Ride 8: Angel's Charity
The Duel of Fortune Cup had been going for a whole day and Gally had made herself busy. For starters, there was a contestant she wanted to speak to. Gally found Yusei Fudo with Ruka, a teal haired girl wearing a red shirt with gold embroidery. They were about to leave the tournament when Gally ran up to them.
"Yusei!" She yelled, making sure he saw her.
"Gally!" Yusei said, looking surprised but still glad to see her. They exchanged a fistbump and he looked to Ruka.
"Ruka and her brother have been nice enough to let me stay in their place while I'm in the City." Yusei said and the girl nodded.
"Nice to meet you!" Gally said, extending her hand for a handshake. Ruka looked a little confused seeing Gally's mechanical arm, but nevertheless gave her a handshake and a hopeful smile.
"Yusei, I see you got a marker." Gally said, wishing she'd been with him to prevent it from happening in the first place.
Yusei nodded. "Yeah, the City carved it into me once they caught me trespassing. Thankfully Godwin pulled some strings to get me out, even if I'm participating in this tournament now." He said, then he looked to her.
"And you're doing well. Keeping Professor Nova in line?" He asked.
Gally shrugged. "Yeah. As much as I can at any rate."
Then she stopped. "Can I look at Stardust Dragon?" The cyborg asked.
Yusei frowned. "It's valuable to me. Not here."
Ruka smiled. "Well how about you come with us, Gally? We can make you a hamburger while we wait for Rua to come home."
Gally looked up at the sky. It was getting dark. But she didn't have anything pressing at the moment and no one to report to. The time away from all the schemes would be nice. "Alright then, I'll tag along. I could use a good meal." She said.
Gally crouched, covering her legs with her coat as she shifted her feet into skates again, standing and balancing on one foot to show them off – her choice of appearance made them look like shoes over a skintight outfit.
"This time I don't need to ride with you, Yusei!" Gally said with a grin.
"Alright then, you'll see how fast I go with my complete D-Wheel." Yusei returned with a smile.
The three of them departed for Ruka's place, Gally in awe of the Tops – the rich and more well-off area of the City as she skated behind Yusei's red D-Wheel. It was a brisk night and the cool air felt good on her face and in her hair. She stopped when Yusei arrived at the gate of Ruka's place and joined the others to take the elevator. She made sure to morph her feet again as she liked to keep her balance.
He showed her his Stardust Dragon card once they sat down inside Ruka's place and she admired how shiny the thing was. "Do you think you'll use it in the match against Bommer?" Gally asked.
Yusei shook his head. "I'm saving it for Jack. That's why he gave it back to me." The man said.
Gally shook her head. "It might have been his way of saying sorry, you know?"
Yusei blinked. "You might be right. Jack's prideful. I don't think he'd apologize to you even if he wanted to."
"Nova wanted to look at this card." Gally said, tilting it in the light. "But it's not right to ask that of you." She said, returning it.
Yusei smiled. "If you just need a picture or to scan it, that's no problem. I just want to have Stardust on me from this point on."
"Really?" Gally asked and Yusei nodded solemnly.
Gally squinted at the chip, scanning it and sending it to Nova using the line in her head – the man no doubt scanning it himself as he frowned in concentration.
"Well it's certainly a catalyst but to what, I can't say." Nova said through the comm. "Thank you, Mr. Fudo. Gally. Now excuse me, I'm working." he said, killing the channel as Gally returned the card, smiling as Nova had finally used a respectful term to the man.
"Though I wonder, if Jack had just asked me for Stardust up front – would I have let him have it to get a better life?" Yusei asked rhetorically, putting Stardust Dragon away.
Then they ate and Yusei explained his current situation.
"Godwin kidnapped my friends and are holding them hostage somewhere in Satellite. I have a friend who is looking for them now, but Godwin's forcing me to stay in the tournament if I want to see them again." Yusei said quietly while Ruka was using the bathroom.
"And does Jack know about that?" Gally asked.
Yusei shook his head. "I don't think so. Tomorrow will really tell us what happens."
Gally looked to him and was all business. "Yusei, if Godwin's manipulating you to stay in this tournament, chances are he's pulling everyone's strings in some way."
Yusei frowned but nodded.
"And what about Nova?" Yusei asked and Gally refrained from finishing off her hamburger to answer.
"He's working on a way home, but I can only wonder how he'll manage it. Considering he practically killed me, I don't know what I'll do once we get home."
"Well here he has to trust you, right?" Yusei asked as Ruka sat down with them. "I mean he's out of his element here. He can't just clone himself again in this world. Using nanobots to restore his body will only go so far here." Yusei said, as Gally had explained the details to him.
"I suppose." Gally said and then Ruka looked to the empty seat by them. "This hamburger is Rua's favorite. I can't help but feel that he's lost or worse, and it will be late soon." She said and Yusei stood up.
"Then let's go looking for him." The man proposed.
/
Nova was fascinated on the bulky and silver D-Wheel the moment he'd seen it in the garage and he had to get a closer look. The man was in luck once the muscular contestant left his garage, carrying a teal-haired boy over his shoulder. So far Godwin wasn't budging on letting his research continue on grounds of ethics and that kind of micromanaging really wasn't something Nova was used to dealing with at all.
It seemed he would have to work on a side project to blow off some steam. He went over to the colossal machine and wondered how it would be enhanced if it were in his own world.
"Bommer, what kind of karma do you have, I wonder?" Nova thought as he tinkered with the D-Wheel's CPU, adding in some extra programs he'd used ages ago on his old Motorball patient Jashugan. Bommer had left with the boy and he'd be gone for the foreseeable future. Nova grinned as he labored over the machine, wondering what he'd see from it tomorrow if things went sideways.
/
Rua was found not by any of them, but by Yusei's next opponent, a tall South American man named Bommer, dark skinned and muscular with long black hair that accentuated his tall frame. The man was friendly and talked with Yusei in person while Gally carried the sleeping boy home in her arms, skating on the highway while Ruka clung to her neck and back. Gally kept an even pace so both kids would be safe. Once she'd arrived, Gally let Ruka get off and took the twins upstairs before she left.
"Tell Yusei good luck with the rest of the tournament. Jack's going to be a tough opponent." Gally said to Ruka as she set Rua on the couch. "I have to go back to Godwin's place. There's some snooping around I need to do before the night's over." Ruka gave her a smile and a good luck of her own, then Gally was off.
/
Finding the next thing after Stardust Dragon would be more difficult, as Godwin was nothing if not careful. The man seemed almost untouchable despite being a normal person as appearances would suggest.
Gally decided then, to prepare more thoroughly. Godwin's staff had given her a room and she walked in, finding Nova had left his duel disk on her bed. Gally thumbed through the deck , snorting as one of the monsters was a 'Cyber Angel'. A little on the nose if someone was to ask her what she personally thought. Gally fit on the duel disk, appreciating having the machinery separate from the rest of her body. Finally, Gally crashed on the bed, removing the Duel Disk and pulling the sheets over her head as she wondered just how she'd accomplish her goals the next day.
/
Gally had a quick breakfast of an orange and a power bar from a vending machine. Than she began looking for her next target. She'd slept in, but was ok with that considering this particular target wouldn't' be far off. She quickly found a blue-haired demure woman, working at a desk. The woman looked tired and a bit discouraged.
"Hey I have a question, if that's ok?" Gally asked, walking up the the woman and giving her a smile.
"Yes, what can I help you with?" The woman asked, looking a little sleepy herself. Gally thought for a moment. Wording the question might be difficult considering what she wanted.
"If I wanted to find the Vice-Director, where would he be at this time?" Gally asked.
The other woman looked to Gally's ID and smiled. "Well, Miss Alita, he's either by Director Godwin's side, or he's in the break room making ramen noodles. He tends to have an early lunch."
Gally nodded, wondering if she'd slept in too late at the mention of the meal time. "Does he like those ramen noodles?" She asked.
The woman chuckled, surprised by the question. "To be honest, I think they're all he eats. He loves them just as much as Jack does."
The woman stopped, surprised by her own statement and Gally had to wonder how she knew about Jack's food preferences. Still, it wasn't her place to ask about it.
"Thanks-" She started, realizing something. "Sorry, I didn't get your name."
"It's Mikage. Good luck finding the Vice-Director, whatever you need him for." Mikage said.
"Thanks, Mikage!" Gally said. "And where could I find the break room?" She added, hoping the other woman wouldn't mind another question.
/
Jack watched, bored as Bommer and Yusei got ready to duel below, the enthusiastic narrator's words announcing the match to the screaming fans in the crowded rows of seats surrounding the track.
Though he was curious to see if Bommer would give Yusei a challenge after he'd made short work of the girl Ruka earlier, the enthusiastic Deformer user being overwhelmed by Bommer's Reactor deck. Yusei did have Stardust Dragon, but that was just one tool in his arsenal of many. If Bommer wasn't careful, the right Synchro Summon from Yusei would throw him off guard. Jack crossed his arms as the announcer declared it was time to duel, Yusei's sleek red D-wheel and Bommer's monstrosity of a machine both blasting down the track.
One way or another, Jack would see if Bommer was as serious as he'd seemed when he called Jack a weak king in the hallway the other day, deflecting Jack's angry punch with ease. And he'd see if Yusei still had the resolve to see the rest of the tournament through. Jack felt a slight rumble in his stomach, wishing he had a snack to go with the duel he was about to observe from so far up above. Jack was not alone, Godwin standing behind the couch watching the match like a hawk.
/
Jaeger knew a food break was a bit risky, but the appearance of the mysterious girl and the old scientist had flipped things around just enough that he needed the time to calm down with a helping of hot, piping ramen noodles. Godwin wouldn't mind if he returned to see the outcome of the duel in just five minutes, after all.
Jaeger heard the microwave beep and removed the bowl of steaming hot perfection, smelling the dish and sighing at it's scent. All that was missing was the flavor packet. Jaeger turned to grab the packet – the final ingredient to complete his meal when he saw it was gone.
"Eeee?" Jaeger squeaked in surprise. The packet was gone. But then he looked up and almost dropped the bowl in surprise.
Gally stood by the door, crossing her arms and smirking as she dangled the flavor packet above a trash can, her expression akin to a mischievous cat.
"Hey, return that at once!" Jaeger said, shifting his bowl to one hand as he dramatically pointed to Gally with the other.
"Why should I do that? Shouldn't you be watching the duel?" Gally asked, shaking the packet a little bit.
Her plan was to agitate the impish man and it worked as Jaeger placed the bowl on the plastic table beside him and then bounded over it, flying towards her with an open gloved hand. "Give it!" He screeched.
She grinned harder and grabbed him by the forehead, raising her arm up so that he dangled his limbs, kicking her multiple times. The impacts were minimal and Gally decided to stop them as she turned and dropped him with a shove, the clown man landing on his backside and blinking in surprise.
"Don't try that again." Gally said, walking by Jaeger and opening the packet, shaking it into the bowl as she turned around to make eye contact with him again.
"What are you doing!? This is my food break! If you continue this nonsense, I'll have Security take you away!" The clown man said and Gally sighed.
"Well I have another proposal for you, clown, if threatening people is the only language you speak." Gally said, the insult working as Jaeger grit his teeth.
Gally grabbed the bowl of noodles and took a whiff, sighing in mock bliss as she lowered her lips close to the bowl's edge.
"I'll eat this right now if you don't answer my next question!"
Jaeger stood straight up like a stiff board.
"Anything! I'll tell you whatever you want! Just don't eat my precious ramen!" The man yelled.
Gally smirked. Just like the Professor and his flan. Maybe she should try stealing that from Nova next time. It would certainly be a better bargaining chip than her usual death threats.
"Where are you holding Yusei's friends hostage?" She asked and Jaeger's eyes widened.
"I know Godwin's probably trusting you not to disclose this, but waiting for your answer is making me awfully hungry – and this ramen won't stay hot forever." She said.
"Hmph! I would – gladly endure such – cruel – treatment – if it meant honoring my – my-!"
"Oh, so you're under orders not to tell me?" Gally asked before she acted.
Jaeger's choppy and angry sentence stopped as Gally got bored of his words and put the bowl to her lips, opening her mouth and letting the noodles and broth down the hatch. She took a long slurp and set the bowl down as Jaeger looked across the room at her as though looks could kill.
"Mmmm! That hits the spot!" Gally said, acting like it was the best thing in the world – though to be true she'd much rather have another orange or a chocolate bar instead.
"Hmph! That's cheap, girl! But I'm not so easily swayed! I don't know what you're talking about! Yusei entered this tournament of his own volition! How else could he get the chance to beat Jack?" The clown asked, but still looked desperate.
"Good to know you're so loyal." Gally said, slurping down the rest of the food as she found another play to make. "Mmm - Alright then. Why would Yusei choose to enter this tournament considering the amount of hate he gets from being a Satellite resident? Or for being sprung out of a prison facility so quickly?"
"I don't know. I can't read his mind." Jaeger responded, face turning red from trying to restrain himself.
"Tell me where his friends are or I'll wash this food down with a little clown beat down." She said, setting down the empty bowl and cracking her knuckles.
"I'm the Vice-Director! What can you do to me?" The man said.
Gally smirked. "More than you know. Now are you going to accept my challenge or not?" she asked him.
/
Speed Warrior screamed as it was shredded into bits from Bommer's latest move, the spiked Chariot Pile trap card sending whirling spikes on the edge of Bommer's right-most wheel into the monster's frame as it exploded.
"So you decided to Release a monster to escape the damage!?" Bommer said and Yusei glared back at him from his own speeding D-Wheel.
"Still, I have more than just this trap card to win with!" Bommer said, the larger man getting ready to make another move.
From far above the field, Godwin stopped observing the match. Something was amiss. Usually Jeager would be back by now. Godwin looked to his watch to see that the clownish Vice-Director had been gone for a good twenty minutes – minutes he should be using to analyze Yusei's mental state and if he was pushed enough yet to Synchro Summon his Stardust Dragon or not.
Godwin turned to his wrist watch which also worked as a mobile device, giving him access to the cameras in the area. He was surprised as Jeager wasn't feasting on ramen, but rather pinned to the ground, limbs twisted like a pretzel as the girl who was ID'd as Alita perched on the small of his back, staring directly at the camera that Godwin saw through. She gave him a wave and Godwin glared at her briefly.
"Hey, do you have time to talk to me? This clown won't say anything, even when I threaten to eat his food." The woman asked. Godwin looked over to Jack, the man too engrossed in the duel to see what he was doing.
"Release Vice-Director Jeager at once. I assure you I will have time to talk once the duel concludes." Godwin said, speaking softly to the watch.
"Only if I have your word we'll talk. And that your 'talk' isn't sending a squad of Security goons after me that you won't hear from again." She said, crossing her arms and pressing down on Jeager's back with one of her feet, causing the man to yelp.
Godwin cut the volume so that Jack wouldn't hear the clown man's whines, preferring to simply nod, holding a hand up in mock surrender as the woman stood up, pulling up Jeager with her. She pointed to herself and Jeager and then straight to the camera that Godwin saw through, right at him. Godwin nodded, understanding that she'd meet him where he was currently.
"Security, be ready to let Vice-Director Jeager and a guest in." Godwin said, remaining calm as he wondered how he could push the girl's buttons. If she was willing to go this far, that meant she had a weakness of some kind.