Estelle will have a few dialogues in Swedish, so I'll add the English translation in the same paragraph, but they will be in bold, so you can read it easier. I will do that every time Estelle will speak in Swedish for the rest of the fanfic.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 3: The String of Fate
Straight after the Duel I had with Lenny, I got bombarded with questions by my friends. Yusei asked me where I got my Blue-Eyes White Dragon from. When I told him I had no idea, which was a lie, he came up with this theory that I could be the descendant of Kaiba Seto, since he was known as the master of the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons. The others were startled by Yusei's theory. I got a bit surprised myself when he thought I could be a real Kaiba. I couldn't blame him, though; I did have brown hair and blue eyes, but I had no connection to Kaiba, except for the two Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards I had in my Deck.
Yusei suggested that the two of us should take a nap before midnight, so we could go to New Domino City with clear heads. I agreed on that, so Rally and the others left us to sleep a couple of hours before they returned to the base one hour before midnight to say goodbye.
XXXXXXXXXX
I sat on the couch checking my satchel and made sure I had everything I needed for the journey. I had my Deck, notebook, my ID which I had kept hidden from Yusei and the others, and some clothes that I could fit in the bag. While I was doing that, Yusei prepared his Duel Runner with our friends. I could hear Nervin repeating the plan for Yusei while I was still in the hut, putting the last few things in the satchel.
"You've only got one shot at this, Yusei. The maintain hatch opens at midnight and only stays open for three minutes after that."
"He knows", Rally said.
"Then they flood that pipeline with garbage."
"He knows!" Rally groaned.
"And as soon as you jump over the sewage plant's fence, the Security will-"
"He knooows!" Rally whined irritably. "Try being positive for once, Nervin!"
"I thought I was…", Nervin said nervously.
I zipped the satchel and put its strap on my left shoulder before standing up from the couch and walked out of the hut. Yusei was looking at the crevasse on the roof of the subway where the moon was glowing. Blitz, Tank, Nervin, and Rally were standing at the side of the old railway that led into the tunnels. Rally was holding a spare helmet that looked like Yusei's. It was for me, so I could protect my head if a maneuver would go wrong.
"Everything will go well, Nervin", I told him as I patted his shoulder while walking past him.
"I hope so…", Nervin mumbled doubtfully as he adjusted his glasses.
Rally gave me the spare helmet before I stepped down to the railway, seeing Yusei had turned his eyes from the moon to me. "Ready to do this?" I asked him.
Yusei just nodded in reply. I nodded back in return before I took off my glasses and put them in the pocket of my jacket. I put on the helmet and rolled down the visor. It was hard to see through the slight tinted glass, and I was near-sighted, but I could see what was in front of me. Yusei put on his helmet as well before we sat down on his Duel Runner. I wrapped my arms around his waist and made sure I had a good grip on him.
"Hey, Yusei!" Blitz called, getting our attention. "Can you really do this?"
"A test run is one thing, but… The real thing is something else", Nervin added. "If they catch you-"
"Don't listen to these guys, you two!" Tank intervened. "Just… I don't know. Hit the gas and don't ever look back!"
"Almost forgot!" Rally exclaimed before he ran to us with a card in his hand. "Here! For good luck!"
Yusei accepted the card and took a quick peek at it. "What is it, Rally?"
"Turbo Booster!" Rally grinned.
"Wasn't this your father's card?" Yusei questioned.
Rally nodded, "I want you to take it. Like my dad always said; 'You never know when you might need a boost'. I just hope it can help you get back your Stardust Dragon from Jack."
I couldn't help but feel my lips curve down a bit. Rally must have some good memories of his father and he sounded like he had been a great man. Wherever he was now, I just hoped he was resting in peace.
Rally turned to me with a slightly sad smile. "I'm sorry, Estelle. I don't have a good luck charm for you."
"Of course you do, Rally", I said before I removed my arms from Yusei's waist and held them out to the little boy. "A good luck hug."
Rally's smile widened before he rushed into my arms. He rested his head above my chest as he wrapped his arms around me. I returned the hug and patted his head before he let go of me. I looked up at Blitz, Tank, and Nervin and saw they were smiling too. I glanced at Yusei and saw he had a tiny smile on his lips as well. I couldn't help but blush softly at the attention before I turned my body to wrap my arms around Yusei again.
"Let's go before it's too late", I told him.
Yusei nodded before he turned on the Duel Runner and looked back at Rally. "You're gonna be on the monitor?"
"We'll go topside so we can get a clear signal", Rally nodded. "Now, rev it up!"
"And don't slow down for nothin'!" Blitz added.
Yusei pushed the accelerator before we zoomed out of the subway and into the tunnels, leaving our friends behind. Now with the helmet, the sounds around me weren't as loud as before with the test runs, but I knew this ride was going to be intense.
The Duel Runner shook as Yusei drove up some stairs and out to the empty streets. We landed on the Runner's wheels before Yusei turned his Runner around and drove towards the sewage plant. While things were going smoothly now, I just knew Trudge would show up any minute. I made sure to look left and right whenever we passed a fork or an alleyway to see if the officer was coming.
The air in the Satellite wasn't the cleanest, but it was better than the few times when the island was suffering from smog. Yusei told me before it usually happened once a month when there was extra garbage. The sewage plants and recycling factories all over on the island worked double-time in those days. Everyone would then have to use face masks to not breathe in the smog. I got to experience it two weeks ago when the smog even made it down to the subway. I almost threw up once by the horrible stench. This was serious environment pollution that could kill people.
The ride to the sewage plant took a bit more than half an hour to reach. The towers of the plant grew in the distance as we approached it. The alarms were going off with a robotic voice talking from the loudspeakers.
"Warning! Warning! You are entering an unauthorized zone! Turn back immediately!"
While the alarm was loud and the wind made noise in my ears, I could still snap up the weak sound of a second Duel Runner. I looked to my left and saw a pair of green blinking lights approaching us in the darkness. I squinted my eyes to see better and quickly realized it was Trudge!
"Yusei! Nine o'clock!" I called as I pulled up my legs a bit.
Yusei snapped his head up when I alerted him, but even with my warning, Trudge rammed softly onto the side of the boy's Duel Runner. Yusei regained control and zoomed ahead, leaving the officer behind.
"Pull over, Yusei!" Trudge yelled.
Yusei looked over his shoulder, seemingly surprised that Trudge had been able to find us. I knew the reason why; the acceleration chip that Rally found was sending a homing signal. I should have warned Yusei about it, but it would have been too risky to reveal how much I actually knew.
Trudge caught up and drove next to us with a strict grin on his face. "Where'd you think you're goin'? Don't you know it's two hours past curfew, or can you still not tell time?!" He turned his eyes to me while a malicious smirk grew on his lips. "So the rumors are true. You do have a lady friend!"
How did Trudge know about me? During the whole time I had been in the Satellite, I had spent the majority of the days in Yusei's hut. I only went topside whenever I needed to buy something, but I always had someone with me. Maybe some people who knew Yusei saw me and spread rumors around?
"You goin' on a midnight date? Well, the date's canceled! Pull over!" Trudge demanded.
Yusei ignored Trudge as he accelerated and drove towards the closed gate of the sewage plant. I knew what was coming next, so I tightened my grip on Yusei's waist, preparing myself for the maneuver. We drove through a closed barrier, which was the easy part, before Yusei pulled his Duel Runner upward, making it fly over the main gate. We landed perfectly, even though it was a bit bumpy, before we drove deeper into the sewage plant.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Trudge was coming closer as the gate opened the way for him. Yusei made a few sharp turns, making me close my eyes and grit my teeth a bit until we drove straight in a secluded and clear pathway within the plant. Sadly, Trudge was right by our tails.
"You may have beaten me in our last Duel, but I've got something special planned for you and this time, I'm taking you down, Yusei!" Trudge called, getting Yusei's attention. "See, with that chip you installed, I can now force you to Turbo Duel!"
The whole place seemed to change a bit because of the Speed World Field Spell. The air seemed to be full of energy.
"Overriding suspect's Duel Runner", an automatic voice announced from the dashboard of Yusei's Duel Runner as it prepared his hybrid Duel Disk for a Turbo Duel. "Autopilots engaged."
"But how?!" Yusei gasped in disbelief.
This was not good. We only had minutes left for the sewage plant to shut down.
"I let you off the hook last time, Yusei! But this time, me and my special Pursuit Deck are gonna haul you to the Facility for good!" Trudge threatened.
XXXXXXXXXX
I was tempted to throw my own comments at Trudge sometimes, but I knew it was best if I kept my mouth shut. And let me tell you this; this was one of the most dramatic times in my life that almost made my heart stop beating. There were a few times I feared Yusei wouldn't win against Trudge, but he did win the Turbo Duel. The second worst part of the trip to New Domino City was when the garbage came flowing into the pipeline and the maintain hatch was closing when we were only meters away from it. I had my eyes shut the entire time as Yusei maneuvered his Duel Runner among the trash until we made it through. I opened my eyes when I caught the scent of fresh air in my nose. We were right outside of New Domino City's sewage plant when Yusei stopped the Duel Runner for a minute.
I took the time to let out a huge sigh of relief and loosened my grip on Yusei's waist a bit, leaning back against the Duel Runner. "That was too close…"
"You okay, Estelle?" Yusei asked.
I nodded with a soft hum before looking up at the dark night sky. For a moment, I couldn't help but worry about Trudge. His Duel Runner stopped moving after he lost the Turbo Duel, so he was the one getting crushed by the trash right now. I hoped he wouldn't get seriously hurt and would only get that scar on his left cheek. I couldn't feel any hatred towards the officer. After all, later on, he would become a good guy who respects Yusei and his friends.
"I can't believe we actually made it", I said as I leaned the front of my helmet against Yusei's back. "I really thought for a second we were going to get crushed by the garbage."
"It sure was a close call", Yusei nodded before his eyes turned serious. "But I still don't understand how Trudge was able to find us."
"Do you think it's because of the acceleration chip? He did use it to force you into a Turbo Duel", I pointed out.
Yusei pondered about it before nodding. "If that's true, then I'll have to remove the homing signal and the hacking codes so Sector Security can't find us."
"Let's try to look for a hotel or something for the night", I suggested. "Then, in the early morning, you can fix your Runner."
Yusei nodded and turned on the Duel Runner while I wrapped my arms around his waist. Just as we were ready to leave, a voice called from above.
"Yusei!"
Both Yusei and I looked up at something that looked like a road. I could see a white blurry figure, but I knew without a doubt it was Jack Atlas; the man who not just stole Yusei's first Duel Runner and Stardust Dragon, but who was also Yusei's foster brother.
Yusei turned off the Duel Runner and removed his helmet before turning back to Jack with a glare. "Hello, Jack!"
Jack let out a sarcastic laugh. "Long time no see! How've you been?" Yusei didn't respond to the question. "What's the matter, Yusei? Aren't you happy to see your old friend Jack?" I couldn't tell if Jack moved his head or not, but I felt like he was looking at me. "So, Yusei, you made a good time, didn't you? I hope Officer Trudge didn't inconvenient you too much. Please don't take it personally. He's just doing what I'm payin' him to do. Now then, what brings you and your little girlfriend here?"
I really wanted to correct Jack and say Yusei and I weren't a couple, but I knew it was best if I kept my mouth shut and let things go on as it should. I remembered the few times when Trudge also thought I was Yusei's girlfriend during the Turbo Duel. Just because I was a woman and Yusei was a man didn't mean we were a couple. Didn't we live in an era when the two genders could be seen as platonic friends?
"I want my Stardust Dragon back!" Yusei demanded, ignoring the part of me being his girlfriend.
"And I guess you'll be wanting your Runner back as well?" Jack said.
"I don't need it!" Yusei retorted irritably.
"So it's just the card? I would've thought you moved on by now, since it seems you've gotten over losing your Runner already! By the way, how's the new one treatin' ya?"
"I got no complaints! And how's the one you stole from me? Still running well, I hope?"
"You never could let go of anything, couldn't you, Yusei?"
"I never was one to forgive and forget! Now, where's my card?"
"What's the rush? Don't you wanna catch up on old times?"
I felt how Yusei's body grew stiff as I had my hands on his shoulders. I looked down and saw he was clenching his right hand into a fist. I wanted to reach down and take it gently to calm him down, but I couldn't.
"I want to know where my Stardust Dragon is!" Yusei demanded, now with a deep growl.
"Oh, you mean this old thing here?" Jack called.
I looked up at the road and squinted when I thought I saw Jack was holding Stardust Dragon's card. It was really hard to see without my glasses and the tinted visor of the helmet.
"Does it still look the same?" Jack taunted.
"How could you, Jack?!" Yusei growled.
"That card was wastin' away with you in the Satellite! I couldn't bear to watch it sit in the hands of a loser!"
I gritted my teeth as I held back a growl myself. Stardust Dragon was part of Yusei, just as Red Dragon Archfiend was part of Jack, and just as Star Eater was part of me! I hated this side of Jack! He only cared about himself and didn't care what his former friends thought or felt about him now. He reminded me immensely of my half-blooded big brother. My big brother was a true narcissist and only cared about himself. He wanted to be seen as someone important while he was nothing. He tried to look professional behind his expensive cameras whenever he was snapping pictures of a hockey team in which he was their photographer, while he was actually working in our hometown's newspaper printer. He had gone so far that he wasn't treating me or our mother as family anymore. We couldn't feel the love from him. He simply didn't care for us anymore. He only came over to visit us whenever Mom asked him a favor. I just hoped Jack would return to his old self during the Dark Signer part of the adventure.
"But, Jack, how could you take it when you knew it was the only hope our friends had of getting out of the Satellite?!" Yusei retorted. "It was meant to help us all!"
"Well, it certainly helped me when I got to New Domino City! And to show my thanks, you can have your precious dragon card back! Here, take it! I sure don't need it anymore!"
Yusei moved his hand up and caught something that came towards him. I saw it was Stardust Dragon's card. Now when I got a closer look at it, I had to confess it was beautiful. It had a beauty that not even my own copy of the dragon could match with.
Yusei didn't say a word, which Jack noticed. "What now, Yusei? Are you havin' second thoughts?" the blonde asked.
Yusei threw the card back as I felt his chest rumble by a chuckle. And that sentence was not meant to be a pun.
"No, Jack. I want the card, but I wanna make you pay for what you did more!" Yusei replied. "And when I beat you, then I'll take my card back!"
"You always were a dreamer!" Jack chuckled. "Well, get ready, because here comes your wake-up call!"
I could literally taste the tension in the air between the two men. It was full of fire and electric. I could almost feel goosebumps on my body by the tension.
"Meet me by the intersection when you get out of there!" Jack called as his blurry figure walked over to his Duel Runner. "I'll give you a quick and exclusive tour through New Domino City!"
With that said, Jack took off to meet us up by the designated intersection.
I turned to Yusei and saw he had a serious look on his face. "Are you okay?" I said in a low voice, trying to massage his shoulders to ease the tension.
Yusei let out a sigh. "I'm fine."
He reached his left hand up and placed it on top of my right hand on his shoulder. I stopped massaging by the touch. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but I knew he sought for some comfort and reassurance. I turned my hand around and tried squeezing his hand a little.
"It will go well, Yusei", I told him. "Believe in yourself and the cards in your Deck. Your Duel Monsters are there for you, and so am I."
I heard a chuckle come out from Yusei's mouth. "Thanks, Estelle."
He pulled his hand back and put on the helmet, while I wrapped my arms around his waist again, before turning on the Duel Runner. It purred to life before Yusei hit the gas and drove out of the sewage plant area. We made it to an intersection just outside of the plant where Jack was waiting. He didn't say a word as he turned his Duel Runner around and drove away. Yusei drove after him as we were the only ones on the road. There were no other vehicles or Duel Runners driving by.
I took the opportunity to look at the skyscrapers, or at least the lights from them. I had a feeling the buildings were even taller than the skyscrapers in America. At the same time, it was beautiful as the small lights shone through the windows of the offices and apartments.
"When're you gonna tell me where we're heading, Jack?" Yusei called after we had driven around for ten minutes in silence.
"Stop your worrying and enjoy the view already!" Jack retorted. "So what do you think of New Domino City? It's a little step-up from the Satellite, isn't it? But if you get homesick, I'm sure I can find a trash bin for you and your girlfriend to play in!"
"How immature…", I commented softly.
Yusei must have heard it, since I felt his body rumble again with a chuckle before he resumed his serious self. "Are we gonna Duel or are you gonna play tour guide all night?" he asked the blonde man.
Jack laughed at the question. "Well, since you worked so hard to get here, I figured I'd show you the sights before you get shipped back to the Satellite Sector!"
"We'll see 'bout that!" Yusei said.
"Yes, we will!" Jack agreed. "Looks like we're here! Welcome to the Kaiba Dome!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Yusei and I looked around in the Kaiba Dome as Jack stood a few meters from us. The Kaiba Dome was really big, even bigger than a soccer stadium. The Duel Runner course that went around the stadium must have been two to three kilometer long in total.
"This Duel Dome's impressive, isn't it?" Jack asked us with a hint of pride in his voice as he looked around himself. "Television just doesn't do its justice. Now, imagine it filled with thousands of adoring fans, all of them chanting your name and cheering you on!" He turned to us, but his eyes were straight on Yusei. "But that's something you'll never goin' to experience, Yusei! 'Cause after this Duel, the only people cheering you on will be your girlfriend and loser friends back at the Satellite! And that's if they don't turn their backs on you once you return without this Stardust Dragon!"
The spotlights turned on and almost blinded me and Yusei until we got used to the light. We looked up and saw Jack was holding Stardust Dragon's card again. I didn't know why, but I felt like Stardust Dragon was sad. It could sense its real master was nearby, but they were still separated.
"I wish I could be there to see their faces when you try explaining to them how you had the card, but got greedy and turned it down in order to Duel me!" Jack continued his speech. "You're gonna regret ever coming here, Yusei, 'cause I'm gonna beat you with your own card!"
"Are you done with this monologue now? My ears are starting to get rotten by your poisoning voice", I finally decided to open my mouth to talk, rubbing my ears.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "I see your girlfriend's not mute after all, Yusei! And she's quite impolite for a Satellite!"
"She's not my-", Yusei began retorting, only for me to interrupt.
"Men and women can be platonic friends in this era, Jack", I told the blonde with a glare. "And let me warn you; if you keep having this attitude towards everyone, even towards your only few friends, then you are the one who will be left alone in the dust in the very end. Fame and fortune can never make one happy."
Jack let out a ridiculous laugh. "Well, sounds like you've got a big mouth, girl!" His eyes turned into a serious glare, but I didn't flinch. "Who do you think you are, trying to tell me that everything around me doesn't make me happy?! I'm very happy as the King of Games; the Master of Faster!"
I kept my poker face as I pointed at Jack's chest or, more precisely, his heart. "People never appreciate fake things. The current you is a fake; a mask that hides the truth, afraid to lose the things you believe that can make you happy. You better drop that mask before you make more damage to yourself, and see the things that can truly make you happy."
XXXXXXXXXX – Yusei's POV
I was surprised to hear this short but direct speech. Estelle seemed to understand what was going on with Jack. A voice in my heart told me that Jack was still the same on the inside, but he allowed his selfish side to take over and betray me and our friends. The past still hurt me a bit, but after hearing Estelle's words… Maybe there was still a slight chance of hope that Jack could return to his old self; the big brother I used to look up to when I was a kid before the two of us and Crow formed a strong bond of brotherhood.
Estelle turned to me as she adjusted her glasses, and gave me a small smile. "Good luck, Yusei. Do your best."
I nodded in reply before I watched her walk towards a pit. She jumped over a small fence and settled down on a stool. Once I saw she was safe, I walked over to my Duel Runner and prepared myself to Turbo Duel. Jack was already waiting on his Duel Runner.
"Turbo Duel activated."
"Now then, try not to get scared, will ya?" Jack called from his Duel Runner with a smirk. "This course can be really rough on first-timers!" He took the honor to activate the Speed World Field Spell.
"Duel Mode engaged. Autopilots standing by."
This was it. It was time to settle the score with Jack.
"Let's ride!" both of us shouted simultaneously before the Duel was on.
XXXXXXXXXX – Estelle's POV
I couldn't see how the Turbo Duel was going, since I couldn't turn on a screen in the pit to watch it, so I had no other option but to rely on the times whenever Jack and Yusei drove past me. While they were Dueling, I got a weird feeling in my stomach. I didn't feel like I was getting sick, no. It was as if something was coming. Could I sense when the Crimson Dragon would make an appearance? Did this mean I had connection to the God too? All the questions made my head spin around.
At the same time, I got another small idea. If I ended up getting sent to the Facility with Yusei, I had to hide some of my cards on me somehow. I needed to hide clues about my identity and my cards, especially Star Eater. Star Eater didn't exist when they aired Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's in my dimension in 2009 for the first time, and my ace Monster card was a Level 11 Synchro Monster. It would only raise more questions and perhaps Goodwin would personally demand answers from me.
After Yusei and Jack drove past the pit for the second time, I turned around on the stool and put the satchel on my lap. I zipped it open and pulled out my metal box. I opened it and looked through my cards. I decided to not only hide Star Eater, but also my good luck charm card.
A Feather of the Phoenix.
I didn't care if Goodwin would find my two Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards. I had no reason to hide those from him. I looked around a bit instinctively before pulling the collar of my shirt a bit and stuffed Star Eater's card in the left cup of my sports bra. Then I took the Spell card and shoved it down in the right cup. All I could pray for now was that a female Sector Security officer wouldn't frisk me on my chest and find the cards.
XXXXXXXXXX
I got goosebumps when Jack Synchro summoned both Red Dragon Archfiend and Stardust Dragon on the same turn. But the biggest moment was when Yusei was able to get Stardust Dragon on his side with the Trap card, Harmonia Mirror, and Stardust Dragon attacked Red Dragon Archfiend on his turn. I suddenly felt my right arm throb in pain, which made me grit my teeth a bit. I pulled up the sleeve of my black shirt to check if something was happening to me, but no. My arm looked just the same, except the throbbing pain kept growing.
The pain got even worse when the two Signer Dragons attacked each other. The clash caused a chain reaction, making my arm throb even harder that I couldn't hold back the moan of pain that escaped through my lips. The next thing I knew, the whole stadium was shaking as a bright light erupted from the two attacks between the Synchro dragons. I shielded my eyes with my arm until the light died down.
A familiar dragon cry echoed in the stadium as I lowered my arm. My eyes widened when I saw the Crimson Dragon for the first time. It was bigger than the Signer Dragons together. Then my attention was drawn to my right arm. I saw a red glowing light that seemed to shape itself into a pentagram, but another cry from the Crimson Dragon made me turn my eyes back on it. Speaking of eyes, I saw in the reflection of my glasses that my eyes were glowing red.
A powerful gust suddenly erupted in the stadium that almost sent me flying. I held onto the stool I sat on, but I realized it wasn't the best idea. I stood up slowly while holding onto the desk while moving slowly towards the edge of it. Before I knew it, the gust got even stronger and it forced me down on my knees. The Crimson Dragon cried so loud I had to cover my ears. Still, I didn't move my eyes from the God as it shot up to the sky and spread its wings like an arrow. A light in the middle of its body, where the God had its wings, shone and lightened up the dark sky.
I was expecting the Crimson Dragon to vanish into particles, but my eyes widened in horror when I saw its head turn around until it was looking down at the stadium. I swore I had eye contact with the mighty God. The next thing I knew, the Crimson Dragon turned around and shot itself towards me. I hurried to stand up on my feet and run away, but I wasn't fast enough. When the Crimson Dragon was just meters away from me, another bright light erupted from its body and blinded me.
XXXXXXXXXX
I expected the Crimson Dragon to hit me, but when I felt no pain I slowly opened my eyes. I felt them widen in shock when I was greeted by five of the six Signer Dragons in a space that looked like the cosmos. Stardust Dragon, Red Dragon Archfiend, Black Rose Dragon, Black-Winged Dragon, and Life Stream Dragon were forming a circle around me as they watched me with their intense eyes. I felt something was weird with me, so I looked at myself.
I was dressed in a white sleeveless dress with a white transparent shawl that was wrapped around both my arms. My feet were bare and I didn't have my glasses, but I could see well.
I was a bit stunned as I couldn't find words. The Signer Dragons' glares scared me, since I had no idea what had just happened to me.
"Ehh…", I began with a shaking voice.
"There's no need to be so frightened, Priestess", a female voice spoke up.
I jumped by the voice, but calmed down when I noticed Black Rose Dragon was moving her neck, as if she was the one who had just spoken.
"Did you just talk…?" I asked to make sure I wasn't going crazy.
"We can all speak in this realm, Priestess", Black-Winged Dragon answered.
I looked around again. "Where exactly are we?"
"In a realm between our masters' world and the Spirit World", Life Stream Dragon explained.
"So… I'm not dead?" I asked.
"No, you certainly are not, Priestess", Red Dragon Archfiend chuckled.
I raised an eyebrow when I noticed how the Signer Dragons kept calling me "Priestess". What was that all about?
"Why am I here? And why are you calling me 'Priestess'?" I asked.
"Because you are the Priestess that will connect our masters together", Stardust Dragon explained as he lowered his muzzle toward me. "You are the one who was chosen by our Lord."
Lord? Was he talking about the Crimson Dragon?
"That's why we need your help, Priestess", Black Rose Dragon added. "Please help our masters and free them from their darkness."
"Wait, what? What darkness?" I questioned, not really understanding what the rose Signer Dragon meant.
"Time is short", a new deep baritone voice spoke up behind me. "You must return now, Mistress."
I turned around and yelped in surprise when I came face to face with my ace Synchro Monster. "Star Eater?! Va i helvete?! (Star Eater?! What the hell?!)"
I rarely cussed out loud, but this was a huge surprise for me to see Star Eater. In fact, this short meeting with the Signer Dragons was surreal.
Star Eater chuckled, "Do not be afraid, Mistress. I understand this is all a shock for you, but rest assure, you are not harmed."
My heart beat twice as fast by the surprise before it calmed down. "What are you doing here, Star Eater?"
"I am your dragon partner, Mistress", Star Eater replied with a bow of his neck. "But we must depart now. More of your questions shall be answered in a later phase."
"Wait!" Life Stream Dragon called, making me turn to him. "Promise me you'll try to save our sister, Priestess!"
This time, I could connect the dots together fast. "You mean Ancient Fairy Dragon?"
Ancient Fairy Dragon was the only Signer Dragon that wasn't with us. That must be because she was in the claws of the Dark Signers.
"Yes. Our beloved sister", Red Dragon Archfiend confirmed.
I let out a soft sigh. "I'll see what I can do when I understand more of what is going on here. Will you give me time?"
"Time is what we're short of, but we understand", Stardust Dragon nodded. "Whenever you enter the land of dreams, look for us and we shall try to guide you."
That was the last words I heard from the Signer Dragons before they cried out and a light blinded me again.
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My eyes snapped open as I took a deep gasp of air. I felt disoriented a bit before I calmed down and realized I was back at the stadium. It was dark. The spotlights had turned off sometime after the Crimson Dragon had appeared, but now the dragon God was gone.
I flinched a bit when I felt a burning pain on my right arm again. I glanced down and saw the same pentagram mark again as before, but it was already fading along with the pain. I pulled up the sleeve of my shirt to check if the pentagram Mark was still on my arm or not. It had vanished completely. No trace of it.
I still felt a bit confused about the meeting I just had with the Signer Dragons and Star Eater. I had so many questions, but I couldn't concentrate on that right now. What happened to Yusei and Jack?
I ran out to the course and looked around frantically. When I looked to my right, I spotted the two Duel Runners several meters from me. I ran towards them as fast as I could. I was panicking if Jack or Yusei got hurt when they crashed with their Runners. I could see one moving figure among the steam that came from both Runners, so I was relieved to see one of the boys was okay.
As I came closer, I heard both of them groaning in pain, but mainly Yusei. The adrenaline started pumping faster in my body as I reached the crash site.
"Jack?! Yusei?! Are you two okay?!" I called as I ran past Jack and his crashed Duel Runner.
I almost ran into a crater of concrete in the middle of the course, but I stopped myself in time. I ran over to Yusei's Duel Runner and looked for the boy. I found him sitting against the glass wall of the course, grunting in pain. I could see his right arm was glowing red due to his Mark.
"It burns!" Yusei cried out in pain.
I quickly got down on my knees next to him and put my left arm on his shoulder and my right hand on top of his clenched right hand, trying to find a way to help him through the pain. "It's okay, Yusei. I'm here."
Yusei looked at me before his eyes traveled down to his glowing arm. He ripped his hand out of mine to pull his glove off and pull up the sleeve of his jacket, revealing the Tail Mark of the Crimson Dragon.
"Where'd this come from?!" Yusei said in shock.
"So it's not just me?!" Jack exclaimed.
Yusei and I looked up and saw Jack was standing a few meters from us, but he was holding his right visible arm that was glowing. He had the Wings Mark of the Crimson Dragon.
"Jack… What's going on?" Yusei asked, his voice sounding a bit frightened about the glowing Marks.
I helped Yusei get up on his feet, my left arm still wrapped around the raven-haired boy's shoulders, as our eyes never left Jack. Jack's eyes, however, never left Yusei's Mark.
"Do you know what this is, Jack?" Yusei asked again as he squinted underneath the visor of his helmet. "You do, don't you?" We waited for an answer or even a word from the blonde, but he kept his mouth shut. "Jack, say something, man! What's going on?!"
I glanced down at Yusei's arm and saw his Mark had vanished, like mine. I turned to Jack and saw his Mark was still on his arm, but it had stopped glowing. However, that wasn't our biggest concern now.
A bright light shone upon us from out of nowhere, getting my and Yusei's attention while we shielded our eyes. I cold sweated when I saw Sector Security had arrived. They quickly surrounded us and pushed back Jack Atlas, as if trying to protect him from us.
"Your violation of Code 36-B, which states that no resident of Satellite may enter New Domino City!" a Security officer spoke from a megaphone. "By order of the Social Maintenance Department, we are placing you under arrest! Do not try to run! We have you surrounded!"
Yusei and I looked around to see we really had no chance to run. Even if Yusei's Duel Runner was just meters from us, we didn't have time to escape. Yusei had to reboot the system so he could drive the Runner after a Turbo Duel, and that could take a few minutes and we didn't have that much time.
I nudged Yusei's arm softly with my right hand, getting his attention. "We've got no choice, Yusei."
Yusei was silent before he nodded and the two of us raised our hands. We surrendered ourselves to Sector Security.