The news had made its way into the household fairly quickly. The Tenjoin family was also almost all decided on what to do. Almost.
.
The first time Asuka heard the news, she was rather upset by it. It was natural – Fubuki was her brother. That was family you couldn't replace.
That was also why she decided she was going to that same exact branch. Because she knew the islands of every branch of Duel Academia well. There was no way for one to go to another place except by boat. And there definitely wasn't going to be a boat that just allowed for her brother to hop on and run away. Besides, he would never abandon dueling like that. He loved it too much to do it that much of a disservice.
Which was exactly why Asuka decided she was going to go to the Main Branch. The one Fubuki had disappeared at.
-0-0-0-
Her parents saw it differently.
They too have done the amount of research Asuka had done about each branch of Duel Academia. In fact, Asuka had learned everything she knew from their research about exactly how safe the school was. And they knew that there was no way off the island but by way of boat or plane. Planes were only to transport new students and boats varied on how they were used, but they were rarely just left there for someone to run away.
But even with that knowledge, her parents still denied it.
"We're sorry," they said. They had no need to sugar coat it. Asuka was old enough, being only two years younger than Fubuki. She could handle the truth served fresh. "We just don't want the same thing to happen to you. You can still go to Duel Academia, just not the main branch."
"But I want to find my brother."
They had left it at that.
-0-0-0-
Half a year had passed. The issue had been brought up again.
It's been half a year and Fubuki still hasn't been found. The school obviously couldn't take care of their students.
But Asuka had denied the facts. She was sensible, but she knew that Fubuki wouldn't leave Duel Academia like that. Nor would he leave any place without alerting anyone without a good reason. Because while Fubuki was a careless person at times, always with his jokes and other things like that, there were times he got serious. Dueling was one of them. Family was another.
"I still want to find my brother. The Main Branch is the only one I will go to," she said in response to her parents giving her the option of the North Branch, stating how it was doing well now.
They still didn't quit then.
-0-0-0-
In the midst of her pleading to go to the Main Branch, Asuka also studied hard. She wanted to be deserving of the title of Obelisk Blue. Because she was pretty sure that there would be people who would envy how easily she got into the dorm. And like her brother, she would not disrespect her position. Or the duel.
But in the middle of all of this, she was still trying to figure out what happened to Fubuki. The details were never given, which was why her parents really didn't want her to go. Because all that was said was the fact that he had vanished, and that there was no trace of anyone leaving the school that night.
But in the end, she found nothing to prove that what had happened was an accident, and that the same thing wouldn't happen to her.
Still, she didn't give up.
-0-0-0-
Her parents made a compromise. The North Branch sent representatives to the Main Branch from time to time. Even if she wasn't a complete student at the Main Branch, she would at least get to be there, if only for a short time.
"You're a good duelist. We know you'll get picked."
But that was the thing. She was going to a dueling school. If there were any problems, surely they would make her duel to at least get a chance to get out of that problem.
"And yet I believe that would be enough for me to avoid getting out of trouble. As a school to prepare duelists I would expect that my dueling skills would play a part in whether or not I remain safe."
She didn't mean to call Fubuki's skills bad – her brother was a wonderful duelist – it was just that she felt confident enough to know that she would be prepared for whatever it was that took her brother. If it happened to come back.
.
The news now had little relevance. The Tenjoins knew exactly what they were going to do, and it involved the Main Branch.