Kindred Spirits

Summary:

"We have more in common than you think, Zane- sorry, Hell Kaiser."

"Why do you say that Chazz?"

A/N - This plot bunny was beating me around the head while I was away, so I wrote it up. Oneshot, because I never finish anything longer.

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He didn't expect to see him.

Zane, sorry, Hell Kaiser (A/N - I can't take his nickname seriously. I've not seen any Series 2 episodes with him in them; does he have the same nickname in the English dub?) was just walking down the street, ignoring the large gap on all sides between him and everyone else on the pavement, when he passed a café window and saw him.

The one and only Chazz Princeton, his ex-classmate, sitting alone in the café, staring into space and absentmindedly stirring a cup of something resting on the table in front of him.

His first thought was: "What the hell is he doing in Domino? Why isn't he at Duel Academy?

His second thought was: "Why the hell do I care?"

He certainly didn't intend to talk to him.

And yet, Zane (A/N - I'm calling him Zane. Deal.) found himself entering the small café and standing by the younger boy's table.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

Chazz looked up.

"Well, I really wasn't expecting to see you here." he replied. He pulled his bag off the seat opposite and gestured for Zane to sit down.

Zane remained standing.

"You didn't answer my question."

Chazz made a face.

"There was an incident at the school." (A/N- This is set after Series 2 and before Series 3.)

"Oh?" grunted Zane, waiting for Chazz to elaborate, trying to sound uninterested. After a moment, he realised that Chazz as looking at him, waiting for him to sit down. Zane glared at him. Chazz looked back, bored but refusing to break eye contact.

"I won't tell you if you're standing over me." said Chazz. Zane increased the power of the glare. Chazz switched from bored to annoyed, responding to the glare with one of his own. The two glares hit each other and changed direction. They hit a vase on the counter, shattering it, quite impressive, considering Chazz's glare was set to "Scare Small Animals" and Zane's was set to "Make Young Children Cry". Apparently, combining the two cranks it up to "Shatter Ornaments".

He didn't expect to give in.

"Fine." Zane growled, finally sitting down. Chazz gave him a quick, triumphant smirk.

"Ok, so there's this psycho called Sartorius who runs a cult called the Society of Light…"

Chazz proceeded to tell Zane everything, sparing no details, pulling no punches. He didn't even try to cover up his own involvement.

"So the Slacker has the cheek to steal one of my cards and play it against me!" (A/N- Ok, I think Chazz dropped the card, but hey, it's Chazz. He exaggerates. A lot.) "Well, I guess I snapped out of it pretty soon after that. Then the Slacker saves the world, yada yada yada, then the tournament continues - oh!" he clicked his fingers as he remembered another detail. "Your stalker was there. Blair. I duelled her in the finals. Weird kid. Obsessed with you and Jaden."

He didn't expect to care.

"So you, Alexis and Bastion…" Zane trailed off, uncertain. I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, I don't care, he chanted in his head.

"We got brainwashed and nearly helped to end the world." completed Chazz.

"So why are you here?" asked Zane.

"I got a ticket for the pro-league tournament. Thought I'd stick around and watch." Chazz leaned back in his chair. Zane froze and his eyes went hard.

"So you've been watching?" he said, quite venomously. Chazz nodded. "And I suppose you're going to give me the same load as everyone else. "Zane, come back." "It's not too late, Zane." "We're still your friends!""

"No." said Chazz. "Because I know it's your choice."

"That's good of you." spat Zane.

"And," continued Chazz. "Because I can relate."

"Oh, really?" mocked Zane. Chazz refused to rise to the bait.

"We have more in common than you think, Zane- sorry, Hell Kaiser."

"Why do you say that Chazz?"

He didn't expect to desperately want to here what the younger duellist had to say.

"One : we both know what it's like to hit rock bottom." Chazz began. Zane stopped and looked at him.

"Two: we both hate admitting that we might need help. Three: We can only be one of two extremes - right at the top, or right at the bottom. Four: we don't appreciate what we have 'till it's gone. Five: we both dislike our brothers." Zane cleared his throat to fight back the laugh at this comment. "I mean, really, I've only ever dreamed of electrocuting my brothers. You really did it!" Zane smirked. (A/N - Come on, Chazz and Syrus don't get on. Chazz was probably disappointed that Zane didn't get Hassleberry as well.)

"Anything else?" asked Zane.

"A like of black clothing, a dislike of sunlight - and Aster Phoenix" Chazz listed, counting on his fingers. "Sadistic tendencies, we both deny using eyeliner despite fooling no-one, we can both see duel spirits-" he was about to continue when Zane interrupted, surprised.

"Hold on," he said. "I never said-"

"You saw me talk to myself at least ten times last year and didn't suggest seeing a therapist. Meaning: you could see who I was talking to. And then there's the huge dragon spirits that hung around the Obelisk dorm that just "happened,"" Here Chazz made quote marks with his hands, "to disappear when you left. It was kinda obvious." he thought for a second. "And everyone knows you wear eyeliner. And that it. I'm out of things. But that's still…" he trailed off, counting in his head.

"Eleven things" said Zane. The two sat in silence for several moments.

Eventually, Chazz checked his watch.

"Damnit, I have to go." he said.

Zane watched him get up and pay at the counter.

"Wait." said Zane. Chazz stopped and turned to look at him. "Where are you staying?"

"I have an apartment a few streets away." Chazz replied. Zane blinked.

"An apartment?" he said. "I thought that your brothers disowned you."

"They did. My parents didn't."

"You live with your parents?"

"My parents live in a cemetery. They left me the apartment."

There was an awkward silence.

"I'm… well, I… I'm sorry." You don't care, damnit! You don't care! Zane mentally scolded himself.

"Forget it. It was a long time ago."

Zane summoned his nerves.

"It'd be good if we could… talk… again."

Chazz smiled and pulled a pen out of his bag. Looking around, he grabbed a napkin and wrote something on it, then handed it to Zane. Zane smirked.

"Restraining orders need to be typed." he said.

"It's my address." said Chazz.

"I might lose it. I don't have any pockets, just my duel card holder."

Chazz rolled his eyes and took Zane's hand. He wrote something on the back of Zane's hand.

"There. My number. Now you have no excuse, Kaiser." He went to leave, but Zane grabbed his wrist and pressed something into his hand.

"What's this?" asked Chazz.

"Backstage pass." replied Zane. "I duel tomorrow. I thought seeing as you've got a ticket…"

"I'll be there." Chazz promised. "So go kick -" there was a smash and a yell, drowning out the final word. (A/N - sorry, I have to keep the rating down, but nothing else worked. We all know what he was going to say.)

Zane smirked.

"I don't plan on losing." he said. Hell Kaiser was back.

"Wait 'till I graduate." said Chazz. "We'll take the tag team duelling tournaments by storm."

He didn't expect to want to see him again.

"Tomorrow." said Zane, as a goodbye.

"Tomorrow." agreed Chazz.

The two parted. Zane couldn't help but smirk as he made his way back to his hotel.

Well, this will be interesting…he thought.

Not enough to make a huge difference, but Zane felt Hell Kaiser's hold lift a little.

Let's see where this leads…

A/N - Well, what'd you think? Good? Bad? Keep writing? Throw yourself off a cliff and take your computer with you? Responses appreciated, no flames please, first time writer.