(Disclaimer) The gang, name meanings:

Maria—beloved, eminent (Egyptian); star of the sea, wished-for child, rebellion, bitter (Latin)

Yusei—planet/planetary (Japanese)

Aki—autumn, bright, hope (Japanese)

Jack—blessed by God/Yah (Hebrew)

Rua—red king (Irish); dreams/visions (Arabic)

Ruka—bright blue flower (Japanese)

Crow—black/dark, the position of a famous war general (Japanese)

Bruno—armor/protection, brown (German)

His fingers sit still, unusually restive in their place on the mechanic's keyboard. In fact, Yusei's entire body is nearly frozen by his thoughts on today's events. It is not the trauma of facing a gun; he had been through worse and this alone would not add to the legion of stressors that pilfer sleep from the poor boy. It is not fear paralyzing his bones—in the moment, he had been certain the confrontation would end on a positive note. Though, it would be bold-faced to say he hadn't been afraid at all, because he had.

"—sei?" A hand seeks out his shoulder. Yusei blinks at the fellow mechanic. "Uh, I think... I'm getting tired and you seem kinda not-all-there, so I was thinking we should call it a night?"

Yusei turns toward the monitor, the engine blueprints glowing in the dim light. Many of the new changes Bruno and he had collaborated on were easily attained, but the problem had been setting up what existed before Bruno entered the picture. Not the meat-and-bone of the setup, but the crumbs that were scattered everywhere—Yusei had forgotten a few too many and it was painstaking to try to find them all over again.

In short, it sucks.

His work-ethic screams to continue, that any delay would hurt rather than help, even if it was at the cost of a good night's sleep. But he knows better than that. There would be no sleeping tonight, whether or not he gives the team's engine his undivided attention.

So, he agrees. Shuts down all the tech, sticks the two coffee mugs in the sink, and bids his partner goodnight. Crow and Jack had already made way to their rooms for the night, so Yusei treks to his soundlessly.

Today's commotion unravels on his ceiling like film. He had convinced himself it would be fine when Nayla pointed the weapon at him. This will be okay, it will be okay, he repeated to himself. If he said it enough, it would be true. That was always the case, so why would this have been any different?

Then he saw her. As Yusei rose from the ground, she appeared and, as cliche as it sounds, everything slowed. Her hair sprung out around her, bouncing with urgency. She was running, something he had never seen her do, especially not toward him. Maria wasn't scared, not yet. But he was.

Everything slowed and suddenly, Yusei was not so sure.

What if what if what if, his brain murmured over and over, so petrified that the phrase caused a temporary glitch in his thinking.

Those doubts had been for naught, as the scene played out. The beginning had been a whirlwind, a swirling vortex that built momentum with every passing moment. The middle settled into a shaky breeze, upturning questions and secrets in its wake. But, it was the day's ending that blew Yusei away, that threw him to the sky.

He and Maria found common ground, at first. What her friend said about him hadn't sat well with her; although Nayla's insults were directed at him, Maria had taken most of the hit in the crossfire. Growing up in the Satellite did well to shield his heart from being so easily damaged, but it was not the same for Maria. Her exterior is tender and soft. Warm to the core.

No one was injured physically in the altercation, but he could see Maria's heart was in pain. The disappointment and disgust sat plainly on her face, she didn't even try to hid it. That's when he raised his hand, wanting to wipe away the aching expression and replace it with one of her laughing or grinning. But the fear was still coursing through his body and he wanted her to keep running toward him like she had. So, his hand landed on her arm, safe.

He regrets it now—he should have held on longer.

And he should have known, too. His fear and concern fused together into something that demanded to be spoken. Yet, he should have known it would end as it did. This wasn't the first time his good intentions reaped bad results when they talked.

But how could he have foreseen such a scorching climax?

"...You're always on some pedestal, like you're above getting hurt while the world is trampling over the rest of us! ...You bleed just like anyone else... you bandage yourself up quicker, just so you can feel liable for others' injuries!"

She was right, Yusei can't even deny it. Every single word was spot on, and he isn't abashed she knows him so well. He's certain their other friends knew as much about him, that he would put their wellbeing above his any day of the week, any time of the day. He knows they would do the same for him and each other.

No, it was not the truths Maria spoke that scarred him, but the look in her eyes. Her amber irises seemed alight, from flickering embers to roaring flames. The way she spat her feelings at him, as if they burned her throat and she wanted to get them out before they started a fire within her.

"...I can't stand being around you! ...You will never be responsible for me, Yusei Fudo. I am responsible for me."

Yusei's hands cover his face, his lips eliciting a sigh.

You should be happy, his mind nags. Isn't this what you wanted? For her to speak her feelings? That's exactly what he wanted, what he still wants. For Maria to become comfortable with her own feelings, for her to embrace herself the way she embraces everyone around her—this is one of his greatest hopes for her.

Today had proved his hopes were coming true, even if it backfired on him. So, he should be happy. Should, but isn't. Because, Maria's true feelings had left him singed. After such a verbal beating, Yusei's armored heart is now covered in soot and cracked after years of wear.

In the back of his mind, on another day—he would think back to this moment and be happy. But, as for now, Yusei is hurt.

"Hey, dude, I swear I know people who live here!" yells someone as the twins and I exit the building lobby, nearing the parking lot. "Just let me in, dammit! I don't have time for this!"

"As I've said twice already, ma'am, I have strict protocol not to let reporters—"

"Carly?" I ask when we've strolled closer.

Both her and the young security guard look at me. Then Carly shifts back toward the guard, shouting, "Ha! In your face!"

The beefy guy returns to his post with only an eyeroll. Carly gestures for us to hop in her car at the curb.

"Sorry I'm all bleeehhhh!" she so eloquently puts it. "I chugged two Red Bulls after an all-nighter and they're finally kicking in!"

I gasp and pull a hand to my chest, feigning modesty. "Is it finally my turn to give you a speech on the dangers of sleep deprivation?"

"Later, yes. Now, no."

"Are you okay, Carly?" Ruka's pigtails tip to the side as she tries to get a look at our driver.

"Me? Oh yeah, I'm fine!" She looks in the rearview mirror at the girl, then faces me, a cringing expression pulling at her mouth. "Jack, on the other hand..."

"Jack's in trouble?" Rua shoots up, head shoved in the opening between the two front seats. After the rest of us scold him for not wearing a seatbelt, he continues, "What happened?"

Carly instructs me to grab her phone from the cup holder and play the video already loaded on its screen. A gorgeous, blonde twenty-something woman appears with a microphone in hand, standing in front of Sector Security Headquarters.

"This just in: the Public Maintenance Department has arrested former King, Jack Atlus, as a suspect for recent D-Wheeler attacks and harassment. According to Security, the suspect has denied all charges and wrongdoings, and continues to claim innocence."

"Shit—uh, crap!"

"Too late, we already heard it!"

I throw the boy a glare as his sister says, "You don't really think Jack would do something like this, do you?"

"Of course not!" both Carly and Rua pipe up. The former of the two goes on, her eyes narrowing and voice lowering to murmur. "It's obvious he's being set up. There's absolutely no way my Jackie would ever do something like that, not in a million years."

The twins and I share glances. At this point, set-ups are synonymous for Yliaster.

"So, are we going to the station?" Rua asks.

"We're going to the station," I tell him, a finger pointed at Carly and myself. "You and your sister are going to school."

"C'mon, Maria! Jack needs us!" the boy pleads, his little fingers clasping together. Rua even goes as far to quiver his bottom lip and, in my peripheral, I spot the roll of his sister's eyes. "And it's a Friday!"

"Which means you'll have all weekend to help us get Jack out." Carly parks aside the Academy's entrance. "Now, have a good day in class!"

Ruka mumbles to him as they slide out, "I don't even know why you try anymore."

Carly and I sit watching and waving the two off. Ruka and Rua soon find their small squadron of classmates and Aki. The twins say something and point to us. The older student meets my eyes and both of us are immediately stifled. I raise an almost limp hand to wave and try to smile. She does the same and, as Carly shifts back into traffic, I'm left to wonder if she feels as guilty as I do.

Sector Security Headquarters are one of the many fortresses integrated into New Domino's nucleus, so we take the highway southbound to get there fastest. When we pull into a parking spot, Carly's previous caffeine rush has declined into hesitance.

"I know it seems stupid that I'm always so willing to dump whatever I'm doing and help him—you probably think I'm some obsessive, thirsty fangirl."

I reply, "No, I don't. I've seen fangirls before and they've always got this crazy, deranged look in their eyes that you never have."

We laugh before it falls silent again. Carly sets her head against the headrest and exhales. "You know how they only give you one call when you get arrested? Well, Jack called me. Me, not Crow or Yusei or Martha—he called me and asked me to figure out who's framing him for these D-Wheel attacks."

"Carly, you know my relationship with Jack is pretty non-existent, but that doesn't mean I know nothing about him. One thing I know for sure is that, albeit showing it in the weirdest way, he cares about you just as much as you do him. You don't have to prove that to anyone, not even yourself. Because just like that, he'll prove it when you least expect it."

She's revived enough to leave the Buggie's confines. "Anything else you know about him, preferably anything that will convince Security to drop Jack's charges?"

"The guy can be a jackass—pun completely intended—but he's too righteous to commit any of the offenses he's being accused of."

"I'm not sure that's gonna do much."

The automatic doors slide open and the Headquarter's air conditioning greets us with its chilling touch. "Probably not, but it's the best we've got at the moment."

I definitely hadn't expected to be here again anytime soon. Carly leads us up to the reception desk where a suited officer sits encircled by a phone, computer, and rows of file cabinets. I watch the television situated in the corner, tuned in on the same newscast Carly had played not long ago.

"What does everyone have against reporters? We're good people—," Carly glares at her arch-nemesis' image, "—well, most of us. Listen, please tell Detective Ushio Carly Nagisa is here. He'll know who I am."

The attendant gives her a disbelieving scowl, but finally yields and dials a number. The officer and the other person on the line have a brisk chat and he hangs up.

"He'll be down in a minute."

I say to Carly, "Smooth."

She adjusts her vest confidently, almost looking cool. "What can I say?"

Ushio arrives from a far side of the floor, nods to the officer at the desk, and motions for us to follow him. "I'm assuming you came to see the blond bonehead?"

"What if we just stopped for a friendly chat?" Carly retorts.

"It's never just a chat when you bunch come 'round." Ushio glances at me after we trickle inside the elevator and pressing the button for the fourth floor. "Wherever any of you go, trouble is ten steps behind."

"We only bring trouble because we love seeing you work so hard, Ushio," I mock.

The elevator's stiff, electronic voice alerts us of our destination and parts its doors. Ushio guides us a couple doors down and lets us through. The room looks much less like the interrogation hole I was once stuck in and more like it's made for observation. Columns of metal tables and a flat-screen monitor are the only objects in sight. The guys, sans Jack and plus Mikage, stand in the room's middle.

"Ah," says Mikage, "you've made it."

"You were waiting for us?" I ask.

Ushio joins her side. "'Course we were. One pain in the ass just isn't enough."

"We know Jack called you, Carly. We figured we'd just wait it out until we had you all together." Mikage then gestures to the wall-to-ceiling window.

Carly and I peer inside over the railing. Jack sits at the bottom with his back turned from the glass. Carly calls out his name and he swivels around, surprise filling out his sharp features.

"We're going to find out who did this and we're going to get you out. I promise," she says, voice airy and hopeful.

Jack gives one long stare to take her in; for a second and no longer, his expression softens. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he grumbles and turns back around.

"Yeah," she chuckles. "Of course not."

We merge with the rest of the group, Carly by Ushio and Mikage while I buffer Yusei's presence with Crow and Bruno. He wouldn't dare try to parley yesterday's incident, not when there are things bigger than us at play. But there will be a day marked with no dire matters and perfect timing for the subject to arise. So, while I can't avoid the inevitable, I can avoid him—his eyes, his hands, Yusei as a whole.

I simply focus on the screen as the highway camera footage rolls. Jack's D-Wheel, Wheel of Fortune, is clearly shown budging up against another duelist's, repeatedly attempting to get his opponent to crash. The screen then swaps to Red Dragon Archfiend, Jack's staple card and Signer Dragon.

Following a few more outtakes of Jack pushing different duelist's to the highway's border or tailgating them, Ushio says, "There's already been three incidents in the past week."

"Jack didn't do any of that!" Carly declares. "Whoever that is on these videos is not Jack!"

Mikage flicks of the monitor, a weary breath leaking out before responding, "We know, Carly. But as servants of the law, we can't do anything without proof to refute what this footage shows. If any of you can give accounts on where Jack was on the dates of the attacks, that would be a good start."

"Or any strange behaviors that have caught your attention in past weeks," Ushio adds.

Carly counters, "For someone who believes Jack's innocent, you sure do sound like you're trying to pin guilt on him."

"It's called doing our job, actually," Ushio swipes the comment under the rug. "Look, it's like Mikage said: we don't believe he did it, you all don't believe he did it. While that's fine and dandy, you should know as a reporter that the media will spin this in as many ways as possible, all of them negative. We need to snuff out even the smallest bit of fishiness before they do, so quit pouting and start talking."

"Uh..." For once, it isn't me who's stuttering tries to cut the tension in the air, but Bruno's. "Well, there was this time last week. We were training at the Kaiba Dome and Jack and Crow got into it because Jack refused to use this Tuner, Trust Guardian. And Jack quit right after that."

"But that's not weird, it happens at least once a week—one time it happened twice!" says Crow. "Anyway, it's his fault. 'My aesthetics!' this, 'You guys need me!' that. If you heard the narcissistic bullshit he was spewing, you would've set him straight, too."

"He's been acting distant since then," Yusei shares, eyeing the window. "He may have quit before, but it's never been like this."

Crow stomps over to the glass and slams his fists against it, flared and fed up. "I misjudged you! How could you do this?"

"I didn't do anything," Jack defends, his tone lax as ever. "You're dumb to think I did."

"You're the only one in the world who has Red Dragon Archfiend, Jack! If you didn't do it, who did?"

"That's what you're supposed to find out."

Crow sucks in a mighty breath as he closes his eyes, a smile surfacing once the breath is filtered out. He looks calm, his prior ferocity smothered and tamed. I think that's why nobody is prepared at all for what proceeds.

"I see what you're up to now. You can never do anything by yourself and this is just a ploy to hurt our team's reputation, so we can't enter the WRGP without you! Because, face it, as much as you need us, we don't need you!"

Jack's voice blares through the intercom, "How dare you! Do you really think I'd stoop that low?"

"Yes, I do! This whole thing is so childish and petty and selfish enough to be something you'd do! You destroy everything you touch!" Yusei strides up behind Crow in an attempt to pull him back, but Crow just slaps his hand away. "King, my ass! You're more like a plague!"

"Crow, stop it. Calm down!" Yusei tries again to restrain our brother, this time wrapping both arms around Crow's shoulders in a headlock.

"You know nothing, so shut the fuck up and apologize, you midget!"

"How am I gonna apologize if I'm supposed to shut the fuck up, huh?" Crow laughs, gripping the railing tight. "You'll never get an apology from me, you wash-up!"

"Crow, that's enough!"

Yusei finally gets leverage enough to tug Crow back, the walking-talking flame of a man goading him to smacktalk Jack as well. But, it doesn't matter much at this point. The damage is done. The two leave the room for a breather, and Bruno excuses himself shortly after, his countenance visibly dispirited by the outbursts.

"Maybe tomorrow, then," Ushio sighs to no one.

Carly looks at me, but nothing other than disappointment emits from either of us. We begin to leave, too, when Mikage calls for me to stay a second. Carly says she'll be at the car in the meantime.

"What is it?" I'm apprehensive of the new topic, which is undoubtedly centered around the murders, but overall too emotionally drained to be scared.

Ushio and Mikage share a wary glance, a silent bidding of who will speak first. Ultimately, it's the feminine voice of Mikage that begins, "Right now is obviously a terrible time, but Ushio and I have been talking. From the notes you left at the crime scenes, it's clear that you want to do your part and help get to the bottom of the alley homicides just like we do."

"We think your perspective on this thing would really benefit our investigation, Maria," explains Ushio. The detective reaches inside his pockets and holds out a Blackberry in one hand and a lanyard in the other. At the end of the cord hangs a laminated, mock version of the Security badge reading, CONSULTANT. "We want you to join our team."

—

I stuck with Carly the rest of the morning, discussing Jack's situation and giving her a rundown of anything she might have not known, most of which revolving around the gang's hunch that Yliaster is behind our daily rides on the struggle-bus. I try to gloss over the murders, only mentioning that I accepted the detectives' proposition and Carly saying how proud she is of me for finally taking initiative.

Time flies fast and, soon, I'm stepping out of the reporter's car and into the cafe. Zora had very explicitly told me to give Nayla space—"Don't bother us for a couple days," were the exact words, if you were wondering. But, it's not like I wouldn't comply or can't understand. Martha and Zora want first cracks at Nayla's mystery; who am I to charge in and demand a spot next to them?

I press the radio's power button, the same tired broadcast of Jack's arrest going mute.

"Hey!" shouts Asura from behind the kitchen's opening in the wall. "We were listening to that!"

"Not anymore," I reply, erasing the board's breakfast special in place of today's lunch deal.

"Me-ow! Kitty's got claws today," says Chiyo from his side. "While I approve of this newfound cattiness, that was really juicy stuff you turned off."

"Well, I'm sick of hearing about it. It's not like the Public Maintenance Department has even made any new developments since they arrested him, anyway."

Asura throws back, "And how are we ever going to know about new developments if we don't listen to them discuss his case?"

"She's the boss, guys," Mako intervenes, leaning over the fixture and smirking at me. "What she says, goes."

"I'm not the boss." I turn away from him and start wiping down the front counter. "Nayla is."

"When she's here, sure, but that hasn't been for a while. And Zora definitely hates you the least. Plus, who's the only one doing their job at this very moment, hm?"

"I mean, any one of us could be employee of the month, but we choose not to be." Asura bursts through the kitchen's swinging doors and drapes himself directly in the way of my cleaning path. "Because, there is absolutely zero fun in responsibility. So, Boss, here's what I got in mind: let's say the four of us close up shop early and be a little irresponsible, eh?"

"Yes, we have to!" Chiyo claps. "C'mon, just look around. We have more tumbleweeds than customers in here. One night out won't kill you!"

"If you know your limit," Mako jokes, "which Chiyo never does."

The trio has me backed into a figurative corner and it puts me on a wordless defensive. It feels like I'm back in highschool all over again. I start to speak when one of the three friends shouts an expletive and scrambles away, back into the depths of the cafe. The bell over the door chimes a second later and in walks a girl my age, or slightly older. The woman raises her sunglasses to sit atop her strawberry blonde waves as she tramples up to the bar.

I put on my best waitress smile and greet, "Hi. What can I—"

"Uh-uh." She raises an open hand to shush me and clamps her acrylic-nailed fingers together. "I talk first."

Yeah, there's definitely some highschool nostalgia going on right now.

"Where is he?" she asks Asura, who's straight as a nail.

"I don't have the slightest idea who you're talking about?" he replies, then nods at Chiyo. "Do you?"

"Beats me. All I see is some hotel heiress wannabe dressed head-to-toe in high-end knockoffs."

Chiyo and the woman have a glare-off and the nameless girl is the first to look away. But, she doesn't give up. Instead, she makes a beeline for the kitchen entrance, kicking the door open with one stiletto-heel and marching onward despite the three of us telling her not to. Mako's hidden himself well in the meantime, and the girl yanks and tosses and opens a medley of items out of the way to find him.

Mako appears eventually, after she throws open the door to the supply closet and baits her to go and talk on the cafe's veranda.

"Who was that?" I question Chiyo as I sweep up a spilled bag of flour. "What does she want with Mako?"

"Her real name's Rebecca, but she likes to go by Bex—which, if you ask me, fits perfectly. Every two-bit tramp needs a stage name before they become a star," she snips, returning the movable food shelves to their original spot.

"My personal favorite is 'T-Rex Bex the Ex'. Did you get a good look at her arms?" Asura adds in. "Her arm-to-body ratio is so disproportionate. Those things are like little stumps waving wild and free."

"Don't you think you guys are being a bit harsh?" I dump the ingredients in the trash, finally rid of the monstrous pile that once was. "Sounds kinda mean, don't you think?"

"Maria, she literally came in here and tore up half the kitchen in some adult tantrum and you're sitting here—cleaning up said mess and defending her?"

"Just call her a bitch," says Asura. "It's what she is."

"Pfft! More like human scum," Chiyo snickers. "Look, Maria, I know you're trying to be nice and give Bex the benefit of doubt, but don't waste your time. Some people are just as shitty as we judge them to be, despite whatever we want to believe."

My ethics beg to differ, but at the end of the day, I have to admit knowing too little on the subject to give a valid opinion—one that would sway the two chefs' outlook, anyway. "I guess she doesn't seem like that good of a person."

"A good person?" Asura cackles. "Mako's never dated a good person. In fact, if memory serves correct, I don't think any of us have."

"But Bex is the cake-topper of bad exes, believe us." Chiyo finishes piling silverware in the sink and says to her friend, "Why don't you get off your lazy ass and help, maybe?"

"I am. Someone has to stand watch and make sure Bex doesn't sink her demon fangs into my brother, right?" Chiyo huffs and I swipe a hand over my forehead in the quiet that follows. "Oh, frick."

Chiyo and I return to the storefront at the sound of that. Mako reenters, Bex-free and sopping wet. His brother meets him halfway and gives Mako a sniff.

"You know I love ya', bro, but she wasted some damn good vodka on you." Asura shakes his head, ashamed.

A few of the regulars bustle in, so we have no choice but to shove Mako in a place he won't be spotted. Chiyo and Asura task themselves with taking and making orders, while I opt to find Mako a spare jacket to wear in the meantime.

"Find anything?"

"Uh, no, actually. Do you know where..." I turn to face the doorway and halt as my eyes tumble down Mako, focusing on the hand slicking back his soaked hair dripping onto his defined pecs. His pants are belted low, revealing the curving dip of his hips and the skinny trail of hair at the end of his stomach. "Wh...w-wow."

"Sorry?" He takes a few steps forward. "I didn't catch that."

"Where! I-I said where, as in I don't where th-the, uh," I clear my throat and push at my mane of hair in embarrassment. "Spare jackets. I'm looking for the spare jackets."

"I think I remember where they are."

Mako keeps on and I try moving out his way, but the closet is taller than it is wide and the shelves dwarf it even more so. So, here I am, backed into a literal corner for a change. I run into the metal frame and Mako presses against me, wrapping an arm around my waist to tug my hips against his. We're so far away from the shop's epicenter that the noise doesn't reach us, and only our breathing emanates as the two meld into one. His stare hooks onto mine and Mako closes what little is left of the gap between us.

"There we go," he whispers, separating himself from me. The chef jacket swings in his hand. "Thought I wouldn't be able to reach it for a sec."

His head goes through the shirt previously slung over his shoulder and Mako shakes the jacket out. My heart still hasn't come down by the time he's fully dressed and I'm almost convinced the interaction has set a ticking bomb inside me.

"Thanks for all the help, Mar. You're the best." The man winks at me before wandering into the kitchen with the others.

I remain in place, catching my breath and wondering what the actual hell just happened.

—

According to the twins and nightly news, Jack Atlus had escaped lockup. While I was working and the rest of the gang contemplating the D-Wheel attacks, the supposed culprit had somehow gotten free of his cell and fled the premises, taking Wheel of Fortune along for the ride. Yusei and Crow went to search after him but that's where the trail goes cold, since they made Aki and the twins go home for the night, too.

Although the siblings were revved up this morning, they practically collapsed into their beds the minute they laid eyes on them. My eyes, on the other hand, can hardly stand blinking let alone closing long enough to give me a good night's rest. So, I visited the twin's family library in hopes of unrattling my brain with Shel Silverstein's kooky lines.

The bedside lamp flickers, its light pulsing over the room until it blows fully. I lay the book open and parted at the page. The lampshade lifts off without trouble and I reach for the bulb screwed in its shoot. The bulb glows as my hand nears.

I immediately snatch it away, and the bulb dims to black again. "Holy crap," I whisper. "Was that for real?"

Only one way to find out.

When I bring my fingers near the bulb a second time, the same results occur. Away, darkness. Close, light. But, on the third time, I lay my fingers atop the bulb's surface. Usually, a person would feel heat seep into their skin right about now, but I feel nothing. The bulb is shining at its brightest capacity and I feel nothing.

And then it bursts.

*I spin around in a giant chair while petting a cat evilly* You all knew this was coming with Mako, I know you did! It was only a matter of time wahaha! And some really spooky stuff is happening with Maria's powers, eh? I'm so excited!

Sorry about the late update, by the way. I've been trying to make Friday's my update day, but I've been cramming for this Spanish placement test for college. I'll try to update again next Friday but it could be slightly late like this one.

Anyway, TTFN gems!