The years had past by rather quickly. Much to everyone's surprise Sakura had adapted to the Satellite rather quickly and easily. She lived and acted as if she truly belonged there, like she'd always been there. And no one questioned the sudden appearance of a new child in Martha's care. Though they did question her hair.
After 11 years, Sakura was no longer the naïve, broken 7 year old girl she had been when she first ran away. But she never picked up her deck. Not once did she duel.
Sakura looked over to the boys behind her. Blitz, Nervin, Tank, friends that she had made, along with Yūsei. They had hooked up a cable rig and was watching Jack Atlas duel on TV. Sakura narrowed her emerald green eyes and turned back to the tunnels when she heard his voice. She stood up and walked to the middle of the tunnel, watching it anxiously.
"Calm down, Sakura, he'll be here soon," Blitz told her. Sakura glared at him before sighing. She sat back down on the platform and sighed once more.
"He won!" Tank exclaimed.
Sakura looked over at them and glared. "Shut up."
"Sorry," Tank apologized. Sakura turned back to the tunnel. After a few moments she could hear a steady tapping rhythm. She jumped up when she saw Yūsei pushing a red duel runner towards the platform. Sakura ran over to him and grabbed the other side, helping him push it.
"We'll get it right," Sakura said determinedly.
"Of course we will," Yūsei agreed. His head lifted up as he heard Jack's voice.
"They've been watching his big duel," Sakura muttered angrily. They pushed the runner up the ramp and onto the platform. Sakura helped Yūsei as he messed with the runner. Yūsei stood up and looked at the men watching TV. He reached over and revved up his runner, catching their attention.
"Oh, hey Yuse," Blitz greeted.
"Sorry Yūsei," Tank said. "We would have watched the duel anywhere else, promise. But the cable rig didn't stretch that far."
"He was amazing as always," Nervin said.
"Nervin, zip it," Blitz hissed. "Do you really think they want to hear about it?"
"Oh, sorry," Nervin apologized.
Yūsei connected the runner to his laptop and looked at the stats. "Only one person should be sorry."
"Right, and Jack's gonna pay for what he did to you," Blitz said.
"He will Yūsei, I'll make sure of it," Sakura said.
"I know, and he will," Yūsei said. Sakura grabbed the laptop and sat down, typing away.
"So where have you been?" Tank asked.
"I was testing out a new acceleration chip down in the tunnels," Yūsei said. "Didn't Sakura tell you?"
"She didn't mention it," Blitz said. Yūsei rolled his eyes and looked at the pinkette. Sakura pointedly ignored him, focusing on the duel runner stats. He shook his head and smiled softly.
"So are you gonna tell us if it worked or not?" Tank asked.
"What do you think?" Blitz asked.
"Does it look like it worked?" Sakura asked harshly.
"Sakura," Yūsei warned, placing a hand on her head. Sakura sighed and looked at the laptop.
"Well, your other runner looked really good on TV," Tank said.
"TANK!" Blitz shouted, hitting his head.
"What? It's true! I just thought it would cheer him up!" Tank defended. "That is his runner, remember? If it weren't for Jack backstabbing him and getting famous like that, it would be Yūsei giving that interview."
"Well maybe we don't wanna hear that!" Sakura shouted. She set the laptop down and stalked over to them. "Did you ever think that we knew this! Because we do! How could we forget what Jack did! We don't need you constantly reminding us!"
"Sakura," Yūsei called. The pinkette turned to him, glaring.
"But it's true! How could we possibly forget how Jack betrayed us! He stole your runner, stole your card, and he's used them to become famous! Tank is right! That should be you out there dueling and giving interviews, not Jack! Because of him-" Sakura trailed off, shaking violently.
"I know, just calm down," Yūsei said gently. He placed his hands on her shoulders, holding her still. Sakura flinched as she heard rocks shift and move above them. A good sized rock came down from the hole in the ceiling. She took deep shaky breaths and calmed down. Yūsei knelt down, looking her in the eyes. "Now, why don't you continue running the diagnostic." Sakura nodded and silently walked over to the laptop.
Yūsei looked pointedly at his friends. "You know not to rile her up like that."
"Sorry," Tank said.
"Just be careful," Yūsei said. He walked back to the duel runner. He smirked when he saw that Sakura was pouting.
"Yūsei!" a scratchy voice rang out. A young boy ran down a flight of stone steps and over to the platform. "You down here?"
"In here Rally!" Blitz called.
"Rally!" Sakura cheered. She ran over to the young boy and hugged him.
"Hi Sakura!" Rally greeted back enthusiastically.
"So why do you need Yūsei?" Sakura asked.
"I have something for him!" Rally said, running over to him.
"I've got a bad feeling about this," Nervin said anxiously.
"You've always got a bad feeling," Blitz muttered.
"Look!" Rally said, holding out a chip. "A Skylon 30 acceleration chip!"
"That's a Skylon?" Nervin asked. "Aren't those really expensive?" Blitz grabbed Rally's arm and looked at the chip.
"And it looks like it's never been used before," Blitz said, looking it over. "Did you steal this?"
"No!" Rally said, yanking his arm back. "I didn't steal it! It was just laying on the ground. Maybe someone just dropped it."
"Rally, you shouldn't have taken what don't belong to you," Blitz scolded harshly.
"You know how things are around here. Nobody just leaves something laying around. Especially not something expensive as that," Tank said.
"If they saw you, they'll track us down and mark us all," Nervin said, rubbing the yellow triangle under Rally's eye. The young boy became nervous, clutching the chip tightly.
"Calm down Nervin," Yūsei said. "Rally, can I see that chip?" Yūsei held out his hand. Rally placed the chip in his hand, looking up at him nervously. Yūsei handed it to Sakura. The pinkette held it up, looking it over. She turned it over, looking at the back.
"It's real," Sakura confirmed. "Or a really good fake."
"How can you tell?" Blitz asked.
"Each company has a special signature on the outside," Sakura said. She crouched down next to the laptop and hooked it up, running a diagnostic. "It's hard to copy, but doable. The real proof, however, will be on the inside. Let's see, Skylon, I believe their signature should be somewhere around, there! It's a real Skylon 30!" She gave the chip back to Yūsei.
"This is exactly what I need," Yūsei said.
"I knew you'd like it!" Rally said happily.
"Yūsei, you shouldn't use it, you should take it back," Blitz said.
"Will it make you faster?" Rally asked.
"Absolutely," Sakura confirmed. "As long as the duel runner doesn't burn out, that is."
"Well then maybe he should keep it," Tank said.
"Tank! He can't do that," Blitz said.
"Yes he can," Sakura said. Blitz looked at her in shock. "You know the rules. Finders keepers!"
"I know you guys hold a grudge, but it may be time to bury the past and move on," Nervin said. Sakura's head snapped up and she glared at him.
"But Jack stole Yūsei's best card too, remember! It's not just about the duel runner!" Rally shouted.
"I know, but I think that you're forgetting that Jack's in the city, and the people in the city don't like those of us from the Satellite. It's just how things are," Nervin said.
"Yeah, but sometimes you've gotta stick up for yourself!" Rally shouted.
"Yūsei, I think us Satellites should just stay put," Nervin said. "Those in the city should stay in the city and those in the Satellite should stay in the Satellite."
"Jack didn't stay put, so why should I?" Yūsei said.
"And I didn't stay either," Sakura muttered. The other boys looked at her in confusion.
"You were better off leaving," Yūsei said. "Nobody deserves to live like that."
"Just let it go," Blitz said. "A set of wheels and a card isn't worth risking your freedom over. I agree with Nervin on this one." Yūsei looked up as the laptop beeped. Sakura looked down and punched a few keys.
"Try it," she said. Yūsei reached over and revved the runner. The sound of the engine filled the tunnels, echoing around them. The others looked at the runner in shock. "Sklyon 30 acceleration chip fully integrated into the systems."
"Now that's what I call power!" Rally said. He picked up Yūsei's helmet and smiled. "Take it for a test run and let's see what it can do."
Lights flooded the tunnel from the crevice in the ceiling.
"What is that?" Tank shouted.
"It's Sector Security!" Nervin shouted.
"Identification number AWX86007, you are in possession of stolen property. You are surrounded, escape is not an option." Rally gripped Yūsei's helmet. He looked frightened.
"I didn't, I swear," he said desperately. "I told you, it was just lying there! I didn't see anybody!"
"Then it was a setup," Sakura said. "What's done is done."
"It's gonna be alright," Yūsei said.
"So what are we gonna do?" Blitz asked.
"We can't do anything," Tank said. "That mark is like a homing device, it sends a signal straight to sector security." Yūsei looked at Sakura and nodded.
"Signal jamming in three, two, one, now!" Sakura announced.
"There, you'll guys have a couple of minutes to escape. Take the east tunnels to get away," Yūsei ordered.
"And where are you going?" Blitz asked.
"I'm taking this chip for a test drive," Yūsei said, putting on his helmet.
"Duel runner signal locked on," Sakura said. "I'll watch it to make sure it stays stable."
"Thanks," Yūsei said. "Now get going." He revved the runner and drove off.
"You heard him, let's go!" The group ran down the east tunnels.
"So, how's he doing?" Tank asked.
"He's fine," Sakura said. "Duel's over, Yūsei won, and he's cooling down."
"There was a duel?" Blitz asked.
"Yeah," Sakura said with a nod. "If I had to guess I say he struck a deal with Trudge. And he won."
"Well, where is he now?" Rally asked.
"He's gone for a drive," Sakura said, closing the laptop. "I'm going home."
"But, you are home," Tank said.
"Not yet I'm not," Sakura said.