Multiple Effects (Turn 1): The People You Meet
It was a warm Saturday afternoon and a girl was standing on a terrace on one of Kaiba Corp,'s many buildings. Today was the Duel Academy placement exams, all the people that were there had already passed the written test and all that was left was the duel exam. The girl was standing in front of a table with two women and a man overseeing who was to get in and not get in. The two women were shifting through the list of names in front of them looking for the girl's name.
"My name is Gwen Clark. I have to be on the list," the girl said as if she was more important than they were. She flipped a chunk of her long brunette hair over her shoulder and waited impatiently for them to find her name.
"Ah! Here it is Gwen Ann Clark, if I'm not mistaken," one of the women said as she read Gwen's name off the list. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience ma'am."
"It's fine," Gwen sighed as she looked around and saw the crowd she was with all gone inside the building, "I just can't believe I was the last one to be found on that list. Thank you for keep looking for my name."
"You are welcome. Anything for you miss," the man said with a smile. Gwen gave a small smile back as she was going through the doors the man continued, "Okay ladies, mark the no shows, no shows."
"Wait!" a boy's voice rang out making the women stop their packing up and making Gwen turn her head at the noise. A boy had appeared on the other side of the railing. He was out of breath and covered in dust and leaves. "I'm no, no show! Well just as long as I don't lose my grip and fall."
The boy had a huge goofy grin on his face and let out a laugh. "Are you an idiot?" Gwen yelled as she ran over to help the boy, "That wall you just climbed is huge! Why in the world would you climb up it?" Grabbing the boy's wrist Gwen began pulling the boy over the railing with help from the three adults as well. Once the boy was over the railing Gwen sat on a bench near the doors to catch her breath. Between breaths Gwen said, "You sure are a moron boy."
"Is that how you great every guy you meet who climb up a wall?" the boy joked as he stood in front of Gwen and offered to help her stand. She swatted his hand out of her face making him frown as he added, "Well thanks for the help. Name is Jaden, Jaden Yuki."
"They find your name yet Gwen?" a boy asked as he poked his head out the door. Every one turned their attention to the new arrival. His blonde hair stood out on the dark tinted door, "They just called you for a duel." Both the boys made eye contact and the blonde asked, "Who is the two-tone?"
"Jaden Yuki," Jaden answered as he pulled leaves out of his hair and dusted himself off. Jaden's hair was two shades of brown the lighter shade on the top of his head. "And who are you?"
"Clyde Smith. Now if you'll excuse us, Gwen has a duel to go do," Clyde said as he grabbed Gwen's wrist and pulled her to her feet to pull her towards the door. Gwen snatched her hand back and pushed past Clyde.
"Bye, see you guys inside," Jaden said with a smile and wave.
"As if weirdo, see ya," Gwen huffed as she went inside with Clyde following her. Jaden frowned as they left.
"You're checked in, you may go inside Mr. Yuki," One of the women said taking Jaden's attention away from the door. Jaden nodded and smiled at the woman and went inside to try and find Gwen and Clyde.
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Clyde showed Gwen to go and left to go watch, Gwen sighed and put on her duel disk and put her deck in as she walked out onto the duel field. Gwen looked up at the stands and saw all the people were looking at the fields, many of the people's attention turned to her for her duel disk was the latest model and custom made, light blue with silver trimmings. Gwen put her hand on her hips and waited for her duel proctor.
Jaden came in and stood at the railing of one of the main terraces. Looking at the fields he saw Gwen standing waiting, looking around at the crowd. Smiling Jaden waved to get her attention but she didn't notice him. Muttering Jaden said, "Dang why is she so grouchy?" People around him were conversing about her duel disk and heard a small boy talking to himself.
"Wow, that sure is a flash duel disk. State of the art equipment," the small boy muttered to himself.
"Sure looks like it," Jaden added as he leaned on the railing behind the small boy. The boy jumped shaking his light blue hair and dislodging his glasses from his nose.
"Whoa! Where dii you come from?"
"Outside, both me and that girl, Gwen, just came inside. Though she got a duel super quick."
"Wait, have you not dueled yet?"
"Nope, but I bet I'm going to be the next one called down."
"But in her announcement they said she was going to be the last duelist to duel today."
"What!"
"Short stack is right loser," Clyde said snidely, "Either way this school doesn't need a loser like you as a student."
"Hey, I take insult to that kind of talk," Jaden shot back annoyed by Clyde, "Is that how you plan on talking to the future King of Games?"
"Don't make me laugh. You the King of Games? Seto Kaiba has a better chance of winning it back before you could beat Yuig Moto for the title."
"Jaden Yuki please report to duel field four immediately," a voice said over the intercom stopping the two boys fighting. Clyde let out a small chuckle and shrugged the fight off, turn his attention back to the duel field Gwen was standing on.
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After about two minutes but the proctor finally arrived and had the academy standard duel disk on her left arm. Introducing herself the proctor said, "My name is Professor Irawagawa. That sure is a nice duel disk. What is your name Miss?
"I'm Gwen Clark," Gwen answered calmly, "State of the art and custom order."
"Nice. Now are you ready for your evaluation?"
"Been ready ever since I stepped onto the duel field. I call first move ma'am," Gwen answered as she pulled a card from her duel disk and put it in her hand and began studying her hand. "Alright to start things off I'll summon my Skilled Dark Magician in attack mode and set a card face down. That will be my first turn ma'am."
"Not a bad start for a newbie, but it's my turn. I'm going to summon Cyber Tutu in attack mode and use her ability to bypass your monster and attack you directly."
"I have my trap still, Sakaritsu Armor! It destroys the attacking monster."
"What kind of trap is that?" the short boy asked Clyde.
"Dork, Gwen explained it all ready. It negates the attack and destroys the attacking monster," Clyde answered as the monster shattered into a bunch pieces and be removed from the field.
"She sure has a lot of confidence… Something I wish I had..."
"Great another dreamer."
"What will it take to shut you up asshole?" another boy asked. He was taller than Clyde by a few inches, long black hair and silver eyes. "You are beginning to get on my nerves. What makes you so high and mighty, blondey?"
"Prick! I'm ranked Ra! Who are you to talk so rudely to me?"
"Mora Kanbara, is my name. Pretty girls are my game, also duels."
"I meant rank wise you fool."
"Slifer. You're only a rank above me."
Mora and Clyde continued to fight with each other bring attention of an administrator who came over and pulled them apart and away from the crowds to get scolded. The small boy sighed and turned back to the duel.
"Well to end my turn I'll set two face downs," Mrs. Irawagawa stated as she put two cards onto the field and lowered her arms to signal to Gwen to go another turn.
"I think I'll finish up this duel," Gwen said in reply as she pulled another card from the duel disk on her arm.
"I would advise you not to take this lightly Miss Clark."
"Oh, right… This is a test. But I done with it. I'll use my, The Tricky's effect. By discarding a card I can special summon him in attack mode. And I'll sacrifice my Skilled Dark Magician to summon out Partition of Darkness in attack mode. Then I'll have both of my monsters attack you directly. Thus the end of this duel."
"Well you certainly are a substantial duelist. Congratulation on your entry into Duel Academy, Miss Clark. Now please go to the room for you to get your results and uniform of your rank."
"Gwen nodded in replay and left the field feeling hundreds of pairs of eyes watching her leave the field. The crowd was stunned to silence for Gwen had beat her proctor in only two turns.
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Gwen emerged back into the crowd from the room where they gave the applicants a bag with their uniform in it and PDA that they would have for their time at Duel Academy. As she walked through the crowd she was looking around for Clyde when a sound of a monster being destroyed on a field turned her attention to the duel on the field. The boy from outside, Jaden was in the middle of a duel with a teacher instead of one of the many proctors. Talking out loud to herself she said, "So that fool is dueling Professor Chrowler?"
"Yeah, Jaden is dueling a teacher instead of dueling like a proctor like the rest of us," the small boy had answered to the question Gwen had asked herself. Gwen turned to face the boy and when they made eye contact the boy added, "You're that girl that beat her proctor in two turns!"
"Yeah, I did, so? And who are you?"
"Syrus… Syrus Truesdale…"
Gwen sighed, Syrus was stuttering to even say his name. Turning the concversation back to the duel Gwen added, "Well that moron is in major trouble. For what person would make and Ancient Gear deck a test deck?" Syrus opened his mouth to answer but was stopped by Gwen answering the question herself, "No one, Chrowler is using his personal deck not a test deck."
As they watched Jaden summon a Winged Kuriboh. Gwen rolled her eyes at the move. Chrowler declared an attack against the little fluff ball the next turn but was meet with Jaden not losing any life points from Golem's piercing damage.
"Check your gear," Chrowler ordered annoyed, "It is busted."
"No, my gear is fine," Jaden answered back, "If Winged Kuriboh is to be destroyed I take no battle damage the rest of this turn."
"Stupid boy," Gwen sighed as she went and sat in the stands to watch, "He is only prolonging the inevitable." Syrus got up and moved to sit next to Gwen, the action made her ask, "Can I help you with something?"
"I want to talk with you about the duel. You seem to know Duel Monsters better than I do. So I find your comments a bit interesting."
Gwen groaned and went back to watching the duel. Jaden had summoned a fusion monster, Elemental Hero Flamedwingedman, and Professor Chrowler was criticizing Jaden for summoning a monster with 900 less attack points than his Golem's 3000 attack points.
"Ehy, teach," Jaden called across the field, "I'm not done yet. For now I play the field spell, Skyscraper!"
Tall buildings rose all around the field blocking the spectators' view of Jaden and professor Chrowler. The people could still hear them for Chrowler said, "Well you Flamewingedman still has less attack points. For my Golem's attack hasn't dropped a point!"
"Yeah, I know. But it raises my Wingedman's by 1000 points. Now Wingedman, attack with Skydive Scorcher!"
"Wait! Hold on! Time out!"
"Why is Professor Chrowler yelling like that?" Syrus asked turning the question to Gwen. Gwen didn't hear him ask and was staring at the field shocked, for Jaden had just won the duel.
"It is Flamedwingedman's effect," a boy answered Syrus' question. "Not only will Professor Chrowler take 100 points of damage but, also he will take the original attack of his monster right out of his life points. Play Confiscation was Chrowler's down fall."
"That means Jaden won! He Won! Isn't that awesome, Gwen?"
"It sure was a good duel," the boy answered after seeing Gwen not reply, "I'm Bastion Misaw by the way."
Gwen shook her head in surprise and chuckled to herself, this year might be more than she barged for. Jaden was jumping up and down in celebration of his victory oblivious to how many people now saw him as a target.
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After a few minutes Jaden had returned to the stands, bag in hand. With the same goofy grin from earlier he called out, "Did you see that Sy? I won!"
"Yeah, I thought you might have lost it when she started talking," Syrus said as he pointed at Gwen. She was standing next to the railing looking around the crowd of people leaving to find Clyde.
"Hey, Gwen," Jaden said as he walked over and put a hand on Gwen's shoulder.
"Don't touch me!" Gwen ordered, swatting his hand off her, "What do you want?"
"Lighten up will ya? I just wanted to ask you something, yessh."
"What do you ask?"
"Considering we got some down time before we have to go bored the plains to Duel Academy, I wanted to know if you would like to come get some food with us. You okay with that?"
"No thanks, I'm waiting for Clyde."
"Why? Is he your boyfriend or something?"
"Hell no! We only know each other. Like I'd every date a creepy stalker like him!"
"You think I'm a 'creepy stalker'?" Clyde asked pretending to be sad. Bastion and Gwen rolled their eyes unamused.
"Yes, I do."
"Oh, I get it now," Jaden said as he landed a fist into his other hand's palm. "Gwen tolerates Clyde, and Clyde only hangs around in hopes Gwen will eventually return his affection."
"You do have a brain!" Gwen laughed, Jaden frowned at the insult and Clyde grimaced at being so easy to read. The other boys let out small chuckles as well.
"So, now that Clyde is here can we all go get something to eat?" Jaden asked after he got over the insult.
"What kind of food are you talking about?" Syrus asked calming down from the laughing.
"Any kind is good enough for me."
"Count us out," Clyde answered, "Let's go Gwen." Clyde grabbed Gwen's wrist and pulled her away from the group of guys.
"Well if it's his treat why not?" Gwen asked, hoping to get a free meal. "I'm packed for the trip tonight so an early diner sounds better than eating plane food. Plus I have a high doubt he'll ever get another chance to repay me for helping him over the railing outside."
"What do you mean by that?" Clyde asked confused. He wasn't there to see that Jaden had climbed the wall to make it to the exams on time.
"I'll tell you another time."
"Okay, Jaden here must have done something crazy to have you saying stuff like that," Bastion commented, turning the conversation back on track, "I am delighted by the offer but, I have to decline. Too much studying to be done. Good bye."
Bastion left slinging his bag over his shoulder and gave a quick wave with his free hand. Jaden sighed but, turned his attention towards Gwen and Clyde again. He asked, "So are you two still in? And buying you some food for helping me is a small price to pay."
"Since you're paying I'll go," Gwen answered.
"If she goes, I go," Clyde sighed reluctantly.
"Cool, but I'm not buying for you 'creepy stalker' pants," Jaden replied sticking his tongue out at Clyde. Clyde clenched and unclenched his fists, calming down before he would throw a punch at Jaden for the insult. Gwen laughed again making the boys turn and look at her confused.
"You might want to watch what you are saying," Gwen laughed at them, "Clyde might just throw a punch. Not that it would hurt."
"Hey! I take judo classes!" Clyde yelled insulted by Gwen's comment.
"Ease off the insults will ya?" Jaden asked as he stepped in between Clyde and Gwen. "Now where do you think we should go get something to eat?"
"There is a café nearby that is said to be good, lets go there."
"Sounds good," Jaden said with a smile.
"No climbing up and down the wall."
"So is that what he did to have you help him?" Syrus asked confused.
"He climbed the wall next to the registration table to get here on time. You might want to put an alarm on so you can make it on time to classes," Gwen answered with a roll of her eyes and pulled a hair tie out of a pocket and pulled her hair up into a pony tail.
"You look nice with your hair up," Jaden complimented making Gwen grimace and look away her face flushing.
"Shut-up…"
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The four had left to go eat at the café Gwen suggested, it was a small place and other students had come as well to eat. They took a booth for all the other tables were taken. Gwen and Clyde on one side and Syrus and Jaden on the other side. Once they had ordered their food from the waitress, Jaden began talking about the island Duel Academy was on, "It's huge Sy! State of the art equipment, and highly-qualified cooks!
"Only for the Obilisk dorm and the Girl's Dorm, stupid," Gwen interrupted, "Ra has okay cooks and the headmaster of the Slifer dorm cooks for the Slifers. Though I don't know if he or she, is a good or bad cook."
"How do you know that?" Syrus asked.
"I do my research and my father helped Seot Kaiba with the planning for Duel Academy."
"Really?" Jaden yelled from across the table.
"Yes, and yeash, you don't need to yell."
"Right, sorry. So, what is every one's rank?"
"Slifer…" Syrus sighed looking down at the table.
"Ra," Clyde answered with a look of superiority.
"Cool, Sy! We're the same rank! What about you Gwen?"
"Slifer," Gwen answered in a calm tone.
"What? How?" Clyde yelled as he turned to look at Gwen wide-eyed. "You could have made Obilisk rank with your grades and dueling ability. Every one there saw you beat your proctor in two turns! Plus you're a straight A student!"
"I know I could have, Clyde. I got the minimum score possible on the written exam, purposely."
"Why would you do that Gwen?"
"To be honest with that win I could have gotten into Ra but instead they put me in Slifer. Plus I wanted to be put in Slifer, no point in being on top without having to work to get there."
"I like your way of thinking Gwen!" Jaden interrupted," Starting at the top when you know you can go from the bottom to the top in no time."
"That is on way to put it. But what possessed Kaiba to make Obilisk the top rank baffles me."
"How so?" Syrus asked genially curious.
"Well if you go look at who the God card holders are Yugi Moto has Slifer, Mairk Ishtar had Ra, and Kaiba did have Obilisk. Yugi is King of Games and won Ra and Obilisk off both of the other two so I see it as the strongest god card. If I had a say in the ranking system it would have been Ra at the bottom, Obilisk in the middle, and Slifer on top. My order which I think is the weakest to the strongest."
As Gwen was explaining what she meant their waitress came back with their food and drinks and set them on the table and said, "Here is your food. Do you need anything else?"
"Nope," Jaden answered, "Thank you." Once the waitress left Jaden began scarfing down his food like a wild animal. Everyone at the table just paused and looked as he ate his food at a lightning fast pace. In between bites Jaden asked, "So what kind of decks do you guys have?"
"Charging Vihiciroid," Syrus stammered, "Though it isn't much good."
"Light Eternal," Clyde answered as he began to eat as well.
"Darkness Overlord," Gwen answered as she ate some food as well.
"Wow, opposite types of decks. No wonder you two seem to always on each other's toes," Jaden joked, Gwen laughed quietly at it and Clyde looked shocked at the comment.
"So, Jaden what kind of deck is yours?" Syrus asked hoping to stop an impending fight.
"Elemental heroes, duh!" Jaden laughed, "You didn't figure that out from my duel?"
"I was just asking to clarify."
"Hey, are you four going to Duel Academy?" a boy asked interrupting the group's conversation. He was standing at the end of a table with a girl who looked like they were twins. Other than opposite genders the boy had pale blue hair and the girl had black hair with pink bangs.
"Yeah, we all got in! Are you two in as well?" Jaden asked the two new arrivals.
"Yep, I'm Taylor Higarashi and this is my twin sis Penelope."
"Hi, can we sit with you there is no other places available," Penelope asked, before someone could answer she just sat down next to Gwen and Taylor next to Jaden.
"Uh… Hi?" Gwen said obviously uncomfortable.
"So what are you guys' ranks?" Jaden asked keeping the conversation going.
"Well, I'm an Obilisk rank," Taylor responded with a grin, "Thought I was going to be a Ra but I did so well in my duel I got into Obilisk."
"Yeah, Taylor is awesome at dueling. Unlike me I got in to Slifer," Penelope added.
"Well, great, just great," Clyde groaned, "So me and Blue hair are the only ones that aren't Slifer."
"Hey, basically said Gwen was better than you," Jaden retorted, "Plus I beat that teacher Chrowler. All you did was the general exam. You beat your proctor in how many turns?"
"24 turns. So I was 12 turns each."
"I heard from some spectators that you were close to losing and you pulled a win out of your butt," Gwen added and she took a drink from her glass.
"Yeash, you two sure keep close tabs on each other," Syrus said.
"Well, Clyde basically stalks me everywhere, and he is the only one who would talk to me when I first entered public school."
"Well you tend to be quite unapproachable…" Syrus mumbled, "Plus you fling insults left and right…"
Gwen slapped the table and yelled, "Hey! I was right about you people, nothing but space cadets! I'm leaving!" Penelope moved as fast as she could to get out of Gwen and Clyde's way. Clyde put money on the table for his food as he got out and followed Gwen. Just before she left, "I was beginning to think I'd enjoy to keep talking to you but, I'd rather not."
The door slammed shut behind them making the whole room flinch at the noise. Penelope sat back down and looked over at Jaden and Syrus and asked, "What was that about?"
"After repaying her for her help this is how she treats my kindness…" Jaden sighed as he added to the pile of cash on the table and gestured for Taylor to move so he and Syrus could get out. "You guys can have the table now. Meet up with you two later. Lets go Sy, we should get ready to leave for Duel Academy."
"Oh, okay," Syrus said as he followed Jaden out of the booth and out of the café.
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"Geez Gwen, you caused quite a scene back there," Clyde commented as he and Gwen were walking towards the airport they were to meet at.
"Well how else were we going to get out of there?" Gwen asked with a smirk on her face.
"Heh, should have guess you'd do something like that to get out of there. So now what?"
"I guess we could go to a card shop or something. But I was thinking we could go to the airport and get a good pair of seats for the flight."
"Yeah, I like that idea. Lets go get seats."
After about an hour walk the pair made it to the airport and went in, their luggage was brought by a man and dropped off to them. Clyde and her started waiting to go through Customs Clyde said, "You sure got your connections straightened out."
"Well of course I would. I may be leaving my life behind to do this but, I would have it no other way," Gwen replied as she went through the metal detector and cleared it. "I can't just live a life that was planned out for me I need to make my own decisions and live for myself."
"Smart thinking, Gwen," Jaden said as he walked over. Gwen jolted is surprise at him appearing out of nowhere.
"Where did you come from?" Gwen yelled in reply.
"The Café like you. I just knew a short cut. Syrus, Bastion, Taylor and Penelope are here too." Jaden pointed behind him to the odd group of people who were waving at them. Gwen groaned and pushed past Jaden and started heading for the plane terminal. Clyde got through and quickly went to follow Gwen.
"Wow, she sure is a ray of sunshine," Taylor joked as Jaden came back over.
"You could say that again," Bastion remarked, "What is your fascination with her Jaden?"
"I'm not sure but, not a person I have met has ever been this grumpy," Jaden answered plain and simple.
"You are just going to keep trying until she cracks aren't you?" Penelope asked, crossing her arms.
"Yeah, I am."
"Well good luck getting past that exterior personality of hers. She seems like that is all about it for her personality."
"I think we are just misreading her. Deep down I think she could be a very nice person. And has a tough shell built up around her."
Gwen and Clyde got to the terminal they saw Professor Chrowler in front of the terminal saying, "All right you duelist to be, Listen up! Slifer students sit in economy class, Ra students in business, and Obilisk in students are in first class. Sign-in according to your ranks!"
"Dang, now I wish I didn't bomb the test," Gwen sighed, putting her hands behind her head, "Looks like we won't be able to sit together now."
"Well just avoid idiots then," Clyde warned, jokingly.
"I have my music and my cards, I'll have plenty to preoccupy me on the plain. So see you around campus." Gwen grabbed her luggage and walked off giving a small wave to Clyde as they parted ways. Gwen went to where students in red were heading. She slid into the line and waited.
"Where would you like to sit?" a woman asked Gwen as she walked up to the table with a chart on it.
Gwen looked over the chart seeing a lot of people were sitting on the left side and center of the cabin, so she chose a seat on the right of the cabin near the front and said, "I'll sit there.' The woman nodded and Gwen went off towards the terminal. She stopped for a bit and retrieved some things from her luggage and put them into a pocket on the violin case she was also carrying.
Jaden, Syrus, and Penelope were in line and waiting when Jaden saw her crouched over her bag before she put it with other students stuff to go onto the plane. Jaden said, "Look! There is Gwen. Lets see if we can sit buy her."
"Why?" Penelope whined, "She is just going to complain about us be next to her,"
"I want to see what she is hiding under that shell of her's."
Penelope flushed at Jaden's determination to find out about Gwen. The group made it to the table and saw the chart. There were only Xs on it to show which seat was taken and which was open. Penelope asked, "How do we know where she sat?"
"Easy, the one spot where no one is around her," Jaden answered smiling, and he pointed to the X on the chart that was by itself. The woman looked confused at the group but Jaden said, "We'll sit around this one, person."
"Oh, okay," The woman replied as she handed them the tickets and marked off the three seats. The small group went and dealt with their luggage as well and quickly went to the terminal to board the plane as well. As they got on the plane the saw all the other Slifer students on the other side of the plane talking loudly. They saw Jaden was right about where Gwen chose to sit and that she had her eyes closed and wasn't aware of them sitting down next to her.
"Gwen?" Jaden asked, once he was situated. "Hello, Gwen?"
"She is listening to music," Penelope pointed out, seeing a pair of headphones in her ears.
"Hey, Gwen," Jaden said again, this time he tapped her on the shoulder. Gwen let out a sigh and paused her music.
"What?" Gwen asked turning to look. Seeing Jaden she yelled, "Why are you here? Leave me alone will you!
"Come on, Gwen, you know you want to hang out with us still."
"No, I don't!" Gwen yelled then hit her head on the seat in front of her and thought to herself, "What have I gotten myself into here?"