Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds

Hell's Coming With Me

By Lucky_Ladybug

Notes: The characters are not mine and the story is. This is fully inspired by the amazing song Hell's Coming With Me, which was introduced to me when Moon shared it and mentioned she associated Kalin with it. I agreed and immediately wanted to do things with it. It got put on the back burner until I discovered Caleb Hyles' incredible cover, which I love even more than the original. Finally I figured out how to write a Crash Town AU using the story in the song. Radley is a nice guy as always, as I honestly see him.

Crash Town was not a good place to grow up. An Old West mining town an hour outside of New Domino City, it held well such towns' reputations for being worldly dens of iniquity. The townspeople built most of their livelihoods around the mine that loomed high over the town in its ominous mountain. Whether they directly supplied the mine or tried to satisfy the wants of those who fought over it, one way or another they were focused on greed and base desire.

Kalin was only 13 when his best friend Radley gathered up all their friends and decided that they were going to go to Crash Town and conquer the mine. Radley, newly 18 and kicked out of his strict family for daring to wear leather and jewelry and long hair and to associate with waifs, was determined to make his own way in life. He wouldn't be homeless. Trying to get a piece of that valuable mine seemed perfect for him, when he was already skilled in business management.

Most of their friends, including Kalin himself, were indeed homeless. Radley also hoped that by going to a town that was building up, he could get homes for all of them. They were mostly enthusiastic, and they trusted Radley regardless, so before long they were all riding to Crash Town. Those old enough to have motorcycles drove, while the younger ones rode with them.

Kalin wrapped his arms around Radley's waist, looking around the town in wonder as they arrived. The buildings were wood, save for the beautiful Spanish villa that towered over the rest. Radley removed his helmet and gazed up at it in awe. "That's going to be ours," he vowed.

"It's probably already taken," Kalin retorted.

"It's still going to be ours, somehow," Radley said.

But getting a foothold in Crash Town was not easy. Two brothers who had already taken over other mining towns were determined to have this one too and were already trying to rule it with their gang, Malcolm's Crew. Radley's interference was not welcome. Yet for all the Crew's bullies and tanks and Land Rovers, they could not dislodge the scrappy little motorcycle gang. They were forced to grudgingly co-exist.

After a while, the brothers decided to focus on a new course of action. Bizarrely enough, one decided to set himself up as the town preacher. The people seemed willing to listen to his discourses, yet always seemed to come away from the sermons in a daze. The very justice-oriented Kalin was quick to be suspicious.

"We know he's not a real preacher," he said to Radley one evening as they sat on the porch of their newly-built house. "What's he doing in there?"

Radley just shrugged. He had had it drilled into him by his family that God had rejected him, so he hadn't been keen on attending the services to find out what was happening. Still, he too didn't like the way people looked after a session. "Why not sneak over to tonight's sermon and find out?" he suggested.

That certainly seemed like the only logical solution. Kalin got up to leave, but paused. "Are you coming with me?"

Radley smiled. "Sure." He wasn't eager to attend, but he wouldn't leave his friend high and dry.

What they found was not like anything they had ever expected. Lawton was indeed not an ordained Christian preacher, but to their shared horror, he not only pretended to be—he seemed to hypnotize most of the people into giving up some of their life energy to fuel some mysterious source. Only looking through the window, Kalin and Radley were not fully affected yet still grew dizzy when the spell was cast.

Radley wobbled as he turned away. "Black magic," he said in disbelief. "He's using black magic to enslave the town!"

Kalin clenched a fist. "We have to do something!"

"But what?!" Radley stared at him. "We're just a ragtag group of misfits. How can we possibly go up against black magic?! At least we have to try to learn more about what we're up against first!"

Kalin shook his head. "There's no time for that! These people are in danger right now!" And he ran for the door before Radley could stop him.

To Kalin's credit, he single-handedly disrupted the entire service and stopped the draining of life energy within the space of a minute. People screamed in confusion as they snapped out of the spell only to see Kalin punching Crewmembers left and right. But before he could reach the preacher himself, two ushers grabbed his arms and held him fast.

"Well, well, what have we here," Lawton drawled, leering down at the feisty teenage boy. "You creepy little punk! Do you know what you've done?"

"Yeah," Kalin shot back. "I've stopped you!"

"Only for tonight. And now you and your friends will be in for a world of hurt. Take that devil outside!" Lawton gestured at the open doorway.

Kalin looked around as he was dragged outside. Radley was nowhere to be seen. Had he run off to save himself?! His heart pounded. No, Radley wouldn't do that. He wouldn't. . . .

In a moment, two Crewmembers appeared, pulling Radley between them. "We caught this one trying to get away," one sneered.

Radley jerked his right arm free. "I was trying to go for the rest of the Bunch," he retorted. "I'd never leave Kalin!"

"Isn't that special?" Lawton sneered. "Well, unless you want to be thrown out of town with him, you're going to have to."

Kalin snarled. "You're not throwing me out so easy!" He pulled and struggled against the tight grip of the ushers until Lawton struck him hard across the face and he fell to his knees.

"You're not welcome here anymore," he was told. "You're a devil who disrupted our holy Sabbath service!"

"Holy!" Kalin snorted. He looked to the people standing in the doorway. Their confused looks clearly showed they had no idea what had just gone on. They looked afraid of Kalin instead of grateful.

To Radley, it looked like a lost battle, at least at this point. Still, he was angry enough at how his friend was being treated that he tried anyway. "Kalin's not the devil here!" he insisted. "Don't you even remember what was being done to you in there?!"

The congregation exchanged bewildered looks. "We were attending Sunday service," one said. "Then he interrupted it for no reason!"

"Your brains really are itty-bitty," Radley snapped. "Your life energy was being drained! Kalin saved you!"

"You see what blasphemous lies they're spreading?!" Lawton declared. "Now how could I do such a thing? How could anyone?"

"I don't know, but you were doing it," Radley said.

The people clearly didn't believe him. They cried out with one accord, calling for them to both be run out of town at best and lynched at worst.

Now it was obvious that Radley's feelings of it being a lost battle were correct. They needed to retreat and plan what to do. He moved to go over to Kalin. "We'll all go," he insisted.

"Oh no," Lawton said. "It's only you and Kalin, or Kalin alone. The Bunch stays here."

Radley froze. "What?!"

"They're good, hard-working boys," Lawton said. "Go ahead and leave. We'll put them to work in our side of the mine."

Radley's heart dropped. He couldn't allow that. Conflicted now, he stared at Kalin as his heart shattered. He couldn't bear to leave Kalin, but . . . how could he abandon all the others to this place, especially now that he knew more of what was actually going on?

Kalin wiped the blood trickling from the side of his mouth. "You have to stay," he told Radley. "I'll be alright. The Bunch needs you. And right now, you and the Bunch are all that stands between this town and these madmen taking over."

"But . . ." Radley shook. "I . . . I can't stop them! I couldn't even bring the Bunch to help you! I . . . I'm nothing without you. . . ."

Kalin stood, drawing Radley close in a hug. "You're stronger than you know. And I won't be gone for good." He looked up at their enemies gathered around. "I'll be back when they least expect it. And when I come back . . ." He stepped back. "Hell's coming with me."

Lawton just laughed. "We'll see about that. Get going."

Kalin walked past him and the rest, starting off into the desert night. Helpless to stop him or to go with him, Radley stared after him as his heart shattered into hundreds of thousands of pieces.

xxxx

The next years were rough on them both. Radley and the Bunch worked hard, holding off the entire Crew from a complete takeover. They couldn't stop the life-draining sermons, but they did stop some of the town from attending, and they stepped up their efforts to take over the mine themselves. Eventually Radley's persistence paid off and he obtained half of it. Unlike the brothers' workers, Radley's were well-taken care of and they both respected and cared about their boss. The brothers resented him and were furious.

Kalin found himself in the Satellite, where he met Yusei, Jack, and Crow and formed a team called the Enforcers. Together they did what he was unable to do in Crash Town and cleaned up the Satellite of its Duel Gangs. But when Kalin turned his attention to even bigger matters, especially the corrupt Sector Security police force, the Enforcers and his life unraveled in increasingly tragic ways.

Radley heard nothing about him for years. He never gave up hope, but deep down, he feared Kalin was dead or otherwise unable to return. Still, he fought on. He had to protect the Bunch, and the town, as best as he could.

He still didn't know what supernatural force the brothers were feeding. But more and more, it was obvious that something had been stirred up. The nightly Duel Monsters games the gangs held to win willing labor for the mines often acted up, with moves becoming real and harming one or both participants. It was terrifying.

The rumors also flew that the brothers allowed their miners to be tortured. It could not be proved, but even though it was such bad business, Radley was afraid that it was likely true. There were so many graves in the cemetery. Most seemed to be miners' graves, but there were also some for some of the townspeople, who died of mysterious causes more often than they should—no doubt from having all of their life energy drained.

Radley hated visiting the cemetery, for more reasons than one. On especially chilly or windy days, it felt far too much like invisible eyes were watching him. Disembodied voices whispered to him on the breeze with such cheery statements as, "You're never going to make it out alive." He always left as soon as he could.

In spite of all of this, he tried to keep things cheery for the Bunch whenever possible. They appreciated it and practically hero-worshipped him as their big brother. They and the decent people in town looked to him to fix their miserable state, and the weight of that burden was bringing him down. He didn't know what to do to fix it.

He hadn't expected to be challenged one evening to a duel by Lawton after his Duelists were defeated. He knew his deck was good enough to win. But despite his best efforts, Lawton set it up so Radley never had a chance. He cruelly and unfairly lost on the first round due to the effect damage pounded into him by Lawton's Gatling Ogre. The black magic that coursed through the town made the attack feel real, and Radley felt as though he was taking forty rounds of gunfire right into his chest.

"That was dirty," he snarled, shaking as he gripped his wounded body. "How could I have stopped that?!" The pain overcame him and he collapsed, while the Bunch looked on in horror.

Lawton's lip curled. "What a poor sport," he mocked. "Tonight you'll see your precious leader suffer the consequences of fighting against me, as he has for so long. There's going to be a public hanging, with mandatory attendance." He snapped his fingers. "Take him away."

A big man in a dark coat pulled Radley's limp form up and dragged him off to await his fate that night. The Bunch, shaken and devastated, shrank back from the sight. First Kalin and now Radley. . . . Their hope of escape was gone.

Lawton looked to them with a triumphant gleam in his eye. "Now you see what happens to anyone who stands against me. But we'll still show mercy on you. Join us, and you'll escape your leader's fate."

Tears filled their eyes. They didn't want to. Heaven knew they didn't want to! But right now, it didn't look like they had any choice.

"We'll join you," Billy all but whispered.

Some of them looked at him in shock, but none of them refuted him. Maybe they would have some chance of saving Radley if they were aligned with Lawton.

At least, that was their vain hope.

xxxx

Torches, whoops, and hollers lit up the night sky in the town square several hours later. A gallows had been constructed and Radley was forced to stand there, his hands tied behind his back, as the town was forcibly gathered to watch the lynching.

He shook as he stared out at everyone. "I failed," he whispered in sorrow. "I failed everyone. I'm sorry, Kalin . . . Scotch . . . Billy . . ." He choked on his words and he blinked back tears. He wouldn't cry here. Not now.

Everyone was so intent on focusing on the killing that they didn't notice a black-cloaked figure slipping through the crowd and towards the gallows. Suddenly a torch flew through the air, igniting the Red Scarf Saloon. People screamed in shock and the figure leaped onto the scaffolding, gun in hand.

Radley jerked, staring at the stranger. Or . . . was he a stranger? The hair was long and blowing in the breeze, but it was still that soft powder blue he remembered. A cruel prison mark courtesy of the Facility trailed from the right side of his forehead all the way to his jawline. His golden eyes were cold and dark. But as he cut Radley's bonds, their eyes met and Radley knew.

"Kalin!" he gasped.

Lawton was furious at his show being disrupted. "See here, what is this?!" he demanded.

A bottomless stare. "Hello from your unfriendly 'creepy little punk,'" Kalin intoned.

Lawton's eyes flamed. "You!" He lunged at Kalin.

Undaunted, Kalin dodged and shot at the mechanism controlling the noose. It fell, directly around Lawton's neck. When Kalin kicked out the floor, Lawton dropped, gasping and choking as he grabbed for the rope.

Radley stared. This was not the Kalin he knew.

Lawton's supporters, terrified now, fell to their knees around the gallows, begging and pleading for their lives. Those on Radley's side, hopeful that this man was their salvation, watched with pounding hearts.

"Who are you?!" one quavered.

Kalin raised his fist to the sky. "I am the righteous hand of God!" he cried. "And I'm the devil that you forgot. I told you I'd be back someday, and I promised I'd bring Hell with me." He pulled Radley to him with an arm around his waist. "Anyone who willingly worked with that man is no longer welcome in Crash Town. Anyone who was his victim is free to rebuild this town or to move on, whichever you want to do. It's our town now."

Radley looked at his old friend. So different, so forceful, so strong . . . but up close he could see the sorrow and sadness in Kalin's eyes. Whatever he had been through had been horrible.

"Thank you," he whispered. "You saved my life."

Kalin hugged him close. "I was almost too late," he whispered back. "I'm so sorry I left you here to struggle alone for so many years."

"What happened?!" Radley asked. "Where were you?!"

"I'll tell you later," Kalin promised.

xxxx

Cleaning up the town took the better part of the night. Most of Lawton's supporters, weak cowards without him to lead them, surrendered or fled—especially when Kalin's other friends arrived to help. Lawton's brother Malcolm, betrayed both by him and by his girlfriend Barbara, didn't know what to make of any of what had happened. He mostly stood by and watched as control of the town passed to Kalin and Radley, the fight gone out of him.

It was way into the night before they could take a break, and they settled in the lounge of Radley's diner as Kalin told his story. Radley listened to everything, stunned. When Kalin got to the part about accepting the darkness in order to see his friends again, and how it changed and twisted him, his heart broke.

"Oh Kalin . . ." He set the hot chocolate he had been drinking aside and went over to his friend.

"I don't deserve any sympathy," Kalin said. "I almost killed Yusei and destroyed the world!"

"You weren't yourself," Radley objected.

"When I was revived and I saw all that I had become, I felt filthy and unworthy to live," Kalin said. "I still do. I've been wandering to try to make penance for what I've done, cleaning up towns like this one along my way back to you."

"And what? Have you been hoping you'd die along the way?!" Radley frowned.

"Not until I could save this town," Kalin said. "I thought Lawton and I would both die in the final struggle. But . . . it's funny. . . . Now that I'm not dead, and I can see you again, I . . . I want to stay alive, with you. . . ." He brushed the hair away from Radley's right eye as it slipped over it again.

The alarming parts of Kalin's statement filled Radley with urgency. "Please stay alive with me, Kalin," he implored. "Don't leave me again." He hugged Kalin close.

"I'm not the person you knew," Kalin warned. "I'm a dark and broken soul. And you still want me?!"

"Of course I do!" Radley insisted. "You were my first friend . . . my closest friend."

Kalin held him, a tear of happiness coming to his golden eye. "I won't leave," he promised. "I'll never leave."

"And you, you really want someone as weak as me whom you have to protect?" Radley had to ask. "You're so strong, and I'm not. You single-handedly beat Lawton! I was completely trounced by him and almost killed by him." He looked away.

Kalin's grip tightened. "You're not weak! Radley, you held those people off for all these years until I could come back! If you were really weak, they would have taken over ages ago. We all saved this town, not only me and my other friends."

Radley slowly looked back, stunned. "You really feel that way, Kalin?" He looked incredulous.

"Of course I do! It's the truth!" Kalin insisted.

". . . I don't even look the same as I used to." Radley sounded regretful. "All these lines on my face. . . . I look so much older than I am. I feel it, too."

Kalin gently traced the line under Radley's left eye. "These lines are from stress, from trying so hard to protect the Bunch and the town. On you, they're noble."

Radley had to smile. "You think so?"

"Yeah," Kalin smiled too. "I know so."

"Thanks," Radley said, smiling more.

"Being with you, even though I know years have passed, it feels like no time at all," Kalin said. "I finally feel alive again."

"A lot of time's passed," Radley said softly. "But I think we can make it up and start again."

"I'm looking forward to it," Kalin said.

"Me too," Radley smiled. He sobered. "But there's still more mysteries to solve too. We still don't know what Lawton was sacrificing people's life energy for."

"We'll find out," Kalin insisted. "I won't stop until everything in this town is set right."

"When you say it, it feels like it really will be okay," Radley mused.

Kalin hoped it would be, even for him. He hugged his friend close. He was home at last.

xxxx

Outside in the cold darkness, a swirl of purple mist wafted down from the cemetery. It hovered over Lawton's body, stretched out lifeless on the scaffolding, and phased inside.

His eyes snapped open.

Ending Notes: I'm sorry, lol. But with black magic running rampant in town, I highly doubt the events of the song would have stopped it. It will take some more work to make this version of Crash Town livable again, if anything can. If there's interest, I may write more in this verse.

And honestly, I think Malcolm would make a much better fake preacher. But I didn't want him to be the one hanged, so . . .