"Strange." Bruno says as Yusei and I enter the garage with our cups of coffee. "Why does the engage simulator stop working when I put in the decroncer?" Bruno's moved next to the Blackbird on the floor with a laptop, running tests on it.
"I assume that's bad." I say. Error flashes up on the screen of the laptop.
"What's with this circuit?" Bruno asks, running the test again. The same error comes up again.
"What is it?" Yusei walks over to him.
"There's a strange circuit." He explains.
"Strange circuit?" Yusei echoes.
"Yeah, it has something to do with this part." Bruno points to a spot in the middle of the Blackbird.
"What's this?" Yusei squints at the screen. I think he needs glasses, working too much with screens probably.
"Crow did say someone else programmed the Blackbird, we should ask him anyway." I say as Crow walks in the door, yawning. "Speak of the devil."
"You guys!" Crow runs over to Yusei and Bruno. "What are you doing this time?"
"Hey, Crow." Bruno greets Crow like he's not freaking out about them hurting his precious Blackbird. "When I was adjusting the program, I found a strange circuit."
"Strange circuit?" Crow raises an eyebrow. If I hear that said again, I'm going to pull my hair out.
"No matter what I do, I can't access it any further." Bruno scratches his chin.
"Don't fiddle with it too much and break my machine." Crow glares slightly. "I can't work without Blackbird."
"Don't worry, Crow. We won't do anything crazy." Yusei smiles. Crow gives me a look and I just shrug my shoulders.
"Let's investigate a little more." Great, they're already in full D-Wheel mode.
"Let's mute and insert the deck." I take a seat at the desk, sighing. I take my book from where I kept it behind the monitor.
"We'll have to first free the potential." Bruno explains. Crow just facepalms. Ushio and Mikage walk in the open shutter door.
"Excuse me." Ushio says, getting the attention of everyone else.
"Ushio and Mikage?" Another favour, I suppose.
"Do you have a second, Crow?" Ushio points behind him. Crow nods, walking out with them. I just shrug my shoulders and keep reading.
We decide to visit Martha's later on. Crow seems out of it, ever since he came back in.
"Crow." I go up to him, while he's still standing next to the Blackbird. He explained that Security found out that Pearson was dueling before his death. That person used a very rare card called Blood Mefist, which had the ability to deal real damage even when the duelist wasn't a psychic. "Pearson?" I ask.
"Yeah, he left what would become Blackbird to me before he died. I owe him everything. It was soon after Kiryu was captured. Without any goals, I lived aimlessly. Then, one day…" He trails off, before sighing. "Some scumbags from the factory dropped off one of the kid's dads. As usual, Satellite's factory used him up. They literally threw him on the ground, in the rain, exhausted. Only to throw some loose change at him, since they took most of his money transporting him. I was so angry. They kicked my ass. Then, Pearson showed up. Him and his friend dueled those scumbags, and they ran with their tails between their legs. That's how I met Pearson. Pearson gathered and took care of Satellite children, just like me. He taught them job skills so that they can be self-independent." He explains. Man, sounds like a great guy. "I thought this was great. Pearson and I decided to work together. Pearson gave me hope to live again. With the first-ever engine created in the Satellite, we would surprise the citizens of the City. Pearson's D-Wheel development excited me. But one day, I came home to find the place on fire. I wasn't able to save him, Yuuka." There's real pain in Crow's eyes. "He left me the kids and a prototype engine. After I lost Pearson, I didn't know what to do. All I could do was steal cards to make the kids happy. Bolger is great. He took over Pearson's legacy and built a D-Wheel factory in the former Satellite. All I'm doing is atoning for my past actions. Because I failed to take over Pearson's legacy." He clenches his fists. I see him try to force the tears away. I place my hand on his back.
"That's not true. You're continuing Pearson's legacy wonderfully." I comfort him.
"Me?" He seems in disbelief.
"Crow! What are you doing?" His kids starts shouting over at us. "Crow, hurry up and come over here! Crow!"
"Look at the smiles on their faces. You're the one who gave them smiles of hope. There's no need to feel ashamed. You should travel the path that you believe in." Crow turns to me.
"Yuuka…" I smile, smacking his on the back.
"Come on, they're waiting."
The next day, Crow brings us to Bolger & Company. Apparently, this guy knows who killed Pearson, but will only tell him if Crow wins their duel. However, if Crow loses, he has give up that Pearson supposedly gave him. But Crow doesn't have that card apparently, which makes me suspicious.
"I think this guy is hiding something." I say. "Why would he only spill once he loses his duel that his business is resting on?"
"He'll have nothing to lose." Yusei answers.
"I think this guy did it." I say. Everyone just shrugs their shoulders. Bruno sets the computers up so we can hear the audio feed from the course. The perks of dueling on a testing ground.
"You're fine with this?" Bolger asks, as they get ready to start.
"Of course. I'll continue Pearson's legacy in my own way." Crow answers.
"Fine. Let's battle, Crow!" Bolger puts his helmet on. "Speed World 2 set! Riding Duel!"
"Acceleration!" They both chant, starting the duel. Bolger uses the boosters on D-Wheel to accelerate far ahead of Crow, leaving a trail of flames behind him.
"What unbelievable acceleration!" Jack gasps.
"That's why it's the newest D-Wheel model." Yusei nods.
"I want one." I pout, hoping Yusei gets the hint. Crow accelerates, nearly catching up to Bolger but it's not enough.
"I took the first corner, so I'll go first. My turn!" Bolger claims the first turn. "I summon White Warrior - Fog the Treasure Shield in defense position(DEF:2000). I set two cards and end my turn."
"2000 defense points…" A tough hurdle alright, that defense is as high as they come for monsters under Level 5. "My turn!" Crow starts his turn as the Speed Counters increase for the first time. "When monsters are only on your field, I can summon this card without releasing another monster! I summon Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn(ATK:2000)! I can Special Summon this card when a Blackwing is on my field! Appear, Blackwing - Bora the Spear(ATK:1700)! Due to Sirocco the Dawn's effect, I can concentrate the Blackwing's power on Bora the Spear(ATK:1700-3700)!"
"Good!" Jack says. "It has more than the opponent's 2000 defense points!"
"Not good enough, Crow." Bolger interrupts Crow's turn. "I activate the Continuous Trap, Whiteout! Whiteout negates all effects that your monsters give to other monsters(ATK:3700-1700)!" I hear Crow gasp. "Each individual monster isn't dangerous, but they create power by calling for their teammates. That bond is the Blackwing deck's special feature. So, I will sever that bond! Now, your Blackwings are isolated. As long as Whiteout is active, Blackwings can't rely on their teammates nor give them power!"
"This is bad for Crow!" Yusei exclaims.
"Yeah, he's been completely shut down." I sigh.
"I end my turn." Crow grits his teeth.
"My turn." Bolger starts his turn. "I summon White Warrior - Hail the Iron Hammer(ATK:1800). Then, I activate the Continuous Trap, Sacred Arrow! At the End Phase, each player takes 400 points of damage for every one of his monsters that was destroyed that turn."
"400 points for every destroyed monster?" Crow gasps.
"Hail the Iron Hammer attacks Bora the Spear! Hammer Attack!" Bolger declares his attack and Crow's life points drop to 3900. "When Hail the Iron Hammer destroys your monster in battle, another monster on your field is destroyed! At the end of your turn, you take Sacred Arrow's effect." Crow's life points shoot down to 3100.
"Crow!" Jack exclaims.
"Bring it, Crow! It's your turn!" Bolger taunts him.
"My turn!" Crow declares as their Speed Counters increase to 3. "I set one card! Then, I summon the Tuner Monster, Blackwing - Mistral the Silver Shield in defense position(DEF:1800)! I end my turn!" Defensive, huh? Can't really afford to do anything else, can he?
"My turn." Bolger starts his turn. "I summon the Tuner Monster, White Warrior - Snow the Rope Dart(ATK:0). This card gains 100 attack points for every card on the field. There are seven cards on the field. Therefore, it gains 700 attack points(ATK:0-700). Snow the Rope Dart can attack your directly! Go!" Crow's life points drop again, leaving him at 2400. "Since the direct attack was successful, White Warrior - Fog the Treasure Shield's effect activates. One of your Spell or Trap cards is destroyed. Do it, Fog the Treasure Shield!" I hear Crow tut. "You didn't think I would notice, Crow? How many times have we dueled?"
"This duel is between two people who know each other's' strategies." Yusei says as I nod.
"I end my turn." I hear Crow sigh.
"My turn!" Crow begins his turn again. "I summon Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame(ATK:1800)! Level 2 Mistral the Silver Shield tunes Level 4 Shura the Blue Flame! Dark power, infuse the gigantic wings to create a divine wind! Synchro Summon! Rage, Blackwing Armed Wing(ATK:2300)!"
"Good! He successfully Synchro Summoned!" Jack comments.
"Armed Wing attacks Snow the Rope Dart! Black Charge!" Crow declares his attack.
"Monster effect activates! When Snow the Rope Dart is the attack target, it returns to my hand." Bolger interrupts.
"In that case, I'll attack Fog the Treasure Shield!" Crow continues. "When Armed Wing attacks a monster in defense position, it gains 500 attack points(ATK:2300-2800)! If Armed Wing's attack points are greater than your defense points, you take the difference as damage!" Bolger's life points drop to 3200.
"The Tuner avoided destruction, but he still destroyed one monster." Jack says.
"Better than nothing." I shrug my shoulders.
"Since he destroyed a monster, Sacred Arrow's effect will deal 400 points of damage at the End Phase." Almost forgot about that for a second.
"I set one card and end my turn." Crow says as Bolger's life points sink to 2800. "Bolger, I can't afford to lose this duel! In order to find out who killed Pearson!" I have a feeling you're looking at him, Crow.
"I see. You're very determined. Then, I'll show you! My turn!" Bolger starts his turn again. " I summon White Warrior - Snow the Rope Dart again(ATK:0)! Level 4 White Warrior - Snow the Rope Dart tunes Level 4 White Warrior - Hail the Iron Hammer! Born from the heart's darkness, descend in exchange for my soul! Synchro Summon! Pulse, Blood Mefist(ATK:2800)!"
"Blood Mefist?" Crow and Yusei echo.
"Why does he have that?" Jack questions.
"Bruno, find a way to record this audio feed." I say, Bruno nods back at me. I'll turn this asshole into Security myself if I have to.
"Bolger, why do you have that card? No way!" Crow gasps. "Did you kill Pearson? Why? You admired Pearson!"
"To build D-Wheels, of course." Bolger answers. I grit my teeth.
"D-Wheels?" Crow echoes.
"That's right." Bolger confirms. "As you already know, that was our dream. D-Wheel development stopped due to lack of money. But one day, a rich man from the City came and offered a large sum of money. But he refused!" Crow gasps. "That's right. To finish building the D-Wheel wasn't what was important to him. It was to leave his name as Satellite's first D-Wheel developer! He couldn't allow it! In the end, he couldn't allow City people to snatch away his achievement! That's why I dueled him for the blueprints. I don't regret what I did! D-Wheel mass production was only achieved because I defeated him! Former Satellite citizens can now enjoy Riding Duels. I was able to make D-Wheels for them. Even if I'm labelled a killer, I'll protect the factory!" Yeah, protect it from prison. "If you understand, hand over Black Feather Dragon! Along with Blackbird, I know that Pearson gave you Black Feather Dragon! Give me Black Feather Dragon! Now!"
"I don't believe you. I don't believe that Pearson was like that!" That's not the truth. Pearson sounded like a great man, that can't be the full story.
"Then, I must acquire Black Feather Dragon by defeating you in this duel. Even if that means you'll end up the same as Pearson!" Did Bolger just threaten to murder one of my best friends? Okay, it's settled. I'm beating him up before I turn him in. "I activate Blood Mefist's effect! Once per turn, you take 300 points of damage for every card on your field!"
"What?" Crow asks before his life points drop to 1800.
"Then, Blood Mefist attacks Armed Wing! Cursed Blood!" Crow screams as the attack hits him, leaving him with 1300 life points.
"What?" Jack mutters.
"Is he taking real damage?" Yusei asks.
"I'm feeling pain? My body feels like it's being torn apart. This is…" I hear Crow mutter.
"Blood Mefist's power!" I answer. "A card that deals real damage, regardless if that person is a psychic or not." Everyone in the room gasps.
"Sacred Arrow's effect activates at the end of my turn." Bolger declares as Crow's life points decrease again, leaving him with 900. "Crow, you still have time to surrender! It's not worth risking your life for someone like Pearson!"
"I'll never surrender! I believe in Pearson! My turn!" Crow starts his turn with his determination intact. "I activate Speed World 2's effect! I remove 7 Speed Counters to draw one card from my deck!" Crow's Speed Counters are set back to 0. "Alright! I summon the Tuner Monster Blackwing - Kochi the Daybreak in defense position(DEF:1500)! I set one card-" He is interrupted.
"At this moment, Blood Mefist's effect activates!" Bolger declares. "When you set a Spell or Trap card, you take 300 points of damage!" One of the wings falls off the Blackbird as his life points hit 600. That's below the safety line in Speed World 2, shit.
"That was so much power that it damaged Blackbird!" Yusei exclaims.
"Crow can't physically take much more of this!" I sigh in desperation. I can't do anything from here.
"Crow, give up or you'll die!" Bolger shouts.
"Then, try." Crow sneers. "I end my turn!"
"I see. Then, I have no choice. My turn!" Bolger starts his turn. "Due to Blood Mefist's effect, you take 300 points of damage for every card on your field. That's a total of 900 points of damage!"
"Crow!" I exclaim.
"I activate the trap, Down Burst! All face-up spell and trap cards on your field become set!"
"What?" Bolger mutters.
"I activate another trap! Delta Crow - Anti Reverse!" Crow continues. "When a Blackwing monster on my field is faceup, all set spell and trap cards on your field are destroyed! I have two fewer cards! The damage decreases to 300 points!" That leaves Crow at 300 life points. He's safe for now. I sigh in relief.
"Good." Yusei nods. "By destroying Whiteout, the bond between Blackwings is restored."
"You're surviving, but your life is like a candle in the wind." Bolger says. "I summon White Warrior - Sleet the Morning Star(ATK:0)! By releasing this card, when Blood Mefist destroys a monster, you take damage equal to half its attack points." Oh no.
"That means if a monster is destroyed, Crow takes 1400 points of damage and loses!" Yusei exclaims.
"Blood Mefist attacks Kochi the Daybreak! Cursed Blood!" Bolger declares his attack.
"Crow!" Jack cries.
"By sending Blackwing - Jetstream the Blue Sky from my hand to the graveyard, I can negate the destruction of one Blackwing monster!"
"He managed to dodge it." I sigh in relief. The door to the room opens and Crow's kids come running. Ginga runs towards Bruno, asking him something. The other kids run up to us at the windows, getting their banners out with Crow's name on them. I see Saiga standing next to the door, I shoot him a wave which he reciprocates.
"But it'll be over next turn." Bolger says. "I set one card and end my turn."
"Damn." Crow curses. "If I set a card, I'll take damage and my life points will become 0. Is it impossible to defeat Blood Mefist?"
"Crow! Over here!" They shake their banners in the window.
"Crow, can you hear me? We're with you." Ginga shouts into the microphone next to Bruno.
"Do your best, Crow!" The other kids shout.
"Everyone…" Crow seems taken aback. I must admit, I am too. "I want to protect their hopes and Pearson's legacy!" I get a weird feeling in my stomach again. "The mark of the Crimson Dragon!"
"That card!" I hear Bruno exclaims. He projects his screen in front of us. It's a picture of Black Feather Dragon.
"What's this? What's going on?" Yusei asks.
"Black Feather Dragon? I get it. That's why Pearson refused the money! Pearson, I understand how you felt! My turn!" Crow starts his turn with renewed determination. "I summon Blackwing - Bora the Spear! Level 4 Kochi the Daybreak tunes Level 4 Bora the Spear! Black whirlwind, your secret thoughts appear on your wings! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Black Feather Dragon(ATK:2800)!" Yusei's and Jack's Signer Marks start glowing too.
"Our marks!" Yusei exclaims.
"Can it be?" Jack questions. "That's the Signer's fifth dragon!" Something's telling me that what Jack is saying isn't completely right.
"Black Feather Dragon finally appeared!" Bolger gasps. "But this battle is already over. I activate the trap, Synchro Rivalry! When you Special Summon a Synchro Monster, my monsters can't be destroyed in battle that turn!"
"I activate Speed Spell - Angel Baton!" Crow continues. "When I have two or more Speed Counters, I draw two cards from my deck! Then, I send one card in my hand to the graveyard! I send Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite to the graveyard and set one card!"
"If you do that, you'll take damage from Blood Mefist and lose!" Jack shouts. Wait.
"Blood Mefist's effect activates!" Bolger declares. "When you set a spell or trap card, you take 300 points of damage!"
"Crow!" The kids cry.
"Look at Black Feather Dragon's effect!" Crow points up at his dragon.
"What?" Bolger gasps.
"Damage Drain!" Crow declares. "When I take non-battle damage, I lower Black Feather Dragon's attack points by the same amount to negate it(ATK:2800-2500)!" The bottom set of the dragon's wing turn black, accented with red.
"What? Negate damage?" Bolger questions.
"By taking 400 points of damage and returning a card on my field to my hand, I can Special Summon Zephyros the Elite from my graveyard(ATK:1600)!" Crow continues. "But due to Black Feather Dragon's effect, I negate that damage(ATK:2500-2100)!" More and more of Black Feather Dragon's wings are becoming black.
"It lost more attack points!" Kokoro exclaims.
"What are you planning to do, Crow?" Bolger asks.
"When this effect Special Summons Zephyros the Elite, I can set a card to destroy it! Since I set a card, Blood Mefist's effect deals damage, but Damage Drain negates it(ATK:2100-1800)!" Crow keeps going. "Once again, I return a card to my hand to Special Summon Zephyros the Elite(ATK:1800-1400)! Then I set a card to destroy Zephyros(ATK:1400-1100)!"
"Black Feather Dragon's wings are turning black!" Jack comments.
"Yeah." Yusei nods. "It's using its own body as a shield."
"The pain shaves away its body." Bolger says.
"Bolger, you should've known that Pearson wanted to do more than build a D-Wheel. He wanted the kids to learn that they could do anything without having to rely on the City's power! That's why Pearson refused their help!" Crow shouts at Bolger. I knew it.
"Did I have a misunderstanding?" Bolger mutters.
"That's right!" Crow keeps shouting. "Remember what Pearson said! Black Feather Dragon absorbs the pain to darken its wings(ATK:1100-700)! This dragon is the same as Pearson! He carried the burden of Satellite's sadness and pain(ATK:700-400)! Pearson wanted to free Satellite by building Satellite's first-ever D-Wheel! That's why... Black Feather Dragon flew down to Pearson(ATK:400-0)!"
"Black Feather Dragon is completely black!" Ginga exclaims as the dragon passes into front of us.
"Bolger!" There's real anguish in Crow's voice. "Black Feather Dragon's black wings are the pain Pearson received from you! Feel the same pain! I activate Black Feather Dragon's effect! Once per turn, I return the amount of attack points it lose due to this card's effect and all your monsters' attack points decrease by that amount! Black Burst(ATK:0-2800/ATK:2800-0)!"
"When Black Feather Dragon was absorbing pain, it was storing power." Jack says. That sounds like Crow, turning pain into power.
"Black Feather Dragon attacks Crimson Mefist! Noble Stream!" Crow declares as Bolger's life points hit 0, winning him the duel.
"Hooray! Crow won!" The kids cheer beside me.
"You did it, Crow." I mutter more to myself than anyone else.
"Pearson, you really cared about the kids. I was the one blinded by fame, not you. I'm sorry." I hear Bolger say over the sound system. At least he feels guilty. He's still going to prison though.
"Bolger." Crow mutters.
Crow buys a bouquet of flowers for Pearson's grave. They built a cemetery in the new Satellite. They allowed people to submit names of people known to have died in the Satellite, either during the Zero Reverse or afterwards. There must be thousands of graves. We walk in silence to Pearson's grave. I don't know if my mother's name is here. It happened just after everything with the Dark Signers, I wasn't in the right frame of mind to submit it. Crow lays the flowers on the stone slab on the ground, just underneath the name Robert Pearson.
"Pearson, Bolger turned himself in." Crow kneels down at the foot of the grave. "Your feelings touched him. Black Feather Dragon... I'll continue your legacy! Pearson…" We stand there in silence. It strikes me how lucky I was to leave the Satellite. Hundreds upon hundreds of stone slabs lined up one after the other. Each one is another life lost. Crow stands up after a few minutes and goes to leave.
"You guys go ahead. I'm just gonna take a walk." I say, giving a slight wave.
"Yeah, we'll see you guys at the garage." Yusei stays with me, no surprise there. Crow and Jack say goodbye to us, leaving soon after.
Yusei doesn't say a word as we walk all along the path. I look for her name. I'm astounded how many graves don't have a last name. Each one is a child without a parent, gone too soon. What was even the point of all this? All this waste of life just to unleash the Earthbound Immortals, in order to lose an ancient war. It turns my stomach at the thought of it.
"Yuuka." Yusei points at a stone slab on our left in the row nearest to the waterfront. We keep walking down the path until we can turn and make our way back. I sit in front of the grave, Yusei takes a seat beside me. My eyes keep running back and forth over the name. Kyoko Hattori. That's what the stone slab says. It lies to me. My mother was not buried here. I never knew what happened to her body. Was she cremated? Was just she just flung onto a mass grave like she never mattered? I sigh, Yusei rubs his hand on my back. I sit there just staring at the grave for a while. Just thinking about life, death and my place in the universe. For the first time in a very long, I cry over the mother who left me too soon.
A/N: Okay, the show flip-flops on whether Crow built his D-Wheel or not, so here, he got the prototype engine from Pearson but everything else, Crow built himself.