Police Recruit

Story
Yami is at the penthouse, chasing after a runaway vacuum cleaner. The news is on in the background, showing the protest at Domino Academy ending.

Yami: Get, back here! Got you!

Yami grabs the handle for the vacuum, being pulled along before managing to shut it off. He sighs with relief.

Yami: Crazy runaway vacuum! I mean, why does a vacuum need to be able to move without being pushed?!

The building shakes violently, Yami struggling to keep his feet. He turns to the TV, seeing the explosion of Domino Academy.

Yami: What?! They bombed a school?! I knew these Enforcer thugs were against Easterners, but wow! It might be time to come out of hiding, offer my assistance. End Scene

The police station is bustling with activity. Everyone is on the bombing case, chasing leads and trying to find Greiger. Trudge, Crow and Axel are in Commissioner Viper’s office. Viper wears a large purple coat covered in medals and badges, and has his hair spiked to one point. He is a large, muscular man.

Viper: Let’s cut to the chase here, gentlemen. In light of recent events, I’m promoting all of you to detective level.

Trudge: Detective?! I am truly honored by the promotion, but Crow has only been with us for over a month! And Axel…

Viper: Was a leader in the Special Forces, and has skills equal to a detective, if not greater. All of you acted bravely and performed well during the incident, and I hope to continue relying on your hard work.

Trudge: (Groans) Yes, Commissioner.

Viper: Now. Trudge, you are going to be one of the leads on this new group called the Hunters. You’ll be working with Sergeant Simington.

Trudge: (Nervously) Mi-mi-Mina?!

Mina: That’s Sergeant to you.

Trudge turns, seeing Mina standing in the doorway. Mina has short, blue hair and gold eyes. She’s wearing a white blouse under a gray-blue jacket that ends in the front abdomen above a brown belt, but falls past her white skirt in the back. Trudge blushes while looking at her, but shakes it off.

Trudge: (Blushing) Yes, ma’am!

Viper: Axel, Crow. You will go the alternative route, by finding the supplier of the bomb. Due to the state of the city, there’s only one place where the pieces required for it could be found.

Crow: East Domino.

Viper: Head out at once.

Crow and Axel head back towards their desks, while Trudge and Mina head towards interrogation.

Crow: So, we’re partners now.

Axel: If you drag me down, chicken, then I’ll cook your hide off.

Crow: Ooh! Mr. Tough Guy! Well, Special Forces, I’m hitting the head before we leave. There’s no public restrooms in the East.

Crow heads over to the bathroom, as Axel spots a shadow with large spiky hair. Axel follows the figure down the hall toward interrogation, revealing it to be Yami.

Axel: Hey!

Yami stops, turning to face him.

Yami: Oh, hey there! I had heard you guys had a suspect in custody. I was hoping to hear what you’ve got.

Axel: You got a lot of nerve breaking into the police station, punk.

Yami: Punk? Oh.

Yami feels one of his criminal markers.

Yami: Maybe I should suggest taking these things out of regulation.

Yami turns away, as Axel morphs into his Pyronite form, shooting a burst of fire. Yami reacts instantly, spinning, drawing two cards, putting them on the blade and slapping the Dueltrix down all in a few swift motions. He takes Elaskimo’s body, without a jacket. His torso is Heatblast’s, as sections of his arms and legs are molten rock as well. His hair is fire, and his right fist is on fire.

Elaskiblast: Elaskiblast!

Axel fires another fire burst, as Elaskiblast charges through it, taking the fire. He stretches his arm to punch Axel, who catches it, pulling on the arm. Elaskiblast lifts his feet, retracting to tackle Axel, knocking him to the ground. Axel kicks him off, getting on top of Elaskiblast. Elaskiblast punches at Axel, as he blocks it with ease.

Trudge: What is going on out here?!

Trudge comes out of a room, seeing the fight.

Trudge: Yami?! Axel, get off him!

Axel gets up, reverting. Elaskiblast gets up, turning to Trudge.

Axel: Detective! This guy was snooping around!

Elaskiblast: Detective? You get promoted or something?

Trudge: Just recently. Axel, this is Yami, local pain in the rear, and certified hero. Be quiet and get in here. Sergeant Mina is interrogating a Hunter.

Elaskiblast reverts.

Yami: Hunter? What about the Enforcers?

Trudge: Compared to these guys, not a threat.

They enter the observation room, where Lumis is being interrogated.

Mina: So, what is the Hunters’ next goal? Don’t tell me you don’t know.

Lumis: I will not speak! Master Marik has a grand design, that will wipe out all who support the half breed!

Mina: Tell me more of this Marik.

Lumis: You have no more need of my information. This day will end in blood!

Trudge: Aster brought this clown in. He tried to kill him. Automatic weapons.

Yami: Guns?

Axel: Crow and I are running down that angle.

Yami: In that case, look up Bandit Keith. You want weapons in the East, you go to him. Anything I can do to help?

Trudge: Just, stay out of the way while we handle this.

Trudge and Axel lead Yami back to the front, where Crow’s waiting.

Crow: Yami?! You sly dog! You’re alive!

Yami: And you’re a police officer!

Crow: That’s detective now.

Yami: Seriously? I haven’t been gone that long.

Trudge: But you being gone has caused this mess. We’ll handle the mess you made.

Trudge walks off, as does Axel. Crow walks by Yami.

Crow: (Whispering) Gather the others. We’ll need the Signers soon.

Crow keeps walking, as Yami looks confused.

Yami: The Signers? When did we start going by that name? End Scene

Luna, Mokuba, Blair and Ishizu are at the hospital, sitting by Leo in his hospital bed. Luna holds Leo’s hand, as the heart rate monitor continues to beat in rhythm.

Mokuba: It’ll be alright, Luna. I’m sure he’ll wake up soon.

Luna: He’s in a coma. He may never wake up.

Blair: Maybe. But we need to stay positive. Leo’s one of the most positive people I know. He wouldn’t want us to be upset.

Luna is holding back tears, as Ishizu leaves the room. She gasps in surprise, seeing Yami.

Yami: I had just heard. Is he okay?

Ishizu: He’s in a coma. No telling when he’ll wake. (Ishizu look at Yami with suspicious.) You know who did this.

Yami: A group called the Hunters. Led by some guy named Marik.

Ishizu gasps, as she turns away. Yami: Ishizu? Who is he?

Ishizu: I’m sorry, Yami. Luna needs me.

Ishizu heads back into the room, as Mokuba comes out. Ishizu bumps past him, him confused.

Mokuba: Hey! Watch it!

Yami: Sorry about that. She has a lot on her mind.

Mokuba turns to look at Yami.

Yami: You’re Mokuba, right? Leo told me about the time you helped to try and rescue Luna.

Mokuba: And you’re Yami. I know Leo said you were alive, but, whoa. Still not as cool…

Yami: As White Dragon. I need to get in contact with him.

Mokuba: (Nervously) Uh,

Voice: Mokuba!

Yami turns, as Seto, a tall guy with brown hair, wearing a black shirt and pants with a white jacket walks over. Mokuba smiles, and runs to him, hugging him.

Mokuba: Seto!

Yami: Seto?

Seto: Mokuba! Why didn’t you go to the community center with the other students?! That is where all the students were supposed to go to be picked up!

Mokuba: Sorry, but my friend was hurt, and I was supporting his sister.

Yami: He’s been a great help to Luna.

Seto: Sorry, but am I talking to you?

Yami: I’m talking to you now. I need your help, Seto.

Seto: I’m not sure that we’ve met before.

Yami: Oh, we have. We’ve fought before, we’ve worked together before. You’re a reliable ally.

Seto: Hate to break your delusion there, but I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, get lost.

Yami glares him down, then walks off, leaving the hospital.

Yami makes his next stop at a signing event, where Aster Phoenix is signing memorabilia. Yami has his helmet on. Yami makes it to the front, taking the helmet off.

Yami: Can you sign this?

Aster: Yami? Oh, wow. Thought you were dead.

Yami: That’s been going around a lot recently.

Aster signs the helmet.

Aster: You gathering the team again?

Yami: The time is fast approaching.

Aster: I’m busy today. I’ll be free tomorrow, though.

Yami: Stay open.

Yami walks off, putting his helmet back on. End Scene

In East Domino, Bandit Keith is with a short kid named Bonz, with criminal markers over his face. They meet with Don Zaloog, a dark skinned man with an eyepatch. He has several thugs alongside him.

Don Zaloog: Hey Keith. I assume you have my requested items.

Keith: Got it all here.

Bonz drags up a suitcase, opening it, revealing a large array of technology and weapons.

Keith: You have the cash?

Don Zaloog signals his men, one of them bringing a briefcase. He opens it, revealing the cash.

Keith: Slide it over, and you get your gear.

Axel: Freeze! Domino P.D.!

Axel, Crow, and other police officers surround the arms deal. Don Zaloog sighs, as he draws a pistol, aiming it at them. Axel takes his Pyronite form, blasting the pistol out of his hand with a fire bullet. The others drop to the ground, except Bandit Keith.

Keith: Well, well. The police think they can operate in my turf without consequences.

Keith activates armor, it forming around him in Barrel Dragon armor, forming three cannons. He opens fire, as Crow leaps into the air, kicking them away. Axel then dashes in, as he leaps, grabbing the cannons. His hands heat the metal, as the cannons melt and break in half. Keith aims the third one at Axel, as Crow leaps onto Keith’s back, kicking at the neck, where exposed armor is.

Keith: Ugh!

Keith falls to the ground, his armor breaking apart. The other cops take the other thugs, as Axel reverts, lifting Keith up by the throat.

Axel: Word on the street is you’re the guy to go to for weapons. Sell materials to make a bomb recently?

Keith: Bomb? You got the wrong guy here! I haven’t done any of that!

Bonz: Boss!

Bonz is being dragged away, as Crow signals them to stop, him taking him.

Crow: Alright, kid. Who’d you sell bombs to?

Bonz: Bombs? No one! We don’t deal in those!

Keith: Shut up, Bonz!

Axel: Oh, no. Keep talking, Bonz.

Axel holds a finger towards Bonz’s neck, fire burning from his finger. Bonz freaks, though Crow holds him down.

Crow: If you don’t deal in bombs, then who does?

Bonz: Aaaaaaiiiiih! The only one that’d have those is Bruno!

Crow: Bruno? The scavenger?

Axel: Who’s Bruno?

Crow: A scavenger genius. Takes scraps and trash and turns it into beautiful craftsmanship. It’s rumored that he could sell to those in the West before the regime change.

Bonz: Now that they all know he’s from the East, they stopped buying his works. Had to turn to arms dealing to make ends meet.

Axel: Show us the way.

Keith: Don’t give him anything!

Crow kicks Keith in the back of the head, knocking him out.

Crow: Someone take him away!

Bonz leads Crow and Axel to a junkyard, where they hear scurrying and muttering. Bruno, a guy with blue hair and pinkish red skin is digging through the trash. His hands resemble the hands of Jury Rigg, and he has little horns protruding out of his hair. On his face is a criminal mark, them resembling goggles.

Bruno: Now, if I can just get the wiring right, I can make a bigger boom than the last one! My former work was artful, but there isn’t anything like an explosion!

Crow: Hey, Bruno!

Bruno turns to face Crow and Axel, holding a cassette player. He slides down the trash pile, tilting his head to the side to examine Crow.

Bruno: Ah! You an Arcadian?

Crow: Not anymore.

Bruno: Shame. I love doing business with them. They have such innovative ideas. Like distorted art, or building frames. The iron pillars were so much fun to meld together, and it was good paying.

Axel: What’s he chattering about?

Crow: He helped with the building of the Arcadia House.

Bruno: Sayer provides fresh supplies, too. Food, rare scrap metal, C4, coffee, love that coffee! Can keep me going for…

Axel: Whoa, whoa! Back up! C4?

Bruno: Ah, yes, C4! He gives me C4, I build bombs. Sell them to whoever wants them, usually Keith who can use contacts in the West to expand my network! Lovely city, the west! Their museums are filled with such masterpieces, especially the sculptures. Almost as beautiful as mine!

Axel: So, you built the bomb that blew up that school?

Bruno: Yes! It was marvelous!

Bruno holds up the cassette player, revealing C4 attached to it.

Bruno: Like this one! Ah-ha-ha-ha!

Bruno throws the C4 at Crow and Axel, them being startled. Crow kicks it away into another trash pile, as Bruno climbs up a different trash pile, retreating. The C4 detonates, blowing up a pile.

Axel: Dang it! He’s getting away!

Crow: It doesn’t matter. He may be a technological genius, but he doesn’t have the focus to orchestrate a bombing. We should go after his source of C4. The Arcadia Movement.

Axel: Let’s check in with Commissioner Viper first. Going against the Arcadia Movement, could be big trouble for us.

Characters

 * Yami
 * Police
 * Commissioner Viper
 * Detective Trudge
 * Crow
 * Axel
 * Mina Simington
 * Luna
 * Blair
 * Mokuba
 * Ishizu Ishtar
 * Seto
 * Aster Phoenix

Villains

 * Lumis
 * Bandit Keith
 * Bonz
 * Don Zaloog
 * Bruno

Aliens Used

 * Elaskiblast (first appearance)

Trivia

 * Yami reveals his return to the Police.
 * Seto is introduced, Yami knowing he is White Dragon.
 * Ishizu responds weirdly to the name "Marik."
 * This is the first time that Aster has appeared without Skurd.
 * Bruno is part Jury Rigg's species.
 * The Arcadia Movement is revealed to have a part in the bombing.