I woke to an unusual alarm…
"Get up!" A shrill voice yelled at me.
"Harpie lady?" I groaned as I rolled out of bed.
"Who else?" She smiled then her face turned sour. "That annoying device won't stop beeping." She cringed as it beeped again. "It's driving me mad." I got up and pulled the device out of the clothes I had been wearing last night. A yellow light was flashing. I pressed the button and the screen jumped to life, revealing a distressed Jack Atlas.
"What's up?" I asked with a yawn.
"What I want to know is why you're working for Goodwin!"
"You are too, what's the big deal." I sighed.
"You hate Godwin." He said.
"Well, he caught me last night."
"He…"
"Yeah, and made me promise to train you or he would have me put in prison."
"How…"
"Jack, relax, I have it worked out. He just asked me the exact same thing you did. It was weird, but I'm fine. I'll be over there in an hour or so."
"You…I…how…whatever." He said and the feed vanished.
"Good morning to you too." I said sarcastically.
"You should get dressed." Harpie Lady said now sitting on my bed.
"Yeah, that might help." I said walking into my closet.
***
"Uhg!" I grunted, tugging at my hair.
"What?" Harpie Lady asked looking at her nails.
"I can't remember what it looked like! This is so frustrating!" I stared at the slightly crimson card which had half a sketch of a dragon.
"How long are you going to work on that before you give up?" Harpie asked.
"Until it's done…never mind…I give up…for now." I plunged the card into my bag and pulled out a sketch pad and began sketching absentmindedly.
"Don't you have to go?" She asked.
"I have to work."
"Staling…" She sung.
"Not! I'm working."
"Carelessly." I let my hand draw as I spoke to her.
"Yeah, well, you're not much of a help!"
"That hurts."
"Yeah, well life hurts."
"Only if you have to lie to your friends." She said dramatically.
"I don't have any idea what to do about that." I said still sketching.
"I do."
"What?"
"Tell the truth."
"I'll be jailed."
"Who said? I say it's an empty threat."
"And I say you're naive."
"Jack would back you up." She said confidently.
"Not if it would cost him his dueling career…he always puts dueling first." I said weakly.
"You don't."
"Of course not. I have a job to worry about. Dueling is not my major."
"There's a little more to life than school and majors." Harpie Lady said with a sigh.
"Sure there's minors too." I said.
"Ruby…"
"Alright. I understand. I've just never had to face anything like this."
"Yeah, but tell Jack."
"Are you insane?" I asked.
"No…besides it would be a good way to get back at that Lazar guy. Think of it this way, Godwin didn't order you to lie; he just gave you a job."
"Hey…yeah, I was just intimidated by that creep…but will Jack believe me?" I asked adding a detail to my sketch.
"Does it matter?"
"Well…"
"He's your friend, trust him too." She said.
"Yeah, like I did the last time." I said sarcastically.
"Godwin's the one not to be trusted. Not Jack." She had a point.
"Okay, I guess I can trust him…" I trailed off. Harpie Lady stood up and walked around me.
"Of course you can…especially if you can draw him that well." I immediately covered the pad and glared at her. "Just saying…" She said vanishing. I looked down at the drawing I had done of Jack. He was standing with his duel disk out and the Red Dragon Arch Fiend behind him, its mouth opened in a silent roar. It was a good drawing. I normally threw pictures that were not cards away, but I decided to keep this one, just in case, besides I hadn't totally finished it.
***
Sick of trying to find work, I finally decided to leave. I smoothed out my outfit of a black colored pencil skirt and dark green v-neck, long-sleeved, blouse before slipping into two high healed, black shoes by the door.
"Ma'am." George said kindly. "Going to see Mr. Atlas."
"Yes." I said faintly. "You guys stay safe. I'll call before I head back." I said.
"Ma'am don't forget…" He held out my bag which had my sketch pad, deck, new cards, and device in it.
"Thank you." I said. "Goodbye!" I called leaving. George smiled and waved after me. I walked through the streets until a white limousine pulled up by my side.
"Good morning Ruby." Lazar said as the car stopped. I stood back as he climbed out and held the door for me.
"Good morning." I muttered. This time it was only us two in the limo. He climbed in and closed the door, sitting opposite of me.
"Head back." He commanded the driver who promptly pulled away from the curb. "The four of us decided you shouldn't have to walk so far, just for a visit."
"Thank you." I tried to say kindly, and then it dawned on me. "The four of you?"
"Why, Jack, Godwin, Mina, and I of course." He flashed his dangerous smile.
"How…thoughtful." Was the best answer I could come up with. "How is the tournament going?"
"Oh, well right now we have an interesting contestant dueling. In fact, he is a signer."
"What is a signer?" I asked carefully. He smiled again as if he wanted me to ask that question. Something made me think he knew how to control my mind, or at least tamper with it.
"I thought you would never ask." He said. "Signers are…" (A/N: Well hopefully you all know the story, because I really don't want to repeat it.)
"…and Jack never told you this?" Lazar asked.
"No." I said breathless from information.
"Hmmmm…" Lazar began muttering to himself.
Ruby let Lazar again hold the door open for her when they arrived.
"I believe they are waiting for you, I have other needs to attend to." He left my side as I entered the elevator. I began my accent and felt my heart jump a little. It was weird, I was about to take a dare in my life, something I had built a habit up of, but now it felt amazing, even a little fun. Maybe it was just because I was about to defy Lazar, or Godwin. Either way it seemed exciting.
I was teeming with excitement when I reached the top of the building and the elevator doors swung open.
"Hello Mina!" I said all smiles. She smiled back weakly.
"Hello Ruby. Godwin and Jack are inside. Can I get you anything?" She asked out of habit.
"I'm fine." I said still smiling. "Do you need any help?"
"No, but thanks for the offer." She said entering the elevator as I brushed past her.
"Your welcome." I said and she smiled a bit wider as the doors closed.
"Ahh Ruby, please come in." Godwin said as I stood in the doorway. I still smiled brightly as I walked in. I looked at Jack and he smirked before looking away.
"So, what first?" I asked.
"Well, seeing as we are in-between duels, I think this is a perfect time for you and Jack to cover some strategies. I'll leave you two alone." I watched Godwin leave, smiling only slightly now. Something was up.
"So Priss, what's up?" He asked, my smile fell.
"More than you want to know."
"Try me." He said, and I broke into an exact recount of what had happened the night before.
***
"Well, Lazar, how are they doing?" Godwin asked his assistant.
"Our little gem has broken her first rule already." Lazar said with a frown.
"Ah…she told him." He said.
"Yes, it seems she does not take our warnings seriously."
"Well, then…we might have to fix that."
"Strike one."
"Our little gem better watch out. Two more of those and my temper might rise." Godwin smirked. Lazar put a receiver back in his ear, listening to Jack's and Ruby's conversation.
***
"Well…" Was all that came out of Jack's mouth when I finished talking.
Here it comes… I thought helplessly.
"Are you going to do it?"
"No!"
"Even if you're threatened more." I grew uncomfortable.
"I'll hold on as long as I can." I said finally. A few minutes past without a sound. "We might as well get started." I said.
"Right."
"Your only doing duel runner duels right?"
"No I'm planning on walking."
"Ha ha…very funny." I said sarcastically. "I was just checking." I reached into my bag and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Oh, I know this is getting personal, but I need to see your deck."
"Only because you trusted me." He said throwing the case at me. I tried to catch it, fumbled it, and caught it. "Be careful with it." He said. I glared at him and sat down on the couch he was on.
I began slowly looking over each card. Picking up a pencil to make notes every once and a while. After my fifth note Jack leaned over.
"No peeking." I said turning it over.
"It's my deck."
"And my strategy. Now shut up and sit back. This might take a few more minutes." He sighed and stood up. "You know this won't go well if you won't listen."
"You're not here to order me around."
"Yeah, but it's really fun to try."
"Just hurry up." He said. I turned back to his cards. Truthfully, what was taking so long was the fact that I was trying to memorize each card…which basically meant I was letting my gift work fully. I met each of his monsters and made sure I remembered them.
"Done." I said scratching down one more note and leaving his deck on the table beside the paper. He picked up his deck and went through it. He placed it back in its case and hooked the case back onto his belt.
"Now what."
"Note time." I said with a smile.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"It means I give notes and you listen and obey, occasionally asking questions."
"Great." Jack muttered taking a seat and putting his feet on the table.
"Oh, get over it Ego." I said looking over my notes.
***
Mina walked in behind Godwin and Lazar.
"Well, anything else?" Godwin asked.
"Ruby's doing her job, and giving him some excellent tips. She seems to even be an expert on bluffing."
"That might become useful."
"Should I keep listening…Mina, what are you doing here?" Lazar asked turning to the young woman.
"I…I had to give this to Mr. Godwin." She said holding out a letter. Godwin took it and brushed his hand out dismissing her. She quickly turned around and left.
"Keep listening Lazar, she might keep confessing useful information."
"Yes sir." Lazar said with his smile as Godwin left the secluded room.
