Scarlet Wrath

Ch.4 Pipe Dreams

Ayumi came back to the subway a little after three that morning as Yusei was up, waiting for her. When he heard the soft, but audible footsteps tread down the steps, he got up to see it was in fact Ayumi walking down. She hopped over the last step onto the ground as she walked over to the shack, only to stop and gasp softly at seeing Yusei.

"Oh, Yusei... You're up."

"It's after three in the morning. Where'd you go?"

"Just out."

"Clear your head?"

She nodded. "And besides, I can never get any sleep anyways with so much on my mind."

"Still thinking about back then?" Yusei asked.

"It crosses my mind, but I don't let it get to me, not anymore..." She chuckled softly. "I can still remember when I'd break down in tears over it, but now...it doesn't really bother me... I've got other things to worry about anyway..."

Yusei just nodded.

"Are we still on schedule for the Pipeline?"

"Yup. Tonight will be our only chance though, so we'll have to make sure our runners will be able to make it the whole way."

"Come on, Yusei, you're talking to a girl who's been working with machines since she can remember. I think I can manage this much. And besides, it'll be fun to see my sister come after me in the long run."

"Is she older than you?" Yusei asked curiously.

"Younger actually." Yusei was a little surprised. "I know, shocking. I'm older, yet she's an officer. But that's okay considering I hate the law. Guess that would explain my streak and why I'm most hated in Satellite."

Ayumi chuckled as Yusei smirked. "I'll never know how you're not in the Facility by now..."

"Because you can't catch someone if you can't find them. Master at stealth and speed. Anyways, I'm a little tired so I'm going to lay down for a little bit." Ayumi but the back of her hand, sliding her glove off before roving the other. She then draped them over a chair along with her coat and laid down on the couch. Within a couple minutes, she was out like a light, sleeping soundly.

As Yusei was working on his Duel Runner, he looked back at Ayumi. Her mouth was slightly parted, causing her to snore very softly, barely audible. He smiled o himself as he laid his coat over her shoulders, but then his attention was cushy when he saw her hand clench into a fist.

"M...Mom... Dad..." She mumbled. "Mi...yuki... Why...do you...hate me..."

(She's dreaming about her parents and her sister... She really has been through a lot...) Yusei thought.

"No!" Ayumi's eyes shot open as Yusei was a bit startled by her sudden jump as he took a step back.

Ayumi looked around, realizing she was only dreaming as she sighed, closing her eyes. She then pushed herself up, Yusei's coat falling into her lap as she ran her fingers through her hair. "Damn it..." She looked down to see Yusei's coat in her lap as she set it on the back of the couch before getting up. "I can't sleep..."

"What's wrong?" Yusei asked.

"Nothing... Just another nightmare... I just can't go to sleep, that's all..." She then went over to her runner and popped the hood, fiddling with the inside.

"Ayumi, you really do need to get some sleep... You were only asleep for about ten or fifteen minutes." Yusei tried to reason with her.

"No. If I go back to sleep, that nightmare will just come back. I know how my dreams work, Yusei, and I'm not gonna let it control me."