Author's Note: And here comes the touchy-feely chapter amidst all the silliness and shenanigans.

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Chapter 4: The Bridge that Bonds

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As Jack and Yusei's popularity skyrockets, Yusei gets the idea to use their influence for a good cause. She misses her friends in the Satellite—she mentions them in interviews at times, and the audience reactions have increasingly contained less disdain and more sympathy as time passes—and she knows that she must do something for them.

She tells Jack of her idea. Together, they go to Rex Goodwin and propose connecting the Satellite with New Domino. For some reason, Goodwin looks nostalgic as they speak, but he readily agrees. He tells them of an unfinished bridge meant to connect the two sects, and they know exactly what bridge he speaks of.

Growing up in the Satellite, all the children know of it. As Jack breaks out into a retelling of the legend, Goodwin smiles and looks a little sad.

So, funded by Goodwin, Yusei Fudo and Jack Atlas campaign together to publicize the building of a bridge to connect the city with the Satellite. Of course, in the beginning, they are met with all sorts of opposition and ridicule; however, there comes an unexpected, vast number more that rally to support them as the campaign progresses and evolves into something bigger than anyone ever anticipated. After months of having the two most popular people in New Domino assemble their enthusiastic fans and explain just how much people's lives with change for the better, their efforts come into fruition.

The movement gains steam. Donations and heartfelt support comes pouring in, and it is more than either of them had ever hoped for.

It takes some time for the bridge to be completed, but in the end, it's beautiful. Jack and Yusei are present at the grand opening, standing along the sidelines with their Duel Runners; Jack has an arm around Yusei's shoulders, and for once she doesn't protest. Nearby, Carly is perched atop the hood of her car to see above the massive crowd gathered at the mouth of the bridge, her camera at the ready.

Everyone watches as the ribbon is cut and Director Goodwin delivers a final speech.

"And with this, the Daedalus Bridge is officially open! Never again will our city be separated by an ocean of discrimination and plutocracy; the past is behind us! After all these years, New Domino and the Satellite meet as friends and comrades, together once more as it was meant to be from the very beginning. My friends, Domino City is reunited at last! From today and into the future, our city and its people are one!"

The crowd gathered at the bridge gives a loud, enthusiastic round of applause as Goodwin steps down from the podium. Cameras are flashing and people are cheering as the director waves at the crowd and shakes many, many hands. He eventually comes to approach Jack and Yusei.

"This is all thanks to you two," he tells them.

"Eh, no big deal," Jack supplies with a nonchalant shrug. "Helping end years of segregation will be towards the bottom of my list of lifetime achievements, I assure you."

"Idiot," Yusei says. "This is the best thing you've ever done—what we've ever done. Don't play it down."

She elbows him in the ribs, but she's smiling. Jack just grins back at her.

Goodwin looks at them with a warm expression. With a dramatic swooping motion, he gestures to them and then to the far end of the bridge, asking, "Would you care to do the honors?"

The two Duelists exchange a glance of sparking enthusiasm and quickly mount their bikes. Jack's engine rumbles to life, but before Yusei switches on her Runner, Goodwin stops her for a moment and just says in a soft voice, "Your parents would have been proud of you."

When the events of the day are done and they return to Goodwin's skyscraper for a celebratory dinner with the Director, a shocked Yusei will discover that Rex Goodwin is her godfather.

But, for now, she just smiles at him and says, "Thank you," without putting much thought into it. Perhaps it's the disorientating camera flashes, the excitement from being one of the first people to ever cross the Daedalus Bridge, or the happiness from knowing that she'll soon see her friends again that keeps her from realizing the impact of his words, but Goodwin only smiles and nods in reply. He backs away from the Runners without saying anything more.

Jack beside her is ready to go. Yusei throws on her helmet and revs up her engine, and they take off.

The next day, the newspapers are plastered with photos of the event, many featuring horizon shots of the Daedalus Bridge, architecture layouts, and Director Goodwin. There is also a picture of the Wheel of Fortune and the Yusei Go driving side-by-side towards the end of the bridge, but nothing more than that.

Meanwhile, on Carly Carmine's blog, the photos lining the article documenting the event are mostly of grinning, laughing Satellite residents of all ages. A pair of young, scrappy brothers has their arms around each other's shoulders and both throw the camera an enthusiastic thumbs-up each; a group of adults—some with criminal marks, some without—look across the bridge with smiles on their faces and hope in their eyes; a withered but beaming old woman holds her tiny grandchildren close as they giggle and wave at the camera.

The picture with the most hits, however, is of Yusei Fudo embracing a young red-headed boy who has leapt into her arms. The boy is sobbing into her jacket and has his arms tight around her, while Yusei is pressing a kiss into his wild red curls. She is smiling.

At the same time, they are surrounded by friends and cheering Satellites. Standing alongside them is Jack Atlas, who—in his pristine white Turbo uniform—looks so out of place but at the same time doesn't. He stands side-by-side with the Satellites and doesn't recoil from their grimy clothes or their golden criminal marks; he looks at Yusei and the boy in her arms with the same smile on his face as the celebrating people around him.

Every person in each photo holds such optimism and happiness. Each image holds a great power, so much more than the impersonal, monotonous articles published by the newspapers whose reporters documented only the opening of a new bridge and not the people whose lives are changed forever because of it.

Much later, Carly Carmine will win an award for her article "The Bridge that Bonds" for its striking imagery and heartfelt message of anti-discrimination and human unity, but she doesn't know that yet.

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Soon after the opening of the Daedalus Bridge, Goodwin holds a press conference and announces that an international dueling tournament will be held to celebrate the Satellite and New Domino City's reunification.

"From all walks of life, from every corner of this wondrous Earth," he'd said, "all are welcome at the World Racing Grand Prix! Let us celebrate our unity worldwide and come together in the Duel event of a lifetime!"

As they watch from a television in the recently moved-into Poppo Time, Jack immediately turns to Yusei and tells her that they will participate. Yusei sighs but agrees, leaving to call up a few of their friends to see if they're interested in forming a Duel team.

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A/N: It's been a longtime headcanon of mine that Goodwin is actually Yusei's godfather. Just a little something I decided to throw in there. :D

Next time is the pre-WRGP party! That'll be fun, won't it? XD

Thanks for reading!