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(3rd Person PoV)

So back at Satellite, some people were chilling.

"Hey have you heard about those walls of flames?" Someone asked.

"Yeah. Buncha people disappeared in that," another person added on.

"Eh, just some homeless people making a scene. No need to worry about that," a third person waved it off.

"But it's true!" Someone unfamiliar shouted.

In the distance, a young man with orange spiked up hair and had an M marker on his forehead appeared.

"Who are you?" The people asked.

"I'm just an ally of justice passing by!" Crow stated, pumping his fist out.

And then he mounted onto his Duel Runner and soared over the people.

"Oi! Don't go over there! You'll get sacrificed by that monster!" The people shouted.

"I'll be fine! You get to safety, away from here!" Crow shouted back.

You better be ready, Dark Signers because I'm coming! He thought.

Meanwhile back at the mansion, Yusei was at the balcony and reflecting on what Goodwin told him.

Kiryu...is no longer alive. He thought. In fact, none of the other Dark Signers are of this world...

As he was reflecting on this, Ruka was watching him and was very concerned for him.

She was about to approach him when Aki spoke up.

"He's suffering," she said. She was sitting on the couch.

"Huh? Wait, do you know how he feels?" Ruka asked.

"Well since Yusei cherishes the bonds between friends, learning that a close friend of his became a Dark Signer...it's difficult for him," Aki explained.

She then turned to Ruka.

"What about you? Are you ready to fight?" Aki asked.

To fight? Ruka thought about what she should say to Aki before she nodded.

"I am ready because I have a reason to fight," Ruka told her while remembering Ancient Fairy Dragon.

I'm going to save you no matter what, she thought.

I...I see. Even a child is ready to fight in such a dangerous battle, Aki thought.

Then Yusei walked by and Ruka was about to approach him to say something.

"Sorry...I'd rather be alone right now," he told her and walked off.

Aki also got up and walked away in the opposite direction.

Ruka stared at Yusei's direction, her eyes filled with worry. Meanwhile, Jack was just watching from the top of the stairway.

At the office of Goodwin, he received a message from a guy who looked like a clown.

"Everything is running smoothly as you wanted to be," the guy said.

"I see. Keep up the good work," Goodwin told him.

Yusei was then outside and sitting on a bench, moping. One of his close friends was dead and came back to life but against Yusei.

This is definitely taking a toll on him.

He sighed and then saw that Jack has approached him.

"...it's my fault that Kiryu turned out this way. I feel...responsible if he's really dead. And if we're going to fight him, then I don't know what to do," Yusei admitted.

Then Jack grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and shouted, "You want to know what to do? I'll tell you what you should do!"

And then he straight up punched Yusei right in the stomach.

Scar, who was wandering around the mansion because he was bored, saw this interaction from a distance.

"...Something tells me that I should probably intervene before they start beating each other up," He said to no one in particular.

Meanwhile, Aki was walking through a garden of roses and was admiring them.

She crouched down and held one in her hand.

"You know, roses don't usually grow on their own," a voice said and she stood up.

"Grian, isn't it?" She asked as soon as she saw who it was.

Grian was holding onto a cup that smelled strongly of coffee.

He took a sip from it before continuing, "Roses are usually in bunches and grow in gardens like these. They're not ever alone...unless it's that rose from that book but that's a different story."

"I read that book before. But you are right. Roses aren't alone and that's how I feel right now. The Signers are my friends and I don't feel alone because of that," Aki explained.

Grian took another sip of coffee at this.

"So...have you made a decision yet?" He asked.

"I have. I'm going to fight the Dark Signers as a Signer. My mother would have preferred it if I didn't do such a dangerous task just when we became a family again but I'm just happy that they didn't turn their back on me and accepted me without turning away. And that's why I feel like I shouldn't turn my back away from this. It's my duty and atonement from what the Arcadia Movement has done," Aki explained.

Grian rose an eyebrow.

"Didn't they manipulate you?" He asked.

"Mama asked the same thing but regardless if they did or not, I was still one of their members. If my powers can stop the disaster that will hit Neo Domino City, then I will use them. I have a feeling that's what their purpose should be," Aki replied.

Powers with a noble purpose huh? Grian thought while staring at the brown liquid in the cup.

He wished he knew what that meant.

Aki stared at the sky and remembered what her father told her about her powers.

If she couldn't control them, then they will consume her. But since she's using them for a wholeheartedly positive purpose and with Yusei by her side, then her father has absolute faith in her.

"We must have faith in our daughter because she has found something that she truly must do," he assured his wife in a flashback in the back of Aki's mind.

Thank you...Papa, she thought.

Inside the mansion's dining hall, there was a bunch of food. And Rua was helping himself to that food.

"Alright!" He cheered and took a lot of that onto a plate.

He pushed aside some coffee cups that were left there and placed his plate plate down as he began to eat.

"So this is where you went!" Ruka shouted and raced over to him.

"Ruka, look! There's so much food here! Help yourself to some," Rua told her.

"Everyone is making serious decisions and you're over here relaxing," Ruka placed her hands on her hips.

"Come on. It'll be a waste of good food if no one comes and eat it," Rua shrugged.

"There's no time to be that carefree!" Ruka snapped.

"I can afford to be carefree. Because, you know, I'm not a Signer," Rua pointed out.

"Fine! If you want to go strolling into Satellite, thinking that it's a picnic, then go ahead!" Ruka huffed and was about to turn away.

"I'm not going."

Ruka turned her head slightly. "What?" She asked.

"I said I'm not going to Satellite," Rua repeated, his tone softened in shame.

Ruka then fully turned around to face her twin.

"What do you mean?" She asked, concerned.

Rua didn't respond by just turned away.

"...Rua," Luca said, softly.

Never mind that though, so back in Satellite, Crow was wandering around the B.A.D area.

Don't worry Yusei! Until you get back, I'll take down one or two Dark Signers, he thought.

That's not how it works but ok.

Then he saw someone very suspicious.

A-ha! Crow thought.

Remember that clown guy that was slightly mentioned? Yeah he's here now and then a rope appeared out of nowhere and tied him up.

"Alright!" Crow jumped down and held onto the rope, only to realize that he didn't capture the guy. The rope was tied up to a pole instead.

He then heard laughter and saw the clown guy again.

"You!" Crow shouted.

"Yare-yare. You can't catch me with that," the guy told him.

And then he ran off.

"Hey! Get back here!" Crow shouted and chased him, the guy still laughing.

The chase went on into a warehouse that looked abandoned.

Crow entered in but couldn't see that guy anywhere.

"Damn it! Where is he?" He asked but then he heard a small clank noise from above.

The clown guy was standing on a crane as it was being lowered down.

"I will not run or hide," he stated.

He then narrowed his eyes at Crow while keeping a wide grin on his face. "You shouldn't be here right now," he added on.

"A-ha! I knew it! You are a Dark Signer!" Crow laughed.

"I believe that you are mistaken. I honestly thought you are a Dark Signers with your ugly criminal marks," the clown guy said.

When the crane reached the ground, he hopped off it and then grabbed a thin projector out of his sleeve and looked through it.

It held information on people with the criminal marks like Crow.

"Hmmm, I see. You are acquainted with Jack Atlas and Yusei Fudo," the clown guy muttered.

"Well if you aren't a Dark Signer, then who are you?" Crow demanded.

"My apologies for not saying this earlier but my name is Yeager. I am the right hand man of Director Goodwin of the Public Maintenance Department," Yeager explained.

He then held up a finger and said, "Do not approach the hole in the area. That is all." He turned to leave.

Crow wasn't satisfied with that and threw a contraption at Yeager which cuffed their Duel Disks together.

"Yare-yare, you're stubborn," Yeager muttered.

"Well I want to know why you are here and why hasn't your boss told Yusei to defeat the Dark Signer?" Crow demanded.

"That is...classified information. I am not obliged to tell a sewer pest like you," Yeager stated.

Crow tugged at the cuff at this. "Who are calling sewer pest, you demon clown!" He snapped.

"Hmmmph! You are quite the fool aren't you? Fine, if you must know then let's duel," Yeager said.

"Haha! Alright, this will great warm up before defeating the Dark Signers!" Crow cheered.

He is truly a fool, Yeager thought as the two duelists prepared to duel.

Back at the mansion, Jack punched Yusei again but this time in the face.

Yusei fell to the ground at this and Jack was looking down at him.

"Tch! Your eyes make me feel sick! They are of a sick and abandoned puppy. I hated you, Yusei, for dethroning me and humiliating me that day. Where is that Yusei now?" Jack demanded.

Yusei didn't respond as he got up.

"It wasn't Kiryu that died but you! He might have been our friend a long time ago but he is our enemy now! And we must fight him! If you aren't ready to face him then I will!" Jack shouted and aimed another punch at Yusei.

Scar was about to step in to stop the fighting before Yusei did something unexpected.

He simultaneously swung a punch at Jack and the two of them ended up punching each other. In the face.

Ok, that was unexpected, Scar thought.

"I'm not dead, Jack," Yusei assured him, his eyes burning with determination.

Jack recognized that determination and gave a small nod. Finally, the Yusei he knew was back.

Back to the twins, Ruka stared at Rua and asked, "Why aren't you coming to Satellite?"

Rua sighed before turning to face her.

"Because I'll just get carried away! And when people call me a hero for protecting his little sister, I actually believe that! How reckless and stupid of me," he explained.

Rua then bowed his head.

"When I battled Divine, that's when reality hit me. I'm no hero and I no longer believe that I am," he added on.

"...Rua," Ruka felt tears forming up in her eyes.

Rua turned away and stared at a fallen coffee cup.

"You know...when we were little, I used to think that you were in my way. A pain to be around. Since you were sick and frail all the time, I couldn't go to duel tournaments or go to any of the King's autograph signings," he started.

Ruka looked down and wiped some tears from her face.

"I knew. I always knew and it was because of me that you couldn't go out and play or as you said, go to duel tournaments when they came to town," Ruka said.

"Rua...I'm sorry for all of that," she started.

"No need for that! I'll only feel embarrassed though because you're so cool!" Rua exclaimed, stars in his eyes.

"Cool?" Ruka was confused.

"You are a Signer, Ruka! A reincarnation of an ancient warrior which is leagues away from me," Rua explained.

Ruka's eyes widen in shock.

"I realize that in reality that I was the pain and if I went to Satellite...I'll only be in the way. But don't worry, I'll be cheering you on!" Rua exclamation.

"Hurray! Hurray! Ruuuuuuuukaaaaa! Defeat the Dark Signers!" He cheered but then Ruka began to cry.

"You dummy. I'm scared of this upcoming battle. Who knows what will happen to me if you're not there with me," she told him.

"...Ruka?" Rua asked.

"Listen, I don't expect you to be a hero...just protect me like you have always done," Ruka then hugged her brother tightly.

In the hallway while this was going on, Joel was sitting on the floor. He was out of sight so the twins couldn't see him.

He could tell that those twins have a strong bond. He honestly hoped that the Signers could defeat the Dark Signers without having to lose someone that they cared about.

Joel leaned back on the wall.

There's this unfamiliar sense of caring. Why should he care about this world? It's not his...

Those thoughts filled his head with dread so he shook them off.

"Even if this isn't your world, you can tell that you have a destiny here," Giant Wall told him.

Yeah...but who knows what that destiny is? Joel thought.

Outside, Jack and Yusei were sitting on the grass. Scar was just standing around.

Yusei glanced at him and said, "Thank you for opening my eyes."

Jack merely nodded at this.

Yusei looked up at the sky. "With the Dark Signers pushing the world in danger, I feel concerned for my friends in Satellite....I have to protect them even if it means facing whatever fear I have," he said.

"Heh, same old Yusei," Jack rolled his eyes but that made him think.

From his pocket, he took out a pair of glasses. The same swirly glasses that he found on the floor of the Arcadia Movement building.

Carly's glasses...

Someone to protect, he thought.

"Hey," a voice from behind them said.

It was Aki and she approached them, Grian was behind her.

"I'm going to fight alongside you," she stated.

"And I'm going with you to Satellite. I just have...a feeling that we need to be there," Grian added on and glanced over at Scar.

Despite being soulmates and soul bonded where they share physical pain, Grian is still a mystery to Scar. What is he hiding? Scar wants to figure this out.

"Yusei!" Another voice snapped Scar out of this thoughts.

It was Ruka and she ran up to them.

"Are you going?" She asked and Yusei nodded.

"I'm so glad," Ruka smiled before looking at Rua was standing way behind them, looking unsure on what to do.

He then took a deep breath before running up to them.

"Yusei! I now know why you're so cool! It's because you always fight with belief in yourself!" Rua explained.

He then turned to Jack and said, "Jack, you may not be the King anymore but you're still so cool."

"What do you mean?" Jack was unamused.

"I'm going to be just as cool as you two," Rua stated, happily.

"No way. A brat like you can never be cool," Jack said.

"If I said I can be cool then I will!" Rua exclaimed.

"I hereby declare that you will never be cool!" Jack snapped but Rua was unbothered by this and just kept on declaring that he will be cool like them no matter what.

And then Etho showed up.

"Hey have you seen Joel? I have been looking for him," he asked.

"Joel? No I haven't," Yusei said.

"It's a big place, he'll turn up eventually," Scar shrugged and Rua nodded.

"I'm right here," Joel then showed up and walked up to them.

He looked at the Signers and then the Double Lifers.

"So...we're all going to Satellite right?" Joel asked.

They all nodded.

"Alright. It's a good decision to make," Joel said, blankly.

Ruka stared at him. There was something up but she couldn't quite put her finger on.

Maybe in time she'll figure it out.

A/N: Crow vs Yeager duel will be the next chapter.

Also here's a drawing of Black Rose Dragon that I did in my art class

I got nothing else to say. I wanted to explain something but I'll save that for another chapter.

Uhh yeah....

Cya in the next one -Flare

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