The sun is up when I wake, streaming through the windows and forcing me to squint through the beams. The other side of the bedroll is cold. Yusei had never gotten to sleep and neither is he in the room with us. The children sleep soundly, having had quite a lot thrown at them in the last few days.

The tapping of keys draws me up into a sitting position. Looking right, I see Himuro at the keyboard, typing up something on a desktop computer. "Oh, Pinoko. Good morning."

"Ugh. Don't talk to me unless you have caffeine, please."

"There's coffee right over here!" The waving of a yellow sleeve alerts me to the steaming pot at Yanagi's side. He sits on the furthest couch from me, a small carafe resting on the side table nearby.

"Thank the stars. Are there any mugs?"

The cups are few and far between, but I pick out a little green one at Yanagi's pointing to the cupboard. I fill it with the dark liquid, the heat of it warming my hands. There isn't any sugar or cream, but beggars can't be choosers.

Sitting on the couch with Yanagi, I decide to wait for it to cool off before drinking. "How long have you been up?"

"Me? Ah, maybe a few hours. Himuro woke up half an hour ago." The old man takes a sip from his own mug. His blanket lays on the arm of the couch, the warm morning light keeping the chill away.

"No Yusei?" The hand of fear finds its way back into my stomach, but I will it back down at the worried looks.

"I'm sure he just went on a walk, Pinoko! The weather's so nice, after all!" Yanagi's forced smile looks back at me.

"Yeah, okay. It's fine. He'll probably be back soon anyway." I busy myself, leaving my mug on a desk while I start cleaning up. I've folded most of the blankets in little time. I can't just leave the mess that I created for someone to trip on later. When I run out of things to do, I return to the old man's side, sighing. The blue cushions catch my weight easily as I slump down, two hands on the cup. "When do you think he'll be back?"

They both chortle at me, but not before sharing a look.

"He's fine. You're worrying too much."

"Himuro-chan, it's not just worry. It's young love!"

The last word falls from his lips and I spurt out the caffeinated beverage. I'd never been so shocked in my life and I'd definitely never done a spit-take before.

"What?" I wipe the dark liquid from my lips. The spatter has already started to stain my shirt, light shades dotted with dull browns now. I'll have to pat it out before it dries. "No, we-we're just friends. He doesn't like me like that."

"Oh yeah?" The sly smile growing on Himuro's mouth should have clued me in that I'd said the wrong thing. The ruddiness of my cheeks increases exponentially, so it seems. "But you do, right? Saiga and I talked about this before he left."

"Uh, wait. What?!" Saiga and Himuro talking about me and Yusei? I'm mortified. "What the fuck? I can't believe you guys!"

Yanagi has given up on the conversation, settling in with his drink and refusing to meddle. The old man is enjoying every moment of this, though, no matter how uninterested he pretends to be.

Himuro's laughter eventually peters off, allowing him to continue his prying. " If you like him so much, just say something."

"No. No way." I shake my head, rising from the couch to refill my cup. "There's way too much going on for me to put all that on his plate." I take a sip, cautiously this time.

"Okay. And if he wants you on his plate?"

A second spray of coffee coats the carpet. "Damn it! What is wrong with you?" I can't keep down the cherry red blush that warms my cheeks.

They descend into laughter anew. I try to brush it off and walk to the bathroom door, planning to get the stains out of my blouse. They'll set if I don't hurry, and this conversation would only make them more numerous.

The bathroom is almost spartan, with no tub or shower to be found. The office space wasn't equipped to be a long-term residence.

Being on Yusei's plate... Ah, stop thinking about it! I try to erase the image from my brain. The only thing in my head is the thought of him tasting me. His lips look chapped but inviting. His warm embraces would feel so much better if our lips were locked. I shake my head, clearing my mind again.

Refocusing, I set about removing the soiled shirt. It takes a bit of struggling to get it around my ample breast, but it comes off.

"What was it again...?" Searching under the sink, I spot what I need: vinegar and dish soap.

Testing it with a hand, I find that the water is finally running hot. Though the wet spots are beginning to dry, they haven't set in yet. I plug the drain, grabbing a clean cloth from the cabinet.

The basin fills halfway before I stop the faucet. I squirt in a bit of dish soap and pour out roughly the same amount of vinegar into the basin. I swish it around to mix it together. The sound of opening and closing doors means there's someone either coming or going from the main room outside.

I hope Yusei is back. I'd been just fine when he'd left back in Satellite, but not knowing where he'd gone when the Public Maintenance Department was on our asses had given a nervous edge to all my thoughts. Did he go out on a walk or was he picked up by that freaky little clown? Was he grabbing groceries or getting grabbed? It's the uncertainty that tilts my thoughts to the negative.

Dipping the rag in the liquid, I bring it over to the sullied shirt. The cloth is laid on the bit of counter space bordering the sink. But I'm no stranger to coffee stains and it's not like I had much more space at the shed in Hot Spot. I start dabbing it with the damp rag, careful not to work the stains in more than they already are.

"Stupid Himuro... Stupid Yanagi..." They're the ones who landed me in this spot, but I have enabled their gossiping. I've been acting like a crushing schoolgirl. I feel ashamed thinking about my behavior. Have I been clingy? Annoying? "Ugh, this is stupid. Stop thinking about it and just wash the damn shirt."

The darkest spots are coming out, coaxed from the fabric by my gentle blotting. Thankfully my skirt is black and won't show any stains from this mess.

"Pinoko?" Ruka's voice asks through the door. I'd been so distracted by my inner monologue that she'd snuck up on me.

"Hm? Ruka, you need something?" I answer, rag in hand. The only spots left are the lighter ones.

"It's just... Can I talk with you?"

I don't have anything she doesn't have and I'm not standing here bare naked. I had promised to watch over her while she slept, but I'd left the room because of my own flustered mishap. Besides, maybe I can teach her a few tricks for stains and we could bond over the whole thing later.

"Sure."


"Where have you been all morning?" When I walk into Saiga's abandoned office, I am greeted by Himuro. Yanagi gives a small wave from the couch on my left while Ruka and Rua slumber on the two remaining sofas. "She was asking after you."

It's clear who he means. There's no question that it was Pinoko.

"I was dueling against a man who had a mark on his arm." I don't mention the reporter. It's most likely she was just searching for her next big scoop and happened upon us. My statement takes the man aback.

Himuro stands from the rolling chair, focusing on me. "What? Was it the fifth signer?"

"No, he said he was a dark signer." I bring my right arm under my nose, looking at the spot where my own mark would be, hidden by my layers. "That mark... They may be the real enemy we're supposed to fight."

"Dark signer?" Himuro runs a hand down his face, exhaling as he sits back down. "We should tell Pinoko and the kids. She spilled some coffee. Went to the bathroom to wash up. I'll see what I can find on these guys."

I nod, letting the man return to the computer on the desk in front of him. Rua snores on, but it seems Ruka is stirring from all the clamor. I step over to the girl.

"Ruka?" I call softly, shaking her shoulder. Her eyelids flicker. "Are you awake?"

"Mn. Yusei?" They finally blink open, looking up at me with her big jade irises. "Good morning."

"Morning. I'm going to wake Rua. I have something to tell everyone."

I leave the girl on the couch to wipe the sleep from her eyes, setting my sights on her brother. The blanket I'd lain on him last night is scrunched around his legs, having been pushed off in the night. His left hand rests across his stomach, his shirt scrunched up in his sleep to show the pale skin of his belly.

"Rise and shine." I give him the same treatment, gently moving his shoulder to rouse him. His eyes fly open instantly.

The first thing to come out of his mouth is a giant yawn. "Yusei? What's happening?"

"Just getting you two up."

He stretches, making an odd groaning sound at the release of lactic acid. "Mm, okay. What about Pinoko?"

"I can get her," Ruka's voice calls from behind me. The girl looks bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, smiling at both of us.

"I want to go, too!" Her twin is never one to sit out anything. He and his sister seem to war over the other Satellite's attention at times.

"Then let's just go get her." I start walking toward the small cutout in the wall. The twins can be chaotic but their dynamic is nothing if not amusing.

The alcove is just deep enough for the three of us to stand together, the restroom door facing the opposite wall. The door is positioned to give a smidge of privacy to those within, even if they open the door. Ruka knocks but receives no answer.

"Pinoko?" she calls.

"Hm?" the lilting sound of her voice emits from the wood. "Ruka, you need something?" There's little other noise coming from the room.

"It's just... Can I talk with you?" Ruka steps forward, looking up at the surface of the obstruction.

"Sure." The door swings open. "Stars! I'm sorry!" It swings shut, thudding loudly.

She wasn't wearing a shirt. The thin-looking bra had only accentuated her curves, the deep red contrasting exquisitely with her natural shades of ivory skin and copper hair. From the second the door had been open, I'd caught a great view of her freckles. They not only dust her cheeks but also her shoulders and the swell of her breast.

It sends my mind reeling back to when I'd had them pressed against me just yesterday.

"Now I know why you like her so much," Rua says, shuffling his feet while he tries to hide his flushing face. My own is not much better, heating up fiercely. There's something warm trickling over my upper lip.

"Yusei, are you alright? Your nose is bleeding."

I wipe the back of my gloved hand under my nose, sheepishly looking anywhere but at the green-haired girl. Alarm bells are going off in my head. I'm already walking back to the adult duo in the main room. "I'll just... see you over there."


I'm overloaded and the sun is bright today. It beats down on me as I heft two bags full of foodstuffs on my way down the dirt road. The man at my side follows my steps and my demeanor, trudging along with his own load.

"I bet you they're dating by now," Nervin says, shifting the stuffed paper bag into his other arm.

I furrow my brows, thinking of my reply. "You think so? Yusei is usually so... serious. No-nonsense."

"Rally, even you have to have picked up on the chemistry between them." The taller man adjusts his glasses before meeting my eyes briefly.

"I think I know what you're saying... But what I know is that they really like each other. "

"Right. Well, you're a kid and even you can tell." Nervin pats the top of my head with his free hand. "Pinoko stares at Yusei. Yusei stares at Pinoko. They're way too obvious."

"Probably. You think she was at the Fortune Cup with him?"

"Absolutely. She's been going gaga over him since he beat Uryu. Remember how she looked at him? Like her eyes were sparkling." He shakes his head good-naturedly. "In fact, I thought I heard her cheering over the TV. The girl's got pipes."

I don't know anything about them dating, but Yusei definitely likes her. I've never seen him like that with a girl before. Besides, he had never looked at me or the others with such adoration. Sure, Yusei cares about us, but it's different somehow. He still treats us really well, so I have no complaints. He never ditched me to hang out with her, but he'd bring her around so we could all be together.

I'm thirteen. I don't get all that gushy stuff from the movies. I just care about my friends, including Yusei and Pinoko. And Rocky. I miss him. He's the only one who I can actually run around with and play with. He must be big by now...

I'm thinking of a way to change the topic to Pinoko's pet when a different sound catches my ears. It's the clamor of a nearby gathering.

"The Crimson Dragon that appeared above Neo Domino City is an evil god that will bring catastrophe onto the world!" cries a deep, throaty voice. "Will the evil god's anger fall on the city and Satellite, destroying them both? No! The Crimson Dragon chose the city, the land of fools!" Whoever it is, they're straight ahead of us.

"Wise citizens of Satellite, keep hope alive!" It's still too far ahead to make it out, but I can see the little figures of people gathering around two men with dark robes. "The people who join us will be free from this curse!"

We get closer, the two of us stopping only when we can hear a murmur pass over the crowd. "Hope."

"Hope for Satellite!"

The audience he'd gathered parrots him.

"Hope for Satellite!" The group raises their fists as one, speaking in time almost robotically. "Crimson Dragon, vanish! Vanish!"

"Stop it!" I won't sit here and listen to this any longer. I've dazed Nervin with the outburst of anger, but this is all linked to Yusei's duel, when the Crimson Dragon appeared. That dragon showed itself because Yusei is such a true and honest duelist. He's too good to have called down something malignant. "The Curse of the Crimson Dragon? What are you basing that on?"

"Stop it, Rally." The blue-haired man covers his mouth, wincing at my aggression.

I take a few more steps forward, chin up. "Don't you know that Yusei became the King? The Duel King is from Satellite!" My grip around the paper bags tightens, the rage welling up from my gut. The people on the street mutter among themselves, taking what I said into account.

"The King is from Satellite?" is a phrase I hear from more than one of them.

"Since the Crimson Dragon appeared during Yusei's duel, that means it brought hope-" My companion cuts me off, having moved to stifle my words with his hand.

"You fool, stop it!"

I turn my head, wrenching my mouth from his grasp. "What are you doing, Nervin?"

He's looking ahead, so I follow his stare. "Crimson Dragon?" says one of the men as he stalks toward us.

"He called the Crimson Dragon?"

"What's going on?" I stammer, taking a step back from the audience-turned-mob.

"Ignore them. Let's go!" There's no lack of menace from the crowd and Nervin knows when it's time to cut and run.


"I don't believe it!" Scrolling through the webpage, I sit on the only computer chair in our underground home. The blocks of text don't say anything good about my friend. They're full of theories about the technicalities and "what really happened". "They're saying that he's not really the King!"

Taka is standing by me, looking over my shoulder at the article. "Jack had zero life points! Yusei definitely won!"

"Who wrote that terrible article?" rages Blitz from his seat on the couch.

"Whenever the citizens of Satellite try to rise up, the city people always have to smash us down," Nervin bemoans. It's silly, but the thought of Yusei being walked on by others bothers me enough to make me grimace. If anyone deserves to be the King, it's him.

"Look down there," Taka says, pointing further down on the screen at another image. I scroll down to uncover it. "Yep. That's him and Pinoko alright. They look happy."

Text wraps around the picture of their two friends. It depicts Yusei and Pinoko embracing trackside. The woman's feet are pointed, her arms encircling the width of the duelist's neck. One of his arms holds the small of her back, disturbing the lengths of ginger hair. It's tied loosely down by her hips, swinging just out of reach of his other five fingers. From this angle, the gold mark on her cheek is on display.

"The New Duel King... and his Queen?" the subheading reads in typical tabloid fashion. "Here's everything there is to know about the provocative partner of the mysterious new King! Can love be the deciding factor in a duel?"

It makes the three grown men guffaw, but I can only muster out a small chuckle. I don't see the humor in it, just heaps of baseless conjecture surrounding my precious friends. I laugh anyway because don't want to be left out.

"I've been searching everywhere."

A smooth voice echoes through the doorway, giving us all a scare. Nervin and Blitz immediately rise from the sofa. Taka drops his playful demeanor.

"Who are you?" Nervin exclaims.

"A person who has brought a message of hope for you." From the recesses of the subway rails, a looming figure emerges. "I'm Saiga." A tan hat contains the neat brown tresses of his hair. With scruff upon his chin and vest upon his body, he looks the part of a wanderer. A golden brown canine wriggles excitedly at his heel. Rocky!

"Where did you get that dog?" Blitz steps closer to our unexpected guest, making fists of both hands. "Think carefully, now. If you stole it..."

"Pinoko had me smuggle him." Although Saiga says this, I'm sure the kind woman wouldn't have used that phrasing. "She said he missed whichever one of you is called "Rally". But mostly I came to make sure her and Yusei's friends are safe. Pretty sure that's you four."


It's almost dusk and I haven't found anything about these "dark signers," as Yusei had called them. I'm only finding dead ends and none of it's even from this decade. My fingers are starting to ache from tapping at the laptop's keys all day.

The afternoon had gone by quickly, the rose-colored sky ringing in the beginning of twilight.

"Drink." Two coffees are placed on the desk. Himuro keeps one in his hand, savoring the taste as soon as the word is out.

"Thanks," says Yusei, sitting in front of the desktop adjacent to me.

"An-chan, have you been able to contact Saiga yet?"

To Yanagi's query, the blue-eyed Satellite stands suddenly. "I'm thinking of heading back to Satellite. I'm worried about what that guy said.

"What? Go back?"

"About Satellite being destroyed?" asks the cyan-haired duelist, leaning imperceptively closer to the other man.

"Yeah," is all Yusei responds with, turning his head to face the taller man.

"If you're going, let me come with you. Don't ask me to stay." I'm determined not to sit this one out. Satellite is my home, too. My posture is prepared for him to reject my request, my arms akimbo and my chin raised to look him in the eyes. His blue eyes grow tender, my probing seafoam eyes getting the better of him.

"Right. I couldn't do it without you."

That was not the reaction I was expecting. The defiance drains easily from my shoulders, my heart filled by the appreciative smile he sends my way.

"You're leaving?" Ruka calls out from behind me, Rua holding her close to his side. All eyes become locked on the pair. "You're going home to Satellite?"

"Yusei, Pinoko," Rua says pitifully, whining as a kicked puppy would.

"There's something I need to investigate," Yusei replies, serious as always.

"But isn't Satellite really dangerous? Don't go back there. Stay with us in the city!"

His sister jumps off his train of thought in a way only twins can. "Yusei, you're the one that said the signers have to stay together! And you said you'd watch over us, Pinoko!"

I can't help but follow Yusei's movement to the young twins, stopping just behind him when he kneels to meet their eyes.

"Since we're both signers, we'll definitely meet again."

"Just don't forget about your plus one," I tease, ruffling each head of green hair. I'm not just talking about Ruka, but Yusei as well. I'd better stay his plus one. "We can talk all we want when we meet then. And don't worry, we're used to the Satellite life. Nothing we can't handle." Here's hoping my legs remember how to haul ass as well as my mouth remembers how to talk shit.

Squealing tires interrupt our quiet moment, shattering the well-earned peace of the peachy sunset. Security sirens disrupt the chirping of the cicadas in the night.

Yusei gets to the window first, sliding it open with ease. I squeeze between him and Himuro at the sill, searching for the source of the disturbance.

Fucking Ushio. Again.

"Can you hear me, you piece of Satellite garbage?" The electronic interference from the megaphone only makes his voice more grating. "There's no safe place for you and your whore in the city! I'm coming up right now, so prepare yourself!"

"Such a potty mouth. I can't believe this guy wants another beating from you," I remark, neglecting to comment on his insult in front of the twins.

Himuro heaves out a sigh. "Why does it have to be now?"

"It's perfect timing." Yusei shocks us with the declaration. "I have to speak with his superior."

At his prompting, I make sure to grab my purse on our way out. It would strike me as impulsive if anyone else had made so swift of an exit. But this is Yusei leading me down the stairs and right into security's lap. He knows what he's doing. Touching down at the base of the stairs, I inch closer to my protector. They've amassed quite a force outside our door.

"I need to talk with Godwin."

"What? You Satellite trash!" The scarred officer moves forward, incensed by the duelist's demand. When the taller man reaches for Yusei's collar, however, the duelist is quick to react. The strength he typically keeps under wraps until he needs to lift something heavy is betrayed by the popping of joint and bone when Yusei catches the offending limb.

Ushio grimaces, his arm being twisted by none other than the Satellite he'd chosen as his punching bag.

"Take us there." He drops the arm as if stung, using the other to keep me on the side of his furthest from the lumbering officer at all times. He guides us to the police car at Ushio's back, taking care that I'm first through the door. There's only two bucket seats, but they join to form a small bench. Fortunately, I'm miniscule enough to fit between the two occupants once Yusei is seated.

"You won't be acting tough for much longer, punk!" His palm slams onto the window, the blue-eyed mechanic having closed the door in his face. It's a tight squeeze with the two of us and the cop in the driver's seat, but we'll manage. "I'll deal with you personally!" His yell is muffled, but obnoxiously loud enough to hear through the glass.

"Hurry up."


The ride was cramped and so was the room they stuffed us into after. A loveseat and a coffee table take up most of the floor space. Yusei paces in what's left to roam, my butt resting on the arm of the two-seater.

It feels like hours before the doors hiss, sliding open for a trio of large men. Ushio is the point man, leading the clearly lower-ranking individuals around like dogs brought to heel.

"When is Godwin coming?" Yusei left his patience at home, I gather.

"Be patient. The Director is a busy man." Ushio puts out a hand, face up, as though to appear harmless. "If you're so bored, then why don't I duel you until the Director arrives? If I defeat this Satellite garbage, then I'll be the King."

"Right. And that's worked so well for you in the past." I subtly shift over to my protector, his dark blue orbs locked on the rival duelist. "What's this, duel number four?"

"That would be bad. Even though the new King wouldn't lose to someone like you." Ushio staggers at the interfering voice lending its sharp trill to our dialogue. It's no surprise when Yeager steps around the hulking man in green security garb and stands in the doorway.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. The Director has asked for you," he says, not looking sorry in the slightest. He turns to the larger man. "Pick up Jack from the hospital. He also wants to talk with Jack." He ends the order with a shrill cackle.

"Understood." Ushio salutes the diminutive jester, back straight, but he still catches Yusei's stare as he marches me from the room. He places himself closest to the guard when we leave and closest to Yeager while we walk. Each hall looks identical to the last, the only sense of time passing being the beating of Yusei's pulse in my hands. It's so strong that I can feel the pulse of blood through the veins of his upper arm, being wrapped around it as I am.

The future is looking dim from this angle.


A/N: Extra big love to Youko Okami-chan on FFNET for reading my story five years ago and coming back for the rewrite! You are a real one. Thank you so much for the reviews! I'm counting on you to know if there are any formatting errors~ ^^