Well I'm back now. But even as we're winding things down to the final duels, it's still hard to find time to work on these between my life and catching up with the series. Anyways, please enjoy this next episode.

Etsuo was caught off guard when Midori swung open the door. Crow blinked in surprise as she tightly hugged her grandfather.

"Oh, Grandpa! I missed you all so much! I was worried that something terrible had happened to the two of you. I'm glad the fog didn't take you…" She started sobbing. Her grandfather patted her on the head.

"Now, there. Be at peace, Midori. We're alright. Don't you worry."

She shook her head, turning to Crow as she let go of her grandfather. Midori kissed Crow lightly on the check before running inside. Crow's face flushed, and Etsuo chuckled to himself.

He practically led Crow in as he waved to everyone. Laura smiled.

"So…this is Midori's Grandpa?"

"You've got that right!" Etsuo laughed.

Martha noticed Akiza sitting quietly near Sidney and Yusei. She widened her eyes slightly. Akiza looked up.

"So, you're that Senator's daughter, aren't you?"

"Oh…yes. Guilty as charged."

Martha smiled. "I've heard about you. You're right Yusei, she's very pretty."

Akiza's face turned red for a moment, but it quickly faded. Sidney's eyes wandered, trying to avoid feeling jealous. But once she looked at Akiza, she couldn't help but smile at her new-found friend.

"I also see Sidney is back. Yusei seems to worry about you quite a bit there."

Laura winked.

"You could say she has a lot of people looking out for her…some more than others. She's lucky that way."

"The best part is that I have all of my friends here. I don't think any of us could do it alone…that would be just silly…"

"Hold on, I'm not your friend!" Jack intervened.

"But, Jack…What about…"

"Jack, like it or not, we have to be friends! It may have been said before, but I mean it when I say we need to move forward. It's our friendship that will make all the difference in this fight."

Martha laughed.

"Listen to you. You sound like you're becoming quite the man, Yusei."

Everyone was silent.

"Well, you should all eat. You can't save the world on an empty stomach!" Martha called everyone's attention. Etsuo nodded. Laura stood up.

"Do you need any help Martha! I'm not really one to sit around."

"Oh, sure. I really appreciated your help last time, Laura."

Everyone scattered to various places. Yusei was the last one to leave.

"Are you sure you're ready to fight Kiryu?"

"Yeah. I'm no longer afraid to fight him because we used to be friends. My friends are right here, and we'll save our homes together."

"That's good."

Laura peered out from the kitchen. She twisted her expression in a pensive state. Martha got up from the table. Yusei left and went outside.

"Is something the matter Laura?" She asked.

"Well, something big has happened with Yusei and Sidney. I'm not sure if I should tell you or not. But the truth is, I haven't told anyone, not even Sidney, I'm not even sure if it's really going to happen…"

"What is it? You sound like I'm going to get upset or something."

Laura chuckled. "Maybe a little, but…"

"Don't be silly. Why don't you talk with me while I go grab a few things from outside, ok?" Martha offered. Laura agreed. As the two of them exited, they walked around the side of the building.

"You said this was about Yusei and your friend, Sidney."

"Well, I may not be good at putting this right….but have you noticed…"

"I know that they have great affection for each other. You sound like your going to tell me they're getting married or something."

Laura fell silent. Martha raised an eyebrow. A gust of wind blew past.

"Are they? I think it seems kind of fast for Yusei to get married so young to someone he hasn't known that long, even if his feelings are genuine."

"So you might have some of the same fears I do…I'm happy for both of them, I really am…but I should tell you, the engagement was pushed. It's a long story…But bottom line, Rex Goodwin was the one who rushed the decision." Laura explained.

"I think I might have time, why don't you start from the beginning?" Martha suggested. Laura took a deep breath. As they came to the corner of the building, Laura noticed Trudge standing there, with, with a drooping pink tulip in his hand. The little boy from earlier was spying on him as he looked onward at a wayward Mina, mustering her courage to confess her deep-seated feelings for Jack Atlas.

Jack looked away from her, seemingly unconcerned. Laura wanted to stick out her tongue at him, but restrained herself. To think he had someone who actually liked him and he brushed her off. She noticed a pair of broken glasses that he gripped tightly in his hands. She could faintly hear him mention some girl that he was concerned about who had somehow fallen victim to the Dark Signers.

"He's too preoccupied to see what's in front of him." She muttered. Trudge hung his head, disappointed. Martha smiled and motioned to Laura. She perked up and rubbed her hands together as they snuck up on Trudge. Martha grabbed him by the ear and dragged him away as Laura followed behind, holding his hand.

"What do you think you're doing?"

"Oh come on, Rent-a-cop! Don't be so stubborn….Anyways…I guess I should go back to the first time we were here…"

…

Sidney perched herself up on a nearby rock watching the wind stir and flipping through some of the cards Laura had furtively handed to her on the ride over to the Satellite. She was surprised that Shinju would let them borrow some of his rare cards, but she knew a few of them would be invaluable in dueling the Dark Signers.

"He even put in that card I was begging him to trade me back in junior high school…" She whispered as she pulled the cards out of the pile and exchanged it with a card on her deck. A shiver went up her spine as she found the absence of life unsettling.

But then, she felt something scamper under her feet. Sidney turned her head to see a field mouse darting through the glass into the safety of nearby bushes.

"I guess they don't take animals or plants…unless that mouse escaped the fog, too." As she looked on, Yusei furtively approached her from behind, startling her when she looked back.

"Yusei!" A few cards slipped from her hand, landing in the grass. She sighed as she reached to grab the scattered cards. Sidney managed to grab all but one relatively quickly, Yusei holding the last one in his hand.

"Shinju gave Laura and me some cards so we'll have a better chance in the fight. Ummm…." She mentally tried to pull words together, but couldn't seem to find any.

"Plague of Bloodstained? That doesn't sound like something you'd put in your deck." Yusei read the card name aloud curiously.

"Shinju is fond of warrior types…Considering The 13th Warrior was his favorite movie, I shouldn't be surprised." Sidney laughed. Yusei was slightly confused.

"Oh, right. It's kind of an old movie…and it's not like they have working theatres here in the Satellite… Sorry." Yusei gave her the card; she held it in her hand pensively.

Sidney remembered seeing Shinju holding that card on her first day as a freshman at New Domino High School. Both Laura and Shinju were seniors, but the seemingly classist tradition of High School didn't break the bonds of their old friendship, which went back as far as elementary school. It wouldn't be until a couple of years later that the two would start dating. It was amazing to think the three of them had stuck together that long.

Sidney became distracted in her thought and didn't give notice to Yusei sitting beside her. He could see her hand tense with focus.

"Sidney?" She was called back out of her trance and her face flushed red with embarrassment. The card in her hand was unconsciously tucked back into her deck.

Yusei wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap.

"You don't need to be sorry, alright?"

He kissed her.

"Oh, alright."

A thought occurred to Sidney, she pulled out a card in the pile and showed it to Yusei. The illustration depicted a strong warrior robed in a golden light.

"This is a trap card called Sainthood Ascendance. It revives a monster in your graveyard and gives it an extra level, but the card loses half of its attack points for the turn. Why don't you use it?"

"Are you sure?"

Sidney hid her worry in the guise of a faint smile.

"I have a gut feeling that you might need it more."

…

Meanwhile Trudge and Laura were sweeping the bathroom floor after having helped Martha in the kitchen. The disgruntled officer glared at Martha who entered to check up on them. The little boy who had been spying in Trudge before ran passed and rushed in to help.

Trudge smiled.

"That a boy!" He encouraged him.

"You know Takaya looks up to you quite a bit." Martha commented.

"Oh?" Trudge paused for a moment.

"Here in the Satellite, we can't afford to be caught in despair and gloom. We live on hope. It's the same for Takaya…

His home was burned down by a fire. But the members of Sector Security in the area did all they could to help the people inside. His parents didn't make it, but he feels deep gratitude. That's why he wants to be in Sector Security someday."

Trudge grinned, but it quickly faded into a grim expression.

"Martha, is he aware that residents of the Satellite aren't aloud to be in Security?"

Laura frowned.

"We must hope that it will change. Considering we're saving the world, my feeling is that something HAS to change."

He continued working for a moment.

"It really takes your mind off of things, doesn't it?" Martha asked.

"Oh, I get it. Hard work helps to heal a broken heart." Laura thought aloud. Trudge nodded and kept on scrubbing.

…

Later on, when the meal was finally ready, everybody gathered back inside around the table. Leo was uneasy as he took the first taste of the soup that Trudge and Laura had helped Martha to make earlier.

"It's very good." He said with a quiet surprise. Luna took a taste, as did the others afterwards. The children thanked Officer Trudge and Laura for helping. The Police Man stared down at his food anxiously.

"Aren't you going to try your own food, Rent-a-cop? It's tasty!"

Trudge glared at her.

"Stop calling me that!" He blew on his soup and tasted it. His face turned red.

"It's too spicy!" He muttered. Laura grinned. Crow and Etsuo chuckled. Midori gave him a sympathetic expression.

"It's ok, Mr. Trudge. I think the soup is lovely."

The meal continued with small conversation here and there. However, a wind started to pick up after a while and the windows began to rattle. One of the kids started to shiver. Midori felt a sudden pain run up her spine.

"Someone's coming." She said. Everyone looked at her in silent disturbance. Crow looked out the window. The windows suddenly shattered. A child yelped in the background. Yusei jumped up from the table to look outside.

The Signers looked down as the marks on their arms glowed. Sidney's marks appeared as well. Midori took a deep breath and helped Crow in keeping the children calm. Sidney also got up and tried to see into the blackness, and Midori crept up behind the two of them.

"A Dark Signer is here."

"I know. I think all of us can feel it."

A man emerged from the shadows, armed with a Duel Disk. His black robe had a red tinge. Midori faintly recognized it.

"That's the leader…I think."

"The leader of the Dark Signers?" Sidney thought aloud. She jumped out of the window and stood defiantly in the man's way, clenching her fists.

"You have no right to come hear and cause harm to these people. I am the Star Princess… I know what you're after. Who are you?"

"I'm glad you asked, your highness." He bowed mockingly as he lifted his hood, revealing pale silver hair tied back. His bold face was painted like an ancient warrior and his eyes were dark.

"I am Rudger and I am a Dark Signer. I have come to challenge the Star Princess and one the Signers to a match…if either or both of you dare."

"Hey!" Laura shouted as she chucked a Duel Disk to Sidney.

"You're going to need that, in case you forgot!"

Sidney blinked. "It's purple."

"Yeah, consider it a present from me. Now go and give that guy the gift that keeps on giving!" Laura winked. Yusei mounted his Runner.

"I'm coming with you." He told her. Rudger snickered.

"I was hoping you'd say that…Yusei Fudo. So what do you say we go to our battleground?" Rudger disappeared. Midori took a step back.

"Everyone else needs to stay here. We can't risk losing anyone to the Earthbound Immortals. As far as they are concerned, we're just another source of energy for them."

Sidney concentrated and floated up into the air.

"I guess you don't need a ride, then?" Laura laughed.

"No, I'm good." Sidney replied nervously. Laura jumped over, as well as Akiza.

"Ah, heck. I don't care. I'm coming too. You need emotional support." Laura stood heroically. Sidney pulled out a card.

"Lunar Solstice Dragon, ready for action?"

Her dragon emerged in front of the house. Leo and Luna gasped. Etsuo stared and Crow was somewhat unnerved. Trudge was also in disbelief.

"I can't argue with flying 'Air Dragon'." Laura shrugged as she pulled Akiza on with her; Sidney sat in front to guide the dragon.

"I want to come too. Laura, it might be dangerous for you. If I'm there, you won't have to worry about getting absorbed by the Earthbound Immortals."

"Whatever you say, Akiza. But I'm not scared of some black over-grown mutated, neon-glowing pest. Bring it on!"

"We'll hold the fort here!" Crow called back, Rally waved to them. Yusei nodded and started his engine. The group going to face the Dark Signer departed, leaving the rest of them back at the house. Etsuo grabbed a broom and started sweeping up glass.

"We shouldn't just stand around here. Besides, I've had my fill." He explained.

…

In the meantime, Rudger waited patiently for them not too far away, in a barren, shallow crater. He held his Earthbound Immortal card in his hand.

Demak stood nearby. Rudger looked up.

"What is it?" Rudger asked nonchalantly.

"Are they bringing the Oracle, Rudger? This could be a chance to recapture her."

"That is not my concern at this point." He replied.

"What are you saying?" Demak questioned him.

"I meant what I said. Would you please go check on Cassandra and our prisoner for me? I want to make sure neither of them had tried to take a sneak peak at what's about to ensue." Rudger told him, slightly irritated.

Demak bowed and left with haste.

"After all these years…Your son is among those to face me…"

Well, that's all for now, folks, be sure to be back here for the exciting match between Yusei, Sidney, and Rudger! (Replacing the duel in the original show ep 45 and 46.) Remember that I love reviews, so keep them coming!