Chapter 4: Escape from the Bronx Part 1
Number 96 stare at the Number in his hand with a passion then turn to face me. "Congratulations Roxxas your first duel with a Number on the line and you didn't manage to screw it up." I stare at Number 96 in horror afraid of what he might do next. "What's wrong Roxxas, you look like you seen a ghost." He let out a small laugh enjoying me struggle with fear. I move my gaze to Bull who was lying face down on the ground, his body had become pale and he didn't seem like he was moving, then I move my gaze to the Number on Number 96 hand.
"What have you done to him?" I tried to mutter every word without stuttering. Number 96 simply gawk at the Number on his hand with satisfaction admiring its presence, "I simply took back what is rightfully ours, and as for Bull, trust me when I say he wont be causing trouble anytime soon. The day is still young my boy, let us proceed to the next Number!" Number 96 began to drift away leading the way before I brought him to a stop. "Wait!" He turn around to see me clearly irritated by my stalling. "What do you want now!" "What do you meant when you say his soul was now yours?" "You really don't…" We both heard someone coming and Number 96 disappear again. I turn to see that it was the boy from before, Ricky.
"Its…it…safe?" He scout out the area before coming out the back alley where he was probably hiding. "Is he gone?" He ask sounding so scare. I responded confuse by what he meant, "Who are you talking about?" He look at me skeptically, "You know Bull. Is he gone?" I turn to face Bull unconscious body answering his question. He jump up shock by the revelation, "Whoa! You really did a number on him!" I wasn't really in the mood for "Number" puns. He slowly approach Bull's body and started to poke him with a stick, reassuring his doubts. "Hey kid, what's your name?" However, before I could answer him we could hear sirens off in the distance coming towards our direction, so he grab me by my harm and pulled me inside an old shack behind a valley. "What was all that about!" Demanding an answer. He peak a look to see if the coast was clear, "Those were the cops, here in the Bronx the cops arrest anyone for no reason!" "Haven't someone done something about this.", wanting to know more about the situation. "Well the thing is the cop force around here is run by a corrupt officer by the name of Chief Officer Brown, aka The Chief. You see Bull use to get protection from the chief, while in return Bull would pull off schemes for the Chief and we used to get protection from Bull." "So basically is just one big power pyramid, theirs ya'll, then Bull, and this Chief guy at the top." "Right…" Ricky reassure me. "So why haven't you left the Bronx?" I had to ask. "If it was that easy don't you think I would have done that all ready!" I shouted angrily back at him, "Hey that was uncalled for." Ricky turn to see me with a calm look on his face, "Sorry. I knew you were just trying to help. But I don't know…" He collapse to the ground, his back to the wall, brushing his hair with his hand. "I got a brother outside of the Bronx, they call him Weasel, but his part of another gang run by some guys call Chill and Scorch. Anyways he offer me a spot on his gang but some guy name Shark all ready took the spot." So it wouldn't be any different and now that Bull is gone, I just don't know what is going to happen to us, the little guys you know." He turn to see me as if he was waiting for me to share my side of the story, but the truth was that I had no story to share I had lost my memories, so I couldn't relate.
"So what brought you the Bronx?" Seeing that I hadn't responded to his last statement I didn't wanted to be rude so I had to answer. But what could I have told him, that I lost my memories, some ghost from a different planet have come to help me, while collection Duel monster cards that take control of peoples soul. So I just went with the easiest answer, "Oh you know I was just walking around…" He stare me for a few seconds in disbelief and gave out a small chuckle, "Well buddy you walk into the wrong neighborhood." I return his smile. Suddenly a couple of lights shine through our directions, I had become stun for a few seconds, while Ricky responded quickly. He grab me by my arm again and we were off. We run with everything we got trying to escape the lights that follow behind us. We turn the corner that was a dead end. "Were trap!" I began to panic. "Oh no were not! How long can you hold your breath?" I turn to him, "What do you mean?" "Get ready. This way!" He grab my arm again and pull me into a garbage shout where we ended in an underground dumpsite. "Is anything broken?" He ask me. "What are you talking about! You threw me into a garbage shout!" "I take that as a yes."
We proceed out of the dump, but we were now cover in trash and smell horrible. I look worse since my clothes were al ready tear. "C'mon this way. My hide out is around the corner." We walk for a few blocks and entered what appear to be a small concrete room with a small bed and pillow, some pots and pans, and a dresser. "So this is your hideout?" I ask surprise by how small it was. "Is more than just a hideout it's the only thing that I call home. C'mon, lets get you out of this clothes, your stinking up the place." I nodded in agreement I was a mess. He move towards the dresser and pull out some folded clothes. He handed them to me, "Here try this on for size." I grab the clothes and turn my head to look for a place were I could change in private. Ricky caught what I was doing and he signal me that their was a small shack out on the back where I could change. I went to the shack change and return.
When I return I saw that Ricky had also change from his dirty clothes. Instead of his jersey and shorts, he was now wearing a white T-shirt and boxing shorts. On the meanwhile, I had change into a black tank top that fit me perfectly and some black sweat pants. "Hey you came back and you don't look half bad." As I was turning to face him, I saw some Duel monster cards lying on top of the dresser. "Hey, are this your cards?" I pick up one of the cards examining it. "Yeah I was quiet the duelist back in the day but recently since I moved from the Bronx, I haven't been doing that much dueling." "Why's that?", still examining the remaining cards. "You see not many people duel in the Bronx because of fear of getting caught and send to the Underground Duel Terminals." "What are the Underground Duel Terminal?" "The Underground Duel Terminal are Illegal Duels which are run by two main man Don Ava Riche and some other person with power." I saw the despair in Ricky's eyes, I couldn't see others sad. I decided to cheer up the mood.
"So how about we have a small duel." I said urging him for the challenge. "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you!" We turn on a candle and we began dueling. An hour probably passed before we call it a night. Ricky offer me his bed, I refused, but he insisted. I lay down on the hard spring bed I was sure it was as hard as the floor. Before I drifted off, I ask Ricky if he ever thought things could change in the Bronx, he simply answer me, "Roxxas, change can only happen when there is someone who is willing to change things, until then things will remain the same…", before falling asleep. I could not help to wonder if their could be hope in such a dark place.
"Where am I?" The only thing I could see was darkness in every direction. Then their was some thunder in the distance and lighting. Then I heard a voice call out, "…the Numbers!" and some red eyes appear in the distance. "Roxxas, the Numbers! "Who are you? What do you want from me!" "I want your soul!" An evil laugh then erupted in all direction and the ground started to fall into a spiral. I ran as fast as I could but the more I ran the slower I seen to be moving. As I came closer to the vortex the laughter grew louder, and before I knew it was all over.
"Roxxas wake up! Wake up, Roxxas! Get off me!" "Huh?" Somehow, I was lying on top of Ricky. I must have fallen in my sleep. I quickly got up. "You almost crush me man, if you would have told me that you fell when you sleep I would have insisted you sleep on the floor!" "Sorry about that I didn't know I did that." "Well, its okay I guess I had a few mishaps myself when I sleep too. Well at least its morning so I guess that's all the sleep we are going to get." "Yeah, the light is always a good sign."