The Last Adventure: A Meandering Middle

by Undead Apparition

Continuing from TLA: A Final Beginning. Following the revelation that Yliaster is undergoing a civil war, Yusei has allied himself with Nanashi in an effort to protect his friends. To gain support and resources, the rebellious faction intends to win the Legend of Duellist Kingdom Tournament. But this is just the beginning of their plans and there may be no stopping them all.

8. Friday

The pale dawn light brought with it the grim realisation of how much damage Team Wrecker had done. Akiza had awoken herself intermittently to check up on her patients and Luna had risen from nightmares more times than she cared to count. Leo had healed quickly, the damage done to his stomach significantly more limited than the attacks done to either Jack or Crow. Jack still had a spinning head if he stood up too quickly but insisted he was perfectly fine and was able to pass Akiza's tests with faded colours. Crow still complained of a slight ringing in his ears but reacted quickly enough when Jack began insulting him from behind. Leading Yusei by one arm, they had all gathered in the booth and slumped into various limbs. It was a testament to the twin's bond that Luna didn't shove Leo off her shoulder as Crow shoved his brother almost to the floor.

"What's the plan?" Wrapped in the ragged blanket like an old lady with a shawl, Musume was pressing her aching head against a raised cupboard.

"It's a ten-hour drive to reach Annapolis." Half an eyelid from being asleep, Crow was claiming more exhaustion than Jack on grounds of having to ride a Duel Runner. There would be a brutal fight when Jack discovered Crow's Runner was stored in the hold and reached the logical conclusion. "We're a man down and running on fumes."

"And banged up pretty good." Opening the fridge, Musume was surprised to see an actual end to the seemingly endless stores of food she had been inhaling the night before.

"Like you were any help!" Sporting bruised ribs and a purple eye, Jack was getting increasingly angry at the almost useless observer from their fight the night previously.

Daintily picking a metal butter dish from inside the fridge, she pointedly held it nonchalantly in one hand. "Now, I know it may look like I pulled my punches." Tensing her fingers, she began squeezing gently. "But push through the pain of actually using the squishy grey matter in your skull for a minute," Butter squirted over her hand as the metal buckled and split between her still clenching fingers. "Imagine would could happen if I hit somebody just a bit too hard." Dropping the ruined mess into the sink, the sound made them all jump slightly.

"How are you so strong?" Worried slightly that not offering her a secure bunk had put him in her bad books, Crow was terrified by the display of sheer power.

"Damned if you know." She wasn't being metaphorical. If she ever had cause to tell him, the situation would be seriously bad already.

"Behave." With everything having slowly morphed from a large dark blur into a large light blur, Yusei was verging on certain he was going to be grounded that day as well.

"Where's the coffee?" Masking his anger with more anger, Jack reached for a new topic.

"Where's the food?" More focused on the important topics, Leo nevertheless followed his idol's train of thought. At that point, the most empathetic member finally realised what was missing.

"Where's Obake?" Luna's question stopped the conversation dead. Their ignorant driver had last been noticed leaving the truck to cover the two Duel Runners the night before which – a quick glance through secured windows confirmed – were still safely secured outside.

"Just to be clear," Scrounging the blanket into a thick ball, Musume tossed it carelessly into the cockpit before zipping up the front of her brown leather jacket. "That's the freaky pale guy who pissed off Yliaster?" It was a cruel assessment but quick and accurate.

"Pretty much." Not a particular fan of the driver either, Crow was uncaring to correct her. In fact, for one reason or another, Jack was the biggest fan of Obake at that exact moment in time, even if only for the coffee he provided.

"So our current situation is without a driver, down one Duellist, ten hours from safety and with Yliaster closing in?" Succinctly summing up the situation, Leo made the voice of doom sounded weirdly happy.

"Musume, can you ride my Duel Runner again?" Prioritising the things he could control first, Yusei drew a variety of looks from his friends. "Just for a few hours, until my sight fully returns?"

"Again?" Still catching up on the events that had transpired while he was unconscious, Jack was getting frighteningly close to finding out about Crow riding the one-wheeled Runner.

"Sure. But you owe me." She might spin it as a favour but being able to sit down and make progress was a minor miracle. Her Duel Skates were not designed for the sorts of distances she had been covering and both legs were slowly morphing into rubble.

"Drive fast and we can probably cut down the travel time to eight hours." Lifting the hairband from his eyes, Yusei smiled vaguely around the table. "See? Two problems down." Hearing a slight noise coming from by her knees, Musume crouched down and stared at the cupboard in moderate amazement.

"Tell me that you're not in there?" Hearing no reply, she pulled the door open and stared at the blade thrusting towards her face. "Really?" With the remaining few items moved from the cupboard, Obake had slept on a large bag of rice with a knife in hand. "Why were you sleeping in a cupboard?"

"Well," Edging out from the cupboard, the befuddled face blinked blearily in the morning light. "You took the only two spots in the cockpit and your friend once knocked a guy out just for touching his Duel Disk."

"Is there any food?" Clinging to his side, Obake was genuinely amazed by the question from Leo. Being asked to make breakfast after having slept in a cupboard all night, Obake was less than keen to remain polite.

"Please, help yourself." Splitting the difference, he grabbed a mug from a higher cupboard and poured himself a glass of water. "Is there a plan yet?" His lack of civility, accompanied by a brusque tone, was enough to put him at greater odds with the group.

"We're just putting one together now." Eager to maintain the fragile peace between the three parties, Yusei played down their panic as Obake schlepped down to his chair in the cockpit.

"Great, so how do we get to Annapolis without bumping into," Kicking his brother sharply in the ankle, Crow stopped Jack before he could slip up within Obake's hearing. "Any competitors?" Shelving the retaliation for later, he actually seemed capable of prioritising the situation.

"There's a few forests that link together towards the north." Luna had been curious about the largest streak of green on the west coast and looked a little closer. They were currently hidden in the Nantahala Forest but growing north were the Pisgah, Cherokee and the larger Monongahela that would take them almost all the way to end of the journey. "If we go through the Cherokee Forest onto the I-81, we can follow the road to all the way to Washington and then we're practically in Annapolis."

"Are we really skipping breakfast?" Unable to think on an empty stomach (or a full one) Leo was focused on the most important meal of the day – the next one.

"Here." Pulling a packet of salmon from the fridge, Musume carelessly threw both it and a chilled lemon onto the table. "Enjoy yourself." As the rest of them tuned out Leo's breakfast, Crow passed him a penknife for the lemon.

"Once Leo's done with breakfast." Sprinkling the salmon with lemon, Leo was rolling the fish into tiny rolls and delicately inserting them into his mouth. As part of his eager charm, he wasn't waiting to finish the last one and it was causing a slight backlog. "Jack and Crow can get the Runners out from under the truck and we can get going." Making steady headway through the packet of salmon, Leo remained at the table with Yusei as the rest of the Duellists disembarked.

"Musume?" Hefting the rear wheel of Leo's Runner, Jack was edging closer to the truth as Musume and Crow carefully removed the Blackbird with exceptional care. "What did Yusei mean about riding his Duel Runner 'again'?"

"I had to ride it last night." Confounded with the problem of using her own Duel Disk or Yusei's, she ejected the default model and lobbed it back under the truck without concern for its condition. "I don't see the big deal." Scurrying back inside the truck, Crow retrieved the Disk and set in on the steps leading into the cabin.

"What I really want to know," Carefully straightening his jacket, Jack was growing unsettlingly calm. "Is who drove my Runner here?" Gently dusting a slip of grime from Leo's Runner, he stared down his brother with a predator's glare.

"Are you alright?" Negotiating her way down the few stairs to the driver's seat, Akiza checked in on her newest patient. So new, in fact, that she didn't know it yet.

"Fine." Brusquely slipping past, he headed back to the sink and began chugging several glasses of water. Seeing how his left hand was never far from pressing across his stomach, Akiza followed him to where Luna was aiding Yusei around the cabin. As Obake started his daily pill regime, the hand slipped slightly and she visibly tensed up.

"I'll live." A small red stain was visible on the hoodie as he tipped his head back to better swallow a painkiller.

"You're bleeding." Hearing the words, all attention – morbid and professional – turned to the unwilling patient. "Let me have a look."

"I said, I'm fine!" Slapping her hand away, Obake actually drooped against the side slightly. "There are other things you should be focussing on."

"Like if the driver faints at the wheel." With her latest cast currently struggling to stand unaided, it was clear Akiza was about to get her way. "In your current state, it wouldn't be that hard to get you to comply."

"Fine." Keeping himself steady with a trembling right hand, the left slowly reached up and undid the zip, letting the garment pool about his wrists. Taped to the lower right of his torso, the layered remains of his undershirt from the day before were held in place with layer upon layer of duct tape. A small patch of blood had formed through the cloth and stained the hoodie but nothing was seeping out now and he appeared to be in no imminent danger. What really occupied her attention was the rest of his body. No, not in that way.

Maybe the most interesting natural wound among them was the ropey scar across Yusei's belly from where a shard of glass had sliced it apart during his Shadow Duel with Kalin. From what was visible, Obake could put their combined efforts to shame. Fine lines crisscrossed in random patterns across his chest, dipping under and over large burn scars that patchworked about a third of his body. Two stabs wounds, much older than the latest addition, were a handspan apart near his stomach and heart. A thick rope pattern touched both shoulders and extended down his entire back, buckled slightly from where at least three ribs had broken and not set properly.

"My favourite," Breaking the growing silence, Obake reached up and tapped a gnarled lump on his right shoulder that passed the entire way through. Akiza recognised it as the area he would frequently grasp. "Crashed a car into some rebar on a construction site. One went right through my shoulder. Another three went through the person with a gun to my head in the passenger seat." Trying not to be sick, Luna turned away and tugged a confused Yusei with her. "Some people can tell the weather where a bone hasn't set properly, I have a scar that aches whenever I think about doing something stupid."

"What about that one?" Sickly curious, it was the wave patterns across Obake's spine that drew her attention. It looked like a heat burn but there were divots in it from where something had been pressed while the flesh was still sizzling.

"This one?" Turning, he indicated the ripples across his back. "Find a bunk with metal wire, run a current through it and you have an effective torture device." It was an old war trick cooked up decades before but still effective. Without a single point to focus on, many soldiers bit out their tongues in pain and died. "If you're quite done." Reaching for the hood, a visible twinge of pain broke through Akiza's stunned observation and kicked her medical senses into command.

"Let's get you sat down." Letting him lean heavily against the counter, she waved Luna over with the medicine box. Gently pulling away at the tape, she revealed the already congealed wound. It should easily have taken at least a week for it to reach that state. "Coagulant?" Noticing the two tiny needle marks just to the side of the wound, she came to the correct conclusion that he had taken a coagulant and local anaesthetic to cope with the wound. Rummaging through the contents, she settled for a quick fix and pulled out a medical sewing kit.

"Obviously." Being stabbed had put him in a sour mood. Being forced to be examined was putting him in a sour mood. Injecting himself with an experimental clotting agent, stolen from the SRC, that gave him a better chance of having a heart attack than an octogenarian with a life-long smoking habit had put him in a very sour mood. Taking the painkillers, vitamins and sugar pills had lifted his mood slightly. Hearing Akiza snap on a pair of gloves took away that happy edge. Watching her gently thread a needle to repeatedly stab him with a medical fashion, it drained the last of his joy.

"Don't take that tone." Her own mood was pretty angry following three injured friends and a veritable bloodbath. Taking snip from the only idiot who had treated themselves was not making it any better. "You should have at least asked me to take a look. How did you get all these?"

"Illegally moving between countries, getting caught stealing expensive items to get money to live, angering the wrong people before finding somebody who can arrange black market skin grafts." It explained the gross mismatch between most of his body and the visible bits. For a shady operation, the face and hands were at least on par with several surgeons Akiza could name. There was probably a good reason why it was illegal and she did not want to know what it was. "Since two of your friends are fighting to the death." Slammed against the window, the good doctor was so unfazed by the constant fights between Jack and Crow that she didn't even twitch as the needle slowly began sewing shut the wound properly. "I think your opinion has just been invalidated."

"It's just how they show love." Sliding the metal needle through his skin again, part of her mind was noting how the painkillers couldn't have taken effect that quickly and the night before's should have worn off. "Look, he's giving him a hug." Lifted off his feet by the neck, Crow began flailing wildly at his brother. Tying the suture off, she ignored the sound of choking coming from the marginally open window. "A nice, comfy hug." Growing tired of the fight, Musume fulfilled Akiza's constant fantasy and began tapping their heads together like two giant conkers.

"Can they still drive?" Staring down at the retching messes she had created, Leo sharply stepped back Musume scratched at sternum under the leather jacket.

"Probably." Between rounds of gasping for air, the two men heard it was more a command than a guess.

Admiring the stitching on his stomach, Obake had to lessen his snark slightly. "Thanks." Zipping his hoodie closed again, Obake tested the new limits of his mobility.

"Can someone tell me what's going on?" Fairly sure he was missing out on something, Yusei was literally and proverbially in the dark.

"Your brothers are fighting to the death and Akiza had to deal with a stab wound." Helping Yusei into one of the front four seats, Luna slipped into the front passenger chair and waited for the Duel Runners to slip away first.

"It's Friday then?" Hearing the roar of his Runner drive off, Yusei felt strangely disassociated as he remained in his seat. It was like a key part of his personality was leaving him behind. At least his eyesight was slowly getting better. At least three-ish colours were starting to become present in his vision and the distinction between outside and inside was getting better.

As Obake slowly followed the four Duel Runners – two of them gradually growing less weaving as time went by – it was impossible for them to know that events had already been set in motion that would send even more shockwaves through the group. This time, there would be no recovering from the fallout.

---

Acting as part of a unit was new to Musume. Running alone was much more familiar ground. It made for fewer headaches. Like the argument she was currently embroiled in between herself and the three men. Jack was threatening bodily harm to Crow and heavy bribes to Leo in exchange for the opportunity to lead. Crow was attempting to weasel his 'rightful position' with insidious political negotiations. As for Leo, he was torn down the middle and trying to push the newest member to take the lead.

"Why does it even matter?" Stuck behind in the truck and cut off from the conversation, Akiza and Luna were trying to interpret the wildly waving arm signals as all three tried to telekinetically tear the red Runner rider apart with their collective wills.

"How bad is it?" Able to spot the blurry outline of trees and/or sky by this time, Yusei could sense the confusion in the cabin.

"Did you want to be looped in?" Under most ordinary circumstances, only other Duellists could listen into other Duel Runners outside of a Duel. Taking every possible precaution for the event, Obake may have cannibalised the stolen remains of Duel Runner from a scrap heap until he could eavesdrop on any Runner within three square miles.

Seeing two of the Runners ahead of them veer dangerously close to one another in an effort to edge ahead, they took a unanimous vote not to try and hear the conversation. Instead, something unexpected happened. A formerly unnoticed panel above Obake's head suddenly lit up and began screeching static for several seconds.

"Breaker-breaker, you there Ghost?" Careful to hang tight to the headrest by her knees, Akiza leant down to join Luna and a slightly misdirected Yusei in staring at their driver as he tried harder than normal to avoid making any eye contact.

"I'm not going to ask." There was a definite dash of 'but I really want to know' with more than a hint of 'and you're going to tell me anyway' as the old CB radio sounded again.

"Break-breaker, say again, have you got your cans on Ghost?" Over the course of the week, Obake had gradually grown a rugged beard that he could scratch evasively as he started to crack.

"Weeelll, I may have visited a few trucks stations while we stopped for the nights." It had been a few miles refreshing walk to avoid being traced back to the track each time. Reaching up to the glowing panel, he snatched down a microphone and held it before him.

"This is Ghost, five by five." It suddenly occurred to all three that both his hands should definitely be dedicated to driving the truck at about the same time a sharp bend arrived in the road ahead. "Hold up a second." Gripping the steering wheel with only two fingers, he wrenched into a new gear. "Sorry about that, I was ten-ten in the wind."

"Heard that." Despite the colossal advancements in technology contained within the van, the radio still had that particular crackle unique to radio conversations. "Snowball here." Understanding dawned on his face and the Brit was practically bouncing in his seat with joy.

"Snowball! Haven't seen you since that choke and puke!" Whatever crazy language their driver was speaking in was lost on the group. "It was cotton-picking for sure."

"Do you have any idea what he's talking about?" Fluent in Japanese, German and English, with a smattering of other languages in the mix, whatever nonsense Obake was speaking was outside the realms of Akiza's understanding.

"None." Able to converse in just about every language under the sun and with even the most isolated of nerds, Luna was stumped by the peculiar dialect.

"Ten-four. I heard you were following that big race thingy across the belt." Minor despair flared in all three as the biggest Duelling event ever was delegated to a race.

"Currently somewhere in Oklahoma or Tennessee. We haven't seen many signs in the past few hours." Minor static filled the air for a moment as Snowball examined maps on the far side of the connection.

"Ma-ah-ah-an, you have got to be some special kind of lost." Four eyes turned to observe the sheepish radio operator.

"Is there something I can help you with or is this a social call?" Strangely masculine screams of laughter transmitted themselves across the link.

"Yeah, I've been running into some plain wrappers on the lookout for you along the west coast." All humour dropped from his face as Obake leant forward.

"Come again?" Last traces of enjoyment finally drained from his holiday, fear was quick to set in as the situation turned sour.

"Ten-six." After several seconds the voice slowly returned. "Yeah, copy that. Who did you upset this time?" Like many men, this one also believed everybody knew everything he did and started colouring from embarrassment.

"I might have ticked off a few full grown's and disturbed some wall-to-walls - about four." Instead of learning something useful, it appeared that he was fluent in trucker-talk.

"Enjoy your ten-thirty-three." More laughter continued down the line, sustained by several other voices.

"Snowball, I owe you one. Don't go feeding the bears or being a stranger. Three's and eight's, over and out." A piercing whine filled the air as the line dropped and the radio moved back into hibernation as Obake hunched his shoulders and scowled at the road.

"Who was that?" A slight hole in the road caused Akiza to bump her ear against the padded headrest as she leaned back in her seat.

"Snowball's a lovely lady I ran into at a nasty little truck stop when I needed some directions. It's a long story but she's a great gal making her way in the world." At no point in the entirety of her time at the SRC would Akiza have thought she would hear him say the word 'gal' but there it was. "I pulled a few tricks when we met and we decided to keep in contact."

"So," Luna was amazed that anybody still spoke trucker and had barely been able to follow every third word of the weird conversation. "What did she want?"

"It appears that somebody has been seen in the area, asking about me." All voices instantly fell silent. "Which is odd, considering nobody has really seen my face and nobody knows where I was heading." Uncomfortable with continuing to lie to a man who had taken a knife to try and protect her friends, Luna almost spoke up as they finally left the backroads behind. Slowing to a halt behind the quartet of Runners, the small convoy joined the I-81 and finally started picking up speed towards Annapolis.

"Maybe it's just Team Wrecker again?" Taking advantage of their narrower frames, the Runners began switching lanes faster than a con-man doing the three-card Monte as Akiza attempted to deflect the obvious implication.

"Except that Snowball specified they were 'plain wrappers' – police without the uniform." In a world run on probability, the odds of Obake being investigated by any agency – especially when he should be legally non-existent – when they knew Yliaster were hunting down Team 5D's was in the high billions. "Is there something I should know?" An arching eyebrow the only indication of any eye movement, he slowly checked around the cabin with his peripheral vision.

"Yes," Barely onto the highway, danger was quick to rear an ugly head. On the console screen usually left to Luna to operate, a small series of blips had appeared on a map overlay. "Four Duellists from Bluff City." Only a few miles to the west, any Duellist moving to intercept them mere minutes after getting onto the highway would simply drive on the parallel Route 19 and Route 11 to ambush them at the junction past Bristol.

"Is there any way to avoid them?" Gripping the edge of her headrest, Yusei was trying to will his eyes to function properly. It was slow work but he had already made vast progress that morning.

"They have a substantial lead and we probably have more traffic." Weaving around a much smaller RV, the thundering truck left a cacophony of blaring horns. "Either way, it will be close." Oblivious to the growing danger, the team out on the road ahead was still embroiled in their pointless argument.

"Because it presents a unified front." Unaware of an incipient demise, the three men were attempting to explain the ridiculous concept of having their best Duellist lead.

"But why not have the new guy lead to lull them into a false sense of security?" It was a reasonable argument. For some reason, the Y chromosome seemed to stunt the men's intellect and they were stubbornly sticking to the same idea.

"That's not the way we do it." Forcing Leo to the front, Musume was able to reach a perfect compromise where everybody was angry at her and progress was actually being made.

"Is this thing working?" Screeching feedback sounded in their helmets as Luna tapped a microphone back in the truck trailing behind them.

"Luna?" Suddenly fearful that his previously innocent explanations could be used against him, Leo gained a little extra space behind him and the truck.

"There are four Duellists leaving Bluff City, fourteen miles west." Acting on shared impulse, the tight formation of Runners began increasing the distance from the truck as they gained speed.

"Can that lumbering behemoth keep up with us?" Displeased with the unwarranted insult, Obake floored the accelerator, dodged a slow car transport and retook a large chunk of lost distance.

"Kindly tell your friend," Caught in the uncomfortable position to act as a relay between the driver of the truck and the unofficial leader of the Runners, Luna squirmed very slightly. "That speed is not an issue." Mounting the hard shoulder slightly, probably-amazed onlookers watched as the massive transport blurred past and began eating up the miles with gusto.

As the team rapidly drew parallel with the second iteration of Bristol – at least as bad as the first – it remained possible that they could outpace the Yliaster ambush before it was sprung. Traffic was yet to grow to troublesome levels, conditions were good and there was nothing in sight to indicate that was about to change. There was a brief moment when Team 5D's allowed themselves the opportunity to feel optimistic. More world-weary than the others, Musume prepared for disappointment and optimism had never been Obake's strongest motivator.

They were literally seconds from passing the second of four junctions to the nearby town when circumstances turned against them. Flashing up on an overhang, convenient speed limits rapidly created a veritable wall of braking vehicles. Throwing mental gratitude to whoever had installed the harnesses, three members in the truck were grateful to still be alive and the fourth was cursing his luck at not shooting through the windscreen to a quick death.

---

Nobody had to point out the coincidental nature as even the four Runners struggled to negotiate through the instantly crowded cars. By the time they had managed to pass the third junction, the four signals were quietly idling at the last junction with ominous intent. Literally until the traffic suddenly cut them off, Leo had been harbouring a faint hope that it could be some opportunistic Duellists just waiting for passing competitors.

"Jack and Leo, Crow and me." Sparing all the expense, Musume cut her words down to the bare minimum as they approached the final turning.

"Make sure to stick close." Annoyingly aware that Obake had no idea they were in actual danger, Yusei wished his eyes had been working this well when they set off two hours earlier. Details were still blurry but objects like cars and road markings were becoming increasingly easier to see. An expert Duellist and genius scientist, he would have put the probability of winning a Duel in his condition at an easy one in three.

There is a long-standing tradition of shadowy organisations believing that wearing black somehow makes them seem dangerous and sinister. When four pitch-black Duel Runners suddenly burst out in ambush, it was less important that they all be dressed in identical shades of charcoal grey – possibly because four Duel Runners and uniforms in black were too expensive – and more menacing if they actually managed to stay in formation.

"Jack?" Switching to a private channel, Crow had to swerve to avoid crashing into a careering vehicle as it struggled to pull alongside him. "If I die Duelling one of these idiots, kill me."

"It would be my pleasure." Observing two Runners almost collide with one another, Jack would have asked for a similar arrangement if he thought there was a chance of him losing.

"Signers!" Wobbling in the Runner as he threw out a challenging finger, the most stable rider was the closest possible thing they had to a leader. "We challenge you to a Tag-Team Turbo Duel!"

"Have you ever ridden a Duel Runner before?" If he could, Leo would have reached out and steadied the constantly wobbling group.

"Not really." Careering almost into Musume, only a quick boot was enough to shove away the imminent collision. "We're new at this."

"Crow?" Momentarily opening another private channel, Jack reconnected with his brother. "If one of these idiots actually kills me, kill me again."

"Stick close." Even a blind man had eyes good enough to see the danger brewing ahead of them and Yusei's eyes were nearly, almost, not quite back to normal.

(Turn 1)

Leo/Jack: LP: 4000 SC:1 Hand:6/5 Field: None Graveyard: None

Agent/Agent: LP: 4000 SC:1 Hand:5/5 Field: None Graveyard: None

"So, do you actually have names?" As Leo picked through his cards, he still seemed trying to be friends with everything that moved – including the two Duellists trying to kill them. "We've just been calling you Agents so far." Two helmeted heads regarded him with suspicion. Nobody had ever encountered somebody like Leo until they met him.

"Focus on the task at hand." Barking out the order, Jack tried to evaluate their two opponents. By all rights, they seemed like pathetic newcomers to the Turbo world, not the hardy stock Yliaster had sent previously.

"I set one monster and two cards." Many people he Duelled against thought Leo deliberately aggravating or intentionally distracting. In reality, the person Leo most distracted was himself with the endless urge to be kind to everybody. "Does this mean I don't get a turn for, like, another three?" Back inside the driving cockpit, similar questions were being asked.

"How does a Tag-Team Duel work?" All other vehicles politely giving a wide berth to the two burgeoning Duels, Obake was creeping as close as he could without risking a hologram inside the actual cabin at the bequest of his friends.

"Two players share a field and graveyard but maintain their own hands and Decks." Leaning into the gap between their seats to get a better view through the windscreen, Akiza and Yusei were practically touching as the Duels unfolded. "In a Tag Turbo Duel, they also share one set of Speed Counters." So even if one person played a good strategy, it could severely hurt anything their partner had planned. None of the four Duellists had ever played together and Musume was the perfect example of a wild card. In this Duel, Yliaster would have a strong advantage. Theoretically. One of their Runners was moving so much from side-to-side the rider could probably become sea-sick from the repeated motion.

(Turn 1)

Musume/Crow: LP: 4000 SC:1 Hand:6/5 Field: None Graveyard: None

Agent/Agent: LP: 4000 SC:1 Hand:5/5 Field: None Graveyard: None

"Keep your feathers ruffled," Playing to her strengths, she was quick to slam a pair of powerful cards into the bottom row. "Things are going to get ugly." She could feel it, bashing against her in chaotic harmony. There more than just one Shadow Card present and with the identical Agents constantly circling, she couldn't keep track of who was who. Wearing uniform outfits and riding identical Runners suddenly didn't seem so ridiculous. "I summon Eccentric Boy (L3/800 ATK/200 DEF)!" A smug child with a face only a mother could love, Musume admired the card more because of the significance of the wings. They were a deep, ruby red and reminded her of an important part of her family's heritage. "With the help of a monster in my hand, I can perform a Synchro summon at the cost of the Synchro monster being unable to use its ability." Discarding a Level 2 Magical Plant Mandragola, the familiar green rings and white stars enveloped the air above her. "Appear, Accel Synchron!"

If Formula Synchron was a baby monster, there was no doubt was the big sibling. Standing ten feet tall and based around a streamlined red Runner, Accel Synchron quietly revved alongside Musume with a strong 2100 DEF protecting her from any attack.

"Wow, that was really something." Few Duellists could pull off a Synchron on their first turn and the name was clue enough to what she was capable of. At that moment, Crow was happy he had been partnered with her instead of Jack. "Do you have one of those to spare?"

"For you?" Weaving around and around the new monster, she slipped back and forth across the field in a dizzying series of circles. "Not a chance."

(Turn 2)

Leo/Jack: LP: 4000 SC:2 Hand:3/5 Field: 1 Monster, 2 Spell/Trap Graveyard: None

Agent/Agent: LP: 4000 SC:2 Hand:6/5 Field: None Graveyard: None

"Leo!" Already regretting his choice of companion – although Crow and/or Musume would probably have him driving straight into the first Shadow Card that came his way – Jack had to shout instructions to keep his young companion focussed.

"Sorry, sorry." Forcing himself to stop trying to talk down the obviously last-ditch efforts of Yliaster to send a team, Leo watched as a wobbly arm trembled to lay a single card.

"I set one card in defence mode." Even that simple task seemed too much and the trembling man clung to the Runner like his life depended on it. Moving at such speeds, even the slightest shift in balance could spell a death sentence and nobody on the Yliaster team seemed able to do much more than quiver. "Two face-down cards and end my turn." Barely able to shuffle the cards into place, he concentrated more on not dying.

"Have any of you actually ridden a Duel Runner before?" Unable to help his good nature, Leo was genuinely concerned for their opponents. If not for their health than for the danger they presented if any of them fell in the road.

"Joe did once." A trembling arm rose up from one of the other Runners foolishly trying to take on the world reigning Turbo Duel Champion and waved. "Broke his clavicle. We're more into research anyway." Sure enough, there seemed to be a tiny divot in the wave. Possibly from where Joe's arm hadn't healed properly.

(Turn 2)

Musume/Crow: LP: 4000 SC:2 Hand:2/5 Field: 1 Monster, 2 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 2 Monster

Agent/Agent: LP: 4000 SC:2 Hand:6/5 Field: None Graveyard: None

"Hang on," Darting around a slow blue car, Crow almost expected it to bounce of the truck behind them. "So you're just a bunch of nerds? Wasn't there some ultra-powerful super-Duellist available?" Similar thoughts were going through the minds of his teammates. In their past encounters, Yliaster had used everything from notoriously difficult Anti-Decks to an army of Duel Bots. Dealing with a handful of nerds was a bigger kick in the teeth than actually being kicked in the teeth.

"She was deployed in Cincinnati." Clinging tightly to the shuddering frame, the Agent actually wet his pants as he drove over a small patch of loose gravel under a bridge. Even the meandering paths of his colleagues quickly moved out of the slipstream.

"Sorry, what?" Waiting for the turn to be taken, Crow actually felt two miles whisper by as he processed the news. It was difficult to comprehend. There had been a killer Duellist but they happened to be in the wrong city? Was it possible that somebody, somewhere was sitting at a computer terminal and saying 'whoops'?

"Nobody expected you to come this far south!" Wailing slightly, the scent of ammonia was thankfully stolen away by the wind as they passed over a tiny bump in the road. "We last knew you were in a town called Sparta!" Nobody had called attention to it before but suddenly Musume was laughing through their headsets as she realised why Crow had chosen that particular town to stop outside. Barely a few score Spartans had once held off an entire Persian army. Maybe he had been hoping some luck would rub off on the team.

"Take that!" Another dribbled of urine eked from his bladder as the Agent placed three cards down and set a monster. Finally breaking the pattern, the turn cycled back around as they all switched focus back to the other Duel.

(Turn 3)

Leo/Jack: LP: 4000 SC:3 Hand:3/6 Field: 1 Monster, 2 Spell/Trap Graveyard: None

Agent/Agent: LP: 4000 SC:3 Hand:3/5 Field: 1 Monster, 2 Spell/Trap Graveyard: None

"Are Tag Turbo Duels always this complicated?" Noticing the splatter of some currently unknown liquid on his windscreen, Obake calmly washed it away as he headed under an innocent overpass.

"No, we just all want to know what's going on." Careful to skip around the truth, Yusei placed a controlling hand on Luna's shoulder to stop her interrupting. "That's why both Duels are taking turns. It might look confusing," Steadying himself as they dodged another slow car, the holograms were making it constantly more difficult to see the road ahead. "But they just want to see how each other are doing."

"I think it's about time we cranked this up a notch." Taking the backseat had been a gallant gesture on his part but Jack didn't plan on doing it ever again. Too many turns had gone past without his input and it was long past time he did something. Checking the monster on his shared field, Jack observed his options. Everything had to be done in the right order or it would all fall apart. "I summon Top Runner (L4/1100 ATK/800 DEF)!" Sprinting from behind the distant truck, a sleek robotic form quickly set pace beside them with a heavy gold medal thumping away on its chest. "But don't look for long because I'm flip summoning Morphtronic Radion (L4/1000 ATK/900 DEF)!" As the machine assembled itself, he grudgingly agreed that it had been a smart move. While in defence position, Radion would receive an extra 900 DEF, easily making itself a sturdy line.

"Isn't this a bit premature?" Already bracing themselves against various solid surfaces, Obake projected a stupefied air at his passengers' reactions. Although they might stir up a big of wind now and then, the monsters were still just simple holograms. Weren't they? "I bet he's just worried that Musume will show him up." With a woman's intuition, Akiza had hit the nail perfectly on the head.

"Bear witness to the overwhelming inferno of power and might, forged from machine and flame." Air rushed forward, creating a sort of null space around the group as Top Runner Tuned together with Radion. "Shake the heavens, Red Dragon Archfiend!" Exploding outwards in a billow of ash and smoke, the most recognisable monster of the time roared into the skies. "Strike down his monster with Absolute Powerforce!" Drawing back one scaled fist, the very air ignited as it drove straight through the card and into the road. Leaves whistled off the trees and one ambitiously planted pine tree quickly lost all needles. Seven runners, one truck and a passing sports car struggled to maintain a straight line as the shockwaves threatened to blow them clear of the road.

"Meep!" As the shattered remains of a porcelain jar faded from the field, a hissing green cobra curled defensively around the Duellist. Who then tried to knock the hologram off.

"Cobra Jar." Explained Leo, as the Agent risked falling into the road in attempts to shift the collection of photons. "A Level 2 monster. Flip effect: Special Summon a Level 3 'Poisonous Snake Token' with 1200 ATK and DEF. When destroyed by battle, it takes 500 Life Points from the opponent." As a Token monster, it would be unaffected by Red Dragon Archfiend's ability. But there was a more pressing concern.

"Did you actually eat a database?" Not entirely sure if it was even possible, Jack broke the question just in case. A lot of Duellists knew a lot of cards yet Leo was bordering on omnipotent levels.

"What? You're the one who said it was always best to know everything you could in advance." Technically true. Actually, Jack had said it was best to be prepared for anything in an interview he had given ten years ago. Leo had taken the words to heart after entering the circuits and spent several months absorbing all possible Duel Monsters knowledge. There were probably facts locked away inside his head that designers didn't know about.

"By removing two Speed Counters, I activate Speed Spell – Sonic Buster." Roaring in triumph at finally being able to do some damage, the Speed Spell let inflicted half of Red Dragon Archfiend's ATK to the other team with a blast of scorching fire. Unable to do anything else, Jack set a card and passed the baton.

(Turn 3)

Musume/Crow: LP: 4000 SC:3 Hand:3/6 Field: 1 Monster, 2 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 2 Monster

Agent/Agent: LP: 4000 SC:3 Hand:2/5 Field: 1 Monster, 3 Spell/Trap Graveyard: None

"Okay," Finally getting around to Crow's turn, the group was hoping to see some actual action. "Let's get cracking." Everything so far had been too docile. Even Red Dragon Archfiend had been stopped from dealing proper damage and they all wanted bloodshed. At least, that was the opinion of the good guys and Yliaster proper. The patsy research team probably just wanted to be far away from all the trouble.

A quick glance at the cards Musume had left him proved fruitful. Speed Spell – Mind Control, great for taking an opponent's monster, useless if it was set. Urgent Tuning, just in case he wanted to go about things from a different angle. Not bad.

"From my hand, I summon Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame (L4/1800 ATK/1200 DEF)!" With taloned hunting legs and two enhanced sets of claws, the magnificent blue beak screamed an unseen advantage. "And because I have another Blackwing monster on the field, I can special summon Blackwing – Bora the Spear (L4 /1700 ATK/800 DEF)." Carrying that heavy weapon, one of Crow's most versatile monsters joined the fight. "Even when Bora attacks a monster in defence position, it still inflicts damage to my opponent. Let's see what's behind door number one!" Stabbing through the card, the hidden contestant revealed itself.

"Th-thanks to the effect of my Fortress Warrior(L2/600 ATK/1200 DEF)," Trying to wipe his brow, the Agent squeaked as he was realised he was steering with only one hand. "It can't be destroyed in battle once a turn." Even though it also couldn't take Battle damage, the effect of Bora the Spear meant Crow was actually inflicting Piercing damage. A legal distinction but still enough to get the job done.

"You lousy..." Biting his tongue, Jack forced himself to count to five before continuing. "That's Yusei's card."

"It's okay, anybody can use that card. Well," Sending in Shura the Blue Flame, Crow amended the list slightly. "Anyone except this guy. Oh, and because Shura destroyed a monster, I can Special summon Blackwing – Kochi the Daybreak (L4/700 ATK/1500 DEF)." Not to be shown up, the plumed monster was barely on the field long enough for its status as a Tuner to be put to use. "Let two Blackwings beat as one to soar to even greater heights. Spread your wings, Black-Winged Dragon!" A shattering howl split the air as several sets of wings unfolded themselves about the monster.

"It's been a while." Looking up at the hovering creature, Musume smiled beneath her mask. Of all the Signer Dragons, this was easily her favourite. "Hey, Crow." Edging close behind his Runner, she could hear the enjoyment and laughter in her own voice. It was a rare occurrence. "You know it's technically a wyrm, don't you?"

"Ha, I knew it wasn't a real dragon!" Throwing down an old gauntlet, Jack picked up the technicality for new ammunition.

"I doubt you could even spell wyrm!" Descending into another argument, Crow shoved in two Trap cards and ended his turn.

(Turn 4)

Leo/Jack: LP: 4000 SC:2 Hand:3/3 Field: 1 Monster, 3 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 2 Monster, 1 Spell/Trap

Agent/Agent: LP: 2500 SC:4 Hand:3/6 Field: 1 Monster, 2 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 1 Monster

"I activate Speed Spell – Half Seize." Forcing Red Dragon Archfiend closer to the ground, the Agent claimed half its ATK for their Life Points, bringing them full circle. "I tribute my Snake Token to summon Mist Archfiend(L5/2400 ATK/0 DEF)." Coalescing from the scattered clouds above, a literal red mist beneath a black exoskeleton quickly formed on the other field. Leaving behind no vapour to draw on, it was clear this monster had more substance than a mere hologram. A Shadow Card. "Um, attack?" As green as his monster was red, the Duellist seemed lax on how to make a move as his monster swooped across the field and enveloped the dragon with a scream.

"Trap card, activate!" Below and flashes appeared from within the crowd for several tense moments. As the mist drifted away, it was clear that it was just the remains of the Yliaster monster. "Overgain gives one monster 1000 ATK extra but stops them from attacking for one turn." Already expecting a weakening move, Jack had planted the trap just moments before. "Looks like you're not going to be mist." In her enjoyment at seeing Black-Winged Dragon again, Musume had been too distracted from feeling the imminent use of a Shadow Card and was cursing herself. Then she heard the lame joke and judged it to be punishment enough.

"Oh yeah?" Missing the bantery pun completely, the Agent just continued to plough on ahead. "Thanks to Speed Spell – Tremendous Fire, I can inflict 1000 Damage to your Life Points." Too quick for Leo to point out the obvious, a backlash struck against the Agent, taking away 500 Life Points of his own. "This isn't going well."

"No." Angry now that they had played a Shadow Card, Leo stopped trying to connect with the despicable people. "It's not."

(Turn 4)

Musume/Crow: LP: 4000 SC:3 Hand:3/1 Field: 3 Monster, 4 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 4 Monster

Agent/Agent: LP: 3500 SC:4 Hand:2/6 Field: 3 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 1 Monster

"Darkness unleashed, fall into the grave eternal," Recognising the proper pedantic posturing that preceded a Shadow Card, both Duels tensed in anticipation. "I activate the effect of Hellhound!" Ebbing darkness began dripping from above and sloughing from the suddenly perfectly stable Duel Runner. "By discarding this monster and sacrificing my turn, I can destroy a Synchro monster on the opponent's side of the field." A powerful effect but at a ridiculous cost. There was more to this card, there had to be. "And – when used in a Tag Duel – the owner of the card is removed from the game for as long as the monster is in the graveyard." Recognising the danger, Musume braced herself as the grime began settling about her Accel Synchron and dribbling towards her borrowed Duel Runner. "Of course, this is a Shadow Card. Leaving the game is a bit more permanent than you think." Nobody ever really welcomed the end. There was always a tiny fraction of time where the life flashes before the eyes and good bits shine through. By the time that happens, it's generally too late to do anything. No, Musume didn't welcome death but she was ready for it to come.

"Do me a favour," Knocking Musume to one side, Crow activated a face-down card left behind from his turn. In the panic, they had forgotten he was still in control of their half the field. "Take care of them for me." He might not be as grandiose as his brothers but Crow Hogan was definitely a hero.

"What?" Above them, Black-Winged Dragon gently enveloped her monster, covering its wings in darkness and staining itself a deeper black as the colour began to reflect on its owner.

"Sorry about the loan, Yusei." Recognising the card, Yusei didn't even have to check his Deck to know where Crow had obtained it had come from. Skill Twist, a trap card that allowed the switching of a monster's effect to another viable target. "Looks like I'll just have to owe you." Sludge joining at the top of his helmet and covering his face, the darkness flattened like an oil slick on the road and then was just... gone.

It was inconceivable. One minute, Crow had been riding just ahead of them and seemed on the verge of winning his Duel with Musume. Then the darkness had simply engulfed him and left nothing behind. "Whoa!" Their horror was marred by the casual excitement of Obake. In their hurry to engage the danger, they had completely forgotten the driver of the truck. "Where did he go?" Lacking their understanding of the powers of Shadows, he seemed to still be under the impression that this was simply a regular Duel.

Clutching at the edges of the passenger seat, Luna was the first to return to her senses and spot the biggest weakness in the deadly battle – Obake's ignorance. Turning to him, she tried to stop the tears spilling from her eyes. "Obake." Hearing the fear in her voice, any possible enjoyment slipped from the situation. "Everything about Yliaster is true. That's a Shadow Duel going on outside." Silence took over inside the cabin. For six years, Yusei had told the man who thought of him as a friend that the information he had stolen had belonged to a crazy organisation. Learning it was true was enough to push him to the brink of sanity.

"It's all true?" Outside, Jack and Leo began to realise just how much trouble they were all in now that they were a man down. "Shadows and Signers? Dragons and Dark Duels? All of it?" Nodding once, Luna watched how tight his hands became on the steering wheel. "And everybody knew but nobody told me?" Knuckles popped and cracked as the fingers continued to tighten.

Reaching into his pocket, one pale hand morosely withdrew a thin strip of fabric. Sunglasses barely took the edge off the glare and cut off his peripheral vision, leaving him feeling half-blind but attracted far less attention than wearing a blindfold the entire time. Throwing the glasses out of the window and tying the cloth back over his face, the tiny sliver of normal life he had attempted to live was cut drastically short.

"Tell your people to get ready." No longer the smiling face that had reached out a kind hand to everybody in the competition, the driver was simply Obake of the SRC. Bereft of emotions, robotic in outlook. Tapping out commands on the panel, everything he could do was so much faster now that he could see it properly. "Take this." Physically pulling the steering wheel from the dashboard, an extra set of peddles dropped from nowhere into Luna's footwell. "Try not to crash." Slamming the instrument into a freshly opened slot on her side, Obake dragged a chunky tablet from down the side of his chair before hustling up the small flight of stairs. At the top was a barely visible trapdoor that led into the main hold. Dropping through, he left the crying onlookers to get revenge for their friend.

(Turn 5)

Leo/Jack: LP: 3000 SC:2 Hand:4/3 Field: 1 Monster, 3 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 2 Monster, 1 Spell/Trap

Agent/Agent: LP: 3500 SC:4 Hand:3/3 Field: 1 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 3 Monster, 2 Spell/Trap

It was technically Leo's turn but he couldn't move. Fighting for his life meant nothing, fighting for his friends meant everything. Seeing one of them so close fall when he could do nothing had shaken him to the core. There wasn't even room for horror beneath his guilt.

"Shape up." Losing what little patience he had cultivated over the years, only the fact they were moving spared the Agents from certain death. If they had all been on the ground, lives would have ended in quick succession. "We can't afford to waste time." Slowly coming around to Jack's way of thinking, Leo looked at the Agent with a burning gaze.

"I activate Morphtronic Impact Return." Sliding his hand past the freshly drawn Gadget Hauler to the Morphtronic Cameran slightly to its left, he returned it to his Deck. There was a chance that the face-down card on the other side of the field could redirect an attack back at them and he didn't want the opportunity for another lost member. "By returning one Morphtronic monster from my hand to my Deck, I can return up to two Spell or Traps from your side of the field to yours." Suddenly naked without any defence, the Agent tried to squeeze between two cars up ahead that simply moved to one side of the road and left him alone. "Red Dragon Archfiend." Wishing for one dreadful moment that he had the power to make them hurt as much as Yliaster had just hurt his family, Leo sent the monster closing in for the kill.

(Turn 4)

Musume/Crow: LP: 4000 SC:3 Hand:3/1 Field: 2 Monster, 3 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 4 Monster, 1 Spell/Trap

Agent/Agent: LP: 3500 SC:4 Hand:2/6 Field: 3 Spell/Trap Graveyard: 1 Monster

"Chiki allqu! Aka uma! Uspha q'uruta!" Screaming in an ancient dialect, Musume was beside herself with anger and rage. She had long proven that there was really only one place to be when she was angry – very far away. It took every ounce of control she had to stop swearing and marshal her thoughts. "Luna?" Grating her teeth, she struggled to think of the safety of anybody else on the road.

"Yes?" Wiping her eyes every few seconds, the tearful young woman was struggling to drive the truck.

"Find me a straight bit of road with no people." Unbuckling her five-point harness, Akiza stumbled to operate the tablet embedded in the central console as Luna focused on driving. They had just missed a turning for the I-77, far less populated than the I-81 the group was still travelling on. "I'm going to rip these rumi sunqu apart." Her tone – if not the words themselves – made the sentiment perfectly clear and nobody was inclined to argue.

"There's," Swallowing through her anger, Akiza forced herself not to take control of the vehicle and run down the people who had just torn her small family apart. "There's a stretch of road off the junction in six miles." Six miles, four minutes travel. One member still gone. Three Duellists still in grave danger.

"Got it." Tracking back through the hole in the floor, Obake had been banged around pretty hard during his labours. A welt was raising across left eyebrow and there was blood coming from a cut behind his ear. Dragging several trailing wires with him, he fell back into his seat and rescued Luna from the impossible task of having to drive through her grief. Extracting a roll of masking tape from his pocket, a few crude strokes secured the handheld computer to the front of the steering wheel. If they somehow set off the airbags, it would be a veritable claymore to the face. "Does anybody have a plan?" Crunching gears with a freshly bruised hand, he gained another notch on the dials and another few feet to the remaining Duellists.

"Take the next junction." Hollow without his brother, Yusei could feel everything important he had worked hard for slip away between his fingertips. Thankful for the six adaptable wheels, Obake was able to take the corner with the minimum amount of smoke and the maximum amount of speed, keeping within range of the fast-paced Duel.

Out on the road, Musume had memorised what she needed of the map. A mile from the junction to the straight, no remaining settlements since the last economic disaster had wiped them all out. Forty seconds to make her move.

"I activate Speed Spell – Double Summon." Able to summon two monsters this turn, Musume would have to be careful about running out of room on her field. "From my hand, I summon Twilight Rose Knight (L3/1000 ATK/1000 DEF) and Violet Witch (L4/1100 ATK/1200 DEF)." Back in the cabin, even through her grief, the three Duellists managed to lift their heads at the combination. It wasn't one of Musume's but a play straight from Akiza's own Deck. "Let the knowledge be shared and empower the noble," Dissolving into stars, the tiny knight became a trio of bands that quickly ensnared the witch and gave her an upgrade. "Dispense your magic, Arcanite Magician (L7/400 ATK/1800 DEF)." Wearing a pointed purple robe that matched flawlessly against her skin, an overpowering mage appeared on Musume's side of the field. Bolstered by an effect and two gratuity Spell Counters, it quickly moved from 400 ATK to 2400 ATK, the orb in an antique staff glowing brighter as it did.

"Where did she get those cards from?" Starting to number in shock, Akiza could find it in herself to ask the question as Musume swiftly move into the straight section of the road and the next phase of her plan. One-point-one more miles, forty-three more seconds. Feeling the surge in the Duel Runner beneath her, Musume bared her teeth in a predatory snarl.

"You wanted a Shadow Duel?" Revving the engine, she pulled off a long wheelie as the power beneath her continued to grow. "Reap what you sowed!" Plunging down, she powered ahead as her monsters dissolved into blasts of bloody light. "Destiny rewrites as bloodlines converge, the storm bringer descends once more!" An envelope of crimson engulfed her and she blasted ahead, momentarily lifting from the ground on trails of blazing flame that the others swerved to avoid. Bloody Synchro rings cut open a path to let the Accel Slipstream swallow her whole.

"Where did she go?" Clearly, nobody had told the three researchers and what they now knew to be a trained Duellist about the Accel Slipstream.

"Final Form Accel Synchro!" Space rippled and warped as Musume reappeared, blasting past the truck with all the subtlety and power of a nuclear missile. "Grace us with your presence, Crimson Blaze Dragon!" Trailing behind her came the shining, twisting form that ruled all their lives. Spreading both wings far enough to turn the light bloody, an ear-splitting roar reverberated through the air, audible as far Roanoke to the far north-east and felt across the entire world to those that knew of the reality beneath what all could see.

Taking advantage of the shock about her, Musume had less than fifteen seconds before she ran out of straight road and was forced to slow down again. "I activate the special ability of Crimson Blaze Dragon." Reaching down one talon, the very tip touched the graveyard section of her Duel Disk. "By returning it to the Extra Deck, I can Special Summon one Dragon-Type Synchro monster from the graveyard." Vanishing in a twinkle of light, the light filtered down to her wrist before springing back out in a blaze of glory. "As an... added bonus," Breathing heavily through the effort needed to manifest the creature for even a few seconds, Musume was feeling the strain as the light began to form something new. "My opponent takes damage equal to the ATK of my new monster." Outlined in red, the dragon was joined by a familiar looking shade. "And with Black-Feather Dragon back in play," Shattering through a crimson cocoon, life returned to the life of the party. "Can Crow come out to play?" Cheering sounded on all sides, almost throwing the truck clear from the road as they shook the driver's control in the jubilation. Forming a point around the swerving man, the three undefeated members of Team 5D's made it clear he wasn't going anywhere again.

"Luna," Recognising the change in circumstances, Obake picked his moment carefully. "Tell your friends to drop behind us." A deadly note in his voice put a serious damper on the joyful mood.

"Guys," Smiling with joy through her tears of grief, Luna isolated her friends in a private channel. "Obake says to drop back behind the truck. I think he's got a plan." Filtering to the outside of the road, the Yliaster Duellists probably thought they were just changing partners for the next in the suicidal Duel.

"What's going on?" Wherever he had been, it had been enough to drain Crow of all energy and disorient him with ease. Something important came to the forefront of his muddled mind. "Hey, do we really trust this guy?" Undeterred by the words, Obake switched the display on his tablet screen and tightened the control over his feelings as much as possible. There could be no distracting emotions for what happened next.

Acting within the same second, all four Duellists engaged their brakes and shot back behind the massive transport. As they were approaching a corner, there was no way for the Yliaster Duellists to mimic the manoeuvrer without risking skidding off the tarmac.

"Why not?" Stroking the top of the gear stick, Obake flipped up the top and smiled tightly at the red button that had once been the self-destruct. "I hope I wired this right." Judging by the way they didn't blow up, he had at least cut the connection to the detonator. "Ah, yes." Booming outside the truck, violins began humming and strumming.

"Is that Wagner?" Recognising the music from one of her study sessions, Yusei had to agree with the good doctor. Blasting out from heavy-duty speakers, the classical music drowned out any noises of the road beneath them.

"Flight of the Valkyries." Seeing the riders begin to look over their shoulders as they approached a straight section of road, Obake checked behind the truck with the cameras on the main display to see how much room for error he had. "Luna." For all the trauma he had been through, his tone was unusually gentle. "Close your eyes."

Confused by the cheerful noise and trying to keep pace, the Agents finally attempted to fall behind the truck as they reached a brief stretch of straight road. Playing one hand across the table and gripping tight with his other, Obake threw the entire truck into a sideways drift. All six wheels along the length of the truck abruptly shifted to keep the entire truck moving along the road at this new angle. Lowering the speed of the wheels on the right, those at the back kicked in with added vigour to prevent the wind resistance flipping them into so much pancake.

One Agent managed a brief scream before crunching along the underside of the behemoth. Darting fingers across the display, Obake grimly guestimated where the bodies and Runners were falling with cold efficiency and manually adjusted the wheel speeds and power to compensate for the brief intervals whenever one left the ground. It took a matter of seconds but the crunching bones and screeching metal seemed to last an eternity. Grisly deed done, sphincters unclenched slightly as the driver pulled them back onto a straight line. Careful not to increase any damage already done, he let them gradually slow to a halt further down the road.

Slow exhalations broke the silence as Obake let out the stress building inside him. "Excuse me." Easing to uncertain feet, he stumbled towards the door at the rear of his truck and made progress onto the ground outside. After a short while, the sounds of intense vomiting could be heard.

Even after being hit with the lumbering behemoth of a truck, the only real Agent refused to dissolve into the Shadows as her colleagues did. Dulled reactions had prevented Crow from braking as sternly as the rest so he was the first to arrive at the fallen figure. "Tell me," Falling to the ground, he grabbed the figure by the lapels and pulled her in close. "How do I get somebody out of the Netherworld?" Bloody coughs echoed from beneath the cracked helmet and he recognised the voice as the Duellist who had just tried to murder one of his friends and almost killed him.

"Crow Hogan." A gloved hand reached up and grasped him tightly by the front of his shirt as the other Signers began closing in. "Listen. All your answers lie with our leader, Ataguchu. Hurry to the Martyr's Hill. You alone are worthy." Something vital inside the broken body finally stopped working and the Shadows were quick to eat away at what remained. Then the final shreds were dragged away and the cloth inside Crow's hand dissolved through his fingers.

"What did she say?" Musume had pulled up next, always wary and ready to battle against Yliaster.

"Nothing." It was the first lie that he had told her but it would not be the last. Although only minutes had passed in this world, he had spent hours wandering through the darkness. Time enough to realise that none of his friends could come to his rescue, long enough to realise that – without his Signer Mark – even the Crimson Dragon would not find him. If he wanted the answers he was seeking, they would have to come from the other side of the fight.

"Right, well." Seeing three Runners, a couple of people actually running and Yusei having managed to twist his ankle and hopping towards them as fast as was humanly possible, she utilised her entire two seconds of time alone with Crow to the fullest in the hunt for a plan. "We should probably talk."

(Game Over)

---

Controlling his gag reflex long enough to pull the truck into a side-road, Obake was forced to cut power to the sound system after something had broken running over the Yliaster forces. Arranging their Runners outside of the truck, every member of Team 5D's crammed themselves into the booth. Following the blatant murder of four people, the sole remaining member had poured himself three measures of vodka and got as high as lifting it before Musume snatched it from his hand. "Thanks." Lifting her mask just enough to swallow the shot, she tried to let it numb her senses as Yusei, Akiza and Luna filtered past her into the booth.

Pouring another, he tried again only for her to repeat the procedure. "You know what," Stealing the bottle from out of his hand, she chugged straight from the neck.

"I really needed that." Handing back the empty container and somehow not dead, Musume finally felt the slightest edge being taken from her anxiety. Then it came right back. "Give us some privacy." Tensing behind his blindfold and smelling of vomit, there was very nearly another incident.

As the unofficial envoy to their driver, Luna defused the situation with a small smile and tilting her head towards the door. "I have to check on the wheels." Pulling off from the wall, he almost restrained a slight wince originating from the growing bruises on his head. "It shouldn't take more than twenty minutes." Another slight twitch of her lips called for some extra examinations. "Or maybe thirty." As the person who could have once been her friend walked out through his own door, Luna fought down the feelings of guilt and betrayal she was enduring with the much larger curiosity they were all enraptured by.

"Okay, first question." Opening and closing cupboards, she looked for the explanatory aids she needed. "Where is the booze in this crate?"

Screaming various insults, curses and an incredibly accurate Copernicus quote from Jack – which drew some looks from the rest of the group – she finally found the last bottle of rice wine in the bottom drawer of the fridge.

"So." Realising they couldn't all fit around the table, Jack, Yusei and Akiza quickly shuffled out to allow the twins and Crow to relax and still interact with the conversation."Er, maybe Leo should switch with Akiza." Finding a straw, she hooked it over the neck of the bottle to create an airflow while she drank. "Right." Trying to pick a starting point, she looked around at the people in the cabin. Leaning against the sleeping pods, Yusei looked as stoic as ever. Standing resolutely behind them, Jack looked ready to actually explode. Akiza was a calming influence, that medical training kicking in. Leo and Luna were who they always were, one bundle of joy that had to be contained in the corner of the booth to lessen the fallout and one serious and reserved face. Still recovering from his brief time somewhere horrible, Crow looked ashen but unshakeable. "Okay then."

Slowly unzipping the jacket over her chest, she calmly raised the bottle to her lips and began drinking. As the ethanol slowly began working into her system, she used her right hand to pull the plain cotton up to her sternum, gently showing the bottom of her full chest. This time, silence. And not for the obvious reason.

"So," Tossing the bottle into the sink behind her, she waited for the inevitable fallout. "Questions?" Standing out against her lightly tanned skin – courtesy of a few hours shameless rest in the broiling sun – an odd shape stood out against her skin. From the correct angle, it could almost resemble an incomplete circle.

"Where did you get that?" Nobody had dared take the question from Akiza.

"Depends on your point of view. Eight years for the complete set. The base kit, twenty-six years ago or in about a year. Take your pick." She wasn't trying to be deliberately unhelpful but all three answers were true. "Been there since the day I was born, think of it that way." Pulling down the fabric again, she reached instead for the mask over her face and slowly removed it. "I told you, you should switch with Leo." Sagging slightly at the vision before her, Akiza struggled to wrap her head around what she was seeing.

Staring out at them was a very familiar face that nobody in the cabin had ever seen before. High cheekbones, a nose perfect enough for artists to weep over carving it. Ruby hair had been cut to a spiky do but was starting to grow out into soft waves. Lightly tanned skin that surrounded eyes too old for the face. Hazel eyes, just like her mother's. Just like Akiza's.

There were some differences. A harsher edge to the gaze, some slight scarring on the chin. Tighter muscles, more relaxed stance. Not in a 'I'm comfortable in my surroundings' way but more a 'I can kill three of you with a spoon and the other three with the dead bodies' way. A warrior in modern times.

"Crow's the father." That stopped them all short. Not the information – they were way beyond shock now – but that it was Yusei speaking. All eyes turned to where he was leaning as they waited for an explanation. "I heard you shouting when Team Wrecker attacked." Ignoring the stares from all sides, he coolly met her gaze.

"..." Jack got as far as opening his mouth before Musume suddenly had a knife in her hand.

"Say a joke, Uncle Jack." That line instantly killed all humour in a two-mile radius.

"Did it ever occur to you that telling us this from the start might have been a good idea?" Luna was careful to avoid raising her voice but a deep part of her wanted to run and scream at this injustice in the Spirit World. There was no way that Ancient Fairy Dragon could not havenot known.

"Sure. I rock up, shake hands and tell you I'm the bastard child of two Signers, back from the future." When she put it like that, the idea did seem a bit difficult to swallow.

"Bastard?" Still somewhat weak from the revelation, Akiza managed one word.

"There's some question about timing." Seeing the trouble it was causing, Musume quickly covered up her birthmark again. "Some say my parents were engaged, some say not. It's a bit difficult and very disgusting." Truth be told she had never questioned too closely. It was a moot point now.

"What about the time paradox?" Even though he could be announcing the end of reality, there was no power in the universe capable of suppressing Leo's excitability. All eyes turned to him, including Musume's. "Imagine if you went back in time to yesterday and killed yourself." As a child, Leo had learned from Crow with adoring eyes how to pick locks, pockets and a strong deck. Now that he was the teacher, it was almost enough joy to make him burst. "Because yesterday-you died, today-you can't go back to kill you. Because today-you didn't go back, yesterday-you doesn't die and today-you lives to go back and kill yesterday-you." It took a further three explanations before Jack could understand science and Luna could bear the grammar but eventually, the entire team were on the same track once again.

"I was actually counting on it." Waking up from a coma had been bad enough. Musume hadn't been expecting to live longer than a few weeks, a month at most. "But I'm still here." There was another reason too but she wasn't going to mention it.

"Why are you here?" Not exactly the most pleased at how events had unfurled – considering the encounter with death he had just gone through – but Crow wanted to get the conversation out of the way as soon as possible.

"Because the future went wrong." Wishing she had more booze, Musume tried to curtail the tragic events of her life down to a few brief entries. "It's gory but I'm up for a brief overview if you are." Checking the fridge again for any miracle bottles of booze, she instead found a lonely boiled egg in a tub. "Blergh!" Spitting out the bite she had taken, the egg joined the bottle in the sink. "Rotten egg."

They all carefully looked at each other. This was the second time they had heard about the future going wrong. But Z-One had been a madman from decades in the future. This woman was – or claimed to be – related to not just one but two of their member and had just shown them proof – or a very good forgery – of a Mark of the Dragon.

"What do you mean 'the future went wrong'?" It was Jack who broke the silence. If they went into another apocalypse, it was best to get the information first.

"Well," Downing a pint of milk, she tried to wash the taste of mouldy egg from her mouth. "Not the future future. Just your own personal little shit-storms." She had a lot looser tongue than either parent. "All in?" Waving the cartoon around the table, they tried to not think if she was able to actually eat solid foods. "It's a package deal. A real," Pulling a card from her pocket, she tried to lighten the mood. "Domino Effect?" At the rate everybody was pilfering his cards, Yusei wouldn't even have a full Deck by dinner. "Sorry about that." Sliding the card along the counter, she let him take it back.

"I'm in." If nothing else, Leo was overwhelmingly curious.

"Me too." Acting in tandem with her twin, Luna was also quick to agree.

"Why not?" Slightly nihilistic from his ordeal, Crow stopped caring and went with the flow.

"I don't care." It was enough to put a dent in his pride to know he was an uncle. Why not go the full bore?

Standing beside Yusei, Akiza was spinning so fast she couldn't point to the horizon. Since her brief time with Yusei eight years ago, there had been fewer relationships than she had fingers on hands. Hearing that she and Crow might have – in another life – had a daughter was difficult to grasp.

"I'm in." It was the scientist who spoke up first. With his life ending just on the other side of the proverbial hill, he wanted to know how events could have played out differently. Maybe, somewhere in his other history, there was a clue to his condition.

"Just," Finally setting at least one foot back on the ground, she felt her lips twitch in dark humour. "Spare the sordid details."

"Fine. But seriously, sit down." Crumpling the container between her fingers, she was starting her own heap in the sink as events were compressed down in her mind. "For about five minutes, there was the perfect weird little family. Criminal father, Psychic mother, Signer baby." There had been one picture of the event. A slumbering little babe, cradled in mother's arms. "The doctor's missed something, I don't know what. Complications is all I was ever told. By the end of the day, the Izinski family line had a break in it." And if that wasn't just the highlight of the afternoon. Finally taking the advice, Akiza slipped into the booth and propped her head up in her hands. "I was an infant, not able to be a link in the chain for when the Crimson Dragon came calling. Jack managed to go it six years alone. If you think he's grumpy now, just wait until he hasn't slept for three weeks because there's a spirit screaming in his head." It was not a pretty thought. "About ten weeks after my sixth birthday – green cake, cheap deal, lots of cake as a result – he exploded."

"Literally?" Something about the word caused Crow to smile.

"Literally." Shrugging off his death like so much dandruff, Jack listened to the rest of the tale unfold. "Of course, that left Red Nova unbound and without a guardian. So the wonder twins took the stage."

Nudging his sister in the ribs, Leo did the look that every sibling can interpret as a smug 'I told you so'. "It's not that the name was bad but it was taken." Trying to explain the complexities of copyright law had taken the better part of two months.

"Using some weird trick she thought up on the spur of the moment and some assistance from her glamorous sidekick," Leo waved his hand in case any of them had missed the obvious. "Warrior queen here somehow managed to force a one-way ticket to the Spirit World on Snaky. It took some doing but he only managed to snack on a few dozen before getting dragged on over. That really pissed him off." Itching at the seal on her chest, she wished she still had the ability to get drunk. The reason why was still yet to be revealed. "So our serpentine friend took his own revenge before certain Spirits could get involved. He changed you, on a fundamental level. Spirits can't exist in this world and he added you to that exclusive list." It didn't escape their notice that one person was still missing from story-time.

"What about me?" It came out in a greedy context but Yusei just wanted to know about his other life – besides the one in Z-One's timeline.

"Crippled. Stuck in a world of despair." A hero in one timeline, a depression case in another and dying in the third. If it meant saving the world, Yusei would readily play the part of the martyr. But he still wanted an explanation. "Crow had a fatal illness. Probably innocuous and treatable at the start but everybody missed it. Our patron thought pumping Crow full of life was the answer and it aged him into the ground." Seated at the table, Crow certainly looked old. "He raised me the first twelve years, Martha the next five. So I brokered a deal and demanded a redo."

"Sorry?" That sounded ominous, even with the rest of the problems already listed and Crow wasn't ready for more bad news. "What deal?"

"An endgame." Stretching her back, she pulled the shirt up to reveal another stain. Not as clear as the other or as pleasant, more purple than red but somehow a similar tone.

Swearing in Swahili – learned during one of many rounds of therapy – Jack stumbled backwards in the small confines of the corridor. Putting a terrifying-two and temporal-two together, the rest of the group arrived at a frightful four.

"Seriously? Eight years without a scream in your head and you never gave it any thought?" Lowering her shirt back down, the pain that constantly throbbed in her head always spiked at the sight of Jack.

"You're walking around with the two of them inside you?!" Wanting to fight the creatures was like trying to fight the weather – beyond their control. "How?!"

"Child of two Signers." That wasn't quite it but there was more still coming. "Eight years ago, I engaged you each in Shadow Duels. The winner, a normal life. The loser, the burden." It had been an ulterior motive she hadn't shared but the end result had been favourable for all sides.

"So you stole our Marks?" Gone from their arms, it had seemed a miracle at the time but Yusei was growing increasingly angry. In the only other two timelines he knew, he had been alive and wearing a Mark on his arm. Maybe taking it away had irrecoverably broken him.

"Yeah, I mentioned Crow raised me?" Smiling slightly, she winked at the slowly recovering man. "Cracking locks at four, taking supernatural powers at sweet sixteen. I had hoped that altering history enough would retroactively remove all three of us at the same time." The more she talked, the more was uncovered. Her dependence on the time paradox erasing her to take out both sides of the war at the same time and set humanity free from the cycle.

"And what's to stop you following Roman's path to darkness?" Struggling to follow the logic, Jack had the lesser man's ability to find holes higher thinkers couldn't.

"This." Again, a silver knife from nowhere. "Semi-sentient nanotechnology. Construction and programming were easy. Seven thousand rounds of 'Crimson Dragon or Red Nova' to get a baseline and now I physically can't make a choice."It took a seriously twisted mind to think that sort of thing up. Growing up amidst so much tragedy had given Musume just the perfect mind to rewrite history, stabilise an entropic criminal city, steal several supernatural sigils and then attempt to erase herself (and them) from existence, all with the added backup of several million tiny robots floating through her brain. "Only downside, the nanotechnology ended up replacing my immune system." It was a problem with long-term use. Eventually, the nervous system identified it as bacteria and removed them all or the nanotechnology severely weakened the immune system. "Works a lot better. Heals me a lot faster, prevents the end of the world, keeps me constantly sober – the fun stuff."

"What about Yliaster?" It was the one part of the puzzle left. Signers, spirits and the constantly controlling organisation. But for the first time since she had started sharing, Musume looked evasive and squirrely.

"I knew where one of their databases would be and introduced a virus. It should have totally encrypted their files." A single spark of sad realisation made itself in Yusei's mind. "They could have eventually unlocked them again but it would have taken a few years at least. Long enough to start falling apart. I don't know how they're still this powerful."

For a long time, nobody spoke. They had thought this nightmare over and now it was back from the future to bite them in the rear. Of course, it had only been over because their latest addition had taken all the burdens upon herself. "Does anybody else have any deep, dark secrets they want to share?" On any other day, they would have stayed quiet. But Musume had just unveiled every dirty detail of her past, complete with suicide plan. It was time they all opened up a bit more to each other.

"I'm bisexual?" It was neither deep nor dark or even secret but Musume appreciated Leo's input all the same.

"I sometimes go to the Spirit World just to relax." Using an innate gift for interdimensional travel for her own relaxation was hardly a crime but it haunted Luna some nights.

"When I was taken," Starting small, Crow tried to wind up to the big reveal. "It wasn't just a few minutes." It was all he could get out but made intense connections with the rest of them.

"Degenerative neurological condition," Outclassing all but Musume, Yusei dropped his own bombshell. "By this time next year, I probably won't be here." He deliberately avoided the word 'alive'. As they all started reacting to the news, Akiza decided that suddenly having a full-grown daughter meant she could probably dip a toe in the pond of truth.

"Back at the SRC," It all seemed so far away now, a normal life she could to play in. "There's an entire team working on it – myself included."

"What do you mean 'team'?" Thrown by the notion of his condition spreading – and the attached budgetary concerns – Yusei boarded the accusatory bandwagon.

"Din may have recruited a few others." She had seen the crazed power of control is his eyes. A propulsion expert, a trainee nurse, one cyberneticist and two mute unidentified researchers. Maybe they could actually come up with something between them.

"I have self-control issues." Ignoring the various exclamations of disbelief, Jack chewed over the pain of humility. After only a year without the direct support of his family, Jack had finally snapped at the wrong person and thrown a punch. "A member of my personal crew is a therapist. Anger management, seven years in." United under the freeing pressure of truth, they spent a comfortable silence together in the quiet nowhere.

---

"We should probably get back on the road." They had wasted an hour making no progress closer to the finish line. Instead, they had managed to uncover several layers of lies and reveal the worst truths any of them could fear to find. "I'll get Obake back." Walking out of the door, he resisted the urge to slam it in frustration. Breathing through the changes in his life, Yusei struggled to adjust to the new depths of his friends.

Trees thickly covered all sides of the road in varying shades of green. Kneeling a short distance into the treeline, Obake was in the centre of a disturbed circle of leaves and broken branches. It appeared he had taken the fight to nature and lost. "You lied to me." Staring at his knees, he aimed his words with the intention of hurting. "For six years, you lied to and used me. Why?"

"Honestly?" Coming to a stop behind the broken man, Yusei finally told the full truth he had been hiding for half a decade. "I just wanted the fighting to stop." Even as his companion looked down, Yusei looked up to the bright sky. "If they were willing to let even one person live, why not two? Or three?"

"So I spent six years as an unwitting hostage." Finally stumbling to his feet, blood dripped between Obake's knuckles from where he had punched a tree. "Because you wanted me on display." Whirling around, he physically picked Yusei up by the lapels with a strength that surprised the older man. At that moment, it was possible Yusei could easily have lost a fight against his attacker. "Look at me!" A dry quip at the eye covering went unsaid as he struggled a few inches from the floor. "I've lost three toes, an earlobe, several teeth and I can't even go outside with a damn mask on!" After the first six teeth were removed, Obake hunted down somebody to forge and implant fakes. They looked real but cost a lot more.

"If you were in my place," Hoping that Obake was still the smart, logical man that single-handedly kept the SRC functioning, Yusei tried one last effort at peaceable negotiations. "What would you have done differently? A starving and hunted young man enters your life, babbling about a secret organisation you've been fighting for years." Finally lowered back to the floor, Obake distastefully released the fabric in his grasp. "In his hands are encrypted computer files, only a few unlocked." And now he knew the reason why they were so heavily encrypted – the pre-existing Yliaster security and Musume's more powerful addition. "Begging for help. So you give him a job, safety,"

"And the truth!" Finally admitting what he had wanted, a tear leaked out from beneath the mask. "To know his suffering wasn't for nothing, that his life wasn't some cruel joke." Yusei tried to place a comforting hand on the distraught man but it was slapped away. "Instead, I dared steal a taste of freedom and what do I find? Shadow Duels, a bloody great big dragon. You people aren't normal!" It was a cutting remark coming from a man who could almost see in the dark. "I can't even get kicked out of my own truck without Duel Runners dropping from the sky!"

"What?" Ignoring the claim to the Grayston, Yusei was more concerned with the other problem.

"Take a look yourself." Brushing past his boss, Obake resisted the urge to punch him in the face as well. "I'll take your friends as far as Annapolis. You can have the van." Striding over to the door, he grasped the handle.

Hearing the door start to squeak around, Musume crammed her mask on so fast that she didn't even check it was on straight. "Obake." Shuffling out of the booth, Luna attempted to ease one of two meltdown disasters. "Did you and Yusei talk?"

"If you can call it that." Moving over to the fridge, he coldly ignored them all in the hunted for his prized pickled egg. Realising one eye was blind, Musume tugged her mask into the correct position as he continued talking. "He's checking out the mystery Duel Runner." Anticipating the obvious question, he began looking through the shelves in case the tiny pot was hiding from him. "Just look outside." Finally detecting the faint scent of vinegar, he looked in mounting horror at the ruined remains in the sink as the Signer huddled at the small window.

In an untidy row, Jack's Wheel of Fortune was parked beside Leo's who was on the other side of Yusei's red ride than the Blackbird. Standing on the far end of the Blackbird, at the end of the line was a heavy tarpaulin that shrouded the unmistakable shape of a Duel Runner. Approaching from behind was Yusei, already raising a hand to grab the material. Curiosity taking hold, the group quickly hustled outside. Even Luna was caught up in the moment, deciding to giver her pale friend the room he needed.

Beating Yusei to the prize by a matter of inches, Musume clutched at the cloth and pulled it free. "Whoa!" Her gasp of amazement was echoed by all the Duellists assembled. Even though the others crowded in, Yusei found himself backing away as memories poured into his mind. It was as if inspiration from every evil Duel Runner he had come across had been poured into the design before him. It was as long as the Giganto L that Kalin had driven as a Dark Signer with a hooked lip over the front wheel that threw him back to the Turbo Duel with Paradox. Even the twin exhausts splitting at the back reminded him of the cybernetic Duel Runner used by Primo.

Then the black figure haunting them stepped into the shadow at the far end of the truck. It didn't say anything and Yusei didn't fully turn to look but calmed slightly. So far, this person had yet to give him even the slightest feeling of fear or doubt. Even Bruno – who had become his enemy aboard Ark Cradle – had continued to help Yusei in his own way. Until the moment of a betrayal, he would be cautious but not hostile. Calmed by the observer, he was able to look at the machine through the excitement of his friends.

In the light of day, the new Duel Runner was simply beautiful. Gleaming silver, gold and crimson waves interlinked and glided along the stretched length. Though longer than many Duel Runners, it was more compact and the design could adjust to either let the rider stretch out at almost full length or sit upright with room for a passenger. Wickedly streamlined, it screamed out the need to move even sitting perfectly still as one end narrowed to a razor point and the other boasted four perfectly aligned and equidistant exhausts. There was no telling where the panels came apart or even if they did. It was sleek, elegant, beautiful and doubtless cost far more than any or all of them could hope to win from the tournament.

"Nice, isn't it?" Jack seemed unnaturally calm about the magically appearing marvel. "I was just thinking about adding it to my collection."

"Hey," Before Jack had even taken a new breath, Crow had pushed his face right up against his older brother's. "Who said it was yours? Maybe I want it!" Jumping up, Leo wrapped an arm around each pair of shoulders as he let loose his cheerful smile and pulled the two squabbling brothers apart.

"Aw, c'mon. You have great Duel Runners. Mine could really do with an upgrade." Though the older men used aggressive snarls, Leo's youthful charm and graceful smile were persistent enough to be a worthy rival.

"Two reasons why I win." Zipping her jacket back to the top, Musume smiled beneath her mask. "Firstly, I'll fight you for it. Secondly," Pulling a small square of black card, sunlight made embossed print barely visible. "I never had a Duel Runner. Maybe it's time I tried Turbo Duelling the way it was meant to be done." Passing over the tiny square, the group could just make out one word. "Ladies and Crow, meet Dilucesco." Suddenly, Yusei could understand the patterns woven into the sides of the Duel Runner – the white of the Runner was the sky, the crimson and yellow were the rising sun. Dilucesco – the dawn.

Must. Shorten. Chapters. Soon. 16,000 Words. Too much.

Also, leave a review. Bonus points if you could follow the Duels.

Update: A previous version of this chapter contained a few notes that have since been removed. Apologies for any inconvenience.