The mattress sank under him. The altered weight pulled me closer so our thighs touched. "You'll be better in no time."

I let out a weak laugh and uttered, "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," he whispered.

I rested my hand on his knee and squeezed. "I appreciate you. How's that line?"

The exhale through his nostrils suggested laughter. He said, "Hey, isn't that your duel disk? You're lucky you got to keep it. They took mine and my deck away."

His sorrow leaked through his tone. "I'm sorry, partner."

"Hey, cheer up! One day, we'll be out of here. I swear!"

"How can you be so sure?"

He laced his fingers with my own. "I made a promise to protect you, and I intend to keep it – whatever it takes."

The sheer confidence he managed ignored the impossibility smothering chances of freedom like the lifting of a weighted blanket. Awe took over. He made anything believable; he was a walking miracle.

"And uh, while I don't exactly support your decision to help me out, that trick you pulled on the Securities with your runner was badass. The looks on their faces!" He snickered. "You are just the best. I love you."

Blush blossomed on my cheeks. "Th-thanks. I love you, too."

"So! I think it's your turn to rest up. I'll give you some space." My partner helped me to lie back down and moved to the other bed. Sleep overtook me within minutes.

The next day, I awoke hopeful. The migraine didn't change that. It was a mistake, though. On the way back from rec, a different guard stopped us; he talked about his sister working the kitchens in the Satellite Facility.

That one earned me fresh abdomen bruises. The day after that, a guy brought up his father, the man who'd confiscated the duel disks Kalin rigged. He'd awoken from his comatose state but was put into heavy debt through the medical bills.

The fourth day yielded a man complaining about his best friend failing his entrance exams. It didn't have to do with us for once, but taking the beating anyway made it worse somehow.

Evening brought the sight of the half-moon outside our cell's window. Kalin sat beneath the window, where the slanting, silver light didn't reach. I lay curled in a pool of moonlight. "Hey, partner?"

His knees were hugged against his chest, and his head lay down on them. I murmured, "Are you asleep?"

"Nah."

"What's wrong? You sound so sad."

His whisper struggled to be heard through fabric. "It was only supposed to be me."

"What do you mean?"

Kalin lifted his head and scratched his temple. "Nothin.' What was it you needed?"

My legs sprawled out behind me as I sat up. Swiping my arm across my face left blood on my skin. A corner of my mouth spasmed downward. "Um. Could you tell me a story?"

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, I told you a joke yesterday. Today, you owe me a story!"

His jaw jumped. He motioned towards himself. I crawled towards my partner, sat in his lap, and threw my arms around his neck. He cradled me and rested his chin on the crown of my head. The rumbles of his throat tickled my ear. "Alright alright. I had this dog, once."

"Dog! You said you hated animals."

"I said I hated cats. Dogs are goddamn incredible. Fluffy. Loyal. Obedient. Oh, and they smile. Very important. Cats always look like they're pissed off at you."

"Do not!" I countered.

His sigh carried light laughter. "Opinions, opinions. Anyway! The dog – Gary, I named him, after a childhood friend that disappeared – the dog loved playing fetch. I'd throw anything and Gary would bring it back. One time, he dragged a whole tree trunk home."

"No. Way."

"You shoulda seen him wrestling with the damned thing! So. We're playing like we do every day. I throw this metal pipe Gary's been crazy about for a few days. He's around the corner for an awful long time. Next thing I know, the dog trots back with a bone in his mouth. This ain't a small bone, either. This one looks like it's from a person."

My eyes widened, and my hold on my partner tensed. He said, "Right? I run around looking for wherever Gary found the thing. No luck. I'm freaking out. What if someone pins this shit on me? What if he dug up a grave? God was I stressed.

"Then, wouldn't you know it, I hear all this laughing up above me. Crow and that little boy he keeps made fun of me. Bastard set it up to see me freak out. I'm cussing the guy out while Gary sits there smiling like usual."

I couldn't stop giggling. "I didn't realize you'd be so scared!"

"Look, you don't mess with that kinda shit! Screwing with graves? Nah. I'm not in it."

"Do you believe in ghosts?"

"Maybe. In any case, I'd rather play it safe."

I moved my head away from beneath his jaw and looked into his eyes. "I mean, if I were a ghost, I'd pick you to haunt every time."

"That's one messed up pickup line."

I burst out laughing. He managed a smile. I noticed minor shaking in his arm. "Am I too heavy?"

"No."

"Are you cold?"

His head rocked side to side. "A little."

A push left him lying on the floor. Before he could protest, I pounced on top of him. Pink colored his cheeks. To be honest, I was worried the criminal mark had made it hard to notice. The sight quelled the worry. I dug my fingers under his shoulder blades and whispered, "Did I fix it?"

His laughter lightened my heavy heart. "Yeah-huh."

Despite the distress in the daylight hours, my partner and I slept soundly. The fifth day was more like the first three – guards blaming my partner for the explosion he caused and attacking me. The sixth, seventh, and eighth days held no changes. Those nights, I couldn't get my partner to laugh.

The ninth day, Kalin stopped fighting back. Something about seeing him give up broke me. I mean, it wasn't like him at all. The spark in his eyes disappeared. A Security pinned him against the wall, and he didn't so much as move.

I tried my damnedest to lift myself off the floor. Blood dripped from my busted lip. The guard closest to me kicked my ribs. I collapsed. The one holding back my partner hissed, "How's it feel, Kessler?"

And I thought, well. At least it wasn't him.

Luckily, the Securities got bored after that. I had to be dragged back to the cell. Kalin, too, judging by the scrapes behind me. My partner gathered me in his arms on the floor. His muscles spasmed as he wiped the blood from my face.

Opening my eyes was difficult, so I kept them closed. A wheeze corrupted my voice. "D'you think we can make it?"

Silence settled. I managed to crack open an eye. Kalin was smiling at me. "'Course you can, partner."

I worked up the energy to smile back. I pushed myself to my feet and offered my hand. His grasp was oddly weak. The attacks must've taken a bigger toll on him than I thought. I helped him into a cot. I lay beside him, but buzzing thoughts kept me from sleeping.

That smile from my partner – I'd gone days without seeing it. I hopped up and swore to do whatever it took to see it every day. The fire of hope I hadn't known in an eternity blazed. My left arm dropped.

My duel disk appeared on my arm for the first time since that guard had knocked me out. I felt like hitting it for how useful it would have been. There absolutely was something I could do to lift my partner's spirits. I summoned my Thunder Dragon, who used his electricity to open the lock on the door.

I hid in the shadows, dodged patrols, and dashed down the hall. Two rooms had open doors by the elevator. One was the guard break room. Light and laughter sounded from within. The opposite room had a sign above the door: "Inmate Belongings."

Tens of drawers filled the small room. I quietly searched through rows and rows. A familiar stripe of lavender lay in drawer number thirty-seven. Kalin's deck lay beside his headband. After sifting through the cards to be sure, I tied the headband around the cards – loosely as to not damage them – and slipped outside.

The guards were still slacking in the break room. My return to the cell was a simple walk without need to dodge patrollers. Our cell was the last on the floor. I slipped inside and rolled the metal slab shut. The electronic lock triggered automatically.

The sight within crushed me. Kalin had collapsed on the ground. His body convulsed wildly, much worse than the shaking from earlier. I dropped to his side and held him up. "Kalin? What's wrong?"

He held up a trembling hand and pushed my bangs back. The weakness in the movement broke my heart. He muttered, "I'll miss you."

"What do you mean? Kalin?" Tears welled in my eyes and slid down my cheeks, and I caught his hand as it fell.

"You'll be fine… partner."

"No, don't leave me! Kalin? Hey, p-partner?" His hand went limp. I fell against his chest but there was no heartbeat there. Nothing. Nothing was left and this was so cold, so empty, so broken, so silent-

His hand dissolved between my fingers. My partner's body disappeared. Not even ashes remained. I dropped through the emptiness and sobbed. My face hit the ground, and I sprawled out on the floor.

I screamed, "Kalin!"

I found you.

The strange voice resounded in my mind. I hardly heard over the melody of my tears dripping onto the floor. "This can't be happening, this can't, this-"

A tremendous roar shattered the nighttime silence. The mental voice exclaimed, Stand!

Why?

It didn't matter.

Nothing mattered.

A red blur soared through the barred window. The force slammed me against the wall. All went black, and the last thing I felt were more tears falling in my lap.