6. Dreams of Nazca
Yusei sighed with relief as he watched Crow leave. He had been preparing to go over to talk to Jack himself as it was and he didn't need Jack agitated by Crow's complaints, meritorious though they might be. He had just received an email from Bommer. Apparently Bommer was canny enough to realize that he should let Yusei know about the issue rather than telling Jack directly.
"Bommer had a dream and that's why you think we should go?" Jack asked, arms folded across his chest. Stephanie, who had been hovering nearby, sensed Jack's mood darkening and headed into the back room.
"It was about you and Red Demon's Dragon. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"It means that Bommer has an active imagination. Although why he should involve me in it …" Jack frowned into his coffee cup. "Besides, Crow wouldn't hear of the expense and you know I have nearly no money of my own." It was true enough, but Jack so seldom mentioned the fact that Yusei almost stared.
"I think we should take this seriously."
"A dream."
"Remember, Bommer was a Dark Signer and he lives at Nazca right now … where the—"
"—Earthbound Immortals are sealed. I get it." The frown became scowlier. "Fine then, if you can get financing lined up for it, I'll go."
"We'll go."
"What do you mean, 'we'?"
"You don't think I'm going to let you go into a dangerous situation like that alone do you?"
"Dangerous? Visiting Bommer?"
"Nazca? Earthbound Immortals? Dark Signers?"
"Bommer? Our friend? The Earthbound Immortals were sealed, remember?"
"Back at Nazca. That dream sounded pretty dangerous."
Jack sighed heavily. "Now we're back to dreams and portents again. I hate that stuff."
The supernatural changed Carly into a Dark Signer … right. Of course, it brought her back, but …
"I know. Just look at it as a visit. A visit that might help you find your new way of fighting."
"My new strategy? You think the two have something to do with each other?" Jack's frown seemed to be in the process of becoming a permanent expression.
"I do. I think all this is connected."
"In what way?"
"No idea. But the timing is … too convenient to be coincidental. I think we have to check it out."
"But you think it's dangerous."
"Maybe."
"Yet you still want me to go."
Yusei smiled. "That's why I think I should come along. Come on Jack, you're the kind of guy who deliberately springs traps. I have confidence in you. That doesn't mean I don't want to be there to back you up."
Yusei watched his friend down the last of his coffee. He felt an urge to say something, but he didn't know what.
I wish you could open up a little.
He didn't think Aki was thinking about Yusei opening up to Jack when she said that, but … There was so much between him and Jack that he didn't quite understand even now.
… You seemed to hate each other, but you seem so close now.
Do we? He wanted to understand Jack, and even though he pretended to Crow that it was easy, he wondered if that was so.
I'm always play-acting like I'm a king …
From way back, he believed that Jack had an ideal version of himself, a Jack Atlas—the King—that he wanted to live up to. Yusei felt this was why Jack had that strong tendency to refer to himself in the third person: he was trying to live up to this impossible standard. So often, what you saw was a version of this persona; some sort of "Jack Atlas suit" that Jack wore instead of being genuine. Yusei realized that everybody did this more or less … but Jack … did he ever see the real Jack, or was he buried under layers of pretense somewhere?
This trip …
Could this be an opportunity to peek behind the mask and sneak a glimpse of the real Jack Atlas?
Nah … he was probably over-thinking things … as usual.
"You OK?"
"Oh, sorry, Jack, I was just thinking about how we might swing this."
"Yeah, you seemed pretty deep in serious thought. You don't have to come along, you know. Probably nothing will happen and it will be a total bore."
"If nothing else, we'll get to visit Bommer and his family," Yusei smiled.
"Tell Crow. He'll say it's totally worth it."
Author's Notes:
Yusei over-thinking things: Intelligent people tend to over-analyze interpersonal interactions, even (I suspect) those who are good at them. I'm sure that someone as thoughtful as Yusei would have this tendency.
I hope this hasn't been boring you by building so slowly, but there's actually a reason for all this (I promise!).
Now a preview of the much longer (!) chapter 7:
Yusei yanked Jack aside. "Are you crazy? You're letting that kid take any card he wants if you lose?"
"Don't worry, I won't lose."
If you are sensitive to expletives (swearing), there is some (minor, in my opinion) in the upcoming chapter.
Also upcoming: We start turning up the angst ...
Tune in: "It's totally worth it"!