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Yu-gi-oh 5Ds: Rise of Darkness and Corruption (Athene/ImaginaryMuse & Razgriz)


"And what if I am? You can barely stay awake; don't tell me Pearson's little inheritor is so weak as to be knocked near unconscious by that much!" Bolger sneered. "He brought it on himself; our project could have brought the Satellite back from the brink. We could have been a new Tops....They would have nothing on us! We would have an economy...Stability...Power! But Pearson had to insist that we didn't need the city's help! That we were capable without them...And because of that, our company nearly crashed into bankruptcy!"

However...His mouth turned into a thin line when Crow managed to draw the one card that allowed him to still get at his Life. "Feh..." he snarled; even as he tried to avoid the attack, Bora's massive spiral lance pierced right through his set card - Burning Heater - and contacted him, making him grunt in pain as his Life dropped even lower. Much as it hadn't been much damage...Now he had nothing to defend himself.

"I'm not letting myself lose here, Crow...I have too much riding on this!" he would shout, pushing through the agony and trying to keep himself upright. Unfortunatey because of Unstable Greed, his Draw Phase was locked and he had no cards to play. Which meant he needed to activate one of his contingency plans...

Thankfully, he hadn't been fully unprepared; as he drove along the track length, spikes would shoot out from the surface in groups and attempt to impale Crow as well as disable his Runner. With them being alone, it would be unlikely that they would be interrupted.

"Well, Crow?! Do you see now?! One way or another, Black-Feather Dragon will be mine! Just as I refused to let Pearson stop me, I will not allow you to do so either! If you want to survive, come at me! Turn end!" he shouted.
 

"Of course not," Crow shot back, narrowing his eyes. "If I were completely out, you wouldn't hear me talking. But trust me .... you got a lot more to worry about than how pathetic I may have looked or sounded."

And there it was. A full-fledged confession. Crow's hands gripped harder onto his handlebars, doubling to help keep himself conscious while expressing his wrath.

"You really do have some nerve to brag about killing someone in front of me. The fuck is wrong with you, huh?! Are you trying to get me to kill you?! Because ... this may be a time I'd be fine making an exception!"

And it was true, too. The normally calm and caring Crow was ready to take a page from Kiryu's book. But only long enough to personally deal with Bolger. After that? Never again ... not unless someone else tried to be stupid like this. However, the chances of that were low ... at least Crow felt pretty certain about that much.

A few beeps from his console helped Crow notice the spikes. It gave him enough time to speed ahead and get just far enough out of the metal weapon's reach to keep his Wheeler in tact.

"Oi, oi, you wait your damn turn! I promised I'd give it over afterwards .... if I lose, anyway. You may have gotten a really good hit off me. But that's the only one you're getting." His smirk widened as he watched Bolger forced to skip his draw phase. "In fact, you may have sealed your own fate by activating that trap of yours. Draw!"

... So that may not even be needed. In fact, he hadn't really felt overly forced to use many of his backrows. Still .. he nodded and slid another card in his rear area, the noises alone signaling how he used the first part of his turn. "Now ... Bora! Direct Attack!"

Crow would speed forward once again, knowing Bolger's Wheeler would probably react in a rather ... harsh way with being rammed into. And with those spikes still very much out and exposed? Yeah. He wanted to avoid getting any part of his own motorcycle or even self hit by those.

"Turn end!"
 

"Feh! You can brag all you like, brat! But the truth is, Pearson was nothing more than a coward! So try and kill me if that's what you want so much! He got what was coming to him, that is that!" Bolger roared; how dare that little brat try to minimize everything he sacrificed...Every drop of blood and sweat he's spilled to make their company something huge.

"And you know the sad part? The fire that killed him was an accident! So in a way, I didn't kill him...But I sure as hell wasn't going to let him try to ruin me even more by helping him out!" Bolger laughed...But not for long, as Bora's lance pierced into him once more, depleting a chunk of his Life and his own Runner threatening to swerve and veer off course.

Of course, Bolger was also trying - likely poorly but at this point he didn't care - to mask the fact that he was going to lose this chance to get Black-Feather. No...Not after everything he sacrificed! Everything in his possession that he gave; cards could be replaced, but his company...No, he would not let his company fall!

"Crow! Don't forget that you're in my house! I've set up this arena just for us! And this Runner is designed to burn you down in your entirety!" Bolger then shouted; from the front, twin nozzles extended, a flash of light preceding an eruption of flame that would barely tickle Crow's back with an intense flash of heat.

"Turn end! So come on Crow! You better finish me quick, or else you and your dreams of revenge will go down in flame!" Bolger shouted, trailing Crow closely.
 

"You're just being a sore loser," Crow mumbled, shaking his head. His mouth began to open, only to close. Even if he uttered what he was really doing, it was clear Bolger didn't care about anything except what he wanted. With his attitude seeming as if it were fueled by both his desires and realizing he was very close to losing this duel, talking was no longer an option. A sad but unfortunate truth.

This must be how Yusei feels when he can't use negotiations. No wonder he looks so down after those times; it feels as shitty as it looks.

Well ... he'd tried. Crow really had. And he knew if any of the other Enforcers - including the Kiryu he used to know - they would have asked him to do at least that much. Whatever may or may not happen ... no one would blame him. Not that it was Crow's fault to start with.

His head shook, quickly pushing the thoughts away as he watched Bolger take his turn. Lack of, rather, as once again ... nothing was done. Not even setting a monster, which at least could have provided a bit of a chance. Probably a slim one, but it would have been much more than what Bolger had as of that moment. Crow hissed and jerked as the flames just barely flickered along his jacket and shirt. Those kept his bare back from immediately getting burned. Unfortunately, it didn't completely cease the fire from doing its job, as small bits and pieces of his clothes had gotten ruined enough to cause minor wounds to spread on his back.

Luckily, they were just that; minor. First degree, and easily treatable. But goddamn if they didn't sting.

"You know," Crow mused after pulling the top card off his deck, "Your bravado would be much more effective if you could back your talk up. As it is? I could just have Bora attack and win this duel now."

His head moved from side to side.

"But I'm gonna hit you with much more than just that. Trap Card, Open! Blackback! I'll choose Shura and special summon him back to the field! From my hand, I then activate Rush Recklessly on Shura! Shura! Direct attack!"

Were it not for the fact his life quickly hit zero, Crow would order Bora to join his kin. And truthfully, part of him was still tempted to do exactly that, but ... nah. He did want to vent his frustrations out, absolutely. But for Crow, there was a difference between avenging someone and going overboard. Having both of his monsters would be the latter. Overkill, if he had to select any specific word.

Knowing the fight was going to end, Crow waited for the 'house' to vanish. All while ensuring he continued to avoid the spikes that attempted to slash at his tires ... or any part of his Wheeler, really.

"Duel end. It should go without saying that you realize what this means, yeah?"
 

"If this is what it takes to keep everything I've built from crashing down, then so be it!" Bolger retorted, clearly content with tossing aside his pride as a Duelist in order to realize his goals. Definitely the words of a man who was pressed into a corner, and based on his actions? It seemed to be the case that he wasn't about to let up on letting Crow out of here either.

And when Crow took his turn? Bolger was definitely panicking, his voice rising as he shouted "No! I'm not going to let you destroy everything I've worked so hard to achieve!" The flames would continue to shoot out towards as Shura's buffed attack would slam into Bolger himself. A pained yowl was all that was heard before a catastrophic chain reaction took place. His Runner was veered off course, slamming sideways into one of the rogue bunch of spikes from the tracks and flipping over. Tossing the man from his vehicle as his Life hit 0, body bouncing along the ground before coming to a stop. The spikes that had been deployed sinking back into their receptacles, leaving Crow free of any track dangers.

He stirred and pushed himself up from his prone position, holding his head as Crow approached, demanding in his own way that Bolger uphold his end of the deal. Eyes glaring daggers at this young man that had pushed through and emerged victorious, "Feh...You really want to know? Or you just want to gloat? I basically told you what happened..." the man grumbled, taking off his helmet and letting the cracked head covering fall off with a clatter. "Like I said....Pearson didn't want the kids he 'represented' to think they needed the City's help to achieve their dreams. Even if it meant going bankrupt as a result, and plunging us both into poverty and being put out of work. We dueled for how we would decide the outcome of the company itself...That Duel was held in a separate building. One of the attacks caused an overload in some circuitry, starting a fire. I got out...He did not."

All the while, one of Bolger's hands drifted to his side, where a small pistol was holstered in a pocket of his racing suit. He really hoped it wouldn't come to this...But now that the truth was out, he couldn't let Crow leave this building. They were still isolated, which meant even if the shot was loud, he could limp his way out of here. "And if I have anything to say about it...Neither will you!" he then shouted, reaching forward and leveling the gun at the young man.
 

Crow gave a stern, affirmative nod.

"If I didn't wanna know, I wouldn't be here still. I'd just ride off and leave you as you are; alone, bitter, and miserable. Call it ... making damn sure as opposed to outright gloating."

"If anyone's been gloating, it's you, you bastard ... "

But ... those would only make it harder to get what he wanted, not simpler. So for the time being, Crow kept those last words to himself, staring down at Bolger's wounded form. Listening to it all ... it pained him. About as much as both electricity and fire combined had. In fact, certain phrases seemed to trigger Crow's body as it twitched or shuddered from the orange-haired youth being hurt in his own ways.

" ... It's like you said earlier, unfortunately. It may have been indirectly done by you, but ... yeah. You did kill him all the same."

And even though he had felt so sure he could take a page from Kiryu's book ... he now found himself realizing that wasn't true. There was a reason none of the others had agreed with Kiryu's dire measures to get rid of Sector. There were just so many smarter methods to try to use. Would they have been easier? Fuck no. In fact, they likely would have taken far longer than going all guns blazing and trying to execute every last officer alive.

But at the end of the day, it would keep their reputation as a team intact. It was something all of them used to take pride in ... even Kiryu himself. Before he ... went off the deep end.

Crow sighed, his head slowly shaking. This would probably bite him in the ass - to just go away without ending this somehow. Kiryu was already an example of why leaving loose ends untied could be dangerous. But .... so be it.

Right now, he honestly wanted to get back to the hotel room and soak in a bath. Do any and everything to help his aching muscles.

Something being pulled out, however, drew Crow away from his thoughts, and soon, he found himself staring at the most desperate sight possible; Bolger wielding a firearm.

" ... You really think that's gonna fix the mess you've made? I'm not the only one who's been looking into this, you know? And killing me? It's only going to make the trail all the more easier to link together."

Idiot, move! Don't just stand there!

Unfortunately, all of the adrenaline that had helped Crow move despite suffering the electric shocks and burns was dying down. He could feel himself, if anything, ready to collapse before making it to his Wheeler. His jaw clenched tightly as he stared forward, refusing to look away. If this was really going to be it, then he'd go down glaring daggers at Death and the man who took away a dear friend of his.

"CROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!"

Crow merely chuckled; leave it up to Yusei to keep chasing him even after accidentally disappearing. He didn't say anything; simply flashed a coy smirk to Bolger.

The engine would rev loudly and seconds before the trigger could be pulled, a boot would kick the gun out of Bolger's grasp, effectively shoving it out of reach. A quick glance between Crow and Bolger revealed they were both tired. All, if he included himself. And Yusei fully intended to use that to his advantage, especially while he his own adrenaline rush was still going.

He briefly stopped beside the half-prone Bolger before moving beside his friend.

"Damn, Yusei. The hell happened with you?"

"Later. Come on, we need to go. My own duel sorta grabbed ... unwanted attention. Including Sector."

Crow groaned, with Yusei nodding.

"Exactly. So we need to go."

"Wait a sec. Your own duel?"

Yusei flashed Crow a knowing grin, nodding. "When we get back. I'll fill you in, okay? Promise. Now ... can you move?"

"Not as well as usual," Crow muttered, not bothering to hide his annoyance in how well his very real injuries had seemed to affect his body.

With the combined efforts of the two teens, Yusei aided Crow in getting onto his own Wheeler. Crow would turn his head, looking one last time at Bolger before shaking it. No. It really wasn't worth changing his mind, not even now. He could live with everything; the shame, guilt, and now this most recent dueling defeat. The biggest and strongest Facility may still be in ... a different set of custody, so to speak, but that didn't mean he couldn't be locked away properly.

"I hope some appropriate form of Karma finds and kicks you for me. Since, apparently, I don't have it in me to be as brutal as I wanted to be."

The softest of breaths passed Yusei's lips; apparently, his impeccable timing had helped serve him well enough. Whatever had happened, it sounded like it'd tempted Crow to give up on his usual mindset. Even if only for a few minutes ... that could have been all it took to lead to a very devastating end. Whatever that may or may not have been, exactly.

He merely nodded once more to Crow, waiting for the Blackwing user to start his own ride up.

Soon, the two would be on their way, riding out of range. Even if Bolger could grab the gun once again, it'd be a hell of a shot to take.
 
Bolger smirked as Crow stared him down; even if they did find out he shot Crow...Well, the kid had three criminal marks. And he was an upstanding citizen who was forcibly coerced into a Duel for a portion of his company's profits. "Victory must have made you fat-headed, brat; did you forget you have the criminal marks and not me? Besides, it's as they say: Dead men tell no tales. As far as Sector's concerned, you were trying to ambush me while I was working on a project. Threatened me into a Duel with blackmail."

He had the perfect plan for where to dispose of the body too. Nothing would stand in his way, his finger starting to squeeze the trigger. "If you happen to see Pearson, tell him he's a failure for me, would you?" Bolger sneered, raising the gun a little more to make sure his shot was true; he was hurt though, so he had to be extra sure he didn't miss.

"?!"

But he got distracted as a voice called out, seeing another brat motoring towards him. A booted foot kicking the firearm from his grip, the severity of the backlash making him cry out in pain as he fell fully to the ground. Gripping his shoulder as he stared at the pair with lethal malice; damn these kids!

And when Crow would give Pearson his last words, soon disappearing off on his Runner with Yusei...He pushed himself up, and tried to limp. Unfortunately the crash made him rather unsteady, and he soon fell again. The sounds of sirens in his ears as he blacked out from the pain.

====================================================================================

"This is BULL! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Shut your mouth, Pitt; you were filmed in an illegal Duel of some kind. You were even kind enough to show the camera your face!"

"That wasn't me! Well, okay it was me, but I wasn't myself!"

"That's the angle you're going to play? Possessed by some pyromaniac alter ego?"

These were some of the things Angela would hear as Sector officers sat in with Director Goodwin during an interrogations, the door shutting again and muffling the conversation once more. Her mind played back to the Duel she recorded; she'd heard that all, right? Dark Synchro, Dark Signer, resurrection...

"Damn it...Now I kind of miss that airhead Carly. She would have loved to cover this story...She should be the one sitting here, not me!" she said to herself, her eyes looking to the door in the waiting room where two more Security officers stood guard. Almost visibly portraying her intent to bolt, even if it was the only way in or out. "Don't even think about it, Miss Raines; the Director wants to speak with you, and has authorized us to use force to detain you if need be."

Angela's lips curled into a grimace, "You can't do this! The people have a right to know that something freaky is going on! The longer I sit here, the longer this story - the truth - goes untold!" Another guard then said, "Oh right, because your pieces are all about the truth...Like that smear article you wrote about Atlas, or your coverage of the simulator incident. Painting it as a deliberate attempt by the Gaming Commission to experiment? You're a fourth-rate tabloid writer, Raines."

Angela then just said, "Says the goon in blue who beats up children for fun!" The man she just insulted then started to come for her, reaching for his baton but his partner gripped his shoulder, "Easy, man; she's just upset because now the Director's going to be all alone with her...And we both know how much he hates her articles." This seemed to calm down the second officer a good bit, even smiling as he added, "You're right; Goodwin's been needing another chewtoy. I can't wait to see what he does to you, girly."

And at just that moment, Dick would be seen leaving. Escorted by two guards, hands in cuffs behind his back. "Guess that didn't go too well, did it?" the first officer snickered; Mikage would then walk through the door, possessing a far gentler air than the two officers watching the waiting room. "Miss Raines? Director Goodwin can see you now. Follow me please."

And soon enough, Angela would find herself sitting directly across from the man in power across all of New Domino. The man who set and dismantled things in motion on a daily and very fluid basis. "Just so we're clear, Director...I'm here under protest." she would start off, not faltering as she made their stance very clear on each other. But she would then allow herself a smile, "Be succinct and direct in your questioning; I do need a new article to replace the one you're confiscating from me. Lucky for you...I happen to have a very good memory, so I can happily transcribe it later."
 

Common sense suggested that being the Director of Sector came with as many bad perks like it did positive ones. Something he was finding to be a more and more typical trend was the concept of breaks just didn't exist. It always seemed that if some punk brats from the Satellite weren't trying to ruin his day, it was someone else.

Suffice to say, the call he got saying two new individuals being brought into custody had irritated him just a bit.

But then ... if they had gone directly to him, these people must be important prisoners. It was the only logical conclusion he could come up with. Shame; he had other issues he would rather focus on. Like getting his Facility back. The smaller jails were working out well enough for the time being. Takeshi's fluke escape, however, was more than enough of a proper reason as to why it wouldn't work in the long-term.

Goodwin's view on these incarcerated individuals would very swiftly change, however, as he watched the filmed video for the fourth time.

"Hmm .... " he mused softly, drumming his fingernails against the wooden desk.

What he was seeing may not involve the Facility, but it did have something else that was near the top of his list. The Signers and giving them a specific talk. Jack hadn't been completely wrong in his most recent guesses. There were some things he'd held back. The time hadn't been right before. But now? If this was footage that was real and hadn't been tampered with ... he couldn't delay that discussion for much longer.

"Sir? What do we do with the boy?"

"What do you think?" Rex snapped, "Lock him up. You heard him admit it was still him in this video. Even if he really "wasn't himself", it doesn't excuse the damage to both Yusei and the property around them. If you want to keep it as simple as vandalism, so be it. But he doesn't walk out of here for free."

"Yes sir!"

And with that, poor Dick's fate had been sealed. Moments later, Angelina would be escorted in ... and Rex simply smirked as she spoke. He allowed her to speak her mind before taking his turn to talk.

"I don't think you fully understand your position here, Miss Raines. One word ... that's all it takes from me, you know? One word from me can make or break your future. So I'd watch what you say to my face from here on out. Now then .... "

Rex gently tapped the top of Angelina's camera.

"Who gave you the lead so you could record this, hmm? You reporters almost always have a source that allows you to get to the sites of major stories in mere minutes. So, who helped out with that but perhaps - more importantly - why not confirm some things that could be thought of as 'fake'. Like ... that purple circle surrounding Yusei and the boy. Did anyone say what it was, exactly? It's either a very real, supernatural element ... or quite the elaborate hoax. Which is it, Miss Rainer?"
 
Miss Rainer....

Her brow twitched as he loosed that deliberate mispronunciation. And it wasn't the first time he'd done it either; he knew it pissed her off, and would sneak a chance to say it just to get under her skin. "I think I fully understand my position just fine, Director; it's you that doesn't understand. How many scandals do you think people have seen from you so far?"

Crossing her arms, he then would hear her say, "So far, I've counted 3 involving you, four if you include the Facility fiasco...And let's not forget the little rendezvous between that Fayth girl and Atlas. No one still knows who she is, or how she managed to worm her way into his life like she has." Grinning a bit, she then said, "But...Let's just say I've learned quite a lot on my own about her. And I know there's more to her than you're letting on."

It was here that she held up a finger, "So...I propose a trade. You give me immunity from whatever crap charges you're planning to levy against me - because that's how I know you work - and not only will I prevent airing what I know to the world, but I'll even cooperate." Of course, she knew this was dangerous; but even if it was just a little, she was hoping she could leverage some information.

She didn't forget though, that it was largely because of him she'd gotten the scoops she did that shot her to the top of her career and left rookie reporters like Carly in the dust.

"But as a sign of good faith...I'll answer that last question for you. Nothing was said about it....But it looked like fire, even if the color wasn't the same." She found it interesting that he chose to focus on that first of all things. Not the fact that there was a Duel, nor that he was questioning her about the recording of a 'Dark Synchro' monster.

"Now...Next question, Director."
 

Ir had started out somewhat cute and amusing at first to hear Angela keep her facade up. But now? It was getting really annoying. She could lie to herself and even Rex all she wanted. She did not have any advantage, no matter what she was trying to insist to herself. Although ... when she brought Fayth up, Angela would notice Goodwin raise his eyebrow.

In truth, that was among his secret list of people-slash-things he wanted to ... deal with. And it was basically for the same reason Angela all but confirmed; there was indeed something different about her. He never had gotten exacts, and he would be lying if he didn't admit he wasn't curious on the girl. Sure, some of the guards had gotten hints here and there, as had he when he visited her and Yuna in the Facility. But those had been far too vague to give him any definite leads to go off on.

"The Facility was indeed unfortunate. But as far as Fayth goes?"

Rex shrugged, a sly smirk tugging at his lips.

"The people only need to know her as 'Datenshi' Celeste Belrose, the next-Queen-in-line. Not that I expect Ling to need a replacement, but ... you never know. Better safe than sorry. Not many people thought Jack would be dethroned; and yet, the Fortune Cup revealed it was a very possible deed."

He went silent, beginning to walk around Angela in a purposely slow circle. Always staring at her, but - for what would likely feel like a very, very deliberately created eternity - remain quiet. As if he were deep in thought which, to be somewhat fair, was partially true. But not as much as she may or may not think. The silence was meant to keep her guessing and lull her in a false sense of security. Finally, though, he came to a halt, stopping in front of the reporter. His hands landed on the table in front of him, planted firmly on the cold, metal surface.

"Tell me, Miss Raines ... who gave you the brilliant idea of using bribes against anyone in Sector? Let alone to use it against me, the Director?"

His head moved from side to side as he chuckled.

"No, no, my dear. Things don't work like that here. You go on and on about scandals. Well ... no point in adding another to that list by taking your 'offer' up, is there? So, here's how this is going to work. Your sign of good faith is appreciated." Before she could speak further, he lifted his right index finger up, "However .... I'm not done with you. Nowhere near."

Questions .... hmm. He did have them, most definitely. But not the typical ones one would have guessed. As it was? There were few more he even had that mattered and wanted to toss over to Angela. In fact, if he had to be brutally blunt? He would have just snapped his fingers and ordered his guards to get her out of his sights from the get-go.

But then ... she would be able to legally relay he hadn't even made an effort to hear her out.

At least this way, that luxury was gone. He could earnestly say he'd tried and add in a few white lies here and there. All ones that would be easy enough to believe, particularly with a nosy bitch like Ms. Raines.

"All in all, your footage was pretty self-explanatory. I suppose the next best question is if you heard a motive behind Dick coercing Mister Fudo into a duel. What would he have gotten out of it? Particularly a seemingly more-dangerous-than-usual duel, at that matter?"

Of course, it didn't really matter. That was why the boy had been dragged away. Even if he truly had been 'possessed' or some nonsense like that, it was him in that recording. Him who'd initiated everything. And thus, by default, Dick's fault.

So ... he would use that logic to his advantage. No sooner than Ms. Raines finished giving her own response, he nodded ... and snapped his fingers, summoning some guards beside the cuffed reporter.

"Unfortunately, my dear, you likely have given me all I need and care about. You know, you could have been a hero ... by doing more than just watching from afar. But no. You simply observed Yusei get likely senselessly hurt. As far as I'm concerned, you aided and abetted young Dick in whatever he was trying to pull off. Failure to reveal all of the 'scandals' you mentioned .... we can use that plus some other factors to add in a few 'obstruction of justice' charges also."

His sly smile widened as he watched her yanked and dragged rather eagerly away. Apparently, his men seemed as content as the Director to be rid of her. Good. It'd make most of the rest of his evening go by smoother.

After Angela was led away, he sat back down ... and pushed on the "Play" button one more time. Rex slowly nodded, barely a full minute into rewatching the tape before he knew what needed to be done. And it had to occur tomorrow. Sooner was better, even if it'd likely be very abrupt.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________​


To say the three women were very surprised about the sudden summoning would be a massive understatement. Then again, it would also be fair to say that so far, this year had been full of surprises for all of them.

Fayth and Jack would be among the first to arrive ... though considering where they lived and how far it was from the Director's location, that was no shock. Fayth sat in the nearest surface - a couch, from what she could determine - and at least tried to keep herself from freaking out. It was no secret to Jack she had never really been a huge fan of Goodwin.

But knowing a lot of the shit that had happened directly to her were somehow his fault?

.... Yeah, that only made things all the more worse with her.

Even still, she had promised to try to stay somewhat civil. She'd keep to that ... especially because, apparently, this meeting wasn't just going to be between the three of them like she initially thought. Others would be on their way. And she had a guess, simply because Yusei and Crow were some of the names Jack mentioned in hopes of helping her feel better.

For now, though, she would wait to hear the answers rather than making an assumption and ending up being incorrect on her guess.
 

"Hmph, don't you dare cheapen my offer to a simple bribe, Director. Given all of your screw-ups as of late? There's a seething minority of people that are upset with you, and my words could make or break your career." she retaliated, feeling a bit intimidated that he'd shot her down so carelessly. What did he have that was so important to risk his very career on?

"Well, since you're now trying to tally up bogus charges...I don't feel very much like cooperating." she would say, smirking again; though when he then went on to say that she'd given him basically everything that was valuable. "Now wait a second, I have a lot more than you think! No, get your hands off me!" she shouted, starting to struggle.

"Shut up, Raines! Director's got more than enough to put you away for a couple of years, so better start getting comfy!" said one of the arresting officers, dragging the struggling woman away and leaving the Director to review the tape one last time.

Little did anyone realize the chain of events that would unfold.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Rex Goodwin :: Jack Atlas :: Yusei Fudo :: Crow Hogan :: Rua
​
It hadn't been easy to find Akiza; of course, all it took was a bit of a recon though and they found her walking around. Rex had visited her in person, and was quite forward in what he knew. Contact with her had been limited up until this point...And she had been surprisingly compliant once he rattled off her crimes she had committed. Kidnapping, assault, and evasion were at the top of the list, along with another few that he could easily slap her with if she put up a fight.

The best method? Probably not, but it was something he needed to do. Jack had been easy enough; and after Crow and Yusei got some medical treatment and were cleared for discharge, Rex had found them as well. Crow didn't trust the Director...But given that he was technically over here illegally, and that Yusei was also technically an escaped convict? Well, it certainly helped sway his decision. And really, all Rex was asking for was an ear and some time.

Rua, meanwhile sat close to his sister; the Director had tried to dissuade the young man from joining. But it was clear the little boy wasn't going to be backing down; if this involved Ruka, then he would need to be filled in too to help her. So, with some reluctance, Rex allowed Ruka to join them as well.

Jack sat next to Fayth, a hand squeezing her leg to help her feel less uneasy about this; given their history, it was doubtful she was overly excited to be here. He was more glad that the Director finally seemed to realize the severity of the situation. Yusei and Crow sat in some chairs surrounding a table, not sure what they would be expecting.

"Is this going to put Ruka in danger? I don't like all this secrecy; we're being forced to leave our home and reside in the Satellite...What's going on?!" Rua asked, Yusei and Crow looking at each other. How could they answer that? Granted, it was undoubted that if she was a Signer they would target her. And likely use her brother as leverage, if Kiryu's actions were any indication.

Even Jack felt at a loss for words; usually honesty was the best policy...But even he wouldn't scar a child if it could be handled with discretion.

"As a matter of fact...It will."

The voice, authoritative and direct, then cut through the tense atmosphere as the Director himself sat at the end of the table. "Well, you have us here....Now what?" Crow asked, Yusei chiming in "Now we learn about who Kiryu works for...And I'm guessing why we have these marks."

Rex glared at Jack, "Seems you've been talkative", but Jack was unfazed, "They deserved to know sooner...Before this happened."
 

Ruka's legs were gently swinging back and forth. She was painfully nervous. The poor girl practically had it stamped on her forehead, and probably a few other visible places. The tension in the air was just .... ready to explode. As if it were an unstable bomb ready to go off at any second, with no real warning. All of these people - while not strangers - were clearly on edge. Likely for a good reason, but ... what?

The bluenette slowly looked around, trying to get an idea ... but eventually shifted her gaze back down to the floor. Answers would come. That was a given at this point. More than much else, she had a feeling she was going to need to steel herself for whatever they were about to learn.

Fayth had only remained asleep throughout the night courtesy of Morningstar. But it wouldn't be unnoticed to Jack that she looked a tad more pale than yesterday; no doubt a good chunk of it due to what had - and even hadn't - happened. Had her former self gotten re-buried? It had plagued her and was still doing so even now.

All of these thoughts ... ugh. Too loud. Alas, this was one of those times where her powers felt more like a curse than a blessing. Unfortunately, Aki didn't really have much of an "Off" switch; just a "Strengthen" or "Weaken" one. However, she couldn't help but note Fayth's immediate concerns ... and quickly felt her heart sink.

So ... they tricked her by using Yuna. Poor girl.

She couldn't bring it in her to tell Fayth that. Not now, and honestly? Not even after this meeting ended. No, Rex confronting and all but threatening to arrest her had not been the best approach. It was why she'd been the last woman to arrive, in fact; Aki had seriously considered trying to avoid coming here anyway. The main reason she appeared to cave in was not for her sake. Rather, it was information.

Aki would see if Rex had been serious about this being a legitimate, important gathering. If push came to shove? She could teleport away from here. But for now, she'd give the Director a chance to prove he hadn't just been spouting bullshit.

"In-fucking-deed," Fayth repeated in a low, venom-filled tone, agreeing with Jack's statement ... but restraining herself to remain silent. She'd promised herself she would try to keep mostly quiet. Not out of respect. For anyone who thought hearing Ling shout and scold not just the audience, but Director, back at the Fortune Cup had been a huge taboo?

Everything rushing through Fayth's head would make that display seem so very tame. She had a lot of pent-up issues with the man, and if any from before this meeting hadn't been bad enough? Last night was very likely the last straw.

"Excuse me, young ones. But if any of you had endured the kind of evening I had last night, you wouldn't really be in a great mood either."

She remembered that Crow had his own Sign and fairly assumed he was here. It was the best way to compromise; or so Fayth hoped. It at least made her feel better, even if Crow didn't accept it.

By now, poor Ruka was very confused and even more anxious. What did Fayth's words even mean? Did she wanna know? She flashed the blind duelist an appreciative smile, seeming to accept the apology. All while scooting subconsciously closer to her brother. She had no idea if she'd be able to remain mentally strong ... but she'd be damned if she wouldn't try.
 
Rua held his sister close, seeming to try and act as a barrier between her and Rex. Granted he didn't know close to anything about what was going on...But that didn't mean his protective instincts couldn't kick in. And right now, his were almost screaming danger. Even if from not in the room, the atmosphere was enough to trigger it. Rua wasn't happy that the woman with the blind-fold was putting off such negative energy; he knew Rua was susceptible to it.

Regardless, Rex just straightened his tie, "True; I could have been more prudent and forthcoming about this. But please try to understand that I didn't want to cause a panic. Especially with everything that's happened recently." Yusei could understand that, but even he felt a bit miffed that they weren't told. "Even so, you couldn't have reached out to us sooner? Even if it was just a 'Watch your back'?" Crow interjected, adding "There's families, people who have nothing to do with these 'Dark Signers'. You didn't think it was prudent to warn them?"

Rex shook his head, "Because would it have done any good? I'm assuming you've seen the news, yes? The panic only plays into their end goals...And the last thing I want to do is give them more ammunition."

Now that was suspicious; it seemed like Rex knew an awful lot more than he was letting on. "What can you tell us about the Crimson Dragon, Director? And these marks on our arms?" Rex seemed a bit miffed; so either this boy was incredibly gifted, or Jack had told him. And after a cursory glance at the former King, Jack just said "Wasn't me, Director." And Yusei then piped up, "I learned it from a prisoner in the Facility; he didn't tell me everything, but it was enough to explain at least what the mark meant. Just that it was a sign I had been granted a kind of power."

Rex seemed less irritated now, but still seemed a bit offput. "Well then...You'll likely get a refresher....And you as well, Miss Milner." Of course, he had no idea how much time they spent together but he had it on good authority that she and he were rather close in the Facility.

In any even though, the room darkened before becoming emblazoned in light; even if Fayth couldn't see it, it was a rather spectacular view. It was a temple that seemed to float above the clouds, a stairway ascending to the peak of a mountain. "This all started over 10000 years, with a group known only as the People of the Stars. They were peaceful religious folks that worshiped the Dragon Star, a powerful deity that shielded them from evil." The scene then shifted, revealing a regal-looking man surrounded by what could only be described as group of loyal subjects, "To honor their God, the leader - records only naming him as the Star Dragon King - held ritual Riding Duels, an instruction passed through him from the Dragon Star itself in order to contain the evil. These Duel Priests and Priestesses would later go on to become the Signers, vanguards of the Dragon Star's power to protect its people from chaos." A scene of one such Duel played out, a a red-headed woman that bore a striking resemblance to a particular woman in this room riding in what appeared to be a horse-drawn chariot, her opponent looking very much like Rex Goodwin as he did now. except dressed in ritual robes and also riding a chariot.

Crow and Yusei's eyes both widened at the image, Rua shouting as he pointed at Akiza "Hey, that looks like her!" Rex just nodded, "It very likely was; the Mark passes itself through lineage. Records were largely lost save for a small collection, so we'll have no way of knowing for sure." Continuing on he then said, the scene shifted to something darker as the air seemed to get more intense, "For a while, this worked....But then, something happened and disaster started to unfold. It all started with the arrival of a powerful demon we only know as the Crimson Devil, Red Nova. It rained destruction on the land, and though the Signers of then fought bravely...They were almost entirely defeated, until a man they called the Legendary Signer performed a miracle and sealed Red Nova away." The scene shifted once more, showing a dark-skinned man battling the monster in what appeared to be a sea of burning magma using five Dragons - Stardust, Blackfeather, Black Rose, Ancient Fairy and some unknown strange looking dragon - to gather power in his right hand and strike at Crimson Nova and make the demon fall away into nothing.

Rua seemed utterly awestruck, "Wow, that guy was cool! Did that really happen?" Rex just smiled a bit, "Quite; and as incredible as this sounds, trust me when I say I'm very thorough at vetting information."

Deciding to take a pause, Rex then said, "There is more; but I imagine you all have some questions. If you wish, I will answer them here and now." He then looked at Fayth and said, "No more secrets, that I can promise."
 

Fayth's eyebrows narrowed slightly as Rex called her out. Sure, he could assume she and Yusei had been together inside the Facility. But even then, it wasn't nearly as often as how much time she had spent with Yuna prior to losing her underground duel. So ... yes, her suspicions were immediately grabbed when Rex hinted he seemed to know she had learned the exact same information that Yusei had.

Unfortunately, poor Fayth was mere steps away from being borderline to literally paranoid. All of the events that had happened to her since arriving in the Synchro Dimension had done absolutely nothing to help her out. Least of all last night. In fact, it was fair to note that it was Fayth's anxiety which comprised of a good chunk of the tension in the air. And she was barely holding onto her restraint from lashing out, because ... a part of her really did want to.

Mainly at Goodwin, but ... still. Everyone else would be around to hear her outbursts. Luckily, it was that exact fact; wanting to keep anyone who didn't deserve her anger from hearing it.

Do you fucking mind?! Get out of my head!

Still, it wouldn't stop her from mentally speaking her mind.

Aki blinked curiously a few times. This was ... new. Back at the Fortune Cup, she hadn't sensed any particular powers within this girl. But now ... she had powers? Had she seen Divine before Carly found and savagely beat him?

No. Now that Aki focused more, this was ... closer to what Yuna and Hotsuma had. Not as strong, but certainly not weak, either.

Hey, hey, hey! I said stop that shit, not keep going!

I'm sorry, Fayth; I can't really turn this off. And ... as it is? Your thoughts are kinda the loudest, so it's easiest to hear you among the others.

That made Fayth grimace and tightly grab onto the couch. As if her being coerced into staying into a meeting she hadn't wanted to attend was bad enough, this was ... more annoying. Now she had to deal with someone who could read her like a goddamn book? This was beyond unfair. She fidgeted slightly in the couch, feeling uncomfortable about this whole arrangement, frankly.

Not to say she didn't listen. Just ... if Aki had thought Fayth's mind was racing earlier, now it was really spinning, typically focusing on last night or wondering if Yuna was okay.

... You know, you want me to stop, but ... it'd help if you did so yourself. Or at least calmed yourself.

Fuck you, Fayth shot back.

Actually, my night wasn't much better. So I can sympathize.

Then just fucking do it and stop trying to judge me.

I'm not ---

But Aki stopped. At this point, she was doing literally nothing to help Fayth out. The Psychic could painfully easily sense that. Stopping while she was ahead was, at least in concept, the best thing she could do. It'd ultimately be up to Fayth if she'd take the cue or not. Of course, if she didn't want to, then at least wait for this to end, then get her free punch of sorts in.

It seemed like Aki was overdue for a lot of those .... and in many respects, she was understanding more and more that - somewhat sadly - those were all well-deserved. Despite not having any bad history before now, the fact was ... she just wasn't doing any good for Fayth during this talk. Even less so with all she'd seen from a quick, subconscious scan of her strongest flashbacks.

Thankfully, hearing the others point out somebody looking similar to herself finally caused Aki's attention to turn away from Fayth, her link weakening in the process. " ... Huh. Guess it kinda does look like me," she admitted.

"W-Wait," Ruka finally stated, managing to have found her voice, as well as a valid question to bring up, "You said these are earned through lineage? Then ... "

Even though the question wasn't finished, it was pretty easy to hear what she'd wanted to know; why - or how - had her brother seemed to be omitted. It could have been something only the women had, but then ... Yusei, Crow, and Jack all having their marks made that theory had to believe. Even more difficult to believe was that it'd somehow skip the males in just their family. The chances of all of these were so low that it was honestly making Ruka's head hurt to dwell on.

So ... I am a fluke, huh? Just like I've thought.

She'd heard - and even faintly sensed - the unknown dragon during the display. But .. that could literally be any other Dragon. With no definite proof, she felt less worthy than she already had.

"I ... I can't," Fayth finally managed to choke out in a shaky voice. "I can't do this talk. I'm sorry. Not after last night, please ... I ... just outside, at least. Even if only in the halls. But I don't want to hear anymore. I just .... "

She was at her last limits, and it was as easy to see as Ruka's anxiousness. Poor Fayth was barely keeping tears from flowing down her face, and it was taking the last bits of will power to keep herself looking or acting at least sane enough. That vow she'd made to herself in trying to use some self-restraint was the other thing keeping her from storming out then and there.

It'd just be easier to get the green light from Rex .... and likely work more in her favor. But it was quickly becoming clear that even if he insisted she remain? She wasn't gonna. Definitely not for much longer.
 
Well, this was refreshing; even at such a young age, Ruka seemed quite astute. Giving the girl a genuine warm smile, he replied "I do understand where you're coming from, young lady; based on the information we've collected, it seems to 'choose' which family member will receive it from time to time. Likely because said family member has a stronger connection with their past selves than the other."

Rua just said, "It doesn't matter if I'm a Signer or not; anyone tries to hurt Ruka, I'll protect her no matter what!" Rex had to chuckle, something that made Rua grimace, "Oi, I'm serious!" Rex then just waved his hand, "No, no my apologies; I'd forgotten what it was like to have such youthful energy. It's actually quite nice to see it in force."

Yusei narrowed his eyes, "But, there's a chance Rua could have been a Signer then? Is that what you're saying?" Rex nodded, "Very much so; unfortunately, the marks you possess..." He paused here to first look at Yusei, "The Head".

His gaze then went to Crow "The Tail"

Then to Jack "The Wings"

Then to Akiza "The Claw"

Then lastly to Ruka "And finally, The Hand, have all been declared and received. The pieces are in place, it seems." But it was here Jack then asked, "Then what about Fayth's mark....You only listed five." Rex's eyes narrowed, "That's because Fayth's mark is, unfortunately, unknown. There's no information about her mark; I had considered the possibility that she had somehow received the Head Mark...But there's been no evidence to suggest two Signers sharing a Mark at one given time."

That being said, he could definitely sense that Fayth was starting to get antsy. Likely because of his presence and this flood of information, she was wanting to go. Evidenced even further when she came out and said it. Akiza would feel a huge sense of relief from the Director, his voice calm as he replied, "Very well."

"Now wait a minute; even if there's no information, she'e still a Signer, Rex!" Jack tried to argue, but Goodwin just stated, "Nothing's keeping anyone here. You bear the consequences if you choose to not receive this information. Though...Miss Milner, I will advise you that this next part addresses directly the source of our current 'dilemma'. You're free to go if you wish, but this information could be useful if one of them comes for you."

Crow then asked, "There's more...Should have figured. First the concept of fighting a demon, now whatever these 'Dark Signers' are on about." Rex just said, "Yes. Because 5000 years ago, 5000 years after the defeat of the Crimson Devil, is when the Earthbound Gods arrived...And by consequence, the Dark Signers themselves."
 

"O-Oh. I see."

Not that Ruka was upset at Rua or anything. But it felt just a bit unfair that this 'selection' process had seemed to favor her. Maybe if she'd been born more ... sturdier. Stronger. Granted, her sign had never caused her the degree of angst Ruka witnessed Fayth suffer. But she knew that if, for some reason, it ever got that bad ... her body definitely wouldn't be able to handle it. And that did, quite frankly, terrify her.

It must be worse for Fayth, though. She's blind, so her sense of touch and feeling is more sensitive than any of ours.

She smiled, acknowledging if Fayth could put up with it, then she had to be strong; more so than anyone would assume. Definitely stronger than Ruka .... causing the faintest twinges of jealousy to flood through her. Her grin widened as she heard her brother adamantly insisting to Goodwin he'd protect her and gently squeezed his hand.

"Don't worry about it, Jack," Fayth muttered, already beginning to stand up. Fuck getting the green light. She was done with this, all of it. If she hadn't remembered how horrible the pain had been the day this damn mark had emerged, Fayth would swear the damn thing was fake ... or at least a tattoo that she remembered being forced upon her flesh. But no. This cursed thing had just appeared from nowhere .... or, as per last night, nowhere she wanted to think about.

But if she's been there ....

Her head shook as Fayth's teeth bit down on her lower lip. That didn't matter. None of this really did. They had all been chosen - Fayth wasn't so selfish to realize she probably wasn't the only one unhappy, annoyed, or some other negative emotion with being forced to accept this role. Whether anyone wanted it or not .... too fucking bad. That was the overall feeling she got from this discussion thus far.

Fayth's hand barely finished grabbing the knob before she stopped and turned back around.

" .... Hold up. Earthbound Immortals? As in ... gods? Is that what you're saying those .... those monsters have?"

Every supernatural moment that hadn't made sense suddenly swam through Fayth. From that heavy air - and even feeling when Kiryu attacked the theater and somehow incapacitated Ling and Yamichi despite barely touching them to even that ungodly sense of physical strength. He hadn't been weak before, mind you, but he had never felt capable of nearly breaking a joint just from roughly pulling it. And yet ... that was exactly what'd almost happened last night.

"That's how Kiryu came back?! Because a god is favoring and powering him?!"

Okay ... that made enough sense. It certainly helped explain something that should have otherwise been impossible.

"And you expect us to deal with this sort of force how now?"

"Came back?" Aki asked, getting a stern nod from Fayth in response.

"It probably is the definition you're assuming. Or hearing."

"I see ... then I'd like to know that confirmation also. She's not the only one who's ... run into someone that shouldn't be alive also. I have as well. And that did bother me, as did their powers they seemed to possess."

Wait, what? Huh?!

That couldn't be possible ... could it? Dead people and things stayed that way. And yet .... two people were claiming this was possible somehow? Ruka suddenly started to feel light-headed. Just the possibility that they were not only being serious, but somehow correct, was making her sick. Her hand went from gently squeezing to increasing slightly in its grip. More than enough for Rua to know she was better understanding why everyone had been so tense and that, suddenly, it seemed like Fayth had come up with the right idea. To leave and bring this up when everyone was more ready to hear such details.
 
When Rex heard Fayth's question, he knew he had her hooked. "Indeed, Miss Milner; surely you must have been asking yourself how he managed to dispatch so many of my officers with but a move of his hands, yes?" Jack raised a brow, but thought nothing of the remark; it was more than certain he had been debriefed about what had happened at the theater. "This next part, Aki, Fayth...Will answer your questions and then some. If you so choose to stay, you will understand how things unfolded this way."

"When these 'Gods' choose people, does it change them?" Yusei then asked, Goodwin pausing for a moment before nodding in confirmation, "Yes...Unfortunately, it does." Crow then stood up and slammed his hands on the table, "And how in the heck do you know that, huh?! You got family on the Dark Signers' side or something?" And it was here that the Director fell conspicuously silent. His eyes closed as his head bowed, Crow's expression just hardening even more, "Well, do you?!"

"I do....My brother, Rutger, is in fact their leader."

Rua, Yusei, Crow and very likely everyone in the room would be shocked by this revelation; even Jack, who had been told first just about everything that was happening and why, was left utterly speechless. "Goodwin...What do you mean your brother is their leader? How do you know this?" the former King asked, his violet eyes wide and his voice trembling a little bit. Goodwin's eyes then opened as he replied, "Because I was there when he was transformed...Taken by their power."

Giving a slight moment to pause, Goodwin then continued, "I'm sure you're all aware that we have a power plant that feeds the entirety of New Domino. It's a clean, limitless supply...But I'm afraid there have been some things you have not been told. Things I wasn't entirely sure of myself." Rua shook his head, "Enough! This is too much! Ruka, we're going!" His sibling already had a hard enough time with her frailty just doing normal thins; this kind of scare tactic would only make it worse!

"As I said, you're free to leave...But perhaps she would be interested to know that her Dragon also fought against these Gods? That all of your Dragons have?" Goodwin then said, making Ruka stop in his tracks. "Ancient Fairy Dragon....Fought those things?" Rua asked, Rex just nodding once and stating "Quite; in fact Ancient Fairy Dragon was instrumental in their victory. Her powers in barrier magic ground the Gods' advance to a halt, allowing the other Signer Dragons to defeat them in short order. It would behoove her to learn as much as about them as possible; as I'm sure Miss Milner, Mister Fudo and Miss Izayoi can attest, they're quite ruthless."

He then turned his head to Yusei, "After all...You fought one of them, correct?" Yusei seemed unhappy to reveal that, but just said, "Not one of them per se; said he was only their servant." Rex just smiled, "But even then, you felt it did you not?" He then turned his attention to Akiza and Fayth, "And you both each encountered two of them, yes? Surely it gave you a good understanding of what they're capable of? Do you not think then, Rua, that your sister should be privy to this information?"

Crow just snarled a bit, "That's not fair...." but Rex retorted with, "Who ever accused life of being fair? I'm fairly certain that none of you asked for these marks, but here you are, bearing them. Unjust or not, this is reality. And the only way you're going to have a chance of winning is to face them head-on."

Rua would then speak up again, "I still don't get how you know so much! If this happened all these thousands of years ago, how the heck did any records survive?!" And it was here that Rex then said, "Because it's a cycle...And my brother was in fact the original bearer of the Mark Yusei now wields." Yusei's eyes widened and looked down at his forearm, seeing the blackened lines on his skin. Rutger wore this mark?

"But then...." Yusei said, Rex finishing his thought, "Rutger lost that Mark when the Earthbound God Uru took him...If you want more information, I'll need assurance you'll stick around to hear me out. Time is of the essence, and I cannot afford to repeat what I have said." Rua seemed quite upset; he didn't want to make Ruka stay here and be bombarded...But if they were going to be potentially sought out...

"Ruka, it's up to you. But I think we should hear what he's going to say." he would then say to his sister, giving her a smile as he said, "Whatever you choose, I'm not gonna let anyone hurt you. I promise." Crow could only smile watching that boy be so direct, Yusei just saying "I'm in; best to know what we're up against." Crow nodding his affirmation and replying "If there are any Dark Signers, I'll need to kick their butts as soon as possible." Jack just crossed his arms, "I had no intention of leaving...And Fayth, much as I know this upsets you, you should stay as well. Even if you were not originally part of this, Kiryu knows who you are. And he will not stop until he finds you."
 

"I mean ... it's not that I didn't wonder. But by the time I could have guessed ... " Fayth slowly turned around, looking back over towards Goodwin, but otherwise remaining close to the door. "It didn't really matter. So I just ... figured it was linked to how he was able to seal off someone else's power. They gave me warning about what he could do .... and .... what lengths he went to while Kiryu kept them hostage for two whole weeks."

This was the best compromise, as far as Fayth was concerned. She was giving the truth away ... while ensuring Yuna's identity remained safe. Particularly if the assumption she was still not overly popular with Goodwin was true. It was also a way to ensure that while being honest, she could purposely be vague to keep the children's ears from hear the less-than-pleasant details.

Her mind then went back to Yuna as well as last night. Fayth's fists clenched tightly before steams silently streamed down her face. If there was another thing that had been haunting her besides wanting to know if her other self had been properly re-buried, it was wanting to find out whether Yuna was fine or not.

Aki grimaced .... wanting to give that answer away, and yet .... not. If she was upset now, she honestly dreaded what would come next. But ... wouldn't it be wise to know now as opposed to too much later?

"W-Wait, Rua."

Her brother hadn't been completely wrong. On the contrary, part of her had been very close to asking Fayth to kindly move so they could leave. However, the more she was hearing ... there was one major thought that returned to her head. One she'd temporarily blocked because it was painful. Yet ... if they could disable someone else who had powers in their own rights, it brought over a thought.

"Rua, it's ... it's okay. I'm not saying I disagree with you or how you feel, but .... remember? A few nights ago? Maybe ... it's them who're linked to that?" As Ruka began to elaborate, Fayth walked back to the couch, looking very angry and annoyed. It was clear she really did not want to keep listening. But there was enough that Rex had said to change her mind. Her head buried into Jack's nearest arm, making sure her ears weren't covered so she could hear the young girl pose her inquiry.

"So ... I had a dream involving Ancient Fairy Dragon a few evenings ago, actually. She ... she was calling me for help. The forest she lives in ... it's been conquered. By - and I now this is going to sound weird, but it really is what I saw - an army of apes. Do they ... are they somehow associated with these Dark Signers?"

"Probably," Fayth shakily answered, "My friend revealed one user had a spider ... and used it to incapacitate them. So whereas we have parts of the Dragon, they have animals ... I think. Correct me if I'm wrong though."

Ruka's mouth opened as she considered asking if Fayth was okay.

... Of course not. She's crying.

So then the next option would have been to try prying on what was making her sob, but in the end ... she decided not to. Either Fayth could bring it up, it was better not to know, or both might even apply. She flashed a small grin to Fayth, quietly thanking her for finding it in her to talk at all as opposed to leaving, before glancing over to Rua.

"If we're going to help Ancient Fairy Dragon .... we may as well find out all we can. Charging in minimal to no knowledge - especially you-know-where - is gonna be very reckless on our behalf. So ... even if only for that, let's stay. Please."

Fayth merely scoffed, nodding quickly upon hearing Rex's last words. "Oh, trust me. Kiryu had no qualms making that perfectly clear last night. So yeah. You don't need to tell me he's got some sick delight in hunting me down. He did that for you."

Fucker, she internally added, biting again on her lip to aid in resisting the urge to utter the curse word aloud.

"Misty kinda did that with myself," Aki murmured, sighing softly. Never before had she lamented being unable to shut her powers off. Even for her, this was becoming a bit much. More and more, the gathering was feeling as if they were at a funeral instead of simply learning about their opponents.
 
Jack was well aware that Fayth was agonizing over having to hear this...But this would be extremely useful so that they could figure out what they needed to do. And even if it would reveal conflicting information - something Jack already knew - it would be necessary. He just prayed they could understand why things worked out the way they did; last thing they needed was to be fighting Rex and each other. Especially with the wolves so close to the door.

As Ruka gave her decision, Rua just nodded and sat back down with her on the sofa, the boy glad they were on the same page. It would be best to figure out what they were going to have to go up against. "I agree, Ruka; and don't worry, I meant what I said. These Dark Signers will have to go through me if they try to get to you." he would say confidently. Foolhardy? Very likely, especially when they knew so little, but that was just who he was.

And once Goodwin saw they all intended to stay, the show around them would continue. "Now....As I said, 5000 years ago the Earthbound Gods emerged. Much like the Crimson Devil, it was a massive presence. A worldbreaking event; and as the Crimson Dragon had done, they sought out select individuals to bear their Marks. Each of the Signer Dragons did their part in sealing them away. You were correct in part, Miss Milner, that they're based off animals; however, these animals come from ancient geoglyphs in Peru. And I only know this because before we came here, my brother and I were researching them trying to find out more information about these markings. The results weren't very clear....Until we got here that is."

Taking a small sigh, "I'm sure you're aware of the schism between the Satellite and New Domino. Well...The Satellite was once part of this continent. And Yusei, this next part will be especially relevant to you." Yusei raised a brow, "Why? What do I have to do with this?" Rex shook his head, "Not you personally, but your parents." The young man's eyes widened, "My old man? What's his involvement? Is he...." Rex just said, "He's gone....We had worked together on the first Ener-D system. The area that's currently the playground of the criminal elements? That was the site of the first system. But in hindsight, it was exactly as Dr. Fudo had said. It was unstable, imperfect."

Crow seemed to get a bit confused, "What does this have to do with the Dark Signers exactly?" Rex could only say, "You'll need this background, Mister Hogan. 17 years ago, Dr. Fudo tried to argue that every time it was tested, it caused massive tectonic disturbances and irregular weather patterns. Only after the explosion did we find out why that was the case."

Rua then spoke up, "What explosion?" to which Rex looked at the young man and replied, "The explosion that caused Satellite to fracture in two...An event that became known as the Zero Reverse." The scene around the room then shifted, showing the old reactor tower before suddenly it was engulfed in light and sound, the ground splitting apart and a chunk falling away from the mainland. "Intelligence so far has confirmed that the Dark Signers have been using this old ruin as their main base, hence why I've had my officers try to cordon off the area. Sadly, the criminals in the Satellite seemed to be defiant to the end."

Yusei then retorted, "Probably because you never told anyone; this is the first I'm hearing about it." But Rex had a counter, "And do you honestly think people have your same mindset, Mister Fudo? Would they honestly believe, in your opinion, that the area housed a faction of god-blessed undead?" And hearing it put that way, it did seem quite the tall tale. "Even so...They should have been told." Yusei replied, refusing to yield on that point. Rex just continued on, "In any event, the reactor overloaded and fully unsealed the Earthbound Gods, gave them a way into our world." The scene then shifted again, showing a very familiar sight. "Wait, that's what that is?!" Crow proclaimed, Yusei's eyes narrowing; if they were that close, then the people of the Satellite were in danger.

"This event will repeat again in 5000 years; even if we were to somehow survive this first round, who's to say the next Signers would be able to handle it? How can we be sure that heirs of this fate can be born before they attack?" Rex then addressed the group as a whole, adding "I'm only stressing this point because this is, in my honest opinion, our last chance. The Signers before you were older, more experienced; I regret that you've been forced into this at such a young age. But as it stands, it cannot be helped."

At this Crow brought up a good point, "Then those people need to be evacuated! There are families, kids there! If it's going to be a warzone, then we need to get everyone out that we can!" Rex shook his head, "Such an effort will take too much time to prepare; and the ensuing panic will allow them to hide. Besides, they won't be attacking everyone." Red circles then appeared as the map zoomed out, "These are the former control towers; they're still linked to the power system. If these towers can be activated before sundown about a week and a half from now, this can be stopped. If not..." Rex cut himself off, Yusei adding "It's the end."
 
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Mind if I do something? It's to help you out.

The sudden voice in her head made Fayth's head jerk quickly up. When she realized it was Aki, she lowered her head back onto Jack's arm, slowly nodding.

You technically did, but ... go on.

Let me be your eyes for a bit. I'll let you share my vision so you can see the next parts. You're probably going to need to actually see some of what Goodwin brings up.

Fayth fought off the urge to shoot back with a quip about her realizing this now instead of earlier. She was at least trying to make up for their earlier exchange ... something Fayth appreciated. This was gonna be a tad bit weird. She technically had the ability to do this on her own, after all. However ... doing so now would lead to more questions. The kinds she was too drained to even try to answer.

Sure, accepting Aki's offer had a slight risk of someone noticing. But if she really had power like Yuna ... yet even stronger ... then Fayth would give her enough time and trust to make this work. All while being discreet. She gave another slow nod, followed by a brief confirmation.

Go for it. I'm leaving it up to you to make it appear as if nothing odd's going on.

That made Aki grin. She was grateful someone was allowing her a chance to prove herself. It had pained her Hajime refused, though ... Aki could understand in some regards. Shaking the thought aside, the red-head concentrated. Unfortunately, this would likely be strained on her end. Walking up and placing her hands on Fayth would make the process far easier, yes. But that also removed the secretive nature Fayth had asked for. That thus left Aki doing this at a distance ... which required much more concentration.

Faintly - and only for about ten seconds - her eyes flashed. To the naked eye, it was impossible to see. However, anyone who made an effort to feel it would notice an odd aura around Aki's own brown eyes.

.... Thank you. It worked.

Underneath Fayth's blindfold, the sockets remained empty, aiding in keeping the illusion she truly was blind intact. However, the same aura around Aki's eyes was under the cloth. Sure enough, she saw everything Rex began to show off and relay to the group, taking careful note of all he was saying.

Though some of this was very technical, Ruka was trying to keep up. As smart as both her and Rua were for their ages, there were some moments where it was hard to understand what Rex was saying. But all and all, Ruka seemed to get enough of the point to understand exactly what was about to happen.

"So ... the end?" Ruka asked, wanting to be wrong.

"Basically what it sounds like. There's no real nice way to say it."

For all the angst and agony her own Sign gave Fayth, she couldn't help but feel even worse for the young girl. Way more so than her own self. Enough that, if she could do so ...

No. That's not possible. Your Sign transferred to you because it was your own. Just in another dimension and thus another body. I admire your sympathy for the girl, but there's no way to take a second Mark; or, if there is, I can't do that.

.... Thanks for at least responding, Morningstar.

Well, fuck. That was annoying, but not overly amazing.

With the talk now over, everyone began to leave one by one. Somewhat amazingly, Fayth would stay behind as one of the last people. " .... Goodwin? Did .... did someone .... from last night .... " Her head turned slightly, a sad expression appearing on her face. "Was she re-buried properly? I want to know that much before I leave."

Considering everything Rex had relayed and proven he knew about, Fayth had little doubts he hadn't heard about this finding. And even at the expense of having to explain why they'd found another her later on ... it was something she didn't simply want to know, but practically needed to. For her sanity ... and her former self's sake. It seemed only right that their body wasn't kept out in the open after being unjustly desecrated.

Ruka, meanwhile, looked to her brother, waiting to speak until they left the massive building. "So ... I think I know who we should speak to. But .... I don't know how we get in touch with him. The brunette from the Fortune Cup ... ummm ... " Her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to recall more of his appearance. "The Elemental HERO deck user ... ah! Judai!" Her voice lowered as she softly dictated to her brother, "He hinted to me when I went away to check up on Fayth in the tent he, too, could speak with duel spirits. So ... he'd be our best bet .... somehow."
 
Goodwin looked at Fayth as she asked her question; ah right. Someone had seen and heard the commotion in the cemetery. And thought some punks were vandalizing the tombstones there. He'd seen the report; indeed, several caskets were exhumed, but there was no exhumation request by any of the precincts in New Domino. Nor were there any planned excavations anywhere NEAR that part of the city.

And when he himself arrived on scene, he did notice the striking outlier: This Fayth Milner was clearly the one that had given him lip in the Facility, that had tried to act all brave and tough just because she had Jack and Yuna watching over her. Even so...As much as he could have turned this on her, he realized she was probably dealing with enough. No need to add to it; she DID need to be on his side after all.

Once the group seemed satisfied enough, Goodwin letting them all know he would contact them with more information about how to counter these Dark Signers, he approached Fayth and said, "She was, Miss Milner. We've caused each other a fair deal of headache, but I will not be so far gone as to leave a woman's body out on display like that. She and all the others the Dark Signers had uprooted from their rightful resting place have been returned." Akutsu had given his readings and confirmed that Dark Signers were present, and the scale of it made only sense that they were the ones responsible.

"And Miss Milner...If I may? I realize you might not agree with my methods...Or even with how I've conducted myself. But I implore to try to understand that this event, the Dark Signers rising again on the crux of the Gods' reawakening, is a cataclysm that cannot afford to take place. Everything I've done, all these plans I've made, were to try and avoid this outcome. So even if you don't care for me...For the sake of Domino City, the world and its inhabitants...For the other Signers, I ask that you stand with us against the tide of darkness." Goodwin asked, Jack scowling a bit "She's no coward, Director."

Goodwin raised a brow, "I hardly called her as such" but Jack interrupted "But you implied it." Goodwin's eyes narrowed, but just shrugged his shoulders, "Believe what you will...And Jack, I will say this to you: Do not let your attachments bog you down. Rely on your friends to help, but the battle coming must be fought by you and you alone." Placing a hand on his protege's shoulder, Goodwin then said, "Be safe, the both of you...Now, I'm sure you're both tired and could use some rest; my driver will drop you both off back at Jack's place."

=====

Crow had followed with the twins, Rua listening to his sister as they left the room, holding her hand and generally just keeping her close. That had been a lot to take in, but he was also glad to see that she was handling this news relatively well. And the Blackfeather user had to make sure they would get back to his place alright, seeing as they were staying with him and all. "Judai...Ah right! Yeah, he could help a lot! I'll admit I can't sense things like you can, Ruka, but if you think he can help we'll find him!"

At this Crow interjected, "I...happen to know where he's staying. Or at least I can get in touch with the person who knows." Rua just nodded, "Ah, thanks! And...Thanks for letting us stay with you...Apologize if we're intruding." Crow shook his head, "Not at all; there's plenty of room. And don't worry, you two: No matter what happens, I'm going to make sure you guys can get back to your real home after this is all over."

Of course...With him being a Signer, there was a very real chance he could be defeated. But...He couldn't afford to focus on that. So for now, he would display the confidence he felt in himself and use that to help bolster their courage and try to erase any doubts they might be feeling.
 

Fayth whimpered softly, her head rapidly giving an affirmative. Finally, a "Thank you" managed to escape her lips, though sounding like she damn well nearly choked on her own words. Her mouth opened ... but what more was there to add? For something like that, of all things? Fayth simply opted to close her mouth, a shiver trailing down her spine as she replayed last night.

Morningstar had only aided in ensuring she got any rest. Forgetting everything?

Definitely not, hinted by her arm stinging. Oddly though, not so much near her Sign, but where Kiryu had grabbed and jerked, forcing her to touch her own grave. It was no secret that Fayth wasn't the strongest of women, but she couldn't help but think back on that grip. He made her arm threaten to break ... as if her bones were frail. As if she were younger, or had even been born with some condition that would have made sense for Fayth possessing a weak body like Ruka.

But none of those were true ... which had made everything Rex revealed all the more frightening. Did they even stand a chance, when all was said and done? He'd hinted that either this would go to another generation ... or they would keep living, should they be the side that prevails. What was more merciful? The thought of having to continue living with something that already felt very much a fluke, or dying a second time?

At least it'd be more heroic, if I had to guess.

What even had killed her other self off? Let alone at a slightly younger age?

"You're right," she swiftly replied, lifting her head and wiping some tears still falling down her face away. "I can't agree with a lot about you. It probably goes without much saying, but a lot really does revolve around the fact I ended up in the Facility at all. For .. trying to vouch for Yusei? That's probably what it says in my records. Some bullshit lie, if I had to guess."

Her arms crossed over her chest.

"When you could have fixed your mistake, you didn't. You used me as a weird-ass bargaining chip to try to get Yuna to talk and cooperate. And, even if indirectly, it was incarcerating me that allowed Kiryu to ever meet me."

Her head turned as she briefly thought for a few minutes.

" ... I'm not stupid enough to think I'd be safe forever. But perhaps longer. I could have remained an unknown factor for longer and .... something else could have been figured out. Hell if I know. Either way, I have no shame in saying ..... I'm very glad the ownership of that place has changed."

Fayth scoffed, her head moving from side to side as Jack stood up for her. Not because he was wrong ... but there was something else Goodwin had implied. Intentionally or not.

"I'm also not heartless. That's literally what you'd have to be to not help the innocent bystanders out of this bullshit. Because that friend .... they weren't even a Signer. And yet, they had to suffer two whole weeks of torture and interrogation. If I'd known ... I would have tried to get them out so much sooner. I'm just glad others were able to help out."

More tears were wiped away.

"I'm not going to deny I have as many doubts about you with my Sign. And I'd actually side with you in wondering if it was fake or something. I would have anyway ... had the way it formed, the agony I felt when me, Yusei, and Jack were all together ... if that wasn't etched so firmly into my memory. That was too real for me to think of this as some fluke. I understand even less on how exactly I got it .... even though I have a few theories. But disregarding all of that? I did have full intentions of carrying out my role. Maybe not feeling the best nor most worthy ... but you bet I will all the same."

Well .... that was .... therapeutic. Risky, fuck yes, but it definitely helped out all the same.

"Exhausted is a generous word to use. I'm practically drained. Thank you for allowing someone to drive us back."

With this, she was more than satisfied to leave with Jack, holding gently onto his arm to avoid making a wrong turn ... though that wasn't the only reason. Certain actions that could be labeled as public displays of affection had become more and more common between the two. Never anything overly intimate ... but they felt great in their own rights. So whenever it felt right, Fayth always took advantage of the 'right moments', as well as noting Jack never really refused or objected to the touches, to indulge in them.

Aren't you getting pretty bold, little one?

Yeah, well ... he was very overdue for that. The only regret I have is I had to wait so long to voice my thoughts for that talk.

Further down the hall, Ruka felt her spirits lift as Crow hinted he knew how to get in touch with Judai. "R-really? You wouldn't mind that?" While still holding onto her brother's hand, she wrapped her other around Crow's waist, hugging him. "Thank you! It's really horrible over there, so .... anyone else who could help would truly be appreciated."

To think these enemies were capable of sealing a dragon away. Her dragon, no less. It was a really harsh - but thankfully proverbial - smack to Ruka's face. She hadn't thought powers like those could actually exist. But then ... why would one even imagine these unnatural abilities would ever be seen?

Either way, Fayth had given more than enough hints to indicate why she'd openly wept. This upcoming mission .... it would be her ultimate test. But even if not for her own sake, for Ancient Fairy Dragon's, Ruka would do everything to come out well enough. Very likely scared, hopefully bruised at worst. But if Fayth had found enough courage in herself to stay in the room and continue listening, Ruka would come up with a way to do that and fighting.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________​

It had been a few days since Judai got the very unexpected but pleasant visit from Crow. They came to an agreement that he needed time. He kept the reason why incredibly vague. Not because he didn't trust Crow; in fact, he made it very clear that, on the contrary, it was linked to not wanting the Dark Signers to find out about a certain someone who was still barely clinging onto life.

Although with the way she was ... some could argue Yuna was still dead, or better off that way.

But Hajime had been very adamant on keeping anyone - mainly the other demons - from pulling the plug. The poor bluenette was beside her almost all day, every day. He only really seemed to leave for reasons like bathing or doing anything that couldn't be done beside Yuna. The loyalty was quite the sight ... and yet, refreshing in its own rights.

At least - God forbid, but still - if something or someone did try to harm the still incapacitated Yuna, there were little doubts everyone else would step in and keep helping out.

Shivini and Eikichi had been the only two in the whole place compatible with Yuna's blood type, so they'd been switching in who aided with blood transfusions.

But now, as with all things, Mei was running low on the medicine for Yuna. Most for her IV, so it was very urgent. Judai had willingly volunteered to go into the Tops. Not just because it allowed the others to remain behind and assist their leader, but this would allow him to meet up with the young twins. In fact, as a sign of good faith, he was going for Ruka's medication also.

Naturally, he'd hinted he may be out a bit longer than usual to Mei. She seemed a bit reluctant, but caved in, thought not without a condition.

"You must be back before midnight. If I can't administer her the medicine, there's a very high chance she will die. Is that clear?"

With the parting words fueling him on to make this an easy enough mission to help the two complete, he stepped off the boat and walked onto the pier. He glanced back at the docks, frowning slightly. It did honestly bother him a bit he couldn't make sure no one would try to steal it. Hopefully, there were some form of security measures, because ... he needed to move. Now.

Sorry in advance, Judai silently prayed, taking a slight breath as he looked back in front of him, his attention shifting to the here and now.

From what he had been told, the twins would be at the pharmacy. That was supposed to be their rendezvous point. Hopefully, this would go as simple as a 'grab and go' sorta thing.

Buy and go, he silently corrected himself, beginning to walk through the streets of the Tops.
 
Crow had hammered out the details using a borrowed phone from the twins' place; and while Judai had assured him that it wasn't him trying to stall or that there was a lack of trust...Well, the Dark Signers weren't targeting Yomi. It was him, Yusei and the other Signers that were being sought out...Hunted like prey.

But he still needed the brunette's help to get the two kids to his orphanage, and with that he would save his questions for later. With some help from Rex and Sector officers, they'd helped Rua and Ruka move most of their stuff to Crow's hideout. It would be better than having them be found at their primary address; of all these things, Rex was sure the two of them would be safe if they didn't stay in a place that was likely already compromised.

And while Rex had taken care of the family stuff, Rua was still trying to help his sister get more adjusted to having to leave. He wasn't happy about it either, but if these crazy people knew where they were staying, then it did make sense to have them lay low somewhere else. But he'd be damned if he let any of those Dark Signer freaks get near his sister.

After a short taxi ride, Crow, Ruka and Rua would arrive at Domino General Pharmacy. An elderly man dressed in a white button-up shirt stood behind a counter with a white doctor's jacket on, his snow-white hair neatly parted down the middle, would be the first to greet them, the storeowner clearly familiar with the twins. "Soujin-sama!" Rua said excitedly, the pharmacist saying "Ah, Rua, Ruka! I was told you might be coming. Here to refill your sister's prescription?"

However, he then took one look at Crow and his gaze hardened, starting to tense up, "And....this is a friend of yours?" The man didn't want to assume, but seeing someone with three separate criminal marks was never a good sign in his opinion. Crow knew that look; and while he understood that there was a stigma between Topsiders and those with Commoners (especially those with criminal marks)...Well, this is the last thing he needed to deal with. Crow just nodded, "Crow Hogan; I'm a friend of theirs." It was here that Rua interjected, "Yeah, Big Bro Crow is helping look after us while Mom and Dad are out!" seeming to miss the tension between the two, or perhaps even ignore it to try and keep Ruka's spirits up.

And it seemed to work, the elderly man's body language seeming to wind down as he then smiled, "Well that's good! Always nice to see neighbors being neighbors! Now then, Ruka...How have your symptoms been? Have your headaches still been bothering you? How's the chest pain been?" He honestly felt sorry for the poor girl, being cursed with such afflictions at such a young age.
 

Ruka would give her own gentle yet - in their own rights - sincere, affirmative nods. She picked up on the tension ... though it was borderline impossible not to. Much like how the talk a few nights had gone. Thankfully, it was a lot more merciful. Even still, Soujin wasn't wrong in thinking Ruka would relax visibly as he eventually accepted that Crow was indeed a friend and not someone that would have less-than-decent intentions of being near her and her brother.

"Mhm, he's been a really good onii-san. He keeps up with Rua much better than me some days, and you know how he gets. So any extra help is greatly appreciated."

Her hand tilted from side to side in the air as she began answering the questions regarding her symptoms. "Between everything, the headaches have been the worst. Chest ones haven't been nearly as bad. But none of them have acted up as frequently as they used to, either. The last time any gave me any really bad problems was during the Fortune Cup. Not much - if at all - since then, though."

Thankfully, Judai's appearance - and lack of criminal marks - made it easy to mingle in. He thus had few issues in "being reminded" which way the pharmacy was. The doors would automatically open ... and he sighed softly, feeling relieved to see Crow and the twins already there.

Good. After we're both done getting our respective medicines and such, we can head outside and talk about the real topic at hand.

While he had to wait, Judai took a moment to think long and hard about the details. Much like Crow, it wasn't that he'd thought Rua or Ruka had lied, nor relayed such things to Crow. But it was ... odd. With Yubel being fused, wouldn't she have given him a bit of a hint that an invasion in part of the Spirit World had happened?

"Hmph. Still naive as ever, I hear. Of course I would have."

So .... why haven't you?

Judai could practically feel and hear Yubel face palm in his head.

" ... Is it really not obvious enough? Whomever has taken over the Forest has some sort of a barrier, if you will, keeping me from sensing exactly whom they are. As things are? I can't get in touch with any of the other spirits even if I tried."

... So you don't have any ideas on who may be doing this?

"Nope, but I can say without any hesitation it's not the one Fayth made a pact with. He was still in her head as of last night. According to what you were told, the Forest was raided about three or so days ago. It couldn't have been Morningstar. Then again, even something like conquering the Spirit World wouldn't suit a Fallen like him. I'd be more amazed if he was behind this."

... Well ... that was good enough. He had, admittedly, wondered about Fayth and how she was. And that had been before the poor girl broke down during the long conversation. Fortunately, it sounded like Morningstar was being decent enough to her. But .... why had she made a pact with him, anyway?

It had been something Judai had wanted to ask her back during the Fortune Cup, but never got a chance to do so.

"Your turn!" Ruka called out, showing her holding a paper bag in her hands. In it was, no doubt, the girl's medicines.

"Hehe, sorry. I zoned out for a few moments there. Thank you, young lady."

It was a bit of a relief that Ruka had pretended not to recognize him. It'd very likely seem a bit too odd if so many people who knew the twins were all in the same spot, after all.

After reaching down into his pocket, Judai produced a folded up piece of parchment. It was written by Mei herself, and included Yuna's full name, DOB, the exact medications being requested, Mei's full name, and even a number she could be reached at. Her personal cell phone one, in fact.

"I can't pronounce any of those names. Miss Mei said to contact her if there was an issue with any of these, but that they all should be doable as far as acquiring goes."

He'd answer questions if push came to shove. But frankly, that was something Judai wanted to avoid doing unless they were absolutely necessary inquiries. Regardless, he was being vague. On purpose, too; something Crow could pretty easily pick up on. That in itself was a huge enough indicator that he, too, was here for his own important errand and, by default, reasons.
 
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Soujin had been kind of wary that these two children - children he had worked with and their parents to treat Ruka's maladies alongside her physician - were associating with a very well-marked criminal element. They seemed to trust him, but...Children were very impressionable, and there were ways people could use them/manipulate them to make it seem like they weren't a threat. "I see, well, I should thank you Mister Hogan. For looking out for them."

Crow just smiled a bit, "Well, what can I say? They looked like they needed a hand." And if anyone knew Crow, it was that he was one of the most trustworthy people when it came to the welfare of children. How many hours had he lost in sleep due to trying to make sure that they could have a warm place, or a soft bed, or a hot meal? But to him, that didn't matter; so long as they were safe and happy, he'd never sleep an hour of his life if he could help it.

Of course...The kids in the shelter too made sure that he took care of himself, and he knew he could always ask Yusei or the others to help out.

However, his attention soon shifted as the next young man came forward. However...The meds weren't for himself? Taking the note, he looked over the notations; these were all medications for someone who suffered internal injury, not to mention someone in a coma. These should technically be filled from an attending physician at New Domino General Hospital, he thought; still, he knew Mei. He had worked at Puzzle Hospital for a time alongside her in a joint volunteer operation, but then was brought back to stay at his family's pharmacy here.

Though he saw the name of who they were allegedly for, he paused; Yuna Takeda. The one that Takeshi boy was arrested for knowing...Someone who worked with the Fiend of Satellite. His lips formed a hard grimace, that tension coming back. "I apologize...But do you mind if I contact Mei? I just need to verify a couple of things...I won't be long."

And with that, he would leave the front counter, going to a back phone before dialing the number. A few rings later, the phone would pick up, "Well well...Suppose it's no surprise to hear you calling me. Guess that means Judai made it?" Soujin could only assume Judai was the brunette asking for these medications. "He did...Been a while, Mei." There was a bit of silence on the other end before Mei would reply, "It has; Puzzle's been empty without you, Soujin." The elderly man just said, "Nothing personal, Mei...But I couldn't handle it there. The injuries I saw...I don't know how you stayed as long you did before you went to the Facility."

Mei just chuckled, "Well, don't feel too bad; I was kind of forced to go there after the last doctor got sacked, not long after you took over your family's shop. And truth be told? The new occupants are much better." This made Soujin cringe, "Even....You know, Takeda?" A slight huff of irritation could be heard, but then there was a small sigh, "She's...rough around the edges. But you have to remember, these kids don't have the privileges the Tops has. The rules here are different; they've been prejudiced and discriminated against to the point they have little choice other than to turn to crime just to survive. And some weren't even real criminals. Takeda's done a lot, as has the Fiend...But just from the short time I've known them, they weren't doing it just for giggles. They had to."

Soujin sighed a bit, "I understand...But it's going to come across as incredibly suspect if I fill these prescriptions. One of the things you're asking for is a Class III controlled substance; how bad are the injuries that she needs that medicine?" And it was here that Mei said, "If she doesn't get it by midnight, she's a goner. I wouldn't have had Judai go to you if I didn't think I could trust you, Soujin. I won't force you to fill that medicine...But you'll be helping out a lost soul again. That's why you volunteered at Puzzle, wasn't it?" Soujin just nodded, "Of course....I'll make sure she has plenty. Luckily for you, it doesn't require much for what you're asking...Where's she at on the scale?"

"E1VNTM1" Mei replied, Soujin letting out a breath of surprise, "I'm sorry to hear that...Well, I best get it in order. Good talking to you again, Mei...Take care of yourself, alright?" And with that, the phone conversation ended. Taking a key, he then procured three amber bottles with an injectable medicine. Yeah...He had to do this, even if he wasn't fully comfortable with it. How many cases like this did he see in Puzzle? Too many, and he couldn't turn a blind eye to someone in need. "Sorry about the delay; this should be everything." Soujin then said, adding "Mei was a former colleague of mine; if you see her, let her know she's always welcome to stop by if she likes."

And with that business concluded, Crow, Judai and the twins would be outside the pharmacy. Their hauls in tow and ready to head back. "So Judai...How've you been?" Crow then asked, hopefully the brunette catching the hint about what he really wanted to talk about.
 
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