Warning: Friendship


"Now, this is the Domino Effect." Chainsaw Insect stumbles backward on the field, falling over into Devil Dozer which in turn crushed Metal Armored Bug. Subsequently, all are destroyed by Junk Warrior's last attack. Yusei continues. "With Domino Effect, when a monster on your field is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, for every card on my field that I send to the graveyard, one of your monsters is destroyed."

Yusei is a better duelist than I gave him credit for... If the duel against Security wasn't just a fluke, he's also much more humble than I thought. Maybe there is something to Rally's stories about him?

"Now take the effect of your own Retribution of the Antlion."

"Alright!"

"Yusei won!"

Uryu's continuous spell deals him 2400 points of damage, bringing his Life Points to zero.

"No way..." Uryu fell to his knees, stunned.

"A long time ago, my friend told me something. In a duel, you can't win with just monsters. You can't win with just traps or spells, either. The true meaning appears when everything becomes one. And the most important thing you need to achieve victory is right here." Yusei put his fist to his chest. "My friend didn't tell me what it was. But I know. It's the soul of a duelist who believes in all his cards!"

"Well said. Sorry to bother you." Uryu stood "But this isn't the end. Next time, I'll win!"

"Fine." Yusei is smiling when Uryu turns and leaves, his friends following closely.

"You know, not that I'm not a little mad about being wagered on a duel or anything, but I really appreciate that guys not taking that deal. So, we're cool and all," I sniffled, turning to hug Yusei. "Thanks for not leaving me."

"Friends don't leave friends behind."


No seatbelt for Rocky either. I hope my cleavage is comfortable, little guy.

Rally had given Yusei a card when we left, one of his faveorites: One Shot Booster. He promised to return Rally's card.

Yusei and I left around 11:15 pm. Rocky was resting between us. As much as I begged, Yusei had never found parts for a seatbelt in the month I've been hanging around his place. Was safety really that unpopular? I had left a medium-sized satchel of everything I needed to take to the city at Yusei's place that morning. I usually drop Rocky off with him and Rally before work anyways. It's lucky he's loved so much by Rally, I can't afford to pay anyone to care for him.

Toothbrush, hairbrush, some underwear items, dog food, and of course my set of tiny screwdrivers and tools. Only the smallest will do when you're working on circuitboards. There isn't much worth owning in Satellite and anyway, If I had something worth taking, it probably was already taken. One of my few sentimental items is a picture of my Ma and Pa, when he was still around. Before the city became his mistress and he drove off a damn bridge to be with her.

If he stuck around things may have been different for Ryuuga- No. Theres no time for what-ifs right now. Focus, just hang on to Yusei, lean with him... I can feel his abs under his shirt, where I have my arms around his middle. Okay maybe don't focus on that feeling.

Yusei is an enigma. He certainly doesn't offer anything unneccessary about himself, even at these quiet times, riding through the streets with nowhere to be. Except tonight, we were going somewhere.

It's a little easier dealing with the speed just by wearing a helmet. Going straight helps, but I still get weary on turns. It's entirely unhelpful that Yusei drives the way he does.

Everything was going just swimmingly on the 40 minute drive to the trash plant. Too swimmingly, it appears, as Security had not been left out of our antics that night.

"This is a warning! You are not allowed to come any closer. Turn back right now."

But when was the blue eyed duelist someone to obey the rules? He was uninterested until the point when the D-Wheel was sideswiped. Ushio was back.

"We meet again, you piece of garbage! Punks like you are not allowed to come here. Leave!"

"Did he not show you last time that you were wrong? You can't defeat Yusei, dog!" Yusei just speeds up, not one to waste time on taunting. Once I face forward, however, I'm not so convinced anymore.

"Wait, Yusei! You have a plan to get that gate open, right?" If he had one, he didn't say.

"W-Whoa!" We struck an entrance gate. "No, no, no! AAAH!" I scream as the D-Wheel goes clear over the tall fence gate. Last time we went straight through, so I should be grateful.

True to form, Security was hot on our tail, having had the gate opened remotely.

"This location is the perfect place to use the special pursuit deck! I forcibly activate a field spell!"

"I didn't know you could do that!"

"Speed World!"

"What?" Even Yusei was shocked at Ushio's capabilities. Would Yusei be able to win against this kind of deck?


Yes, he could. I'm starting to think I'll never see Yusei lose a match. His way of dueling was so meticulously planned.

He must have good insticts with cards. I don't know if I'll ever see him lose. He almost reminds me of my brother. He always had a face-down that came into play. Every duel, he incorpoarated all his cards. And, damn does Yusei look cool winning.

Slip Stream being activated was the beginning of the end for Ushio. Gaining the same Speed Counters as his opponent, Yusei used the opportunity to use Dash Pilfer, which allows him to get Junk Warrior back under his control.

"Yusei, it's getting close! You have just under a minute to us get out of here," I remind him. He nods his head firmly.

"I see! You're planning to go there!" Ushio deduces.

"You finally noticed." Yusei might be prone to gloat after all. "Garbage is going to start flowing soon. You can leave."

"You must be kidding! Are you trying to goad me because you're going to lose?" Ushio revs his bike faster, catching up to us somewhat.

"Here I go!"

"OH MY GOD! YUSEI PLEASE! I FEEL LIKE MY HEAD IS GOING TO FALL OFF! Oh, lord what was I thinking getting on this deathtrap?" Tears are probably soaking into my helmet at this rate. I clench harder around Yusei. We're going over 250km/hr now, what could be more reckless? Rocky whimpers, probably at the treatment I'm giving his sensitive ears right now.

"Anohter Synchro Summon?"

"Nitro Synchron tunes Junk Warrior. Our thoughts combine to call forth a new power! Become the path that lights the way! Synchro Summon! Burn up, Nitro Warrior!"

He's so dramatic when he's dueling... It's kind of cute. No, stop that. We are in a life or Facility situation, here!

"On the turn a Speed Spell was used, when Nitro Warrior battles your monster, it gains 1000 attack points for one time only."

"What?"

"Nitro Warrior! Destroy him! Dynamite Kuckle!" Ushio's Goyo Guardian disintegrates after battle. Ushio is down to 2050 Life Points.

"How dare you!"

"Furthermore! With Nitro Warrior's monster effect, when it battles and destroys your monster, it can switch one of your defense position monsters into attack position and battle it. Nitro Warrior's attack points return to 2800. But that's more than enough to destroy Gate Blocker."

And with only 100 attack points, more than enough to win the duel! Yusei did it!

"Uh oh. The time! Yusei, we're going incredibly fast and I hate to be the one to say this but WE MIGHT DIE! TRASH IS GOING TO CRUSH US IF WE DON'T MAKE IT! WATCH OUT!" Yusei's skills on the bike are clear to any onlooker, dodging and weaving hunks of old electonics and the like. Somehow, Yusei forgot to ask me if I'd mind him driving on the ceiling, but it beat being killed by falling garbage. "HOLY SHIT! YUSEI! NOT INSTALLING 'JESUS CHRIST' HANDLES SEEMS LIKE A HORRIBLE OVERSIGHT RIGHT NOW!" If squeezing Yusei's admittedly sculpted pectorals keeps me on this bike, then so be it."Okay, I'm just gonna close my eyes now? And I'm going to pretend I'm on a boat, not dying."


Pinoko is silent behind me, probably with her still closed. I'm about to say something to her about opening them whenI spot a familiar shilhouette on a raised highway. I brake my D-Wheel below.

"Jack." I remove my helmet. Pinoko doesn't say a word.

"Ha, ha, ha! Long time no see, Yusei." He's trying to bait me, I'm sure of it. The glare I send his way is harsh. "When I was looking at that moon, I had a feeling you would show up. How many years has it been?"

"Two years."

"Two years... You built a nice D-Wheel. I'm impressed."

He's just rubbing salt in my wounds. I trusted him. I called him a friend. "It's because you rode off with the one I made before."

"A King never lets a chance pass by," Jack hums smugly.

"Where is it now?"

"It broke down by now, of course." He almost looks happy to tell me. I barely register that I clench my own fist. Pinoko's small hand lays on the back of it, offering me some comfort.

It feels... good to have someone to support you, even without the whole story. In the month since we met, I've never had to field your questions about my past. I'm glad I met

"Where's my card?" I'll truly lose my cool if he got rid of it. That card is a part of our dreams.

"Stardust Dragon?" He pulls out the card and faces it toward me. At least he still has it. I can win it back.

"It was our dream."

"Our?"

"It was the dream of all my Satellite friends," I answer.

"You're still saying those childish things? Now that I'm King, this card is useless to me. You can have it back!" I catch the card he tosses in my direction. I stare at the card. Stardust Dragon... "What's wrong? Put it in your deck."

I throw it back to him and rise from the seat. Pinoko stays where she is, doing her utmost to stay calm. I have some explaining to do later on. "I'll get it back from you in a duel! That's also why you came, right?"

"Fine. I'm going to enjoy having a riding duel against you!"


Jack had ridden his D-Wheel down to the road I was on, leading me to a stadium.

"Look Yusei! This is the skyline of Neo Domino City!" He said it proudly. "Neo Domino City never sleeps! It keeps on pulsating and continues to expand. This city is alive and continues to grow endlessly. And from now on, I will continue to reign here as King! Now, you can start to see it from here, Yusei. It's Duel Stadium!"

This is when Pinoko finds her voice. "Should we really be going there? I'm sure it's against the law to go their for personal use."

"It's illegal for us to be anywhere in the city." My statement does the opposite of reassure her. She slumps a little closer to me.

I know it's unfair. Satellite and Neo Domino aren't allowed to mix, but that's how it is for now.

It is dark inside the stadium. The lights are only turned on for official duels. It's better this way, less conspicuous.

"This my battlefield, Yusei." I turn to the man I once called a friend. "It feels good to be chased. It makes me feel that I'm the King. A King must always protect his status! Defending is more difficult that attacking. However, I'm the King because I fulfill those obligations!"

He pulls out my card. Our card. The lights flash on, but not all of them.

"You've already lost your chance to get Stardust back! You made a foolish choice!" He slides the card into his deck.

I straddle the D-Wheel again, readying for the riding duel.