Season III
Episode Three: Dueling For Keeps
Episode Four: In Love With A Rose
***Episode Three***
Cassidy traced the blade of her sword gently.
Her eyes were glazed over with mist as she stared at the blade's shine.
Gary…I killed Rhohun…I hope that was good enough for you…
"It's not enough for me. I think I could do
something else for you…"
She knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to reach the castle for
him. To gain that something eternal and fulfill his dream.
But he had asked Jessie to do that for him. She couldn't help but feel
kind of annoyed at that. She didn't understand why Gary had asked Jessie
to reach the castle instead of her.
Does he think I can't do it? That I'm not a good enough duelist
to reach the castle?
She held up her hand and frowned at her ring.
If I weren't a good duelist, 'World's End' never would have made
me a duelist! He KNOWS that I'm a great duelist and that I can reach the
castle!
"Or is it that he thinks I'm not a good enough
duelist to beat Butch…"
…Or Jessie.
She clenched her hand into a fist.
"I may have lost to that Jessie the first
time I went against her…but I can beat her!"
She sighed, frustrated.
I don't understand how he could ask her…
She propped her chin up with her hand and stared out her window.
I want to do something more for you, Gary. I want to achieve your
dream fro you.
"I'll reach the castle, Gary."
Brock stared at the large door. Jessie stood
beside him, looking around to make sure no one was coming.
"This is amazing…"
"Yes, yes it's lovely. Let's go now, please."
Brock waved his hand.
"Wait, I want to go inside…"
He reached out to grab the handle. Jessie looked at him.
"You can't open it. You don't have a …key."
Brock pulled his hand back and looked at her.
"Do you?"
Jessie bit her lip.
"Um…no. No, I don't have one."
Brock raised an eyebrow at her. Jessie smiled nervously.
"What?"
"You sure you don't have one?"
Jessie sighed.
"Fine. But we're only going in for a few minutes."
Brock smiled.
"Okay."
Jessie reached over and gripped the handle. Brock watched curiously
as the drop of water fell on her ring and the door opened slowly.
"Wow…"
Jessie nodded.
"Follow me…"
She walked into the woods and started towards the stairway. Brock followed
her, looking at all the plants and flowers around them.
"This place is fascinating…I wonder if the
school board knows about this…"
"Probably not. They don't question anything
the Student Council, anyway. I doubt they'd care."
Brock nodded.
The two walked up the staircase and onto the stone field. Brock
slowly walked out into the middle of the field and looked up. Jessie walked
out beside him and looked up at the castle.
"Amazing, isn't it?"
"What? The sky?"
Jessie looked at him.
"Sky? You mean…you can't see it?"
Brock faced her.
"See what?"
"The castle."
Brock looked back up.
"Castle? Where?"
Jessie couldn't believe he didn't see it.
"Are you blind? It's huge, it's floating,
it's upside down…How can you not see it?"
Brock looked around.
"Sounds kinda like the castle on that puzzle…"
Jessie nodded.
"Yes, it's exactly like that one!"
She looked up at it, then back to him.
"You really can't see it?"
Brock shook his head no.
Maybe he needs the Rose Seal…
Jessie looked down at her ring. She took it off and handed it to him.
"Put this on and look again."
Brock slid the ring on his finger and looked back up.
"Uh…nope. Nothing."
He took the ring off and gave it back to her. She put it back on and
frowned.
"I don't understand…"
Brock looked at her and shrugged. Jessie sighed.
"Come on, let's go."
She headed off the field, followed by Brock, who looked back at the
sky once last time, and saw nothing.
Jessie tapped her fingers along the arm of
her chair.
"Misty?"
Misty looked up from folding the laundry.
"Yes, Miss Jessie?"
"Why couldn't Brock see the castle?"
"Miss Jessie…you took Brock to Duelers' Field?"
Jessie looked at her.
"I know it's against the rules. It was just
for a few minutes. Why couldn't he see the castle?"
Misty fidgeted.
"I really can't say, Miss Jessie…"
Jessie frowned slightly.
Misty knows something. Something about the castle. Something…she's
not telling me.
"Misty…how much about this legend do you know?"
Misty looked down and opened her mouth to reply.
:: Knock Knock::
Misty quickly walked over to the door and opened it. Cassidy stepped
inside. Jessie stood up.
"Jessie Parker. I challenge you to a duel."
Misty glanced at Jessie. Jessie looked over at Cassidy.
"Uh…okay, Cassidy."
Cassidy nodded.
"All right, then. Duelers' Field. Let's go."
Cassidy turned around and headed out the door. Jessie stood to follow
and turned to Misty.
"After the duel, you're telling me everything
you know about the legend."
Misty looked down and followed Jessie out of the room.
"Sword of the rose…the power of Kojiro that
sleeps within me…answer your master and show yourself now."
Cassidy gripped her sword tightly and watched as the sword of Kojiro's
handle appeared at Misty's chest. She leaned into Jessie arms and Jessie
reached over and pulled out the sword.
"The power to revolutionize the world!"
Cassidy lunged forward and Jessie stepped back, raising her sword.
Cassidy lashed at her, mercilessly. She had to win this one. She
had to win it for Gary. Jessie clenched her teeth and fought back with
all her might. Misty stood aside, watching. Her mind was now occupied with
the current duel, forgetting temporarily what Jessie had said earlier.
"After the duel, you're telling me everything you know about legend."
James observed the duel with worried eyes.
"Cassidy seems fired up today, don't you think
so?"
James nodded slightly, not really listening to Butch. Butch smiled.
"But of course, Jessie will win. I don't doubt
that."
James wasn't quite as sure.
Cassidy brought her sword up hard against Jessie's and leaned
towards her.
"I thought the mighty prince was supposed
to fall in love with the princess."
Jessie looked at with a puzzled expression.
"What?"
"At least, that's what I always thought. You
might interpret it differently."
"What are you talking about?"
"I've seen the way you and James look at each
other. And I've heard that you went out with him."
"So? That doesn't mean anything."
"Oh, but it does. Have you been thinking about
your princess at all?"
Jessie didn't answer. Cassidy stepped back suddenly and clashed their
swords roughly, knocking Jessie's out of her hand and flying to the stone
ground.
"The Rose Seal doesn't look very good on you."
Misty gasped.
Miss Jessie…!
James and Butch's eyes widened. Jessie jumped back as Cassidy lashed
at her rose, just barely missing.
"Now you'll see where playing prince halfway
gets you!"
Jessie jumped back again and ducked down, dodging Cassidy's next attack.
She dropped to the ground and rolled over to her sword. Grabbing it she
stood up and jumped back again.
"I don't do things half way! I always finish
what I start! And I can't afford to lose this duel!"
Misty, James, and Butch all sighed with relief. Cassidy growled and
lashed at her. Jessie blocked her attack.
"This about Gary, isn't it? This is because
he asked me to reach the castle instead of you."
Cassidy lunged at her. Jessie stepped back and blocked.
"I understand. You think he didn't think you
were good enough."
Cassidy lashed at her and she blocked again.
"I don't think that's true. You're an outstanding
duelist, the best one I've been up against so far. Gary knew that."
Jessie brought her sword up against Cassidy's like she had done.
"You've done your part to avenge Gary. Let
me do mine."
Jessie knocked against Cassidy's sword, causing her to step back. Jessie
lashed out before she could react and knocked her rose off.
"I know how it feels, Cassidy. To feel like
people you care about don't think you're good enough. And you must be feeling
ten times worse than I did, having to cope with Gary's death as well."
Cassidy froze. She had spent so much time thinking about avenging him;
she hadn't felt the pain of losing him.
But she felt it now.
Cassidy dropped her sword and fell to her knees as tears flowed out
of her closed eyes. Jessie placed her sword down and knelt next to her.
She gently put her arms around Cassidy and held her, rocking her back and
forth slowly. Cassidy cried into Jessie's shoulder, returning the comforting
embrace of who had been one of the people she hated the most only minutes
ago.
Misty went over to pick up Jessie's sword and stood a little ways behind
her. Butch silently congratulated Jessie on her win and left the field.
James stayed where he was for a few minutes, then left, mentally noting
to himself a reminder to send Cassidy some roses.
Jessie forgot all about asking Misty about the legend as she
held Cassidy until she stopped crying. Misty could sense this, and had
no intention of reminding her.
To be continued…
***Episode Four***
Jessie leaned back in her chair and stared
at the ceiling, her thoughts drowning out the voice of her teacher.
Okay, concentrate…there was something I supposed to ask Misty about,
I know…What was it? Oh, I can't remember. Maybe it wasn't that important,
then. Hmm…oh well…I'll ask Misty about it later!
"Are you paying attention, Miss Parker?"
Jessie sat up at attention and smiled weakly.
"Yes, ma'am, of course!"
"Good."
Jessie made herself listen to the lesson for a few minutes before allowing
her gaze to travel outside the window next to her. She saw a few students
walking around and listened to their silent talking. Her eyes then wandered
to the Student Council Rose Garden. Her face instantly lit up as her gaze
fell upon the man standing among the white roses.
It's James! I wonder if he can see me from there…
As if he had read her thoughts, James turned his head slightly, making
direct eye contact with her. She saw him smile and wave at her. Jessie
smiled back and waved back.
"Miss Parker!"
Jessie's head snapped forward.
"The lesson is inside the classroom, not outside!
Now for the last time, pay attention!"
Jessie felt a hot blush of embarrassment spread across her face as
she nodded. Once the teacher stopped staring at her and got back to the
lesson, Jessie sank into her chair.
Ever since I met James, I've been called out in all my classes…That's
really not my style.
She cast a quick glance back at the Rose Garden, only to see that James
was gone. She sighed and turned back to her teacher.
But I really can't help it. I can't…stop thinking about him. I thought
my prince was the only one I could feel this way about. I guess I was wrong.
Or maybe James really is all the prince I need.
Ash silently watched Cassidy brush her long
hair. She stared ahead of her into her mirror, her eyes clouded with mist.
Ash fidgeted slightly in the awkward silence.
"Butch told me about…um…"
"I was just upset."
"Oh."
"I let her words get to me. That won't happen
again. I plan on challenging her again."
"Again? Cassidy…"
Cassidy slammed her brush down and whirled around to glare at him.
"I'm challenging Jessie again! I'm going to
reach that castle for Gary!"
Cassidy stormed past him and left the room, slamming the door behind
her.
Jessie stood outside James' dorm room. She
bit her lip and raised her hand to knock on the door. The conversation
she and Misty had a few days earlier ran through her mind. She gathered
up all her courage and knocked. Jessie suddenly realized she had no idea
what to say to him. She was about to turn around and leave when she heard
the door being unlocked. She gulped and wracked her mind for something
to say.
"Oh, hey, Jessie. What's up?"
Jessie smiled.
"I, um, wanted to tell you something…Can I
come in?"
"Sure, come on in."
He stepped aside to let her in. She stepped inside and hesitantly sat
in a chair. He closed the door and faced her.
"Would you like anything?"
Jessie shook her head.
"No, that's okay. I, uh…There's something
I want to tell you."
James nodded and sat down in a chair across from her.
"Okay. Tell me."
Jessie nervously twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
"Well, uh…"
She looked away from him and tried to choose the correct words. James
looked at her questioningly. He was curious to hear what it was that was
so hard for her to say. Jessie remained silent for a few awhile longer.
Finally she spoke.
"James…I came to this academy looking for
something…or rather someone…"
She then proceeded to tell him about being rescued by her prince and
receiving her ring. She told him about how she thought the letters she
got had been from her prince, and so she went to the academy.
"When I learned that it was actually you who
sent me those letters…my whole prince dream died. But soon I realized there
really is a prince."
She paused and looked at James, taking his hands.
"And that's you."
"Me? Jessie, I'm no—"
"You ARE a prince."
She smiled softly at him.
"You're my prince."
James said nothing and looked into her deep sapphire eyes. Jessie blushed.
"I hope you don't think I'm being too forward…"
James shook his head.
"Not at all, Jessie."
She felt James slip one of his hands out of hers and he reached up
to cup her chin in his hand. She closed her eyes and let him draw her closer
and kiss her gently on the lips. Her heart fluttered and she melted into
the kiss.
At that moment nothing else mattered to her. Not her homework, not
the duels, not Misty.
Right now, the only thing that mattered was James and this wonderful,
peaceful moment.
If only things could stay like this forever…
To be continued…