Chapter III

At the Fudo residence...

Hirus returned home to change his now ruined clothes. After his duel with Miria, he had several little cuts on his face and body, and his clothes were cut and even burned in some place. "Psionic Duels sure are dangerous..." the boy said, talking to Wyvern. "That girl was powerful" the spirit observed "But the one who was possessing her... it couldn't be..."; "We can't ignore the truth, my friend. The Crimson Dragon tried to use her against us" the boy looked at the Crimson Dragon's card "But... what was he trying to do...?".

Since when Hirus ignored his order, the Crimson Dragon had left the boy's mind. That was strange, the Dragon had never left his place inside Hirus' mind before.

The boy tried to find an answer for some minutes, then he shook his head and left the card on his desk "I will not use that card anymore..." he said, more to himself than to Wyvern.

Then, he went to the bathroom and entered the shower.

While washing himself, he felt like someone was looking at him. "What the hell..." he thought, when he felt a presence in the room. He moved the shower curtains and looked around, but the bathroom was empty except for himself.

"I'm just tired" the boy said, returning to his shower.

Then, someone hugged him from behind, yelling: "MASTER! I'm soooo happy I can finally see you in your world!"

"CRIMSON SHIT! Who the hell are you?" Hirus yelled back. The other voice became sad "Master, you don't remember me?"; "If I could see you, maybe I would remember you!".

In front of Hirus appeared an orange-haired girl, dressed with a silver dress with bright green details. Hirus looked at her, then looked at himself, then he blushed and took a towel to cover himself. "Why are you here, Starlight?" he asked. The girl was the spirit of one of Hirus' cards. Her card name was Core's Guardian – Witch.

"I tried for years to come into your world and talk with you" she said "but the Crimson Dragon never let me: his power was shielding your mind, so I couldn't come or communicate with you". Hirus was a little shocked by this news. "So, our Crimson definitely HAS something to hide... but what could it be...?" Wyvern asked; "I don't know" Hirus answered "But I have a really bad feeling about this"

"Starlight, can you go away for a minute? I should get dressed" Hirus said to the spirit. She disappeared.

When the boy was dressed, he spoke with her in his mind. When the spirit was satisfied, Hirus took his Duel Runner and went to WRDG opening party.

When the young duelist arrived, the party had already started. A lot of people were enjoying the food and the music, while the journalists were taking interviews from the most popular turbo duelists.

Hirus found his family near the buffet. Yusei was talking with Jack Atlas about duels and strategy, while Aki and Carly were talking about work and life. The boy headed that way but, before he could reach them, someone hugged him from behind and said, crying "Jackson is an ASSHOLE". Hirus turned, and saw his little sister. "What happened?" he asked; she sighed and told him what happened at Jackson's place. "How could he do so? I thought he loved me!" she cried again. "I don't know, but be sure that he will regret this!" Hirus said, really pissed off.

When she had calmed, they found their parents and start talking with them and the Atlas. Jack and Hirus rapidly start an argument about duel's strategy. "If you have a monster really powerful, no one can defeat you!" Jack said; "Are you sure? With my deck, I don't need to be powerful as long as I can use my monsters' effects"; "And if your opponent negate your effects? What would you do then?" Yusei asked; Hirus smirked "The Core's Guardians' effects can't be negated". They continued to talk about this for a while (and with a while, I mean almost two hours).

"You can talk about strategy as long as you wish, but you will never be able to beat me" a new voice said. Hirus, Yusei and Jack turned to see who it was. It was Jackson, with his arrogant attitude. He was dressed like a prince, with a pair of white trouser and a white shirt, with a silver-gray mantle.

"You have some guts showing your face here" Hirus said. Jackson watched him with arrogance, and said "I should fear you? Why? You're just an insect before me, a small ant which I can beat every time and everywhere".

"Amris, Hirus, maybe we should go home now" Yusei said. Amris didn't even hear him, and looked Jackson with hate.

Jackson and Hirus were face to face, and they seemed ready to fight. Then, Hirus just turned and said "Amris, let's go home"; "Coming, Nii-san!" she answered, following him.

The next day... at the Duel Academy of Neo Domino city...

It was a sunny day. Before the classes start, the younger duelist were playing in the big garden of the academy, while the older ones were talking or exchanging cards.

Hirus was sitting on his Duel Runner, listening Yakato talking about his recent duels' victories. Suddenly, he said "The girl you left at my place is really super cute". Hirus almost fell from his duel runner 'cause of the surprise. "Why this change of topic?" the boy asked. Yakato just smirked and walked towards the entrance of the academy.

When classes started, Hirus, Amris and Yakato entered their class. They were Obelisk blue and were all in the same class. Hirus and Yakato were a year older than Amris, but Hirus waited for his sister to begin the year and Yakato... well, he had to repeat a year: he was a great duelist, but theory lessons weren't his strong point.

When they entered the class, they were greeted by their teacher Ruka. "Hi, you three. Together as always, I see" she said. Hirus just smiled.

Ruka was one of the most loved teachers in the academy. She was sweet and nice with everyone, and she was also a great duelist.

"Okay, guys" she said to her class "today we will talk about fiend-type monsters and their use in duel". Amris put out her quire and began to write, Yakato sighed, bored, Hirus smiled at Yakato reaction, and Jackson (he is in their class too) grumbled.

The lesson lasted two hours. At the end, Ruka usually would call two students and interrogate them. This time it was the turn of Yakato and Amris.

"Amris, which fiend-type monster need a tribute and banish a monster on the field when summoned this way?" Ruka asked; "It is Caius the shadow monarch" the girl answered. "Good... Yakato, which fiend-type monster can be special summoned when you receive a direct attack while you have no card on the field?" the teacher asked; "ehmmm... well... Oh, yes, I know! It is Tragoedia, right?" the boy answered. Ruka shook her head "Nope: Tragoedia can be special summoned every time you receive a direct attack even if you have spell or trap card on the field. Amris, can you give the right answer?"; "Yes, it is Gorz the Emissary of Darkness" she answered. Ruka nodded.

When they left the class, Yakato sighed "Why I can never say the right answer?"; "Maybe it is because you never pay attention of what Ruka say during the lesson" Hirus said. Amris giggled.

Their next lesson was with another really loved teacher: Rua, Ruka's twin brother. He was the practice teacher. The students entered the gym, which was a huge place, long at least twelve meters and with the ceiling almost ten meters tall.

"Okay guys" Rua said to his students "Since you just had a lesson about fiend-type monsters, we will practice with them today". He then opened a box which contained a lot of decks "This" he explained "are different fiend-type based decks. Now we will do a little quiz: if one of you can tell me the name of one of the decks in this box, he or she will get that deck for today lesson. So, who wants to try... yes, Hirus?"; "Underworld's Gates" the boy said. Rua checked a list, then searched in the box an gave one of the decks to Hirus. "Good call" the teacher said.

The lesson lasted another two hours. At the end of it, Rua told to the class "okay, listen everybody. Most of you did a good job. Amris, you should attack more: your defensive tactic is good, but fiend-type monsters are usually for attack. Jackson, you have to think more before acting: power is not everything in a duel. That's said, this was a good lesson. See you all next week".

it was lunch time. Amris and Hirus sat on a table, soon joined by Yakato. They began to talk, and after a while, Yakato said "Hirus, do you remember the girl you brought to my place yesterday? I forgot to tell you that this morning, before I came to school, she left and said that she would return to her home"; "Good for her" Hirus just replied. Soon after, a voice interrupted them "Excuse me, can I sit with you?" Hirus turned, and an expression of pure surprise appeared on his face "Miria?" he asked. "Hi, Fudo-senpai" she said, sitting. Yakato looked at her, and asked "Fudo-senpai?" then, he started laughing hysterically. She ignored him.

"You're in this academy too?" Hirus asked her "Yes, but I'm a Red Slifer. That's why we never met before" she explained. She was dressed with the female uniform of the Red Slifers. Hirus and Yakato were wearing the male uniform of the Obelisk Blue, and Amris the Female uniform of the Obelisk.

"Today afternoon there is no school" Amris said "we could go to the mall all together". They all found it to be an amusing idea, so they went.

After some time, they reached the mall, which was called "Turned Card". It was a place where duelists could find everything related to duels and Duel Runners.

When they reached the entrance, however, they discovered that they were awaited. In front of the entrance, there was Jackson.

"What are you doing here, bastard?" Amris asked, angry to see him. "I told you yesterday that I can beat everyone and every time. Well, I want to beat and humiliate Hirus here and now! When I will defeat you, both Core's Guardian – Wyvern and Amris will be mine!" Jackson said, activating his duel disk. Hirus, instead of activating his, said "I have no time to waste with the likes of you". But Amris said "Come on, Hiru-nii-san! Show to these weakling what happen when you challenge a Fudo!". Hirus groaned.

A little later they were all in the parking zone of the mall. Hirus activated his duel disk, which was an hemisphere which emanate orange plasma that created the duel disk. "What the hell is that thing?" Jackson asked. "A plasma-made duel disk. A creation of mine" Hirus answered. "Whatever. Let's begin" Jackson said.

"DUEL" the two boys shouted together.


To be continued...
next chapter, the epic duel between Hirus and Jackson!