Chocolate Chips...
VS Edogawa! The Future is Czar!
Domino.
Seated alongside the eastern shores of Japan, it was a city that clung tightly to its cultural roots.
Once a small and relatively insignificant town, the area had grown into a dazzling metropolis, largely in part due to the connection it held with Seto Kaiba: president of KaibaCorp and one of the greatest Duel Monsters players in the world. Riding off his good name, Domino had risen to become the most technologically advanced city in Japan, surpassing even the capital city of Tokyo itself.
An official duel stadium stood in the center of the city, surrounded by so many highways and train lines that traveling anywhere was a simple matter. Various corporations and offices called the city home, and it even carried an often-frequented shopping district, which housed an ever-growing number of gaming centers and malls.
One such center was the Domino Arcade, a small game shop filled to the brim with both retro and modern day arcade machines. Every day, hundreds of avid gamers would toil away at the machines, losing themselves to the vivid worlds housed within.
Lorenzo was one such gamer, and for him, today was no different.
He was facing a powerful foe in Puzzle Pro: a game where you had to solve increasingly difficult Duel Monsters puzzles to proceed to the next stage. His current enemy was the game's final and most difficult boss: the unstoppable Kaibaman.
Unlike other Puzzle Pro enemies, whose field layouts and hands could be memorized, Kaibaman's level changed nearly every time he was faced. Many of his appearances would come with various face-down traps or spells, which meant no matter what you tried, victory was almost sure to escape your grasp.
But 'almost' wasn't absolute. And even if it was, Lorenzo would die before letting that stop him.
His fingers moved rapidly against the machine, aching from the constant mashing of the controls. A nervous sweat perspirated from his skin with each movement, each bead gleaming with the light of the screen ahead. Various colors and images flashed upon it, consuming his vision as his head pounded under the relentless assault of the rock music blaring through the game's speakers. The noise filled his brain, drowning out all other sounds as it burrowed and reverberated off his eardrums again and again. All the while, he continued to press buttons, using them to examine each of the cards wielded by the player-controlled Puzzle-kun.
Remarkably adorable in his red hat and chibi artstyle, Puzzle-kun was the game's official mascot and player character. Hailing from a bloodline of Duel Monsters heroes, he fought to protect the Puzzle World from the evil spirits hoping to turn the land into a monster paradise. His mission was difficult, largely due to his random deck of cards that rarely worked together. It changed nearly as often as Kaibaman's level itself, hence the game's premise of forcing the player to defeat their opponents in a single turn.
This time, the duel against Kaibaman had left Puzzle-kun with only three hundred Life Points. Kaibaman still had four thousand, a number clearly chosen to display the difference in their skill levels. As if to further drive it in, the field wasn't much better off. Puzzle-kun's own had practically nothing save for a face-down Enemy Controller, while his hand only had Jerry Beans Man, Power Bond, and Axe of Despair.
Kaibaman, on the other hand, had the Blue-Eyes White Dragon and two face-down cards, along with three other cards in his hand that couldn't be seen.
Like always when the masked soldier was involved, it was a field Lorenzo hadn't seen before. A few strategies that could lead to victory came to mind, but without being able to examine precisely what Kaibaman's face-down cards were, there was no telling which would succeed.
Lorenzo grit his teeth and curled his fingers around the game's joystick. The countdown clock was running short. There was no time left. He needed to make a decision before the game declared his turn forfeit. He let out a curse and issued a command.
"I summon Jerry Beans Man!" Puzzle-kun shouted, responding to the button Lorenzo pushed. The words were followed by a golden light, and a small, cartoon version of the jellybean warrior appeared on the screen.
Jerry Beans Man - LV3 - EARTH - Warrior - (1750/0)
"Next," Puzzle-kun continued, "I'll activate my Enemy Controller spell to tribute Jerry Beans and take control of your Blue-Eyes White Dragon until the End Phase!"
"What?!" Kaibaman shouted, a cartoon-shaped shock icon appearing above his head. "Impossible!"
Lorenzo tensed and pushed another button.
"Now," Puzzle-kun said, "I'll equip your Blue-Eyes with the Axe of Despair, increasing his Attack Points by one thousand!"
The cartoon Blue-Eyes grinned as a large and similarly cartoonish axe appeared in its claws. It raised the weapon wildly above its head, swinging it several times before turning its gaze to its former master.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon - LV8 - LIGHT - Dragon - (4000/2500)
"Battle Phase! Blue-Eyes attacks you directly! Axe Stream of Destruction!"
The Blue-Eyes moved to fling the axe at Kaibaman, but just as it loosed the weapon from its grip, the egotistical warrior stretched out a hand.
"Ha! You fell for it fool!" he shouted.
Lorenzo groaned, knowing exactly what was going to happen next. A moment later, it did.
"I activate my trap card, Magic Cylinder! It'll take your attack and fling it right back at you!" Kaibaman roared.
The spinning axe vanished inside a bottle that appeared in front of Kaibaman. After a few seconds passed, it was suddenly flung back out, shot back toward Puzzle-kun.
The cartoon Duelist let out a scream as the axe cleaved him in two, and a cartoonish explosion rocked the field, layering the area with dirt and debris. The screen began to darken as the words GAME OVER appeared in the center of the image.
Cursing the game's programming and Kaibaman's impossible-to-defeat puzzle, Lorenzo typed LOR into the number two position of the leaderboard and reached for the tickets spilling out from the machine's bottom.
"Ha!" a voice from behind said, interrupting him. "Second place again, huh? Tough luck, weakling."
Yuri Edogawa-one of the other regulars at the arcade-grinned as he stood there, examining Lorenzo's score. "Wow. Looks like you didn't even do half as well as the top player. Guess that means you aren't worthy of all those prize tickets, huh? Why don't you just budge over and let a real gamer have 'em? Y'know, someone like me?"
Lorenzo steadied himself on the machine, preventing him from budging when Edogawa stepped up to shoulder him out the way. When Edogawa tried a second time, however, he stumbled slightly. It was only thanks to his firm grip on the machine that he didn't fall.
"Back off, would you?" he asked, glaring at the larger boy. "I won those tickets fair and square! Besides, there's still plenty of time before the arcade closes. Why don't you head back to Duty Calls and win some of your own?"
"You want me to get my own tickets when there are some perfectly good ones right here?" Edogawa asked. "You must be out of your mind. Besides, it's not like you need 'em for anything. Tell you what, you give me yours, and I don't bust your face in for gettin' in my way. Deal?"
Lorenzo took a quick glance down the aisle. This part of the arcade wasn't as busy as the rest of the store. In fact, it was practically empty. There were a few other gamers straggling here and there, but many of them were too focused on their own games to notice what was happening just behind them.
He wasn't exactly surprised. Puzzle Pro lacked the popularity of the arcade's other games, so the owner had moved it from the center aisle to make way for more mainstream titles like Duty Calls and Angel May Sneer. Usually, Edogawa would have been up front playing the former; but something must have happened that demanded a change in routine.
Lorenzo had known Edogawa ever since middle school. The boy had always been his worst tormentor, instigating most of the events with teasing, insults, and the occasional punch to the face. Much of the harassment had ended shortly after the delinquent first encountered Ida, Lorenzo's stern and violence-loving friend. It wasn't because he was afraid of her, though.
On the contrary, Edogawa had a crush. No doubt he had hoped that by taking it easy on her friends he would somehow endear himself to her, but nothing had ever come of it until recently. Regardless, he and his gang of delinquents hadn't tried anything for months, and Edogawa had always been content to keep his distance...until now.
It only took Lorenzo a few seconds to guess why.
"Careful," he said. "You and Ida haven't left for North Academy yet. You don't want to ruin your new relationship by getting in a fight with me, do you?"
"You shut your mouth!" Edogawa snapped. "Or I'll make it so that by the time you're well enough to tell her what's happened, we'll already be long gone! Besides," he added, shaking his head softly as a smirk graced his lips, "you two aren't close like you used to be. Two weeks ago she'd have never left your side, but I sure don't see her watching your back now."
"And who's to blame for that?" Lorenzo asked, his fists tightening. "You've strung her along. Promised her something you know you can't give!"
"Can't give?" Edogawa asked, shaking his head. "What, you mean you still haven't heard? Results came back. I got top marks on the North Academy Entrance Exam. I hear the Headmaster's even looking to name me Czar! The way I see it, my future's looking pretty bright." He paused, taking in Lorenzo's smaller frame. "Unlike yours. I heard you couldn't even last two turns against the exam proctor without passing out. Can't say I'm surprised. You never were a Duelist, and you're certainly not good enough to attend a school like North Academy!"
Duelist was the term used to identify those who played the popular card game Duel Monsters. They were responsible for spreading the joy of battle and entertainment to all those who witnessed their displays, even if it meant making hard choices like abandoning the life they had lived prior. Lorenzo, like all young children, had fantasized about one day joining the Pro Leagues himself. Unfortunately, a combination of anxiety and bad food had thrown him off his game, reducing him to a shivering husk incapable of passing North Academy's Entrance Exam. As a result, his path to fame and stardom had been cut short, ending before it ever began.
"Bloody weakling is what you are," Edogawa continued. "Like you would have ever been good enough to go Pro. If you knew what was good for you, you'll forget all about dueling and start looking for a job like a normal person. How about a garbageman? You'd fit right in with all the trash!"
Lorenzo narrowed his eyes. Edogawa often turned to insults whenever an argument broke out. He had all kinds of nicknames and threats, many of which would've cowed most children he encountered. But Lorenzo wasn't a child. He had long grown used to Edogawa's slurs; sometimes he even took pride in them.
But that was before the Entrance Exam. Before he made a fool of himself. Before Ida had abandoned him to start hanging out with her "fellow Duelists" instead.
"You watch your mouth," he told Edogawa, "before I make you."
He steadied himself by the arcade with one hand, then put the other on Edogawa's shoulder and shoved him away. The bully stumbled back, catching his heel on a discarded soda can that brought him crashing on his rear.
He got back up a mere second later, his face sneering and hands curled into fists. "Didn't you learn your lesson the last time we fought? No matter how fast you get, you can't beat someone who's easily twice your size!"
Lorenzo grimaced. Edogawa was foul, but he wasn't an idiot. On a normal day, under normal circumstances, Lorenzo was just as strong as him, sometimes even stronger.
But this wasn't a normal day. On the contrary, Lorenzo had spent the past few hours playing at the arcade. His fingers were starting to cramp and his legs were numb from being locked in the same position for so long.
Edogawa, on the other hand, looked like he had just gotten out of bed. His clothes were clean and pressed, lacking even the slightest sign of sweat stains. He had probably been taking it easy all day. Perhaps he had even been planning this very encounter, waiting for the right moment to strike ever since he first spotted Lorenzo at the arcade.
Whatever the reason, it was clear he was itching for a fight. But while it was true that Lorenzo was exhausted, it didn't mean he was just going to lay down and let Edogawa walk all over him.
He took a deep breath and bent his knees, spreading his feet wide. Then, just like Ida taught him, he raised his arms in front of him.
"Bada-bing," he muttered.
Edogawa charged forward, swinging his left fist in a vicious hook. Lorenzo ducked down and let the punch fly over his head, then stood up and countered with his right fist, throwing it up in a swift uppercut. The blow caught Edogawa beneath the chin, smashing the boy's mouth shut and sending him staggering backward.
Lorenzo rushed him before he could recover, catching the Edogawa's outstretched arm with both hands. He pulled it forward, then ducked down and turned, driving his shoulder into his chest. Using Edogawa's own strength against him, he proceeded to straighten up and yank down hard, flipping the boy over so that he crashed to the floor on his back.
The moment Edogawa landed, Lorenzo tried to lunge down and pin the boy so he could wail on him, but Edogawa was too quick. He rolled out of the way, using the opening of Lorenzo's clumsy movements to scatter back to his feet.
"Nice trick," he said. "You learn that from Ida? Too bad. You should've known better than to try her moves with that skinny body of yours!"
Lorenzo grunted, rising back to his own feet and dropping into his fighting stance again. His legs seized in protest, the sudden motions getting the blood pumping but sending his nerves into a screaming frenzy.
As if sensing his pain, Edogawa pushed his advantage. He rushed forward again, but not with fists. His hands were open and wide, pulling and grasping at anything they could find. Lorenzo tried to scramble out of the way, but his legs were still too numb and sore to get him clear. Edogawa's right hand found his jacket, and the other got hold of his arm. The grip allowed him to pull them both down to the ground.
It was there that they wrestled, grappling on the cold, uneven tiles of the arcade floor. Edogawa had his face tucked inward, burying it against Lorenzo's chest to try and protect it from any blows. He still had a grip on Lorenzo's arm, but his other hand was free to lash out, punching up blindly to where he guessed Lorenzo's face was.
Lacking options, Lorenzo was forced to trap the limbs so that neither boy could throw a punch.
With their fists bound, technique lost its meaning. The fight became a brute battle of endurance and strength, in which Lorenzo was quickly proving inferior. Exhausted from his long gaming session, he tried to roll Edogawa over onto his back, but his weary legs and sore wrists betrayed him. They were unable to summon the strength they needed for the final push.
Edogawa, on the other hand, was more than capable of moving. With no effort at all, he continued pulling at Lorenzo's grip until he finally wrenched one of his massive arms free.
Lorenzo wasn't so lucky. His face was still exposed and vulnerable, and without a hand to protect himself with-Edogawa's fist smashed against his cheek. The force of the blow knocked him for a loop, and he turned back just in time to see another blow rapidly approaching. He leaned his head back, letting Edogawa's knuckles just barely graze his chin. He saw the fist pull back for another swing. This time it smashed into his nose, nearly breaking it.
It took Lorenzo a second to realize what had happened. He turned his face away as yet another punch approached. It smacked painfully into his cheek, sending his mind reeling.
The hand pulled back once more, then started swinging again and again. Each blow clobbered Lorenzo's face, smacking him harder and harder as he tried and failed to free himself from Edogawa's grasp.
Things weren't looking good for him. No matter what he tried, Edogawa was a step ahead. He was always just a little too slow, a little too weak. Even the adrenaline coursing through his veins wasn't enough to close the gap between them. He was just about ready to call it quits and resign himself to the beating when a loud shout roared through the aisle.
"Hey! What in the hell's going on over here?!"
As if called by Lorenzo's growing desperation, a figure came and quickly shoved Edogawa to the side. The bully quickly scrambled back to his feet and threw a punch at the intruder, only to falter upon seeing who it was.
Ida, the gray-haired Jackal of Domino, stood ready for him, knees bent in a fighting crouch. She caught Edogawa's fist with an open palm and then drove her right knee deep into the boy's gut. The force of the blow brought Edogawa to his knees, knocking the wind out of him and making him drop his guard to cradle his new injury.
"D-Darn it..." he wheezed, trying and failing to rise back to his feet.
Ida shook her head, glaring down at him with a frown. "What the hell do you think you're doing?! Don't you know you could get in real trouble if one of the officials catch you fighting? You're not trying to get expelled before we even get on the boat, are you?!"
"W-Wait Ida!" Edogawa stuttered, raising his arms in what Lorenzo guessed was surrender. "It's just a misunderstanding!"
"Oh, yeah, I'm sure it is," Ida drawled, "We'll talk about this fight of yours later, Edogawa, but for now, hurry up and scram."
"H-Huh?" Edogawa asked. "Really?"
"Did I stutter?!" Ida barked. "Go, before I change my mind and beat you some more!"
Edogawa was more than happy to leave after hearing that. Without so much as a glance to Lorenzo, he turned on his heel and fled down the aisle, vanishing out the open doors. Once he was gone, Ida turned to Lorenzo and offered him a hand.
"Sorry about him," she said. "I thought he was past the whole bullying thing, but I guess he's still got a little growing up to do. Idiot. Who goes and gets in a fight when the boat's leaving in just a few hours? Are you alright?"
"What do you care?" Lorenzo asked, batting away her hand while pulling himself to his feet. He rubbed his face with his sleeve, wiping away the metallic taste of blood that had begun welling up in his mouth. "Shouldn't you be going after him? You two are supposed to be all buddy-buddy now, after all."
"Huh? Well, I guess, but that's..." Ida sighed, her mood appearing to sour in the wake of his accusation. "Man,what a pain. I come over to help and that's the thanks I get? You could do to show a little appreciation, y'know?"
Lorenzo frowned, then shook his head and glared at the floor. "Yeah, whatever," he said. "Thanks for the save, I guess."
"What was that all about, anyway?" Ida asked. "Don't tell me you went and picked a fight with him over the exams? You know you're no match for him, right? What were you planning on doing if I hadn't come along?"
Lorenzo's frowned deepened. "I wasn't the one who started it-"
"-Well, you sure looked like you were trying to finish it," Ida interrupted. "I mean, I know you've been complaining about him ever since you failed the exam, but that's not an excuse to go out and fight with the guy. Another minute or two and he would've pummeled you to dust."
Lorenzo grimaced.
"Look," Ida continued, setting a hand on his shoulder. "I get it. You're upset. But you can't go endangering yourself like this just because you're jealous. Sooner or later, you're gonna have to learn that sometimes things won't go the way you want them to. Particularly when it's your own fault that they happen in the first place."
"It wasn't my fault!" Lorenzo shouted, slapping her hand aside. "He was the one who sought me out, not the other way around! He's always been bullying me, treating me like crap, and while you might've become blind to that fact after cozying up with him, I haven't!"
"I haven't been cozying up with him! We just-" Ida paused, lowering her voice as several people turned their way. "We just have a bit more in common now, that's all. And even if what you said is true, you should be able to take care of yourself better by now. I mean, haven't you learned anything?"
"So what? Now you're saying it's my fault for being a victim?"
"I'm saying that you should know by now how to avoid becoming one!"
Lorenzo glared at her. Ever since they were little, Ida had looked out for him, keeping those who would cause him and anyone else harm at bay. Now that she'd passed North Academy's exam, however, she seemed to have changed. Some would have called it growth, writing off the change as a mere phase, but Lorenzo knew better. What Ida had done-was doing-was nothing more than betrayal.
"Whatever," he said. "What are you even doing here? Shouldn't you be packing for North Academy or whatever?"
"I was worried about you," Ida admitted. "I wanted to see how you were doing, since I know you won't be coming along-"
Lorenzo scoffed, "Well as you can see, I'm fine."
"Are you really saying that after what happened just a few minutes ago?" Ida wondered. "Edogawa nearly beat you to a pulp!"
"I said I'm fine! Contrary to what you might think, I'm not absolutely hopeless without you."
"That's not what I meant."
"Oh? Then what did you mean?" he asked, "'Cause it sounds like you think I can't take care of myself!"
"Well, it's true, isn't it?" she asked. "Ever since we first met, you've needed me to look after you! You've never been able to do anything by yourself. Schoolwork, relationships, when it comes to anything important, you're absolutely hopeless. The only thing you have going for you is gaming, and you can't turn that skill into strength in the real world!"
"Big talk for someone going to a school about fucking card games!"
"That's different and you know it! Duel Monsters can actually take you places in life, and it's way better than these stupid arcade games you play all day!"
"You take that back!"
"No way!" Ida shouted, "Not until you admit that I'm right!"
"Then I guess we'll be here for a while, because that's not happening!"
"Yes it is!"
"Oh yeah? And what're you gonna do if it doesn't, huh?!"
Ida glared at him, her hands balling into fists. "Then I'll make you admit it, asshole!"
"So what?" Lorenzo asked. "You gonna hit me like Edogawa did? Well, go on then! It'll give you something else in common with him, won't it?!"
"Why are you being like this?" Ida asked, stamping her foot. "I'm just trying to give you some advice!"
"Yeah, well maybe I don't need your advice. Maybe I'll do just fine on my own! You ever think about that, huh?!"
"Of course not, and why should I? You always wind up getting yourself in some kind of trouble, and I'm always the one who gets stuck cleaning up the mess!"
"Oh, so I'm some kind of burden now?!"
"You know what? Yeah!" Ida growled. "You are!"
"Then here, why don't you let me lighten your load?!" he turned back around to the machine, grabbing the prize tickets in the drop box with an angry huff before throwing them in her face. "Take 'em! I was planning on using them to get you a goodbye present before you left, but I guess I don't need to do that anymore, do I?!"
Ida stumbled back, the pink tickets scattering around her in the wake of the violent throw. Her eyes were wide and frantic, as if whatever haze had taken hold of her during their argument had lifted in an instant. She looked as though she couldn't believe what she'd just heard, but Lorenzo didn't care. A dark, irrational rage had taken hold of him, and it didn't seem to want to let go.
"I hope whatever you decide to get with them is worth it," he sneered, "because it's the last gift you're ever gonna get from me!"
He shoved past her, ignoring her surprised shout as he pushed through the crowd and headed for the door. He never saw the look of horror dawn upon her face; much less hear her scream for him to wait. All he felt was the blood rushing through his ears, and the tightening knot in his stomach for what he'd just lost.
-GX-
It was nearly six hours later that Lorenzo found himself sitting in the back of a subway train, transporting himself through Domino's extensive underground rail system. Despite resting in the chair ever since he first embarked, he still felt exhausted. His legs were sore from all the running he'd done after fleeing the arcade, and there was nothing more he wanted to do than drop down in his bed and sleep for the rest of the night. But ever since the initial adrenaline rush wore off, his argument with Ida had continued to replay itself over and over again in his mind.
Why on earth had he fought with her over something so stupid? She had only wanted to help him; make sure he'd be alright after she was gone, but he'd taken that good will and thrown it right back in her face.
Berating himself for his foolishness, Lorenzo slumped further in his seat and stared emptily around the compartment. Most of the other passengers had already disembarked, vanishing into the sunset with the rest of the tired workers heading home. Now, only one other passenger remained: a boy with bushy two-toned hair.
He must have noticed Lorenzo looking at him, because he immediately lifted his head and frowned.
"You look like shit," the boy said. "Something exciting happen?"
Lorenzo straightened his back, caught off-guard. It was rare for individuals on the Domino trains to speak to strangers, even when there were very few passengers on board. Perhaps it was the fear of the unknown that kept them quiet, of maybe the fear of being judged. Regardless the reason, Lorenzo had been perfectly content to endure the silence, as had everyone else...or so he'd thought.
"No," he lied, looking the boy in the face. "I'm fine."
"You don't look fine," the boy said. "Though that's probably just cause of the bruise."
Lorenzo frowned. After the beating he took from Edogawa, his right cheek had begun to swell, transforming into a light purple blob that did no favors for his skin. Assuming it was that bruise the boy was referring to, Lorenzo quickly shook his head, denying the implications.
"I got in a fight," he admitted finally. "More than one, actually. One with a bully, one with a friend."
"Your friend did that to your face?"
"What? No! The other guy did!" Lorenzo explained. "He didn't seem to like how well I was doing at the arcade. Figured he'd take it out on my hide. My friend was one who sent him packing, although she wasn't fast enough to stop him from getting a few good licks in first."
"Oh yeah? So your friend's a girl, huh?"
"You wouldn't really think so," Lorenzo said, "not with how she acts half the time. She fashions herself a bancho-pretty sure she's strong as one too."
The boy tilted his head and frowned, "Banchos huh? Those are those super delinquents right? The ones who keep the other knuckleheads in line?"
"Yeah."
"I see," the boy said, cracking a smile. "Sounds like a monster to me."
"She is," Lorenzo confirmed.
"So, what happened between you guys?"
Lorenzo sighed. Some part of him thought it wasn't any of the boy's business, but another part felt that maybe-just maybe-talking about it would help.
"It was stupid," he said after a long silence. "She was trying to help me and I-for some reason I just hated the idea of it. Of being so weak that she thought I couldn't look after myself." He paused, realizing that the boy might need a little more context to better understand the situation. "My friend, she's-well, she's moving soon. She passed an entrance exam to get into one of the duel academies overseas."
"A Duelist, huh? She any good?"
"Better than me, that's for sure." Lorenzo replied, smiling. "It's something she's wanted to do her whole life, and now she's finally taking steps to fulfill that dream."
"So, what? You're afraid of being left behind? Pretty lame if you ask me."
"What? No, that's not it!" Lorenzo denied, his cheeks coloring at the insinuation. "It's not that she's leaving. I'm happy for her, honest! It's just-she can just be so overbearing at times. Ever since we were little, she's always been there, looking out for me, you know? Now that I'll be alone for the first time, I guess she's just afraid that I'll get into trouble."
"Is she right?"
"Well, yeah," Lorenzo admitted, "but the problem is that ever since she passed the exam, she's been nagging me without any concern about how I felt about it! Of course I'm happy for her, and want to see her succeed, but that doesn't mean I want to hear her going on and on about my failures when I'd rather be enjoying what little time I have left with her, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." the boy replied. "But did you ever tell her this?"
"I wanted to," Lorenzo said. "But when she kept harping on me I just-I lost it. I ended up saying some things I shouldn't have."
"Well, you're in luck. Friends fight all the time. At least, from what I've noticed," said the boy. "And if it was over something like this, then I'm guessing you two must be close."
"Yeah, we are." Lorenzo said.
"Then here's some advice: stop moping and go make up with her."
The subway began to rumble, the sound of squealing breaks echoing through the halls. The boy rose from his seat, using the handrail to steady himself as he stood in front of the sliding doors.
"If you two are as close as you say you are, then no fight's worth your friendship, right?" he asked. "Don't wait. If she's leaving for an academy like you say she is, you might miss your chance."
"Yeah," Lorenzo agreed, feeling the knot in his stomach loosen. "You're right."
The subway stopped, and a loud chime of "Kaiba Dome Station" rang through the intercom. The doors to the subway train slid wide open, and the boy step out onto the empty platform.
"See you around," he said. "Or not, if things go the way I hope."
He waved as the doors finally slid shut, and Lorenzo leaned back in his seat, alone with his thoughts once more.
The boy, whoever he was, was right. He couldn't put this off, not when Ida's time of departure was so close at hand. Even now, she could be heading for the Domino docks, getting ready to board one of the many ships that passed through academy waters. He had to speak with her, apologize for getting riled up like he did. They'd been friends for years; he couldn't let one stupid argument change that!
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to rise out of his chair. The floor buckled, swaying beneath his feet as the subway train knocked and grinded against the underground rails. He steadied himself by the wall, taking a moment to grow used to the constant shifting of weight, then walked up the aisle toward the subway map posted by the exit doors.
The previous stop, Kaiba Dome Station, was just two stops away from the exit nearest to the coast. Lorenzo estimated it would be another fifteen minutes before they arrived.
It would be close, far closer than anything he would have liked, but it was the best chance he had. He returned to his seat, deciding to do everything in his power to reach the pier in time.
By the time the train stopped at the coast some twenty minutes later, his feet were tapping impatiently. The moment the doors slid open, he launched forward, running onto the platform, up the steps, and out into the evening streets. His feet couldn't carry him fast enough. Even now, he could imagine Ida boarding a ship, heading to the cabin that would deliver her to her home for the next few years.
Lorenzo urged himself to go faster. Had he carried a cellphone on him, he would have simply made amends with Ida over the phone. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option. Unlike Ida, who had spent her whole life being adored by her parents, Lorenzo's folks were frugal. Money wasn't something that came easily to him, which was part of the reason why he'd gotten so good at the arcade. When your allowance consisted of a single coin, you quickly learned how to make the most of it.
Still, he couldn't help but detest his upbringing in his current situation. Had his parents been a little more extravagant or allowing, then maybe they would've purchased a phone for him. If they had, then maybe-just maybe-he wouldn't be dashing out to the pier in hopes of catching her before she left.
But there was no point dabbling in what-if's now. It was twilight and the sun was beginning its descent beyond the horizon. Soon, the boats would begin their evening departures. Most of their crews would already be on-board, making last minute adjustments and preparations for the voyages ahead.
If Lorenzo's estimation was right, then in the next ten minutes or so, they would depart. It would be another several days before they returned, and when they did, it would be without Ida.
He scrambled off the street, jumping down a flight of steps so he could cut through the alley on his left. He was almost to the pier-he could even see the boats lined up against the docks! But in his excitement, he missed the foot that slid out in front of him. His feet caught against the ankle of his assailant, sending him crashing roughly to the ground.
He winced, his knees and elbows scraping against the concrete as he landed on his stomach. The sound of harsh laughter rang through the air, and he quickly glanced up to find Edogawa and his gang. In a second, they surrounded him, cutting off any hope of escape.
"Edogawa...!" he cursed, "...Please, not now!"
"Shut up!" Edogawa spat, swinging a foot toward his face. "You're gonna pay for making me look bad in front of Ida!"
The boot smashed into Lorenzo's cheek, knocking his head to the side. His nerves surged in pain, and he felt himself cough up something red and metallic.
"Making you look bad?" he spat, pressing his arms against the ground to try and climb to his feet. "Idiot, you already do enough of that yourself! Now leave me alone! I don't have time for this-!"
"I told you to shut up!" Edogawa hissed, stamping a foot on Lorenzo's back to knock him back down to the ground. "I told you I'd teach you a lesson, didn't I? Well, it's time for you to learn! You. Don't. Get. To. Make. A. Fool. Outta. Me!"
With each word, Lorenzo was hit again and again, his body kicked and stamped as he failed to defend himself. He tried to curl in, using his arms and legs to protect his face, but Edogawa was vicious. Each attack broke through his guard with ease, leaving him open long enough for the bully to deliver a solid blow. After several minutes that felt more like an hour, he was finally broken by a wide kick, sending him into a spin that made his back crack against the alley wall. The collision knocked the life out of him, and he slumped down onto his rear, having lost all resistance.
"Damn it..." he muttered, his vision blurry and weak. "Ida..."
"Hey, isn't this good enough?" one of Edogawa's lackeys asked. "You keep beating on him like this and you might miss the boat!"
"Guess you're right," Edogawa scowled. He took a step forward and grabbed Lorenzo by the scruff of his hair. "You won't be causing me anymore trouble now, will you nerd? Nah. You're smarter than that. You won't say a thing about this beating, 'cause if you do, you know I'll come back and do much worse, don't you?!"
Lorenzo's only reply was a pained groan. His body was too battered and weak to form a proper response.
"That's what I thought," Edogawa said, shoving Lorenzo back against the wall. He turned to his crew, "Alright, we're done here. Come see me off guys! I want everyone to know that the Czar is in!"
Lorenzo watched as the gang turned and followed Edogawa out of the alley, leaving him alone so he could tend to his wounds. His mouth was too busted to call for help. He couldn't even muster the energy to stand. Even if he could, there would be no point. The beating had cost him dearly. By the time he made it down to the pier on his busted legs, the boats would have already left-departing for the open seas and ferrying Ida to her new school.
Despite this, he knew he still had to try. He pressed a hand against the cold brick of the building behind him, using it to support his weight as he rose. It took him several tries to stand up. His legs were still wobbling from the beating and his vision was dark and muddled, as if he was trying to look through a cloudy lens. His breaths came in hard, labored gasps, but he pressed on anyway.
He needed to confirm the situation with his own two eyes, to verify that-in his haste to see Ida and make amends for his actions-he'd inadvertently failed her once again; quite possibly for the last time.
A bundle of gasps and horrified gazes caught his eye as he stumbled out of the alley, but Lorenzo couldn't care less about how he looked. He trekked forward onto the pier, half-walking, half-stumbling down the walkway toward the docks. At the end of the landing, the last boat had just pulled out into the open seas, its droning horn signaling a fateful farewell.
It was just as he suspected: they had already departed. He was too late. The realization struck something within him, twisting his gut and releasing the well of emotions he had bottled up inside. A pool of tears began to stream down his face and he fell to his knees, the last of his strength leaving him as he gazed upon the vanishing silhouette.
"Ida," he whispered, gazing emptily toward the boat as it sailed toward the horizon. "I failed you. You were my best friend, and I failed you. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it... I didn't mean any of it...!"
But she couldn't hear him.
And she never would again.
VS Edogawa! The Future is Czar!
END
