Ah, and here is the rewriting of one of the first stories I posted here on FF oh so long ago. Gods that first version was terrible. Hopefully this one is better. Anyway, enjoy!
Chancellor Sheppard was busy shuffling through his papers. While he was doing this, a certain paper caught his eye. The papers showed the scores of the new transfer student. Sheppard did feel a bit bad that while the applicant did score rather well on the entrance exams (about the average scores of the Ra Yellow students), due to some complications the applicant could only enter into the Slifer Red dorm. But that was alright, judging from the scores and from the applicants profile, that wouldn't be much of a problem.
Sheppard was sure that the student could ascend through the ranks while they were here. A bit of a shame about their background though. He couldn't help but wonder if this was such a good idea. Judging from what he was reading, maybe Dueling in general wasn't a good idea.
Sheppard shook his head. It wasn't any of his business. It was the applicant's decision.
Speaking of which, he thought. They should be arriving sometime today.
Chancellor Sheppard sighed then placed the paper back on the desk. After a few moments of thinking to himself, he went back to going through the papers.
Then, after signing a few papers, giving some signs of approval and some of disapproval, there was a knocking on his door. Chancellor Sheppard looked up.
"Come in," he said.
The door opened and Lioside walked in.
"Pardon the distraction Chancellor Sheppard," he said. "But..."
Lioside, who was still holding the door open, just looked through the doorway. Chancellor Sheppard looked as someone else walked into his office. The twelve-year-old just calmly walked into the office, head hung low with a black baseball cap shadowing their face, then stopped in front of his desk.
"Ah, I'm glad to see you've arrived here safely Kojima," Chancellor Sheppard smiled. "I had only just saw your transfer papers a few moments ago actually."
"Yes, we arrived about ten minutes ago by helicopter," Lioside said walking over.
"Good good. And I see that you've already changed into your uniform. Though it appears to be too big for you, hmm and this is the smallest size we have?"
Lioside nodded. "For now yes. But from what Kojima has told me it's not a problem."
Sheppard looked at said student. Kojima nodded. Of course, he still thought the uniform was too big. Kojima was only wearing a large navy blue shirt, baggy black jeans, sneakers, and the Slifer Red blazer that looked to be three sizes too big compared to the student's small figure, making the blazer just as baggy as the rest of the outfit.
"Well sir, I'll show Kojima to class. I know we still have plenty of time before classes begin but Kojima wants to get there early," Lioside stated.
Kojima nodded in agreement. Chancellor Sheppard nodded back. Lioside nodded then the two left. Once they were gone Sheppard went back to his paperwork.
Jaden ran through the halls, headed straight to his classroom. For once he was in a rush to get to his class even if he wasn't late. In fact, at this rate he would be early for once since he started attended Duel Academy.
"C'mon Sy! You're not going to win this race at this rate!" he shouted over his shoulder.
Syrus, Jaden's best friend here at Duel Academy, was trying his hardest to keep up. So there was no way Syrus was going to win this race anytime soon. At this rate Jaden would be the winner without a doubt.
Jaden finally opened the door to the classroom then accidentally stumbled inside. Okay, not exactly a graceful entrance but hey, he was still the winner.
"Ha, looks like you lose Sy," Jaden grinned as Syrus entered the classroom, looking worn out and out of breath. "That means you pay for the sandwiches today."
"Yeah yeah," Syrus panted. "I know."
"Man Syrus, we need to work on your athletic skills."
"No need to remind me."
"Look at it this way," Jaden said walking down the aisle towards their seats. "Least you beat Chumley."
"Not much of an accomplishment though," Syrus muttered.
While Syrus followed Jaden down the aisle though, he noticed something.
Syrus poked Jaden in the back.
"What?"
Syrus simply pointed to the front row. Jaden looked to see he was pointing to someone that Jaden didn't recognize.
"New student maybe?" Syrus whispered. Jaden shrugged.
"Let's find out."
Before Syrus could stop him Jaden walked all the way down to the front row and stopped right in front of the student.
"Hey, my name's Jaden Yuki. Haven't seen you before, you a new student?"
At first Jaden didn't get a response. Finally the student looked up at him. For about two split seconds they just looked at him with bright blue eyes that had a bored expression then went back to their book. Jaden could have also sworn that he heard the guy scoff.
Gee, that was nice, Jaden thought as he walked away,
"So?" Syrus asked once Jaden joined him at their usual seats.
"Kind of a jerk apparently," Jaden muttered.
"Yeah well, maybe the new guy just needs some time," Syrus suggested. "After all, he is a new student."
"If you say so Syrus," Jaden said as students started to file in, and class beginning to start.
Once class was over, Jaden woke up from his annual class time nap. Looking around the classroom he saw that most of the students were all leaving.
"Well that was a great class," Jaden yawned.
"How do you know? You slept through the whole class!" Syrus reminded him.
"Yeah well, you know what I mean."
"Sometimes Jaden, I actually don't," Syrus sighed as the last of the students left the classroom. Well, almost all of them. Syrus looked to see that one other student minus Jaden and him were still in the room. The new transfer student was still sitting there, reading the same book that he had been reading since before class started. Now that Syrus thought about it, hadn't he not even pay attention to class and just continued to read his book?
"Guess the new guy likes to read," Syrus said as he watched the guy leave the classroom, still reading his book. "Hope he doesn't run into anyone."
"Yeah well, forget him. Let's go to the Academy shop and see if they got any sandwiches," Jaden suggested. "I'm hungry and remember, you're buying."
"You know something Jaden," Syrus said as the two left. "You've got an appetite that could rival Chumley's. And that's saying something."
All during the walk to the shop Jaden protested against this.
Alexis was on her way to the docks since classes for the day were over. She was hoping to get some quiet time to contemplate some things. But when she got there, she saw that someone was already there. Upon closer inspection she noticed it was the new transfer student from class. Alexis remembered that all during class he just kept reading his book and didn't bother to pay attention. Right now he was sitting on the edge of the dock gazing out into the distance.
"Didn't expect to see someone else here," Alexis spoke, walking up to the guy, causing him to look up at her. "It was Kojima right?"
"Yeah. Aren't you the Alexis Rhodes that I've been hearing from some of the students?"
"That would be me. Mind if I join you?"
Kojima shrugged. "Doesn't make a difference to me."
"So what brings you to Duel Academy? I mean, you did transfer in later in the year."
"Got my reasons," Kojima muttered, adjusting the black baseball cap on his head as he did.
"If you say so. It's just a rare thing for Duel Academy to get transfer students. So I was just curious."
"S'okay. Curiosity is natural," he said, looking back out at the ocean. "Kind of can't believe I'm actually here."
"What? Have you tried to enroll in the past?"
"No it's just…I never had a real reason to enroll here until…recently."
Alexis noticed something in Kojima's tone. Like something dark was troubling him that he didn't want to talk about. She could easily recognize it because she had used it sometimes when talking to people. It kind of made her wonder what he didn't want to talk about. Alexis thought it best not to ask.
"So how are you adjusting to Duel Academy?" Alexis asked, trying to keep the conversation going.
"Fine. Classes are kind of dull though," Kojima admitted, leaning up against the lighthouse. "Right now the only thing I'm really learning is how boring things can be when all you hear is things you already know."
Alexis raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying that you already know about advanced Dueling strategies?"
"I'm not saying I know everything about advanced Dueling strategies. Nothing like that. I've probably still got plenty to learn there. I'm just saying that what they were teaching during class I already knew."
"That's still pretty surprising. At least for someone in Slifer Red."
Kojima scowled and rolled his eyes. "Oh that whole color classification system? I don't see how the color you wear determines your skill."
Alexis giggled at that. Kojima looked up at her.
"What's so funny?"
"Oh, it's just that you're kind of right. I know a guy who's also in Slifer Red and so far, he's one of most naturally skilled Duelists I know. But I will admit, he does tend to live up to the whole Slifer Slacker name seeing as how he sleeps through classes almost all the time."
"His name Jaden Yuki?"
Alexis nodded. "You met him?"
"Before class started," Kojima said, "when he came up and introduced himself. I wasn't in a very chatty mood so I brushed him off really."
"That must have been real nice," Alexis chuckled. Kojima shrugged.
"Honestly, I'm like that sometimes. Got my good moments and bad moments."
"I think I can tell." Alexis looked at her Duel Pilot to check the time. From the looks of it, they should be heading back to their dorms pretty soon. Kojima must have noticed because he got up.
"It's starting to get late. Better start heading back. Oh yeah, before I go." Kojima turned to Alexis. "You know you don't have to call me by my last name. You can call me Carmine if you want."
Alexis frowned. "Isn't that a Latin name?"
Carmine chuckled. "Yeah, it supposedly means either 'fruit garden' or 'song.'"
"Interesting nickname."
Carmine shrugged. "That's what they call me. Anyway, nice talking to you Alexis. See you around school."
Alexis waved as Carmine ran towards the Slifer Red dorm. But as she watched Carmine's retreating form, Alexis finally put some puzzle pieces together regarding Carmine. At first she wasn't sure about Carmine after hearing Carmine's last name. But now, after chatting with Carmine, Alexis got a better idea as to why that was.
Alexis just put all those thoughts aside as she headed back to the Obelisk Blue girls' dorm.
And there we go. First chapter done. Hope you enjoyed and until next time!