Firstly, in this story, only school leavers can enter the academy, the governments would never allow it.
I'm not sure, but, I think that the Japanese graduate at seventeen.
Assuming that the academy runs on the three year system, Again, I'm not sure, Jaden in the first year is seventeen, Alexis is eighteen and Zane is Nineteen.
This will be a Yugi /Alexis romance thing. If any one can offer me some advice on writing the romance part of the storey I'd be most grateful.
on a side note, I don't know if I'll ever come back to this as I've got other idea, if enough people want me to, I will come up with something, it'll be awhile, though.
Another die note, My next project will probably be a Blood+ story.
Alexis Rhodes stood near the outer edges of the tarmac with giant, yellow, lines painted on the ground. Her eyes remained fixed on the lovely blue sky. With the sun blocked by the school behind her, her surroundings were pleasantly cool and the sky easier to appreciate. Even though the ride she was waiting for was late. It was supposed to have picked her up in the morning but it was now nearly five in the evening and she had waited all day. She hoped that she hadn't been forgotten about, this was important to her.
Folding her arms around herself, Alexis was kind of surprised by the sense of fear she was having. She'd duelled some pretty intense duels in her recent career as an academy duellist but, some how, this was different. Alexis wasn't about to duel someone, this wasn't about her skill as a duellist at all. This was about the future, her future. Being part of the second year, Alexis had less then a year before leaving for her stint in the actual world of professional duelling. In fact, it was six weeks to Christmas, so she was about halfway through her second year.
The professional leagues where pretty competitive, with only so many spots that can be filled per league every one fought intensely for their position, whether to protect it or to take one. With such intensity in the world of duelling, most people didn't make it out of the amateur leagues. Even of those that had been to the academy, only about ten present made it into the league, most ended up being part of the duelling world in another way. It was this percentage that had lead to the pilot program that Alexis was now apart of. The idea was simple; she'd even done it in school before coming to the academy. Work experience.
With such intense pressure on the duellist to achieve something, only the best where able to fight their way to decent positions. This new program, hopefully to be a permanent part of second year education, was to offer an alternative to those who couldn't make it in the world of duelling. Some of the bigger gaming companies and shops had been approached with the idea of giving the second year students a four week position among the various divisions in their companies. The student gained experience in the back ground of the gaming world, the things that where never actually seen by the players under normal circumstances. The companies, mean while, had the opportunity to scout talent before it became available to competition.
The companies had provided the transportation off the island since it would be pointless to have a ship make a special trip for a small number of people, then return a little while later for everyone else for the Christmas holiday. Besides, in her case at least, it was simpler for her to go straight to her 'employer'; the letter had told her he would await her in the American city of Chicago.
Almost every student at the academy was interested in only one thing, becoming the next king of games. Not every one was going to get that far, in fact, hardly anyone was going to be able to do it. The current king of games, Yugi Mutou, was a living legend; having remained un-defeated for over ten years. He was an idol, the embodiment of every thing most of those that entered the academy wanted to achieve. Still the man had never lost a duel, to her knowledge at least, and that made for a difficult match for anyone who was willing to try. It was a daunting thing to think about, going against someone who'd made his name and kept the top for ten years. That prospect would never even come up for ninety percent of those that graduated from the academy.
Alexis was nervous and she was only going to be meeting the long retired duellist Seto kiba, meeting Yugi was so far from her mind, either as a duellist or as a fan, that it was some where near Pluto. From the things she'd seen and read, those rare occasions when Yugi did give interviews he'd seemed so nice and polite, so amicable. It had seemed so easy for the reporter to interview him that, at one point, Alexis had wanted to be a reporter so she could interview her idol. That had lasted about a month, her mother bought her and her brother a set of cards each and she was hooked on the game its self. Now she was going to meet some one who'd actually duelled with the legend himself, had almost been a nemesis to Yugi. Alexis had wondered what Yugi and Kiba where like in real life, they where both incredibly good at duelling, Alexis knew, from personal experience, that skill in anything could often go to someone's head.
With her constant vigil of the sky, Alexis notice the black dot heading towards Academy Island while it was still some way off. That had been what she was waiting for, the helicopter to take her to Kiba corp, where she'd spend four weeks as a glorified secretary stroke gopher. Turning, Alexis bent at the knees, her backside resting against the backs of her legs, an unconscious measure against people seeing her underwear. Carefully, Alexis opened her bag, she wasn't allowed to take too much as she was there to work not for a vacation. All she'd really needed was a few changes of underwear and a spare school uniform, she still had to wear her obelisk blue uniform as proof that she was from the academy. Her plan was to ware one uniform and wash the other, fresh for the following day, by leap froging her uniforms she could make the best of the limited space she'd been given.
Three weeks ago, when they had been given their assignments, all second year students had been given a letter of acceptance, the school had already placed every one, communicating with various companies to place the right people where they would get the most out of their placement. Alexis had been accepted as an aide to the ceo of kiba corp, Seto Kiba. Kiba had sent her a personal letter to explain the restrictions he had placed on her. The first was that she was required to ware her uniform, as he'd never actually seen or met her he probably assumed it was the smartest set of clothes she had. The second was that she couldn't take more then the bare minimum, a few changes of clothes and some personal necessities, hair care products and the like, as they'd be travelling quite a bit over the four weeks that she would be with them. The final thing the letter told her was that she was expected to pull her weight and apply herself, if she couldn't do that he'd fail her instantly. With the work experience counting towards some of her final grade, Alexis was more then determined enough to apply herself to almost anything that he wanted.
With what little she had packed, Alexis was through with her final check rather quickly, believing she had forgotten nothing; Alexis closed her bag and stood, shouldering her bag while approaching the giant yellow 'H' painted into the flat roof. Wanting be ready for anything, to make a good impression, Alexis had packed her duellist disk, the one she'd had since she'd first started duelling, and her deck. If nothing else, she could get him to tell her what he thought of her sills, should she get a minute or two to actually show him.
The wind became gale force and the deafening roar of the engine filled everything around her, while the copter set itself down. The door slid open and a blurry figure slipped out, the figure approached her, calling out loudly as he did "Miss Rhodes!! Miss Alexis Rhodes!!" Bracing herself against the wind, one hand resting over her skirt to stop herself from flashing the people in front of her. Using the other had to tightly gip the strap of her bag, angling the arm as a buffer for the wind Alexis called back to the blurred figure "Yes, I'm Alexis!!" her voice carried across the gap but she wasn't sure if he'd heard her until he lifted his hand to her "Come on!!" he called, his voice strangely friendly, even though he had to shout to be heard. Approaching the man, the wind making the approach a slow one, Alexis felt slightly uncertain until the figure placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her firmly towards the helicopter waiting.
Climbing into the back and sitting herself down, Alexis immediately rubbed her eyes to clear the wind beaten tears from them. Watching as the young man who had come to pick her up pulled himself easily into the copter and patted the pilot on the shoulder as a sign to take off, Alexis studied him for the first time. He was a slim young man, about twenty or so, with back length dark hair and friendly dark eyes; Alexis found herself entranced by the man before her, was this Seto Kiba? He differently wasn't what se expected at all. Sitting down while putting on a set of headphones, the young man leaned out and slid the door shut just as the copter lifted up. With the door suddenly shut, the noise immediately disappeared. Alexis set her bag down and look apprehensively at the man opposite her. Seeing her apprehension he smiled at her and levelled his hand at her "Mokuba Kiba, pleased to meet you" Startled that her assumption had been wrong, Alexis hesitated before shaking the mans hand.
"Sorry" she mumbled "I thought you where Seto Kiba" she said, feeling silly, she'd just made a complete fool of herself and she hated herself for it. "Really?" asked Mokuba easily, smiling. "That's a pretty big compliment, thanks" he said, making her look up in surprise. His smile seemed genuine; he hadn't taken offence to her assumption and that was a good thing.
They sat in relative silence, neither one trying to make any kind of conversation, Alexis because she didn't know what to say and Mokuba because he was almost constantly talking to people on his cell phone, was he always this busy? Ending the call and putting the phone in the top of his suit jacked pocket, Mokuba turned his attention to Alexis. "Sorry about that, the board can't tie their laces without me or Seto their to tell them how." He grinned at her, making her feel more at ease. Slowly, though, the smile left his face "Alexis, listen, well" Mokuba sighed, looked frustrated about some thing. "The thing is, Alexis" he started again, making her stomach drop slightly, had she done something wrong? "The thing is, Alexis, Seto's off at the moment. See, his daughter got really sick, and the doctors think it will help to have Seto around as much as possible." Mokuba scratched the back of his head. "The problem is, Seto's the one with all the decision making power, you won't really learn anything from me but how boring shed loads of paperwork is. I've seen you academic record, you'd be wasted watching me do paperwork." Mokuba said. Alexis wondered what was going on, by now, they where clearly heading away from the academy but she'd just been told that she wasn't needed. "You probably won't get much more out of it but, I asked a friend who runs a gaming store to take you on, instead." Mokuba sighed a little then looked away from her. Grinning slightly, Mokuba looked back at her "You want to be a dullest right?" asked Mokuba, surprising Alexis with the question.
"Well….. Yes" she said, wondering were he was going with this.
"Then you'll probably be better off where we're going." He said, cheerfully "Just ask him to give you pointers and I'm sure he'd be glad to help" he continued, smiling at her. "As work experience it'll suck, as duelling experience you couldn't ask for better." He seemed to believe what he was saying, which peeked her interest, there was a dualist running a gaming store, was he any good? Mokuba seemed think so. But then, did he even know anything about duelling?
With her thoughts so focused on the unknown duellist, Alexis didn't notice when the small copter left the water behind and started flying over the city. Suddenly, the helicopter descended, startling the eighteen year old girl. They where there already?
Watching the young man with the waist length hair climb out of the door, Alexis quickly began to gather her bag and undo the harness keeping her safely in the seat. Hunching her shoulder Alexis stepped down to the ground, which was more of a small leap then a step, and walked towards the waiting man.
Once away from the helicopters blades, Alexis straightened up and walked as calmly as she was able to the man's side. The young man gestured to the pilot of the helicopter; the man on the inside nodded and lifted off heading wherever. Alexis turned to the man, questioning him with her eyes. "A car'll pick me up in about five minutes." The young man said, catching the young woman's meaning without much of a problem. Gesturing Mokuba smiled and, with a sense of pride said "and here we are" Alexis followed the man's hands and saw what he was pointing at. The building was a two story boot like structure, the upper level forming the straight line and the shop entrance protruding out, trying to invite customers in. The words 'Kame Game' was situated in the centre of the roof, proudly proclaiming the shops name to the world.
Putting his hands into his pockets Mokuba casually began to walk towards the small shop. Alexis stayed, staring at the building and the surroundings, with a sense of trepidation, was this duellist really any good? Would any of the top-leaguers really need a day job? She doubted it. But, then, Mr Kiba had, kindly, gone to the trouble of arranging the placement for her.
Moving forward Alexis paused at the door, nervously wiping her hand on her skirt. If nothing else, this person would have way more duelling experience then she had and, at the very least, she could benefit from that experience. With her resolve in place Alexis grabbed the door, pushed it open, hearing the jangle of the bell declaring her entree, and darted inside before she could change her mind and run.
The inside of the store was dark, the lights having long since been turned off for the day, but Alexis could see two glass cases, one on each wall, running the considerable length of the walls. At the farthest point, opposite the door, was another, smaller, glass case with a cash register sitting behind it. Behind the glass case sat a shelf with various boxes. Each of the boxes had a different item in it; some had the booster packs, the eldest edition in circulation; which was very rare as most didn't bother with the older ones, sitting at the farthest left. Some of the other boxes held paraphernalia from the various companies trying to jump on the band wagon. Lockets in the shape of Duel monster cards and other, smaller items that she couldn't see at this distance. On the right hand side was a door frame; the door seemed to have been removed at some point in the past, with nothing covering it. Light spilled out from the door as the darkness of the setting sun became apparent to the eighteen year old dualist.
Heading towards the door with the light spilling from it, Alexis walked past a shelf very much like the one found in stores that still sold the old LP albums. Stopping, her curiosity peeked; Alexis leaned forward and lifted out one of the items tucked into the top-most shelf. A card album, a specialised case for spare duel monster cards that don't end up in a deck. She didn't even know that products like this one existed. Placing the card album back were she got it, Alexis started browsing through the stock on the lower shelves, books on duelling, card binders, duel monster birthday cards, even DVDs with duelling tips for beginners. This place had virtually everything that could possibly be needed to duel.
On top of the shelf, in the very centre, was a sheet of card proclaiming something that Alexis couldn't quite make out in the poor lighting. Moving to allow the light to shine on the piece of card, Alexis squinted at the card, while trying not to get in the way of the light. "Alexis?" asked Mokuba, coming to the doorway and blocking the light for her to read the little bit of card. Turning quickly around, putting her hands behind her back like a guilty child with something she knew she shouldn't have. "Urm, yes?" asked Alexis, floundering for a split second as her mind seized up. Had she made a bad impression? This work experience counted for twenty-five present of her passing grade, if she messed this up or made a bad impression and was sent back to the academy, she wouldn't get into the league.
There where three professional leagues, each one with their own set of 'league rules' that allowed certain additional play. The third league, known by duellists as the local league, was the lowest rung of the ladder. This league had the most number of duellists as the academy often lead to placements within the bottom end of the third league. The better a graduate did in the academy the better position they would start in. With the smallest in terms of prizes, often a rare or ultra rare card of limited power. These tournaments where often held in small areas, known as districts, hosted by one or two medium sized businesses. Most of the third league dualists where sponsored by local businesses, meaning most in the third league where financially dependent on the success of the business that sponsored them. Though the district tournaments where quite a challenge for the lower leaguers, those who'd only just started out more often then not, and thus forced by ranking to remain in such tournaments, the higher leaguers where allowed more freedom. Becoming a member of the top fifty in the league table, entitled the duellist to enter any tournament up to the city level, though those of the third league often suffered defeat before they reached the semi-finals.
Though the top spot is a recognised position in the league, it is often viewed by duellists as a joke, only giving respect to those who can claim the first spot of the second league. Of cause, every one wanted to be in the top most league, the first league, as that was where the best of the best reside, the king of games, Yugi Mutou.
The second league, introduced prize money, though it wasn't more then a few thousand, and increased the power of the rare and ultra rare cards that where available in the lower tournaments. The second league was the most common place for average duellists, those with skill quickly rose to the lower ranks of the first league, leaving those that couldn't cope behind. Sponsorship played an even more important part in the second league, at least the bottom half, with most duellists unable to make it on there own. The second league dealt mostly with city wide to country level tournaments, the country tournaments where the only second league tournaments that rewarded the winner with money as a prize.
The first league was the roughest of the three, the duellist in the first league had to remain at their best at all times; it was far too easy to lose position and end up back in the second league again. Unlike the third and second leagues, at least for the top most players, sponsorship was optional, with the prize money so high, sometimes as much as a billion of the local currency, there was no real need for businesses to provide for them.
If Alexis didn't graduate the academy, though she would physically leave it, she wouldn't get into the league, even if it was at the bottom. This work experience was so important to her; she didn't think there was anything else she wanted to do. Ever since she was small she had wanted to be a duellist and she had spent her life working for that goal, though she wasn't particularly fussy as to where she got in the table, as long as she did her best.
"Sorry" said Alexis, quickly, half turning, she pointed to the rack behind her, "I was trying to read that" she said, using her thumb to indicate the card. With his hands still in his pockets, Mokuba came forward, picking up the card and looking at it closely. "He's still doing that?" Mokuba asked himself aloud, smiling as if he was remembering something fondly. "What does it say?" asked Alexis, curiosity over riding her sense of fear. "It says 'Starter decks available, here'" read the younger Kiba. Alexis blinked a couple of times what the heck was a starter deck? "You can read it?" she queried sounding surprised, she hadn't been able to see a thing when she stood there. "Nope" the man said, putting the sheet of card back "I wrote it five years ago, when he first had the idea" Mokuba said, turning to the light. Alexis fell into step beside him and the two walked through the frame into a hall.
Directly in front of her was a closed door, directly to the right of her was a wall, a table with a flower sat right up against it, next to the potted plant sat a cordless phone, quietly waiting to be used. "Hey" said Mokuba, gently attracting her attention, turning, yet again, Alexis saw Mokuba standing halfway up a flight of stairs "keep taking so long your drinks gonna get cold" he told her, grinning. Blushing furiously, Alexis started up the stairs, following Mokuba as he turned to his right at the top of the stairs. "I can't believe you're still doing starters." Said Mokuba the moment he stepped into the room, his voice sounding as if it was being playful. "It helps people get started" said a deep voice, instantly putting the picture of a large, military like, man into Alexis' head. Mokuba laughed, a little, I can't believe you make the time for it though, constructing them by hand must be a pain in the arse" said Mokuba, moving deeper into the room.
Alexis didn't hear the response as she stepped into the room, looking around the space while she walked. Situated in the middle of the room was a couch, nothing immediately special about it, just a couch. On her right, in front of the couch, was a coffee table, again nothing special, on her farthest right was a TV resting against the wall. Directly opposite her was a window, the curtains drawn to allow privacy. The walls where all white, a new looking white, as if it had just been done. None of the things she'd seen was able to tell her much about the person who owned the place. "Hi" said the deep voice, making her jump. Turning she noticed that she was being stared at by Mokuba and the owner of the deep voice, Alexis' mind screeched to a sudden halt, the one thing that was able to squeeze past the sudden halting of mental function was the simplest of thoughts 'No way'. She thought, feeling very much like fainting at that moment.
Because she was staring at Yugi Mutou