Disclaimer: Where did ya come from, where did ya go? Where did ya come from, cotton eye tushmonkey?

"Stop staring at me."

My eyes dart down from the menu's border and to the laundry list of options. "I wasn't staring at you, pffft! Your hair's just in the way..."

Crow quirks a brow.

"Of the—the...thing."

My brother shoots a challenging stare my way, then turns around to look at the space behind him. A portrait of a clown, frizzy haired and rosy cheeked, sits on the wall. The clown channels some major emotion, sobbing into a bowl of cheerios mid-scoop. Both of us take it in, unexpectedly entranced.

"How does he still manage to look so murdery?"

"It honestly is a talent." Crow hums and turns back around. "I wonder if Yeager's ever posed for one of those."

I nod my head. "Could be a good side hustle. You know, alongside working for a crazy, evil mastermind cult."

Our waitress stops at our table immediately as that comes from my mouth and there's an awkward beat of silence before she asks us if we're ready to order yet. With an overly polite smile, I shake my curls no. She eyes the two of us longer than I would've liked, but leaves us be.

Crow laughs, "She definitely heard you say 'cult'."

"Oh my god!" I whisper-yell at him and throw my straw wrapper in his direction. "Stop saying it!"

"You brought it up!"

"Fine, subject changed! Let's talk about your arm."

"Wow," he drags the word out, "assertive today."

I clutch my imaginary pearls. "Yeah, I kinda scared myself, so I don't know how to feel about it yet."

"Well." Crow raises his injured arm the tiniest bit he can. "Here it is, in all its broken glory."

Quietly, I tell him, "I know how much competing in the WRGP means to you."

"It is what it is."

"It's not fair is what it is! You've worked so hard to get here—"

"Yeah, I sure as hell did, but what does it matter now? What do you want me to say, Maria? It sucks? 'Cause it does, it fucking sucks!"

There's a tense break in the conversation then, other people in the café filling it in with their stares. We don't even look at each other, just fiddle with tableware until we're able to muster up our words again. It happens simultaneously.

"I'm sorr—"

"I know." I give him a gentle smile despite the outburst. I was already braced for it. "And I know you're trying hard to be happy and supportive of Aki, of Team 5Ds. But there's no way that's all you're feeling. I just want you to have the space to feel it, Crow. I don't want you to have to bear it alone, in silence."

Somewhere in between all that, Crow's palm rose to his face. The strain in his brow is all he allows me to see, the tip of the iceberg.

"I haven't even told the kids yet," he forces out. "Disappointing them is what keeps me up at night."

I pull his hand into both of mine. Still, he glares at the table. But I'll take his squeezing grip in exchange for that.

"I don't think you could ever disappoint them. You're their hero, win or lose."

He keeps his eyes averted, but I can see the inklings of a smile. Only, I can't tell if it's bitter or sweet.

"You wanna know something funny? Before all this—like way before, when me, Yus, and Jack were kids still in the Satellite? Sometimes it felt like I was a third wheel, even then, always trying to keep up. And I did: I caught up. But now," a brief, empty exhale escapes his mouth, "this feeling is so low, Mar. It's like...like I'm a tricycle's fourth wheel. I feel like there's no room for me, and maybe there was never supposed to be."

I press my hands a little harder, speak a little softer. "I had no clue this was what's in your heart."

He snorts. "Should I have been posting an ad in the paper 'bout it?"

"Listen to me. There will always be room for you, Crow," I push. "You wouldn't have your mark if there wasn't. And if that hard head of yours ever needs a reminder, I'm always here for you. Always."

To my surprise, he lets out a little snicker then. The gleam in his eyes returns, somewhat. "You're real persistent, you know that?"

"You know you love it."

With a roll of his eyes, my brother relents. The uneasiness returns but I can tell I chipped away as much as he'd let me. And for now, that's enough.

"Will you come with me to tell the kids?"

I smile again. "Of course."

I let out a high-pitched shriek, stars in my eyes as I look down at the gift. "You didn't tell me I'd get a jacket!" I hug the red-and-black fabric to my chest, then breathe a contented sigh to the heavens. "And this is when I knew that god was on my side."

Rua whispers to the questioning members of our team, a devilish grin on his face, "She got poop-pants once and it ruined her last jacket."

"What did I tell you about saying it like that!" I shout at him, half laughing. "There was a very rude and inconsiderate duck that knew exactly where I was gonna sit in the grass and did his or her duck-business and then I sat in it and then everything went to shit."

Bruno chuckles, "Literally, it seems."

"You're being really weird this morning." Crow sidles up to me. He takes a pause. "You don't smell like drugs."

"Can't a girl just be high on life? And nylon—god, this jacket is like, made of baby laughter and pictures of dogs being friends with animals that aren't dogs!"

"Please stop sniffing it. I'm very concerned for you."

"I think I know what Maria means, though." Aki sends me a smile, then shares it with the rest of the group. "I woke up this morning with a very good feeling."

"Well, if the psychic says," Jack remarks, earning him a pointed look from the redhead.

"Today's gonna be good for us. I believe it."

Yusei takes a good look around the circle at us. Then he puts his hand in the middle, causing a wave of hands to follow.

On three, we cheer: "Team 5Ds!"

—

If the entryway is this energized, I can't wait to be out there in the stadium.

Things were only half set up when came for practice and, even so, the stadium barely had any signs of life breathing into its walls. But now? I have to marvel at it all, the vendors and crowds and bright lights. I can feel it tingling on the tips of my fingers, pure energy.

I'm knocked out of my stupor as little hands wrap around my waist. I look behind me and know just who it is by their peachy, wavy hair. I laugh the sneak attack off with a pat on Rally's head.

"I didn't know you were coming!"

"Of course we'd come!" he gestures to the rest of his friends. They run up, some of them out of breath. "We couldn't miss the opening match!"

"We scored some seats in the nosebleeds," Nerve informs, "but we wouldn't miss it for a thing."

"Well, we're glad you could make it regardless," I jut my thumb at our team leader, "especially Yusei."

They move over to him in a swarm, surrounding him with their excitement. It's like that with everyone. The twins and their friends, the guys and Aki with Carly and the detective duo. So much happiness, such good energy.

To think that just days ago this was about to become a battleground. It scares me still, I won't lie. What will today bring? All these people, all these families, our friends... Will they be okay? Will I be okay?

What if my Other comes back fighting this time? Who will I be able to protect, if anyone at all?

The switch in my head flicks on without my say so, the glitter in the air dulling to dust. My hands bunch into fists as I try to keep it together. My anxieties clench at my heart, latching onto it as a leech does a host. The energy goes cold.

Up above, the widescreen playing training footage of all the teams fizzles in and out. The cashier terminals malfunction in the middle of transactions, erupting in these mechanical honking noises. Vending machines go haywire, spewing soda cans across the floor and tripping up passerbys.

"Stop it," Aki says, coming into view suddenly. "Get out of your head."

I can feel the water collecting in my eyes. "I can't. I can't let it go."

How else will I be ready? How can I keep us safe from my Other, from Yliaster?

"Yes, you can," she insists, soft and stern. "Just breathe. In. And out."

I close my eyes, block out everything other than Aki's instructions. Take in big belly breaths, blow out imaginary candles.

"Repeat after me. I'm in control."

After a skeptical pause, I just take a leap of faith in myself. "I'm in control."

"Louder."

I open my eyes. "I'm in control."

Aki's lips lift with a gentle smile. "Better?"

I nod, settling back into myself—unbeknownst to me, with an audience. Albeit a bit awkward on my end, I take the first step to addressing the concerned and confused looks alike.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean for anything like that to happen. I just," my voice trickles off, searching for the words. "I just don't feel safe and I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"We don't blame you," Crow says, conviction balling his fist. "Not after the other day."

Jack scoffs. "And if you think we're gonna let anyone lay a finger on you, you're dumber than a damn brick." Carly nudges him in the side for that one and his eyebrows arch quizzically.

"There's no guarantee that your Other won't come back." Yusei frowns as the words leave his mouth. It's the truth of the matter, though, and it can't be ignored. He steps closer to me, hand pressed to his heart. A light burning in his eyes. "But we will protect you, I promise."

My heart is fuller than it's ever been. There's nothing I can even conjure up to express my gratitude to them all, those words don't exist yet. Perhaps I could find a way to make up for all the things a 'thank you' doesn't cover. Hopefully, I'll be able to do it soon.

"Maria," Rally pipes up, eyeing me with petulant fury, "why didn't you tell me you could control machines?"

I back away from the boy, averting my gaze sheepishly. "It's kinda new? And I definitely wouldn't say control."

His other friends, now more curious than confused, join in.

Nerve: "If not control, then what? You can talk to 'em?"

Blitz: "What else can you do? Shoot light beams from your hands?"

Taka: "You think you could get us some more sodapop?"

"Seems we showed up at a good time."

Our group appraises its new addition. A tall man with shaggy, powder-blue hair stands on the outskirts of our gathering. Two children flank him, a young boy wearing cowboy boots and a teenage girl in a frilly dress. They share the same tanned skin and certain facial features, so it's likely they're related.

"Kiryu!"

Yusei steps up to him first. The pair lock hands and share similar subtle smirks. The boy and girl give him a hug together. Jack and Crow greet them all, although with even more enthusiasm. From then on, it's a merry-go-round of introductions for the three, making it over to me not too much later.

"This is Maria," Yusei tells them.

A twinkle of recognition alights in Kiryu's chartreuse gaze. "Ah, so you're the one Yusei told me about. Nice to finally meet you."

Heat rises to my cheeks. I want so bad to eye Yusei down for the meaning of his remark, but I can hardly meet Kiryu's gaze as it is. "I can only hope what he's said is half as good as the things he's said about you. I'm glad we're able to meet finally."

"Maria?" Nico rolls my name on her tongue, eyes inquisitive and hopeful all at once. "¿Eres Latina? ¿Habla español?" ["Are you Latina? Do you speak spanish?"]

My whole face brightens. "¡Si! Y un poquito, he estado estudiando pero no practico mucho." ["Yes! And a little, I've been studying but not practicing much."]

"¡Podemos ayudarle!" Her brother, West, offers in a heartbeat. "Serás genial en no tiempo." ["We can help you! You'll be great in no time."]

"Muchas gracias, lo aprecio." ["Thanks so much, I appreciate it."]

"Seems you guys became fast friends," Kiryu comments, a lilt in his mellow voice.

Nico shrugs, faux nonchalant. "That's charisma for you."

Introductions are cut short then.

"The World Racing Grand Prix will be starting soon," an automated voice announces over the sound system. "Audience members should begin making their way to the stands. All competing teams are asked to step out to the track."

—

This is going really bad.

Despite managing to get Red Archfiend Dragon on the field already, Jack's ace has backfired on him in the worst way possible. Once Red Archfiend Dragon attacks, Andore flips up his trap, Different Dimension Barrier—Lost Force and volleys the attack right back. Jack's LPs plummet to a staggering 1000 from that alone. To make matters worse, Andore sends his Thunder Unicorn to chip off another 200 LPs.

"Guys," Bruno grabs everyone's attention. He points at the flashing red part on the Wheel of Fortune's diagnostics. "Something's entered Jack's air intake. It'll be your call, Yusei, but I'd recommend a pit stop."

"Yeah, better safe than sorry," Yusei agrees, "even if it'll cost him some speed counters."

As Jack rounds the bend toward us, the twins and I usher him to the side to no avail. With a scoff, I shout back to the guys, "Yeah, he's not coming."

"He ignored you?" asks Crow, rolling his eyes when I nod. "Typical."

It's Jack's turn again. After sacrificing Dark Resonator and Mad Archfiend, Jack synchro summons Red Archfiend Dragon. This time, the Signer dragon's attack points have skyrocketed up to 3500 and Jack's eager to use every single one. But with some convoluted scheme, Andore manipulates the move in his gain by recalling the effect of his last trap in order to deflect the attack again.

"He's gotta call off that attack," Yusei urges.

"He's done for if he doesn't!" shouts Crow.

Thankfully, Jack plays Overdraw, which negates the effect of Andore's card and allows Red Archfiend Dragon to take out Thunder Unicorn. Andore takes the remaining damage, his LPs decreasing to 2700.

The team gives a shared sigh of relief. I place a hand over my heart, yet it does nothing to subdue its intense beating.

In fact, it gets worse when Yusei says, "Something about this isn't right."

Bruno swivels in his seat, "You mean Andore's deck, don't you?"

"What are you guys talking about?" asks Aki.

"It's not a power deck like he used when dueling Yusei the other day. It's a deck made for countering instead, a power deck's worst nightmare."

"Is Jack the only one with a power deck?" I ask the duelists, earning a yes in response. "So, then they anticipated Jack going first in order to rival Andore's original deck, assuming that they studied Jack's."

"Wait a minute!" Crow jumps out of his chair and faces all of us. His eyes alight with a fiery gleam, the energy of a battle spirit. "That means they set us up! From the get-go!"

"That's exactly what it means. It wasn't some accident that they challenged us to a duel that day," Yusei concludes, a hand pressed to his chin. "They planned that accident on the track, so that we would duel them and they could manipulate our dueling strategy in their favor."

All of us turn to the team in the booth down the way. The remaining members of Team Unicorn flash us cheeky smiles, as if only to piss us off more.

"Those bastards," Crow jeers.

Bruno spares me a look. "What did I say? Cutthroat."

"What's this?!" the announcer's voice blares over the stadium. "It looks like Andore knew what was coming for him all along! With that speed spell, Jack's ride will end here!"

Our video feed of the duel zooms in on Andore, riding backwards. The smirk on his lips says he's all too satisfied with this, the horn at the front of his D-Wheel glowing with a silvery blue. With a beam of light, he strikes out the rest of Jack's LPs. Then, something in Jack's engine blows and its exhaust leaves streaks in the air as he spirals out of control. He's thrown off and rolling on the pavement while the bike screeches to a halt some meters away from him.

"Shit," I murmur.

"I hope he's okay," Aki voices.

Bruno says, frustration evident, "If only he'd come in for a pit stop, something like this could have been avoided."

A gust blows past me and I catch a glimpse of Yusei's spikes just before he rounds the corner, onto the track. Rua notices too and calls after him. On camera, Jack raises back up to his feet and yells at Yusei to go back. Apparently, if another team member touches your D-Wheel, it's an instant disqualification for the whole team. It's the only reason why Yusei listens, I can see the stubbornness in his body language. He marches back to us, fists clenched as Jack pushes the Wheel of Fortune toward the lap line.

"He's alright," I assure Yusei once he's returned. "He's strong."

He nods, but the furrow in his browline doesn't settle much. There's hardly any space between us as he stands beside me. I know he won't be okay until Jack's crossed that line, until he's able to get checked out for serious injuries. But my heart can't fight the urge to comfort Yusei even if it's in a way that's so small. With everyone's eyes on Jack, I feel just the slightest bit emboldened. I lean into him, my shoulder pushed up against his. It surprises him a little—the pressure—but he welcomes it and leans back in to me. We share a smile then, for just a moment.

"This'll be a close call," announces Bruno.

"Why's that?" Ruka asks.

"According to Grand Prix rules, every lap a team falls behind will earn the opposing team a speed counter. And Team Unicorn's is already maxed out at twelve, so for every lap they make now, ours will decrease by one."

"But we only have four," Rua mentions, worry surfacing in his expression. "What happens if it gets down to zero?"

Yusei clarifies, "If our speed counter tally drops to zero, we'll be disqualified."

"What?!" the rest of us shout.

Crow, the twins and I bolt out of the booth to voice some words of encouragement to Jack. Yusei readies Aki for the figurative baton pass, giving her some of his own encouragement. When he points to her parents up in the stands, she almost seems surprised that they're here. She wheels her bike into the lane, preparing to tap in as Jack closes in.

Wanting to send her my own bit of love before she speeds off, I remind her: "Aki, we believe in you."

A smile spreads across her face and she shoots me a thumbs-up. I give her two in return. As soon as Jack slaps her hand, she takes off flying.

—

The twins hop out of the truck as soon as I put it in park. At least they grab a couple of the bags on their way out. Out my rearview mirror, I spot everyone else pulling into the lot.

I honk my horn and shout, "Delivery!"

Yusei, Crow, and Bruno come over to help with the rest of the bags. Aki, Carly and Jack haul out a massive pile of blankets from the journalist's trunk. Looking around and spotting no one else, I question Yusei.

"Should we wait for Kiryu?"

"He said Nico and West are exhausted from all the sightseeing they did after our match," he shares, "so they won't be coming."

I look down at the box of food cradled in my arms, the hint of a smile creeping up on my lips. "Ah, I see. I bought extra in case they wanted to join us. I was hoping to talk to all of them more."

"They're staying at Martha's. We can go see them another time," he proposes.

"That's right! And the kids," I squeal, "I miss them a lot."

"I'm sure they miss you too, Maria," he chuckles.

We make it off the pavement and into the sand, greeted by the setting sun and our band of friends. From then on, it's a riot. Just faces full of food, love and laughs—all in celebration of Team 5Ds' first big win. We backtrack over everything that happened today: spinning a dramatic twist on Jack's upsetting loss, recounting the chills we felt when Aki summoned Stardust Dragon, and cherishing the moment Yusei crossed the finish line and brought home the win. It's practically dizzying sitting in the circle, all our energy bouncing off one another. Filling our tummies fuller than any great takeout can.

This is exactly how I imagined it, being at the beach. Everything lit up in a rosy light, the soundtrack of our hearts blasting on the speakers. It feels like paradise. The best kind of dream.

Crow whips off his sling and yells, "Last one in the water's a fat, stinkin' sewer pie!"

"Crow, your bandages!" Aki calls. "They're going to get wet!"

"C'mon, Aki!" The twins yank her along, chasing after him.

Bruno yells to wait for him. Jack scoops Carly up in his arms and races into the water with her screaming off about his injuries. I giggle to myself, watching all of them charge into the great big blue, fearless as ever. It's what they deserve, they deserve to be this carefree all the time.

"You're not coming?"

Yusei stares down at me, dusk settling in the clouds behind him. I smile and gesture at the open containers with half-eaten meals. "I will. I just don't want these to turn into actual sandwiches. So go, be merry!"

I snap the lid on mine and notice Yusei covering up the ones across from me. His expression turns puckish when he meets my stare.

"Well, now we'll both be sewer pies," I say, sighing.

"Fat, stinkin' ones," he adds.

A chuckle escapes me. "There's no one else I'd rather share the honor with."

There's a blip of silence in the air, the crashing waves filling it in from afar. "So I looked up that movie you told me about—Baby Driver."

"Oh!" I perk up. "You watch it?"

Yusei's index finger taps on the takeout dish in his hands, contemplative. "No, I didn't. I was thinking," he bites his lip for a second, "that we could watch it together."

This seems different than the plans for visiting Martha's for Kiryu and the kids. My brain tries to fight the distinction, hard. But my head just nods and my mouth just smiles. And Yusei looks happy.

I glance out to the water, spy Aki facing off with the Bruno and the twins in a splashing battle.

"You know," I push down on another lid, "it was really sweet of you to trust Aki with Stardust today. It really surprised us."

He nods. "Surprised Team Unicorn even more, I bet."

"You two... you work well together. You're a great support system for her and she's obviously very important to you. So, you should," my words lapse uncomfortably as I try to force the ones I want to say out, "couple up together more often. Do you get what I'm saying?"

Yusei shakes his head yes.

"Good. I'm glad."

He propositions his question slowly, delicate. "Is there something else you wanted to talk about?"

I don't even look at him as I gesture against it. "I think I'd like to be by myself for a little bit, actually."

He doesn't press it any further. "We'll be here for you."

"I appreciate that." I look over my shoulder at him, his face blotted out by the sky's afterglow. "I appreciate you, Yusei."

I don't give him time to respond. Back at my truck, I lean on the passenger door. Breathe, focus only on that—that which I can manage. My eyes run along the parking lot lines and back again multiple times.

I...don't really know what this feeling is. It's familiar, but so unsettling. It creeps up on you, in moments like these, moments that are so perfect, and squeezes the life out of them. Dulls their colors until everything's too ugly to look at. While this moment was one made of dreams not so long ago, I don't feel anything for it now. Like it isn't good enough.

And I don't want to believe that, I know it's not true. This moment was my everything—is my everything.

But then, how can I feel nothing?

Nothing good, at least. Everything bad in my head, on the other hand, is amplified. The feeling of someone watching my every move is palpable. My anxieties about my powers are heightened. My concern for my...our future still looms over me, the dark cloud sinking closer and closer.

I know it now, we've known each other my whole life. This feeling that tells me it's okay to lock myself away in a dingy motel room for months, wasting away. The feeling that hides under my bed and crawls out at night. This is the feeling that makes me want to sprint down the path of self-destruction.

I thought I accepted that running wasn't an answer to this, but that's the only explanation for what this is. Deep down, I still yearn for an escape.

"You can't run," I soothe myself. "Just breathe through it."

Despite those words, what happens next is a blur. I turn on my phone. Swipe through the list of contacts. My finger hovers over Mako's name, hesitating. He's not good for you. You know that. And yet, like a moth to a flame...

An escape, it can just be a distraction. It's best this way, everyone I care about will still know I'm here. And I won't have to sit with this feeling, I won't have to solve it either.

Learning my powers was one thing, but this abyss in my chest—I just can't handle it.

Is that offer to join the dark side still on the table? I type out. Bc I think I'm ready.

OMG it's literally been 2 years yall. TWO YEARS?! WTF?! The beginning scene of this chapter has been sitting in Word for 2 years. Life has just been draining with being a full-time student and working two jobs. Buuuuutt~! I've finally graduated, yahoo! So, what better way to get my creative groove back than this! (Sorry if my writing is choppy or anything like that, btw!)

Other than that, I just wanna say a big thanks to all of you. I've seen that you all have been keeping tabs on this story even after a 2-year absence and it really warms my heart. With everything going on, I'm glad that we have a space where we can create worlds to just lose ourselves in. So, I hope everyone's doing alright or at the very least, haven't been too distressed or displaced with all this madness right now.

Sending lots of love,

tushmonkey