When Does Our Innocence Turn Into Arrogance?

Kalin was rarely in the diner in the daytime. Radley wasn't always either, especially since he had started to share private watch parties with Kalin. But one afternoon they happened to be there when the townspeople began to flock in. Some settled in at the tables to eat, but others went right to Radley and started talking to him about problems in town.

"Radley, the neighbor's cows are grazing on my fields!"

"There was a rock slide on my property and now the well is blocked!"

"My sprinkler system is busted!"

Radley listened to all the assorted complaints with a calm frown. Then he smiled a reassuring smile and started to write on a notepad.

"We'll get it all taken care of," he assured each person, and then outlined a plan for every problem. They brightened in relief and thanked him profusely before going to eat as well.

"Are you really going to fix all those problems?" Kalin grunted when they were alone.

"Why wouldn't I?" Radley frowned.

"It could be empty promises meant to temporarily placate them," Kalin said.

"It's not," Radley retorted. "You heard what I told them would be done. The Bunch will see to it. Marty knows how to fix the sprinklers. Several of them can lift the rocks. A couple more can mend the fence to keep the cows out."

"Do you ever do any of it yourself?" Kalin wondered.

"Yeah, actually," Radley said. "When I'm needed, I pitch in. Mostly I'm an organizer. But I'm not a stranger to hard work. I helped build a lot of the houses when they started going up."

"You don't seem the type," Kalin remarked.

Radley smirked. "Oh? There's a type? We do what we have to do, Kalin."

"Your hands aren't the hands of someone who does a lot of manual labor," Kalin said. "They're smooth . . . soft . . . not calloused and rough."

That brought a giggle. "I didn't know you paid so much attention!"

"I've watched you making food. I've seen," Kalin said.

"Not to mention the incident when we both reached for the popcorn at the same time," Radley said with a wicked smirk.

". . . That too," Kalin conceded.

"Well, you're right that I don't do manual labor when I can avoid it," Radley said. "I didn't like building houses. I do like working on my Harley. Other than that, it's for the birds. But it's not like I laze around all day. I organize, I plan, and most days I'm slaving over a hot stove for a good number of hours. Manual labor isn't the only useful way to help here."

"It's like you run this town," Kalin said. "The people act like you do."

"I do what I can," Radley said. "Malcolm, on the other hand . . . oh brother, you can never tell when he's going to follow through and when he's making empty promises." He sighed and shook his head.

"Wouldn't it turn a lot of people off to make-believe he's going to help?" Kalin grunted.

"You'd think so," Radley said. "And sure, it turns off some of them. But there's some poor morons who keep getting taken in by his smooth talk."

"I suppose he's more likely to help the ones who want to support him," Kalin said.

"Pretty much," Radley said. "There are the occasional times he really helps one of my supporters, though, just so he can go 'See? I helped!' to the naysayers."

"Do any of his supporters ever ask you for help?" Kalin wondered.

"His supporters are either with him out of fear or because they believe the same as he does," Radley said. "They'd never be caught dead asking me for anything. That said, a couple of the scared ones have reached out to me in private. They even used false names to try to keep their identities secret. But from things they said, I put the pieces together about who they were."

Kalin looked away. ". . . There were times when people in the areas ruled by cruel Duel Gangs reached out to us for help," he said. "Usually to beg us to take the gangs down."

"And you did," Radley said. "These people . . . they want Malcolm out, but they're too afraid to admit it." He sighed. "Maybe some of them want us out too, even though we're trying to help."

Kalin frowned. There were still a lot of unfair rumors going around about Radley, painting him as everything from a male whore to a taskmaster as cruel as Malcolm. Kalin had believed most of them at first, but the more they were together, the more he saw Radley was the opposite of what people said. He acted tough to protect the people and himself, but he was so gentle. Malcolm would never hold a kid on his lap and read.

". . . Some people in the Satellite wanted all the Duel Gangs gone, including us," he said. "They said we would turn out to be just as bad as all the others. And they were right."

Radley looked tired. "Do you still feel that way about me?"

"I only know that power corrupts," Kalin said. "You wouldn't be immune to that."

"So if everybody's gonna be corrupted, does that mean you think there shouldn't be any attempt to keep the peace at all?"

Kalin looked away. It was a fair question.

"If you guys had just sat back and done nothing, the bad Duel Gangs would have expanded their grip and hurt who knows how many people," Radley said. "And Satellite wouldn't be nearly as safe as it is now.

"If we just let Malcolm have control of the town, do you think things would be better than now? Would you rather have him in charge than me?"

". . . No," Kalin grunted.

"Then what do you think I should do, Kalin?" Radley sounded like he sincerely wanted to know.

Kalin didn't have an answer for him. "I don't know." He started to get up.

Radley sighed. "Are you always going to leave when I pin you down on the hard questions?"

Kalin shrugged. "Probably." He started to walk off.

"You know, all you'd have to say is to change the subject," Radley remarked. "Unless you just plain don't wanna be with me at all."

Kalin paused. He did, and yet he wished he didn't. He couldn't keep giving Radley false hope like this. That was just cruel. But it seemed that no matter what he did, Radley never gave up wanting to be with him. Why? How could Radley possibly see anything worthwhile and valuable in him other than his dueling skills? By this point Kalin had mostly just given up trying to rebuff him on purpose and was with him most of the time. Even though he remained standoffish and aloof, Radley just seemed so happy he was there at all.

Kalin really couldn't keep doing that, though. He had to stop giving in and instead go back to what he was doing before. It always felt like there was no real point, since he didn't have anything to do all day anyway. He hated locking himself in his room with his demons and being tortured constantly by the memories. Being with Radley enabled him to think about something else at least some of the time.

It was so selfish. The only decent thing was to stay away from Radley.

With that thought in mind, he started walking again.

". . . So that's the way it is, then," Radley said from behind him. He sounded hurt, betrayed. And yet he still said, "Kalin, I'm sorry. I won't bring it up again."

"Good," was all Kalin replied.

He kept walking.

xxxx

Sometimes neither of them got much sleep at night. The Bunch would party too long or there was too much to do for the next day or Malcolm's Crew caused some kind of uproar or another. On nights like that, they sometimes didn't sleep until it was almost morning.

On one day after such a night, Radley had invited Kalin over again to watch something. Somehow they both managed to stay awake during the movie itself. But as the credits rolled and dragged on, the pull of sleep was fierce and heavy. Radley had kept them running because of the music, and now it was lulling them both into slumber.

Kalin always felt more peaceful sleeping there than back at the boarding house all alone. He sank back into the couch as he dozed. Sleep . . . a truly restful sleep without nightmares . . . was so nice. He didn't deserve it, but he craved it, longed for it. Sometimes he couldn't make himself resist.

He didn't know how long he remained like that. When he finally started to stir sometime later, it immediately dawned on him that there was a weight against him . . . and he was embracing it.

Radley. He was hugging Radley.

That snapped him awake completely. Radley had slumped backwards against him and was still asleep, and Kalin's arms were wrapped around his waist. He was resting his cheek in Radley's hair.

Kalin's cheeks flamed red. This was not appropriate at all. Nevermind how good it felt . . . how much it reminded him of himself and Yusei in the past. . . . He couldn't allow it. But as he started to quietly attempt to disentangle his arms, Radley stirred.

"Hey, what . . . mmm . . . that feels good." He snuggled farther against Kalin and dozed again.

Kalin stared in disbelief. Now Radley had sleepily laid his hands on Kalin's, making it more difficult to get out of this.

He sighed. Maybe . . . as long as they made it out for the sunset duel, it was alright just to relax again a bit. . . .

He settled back, allowing himself to accept their current position. It felt . . . so nice. . . . Had they met under other circumstances, when Kalin was free to enjoy this, maybe they really could have been friends.

Weren't they, though?

In other circumstances, wouldn't these exact same things have happened? Wouldn't Radley still be the same? Would Kalin only call it being friends if he could properly reciprocate?

He wanted to regardless, and what he was doing right at this moment felt a lot like reciprocating.

He really couldn't. Once he lost and was sent to the mines for his just punishment, that would end any hope of friendship.

But . . . he couldn't get out of this right now without disturbing Radley.

He closed his eyes and let himself doze again.

They both started to wake up again a little later, when the late afternoon sun came in through the window and warmed them both. Radley jumped a bit as he fully saw their position. But then he smiled, looking up at Kalin. "Well, this is cozy."

Kalin finally let him go. "We were asleep," he said. "Strange things happen when people are sleeping."

"That doesn't mean they're always bad things or that we can't enjoy them," Radley said. "I felt really calm and peaceful when I was asleep. You don't look like you hated it either." He smirked.

". . . It's not like anything can come of it," Kalin said, deliberately avoiding the observation.

"It could," Radley said. "Okay, so you work for me. It doesn't mean we can't be friends. You already know I want that."

"Yes, I know." Kalin looked away out the window. "We should get ready for the duel. We'll be late."

"We'll be fine." But Radley yawned and started to get up. Kalin probably had a point, even though he was just saying it to change the subject. Radley, however, had one more thing he wanted to ask. ". . . I guess you'd never do that if you weren't asleep?"

Kalin froze. "What?"

"Be so affectionate. Hug me." Radley looked like he knew the answer but wished he was wrong.

Kalin looked away. "I was never affectionate with anyone. Why would I start now?"

"Oh . . . because I'm irresistible?" Radley smirked and winked.

Kalin just grunted.

"Nevermind," Radley said. "I didn't really mean for you to answer that."

Kalin let it drop, but he continued to ponder the matter as he got up and got his coat.

Why really had he hugged Radley in his sleep? There were so many positions they could have got into. Why that? Had it really just been a reflex? Or was his subconscious betraying him by displaying what he really wanted?

Not that it really mattered. He could never have what he really wanted. He was only worthy of endless suffering.

xxxx

Radley never failed to be entertained by Malcolm's rantings and ravings. Kalin never engaged in Radley's cheeky behavior towards his rival, nor did he laugh, but he could see the mischievous delight Radley took in it.

"You realize it makes you immature to do that," he flatly commented one night after the Bunch had all laughed at the memory of Radley's trolling that day.

"I never said it didn't," Radley said. "Yeah, I probably shouldn't do it, but Malcolm's always good for a laugh. I just can't resist. It's how I've treated bullies ever since I got out on my own."

"Didn't they beat you up a lot?" Kalin grunted.

"I didn't start doing it until I figured out how to get the upper hand," Radley said. "If they tried to come after me, I showed them what-for with judo."

". . . That would have been useful in the Enforcers," Kalin had to admit.

"It's a really cool skill," Radley said with enthusiasm. "And so satisfying to flip someone much bigger than me over my shoulder. They never seem to expect it."

"They wouldn't," Kalin intoned. "They're always so confident in their own strength."

"So what did you do?" Radley wondered. "Just duel your way out of everything? Or hand-to-hand combat sometimes?"

"Pretty much," Kalin said. "All the kids in the Satellite learned how to fight. I don't think any of them knew judo, though."

"It was a relief when I learned it," Radley said. "I could really protect myself. I also learned that bullies are pretty much the same all over, arrogant big talkers who are actually cowards deep down."

"And you started pushing their buttons," Kalin realized.

"Yeah," Radley smirked. "It never gets old." But he sobered suddenly. "I wonder how someone like Malcolm ends up like he is. I mean, he couldn't have always been a creep."

Kalin didn't look convinced. "I knew some bad kids in the Satellite."

"I just don't believe anyone's born bad," Radley frowned.

"Maybe not, but you can't really blame circumstances," Kalin said. "There were a lot of kids miserable in the Satellite and not all of them were cruel."

"They probably had good influences in their lives, though, didn't they?" Radley asked. "I can't believe they were all directionless either."

". . . There were good people," Kalin conceded. Yusei, Crow, and Jack had all been raised by Martha, and Yusei and Crow had especially turned out well. And even though Jack had lost his way for a time, he had become noble again too.

Kalin had longed so much to have been part of Martha's fold. He did wonder a little if he would have turned out so twisted had he had someone like that in his life instead of his abusive and alcoholic father.

Questions he would never have answers for.

"I'm glad there were," Radley said, cutting into Kalin's thoughts. "My family was always really prejudiced against the Satellite, but I couldn't think it was really the way they thought. To hear them talk, it was practically Hell itself, populated by demons." He snorted.

"People like me helped give it its bad reputation," Kalin intoned, not surprised.

"You wouldn't have even been old enough to be responsible for much of that," Radley scoffed. "Anything you did was just in the last several years."

"There were others with similar ideas," Kalin said. "I wasn't the first to try to take over the Satellite and kick out Sector Security."

". . . Yeah, that makes sense," Radley frowned. ". . . I wonder if it's really true that Sector Security is in reform."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Kalin said. "Maybe not even then. It could be an act to fool the people."

"It could be," Radley agreed. "But don't you believe people can change for the better?"

"I don't know," Kalin said.

"I know you figure they can change for the worse," Radley said. "You really think it only goes one way?"

"I think that's more likely," Kalin said.

"Kalin . . ." Radley sighed. "The fact that you even feel so terrible about what you did proves you have changed. I wish you could believe that."

Kalin looked away. Maybe he could if there was only what he had done up to his arrest. Because of what he had done after that, he knew there could be no redemption for him.

". . . Why do you care what Malcolm was in the past anyway?" he asked. "It doesn't matter."

". . . I guess I just wonder if there's any way to get through to him," Radley said.

"There's not," Kalin said flatly.

Radley looked exasperated. "You don't know that any more than I do."

"People like him are beyond hope and help," Kalin said.

"Only you think you are too, and I don't really believe that," Radley said. "I know, you're thinking I'm a fool, but that doesn't change anything. I still believe in you, Kalin."

"You can believe in my skills as a Duelist," Kalin said. "That's all I have to offer."

"I've seen there's more there than only that," Radley said. "So I'll keep focusing on that."

"You'll only be disappointed," Kalin said.

"I'll take that chance," Radley said.

Kalin couldn't fathom why he would mean that much to anyone, especially someone he had only treated coldly. But questioning it didn't help him understand any better, so for the moment he didn't.

xxxx

Radley always wondered and worried in the back of his mind about what would happen if someone Kalin knew showed up. Would they convince Kalin to leave? Would Kalin want to go? Would they do nothing to help the situation in Crash Town and just go away, leaving Radley to try to figure out what to do in Kalin's absence?

Kalin didn't really think about it that much. He doubted any of the other Enforcers would come, unless Yusei showed up to try to stop what was going on. And he certainly didn't think he'd ever meet anyone else he knew.

The last thing either of them expected was for a small child to suddenly approach them while they were walking to the diner one afternoon. "Kalin?!"

Both turned. The boy looked around six. He stared up at Kalin with wide, amazed eyes. Kalin looked back, the picture of discomfort. "What are you doing here, kid?"

"Mommy brought me!" the boy proudly said.

"Nathan!" A harried woman with shoulder-length light hair hurried over and grabbed his hand. "What did we just talk about, about not wandering off in strange places?!"

"But Kalin's here!" the boy squealed.

She looked up warily at Kalin, who was looking right back. ". . . I never thought I'd see you in a place like this," she remarked. "You always talked about wanting to go on to bigger and better things. This place seems too old for you."

"It's my home now," Kalin said vaguely.

Seeing Kalin wasn't going to introduce him, Radley decided to take the initiative. "Hi, I'm Radley," he smiled, holding out a hand. "Kalin works for me."

She slowly took his hand and shook it. "You're not what I expected either," she mused.

"I get that a lot," Radley said. "Were you looking for me?"

"Not really," she said. "None of this is what I was expecting. The people are scared, there's some nutjob letting his men bully or make passes at everyone coming in, and dueling is only allowed at sunset! It's not the kind of place I would have chosen to bring Nathan, if I'd known beforehand."

"Most people come here knowing something about the set-up first," Radley said in some surprise. "At least about the dueling."

She nodded tiredly. "That's what most people come for, isn't it? We just wanted a fresh start someplace away from the Satellite."

Radley sighed. "I'll be honest, this isn't really a great place to raise kids. I'm hoping to change that, but right now it's like the lawless Old West."

"It seems like that, alright," she agreed. She smiled a bit. "So, Kalin, you're here to clean the place up like you did the Satellite?"

"Not really," Kalin grunted. "But somehow it's turning out like that."

"How do you know each other?" Radley asked, since neither of them had volunteered the information.

"I haven't seen her since the Enforcers crumbled," Kalin said.

". . . Were you one of them, Miss . . . ?" Radley asked, looking back to her.

"Melinda. No, I'm just someone Kalin tried to help back then," she said with a sad smile. "I had Nathan and not much else and the Duel Gangs were terrifying. Kalin promised to protect us and he did."

"I see. Yeah, he's not much in the protecting business anymore," Radley said. "He's getting back into it, though."

Melinda looked curiously at him. "You're the other gang leader in town, aren't you? The people said you and Kalin are thick as thieves."

That sobered Radley again. "They say that? Yeah, Kalin is my top Duelist and my bodyguard, so we're together a lot." He folded his arms.

Melinda was amused. "It's hard to picture Kalin ever lowering himself to working for anyone. He likes to be at the top."

"I'm not like that anymore," Kalin said. "I will never be at the top again." He didn't add that he only deserved to be at the bottom.

". . . And what about you?" Radley asked Melinda. "Are you here to earn your fortune?" His eyes flickered in his wariness.

"I'm here to make a fresh start," she said, "but not with dueling. Don't expect me to join either of these gangs."

"That's of course your right," Radley said calmly. "Just beware, though: Malcolm will try to proposition you to support his gang, probably repeatedly. It will get to be a real nuisance. Maybe eventually he'll start threatening you with his men if you don't agree."

"And you'll try to proposition me too, won't you?" Melinda returned.

Radley smiled. "Let's say I'll try to casually show you that we're the better option. You can try to make it on your own here in town, but a lot more doors will open for you with one of the gangs backing you. You don't have to actually join, just support us and allow our support in turn. We try to help everyone we can, but it's an itty-bit more difficult if they don't really want our help."

"That makes sense," Melinda remarked. "Well, I'd be much more likely to back the gang Kalin supports. That means they must be good."

Kalin stared at her.

"We do what we can to protect the town and the people," Radley agreed. "You won't find any of us being big bullies, except to those who deserve it."

"That's good to know. I'll hold you to that," Melinda smiled.

"What kind of business are you hoping to go into?" Radley asked.

"Photography," Melinda said. "Are there any vacant buildings around here I could use?"

"Yes, several," Radley said. "People come in, try to start a life, but if they can't hack it they just pack up and leave again."

"That's just fine. I'm used to that." Melinda started off down the street. "Let's go, Nathan. Thank you and Goodbye."

"Bye!" Nathan beamed with a wave.

Radley smiled a bit and waved back. "Goodbye." Kalin just gave a vague nod.

Radley stared after them until Melinda found one of the empty buildings and went inside to look around. Then he frowned, turning back to Kalin. "You never mentioned her before."

Kalin definitely heard the slight accusatory tone in Radley's voice. "There was no reason to."

Radley looked incredulous. "No reason to?! Kalin, she clearly still thinks the world of you for protecting her and her kid the way you did! And the kid does too!"

"That was a long time ago," Kalin said.

"It's still relevant to them," Radley said. "The way she looked, it's like she idolizes you or loves you or is possibly even in love with you!"

"She didn't have any feeling for me like that," Kalin scoffed. "We talked sometimes, but there was nothing romantic in it!"

"Did she know that?" Radley countered. "Or even if she did, it doesn't mean she didn't have such feelings for you anyway!"

"That's ridiculous," Kalin said.

Radley groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Kalin, Kalin . . . what am I gonna do with you?"

Kalin didn't acknowledge that. "Even if you're right, that only further proves my point that I'm no good. I didn't recognize her feelings."

"And now she's here in town and Malcolm will want her," Radley said. "Why come here to start a photography business anyway? She could work in New Domino City now. People come here for the mine. Whether they're dueling or not, they all want a little piece of it."

"You think she had another reason for coming," Kalin realized.

"Yeah, I do. Maybe she's just on the lam from the law. We've got a lot of that going around. Or maybe she wants to focus her photography on the mine." Radley sighed. "I just don't know."

"And I don't know that you're right about her having any real feeling for me," Kalin said. "I don't think you are. If she does, she's a fool."

"Oh . . ." Radley shook his head. "Well, I can't have you go saying stuff like that to her, especially while we're still trying to figure her out. Just . . . stay away from her and I'll see if the Bunch can determine what else she's up to."

Kalin just stared blankly off into the distance. "Alright."

"And in any case, just remember there's two people right there who are grateful for what you did in the Enforcers," Radley pointed out. "It wasn't all in vain."

Kalin didn't respond to that.