Akiza walked throughout the bustling streets, the lampposts brightly lit throughout downtown Neo Domino. Glimmering stores kept up with their radiating glow, their colorful signs plastered everywhere, most of which revolved around the upcoming minor leagues. Stores showed off their elegance, from clothing, to chandeliers, to even performances, which radiated in a sort of immature sophistication, something Akiza had been, at least, a little interested in. Lively conversations kept on with their pace, and the smell of food drifted outside the restaurants, accompanied by drunken laughter. If she listened closely, she could catch little snippets of their jokes, though of course, a second later, she'd lose interest, and fall away completely.

The warm, humid air coated itself around her skin, as she looked down at the sidewalks, her red pumps blending in with the hazy silhouettes nearby. Her dark bangs softly caressing her skin as she strolled on, her Victorian outfit blending in with the scenery with perfect ease. Golden orbs came back up as soon as she heard some people lingering near. Without the slightest effort, she smiled her usual smile. The onlookers stared at her for a while, then, before long, they returned it, and continued on their way.

She liked the way people treated her now. There were no screams, no cries. She never ran into anyone at the Fortune Cup, and whenever some duelist did come up to her, it was because they thought she was amazing at how she wielded her deck. The compliments were genuine, and whatever traces of sarcasm there'd been was now long forgotten. The present was so different from before; it was so different she couldn't help but wonder if this was the same life she had before.

As the businesses became less pronounced, and the evening moonlight coming toward her with its lonely magnificence, she stopped, and breathed in the cool, lazy breeze. Deep verdant came forth from the trees, and lively shadows calmed themselves deliberately. Soon, the pavement became wider, with the conversations quietly slipping away from her ears. She blinked, then turned back to the busy places. She stared at the entire scene for a while, before she left those streets. She came into a local park then, one she used to visit when she was little.

From a distance, she could make out a small, brown gazebo, hidden away within the trees. She could still make out a few cobwebs shimmering in the nostalgic light, with dangling spiders over the edge. Just a few feet from that, was a small, tiny garden, filled with blossoms from another season. Some of the flowers were wilting, but their newer, younger counterparts were taking shrouding them quite easily. Bright, vibrant petals hid old, wizened ones, and the soft leaves masked whatever thorns and bristles the previous generation had carried over. It was a bit sad, to see them like that, but then again, who was she to question them? If anything, those plants needed to be removed, else they'd take up all the room in the garden.

As she strolled down the sidewalk, fond memories came coursing back. She always came here, for one reason or another, whether to cry, or laugh, or just play with the flowers. Sometimes, her parents came with her, while other times, she was alone. But the results were always the same; she'd be attracted to the roses growing here, their wonderful aroma embracing their surroundings. She knew of their thorns, and there were times when she accidentally pricked herself on them, but nonetheless, she loved them, both the roses, and their thorns.

She placed her hands behind her back.

Yusei, Jack, Crow, Leo and Luna, and of course, Jaden and Alexis.

She could practically see them now, standing there, waiting for her to come to them. She could see Yusei reaching out for her, a patient, expectant smile on his face, as she came forth, knowing full well the treasures she found in them.

And she couldn't help but laugh. Seriously, if any one of them found her here, she might as well have died of embarrassment. Crow and Jack might just trample all over the flowers with their stupid fights, and Alexis might try burning something down, with, of course, Jaden in tow. Leo might join in on the fun, but Luna and Yusei would stay behind. In fact, they might try to stop the destruction from unfolding, but she could definitely see them laughing too. In a good way, she might add. And who knows? Akiza might just join them.

But before she knew it, she stopped.

All the air rushed out of her body. Her eyes were wide with surprise, as she looked at the person standing beside her, the desperation so clearly evident on their face.

A boy, from what she could remember.

There were bruises all over his battered face. Scabs marred his cheek, and stitches adorned his arms and legs. He was dressed in brown rags, with chains dangling from his wrist. Brown, scraggly hair clung to his neck, and with a wide, frightened groan. He was trembling, and freezing, and bleeding, all over. There was something there, beneath his light blue skin, something crawling underneath that transparent mess, something following the lines of the veins.

Insects.

They were insects.

Maggots, worms, parasites; they all fell out from him, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

And yet, the thing she could remember the most, was the single, black rose embedded in his neck.

Bone for leaves.

Scars for thorns.

Blood for petals.

The boy's cracked lips opened, the vague air coming around him. He reached out to her, and with one, deep breath, he began calling out for her.

She could see her name written all over his sewn lips, as he tried over and over again, tried to speak out to her, tried to grab hold of her with his fragile grip.

He took one step closer, and then another step, then another, then another, then another.

And when she blinked, the boy was gone.

Someone was crying.

Someone was crying.

Yusei wandered through the darkness, the uncertainty trapped within his eyes. He fumbled through the black, trying to see far out from him. He squinted his eyes, before closing them once again, and reopening them.

Light.

"Hey, Yusei!"

He fought down a wince, as he slowly sat up. A sharp pang stabbed his head, but he brushed it aside, as he groped the soft covers around him. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep himself from moaning, as he looked up.

Crow.

Jack.

"What're you two doing?" was the first thing he asked.

Jack snorted. "What'd you mean what're we doing?" he stated arrogantly. "We've got to test out the new engine; you did fix it, didn't you?"

"Y-yeah," he whispered quietly, shoving the confusing dream toward the back of his mind. Slowly, he placed his feet on the ground and stood, the headache now just beginning passing by. "Just give me one minute."

Crow stared at his friend, as he fumbled his way to the machines, steadily holding himself as the fatigue quickly slipped by him. He bent down, and started up the computer. "Go ahead," Yusei said.

Silence diffused throughout the room, but no sooner had it arrived did it vanish. Jack nodded approvingly, and, with one fluid motion, he set himself on the duel runner's skeletal frame. His hand twisted the handle, and the engine immediately came to life. "Right! See? Purring like a kitten."

"Slow down a little," Crow commanded.

"What? No way."

"Jack, you're gonna overheat the engine like last time. Slow. Down."

"You can't tell me what to do," Jack stubbornly said, "and besides, everything's fine! Not in the red, right?"

"Nope," Yusei muttered quietly.

"See? Yusei thinks it's fine."

"Well, I'm telling you it's not. Slow. Down."

Jack rammed the gas pedal, causing the sped to accelerate.

"What the heck man?!"

"Jack Atlas doesn't take orders! I know what I'm doing!"

"Well apparently, YOU DON'T!"

Yusei gave the two an amused smile, as he continued monitoring the engine's process. He stared at the needle, as he began searching through the code, trying to find any errors that would've slowed them down; he mentally cheered when he didn't those simplistic mistakes. He stared at the meter again; eighty and still steady. Though this wasn't nearly as fast as they needed it to be, at the very least it was a big improvement from what they had just days earlier.

"Hey, Jack, slow down." Yusei said.

"What?" the blonde screamed.

Well this can't be good.

Yusei turned back with a cool frown plastered on his lips. "Slow down!" he shouted again.

"There; you see? Slow down nimrod!"

"I can't hear you!" Jack replied, the same, serious frown on his face.

"Push the breaks!"

"What?!"

"PUSH THE DAMN-!"

A familiar explosion erupted from the engine.

Yusei held his breath, the heat swarming around him. He could feel the flames stinging his palm, with the same, impossible frustration banging against his head. Clear, blue eyes gazed past the smoke, as he made out the familiar silhouettes behind the ash and ember. He sighed humorlessly, as he turned his attention to the engine; what'd he do this time? It was fine just a minute ago, and the program didn't seem to have any flaws in it.

He waved his arm around, as he ignored Jack's incompetence in following common sense. "Hey, guys, you okay?"

No answer.

"Guys!"

Still nothing.

Yusei looked down at his computer, trying to reread the program lines once again. The engine still can't handle the strain yet, and even if it could, he'd need another valve to help cool it down. Honestly, there wasn't much he could do, but to fix the engine up, and buy more parts. The codes needed to be reworked if they stood any chance of winning the WRGP.

He turned back. "Jack, Crow!"

Nothing.

"Seriously, this joke is really starting to get old-"

Cold, lifeless eyes stared back at him.

Tiny eyes.

Crying eyes.

There was a child lying there, right before him, with cold, tiny eyes.

She was completely naked, her horribly emaciated body laid out for the world to see. On her chest, a deep, gaping hole settled toward the middle, with black and blue entwining with the dried crimson so comfortably embracing the scene. She had dirty blond hair, with half the strands completely missing from her skull. Bruises covered her entire face, the ruptured vessels bleeding out from her limbs. Her lips were sewn into a dirtied, perverted smile, the blood trickling from her lips. If he squinted, he could see the salty streams running down her face, the misery so very evident in her gaze.

And when he looked up, he saw more.

And more.

And more.

All of whom were in the same condition as the girl. Some had broken limbs, others crooked bones. Some missing eyes, others missing teeth, with only bloody gums to show for it; some missing organs, others where organs were in the wrong places. Their bodies were marred by needle injections, the very same drugs already taking a toll on their nervous systems. He saw them twitching, unable to scream, unable to say anything at all. Only a few managed to pry open the stitches, but even then they could only get a mere whisper out from their throats, before being swept away by Death's embrace. The very same smiles were forced upon their lips, some more cruelly than others.

Clear blue eyes instantly clouded.

He couldn't move.

He couldn't do breathe.

He was on the verge of screaming.

"Yusei?"

And suddenly, they were gone.

"Yusei?" Crow said again.

He blinked, the darkness coming away from his eyes. Cold sweat came from his forehead, his fingertips icy to the touch. He stared around the room then, before coming back to his two friends, who were patiently waiting for him.

"Uh, Yus-?"

"R-right," Yusei quickly said, as he came back to the computer. "Jack, slow down next time, alright?"

Quiet came between the three duelists, as both Jack and Crow shared a concerned look. Before long, Jack stared down at the duel runner, as he murmured, "The deuce was that?"

"What?"

"Yusei, we'd been calling you for like, five minutes now."

"Sorry," he muttered. "Just a little tired is all."

"A little? Yusei-"

"I'm fine," he cut off, his fingers flying across the keyboard then. "Crow, can you make sure the transmission's fine? I rerouted the power elsewhere too, so…"

"Got it."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "Oi-"

"Jack," Yusei stated frustratedly. He paused for a moment, before closing his eyes, his nerves slowly calming from what'd happened just moments before. He took a deep breath, and turned to the blonde, who was, strangely, waiting for any answer. "I'm fine. Really."

"You know, Akiza should be out by now-"

"Quiet."

"What? I'm just saying-"

"You know, you've been pulling a lot of all-nighters," Crow interrupted, causing Jack to fall silent. "Maybe you should take a break once in a while, you know? Let us do something for a change."

"Guys, don't worry," he said, brushing aside their attempts.

Nothing.

He looked up. "Look, I'll be alright-"

The blonde stared at him doubtfully. He folded both arms across his chest, and narrowed his eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah, really."

"Then why'd you stop?"

He blinked. "The engine overheated-"

"No, it didn't."

"What?"

"The engine didn't overheat. You just stopped it midway. I was going fifty."

Alexis stood at the front of the cafe, as she smiled at the various customers who came her way. She closed her eyes then, and listened to the footsteps passing before her, the giggles that followed each and every person. When she reopened them, she saw a familiar person coming toward her, a person she couldn't help apologetically smile at. Well, she did drag him out of bed today, and he did look like he was in a really bad mood…

She stepped away from the cafe building and walked toward him. A long, white blouse adorned her torso. A light, pink skirt seemingly floated down her ankles, with the hem steadily trailing behind. She tied her hair back in a neat ponytail, as she came to him, arms to her side. When she was just a few inches away from him, she stopped, and looked down. "Sorry about this."

Jaden raised an amused eyebrow, before taking her hand in his, and leading her out of the streets. "You really are a piece of work."

"But you still came."

"I guess," he replied aimlessly, as he led her toward the cafe. Dark blue jeans covered his own legs, and other than the light, black sweater he was wearing today, he wasn't wearing anything special. But she simply shrugged, and allowed him to lead, her eyes coming to his back pocket.

So it's a paid internship, huh?

They walked into cafe, greeted by the scent of vanilla and chocolate. There was a small bakery toward the back corner, the golden lights shinning down on the various pastries resplendently. Donuts of every size lay just behind the glass cases, the frosting seemingly reflecting every possible customer within the restaurant. The whirling sounds of coffee machines kept on with their comforting tasks, the drinks pouring away into the warm glass without fail. The pale tiles reflected the sophistication of the cafe, though by no means was it as graceful as they contended. Warm hearths radiated from around the wooden tables, and when they came up to the counter, the same waitress greeted them, as she had time and time again. After ordering, the two went and sat down at their usual spot.

Alexis stared at Jaden for a while, before finally, speaking up. "You get the assignment?"

He blinked. "For which class?"

"Ms. Monroe."

"…Alexis…"

"I had something I had to do that day," she said quickly, as she tucked away a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Besides, it's not like she gives a crap about it anyways, and we got out early before she even told us what we were supposed to do."

"She emailed us, remember?"

"No."

"…So you didn't do anything?"

"That's a Sunday problem," she dismissed, as she turned her attention to the bakery.

"Today's Sunday."

"…Okay…?"

"It's due tomorrow."

"…And?"

"We have to write a twelve-paged essay? The one about Faustus? The deal with the devil? Any of this ringing a bell?" he pressed, as he leaned forward, examining the girl for one long minute. She pretended to think for a while, before shaking her head. "No."

There it was again, that same, adorable blank stare. "Alexis…"

"What're the odds that I can rip some stuff off from Black Butler?"

"None."

"So how're things with Ms. Raines?"

"Don't change the subject," he reprimanded. "As soon as we're finished here, we're going to your place."

"No."

"What?"

"You know, if you keep complaining, you're might just end up losing your head someday," she teased quietly, as she settled back in her seat. "Don't worry about it; if I start on it tonight, I'll probably get it done in time for class tomorrow. I'm smart, remember?"

"…I sincerely doubt that."

"Shut up. Anyways, back to my question," she said vainly. Once again, her eyes flickered over toward the bakery. One of the waiters was now bringing them their drinks. She fell silent for a moment, as she smiled at the boy, who blushed slightly at her acknowledgment. Alexis watched as he hurried away then, trying to take care of the next customer in line. She lifted the cup toward her lips, savoring the warm chocolate now enveloping her tongue, before looking back at Jaden, who had that same, usual scowl on his face, the one that made her laugh.

And she did just that. "What?"

"You really shouldn't lead a guy on like that," he murmured, as he drank from his own cup.

Alexis cocked her head. "Huh?"

"That same guy's been serving us for the last month now," he explained. "Can't take his eyes off you."

"…Maybe he's watching you."

"What?"

"You always leave tips," she said. "And since you're supporting him financially, it's obvious he likes you better."

"…So Raines."

"Go on."

"I don't know," he sighed, swirling the drink in his cup with one hand. "It's been a week and she hasn't done anything with it yet. The most I actually got out of her was how big it'd be if the psychopath actually targeted the celebs, rather than the politicians."

"So… it's just one guy?"

"That's what the police think, but the investigation's ongoing," Jaden said. "Who knows how many people are out there."

She leaned forward. "You don't believe them, huh?"

"No, I do."

The surprise etched onto her face. That's odd; usually, Jaden never believed anything any of the higher-ups said; if he did, it meant that there was, without a doubt, hard evidence to back up whatever they just said. Considering he was a bit of an anarchist, this really was a big deal. She was about to pry for more, when she gazed at Jaden for a little while longer. "

You've got nothing," she finally stated.

"Just a hunch."

"There's no way they'd give a student clearance to see the bodies," Alexis continued. "And since the closest thing you have to a mentor is Raines, it's hard for you to get anywhere."

"Don't remind me. Yusei drilled me about it the other day."

Yusei; things would be a lot easier if he was interested in the case. Along with saving the world from the Dark Signers, winning the Fortune Cup, and getting the city to rebuild the Satellite, he would've been a perfect mentor, especially for something like this. Sector Security couldn't even touch Jaden if Yusei decided to get involved in the case.

But Alexis knew better. To Yusei, they were just kids who were in way over their heads. She remembered how protective he was, the first time they met. She couldn't remember the circumstances, or the argument, for that matter, but she remembered how angry he was, when he realized they did something really dangerous. It was probably a prank, a crime, something they could get seriously hurt doing, and he scolded them for it. She'd never forget that day; in fact that was the only clear detail in her mind.

So, in a way, he was like an incredibly close friend, one they knew for a very long time, even though that wasn't the case. But at the same time, he also acted like the older brother she didn't want, even if it was for her own good.

"So what're you gonna do?" she asked then. "Are you still gonna work with her, or are you going to another station. I mean, you've been following this story for a while now, haven't you?"

"Well, yeah," Jaden replied, as he took another sip. He set the cup down, and gazed up at her. "I'm not giving up. They're crazy Lex; who knows how long it'd be before they start targeting other people? Innocent people?"

She perked up. "So you're a good guy now!"

"…Shut it."

"What? Why?"

"Just don't," he said wearily, though a single, affectionate smile danced on his lips. "Anyways, I've got the articles at my place. We can just go there tomorrow, but you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?"

"Right," she replied enthusiastically. "Wait, why tomorrow? Can't we just go there after this?"

"Lex…"

She pursed her lips; well, can't use that excuse again, right? "What about Aki?" she asked genuinely. "Her dad's a senator, remember?"

"He's out of the city, so he won't be back for a while. And besides, it's just politicians; the killer isn't targeting the families."

She gripped her cup tightly. "What about-?"

"Not Yusei either."

"But he could help."

"He's not interested. And besides, he's working to compete in the WRPG right now, so he's really busy."

"But-"

"Lex, promise me you won't tell anyone. This'll be our little secret, okay?"

She stared at down at her drink. In context, it made perfect sense to keep this hidden. After all, no one wanted two teenagers working on the case, and if Sector Security knew they were snooping around, they could get into serious trouble for it. Akiza and Yusei would only try to stop them, and even if Alexis did get them to change their minds, by that time the culprit might've already killed someone again. Plus, if it turns out that they find out who the true criminal was, they could spend time gathering the evidence, without anyone knowing, before sending it to the police. That way, Jaden could keep his internship, and things could go back to the way they were supposed to be, before all this nonsense happened.

And Jaden and Alexis have always pulled these crazy stunts together. Whether it be doing simple pranks, or organizing illegal dueling matches, or even just pissing off Sector Security, or one the higher-ups, they've always done so side by side. It didn't matter who pulled the other down, or whose magnificent idea it was; they were partners-in-crime, and that was one relationship no one could throw away. They were dating too, and that's always a benefit.

But, for some reason, she still hesitated.

Why?

"Alexis?"

"Right," she said after a while. "Our little secret."