Chapter 1
In New Domino City, dueling is more than just a way to spend the time; it's become a way of life. Turbo Duels are a part of everyday life for the citizens, both for those who watch and those who ride. Those who compete in the realm of the Speed put their pride on the line as they battle and race their way to the top of the circuit.
It was another bright sunny day in New Domino City, the streets were alive with people walking around, going through their daily rituals. But calm of city life was suddenly shattered as the siren of a Sector Security Duel Runner filled the air.
"Excuse me! Pardon me! Comin through!" a voice said as it sped through the crowded streets
"STOP, THIEF!"
Several people turned at the word 'thief' expecting to see some twenty or thirty year old lowlife with at least one criminal marker on their face. What they saw instead, bursting through the crowd, was a boy… a twelve year old boy. His hair was short and brown, his eyes were blue. The boy was clothed in a pair of blue denim shorts, a short sleeved grey shirt with a few tears along the sleeves and the bottom. On his feet he had a pair of motorized rollerblades, pads on his elbows and knees, and a silver helmet on his head.
The boy looked back at the officer chasing after him, one he knew all too well… Officer Edward Kowler, or Eddy as he referred to him as. He had been chasing him practically since he could walk
"Geez, all this for a bag of apples?!" the boy thought to himself, "I wish Eddy would just leave me alone"
Applying more pressure to the heels of his blades, he increased his speed as he tried to lose his pursuers. Suddenly he came to a rather steep hill. Ceasing the pressure on his heels, gravity took over and he sped down the hill. He looked back to see the officer still chasing him, but as he looked forward, an elderly woman appeared out of nowhere in front of him. The elderly woman turned and saw him fast approaching. With no way to stop his rapid descend on this hill, he reached his hand out and grabbed onto a lamp pole and used it to make a quick turn to avoid her.
"Oh my…" the woman said as the boy avoided her
"Sorry!" he yelled back at the woman
"YOU WON'T GET AWAY SO EASY!" Ed shouted as he turned sharply, his tires screeching
"He thinks that was easy?" he thought as they began to reach more level ground, reapplying pressure to his heels, the motor system in his roller blades activated and propelled him forwards
As they reached the outskirts of the city, the tall skyscrapers began to become fewer in number, until finally, they were out of the limits of the city and into the quieter rural areas outside New Domino City. Out here it wasn't gray and crowded; it was green, open, quiet…
"Ok, that's the last of it…" Hank said as he and his new neighbors finished putting the last box into their new home
"Thank you, we really appreciate you helping us move in" the wife smiled
"My pleasure and please, call me Hank" he smiled
"So, what's the neighborhood like here?" the husband asked
"It's pretty peaceful and quite out here compared to life in the city itself"
"Look out!" a voice shouted
The three of them turned and saw a boy speeding towards them, struggling to keep his balance. Before Hank could react, the boy crashed into him, sending both of them flying backwards onto the lawn
"Oh my, are you both alright?" the wife asked, both of them groaned
"What hit me?" Hank groaned as he lifted his head to see a familiar face lying on his chest
"Ow…" the boy groaned as he removed himself from Hank's chest "Sorry Mr. Hank"
"What are you in such a hurry there for Jimmy?"
"I'll give you three guesses but you're only gonna need one" he replied as they both got to their feet
"Eddy giving you grief again?" Hank smirked
"Yep, gotta go!" Jim said as he prepared to zoom off
"Hey, wait a minute!" Hank stopped him
"What?"
"This is Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins, they just moved in"
"Hello" he greeted them in a very polite tone
"Hello there" Mr. Hawkins extended his hand forward
"I'm Jim; it's nice to meet you both" Jim shook his hand
"Are you sure you're alright?" Mrs. Hawkins asked
"Don't worry about me, I can take care myself" he smiled at her
Suddenly, the sound of a Sector Security siren filled the air
"I gotta go, nice meeting you" Jim said as he speed off into the neighborhood
"YOU WON'T ESCAPE ME THIS TIME!" the angry office yelled as he revved his engine and sped past the Hawkins' home
"What was that about?" Mrs. Hawkins asked
"That's Officer Edward of Sector Security, he's been chasing after Jimmy since he had baby teeth"
"Did he steal something?"
"I think he only takes what he needs to survive. Food mostly" Hank shook his head
"Why do I get the feeling there's more to it than that?" Mr. Hawkins asked
"It's kind of a funny story…" Hank chuckled, "One day, Eddy was trying to grab Jim for something, but Jim slipped and fell backwards and as Eddy came forward, Jim's leg came up and well, I think you can imagine what happened next…"
"Oh…" Mr. Hawkins winced
"Yep, right in the crotch…" Hank chuckled, "It was a complete accident, but everyone else there thought it was funny as hell, including the other officers" Hank laughed at the memory of that day, "Needless to say, Eddy's still pissed off about that day and has been after little Jimmy ever since"
"Don't his parents know about all this?" Mrs. Hawkins asked
"He doesn't have any…" Hank replied, "They died when he was very little, he doesn't even remember them"
"The poor dear…" Mrs. Hawkins felt sorry for him, "so who takes care of him?"
"He's been lookin after himself; in the beginning, he only took what he needed to survive. But after his trip to the reeducation center, he started helping out around the neighborhood here and instead of stealing, he began earning what he needed to get by. He's not a bad person; he's just had to live his life all alone"
"Hasn't anyone thought about taking him in?"
"Yes, we all have… but every time he just smiles and says, 'Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself'" Mrs. Hawkins looked in the direction Jim was heading, "He's a good kid once you get to know him"
Jim sped through the neighborhood and hid behind a house at the corner as Eddy sped by. Taking a moment to catch his breath, he then heard a pair of familiar giggling
"Huh?" he turned to the source, "Oh hi Ms. Lora, Ms. Jully"
"Hello Jimmy" Lora greeted him
"Running from Edward again?" Jully asked, "Aren't you getting into trouble a little early today Jimmy?" she smiled at the boy
"I didn't even do anything…" he replied, "Besides; you're only in trouble if you get caught-"
"Gotcha!" Edward grabbed Jim by his shirt and pulled him towards him
"I'm in trouble!" Edward stared at him angrily
"You're not getting away this ti-" Ed was cut off by something slamming onto his helmeted head. Jim pulled away from the slightly disoriented office and looked up. There was potting soil and the remains of a flower of some kind on top of his helmet
"Oh my goodness, are you alright down there?" Old Mrs. Gloria leaned out of her second story window
"Thanks Mrs. Gloria" Jim waved at her
"Huh? Oh hello Jimmy dear" she waved at the boy, "Come by later, I'll have something sweet for you"
"You know I will… bye!" Jim said as he sped off
"Hey, what gives!?" Edward shouted at the old woman
"Sorry officer, these old hands just ain't what they used to be" she replied as she held out her old shaky hands
Ed growled as he got back onto his runner and continued his pursuit. After another fifteen minutes, Edward couldn't find Jim anywhere. He would have continued his search, but a call from headquarters demanded he come back immediately. Jim peaked out the window of an old abandon house on the outskirts of the neighborhood. It wasn't very big or flashy; it was a small, two story house. A couple of the rooms were filled with clutter, junk, and debris from who ever had previously lived there, the carpet in many areas was torn and shredded, two of the downstairs windows were shattered completely and several others were cracked, the flooring in several areas was broken and there were holes in a few areas on both floors. Fortunately though, the upstairs was still in fairly good shape, at least the master bedroom still had a bed and blankets.
It wasn't much… it was the closest thing to a home he had…
Jim sighed as he placed his backpack down and fell backwards onto the bed. The soft blankets and mattress felt nice after being chased halfway through New Domino City. Reaching into his backpack, he pulled out a foot long sandwich, a bag of chips, and a water bottle
"Thank you Mr. Howard" he said to himself as he un-wrapped his sandwich and took a bite
{Flashback}
Howard owns a sandwich shop in New Domino City, and was a friend of Jim's. But it wasn't always so… before his trip to the reeducation center, Jim used to steal a loaf of bread or whatever he could grab from his shop every day. Howard hated him at first and never wanted him in his shop ever again. However, one day, Howard was robbed by a punk with a knife. The guy took the entire content of his registers and safe. Jim was passing by and saw what happened, as the guy tried to escape down an alley, something made him trip and fall and as he hit the ground, the bag with all the money he just stolen flew forward. Jim grabbed the bag and ran as fast as he could. The thief chased him, but as he got closer to grab the boy, Jim knocked over several trash cans and tripped him up. As the thief picked himself up, he charged out at full speed, only to slam right into an off duty Sector Security officer and his dog.
"Don't move punk, and drop the knife" the officer said as his dog snarled, teeth bared
As the security officers left to do their job, Howard prepared to close up shop, worried he might need to do so permanently. A few minutes later, he heard the door open again
"Sorry we're closed" he said as he turned towards the door, "You!" he nearly shouted when he saw Jim standing at the door, "Are you here to steal more of my food?"
"Um…" he said in a nervous tone
"Well, what is it!" he said in a harsh tone
"I… I think this yours" Jim placed the bag down in front of him
"What's this kid up to?" Howard thought as he walked over to the bag. As he opened the bag, his jaw dropped to the floor
"What… where did you…" Howard was stunned and flabbergasted… it was the money that was stolen from him earlier
"I saw what happened earlier…." he said, "I thought you might want it back"
"I don't get it…" he looked at the young boy, "you steal food from me, but you won't take money?"
"I only need food… and I… I know that you really need this"
"I don't understand… doesn't your family feed you?"
"I-I don't have one…" Jim lowered his head, "I don't have a mom or dad"
Howard stood silent… he had hated this boy for stealing some bread, some water, deli meat, maybe a bag of chips once or twice… but he had returned his money to him and saved his business, even though he didn't have to
"Bye…" Jim turned to leave
"Hold on, wait!" Howard stopped him, "What's your name?" Howard knelt down to look at him at eye level
"People call me Jim…" he replied nervously, he wasn't exactly sure what Howard was going to do. In the past when Howard spoke to him, he was often very angry with him, yelling at him, and prone to throw things at him
"I want to thank you for returning this to me; you saved my business" he smiled at him, "You did the right thing"
"You're… welcome?" Jim was surprised; this was the first time Howard had talked to him like this. A second later, they heard a low rumbling sound. Jim blushed at the sound of his stomach growling
"Come on" Howard stood up
"Huh?"
"Do you prefer ham, turkey, or chicken?"
"What?"
"You did the right thing, I think I owe you at least this" Howard smiled, Jim's face slowly began to light up
"Ham, please"
"Go ahead and take a seat"
After a couple of minutes, Howard walked up to the table with a foot long sandwich, a bag of chips, and a soda. Jim smiled as he placed the tray down in front of him
"I can have this?" Jim asked
"Go ahead and dig in" Howard smiled
"Thank you" Jim smiled as he picked up the sandwich and took a big bite out of it
Jim practically inhaled his meal in no time flat and sat back, patting his belly as he finished
"That was good, thank you"
"Glad you liked it" Howard smiled, "Hey tell ya what, if you promise not to steal from me again, I'll let you have one of those everyday"
"Really?!" Jim looked at him in shook, "You really mean it?"
"As long as you promise not to steal from me anymore, I'll let you have one thing off the menu everyday"
"You got it!" the little boy smiled
{End of Flashback}
Jim reached into his bag once more and pulled out a small box, inside were some dueling cards he had found around the city, surprisingly enough, they were still in very good shape, like someone had just opened a pack and then thrown them out not long before he passed by. There were about twenty-one cards in all… Junk Blader, Junk Collector, Junk Servant, Junk Forward, Junk Defender, three Junk Synchrons, two Quillbolt Hedgehogs, Speed Warrior, Shield Warrior, Shield Wing, Fortress Warrior, Turbo Synchron, Debris Dragon, Urgent Tuning, Junk Barrage, One for One, Limit Reverse, Synchro Deflector, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, and a white bordered card called Junk Warrior… He didn't know any of the rules or even really know how to play, they probably weren't even the best cards around, but at least they were his.
He had seen some kids dueling on a few occasions, both before and after he was being chased by Eddie. Dueling looked like a lot of fun and he really wanted to learn how to play, but every time he went into the city or even outside, Eddie was always ready and waiting to chase him from one side of New Domino to the other all day long.
At the Sector Security Headquarters in Central New Domino, Edward finally returned to the squad room, a couple officers looked at him and started snickering
"Hey Eddy, catch that kid yet?"
"Or did he give you the slip again?" Edward growled as they and several other officers laughed, "Oh by the way, Lieutenant Craigan wants to talk to you"
Edward walked into his CO's office, inside was his superior and some woman he had never seen before. Black hair, dark skin, brown eyes, probably around 25 years old, wearing a sector security uniform
"You wanted to see me sir"
"Close the door and sit down" Craigan said in an obviously annoyed tone
"What's this about?" Edward asked as he took a seat
"Why are you still chasing after that kid?" he glared at him
"He's a little thief and he's nothing but a trouble maker"
"He's a petty shoplifter" the lieutenant pulled out a file from his desk, "You, on the other hand, I've gotten multiple complaints about, all over a 12 year old!"
"But sir-"
"Consider this an order, back off the kid!" Craigan shouted, "If I get one more complaint and I'll send you to the Facility!"
"You can't be serious" Edward shouted
"You want to try me officer?" Craigan said straight to his face, Edward just stood there silent, "Now get out of here" Edward turned and left the room
"So… what did you need me for sir?" the woman asked him
"Sharon, look I don't care what you do… I don't care how you do it… just get this kid off the streets"
"Pardon me for asking, but why is he so obsessed with catching this kid?" Sharon asked
"The kid fell backwards and accidentally kicked him in the balls… and everyone else there thought it was funny as hell"
"So he's pissed off because this kid humiliated him in public?"
"Pretty much…" Craigan sighed as he shook his head, "I read the report and spoke with witnesses who saw everything, it was a complete accident but he just can't let it go and he's been giving me nothing but headaches since"
"What can you tell me about this kid?"
"He's twelve years old, he's an orphan who ran away from a orphanage in the city, seemed he didn't get along with one of the caretakers we had to arrest not long afterwards, and he's been to the reeducation center at least once a few years back"
"What was he sent there for?"
"He's been caught stealing food and clothing on several occasions, and he still does to my knowledge"
"Just food? No wallets, money, purses, or any other personal belongings?"
"Nothing like that was reported, it was always just food and clothing"
"Do you have any idea where I could find him?" Officer Sharon asked
"You might want to try this rural area here" the lieutenant pointed to a spot outside of the city on a map in his office
"What's this kid's name?"
"I think they call him Jim"
"Alright sir, I'll see what I can do"
"Oh and if you see Edward anywhere near that area, let me know alright"
"Yes sir"
{Back in the Neighborhood}
Jim was sure Eddy had left the area by now, so he decided to revisit the Hawkins house, he didn't really get to properly welcome them to the neighborhood. Both Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins were sitting on their porch, relaxing and taking a breather after a hard day of moving in.
"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Hawkins" Jim waved at them
"Well hello there" Mr. Hawkins got out of his chair
"You're Jim, right?" Mrs. Hawkins stood up to greet him
"Yeah, sorry I had to run earlier" Jim smiled at them, "But I came to properly greet you this time"
"Well it's nice to meet you, I'm John Hawkins and this is my wife, Mary Hawkins" John smiled
"So where do you live?" Mary asked
"There is an old house on the very far end of town that I stay at… it's not much, but it works"
"You know, if there is anything you need, you can come to us" John knelt down
"Don't worry about me; I can take care of myself" Jim smiled
"But doesn't that officer give you grief every day?" Mary asked
"Eddy? I can out smart that dummy in my sleep" he rolled his eyes
"Are you sure?" John asked, "If you need a place to stay, you can stay here if you'd like"
"Thanks, but I can handle myself… besides, then Eddy is going to be after you guys too" Jim looked at them, "I can handle him"
"If there's anything you need, our doors open to you" Mary placed her hand on his shoulder
"I appreciate it, but I'll be alright… I don't want to be any trouble"
"Will you at least stay for dinner?"Mary stepped forward
"I don't want to bother you guys" Jim replied
"We insist, it's no trouble at all" John patted his shoulder
"Well… okay" he reluctantly agreed
Jim took off his roller blades and followed John and Mary into their home. It was so much nicer than the house he was staying at. Even though there were still a lot of boxes everywhere, it was still a very tidy, very well taken care of home.
"Wow… this is a nice house" Jim looked around
"We still got some unpacking to do, but hopefully we'll be done soon" John stood behind him
"I hope you like chicken and veggies" Mary said from the kitchen
Jim was led to the kitchen and grabbed a bowl off the counter. Mary placed two scoops into his bowl. Jim sat down at the table with John and Mary as they dug into their food
"How is it?"
"It's good, thank you"
"How old are you Jim?" John asked the boy
"I'm twelve years old" Jim placed his bowl down as he answered
"So… how long have you been living by yourself?" Mary asked
"A few years…"
"Have you ever thought about moving in with some one?"
Jim paused for moment and sighed before he gave his answer
"I don't want to cause them trouble… Eddy is mad enough at me; I don't want everyone else ending up on his list just because of me"
"Why don't you talk to the people at security? Maybe someone higher up can help get him off your back" Mary placed her fork down as she spoke to him
"I really don't think they're going to listen to a kid over a security officer" Jim sighed
John and Mary looked at each other then turned towards Jim
"You know… if you need help, you can always come here" Mary said to him
"I just met you guys… why are you doing all this for me?" Jim asked
"We used to have a son…" John said
"What happened to him?" Jim could see sadness in Mary's face
"He got very sick when he was little…" Mary lowered her head, "He was only five, he didn't make it…"
"I'm sorry…" Jim really didn't know what else to say
"He'd be around your age right now" John grabbed his wife's hand, "You kinda remind us of him; he was a sweet kid but he tended to get into trouble…"
"The people around here told us all about you and we know life hasn't been easy for you" Mary raised her head and looked over at the twelve year old, "We know what it's like to lose a part of your family… but you don't have to go through it alone, we'd like to help you"
As their words sank in, Jim didn't know what to say. They seemed like really nice people and they seemed to understand what he was going through… Jim couldn't remember his parents or really anything about them. He remembered many times when he was running through the city; he'd seen kids and their parents together, they looked so happy… he always wished he could be a part of that
After he got out of that orphanage, he'd been alone maybe they could be what he had always wanted, maybe he could become a part of their family… Eventually they found themselves talking on the porch
"I really appreciate what you guys are trying to do for me… and I- I really want to be a part of a family again" Jim looked up at them, "Do you… do you guys really want me in your family?"
"If you want to be a part of our family, you're more than welcome to" John knelt down and placed his hand on his shoulder
"We know what it's like to lose someone important in your life, and no one should have to go through that alone" Mary placed her hand on Jim's other shoulder as she and John smiled at him
"Thanks you guys" Jim said as a tear slid down his face, "I do, I want a family again"
John wiped a tear off Jim's cheek, Jim looked at them and embraced John tightly. John smiled and placed his arms around him
"Ok… then welcome to our family" Mary said as they held him warmly
As the held him, Jim felt a warmth and a comfort he had never felt before, like they were filling a void in his heart. After a few minutes, they finally released their hug. Jim wiped his face and smiled at them
"I'll be right back" Jim said as he began to put his blades back on his feet
"Where are you going?" Mary asked
"I need to get my things; I'll be back real soon"
Jim speed off towards his hideout, headed straight up to the master room, and placed what few possessions he had into his backpack. Jim smiled as he thought about starting his new life with the Hawkins. For the first time in his life, things were finally starting to look up for him. The sun began to set as Jim headed back to his new home
"I can't believe this is happening…" Jim thought to himself, "I can't believe that I'm not going to be alone anymore" he smiled as the house came into view, Mary and John on the porch waiting for him. Things were going to be great now
"Welcome back little buddy" John smiled
"Welcome home Jim" Mary smiled as Jim hugged her
"There you are!" an angry voice shouted, the three of them immediately turned around
"Ah man, not again!" Jim couldn't believe that Eddy was glaring at them by his duel runner, "What do I have to do to get rid of you?!"
"You're not getting away from me this time!" Eddy shouted, "You're mine, you worthless little rat!"
"Why can't you just leave me alone?!"
"You don't get it kid; I'll never stop hunting you!"
"Why don't you lay off the boy?" John stepped in front of Jim
"Out of my way, or I'll throw all three of you into the Facility!" Edward shouted as he walked towards the house
"Leave them alone!" Jim yelled as he jumped off the porch and into the front yard, Edward immediately turned his attention to the boy, who charged towards his runner and knocked it over, shattering one of his mirrors and leaving a slight dent on the body
"Hey!"
"If you want me, then come and catch me, you jackass!" Jim shouted furiously
"Hold it right there!" a female voice shouted
Everyone turned to see a woman in a sector security uniform, accompanied by three other officers. She removed her helmet and glared angrily in their direction
"Who the hell are you?!" Edward glared back at her
"Agent Sharon Michaels of Sector Security" she introduced herself, "and you were told to back off, officer!"
"I don't take my orders from you!"
"But you do from him!"Sharon pulled out a holoscreen with the Lieutenant from earlier
"Edward! I told you to back off!" Craigan shouted furiously, "I have had it with you!"
"But sir, I-" Edward attempted to make an excuse
"Shut up, I don't want to hear it! Officers, arrest him and take him to the Facility!"
"What!?"
Edward was about to say more but two officers grabbed him from behind and forced him to the ground. He struggled furiously as the two held him down as the third officer restrained him with handcuffs. After cuffing him, the three officers forced him to his feet and dragged him to a prison car, Edward screamed and kicked, cursing profoundly as they threw him into the vehicle and slammed the doors shut. Jim, John, and Mary just stood still… Jim especially was completely dumbstruck…
"What just happened…?" Jim asked as the large prison vehicle drove off, he had half expected someone to slap a pair of handcuffs on him by now. Just what was going on here?
"You're Jim, aren't you?" Sharon turned to the twelve year old
"Uh, yes ma'am…" Jim stuttered
"Been looking all over for you" she approached the boy
"Am I in trouble?" he asked in a slightly nervous tone as John and Mary walked up behind him
"No…" the officer shook her head, "I'm not here to arrest you" Jim stared up at her, "My superior officer wants me to get you off the streets"
"Huh?" Jim wore a look of surprise on his face; did he really hear her right?
"Are you serious?" John asked the officer
"Who are you sir?" Sharon asked
"My name is John Hawkins and this is my wife, Mary Hawkins"
"I'm sorry if Edward gave you any trouble… he was told to back off"
"So you're not here for Jim?" Mary asked
"No, I was ordered to get him off the streets and I don't mean locking him away in the Facility" Sharon smiled
"Are you serious?" Jim couldn't believe what she was saying; it seemed like his whole life security was against him, but now security was trying to help him?
"We were actually talking about taking him in" Mary placed her hand on Jim's shoulder
"Is that so…" Sharon looked at the twelve year old, "Is this what you want young man?"
Jim looked at John and Mary, smiled and looked back at Sharon
"Yeah, I do… I want to stay with them"
"Well, I guess that settles it" the officer smiled as she put her helmet back on and headed for her runner
"Ms. Sharon!" Jim called to her, she turned around, "Thank you"
"You're welcome" she smiled as she got onto her runner, "Take care of yourself, and good luck" she and the other security vehicles drove back towards New Domino City
"Oh by the way, don't ever let me catch you using that kind of language again" Mary looked down at Jim
"Huh?" Jim looked up at her
"I understand why you did that, but I don't want to hear you using that kind of language anymore… you're better than that, you don't need to be using that kind of language. It's completely uncalled for and you don't need to be doing that"
"Sorry…" Jim blushed and scratched the back of his head
"Come on, let's get you settled in" John patted Jim's shoulder
John and Mary led Jim back into the house and showed him to a room upstairs. Jim looked around; he saw a bed, a small dresser, and a lamp
"This is going to be your room" Mary said as he looked around the center of the room, "Tomorrow we'll see about getting you some new clothes… and some real shoes"
"This is mine?" Jim looked at them
"Yep, this is your room now" John smiled at the boy
Jim placed his bag down, ran over and hugged John and Mary
"Thanks you guys"
"You're welcome, kiddo" John smiled
"Get some sleep" Mary said in a gentle tone, "It's been a long day"
"Good night you guys" Jim looked up at his new family and smiled at them
"Good night little buddy" John placed his hand on Jim's head
"Good night Jim, sweet dreams" Mary placed a soft kiss on his forehead, "We'll see you in the morning"
Jim took off his shorts, practically leapt onto his new bed, and dove under the covers. This bed was so much more comfortable than the one back at his old hideout. It was clean, neat, and soft. Jim still couldn't believe all this was really happening… it all seemed so unreal, like some amazing dream.