!NOTICE! This chapter is a double feature, meaning it's twice the length of normal chapters!

Chapter Twenty-One

Honesty

The duel disk on my arm strained against the taut wire connecting me to my opponent. The tension in the cuffs and the bulges beneath the man's royal blue jacket said he was ripped. He stood at least three heads taller than me.

I further spread my stance and pinned him with a glare. The signature yellow bandana identifying members of the rival gang covered his hair. The gang member tugged his bandana lower as he observed his hand of cards.

A stray cat watched our duel from behind him. Its green eyes were stark between its all-black fur. We were at the end of an alley opening to my left. Sunlight shone through the Satellite smog above, illuminating the endless concrete sea we stood upon.

Shouts in the distance caught my attention: Jack, Yusei, Crow, and Kalin calling their attacks. I heard an explosion. One of them had won already. Here I was. Waiting. "Hurry up."

"Look, can't you give up or something?" He pointed to his duel disk. The custom model was painted matte forest green. "This disk is special. I can't lose it! I swear if you fold, I'll leave this gang shit behind. I don't even care about it! I was forced into this so they wouldn't steal my food! Please, walk away! Here, look, I pass my turn to you. Now you can end this easy!"

My bronze dragon, Horus LV8, folded his wings and dropped to the ground. His bright, red eyes bore into me. I guessed he could sense my hesitation.

Hands grasped my shoulders. I moved to shake them off but his whisper made me freeze. "Don't tell me you're falling for it."

I tilted my head to observe him with one eye. Kalin's grasp on me was light; he looked down on me from behind. His raised eyebrow betrayed the smirk he wore for appearance's sake. I wondered why he bothered with the lavender headband. His icy-blue locks spilled onto his face with the leaning of his head despite it.

"I can handle this myself," I whispered back.

"There's no doubt about that, but I know you. So. I just thought I'd offer some information." Kalin leaned in so close his breath tickled my ear. My stomach coiled. "The guy you're taking on just so happens to be this gang's creator and top dog."

My leader let go and stepped away. I stared at my feet. If Kalin was right, everything this guy had said was a…

"What're you two whispering about?" my opponent asked. He observed Kalin, who was standing a few feet to my right. Kalin held his stare with his chin held high and one hand on his hip. "You're letting me go, right? I didn't have anything to do with this!"

I stood straighter in an attempt to match my leader's confident stature. "Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV8 attacks you directly!"

A beam of ebony fire consumed the man. He shouted, and his duel disk exploded. I withdrew my pair of cuffs and pocketed them. My opponent tore off his busted duel disk and threw it on the concrete. In his fit of rage, he spun around, swung back his leg, and kicked the stray cat against the alley wall.

The cat's pained mew welled tears in my eyes. Two pairs of footsteps pounded on the pavement away from the alley. My focus remained on the unmoving animal. I ran to its side and gathered the furry, black bundle in my arms. Its breathing was shallow. My streaming tears dotted sparkles on its coat.

I stroked the stray's head. One of its ears was ripped, and patches of fur were missing. Gradually, its breathing steadied, and mine with it.

"Hey… you doing okay?" Kalin dropped to a crouch beside me. His hazel eyes carried the tilt of concern. I wanted to wipe away my tears but I wouldn't let go of the cat. It was starting to squirm. The sign of life loosed the knot in my stomach.

I muttered, "It's my fault this happened."

"Tch. No, it's not! It was that piece of shit-" His scowl changed back into a plain frown when he saw the cat. "Hey, it's clawing at you. You should let go."

The stray's paw caught on the skin of my arm and left a shallow scratch. I hardly noticed. "I- I can't. What if it s-still needs help? Wh-what if-"

I bit back a sob but the tears fell faster. He said, "It's okay, really. You can let go."

I held tighter but noticed something. My grip slackened; the stray darted away. I reached forward, grasped my leader's wrist, and pulled it towards me. Two of his knuckles were split. Blood covered his hand. "What happened?"

"It's not important- hey!" Using the hem of my shirt, I scrubbed the blood away.

"You shouldn't have done that for me," I mumbled. He flipped his hand. Its glove was clean again.

"Who said it was for you? Maybe I like cats too, okay?" I regarded him for a few moments before my focus fell to the pavement. Spots darkened where my tears landed. He whispered, "Please don't cry."

I sniffled. "Why?"

"I hate it when you do."

"That doesn't make me feel better."

"Yeah, well-" He scratched under his headband. "You can't stand up to a guy like that then break down, okay? That can't happen. I mean, you can't kick ass like you do and keep ending up like this. People like you don't exist. Especially in the Satellite."

"I don't exist?"

"That's not what I'm saying! Look, I, I think you're great, and you shouldn't let what some dumbass did get to you."

"You really think that?"

A slight laugh escaped him. He reiterated, "Yes, I 'really think that,' Rain."

I wiped at my tears but they wouldn't stop. "W-would you hold me?"

"What, you mean like, hug you?"

He stared at his hands as though he did not know what to do with them. I said, "I'm alright. You don't have to-"

I gasped as he pulled me against him. My head lolled on his chest and my tears stained his red shirt. Once I was able to regain composure, I backed away and rubbed the heels of my hands over my cheeks. "Th-thanks."

He pushed to his feet with one hand and used the other to wipe at his mouth despite nothing being there. "Let's not make this a regular thing."

"I'll try."

He pointed an accusatory finger at me and shouted, "I need better than trying!"

"Why? Is it not fair to the other teammates under your leadership? Should they get hugs, too?"

"Oh my God, shut up," he said. "No, it's not about them. You're different."

"Different how?"

"Well, for one, they don't start crying while on missions. For two…" He grasped his swelling knuckles. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"I don't see how that makes me different, unless you don't care about them."

"I refer you back to number one. They also wouldn't almost forfeit for pitying an enemy!"

I buried my head in my hands and muttered, "I'm sorry. I almost messed up…"

"Wait, I didn't mean-" He sighed. "Goddammit, Rain. You didn't mess up! You beat him, like how you beat everyone! You're different because you should act like the amazing duelist you are but instead you act like you're the worst! Stop it! That's an order!"

My hands fell. "I-I'm sorry. It's hard to believe. Unless you're with me. Then there's no question."

He covered his mouth, masking his full expression. "Then I'll stay with you. We can keep being partners."

"R-Really?" He nodded and his arm dropped, revealing his small smile. I hopped to my feet and wrapped my arms around him.

"Why do you keep doing this? It's- weird."

I only then realized exactly how stiff he was every time I hugged him. I backed away, blushing. "It's a nice gesture, I think."

"A little, I guess. And you're pretty warm, I guess."

"Do you have any more guesses?"

His expression flattened. "How long do I have to put up with you again?"

I laughed, and it brought out his smile. He said, "You shouldn't be in the Satellite, Rain. You're too nice. But. I'm really happy that you are."

"I'm not nice!" I shouted, trying to ignore the heat in my face.

"Riiight. Well! If anyone tries to use it against you again, or does you wrong…" He thinned his eyes. "I'll be there."

"Wh-what does that mean?"

He searched my eyes then grasped his own busted hand. "I'll keep you safe, partner. I swear it."

"I'll keep you safe."

"I'll protect you."

"I'm going to kill you."

Today, those statements were all the same from my former partner. The black in the sky above and dirt below was broken by a thin ray of fading dawn on the horizon. I thought, Hey, Crimson Dragon. Do you think light ever really goes away? Or is it like the sun, disappearing from sight for a period of time?

There are times sunlight struggles to reach the surface, he said. There are darknesses capable of blotting out all light.

Lot of faith you have!

All Dark Signers are evil. The past does not alter the present; the past builds it. Do not allow your guard to fall so swiftly, young dragon.

If only a guard was possible against him.

The Giant's tower loomed closer. My heart thrummed faster and faster; my stomach knotted tighter and tighter. I could make out the details as I approached. Kalin's navy runner was traced with an orange line pattern, and his helmet was of matching design. Its eye-guard gave a purple tinge to his black eyes, which his smile thinned.

My former partner waited and watched my approach as though he had all the time in the ending world.

I braked a good few feet from him. He belted out his now-insane laugh, stating, "Rain, I just knew you'd be the one to show up. Yusei's a coward. You're the opposite, coming to your death so determined."

My lips pursed. "You're really trying to kill me?"

"Of course I am!" he shouted, his ferocity biting. The instant flip from amusement to rage terrified me. "That's the only thing a traitor like you deserves. Besides. It's my job to see the death of the one and only Crimson Dragon."

"Y-you know," I wheezed. "But you said-"

"I said you're a horrible, horrible liar," he sang with glee. "You can't hide anything from me: not your big red dragon, not your real alliance, and certainly not your fear."

I winced and breathed out through my nostrils. He laughed in my face. "And, oh, Rain. Don't act so innocent. You're trying to kill me, too."

"If you only knew," I whispered. "Can you make me one final promise?"

My former partner scowled. "I don't remember those working out for me."

He's still there. My Kalin…

I said, "Promise not to hold back?"

A wicked smile stretched his lips. "Promise."

He tossed off his cloak, revealing the glowing dark mark of the Giant upon his right forearm. The flames of the glyph scorched the dirt around us. The matching mark in the sky brightened.

No turning back.

Hey, Dragon. If I die, what will happen to me?

We'll have plenty of time to discuss after you win.

…Thanks…

"How about a game, Rain? First around the corner gets the first turn."

The dark folds of my cloak sprawled behind me when I leaned back. "Mistake number one."

He whistled. "Look at that! You sure you belong with those Signers? 'Cause black strikes me as being your color."

I crossed my arms and drummed my bloody fingers against my upper arm. "Are we racing or what?"

Keeping gazes locked while he kept a maniacal grin plastered on his face was an effort and a half. My former partner spun his runner so we faced the same direction. The kicked-up dust settled over us. "This side is much better. Wonderful view of that criminal mark of yours."

"If we go down," I murmured, "we go down together."

"That's true!" The glee decorating the words surprised me. "The dead can stay side-by-side forever."

Chillbumps rose and my mouth twitched down. My former partner cackled at the subtle movements. "I don't blame you for being afraid. You can't hide anything from me. Save yourself the trouble and give up now."

My stare rolled along the visible tissue of my right forearm. The gash from Regulus was nastier by each passing minute. "I'm not giving up."

"Good!" His grin appeared too wide for his face. "Suffering's so much more entertaining with a good helping of hope to crumble before it. Let's get this started! Three!"

In my mind's eye, I saw my real partner. He'd said, "I want what's best for you."

"Two!"

I knew what was best for me, not him. Neither of us would die today.

"One!"

I'd show him just how wrong he was.

"DUEL START!"

The revving of our engines was louder than the blaze of the flames as we raced between the Dark Signer fires. My runner outpaced his in milliseconds. Before rounding the corner, I slammed the brakes. Kalin whizzed past before I hit the gas again. "Your turn."

He snorted. "Y'know, Rain, that might work if I had pride left to wound."

"Dying for petty grudges means pride is all you have left."

"'Petty grudges?'" he roared. The next second, his anger settled into neutrality. He tossed his head back, side-eyed me, and pressed his first two fingers to his temple like a revolver ready to fire. He fawned, "If only you knew."

I clicked my tongue and tried my hardest not to show the ache the gesture gave me. "Play your cards."

"Feisty," he murmured, and his smile spread. "I summon Infernity Necromancer in defense position, set one face down, and end my turn."

Infernity.

My fingers twitched. It had to be goddamned Infernity. The archetype procced its abilities when its owners' hand was empty. That may have seemed counterintuitive to the game, but zero cards opened up a thousand more doors. Infernities could swarm the field with as little as two starting cards.

"Well? Hurry up, Rain! We don't have all day," he mocked. "End of the world and all!"

My draw increased our SPC to 2. I said, "I summon Magna Drago and banish him to special summon Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon from my hand. Darkness Metal can special summon a Dragon-type from my hand. I choose Rare Metal Dragon!"

Darkness Metal and Rare Metal had 2800 and 2400 attack respectively. Both beat Necromancer's 2000 defense. Kalin snickered. "Dragons again! Is that why the big red dragon is able to put up with you?"

"Put up with me?" I asked.

"Oh, yeah. I've been wondering why a supposed god would settle for some chick who spends half her time crying like a child."

I had assumed me being the Dragon's only choice was because of some good quality I had, but what if that wasn't true at all? What if he was forced to be with me? He hadn't looked forward to returning. He must have dreaded it. After all, I was-

A brave young dragon, he said. Do not allow baseless claims to shatter your foundations.

I set my jaw. "Rare Metal Dragon attacks Infernity Necromancer!"

An invisible force threw the silver-plated dragon back onto my field. The card in Kalin's backline flipped up. "I activate the trap Depth Amulet! A discard stops your lil' lizard."

The Continuous Trap could be triggered for any of my attacks the next three turns. If I attacked again, would I give him less options or more? No. I wanted him to run out of resources. I said, "I attack with Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!"

"Depth Amulet again!" Kalin giggled. "You have no idea how much you're helping me right now."

Well dammit. I said, "I set a card and end my turn."

Kalin sighed as though in reverie. "I always did look up to what that Darkness Metal could pull off. So easy to bring to the field, too! Now that I'm facing it, though, taking it down seems oh-so-simple!"

"What?"

"Speed Spell – Tribute to the Doomed!" he said. "By discarding, I can destroy any monster on the field. Lot of good his special summoning did you!"

The whine Darkness Metal gave tore my heart in two. Kalin gasped. "And no response! You really let him down, didn't you. I'm disappointed! You're supposed to be fighting for your life, and you already let your best monster go."

"H-he's not my best."

"And talking ill of the dead! Heartbreaking. Eh. I say as though I haven't experienced it firsthand." He said it so, so casually, which enticed my shiver. His smile grew. "I'm setting a card face-down. Guess what? My hand's empty! That means Infernity Necromancer can use its effect, which special summons an Infernity from the grave. I think I'll book Infernity Archfiend!"

Four red eyes rotated in their sockets and laser-focused on me. I averted my stare from the disturbing sight. The monster's bright orange locks stuck up like a bonfire. Kalin said, "When Archfiend's special summoned and I have an empty hand, I get to add a free Infernity from my deck! I'll check out Infernity Destroyer, tribute Archfiend, and summon it!"

The next monster had brown claws as big as me. Its 2300 attack couldn't best Rare Metal Dragon's 2400, though. Kalin said, "Take that breather while you can. I flip Speed Spell – Speed Energy! I remove an SPC and give Destroyer a 200 attack boost for my remaining SPC!"

His speed counters lowered to 2, and Destroyer's 2300 attack increased to 2700. Kalin threw up his empty hands and grinned at me. "The Battle Phase is the best part. The adrenaline. The tension. The fear."

I talked through my teeth. "Attack already."

That smile curled up. "Infernity Destroyer attacks Rare Metal Dragon!"

Claws raked through metal. The ensuing screech had me flinching. My life counter dropped from 4000 to 3700. I opened my eyes to see the monster looming over me. He sliced across my flank. My shoulder tore open. The other claws ripped across my runner's frame. I clutched at my upper arm. Warm blood dripped over my fingers.

My former partner just kept grinning.

"Lucky for you," he said, his tone all joy, "you've hit the jackpot! On top of that damage, Infernity Destroyer dishes an extra 1600 when he destroys a monster and I have no cards in my hand!"

Energy crackled between the monster's giant claws. The ensuing blast hit a large, black tower on my field. I said, "The trap Energy Absorbing Monolith transforms your effect damage into my life points. See what you get for taking things too far?"

My counter increased to 5300. He merely laughed, saying, "Oh, yeah! I see I haven't taken them far enough."

The emphasis on the last word transformed his gleeful disposition into intense fury in the span of a nanosecond. A weighty breath passed my lips. I watched my duel disk instead of him.

His insane laughter rattled me. "If you ever manage to recover, I'll let you know my turn's over now."

"Kalin! What are you doing?"

The shout sounded from high above us. Yusei and Crow parked on a higher ridge next to the car holding the twins and Trudge. I knew it. I knew Crow wouldn't need our help.

Kalin said, "Yusei! Nice of you to finally show up."

Yusei shouted, "Rain, how could you?"

Kalin only laughed. "Why not let your old friends have some fun? You can have your turn once Rain is dead!"

Yusei's face popped up on my screen. "This was my battle to fight!"

"This is between partners."

Kalin snarled, "We are not partners."

His viciousness stabbed me. Yusei said, "It's okay. I know you can do this, I just- I wish you didn't have to. I'll be cheering you on all the way."

The reassurances calmed me. I drew, scanned my hand, and placed two cards. "I summon Totem Dragon in defense position and use Speed Spell – Gold Sarcophagus. On the Standby Phase after next, I add the card I banished from my deck to my hand."

"200 defense! Hoh, you got me sweating!" he said. My SPC dropped to 1 while his was at 3, leaving him a good few feet ahead of my runner in speed. At his draw, he bumped up to 4 and me to 2. He slid the card face-down into his spell/trap slot. "Necromancer's effect brings back Infernity Archfiend. Don't think I'll use that effect this time. So! Couldn't help but notice your backline's empty."

The curve of his smile thinned his side-eye. He snickered at my obvious fear. "What's the matter? You seemed so much more confident after your chat with your fake friends up there! Oh, I almost forgot you can't function on your own. Must've been a hoot after I died."

My heart sank through my stomach, and my limbs trembled. He just kept smiling like he was having the time of his life. How. How could he say that to me and not even care?

"Battle Phase!" he shouted. "Infernity Destroyer attacks Totem Dragon! Once your monster's destroyed, you take 1600 effect damage!"

The tiny dragon reminiscent of wood shattered beneath the fiend's claws. A ghost of the monster phased forward and slashed at me. My life points fell from 5300 to 3700. "Free field. Infernity Archfiend attacks directly!"

A purple ball of crackling energy formed between Archfiend's claws. The monster launched the sphere, which collided with my chest. For a moment, I felt nothing and was relieved. Agonizing shocks like the torture I had endured electrified my spine. My screams continued well after the pain ended due to the haunting memories. My life counter dropped to 1900.

"Well! This is some poetic justice, isn't it, Rain?" Elation painted his features. "All that damage you dished out in the Satellite is finally coming back around!"

I clenched my teeth in an attempt to compose my shivering muscles.

"Are you okay?"

Yusei's face appeared on my display. I hugged myself. The convulsions continued. "I just- I- bad memories."

His mouth twitched down. Kalin mused, "Don't I feel accomplished! I'm not stopping yet. At Main Phase 2, I use the Allure of Darkness Speed Spell. For 3 SPC, I draw twice and banish a DARK monster from my hand. If not, all cards go to the grave."

So no matter what, he would benefit. However. He could have used his Archfiend's effect to summon another Infernity instead of saving his normal summon. It was almost like he was playing it safe. His whistle dragged me out of my thoughts.

"Two DARK monsters! And I'll keep the perfect one in my hand," he purred. "I'm tributing Infernity Archfiend and Infernity Necromancer for Dark Tuner Nightmare Hand! Being special summoned lets me bring back a level 2 from the grave, so I pick Infernity Dwarf!"

Odd. He got rid of his chain for a level 10 monster, which he chose to keep. Kalin said, "Watch closely, Rain. I know Synchro Summoning isn't your forte, so I'll take this slow! Nightmare Hand's level is negative 10 and Dwarf's is a positive 2. Added together, they make up a nice, round level 8 for a Dark Synchro Summon! Peer from the dark, Hundred-Eyes Dragon!"

A dark, metallic fiend crawled out of a dark portal. Alongside it flew a dwarf wielding a flaming axe. Nightmare Hand merged into Infernity Dwarf. Black stars merged and aligned in a column of eight. The absences of light winked out of existence.

An ink-black dragon tore from the hole left behind. Eyes emitted a purple glow. Not two or four or six. Tens and tens of pupils scrutinized me. I couldn't help but be reminded of how my former partner noticed every tiny movement I made. The horrifying dragon boasted 3000 attack points.

"Dammit, not that thing again!" Crow said.

Leo sputtered, "Scaryscaryscary!"

"Careful, Rain," Yusei advised. "It can use the effect of every DARK monster in his graveyard."

So the loop continued.

Kalin snickered. "Don't you hate it when someone else kills the suspense you had going? I'll use Infernity Necromancer's ability through Hundred-Eyes Dragon to bring Necromancer back in defense position! Aaand turn end."

Once again, he held back. I couldn't wrap my head around why. My former partner said, "You look confused. Or is that just how you normally look? Been so long I forgot!"

I wished I could hide my wince. A shout from the ridge stole my attention. Yusei had stood up from his runner. "Stop this, Kalin! The Shadow Duel is between you and me alone. Leave Rain out of it."

My former partner giggled. "If only that were true! Have you not told him, Rain? Did you not explain the oh-so-fun time he set us up for in the Facility?"

Crow spoke out before I could retort. "We hoped to visit you guys, but when we went, they told us they'd taken you to the City. Rain came back and said you had died."

"Tch. I found a fate worse than death. What's the point of living when every moment is pain and no more? Death was a sweet release for me! Ah, but Rain wasn't so lucky." Kalin angled his head downward to glare at me with both of his dark eyes. "Surviving alone's not such a pro for her. See, she's nothing without me."

The undeniable truth of his comment stole the air from my lungs. My hands quaked, and I tightened my fingers so I wouldn't lose my cards like I had lost Threatening Roar. Like I had lost that duel. Like I had lost everything.

"Make this easy. Give up, Rain."

Underlying traces of the tenderness I knew in my partner were audible in his demand. If I went on, did I even have a chance? The last time I dueled alone, I lost. To give up would mean the pain would end. Not just physically – I would have my peace back.

His last words to me at the hideout were that he wanted me to be safe. Shouldn't I give him what he wanted? Then he would treat me like a partner again. I would be whole, and home, and belong, and everything I was missing he had.

I stared at my deck. Folding was a simple process of placing a hand over one's deck in a symbol of submission. Kalin said, "Go on. You know what to do."

Crimson sparked. A spacial rip opened alongside where I rode. Through the red-rimmed window it created, I saw Jack riding his white duel runner. His head was lowered. After a moment, his gaze rose to meet mine. The pain scrawled over his features was a reflection of my own. I eked out, "It's harder than I thought."

"…Absolutely."

"But our partners need us."

Jack's pose boldened. "We can be partners, too. We can be united in this. I thought I was alone, and I had screwed up everything I really cared about for glory I thought I needed. The one person who saw past what I did wants me dead. Here's what we'll say. I can still be who the real Carly saw, and you can still be who you were with the real Kalin by your side."

"You're him," I said. "You've supported me and stood up for me. She was right. You're a sweet guy."

His eyes widened. "She said that?"

"Yep! She totally gushed over you."

Jack's quivering smile was shared with me. He said, "I can remember how crazy he was about you. Every time you won a duel, I would have to hear about it. He was so proud, you'd have thought you were the bloody Queen of the Satellite. I'd never seen him respect anyone as much as you."

My brows knit. "Respect?"

"Yes! Ordinarily, he undermines and cuts up and attempts to prove himself better. You were different. You are different."

Respect. Could it be the reason why he kept holding back, his reason for playing it safe…

I looked up, but the window allowing me to see Jack was gone. Kalin laughed. "Talking to yourself now? Guess I'm not the only crazy one! C'mon, Rain, stop wasting time and give up."

"Don't listen to him, Rain!" Luna leaned as far as possible over the car's windshield. Her forearm's glow made me wonder if she had sensed my hopelessness. "Remember what you said to me earlier? The same's true for you! You can do this on your own!"

"And you can kick this crazy dude's butt like you did Devack's!" Leo added.

Silly me. I wasn't dueling alone. I could feel every crimson thread sown between us with belief.

Kalin snickered. "Look at that fan club. Sounds like my Rain has become famous!"

"What did you call me?"

For the briefest of moments, his mask cracked, and utter shock lay underneath. The insane smile returned in an instant. "I called you a death-marked traitor!"

Stars above. He was…

A vicious liar. I raised my chin and said, "My leader taught me far better than to accept defeat. I'll be a duelist he could be proud of!"

"A dead one, you mean." I grit my teeth, and he giggled. "I came so close to breaking you. You're a goddamn weakling, and you betrayed me. Why would I ever be proud of you?"

The anchor in my back pocket beckoned. I slammed a fist against my runner's frame and shouted, "What the hell gives you the right to call me a traitor after everything I've been through because of you?"

"Oooh, the claws come out," he responded, still grinning. "I said you're not my partner, Rain, because partners are together in everything."

"Then you're as much a 'traitor' as I am!"

"No." His disposition mellowed. "Because one of us is right, and one of us is wrong. And you are so dreadfully wrong. Can't you imagine it, Rain, how much better your life would have gone if Yusei hadn't sold you out?"

"He never did, not to either of us!"

"Let me ask you a question, Rain. After everything I said to you that night, why did you come back?"

"I told you, I couldn't leave my partner behind!"

"Oh, so he didn't have anything to do with it?"

"He…" I observed the dirt stirred in the wake of my runner's speed. "The night I was arrested, Yusei found me and brought me to where you were."

For once, Kalin was silent. His deathly glare remained pinned on Yusei. "You won't, can't stop me from following through on my swear. I'll fucking kill you."

The sheer venom in the threat raced chills down my spine. Yusei flinched. Fear and guilt leaked from his crimson sign.

This part was definitely not an act.

"What're you talking about?" Crow yelled. "All Yusei did was try to give himself up in your place!"

"He didn't tell you the truth? Tch. 'Course he didn't. Look at him. He knows exactly what he deserves."

Yusei's head was dipped. The shaking in his voice was obvious when he said, "That's why I said this is between us. You shouldn't have come here, Rain."

"Tell me the truth," I begged.

"The truth is that you are going to lose this duel," Kalin said, "and then Yusei will pay for what he did."

I growled, "You won't make it that far. I draw. At Standby Phase, Totem Dragon special summons herself because I have no monsters on my field. Totem Dragon can be two sacrifices for the summoning of a Dragon-type, so I'll be tribute summoning Dark Horus!"

A metallic dragon sprang from Totem's spiraling body. The details matched Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV8 except for color; instead of red-trimmed bronze, Dark Horus donned pure black. The gem at the crest of the dragon's head was ruby rather than sapphire. My monster's 3000 attack matched Kalin's Synchro, beat Destroyer by 700, and could overcome Necromancer's defense.

"You're finally doing something!" he said. "What is it, huh? What's the play?"

"I activate Speed Spell – Half Seize! The monster I target has half its attack drained and added to my life points."

"Yesss!" Leo exclaimed. "She can get rid of the creepy dragon!"

"And if the Dark Synchro goes, it's not an Infernity, so he can't bring it back!" Luna said.

Kalin sighed, lay a hand over his heart, and gazed at the sky in false concern. "'Course she would have to prove her dragon's better than mine. Do your worst."

I said, "I choose Infernity Destroyer."

A blue orb stole Destroyer's life force, dropping his attack to 1150 and increasing my LP to 3050. Kalin crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back on his runner. Wind tore at his red shirt and blue-trimmed black overshirt. His hair whipped wildly under his helmet. "Damn. Guess it's true after all. I'm not the only crazy one."

"I may be naïve about a lot of things," I said, "but this game is not one of them. The first monster you discarded with Depth Amulet was Infernity Guardian, who cannot be destroyed by card effects or battle while your hand is empty. Hundred-Eyes Dragon will share the trait. Targeting your Dark Synchro would mean I destroy nothing and deal less damage."

His arms dropped. "How did you know that?"

Leo shouted, "'Cause unlike some of us, Rain's actually smart and knows a ton about Duel Monsters!"

"'Some?' Who you talking about there, kiddo?" Trudge said.

Luna muttered, "Says a lot you default to being offended."

Kalin observed the flight of my monster. "Huh. Guess I got too used to those dragons showing up to rescue little old me!"

"Irony's a bitch," I spat. "Dark Horus battles Infernity Destroyer! Shadow Bewitched Flames!"

Black fire thundered from Dark Horus's beak like a stampede of flaming chariots. The dark flames consumed Destroyer and raced toward my former partner.

The harsh heat swallowed him and his runner. The attack's end left him clutching at the hem of his overshirt. Steam rose from instances of growing holes in the fabric. His pinched expression wrenched my gut. "A-are you okay?"

When his black eyes met mine, the pain disappeared. "Soft or scary. You gotta pick one."

My breath caught. He'd said that on our first day as partners. I scanned our life counters: mine at 3050 and his at 2150. I hadn't been in the lead before this moment.

I wished I hadn't taken it.

"Stop looking so sorry for yourself," he barked. "I hope you never showed our enemies in the Satellite this much weakness."

"You are not my enemy, Kalin."

"Oh? Then what am I to you?"

"My partner."

"How many times do I have to spell this out for you?" he snarled. "I would never be a partner to a traitor like you! You're less than nothing to me. I want you dead, Rain. I hate you!"

His animalistic ferocity threatened to shatter me, but I held on tight. He didn't mean it. He couldn't. He said, "I'll prove it! I release Hundred-Eyes Dragon and Infernity Necromancer to summon Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu!"

A brown heart pulsed in the air. Black exploded outward as gluttonous shadows. Ccapac Apu was easily twice the size of Cusillu. The way it loomed and stared stirred my primal instincts to flee and hide.

Captured souls flowed through the navy veins forming paths on the wicked god's black body. The humanness of this Earthbound Immortal compared to the rest further unnerved me.

Young dragon, the brutality of the attack will surely match your murderous partner, the Crimson Dragon said as the Earthbound Immortal rose from the bleeding earth. Can you avoid its attack?

Empty hand. Empty backline. No graveyard abilities. No monster abilities.

Nothing.

"So!" Kalin clapped. "My Earthbound Immortal has the permanent ability to ignore your spells and traps, attack directly, and, oh! You can't attack him. It's all thanks to the rules of turbo duels! Speed World is a permanently active Field Spell! Rain. Since you're too scared to speak, I was wondering if your Crimson Dragon has any last words."

I'm with you, he whispered.

Kalin laughed as though hearing the Dragon's plea and thrust his arm toward me. "Finally, you die. Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu attacks directly!"

My heart thumped as the wicked god's arm descended towards me. The massive hand blotted out the violet light of the dark sign in the clouds. I shut my eyes and tightened my grip on my handlebars.

Darkness enveloped me. The wicked god's fingers slipped through me. Gravity disappeared. I made a desperate attempt to grab my runner. No luck. I floated up and away.

Reality restored. I slammed against the ground once, twice, spinning out of control. The crunch of my bones reverberated with each impact. I rolled to a stop on my stomach, my entire body aflame with pain. I heard my runner spin to a stop far ahead alongside Kalin's. Mine was skidding on its frame.

My sight shut off. I heard Kalin's maniacal laughter coming from everywhere and couldn't block it out. The agony in my ribs could only mean they broke in the crash. The gravel of the track pierced my skin, leaving a myriad of wounds open to the air.

Nihility encapsulated me. The encroaching blackness stole feeling from my hands and feet. It crawled further, consuming my arms and legs. My heartbeat, the last sound in the world, pounded slower and slower.

My thoughts came out muffled like trying to speak with my mouth stuffed with cotton. With the last of my strength, I wondered if this was what he felt before he died.

No. In his final moments, his weakness obvious as his quaking limbs, he comforted me.

If I left him alone, he'd suffer the crushing loneliness and emptiness I had. I couldn't- there's no way I'd allow that to happen. My leader, my partner, the most inspiring and caring person I'd met, refused to die like this. He did whatever he could to make sure I knew he loved me. So. Just like always,

I followed his lead.

The beats of my heart strengthened. My hand was there. I curled its fingers into a fist. Light burned my returning vision. I adjusted to a blurry scene. I clenched and unclenched my fists. Voices reached my ears, namely Kalin and Yusei's, but I was too disoriented to make out the details.

I pushed an arm underneath me. Dust stirred. Each muscle blazed with the effort. My shaking arm threatened to drop me back into the dirt, so I shifted my knee to support me. Deep breaths re-steadied me. My hearing was restoring beyond the steady rhythm of my heart. Luna screamed my name. Crow said, "She- she got back up! She's alive!"

I tested the strength of one foot and stood on both unswaying. I swiped my hand across my mouth. Blood flung and splattered the earth. I lifted my head to see where my runner had landed. Then my focus drifted up to Kalin's appalled face. I flashed him my smile, bloodstained.

"Don't tell me you thought I'd give up on my partner so easily."

I stumbled to my runner. It took so much focus to put one foot in front of the other.

"Goddamn you!" he roared. "There's no escaping your fate! You should have stayed down!"

"Rain, just stop now!" Yusei called. "Please! You're in so much pain, and if you take one more hit…"

Picking up my runner nearly toppled me. I brushed off dirt. The frame's scratches were horrible. I imagined I looked much the same. Straddling it, I noticed my life counter in my runner's now-cracked display: a mere 50 points remaining. I said, "If that's what it takes, then I'll put every last beat of my heart into this duel. My partner deserves no less."

Kalin seethed. "I already told you, I am not your partner."

A heavy exhale passed my lips. I kicked off, hugged my thighs to the runner's battered frame, and revved the engine. Howling wind fought off threatening exhaustion. The loud engine of the runner behind me caught up in seconds.

"If you won't tell the truth," I said, "I think I'll try some honesty myself."

"The hell are you talking about?"

I sucked in a breath. Leaning back let the autopilot take over. I clasped my hands in my lap. I'd left my helmet behind, so my white hair whipped behind me. Locks clung to my face. When I first spoke, the engines and wind and monsters drowned out my voice. I cleared my throat. "Well, I always hoped I could get you a puppy one day."

He blinked, his confusion plain.

"Okay, not always." It was difficult to keep up the volume. "I mean, it was ever since you told me about how much you loved dogs. And, and you're right in that I was very lost without you. I spent most of my time wishing I could hold you again or just hear your voice. Then I would think about how silly that was because it was impossible. I mean, I thought it was impossible. I was afraid of talking to anyone about silly thoughts, so I was mostly quiet and alone. I know I'm cowardly and gullible and not very smart like you said. Being alone only made that worse. But when I think of these memories, like you telling me your stories, or you dueling by my side, they make me braver. You say we're not partners, so I guess they mean nothing to you. That adds up with you choosing to leave me alone. Maybe I never mattered to you at all. For me, though? You never stopped being-"

I pulled out his old deck, unwound the headband, and tied it beneath my bangs like he wore it. "My inspiration. I am not here to kill you. I came to duel because I have a way to save you, partner."

My hands remained tangled together in my lap. The tightness of the grip whitened the knuckles. I should've looked up but I was so, so nervous.

"Rain?"

The vitriol was absent from his voice. Overcoming my apprehension, I peeked up at him. My pinched expression slacked. He looked crushed. He closed his eyes and removed his helmet. The wind tore at his ice-blue hair. "That couldn't be further from the truth. I'm so sorry I made you feel that way."

I squeaked, "What?"

"I said I'm sorry." His voice was soft and low, and his black eyes bore into me. "There's a secret I've been keeping from you, Rain. On our first day as partners, when you showed Sector Security your psychic powers, you painted a target on your back. See, Satellites with powers are hunted down 'cause they think you're too dangerous. They wouldn't outright kill you, but if they caught you, you'd never see the light of day again.

"Gotta say I tried my damnedest not to fall for you. I knew exactly what it'd mean; I knew I was in for heartbreak. It was only a matter of time for you from the start. Security was on your scent like bloodhounds. I had to be careful where I sent you and where I made my distractions to throw them off. If they were to catch you, I wouldn't be able to protect you. I was so afraid every single day that you would just be gone, and I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to have that fear, too."

He lowered his head, and his hands were shaking. That meant his paranoia, his working so hard – it was all for me?

"All that work, and guess what? You went and got yourself caught for me. Just like you said: irony's a bitch. In the Facility, I didn't want to leave you behind. They only cared about having you in there, but since I attacked them, they wanted their revenge on me. Didn't take them long to figure out you were the best way to do that.

"Of course I didn't want to leave you, and I didn't want to fight you today. I thought you were better off without me, but I never imagined you'd feel like I never cared about you. You're the most important person in the world to me. I love you so much, Rain."

Tears streamed down my face and sparkled in my slipstream. My throat burned when I said, "How could you keep that from me? That burden is one we should've shared! I could've helped, we could've figured something out-"

His mouth was set in a harsh line. "It was my duty as your leader."

"We're supposed to be partners!"

"Not partners in suffering. I would never want that for you. I'd rather have it all to myself."

I heard Leo ask, "I could swear they wanted to kill each other a second ago. Why're you crying, Luna?"

"Sh-shut up!"

"This is the real Kalin," Yusei said.

Ferocity conquered my partner. "You have no right to say that, Yusei! None of this changes the fact that you betrayed us!"

"No, you have to believe me!" I wiped at my face. "He didn't-"

"Listen closely. One other person knew the truth about what I was going through. Since Yusei stayed on the team, I thought I could trust him. Biggest mistake I ever made. I asked him to help me protect you, and he walked then and there."

"Yusei knew the truth?"

I recalled the words Yusei spoke to me at Martha's after his duel with Kalin: "You don't know the whole story."

"So, Rain, think again about what you told me earlier."

The bloody fingers of my right hand trembled. "He brought me back after you told me to stay away."

"That's not all." Fury dripped from his words. "After everything I'd done, after everything I'd told him, what did he do? He turned my nightmares into reality. He had you surrounded by Sector Security."

"Yusei… asked me specifically to go with him when he gave himself up." Ice sprouted in my veins. "You- You were giving me up?"

"No! That's not what I was trying to do at all!"

"Tch." Kalin ground his teeth. "If you would have listened to me, you would have taken her as far away as possible."

"If I would have listened to you, you'd be rotting in the Satellite Facility, and Rain would be torn apart! Listen, Rain. Kalin's plan was to make himself enemy number one to Security so they would shift their focus away from you. I tried to tell him that was a death wish and you could protect yourself. I really believe that, especially after you saved my life. I told Kalin there was a place far to the south of the Satellite you both could have run to. He didn't have to sacrifice himself! He wouldn't listen, though, even when I said that him going away would make everything worse!"

"He abandoned us when we needed him the most," Kalin said. "He lured you into a trap!"

"Wrong again. When I realized I wouldn't be able to stop you, I wanted to give you one last hope. I made sure Rain was there because I wanted to show you your deranged plan worked. At least, it worked until Rain rescued you! The force leader told me…" Yusei's voice wavered. "He said he had forgotten about Rain after what you pulled, Kalin."

Kalin shot Yusei a glare. "So. You realized you should have trusted me all along!"

"It's true that Rain wouldn't have gone to the Facility if it weren't for me, and I've carried that burden. After what she just said, though, I realized I made the right choice after all."

"Y-you wouldn't r-run away with me," I said, my voice uncontrollably broken. "Y-you were going to l-leave me behind. You were p-planning on leaving me alone."

"You don't get it! We'd have been running forever!" The desperation was in his voice now. "If everything went to plan, all the heat would be on me, and you'd have gone free!"

I shouted, "How are you not getting this through your thick skull? No freedom is worth losing you!"

His eyes widened, the hazel small between the black. "You… really mean that?"

"What kind of question is that? I love you!" The threat of sobs burned my throat. "I would do anything to stay with you. That's why it- it hurt so much when you chose to leave me for this."

"Chose to-" Kalin blinked. "Rain, I didn't choose to die. I would never. I can't believe I… made you feel that way."

"What? But that doesn't- how did you die? I mean, they didn't beat you as badly, so I don't-"

"Look, I never wanted you to know how I died. I never wanted you to know a lot of things, but that was a mistake." Kalin wouldn't meet my eyes. He stared at the helmet in his hands. "You have to understand how much shit those guards pulled to try to turn us against each other. They wanted to see the two Satellites tear each other apart. I wasn't about to let that happen. After all, because of me, you suffered so much.

"So. When they started giving us only barely enough rations for one person, I gave them all to you."

My insides turned to ice.

As the days passed and he had fallen weaker, I thought he was giving up. It was the opposite. He was losing strength until he ran out. The night he died, he was able to smile at me.

He never threw me away; he threw himself away. Because he did, I had the strength to escape. If he hadn't, neither of us would have made it.

"That's next level messed up of those guards," Crow said.

"I can't believe a hatred of Satellites would go so far," Trudge said. Luna wept in the seat next to him. He glanced at her, and his expression sobered further. "The two of you were infamous in the Satellite, but that's too damn cruel."

My teardrops glimmered like frost. I had the urge to wrap my arms around myself but was forced to keep them on the handlebars, my knuckles white by my intense grip.

"Please, please don't cry."

My partner was solemn. I swallowed hard but could not stop. "Why- Why?"

"Because it used to be that I accepted the fate of a Satellite or a psychic or whatever else. We were born to be treated like trash and hunted like animals. Then I met you. Rain. Security only started hunting you because you used your powers to save me. I just- I look at you and think you deserve so much more. That's why I was willing to give myself up or die or worse: because if anyone could change the world, it's you."

The sheer affection sown among his words warmed my freezing soul. "B-but how could you think I could do it alone? Without you, I-"

"I get it, okay? I get it now, but goddammit! I just wanted what I thought was best for you, Rain. How could I ever believe that'd be me? Look at me. All I've managed to do is nearly kill my two best friends. Hell, I thought- I thought saving you would be the one thing I did right. Tch. Should've known better." His voice lowered. "I can't do anything right. I'm a failure."

The beginning of the duel returned to me. He'd talked about how he had no pride left. I figured it was part of the act, but now I wondered if there was truth in it.

Crow shouted, "C'mon, dude! You're the best leader we could've had. All that shit you did makes sense now, and none of it takes away from you changing our lives and all of the Satellite for the better!"

"This's weird," Leo muttered. "If they really are all lovey-dovey, why would they Shadow Duel?"

"It's simple if you think about it," Yusei said. "If the Signers lose today, the Dark Signers survive. A Shadow Duel's loser dies and can become a Dark Signer. Kalin wanted to win because all he ever wanted was for Rain to survive."

"Wh-why are you acting like everything's alright," Luna said, still bawling. "They're still in a Shadow Duel! That means one of them has to die!"

"Your fan club's awfully chatty," my partner muttered. "Rain. You look like you have a plan."

My tears had stopped. "I'll show you that your life is worth living. Can I?"

His stare dropped to the field. I had 50LP to his 2150. He had an Earthbound Immortal. I had a single monster incapable of touching the wicked god, no backline, and no hand.

A grin spread across my partner's face. A spark returned to his eyes as he slammed his helmet on his head and said, "Hey, fan club! Check it out. Rain's gonna win in this turn."

"Is he giving up?" Leo said.

"Kalin doesn't give up," Yusei answered.

"My draw!" I said. My SPC increased to 5 and his to 4. "This Standby Phase, the card I banished from my deck through Gold Sarcophagus comes to my hand! I'm using a Speed Spell: Offerings to the Doomed! I can destroy a monster on the field at the cost of skipping my next Draw Phase, which I won't need!"

"Uh, you mighta been out of the game too long!" Leo said. "The creepy Earthbound Immortal doesn't care about spells and traps! Yusei learned the hard way!"

But my partner was still smiling at me in his knowing, expecting way. I said, "My target is Dark Horus!"

A tornado of black feathers removed my dragon from the field. Up above, Luna sniffled and wiped her fist beneath her tear duct. "She can't do it. She can't beat him."

Crow threw up his hands and shook his head. "Duel's not over 'till a victor is named."

I said, "I can now special summon the monster in my hand, which I sent via Gold Sarcophagus! I have exactly three DARK monsters in my grave: Rare Metal Dragon, Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, and Dark Horus! The requirements are met for Dark Armed Dragon!"

Three pools of inky darkness formed between Kalin and I on the track. The oily substance twisted upward and combined into a massive silhouette. Shadows scurried off of the dragon's bulging, gray muscles. Silver claws and wings like scythes sliced through the bleak sky. A tail like a mace slammed into the ground, leaving a gaping gash in the earth.

"Dark Armed Dragon's ability!" I announced. "By removing from play a DARK monster, I can destroy any card on the field. I choose Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu! Desolation of Dark!"

Rare Metal Dragon's corpse melted into the inky substance, which coated Dark Armed Dragon. The black seeped into the ground. A shadow charged underfoot towards the wicked god and tore the monster in two from the bottom up. The dark god exploded into raining darkness.

A whistle came from my right. Kalin clapped once. "Exactly three. Hot damn. Some things don't change."

The praise inspired my smile. I murmured, "Are you ready?"

"You have to ask?"

"Dark Armed Dragon attacks directly! Corrupted Roar!"

A roar scattered a segment of clouds. Scythe-like wings soared above the track. Dark Armed Dragon plummeted towards the ground ahead of our path. The tremendous stomp cast huge chunks of rock into Kalin's path.

I floored the accelerator and crashed into him. The impact threw me off of my runner. A hand caught mine. Kalin pulled me against him as we slammed into the ground. Flames dispersed during our tumble down a hill. Scattered debris jabbed my skin. We rolled to a stop. Kalin lay on top of me with his arms wrapped tight around my torso.

My shaking arms snaked around him and embraced back just as tight. I muttered, "Partner?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry."

He planted his palms to either side of my head, and his dark eyes pinned me with a glare. "No, nuh-uh. No way do I mess up as massively as I did and your first words are to apologize. I'm not standing for it."

"It is pretty obvious you are not standing."

His jaw jumped. His laughter was weak. He dropped into the dirt on his back beside me. "I wish I had more time to spend with you."

I pushed myself up on the heels of my hands. "That's what I was apologizing for. It's an advance apology."

"For wh- woah! What the hell is that?"

His wide eyes focused on the crown of my head. There was an odd weight there. I lifted the object and held it in front of my chest. It was the mini, ghostly form of the Crimson Dragon. I beamed at him. To my partner, I said, "Yours is a wish I can grant."

The Dragon scurried around my shoulders. I lay my hand over Kalin's heart. Dark sparks arced up my arm. Violet light flashed and stole my consciousness.

My spirit drifted downward in darkness. I flipped head-over-heels and landed lightly on my feet. The Earthbound Immortal, the Giant, towered over me. A woman in a dark cloak lounged upon its open palm. Spindly green threads shot upward from her fingers. "The Crimson Dragon's vessel accepts a dark mark. What an interesting and surprising development."

A card floated before me: Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu. I waved my hands in front of my face. "No, I- I don't want it!"

"Too ba-ad!" she sang. "As a Dark Signer, it's a part of your deck always."

Purple cloaked the card and disappeared. The same light shone from the deck on my duel disk. The woman said, "You can try to toss it out. It'll always come back because you're a Dark Signer. You can utilize the physical aspects, like black eyes and the dark mark on your arm."

"No, no. I'm good."

The woman's curl of a smile said she knew too much; everything, even. She closed her fingers into a fist. The green threads snapped off. She leapt off the Giant's palm and landed on the lone debris dotting the empty landscape.

Upon closer inspection, I realized the white limestone blocks had fallen off a cracked and crumbling throne. The woman in the cloak stepped off the destroyed throne and walked too, too close to me. Her whisper raised my hackles: "Time to wake up, Rain. Go on and live a long, fulfilling life."

The lilt in the words said she was mocking me. The floor gave, and I fell into nothing. I gasped for breath. Intense pain in my abdomen flared. I groaned and said, "Where?"

"You're awake," Kalin said, breathless. He cradled me in his arms. His cloak was back on. "What did you do?"

I looked into his eyes – white, no more darkness – and threw my arms around his neck. "Have I ever told you how beautiful your eyes are?"

My partner brushed back my bangs and gently kissed my forehead. My face heated. "I'm so sorry. I was a total and complete dumbass. I should've listened to Yusei and stayed with you. I don't understand why I'm still here."

"Because you deserve a second chance."

His face fell, and he scanned my body. "No, I don't. You almost died because of me. I did that. And I said- I- God, Rain, I don't deserve to be your partner. I don't-"

I held his face between my hands. "Hey, hey. Stay with me. What matters is that we're together."

His eyes sparkled. He placed a hand over mine. "Okay. Yeah."

"Hey, so, um." I dropped my arms. My wounded left shoulder and right forearm blazed with pain from the movement. "Did I do alright for my first turbo duel?"

He blinked a couple of times then broke into a fit of laughter. "Hell yeah, partner! Did I do alright for my second?"

"It probably would have been a good idea to invest in some driving lessons."

"Goddammit, Rain," he said, laughing. I was struck by a sudden outpour of emotion, and tears wet my face. This reality was something I had given up on. My emptiness was burned away, my partner was back, and he had been fighting for me the whole time. Kalin brushed his thumb over the upper crescent of my criminal mark, wiping away a tear. "Everything's okay now, princess. You don't have to cry."

My chin quivered. "I'm j-just so happy to have you back where you belong."

"Feels right," he whispered, and he ran a hand through my hair. "That headband looks way better on you. Now I'll never be able to wear it again without feeling like I've robbed the world of something great."

I laughed. My tears stopped. "No way! Nice to know you listened to me on some things. You're wearing your cloak right."

"Cloak? Oh. This thing?"

He pinched the shoulder of what was, indeed, a cloak. My smile spread as I reached for the fabric. I'd moved my right arm without thinking. I winced and grasped the forearm. He grimaced at the deep wound.

"What happened? Looks like a bite mark. It's still bleeding. Here, I can help you out." He gripped the hem of his shirt and ripped off a lengthy strip. Kalin tied the poor man's bandage around my arm. My focus lingered on the tear left in his red shirt, which revealed more of his muscular midriff. He said, "I see you haven't shaken that staring habit of yours, either."

"S-sorry."

Kalin winked at me. "It's an honor, princess."

My cheeks flushed so I searched for something, anything else to focus on. I observed the new, red tie on my forearm. "Th-Thanks for the help. The battle with Devack got a little crazy on both ends."

"Oh, yeah." Kalin rubbed the back of his neck. "That little Signer girl kept asking me about you while you were out. The one that was crying a lot. Then her brother dragged her away while talking about how dangerous and scary I was and how they had to go see Akiza duel. Also, your black dragon dropped your runner and helmet over here. The thing growled at me. Like, a lot."

"…Sorry."

"Why? It was goddamn hilarious."

"It was?" The glee was plain as his smile. I said, "B-but they don't like you."

"Am I supposed to want them to?"

My brows lifted. I wished I could care about other people's opinions as little as he did. Violet flared from distant skies. The lizard glyph in the sky scorched the black clouds. I murmured, "Aki."

"Who?"

"I've got to go."

"Where, to Misty?"

"Yeah. The Signer needs my help."

"Let me give you a hand." He supported me as I stood and helped me to my runner. He frowned at the scratches. "Rain, I-"

"It's okay." My heart warmed. "It's alright. I'm just happy to have you back."

Kalin shut his eyes and kicked at the dirt. "How could I have been such an idiot?"

"You can help me."

"No, I can't. I'm worthless! All I did was hold you back!"

"You can make up for it, partner."

When he met my gaze, his eyes shone. "I never could. Not in a million years. Dammit, what am I saying? That won't keep me from trying. What do we need to do?"

My heart lifted. My partner was really back. He's-

Young dragon, Akiza is in dire straits, said the Crimson Dragon. She needs you.

"R-Right." I cleared my throat. "We need to reach Misty and Aki."

"Oh. You call Akiza Aki. Pretty damned cute, not gonna lie." I wound a strand of hair around my finger – as though it'd detract his attention from my embarrassed blush. "My runner's busted. I'll drive us since Misty showed me where she was setting up."

I picked up my helmet and handed it to Kalin. He gave it a good look then fit it on my head. I shouted, "Hey!"

"Yeah, hi there. You getting on or what?" He had started the runner. I smiled and boarded behind him. I wrapped my arms around his abdomen, and he said, "Don't let go."

I lay my cheek against his shoulder. "Never."

End of Chapter Twenty-One

A/N: if you've made it this far, I want to say from the depths of this black heart, thank you

Since we're at a culmination of a big chunk of plot and I've changed a few things, it'd mean a lot to me if I could hear how you feel about it? aha I get too anxious posting the big important chapters uwu

Anywho. This chapter exhausts me. I'll be taking off a bit until the next posting. You can expect me back around April the 28th or so. Adios & stay safe (◡‿◡✿)