A/N: I plan on making additional chapters centered around North Academy to flesh out Chazz's character, and also introduce an OC more properly. I'm trying to not make Chazz OOC, but no promises. In fact just throw me in a trash fire.
._._._.
Chapter 20
Episode 24
In the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Chazz accidentally crashed his speed boat, and was now left stranded in a foggy area with no cellphone reception nearby. Crimson and the Light watched him sit there since they were curious to see if his new found emotion would prevent him from suicidal thoughts. So far all they heard was him blaming other people for his mistakes, but when he thought about Zane, he would have a soft smile on his lips.
"From what I can sense, it feels like Chazz can be happy again." The Light pointed out.
Crimson also sensed it. "And the opposite of happiness is sadness, so now that my mom can feel happy, she doesn't get too depressed to the point of suicide. She'll still feel depressed, no helping that except for medication, and it looks like she does still have some anger issues to work with." She said all serious-like, and then growled, "I'm happy for her, but why did it have to be Zane! Not that I don't like him. Aunt Ryo is the best! But she should be thinking about my dad! Oh, I know! I'll make her think of him!"
The Light snorted, "Trying to mentally manipulate your mother, I see."
Crimson flinched at being called out on. She defended herself, "But my mom will definitely fall for Zane! And my mom's amazing, so he'll fall for her, too! Besides, do you know how many hearts that guy broke by doing nothing, but be perfect apparently! Plus, I raised my dad, and he's definitely more suited for my mom!"
"Oh don't worry! I'm just so proud that your taking after me and manipulating people's minds for your own gain! Now go on! Make me proud!" The Light hugged her granddaughter tightly that the poor dragon girl felt the air knocked out of her.
Crimson quickly realized the error of her ways. "I change my mind! I don't want to be like you!"
"Oh honey, please. I don't brainwash people with sweet reasons like yours. Here, I'll do it." The Light began making Chazz see hallucinations of Jaden that led to him falling into the water. She burst out laughing while Crimson cried out for her mom. "Don't worry, Crimson! The North Academy Chancellor will get him. He's been watching our Chazz with us remember."
"But you shouldn't have done that!" The red head scolded her and then moaned since she knew it was also her fault.
Chazz was rescued by Chancellor Foster, and that led to him meeting Ojama Yellow who got close to him because the duel monster's extremely good eyes could see a dull, interesting spark coming from him.
After a brief talk, Chazz was sent flying to North Academy's glaciers. He then found himself given the trial of collecting forty cards across the dangerous island. Crimson and the Light watched him climb cliffs, punch ice to get the cards in there, swim through freezing water, run away from polar bears and vampire bats, and doing all of this without any proper clothing or climbing equipment.
"Oh wow, Uncle Joey did my mom good with his training." Crimson watched her mother in awe. "Her swimming speed is impressive for her average human body, so she doesn't stay in the water too long to freeze, and she knows the proper breathing techniques to keep her body warm enough to keep moving. She can also pack quite a punch with those fists without bruising them or leaving them frost bitten. And because she had problems with eating properly in the past, she knows how to subdue her hunger, and not let it stop her."
"It's also impressive because the other students in this school had come prepared to handle this kind of trial, and even worked in teams. He probably could survive an avalanche."
Crimson glared at the woman, "Grandmother, I swear that I will throw you into the Marianas Trench if you do anything."
The entity simply chortled.
It soon became late, so Chazz created a fire and a shelter for himself to sleep in so he didn't freeze at night. He was really hungry, and Crimson couldn't let him starve, so when he wasn't looking, she slipped three bentos of food with two bottles of water at his side.
"Three? Don't you think you're going overboard?" The Light questioned.
"She hadn't eaten her three meals all day, but it also looks like she's doing well without her medication, too." Crimson considered giving the medication, but then she decided against it because Chazz's body may need a new supply that fit him.
The dark haired duelist saw the three bentos, and was astounded by its miracle appearance. He looked around for who could've placed it there, but he saw no one. He didn't care to make sense of it anymore when his stomach grumbled. He scarved down the three bentos and two bottles of water, and let himself digest before going to sleep in his shelter.
Before the sunrise came, he walked back to the academy. Chancellor Foster was very surprised that the student came back in just a day and looking well despite having gone through dangerous scenarios.
He wanted Chazz to experience the harshness of nature to see if he was the type to give up if it looked hopeless to him. If he hadn't left, then the Chancellor's people were supposed to find Chazz before sunrise and place equipment that would be useful in helping him search for the cards with food and water. But now, here the student was alive and well with forty cards already?!
The Chancellor would ask questions later. First, he had to test his heart! And he was not disappointed. Chazz was willing to give him one of his cards while lying that he had forty-one.
Crimson was truly proud of her mother! But then just as Chazz was giving it, Ojama Yellow appeared. Crimson was about to lunge herself forward since she thought that Chazz would freak out and experience horrifying flashbacks. But her grandmother stopped her, and told her to watch. Crimson nervously observed to see that Chazz did appear to not like the appearance of the Ojama, but he didn't have a melt down.
The Light smirked, "It looks like our Chazz isn't shocked at all that he's seeing things. In fact, it looks like he has no problem with seeing things. Must be thanks to my Jaden hallucinations, so it's all thanks to you, Crimson." She patted her guilty granddaughter's back.
They watched as Chazz defeated fifty duelist with ease, and was now the best duelist in North Academy, which meant that he was going to duel in the annual duel against Jaden Yuki. Chazz felt a malicious glee in him at the thought of dueling Jaden again! He laughed maniacally while everyone bowed for him.
The Light was extremely proud of this image while Crimson was just smiling with an animated sweat drop. They left to report to the others.
._._._.
Although Chazz was promised a duel with Jaden, the duel wasn't until three months from now. So in the mean time, he had to register and attend classes at the Academy while upholding his title as the Prince of North Academy.
The school was surprisingly not shivering despite being located in the Arctic thanks to its high walls and steel roof that would shield the school at night or on their harsh weather days. Artificial lights would be used to not make the place look like a literal dark age during those times.
The buildings themselves held an Old West aesthetic due to Foster's affinity for that part of history. His office was laughably the Sheriff's quarters, its Prison being the detention center, the Bank was the teacher' lounge area, Saloon was the cafeteria, the Barn was the gym, and the Ranch was thankfully just a name for where the duel arenas were. Every other building was pretty much what they were named such as the General Store and dormitories.
Chazz didn't mind it as much since the insides were different. It still had some Old Western decor which gave it that warm rustic feel, but everything else was definitely modern and comfortable. It surprisingly made the students forget that they were schooling in a snow desert.
Chazz's room was definitely one of the top grade rooms that Czar used to own with an installed hot tub, room service and more. The senior had moved out his stuff and the top notched janitor cleaned it spotless. It looked as if it was brand new.
As for uniforms, Foster wasn't particular about them. Students were allowed to wear anything they wanted. Chazz looked through the General Store for something to wear since everything he bought sunk down in the ocean, and delivery to this place took time. Foster tried to point to him the more luxurious looking ones, and had a tailor to help customise the outfits to Chazz's liking. The boy honestly didn't know what he liked since everything he wore was picked out for him. He would've said yes to Foster's choices, but they didn't make him happy. Instead, his eyes drew to a long black trench coat. It made him remember Seto Kaiba's outfit all the way back to Duelist Kingdom. So just like that, his outfit came together, and he couldn't help smiling and checking himself out in the mirror.
"The Chazz," Czar spoke for the top students. He may have lost to Chazz, but he was still considered the 2nd best of the academy. "Is there anything you would like us to do for you?"
Chazz looked over to his classmates, thinking about how the Chazz he used to be would have a list of things for them to do. But then he thought back to his lackeys in Duel Academy. He felt regret for the way he treated them for so long. It was their own fault for putting themselves in such a shameful position below him, but now, he can prevent that.
"Nothing." The word slipped out but it was the right one.
"What?" Everyone was surprised. All of the students expected him to push them around like other best duelists had done in the past.
Chazz explained, "The Chazz doesn't need lackeys or servants. All I demand from you is respect or you'll get a face full of the Chazz. Got that!"
"Yes!" They replied.
"Then scram." He ordered, and they did.
Chazz then talked to Foster about his classes. It was only the third week of school, so it wasn't difficult for him to easily catch up through small pre-written tests that he aced with ease.
The class themselves weren't all that different from Duel Academy. It had its own unique teachers from a snarky female professor with blond hair and those grey round glasses with swirls, a male professor with a big egg-shaped body who enjoyed dressing up as a rich man of the Old West, another professor with a crooked back and a lisp to her words, and more.
Seating arrangements weren't assigned unless there were a few troublesome students or students with special needs. Chazz chose to sit at the middle in order to hear the teacher but avoid any catastrophe within range.
However, during a lesson, Chazz noticed at the corner of his eye a student checking out their cards. He recognized the student to be ranked in the forties. He didn't think the kid had a strong deck, but then he noticed a couple of cards that were rare and could've been used to create a pretty powerful combo!
His attention was snapped back to the teacher when she yelled at the student Chazz was checking out. She pointed out how the kid may be part of the top fifty through luck alone, but his grades placed him in the pits!
Chazz usually wouldn't care, but then he couldn't help feeling cheated. The kid had great potential, and he wasn't dishing it! What was this school doing?! Duel Academy at least had a strict system to really check out who was the slackers and who wasn't. Then again, Chazz thought about his lackeys and how they got too full of themselves for landing in Obelisk Blue. In fact a lot of students he saw in Obelisk Blue weren't that strong of a duelist and must've gotten through connections or a lucky duel against an Obelisk. It was also laughable how all female students were immediately put into Obelisk Blue.
He also couldn't stand seeing the ignorance of how helpful school was in order to not just make it into the Pro-leagues but to have a career at all. Sure there were duelists who didn't go to these Duel Academies in order to turn Pro, but Chazz always noted that it came with harder struggles than necessary without the proper education. Not everyone could be as brilliant as the top three duelists in the world.
During a two-hour recess, Chazz decided to visit the Ranch. He had to be given a pass in order to enter a subway train fit for fifty or less people. This was because the Ranch was actually located outside of the school and within a gigantic igloo that was sculpted into duel arenas. The ice carved seats were reasonably padded, so Chazz sat comfortably while watching the duels take place.
"The Chazz." Chazz looked over to see Czar alone since the others were in class. "May I sit next to you?" Chazz allowed it, and Czar thanked him as he took his seat.
The older teen then began telling him, "The Chazz, I apologize for my chattering, but Foster can only tell you so much about the inner workings of North Academy. As your senior, the first thing you absolutely need to know is about the Seven Sinful Cards."
"Seven Sinful Cards?"
Czar nodded. "These Sinful Cards contain powerful Duel Spirits who reside within and outside of the school. The Legend claims that if you have all seven of them, then you will completely lose your soul and become unstoppable. Foster currently has three of those cards hidden safely. He used to have four but a senior last year had stolen the fourth one. The other six remain lost along with their victims."
"Okaaay." Chazz didn't exactly know where this was going. "So what is so great about these cards anyway?"
Czar expanded, "Let me clarify first that although they do take on the form of Duel Monster Cards, they are not meant to be played as such. They are simply meant to be on the duelist, and each of them will commit a sin against dueling. In other words help you cheat."
"What?! You have got to be kidding me! What respectful duelist in their right mind cheat?!"
"The desperate, and these cards feed off of them." Czar replied solemnly. "Please let me list them out for you. The first is the card that was taken: The Grim Reaper. This duel spirit will give you the gift of incredible drawing power, but in exchange for your soul. The second card locked away in North Academy is the Mirror Shield of Perseus. This card will make an opponent see the ugliest sides of themselves, which ultimately destroys them from continuing the duel, and take their souls after they concede to defeat. The third card is Talaria: The Sandals of the God Hermes who was also known as the God of Thieves. The Talaria does not need to be in the middle of a duel to activate, and will help you steal the cards from another person's deck. However, the more the card is used, then the user themselves will begin believing that they are the God Hermes themselves. The last and most dangerous card in Foster's care is the Pixie of Solitude. This Duel Spirit will help you cheat by telling you every move their opponent makes. In exchange, she will remain your only friend. Maximillion Pegasus has tried to get rid of the card, but it always disappeared before execution. After many acts of terror, it ended up here where one of our former Seniors challenged the cheating duelist, and won."
"But how could he pull off such a trick?"
"By having Maximillion Pegasus create false cards where a spell card was actually either a trap or monster in disguise."
"No way! But to remember all forty cards..."
Czar nodded in understanding. "He's now one of the best magicians in the world." He moved on. "Those are the four cards that Foster have been able to collect, and the other three are at large."
"At large huh." Chazz thought about it a bit more. "Tch, those must be just ghost stories. There's no way spirits live in cards, especially ones that activate without being in a duel! That's incredulous!"
Ojama Yellow appeared, "Oh but it's real boss! I've been around here long enough, too, to have met these guys! They are real bad news! The Grim Reaper's scary, and that Pixie is all kinds of trouble! You don't ever want to mix up with those guys!" Chazz ignored him, still believing that he just lost his marbles after going through the ice desert.
Czar replied, "I know it's difficult to believe, but I have witness it myself of what some of these cards could do, and how many duelists these cards had destroyed. One of them was a dear friend of mine. We were equals. Dueling again and again for the number one spot, sharing a camaraderie in doing so. But little did I know that he craved to be better at dueling than I, that he was taken away by the Incessant Fanboy card."
"Inces-what? Alright you have got to be pulling my leg now! That's such a stupid name for that card."
Czar remained completely serious. "And that's the trick. Nobody would take a ridiculously named card like that seriously, so you don't realize the damage it brings until it's too late. Those who were former victims of the card are now stuck within a psychiatric asylum, and each of them have the same story. It starts with wanting to be acknowledged as the best more than anyone around them with cheering fans and the stuff. The card will then show up out of nowhere in your deck. The former victims have tried to throw it away, but it always returned with the whispers."
"Whispers?" Chazz felt a little spooked.
"When all is silent, constant whispers of glory, jealousy, and frustration will eat away at you until you begin dueling for that acknowledgement to a whole other level. With that desire, the fanboy will use it to brainwash their opponents into your slaves who will cheer for you and be at your bidding. It sounds great and all, but after losing a duel, the card, and the slaves, reality cruelly sets in that you are all alone without any true strength to begin with. The crushing blow of it all can't be healed."
Now Chazz felt completely spooked. He had issues like that before, but at least it was by his own power, by his own hands that he could gain the prestige and the power to be North Academy's number one. Yet for all of this to turn out to be the work of some magical card and not him, that would be devastating.
"What was your friend thinking?" Chazz felt sorry and annoyed for the stranger.
Czar though looked like he made peace with it. "I don't know. All I can hope for is that if he's ever found and saved, he will not suffer the fate of the others. That's all I can do at the moment. The Prevention Invine card will prevent your opponent from activating any special cards on the field without your permission, but in return breathing becomes harder and harder that many had died from asphyxiation. The next one is Cloak of Eyes. This one will take your eyes and trade it for one of its defective eyes, so you will become unable to see some of your cards or monsters on the field. You will be going in legally blind, and if you lose, your eyes will remain that way. But if you win, then your opponent with the card will become permanently blind that surgery will not help them. And lastly, the False Accuser At The Door. This card activates after you lost a duel, and haunts your opponent until they come crawling back, admitting falsely that they cheated in the duel and promise to never duel again. However, if they accidentally take out the opponent before doing so, they will drag you down to where they believe they are." In other words dragged to the Underworld.
Chazz felt a chill at the last one. That just meant that it couldn't be won back. Instead, he might just get killed instead. He knew the dueling world was dangerous, but to think even killing spirit monsters could be lurking around was not a good thing. The one in Foster's own seem harmless enough, but the last few was not to be messed with or encountered in the first place.
He heeded Czar's words. Though the senior assured him, "The last few I mentioned are dangerous, but knock on wood, they won't be anywhere near here. That's all I wanted to tell you The Chazz, so you will remain cautious of the duelists around you. You never know who could be the next victim to these cards."
Chazz was about to ask why they were in a school of all places then because what else could be more desperate than a student trying to get by with being judged on a daily basis. However, he suddenly felt a pulling presence. He looked towards the field to notice a boy a little over four feet with turquoise curly hair that reached his shoulders. His choice of outfit was the standard school jacket and pants. Once the duel started, he spoke with a light voice that was drowned in misery. Chazz felt put off by the lack of enthusiasm, but he was roped in again when it turned out that the short guy had a fairy deck that proved to be both majestic yet deadly when he won with ease.
"Who's that?" He inquired.
Czar answered, "Bernie Anderson. He's in your grade, but he's actually two years younger than you, the Chazz."
"What?! You're telling me that he's a genius?! Then why wasn't he number one when I got here!" Chazz kept feeling cheated out of some good duels in this damn school!
Czar replied, "That's because he rejected the Duel Gauntlet challenge, preferring to keep more to himself, The Chazz. If I be so frank with you, I actually dueled him in private during a time against school rules, but I had to test him out, and to my devastation, I lost. I was willing to give him the title of number one before you arrived, but he denied letting our duel count. He simply wanted to go through school quietly."
"So he's a loner. Should've figured. All geniuses like him are like that." Last he checked, Jagger had no real friends.
But the Eastern European corrected, "I don't believe that it so much has to do with the fact that he's a genius, the Chazz, but how it has to do with his brother, Jesse Anderson."
"Who?"
"Jesse Anderson. He is Maximillion Pegasus' protege because he was chosen to handle the Crystal Beast Deck."
"The Crystal Beast Deck?! No way!" Chazz looked down at Bernie Anderson who dueled his next opponent, and there was absolutely no joy or rage in his performance. The teen felt his excitement snuffed out by that look. He then suddenly saw his child self on that dueling field, throwing the same miserable face and dispassionate words that would make the crowd hate him. He remembered the stress of pleasing his brothers, trying to catch up to them. That feeling of inadequacy softened his amazement of the Crystal Beast Deck. "Hmph. Wouldn't mind dueling that Jesse guy, but I want to face this kid first. See what he got."
Czar stared at Chazz, and then nodded with an understanding smile. "As do I, The Chazz."
The two continued to watch Bernie and the other duelists, and Chazz couldn't help becoming critical of them. There were a few good duelists, but they weren't challenged by the weaklings that they were up against. No improvement at all could be made by this. When tag-dueling came around, Chazz was even less impressed. There was a distinct lack of communication that made the partners just do whatever seemed good without an actual thought out plan. Chazz never did much tag-dueling but he learned enough about it from Duel Prep School to see the basic errors.
._._._.
"So how was your first day of classes?" Foster inquired at his office to Chazz.
"Terrible!"
"Huh?" Foster almost flopped over.
"Not the teachers, but the lack of proper structured curriculum! I saw a kid earlier with cards that could've created powerful combos! And another kid with strong monsters with special effects I noticed he didn't activate during his duels so he lost earlier like an idiot! And the tag team dueling I've seen at the Ranch?! I've seen the Paradox Brothers live and they might've lost to some dweebs, but at least they knew how to give a show! Have you really been sitting on your behind and thinking that the Duel Guantlet is the only proper way to motivate your students?!"
"U-uhm, well..." Foster was at a lost of words. He never thought a student would ever think this deeply into the structure of the school system.
Chazz let out a hiss. "Honestly, both you and Duel Academy have no idea how to properly utilize a person's potential!"
"I-I see! So what would you suggest we do to fix this problem?"
"Hmph." Chazz replied with a more professional tone to carry his point across to this adult. "What both you and Duel Academy are lacking in is cooperation. It's an odd thing to hear from someone like me, but trust me, I learned a thing or two from my brothers. They don't reign in the world of Politics and Finance alone. They are the ones controlling the game, but they can't do that without the essential players and tools. In the real world, everyone is assigned into a role that they are good at."
Foster rubbed his chin. "I see. And by these assigned roles, I take it that you don't mean a duelist's ranking."
"Nope." Chazz shook his head. "I meant in their strengths in dueling. Through dueling your students, I noticed that a few were better at playing trap cards than others who could play a spell or field spell even better. Coming to this school, earning these cards myself," He touched his chest where he held his cards in a pocket. He felt a soar of happiness from achieving something alone. Not only that, but to have also reigned above all despite the lack of rarity or strength the cards had. "Made me realize having the best cards doesn't make one the best duelist. It takes a good look at one's own failures, consider all his teachings, and become the best for his cards."
"U-u-uuuuhhh. That was so beautiful!" Foster was in tears, much to Chazz's awkward feeling. "Yes! Of course! A duelist can only become the best through cooperation and self-reflection! We'll go with any plan you have, Chazz!"
The teen just let the man be needlessly emotional while he talked about his plans. There was a lot of work to do, and he liked that. He felt he needed that. A lot of work.
And so the next day, classes were put on hold in order for Foster to hold a pep rally that would have the students divided by their strengths in dueling may it be in setting trap cards, handling field spells, upgrading monsters to their full potential, properly utilizing sacrifices, creating combos and such.
The students were thrown off by such an activity, and by how they were set in groups where they had to show their cards that could be touched. Chazz joined in, showing everyone how it's done by grabbing the cards that are laid out on the table, and showing what strategies could be made.
Understanding what he was doing, another student showed a different strategy with the same cards. This opened the eyes of the owner, and he helped them out with showing different strategies he would use. Chazz pleasantly learned something new, even though Ojama Yellow was in it.
The yellow pipsqueak showed up, and Chazz yelled at it to go away. The other students found this weird, but he was the Prince, so they left it be to continue their fun.
Although one questioned if this was a good thing because if they knew what were in their decks, then their opponent could use their knowledge against them. Chazz reasoned that it may be true that the opponent may know what cards they have, but it's another question if they knew their nature. Dueling is about proper strategy and tactics, but it was all still a gamble. Just like how they were strategizing multiple ways of using a few set of cards together, it was up for the opponent to figure out which one out of the ten plans that they would potentially use. It's good to keep an opponent surprised through ignorance, but that could only bring someone so far.
With that reason, the students continued the activity, and even dueled each other.
Foster was so pleased by this that he made Chazz the official committee student chairman of events. Chazz looked annoyed, though he accepted it since it would keep him busy above school work. He worked hard for the next three days to flesh out the committee in order to plan activities, events and schedules so that each student would efficiently pull their weight and have others help them through it. Czar and the other top ten students were immediately on board to help him without question. The seniors were definitely on board, too, since they found this refreshing for their last year. With that much support, the whole school practically joined the committee. It made it easy. Too easy.
In barely a week, the committee was already set with the basic yearly plans, and everyone was already working on their assigned roles for the festival they had planned to have next month.
With too much time on his hands, he discussed with Foster about an after class study session with proper extra credit tutoring program along with others. They also discussed about proper budgeting and services where Chazz was willing to do loans with his money to improve the academy even further, though that would require permission from Kaiba Corporation's educational board.
In another week, Chazz was able to improve not only the dueling aspect but also the academic aspect of North Academy. Everyone was deeply impressed by his hard work ethic and dedication to their academy. They rendered him highly, willing to do anything he commanded, but all Chazz really demanded was for them to fulfill their own roles.
The only time they ever truly felt close in serving him was when he dueled.
"And with that, you go bye bye!" Chazz declared after beating a student who dared challenge him. "Now you guys know the motto! Chazz! It! UP!"
"CHAZZ IT UP! CHAZZ IT UP! CHAZZ IT UP!" The whole audience cheered wildly.
Though two people in particular didn't cheer. Czar instead frowned while Bernie looked on disinterestedly as he leaned on the ice sculpted rails.
"He's working himself as if he's trying to run away." Czar commented at the top of the stands. He has been trying to be by Chazz's side despite the teen being clear that he did not want lackeys or servants out of the students. The academy's service staff was enough to please his rich tendencies, but Czar made it his job to make sure Chazz isn't overwhelmed with too much work that would burn him out, and ask for his personal wishes that he would forget to tell the staff. Although he wondered if that was even effective when he would see Chazz work too early in the morning for breakfast to be ready and too late at night since dinner had been served. He also wondered if all this admiration and attention from the academy even made Chazz feel less alone when Chazz would eat alone since he would skip the cafeteria to eat his food at either the office, library or anywhere that would better require his attention. With how much work he does for more than twelve hours, the amount of time taken to duel from start to finish was far too little to be considered a decent break of luxury or socializing.
Czar had to add to his words, "He enjoys himself in a duel, but he does not enjoy life outside of it."
Bernie watched Chazz walk away from the arena with a displeased expression that contrasted with the light on his face earlier. He spoke knowingly, "People who feel anxious overwork themselves to ease the pain."
The Senior said more to himself, "How to ease that anxiousness and make him smile, I wish I knew how."
Bernie hummed to that in a dead tone. "Work is work and play is play. But it takes two to duel. Maybe there's something he could do alone since being alone with thoughts aren't fun."
That made a light go off in the Eastern European's head. He bowed to Bernie, "Thank you!"
The turquoise haired teen just blinked at him languidly.
The day went on as usual with Chazz working himself from sun up to sun down before and after that duel. He just needed to be busy. The busier the better. The busier, the easier it was for the hours to fly through the day. However, when the long nights of November would come, they slowed down the world and killed the Sandman.
It was just that with everything either completed or saved for tomorrow, his mind was filled with Jagger and Slade. He was making it big in North Academy because of their teachings after all. But he didn't just want what he had in the past from them. He wished that he had their support now. He wished he had their love now.
In fact, he hadn't called them for the last two weeks he's been in North Academy. He knew he should call them. He should. But being in North Academy, being surrounded by everyone, he felt...calm. And yet still so anxious because of his brothers.
He needed to sleep. He had another busy day tomorrow. He needed to sleep, or else he won't function well tomorrow. He needed to sleep.
He then realized that he hadn't been taking his medication. His blood went cold at the idea of having that kind of talk with Foster. Sure, everyone already thought he was crazy talking to some figment of imagination, but that could be just excused by the stress. This was so much more personal. He didn't want to explain the psychological damages he was given from his kidnapping. He didn't have to. He had a right to privacy.
But what if that right was broken. He had to talk to his brothers. He needed the pills. They would surely know a way to get it to him secretly. He hoped it would be soon. He demanded it to be soon.
However he lost the nerve to call them. It was late after all, and they must be busy. Most likely gave up and forgot about him since they had to know about his disgraceful loss at Duel Academy and his cowardly tactic to run away. He told himself that he made up for that at North, and the plan to rule the world could still play out.
He had to call them. He needed his pills. He needed his sleep back.
His body began to freeze up and then tremble. His breathing becoming labored.
Ojama Yellow appeared, trying to understand what was wrong, but Chazz was too tense to realize he was there. The Duel spirit quickly flew out, crying for help from anyone that could hear him. To his surprise and relief, there was one person who did.
The Light watched the Ojama bring this person to Chazz's room. The helpless trembling teen was lying on his bed, so the person rubbed his arm, which somehow did not scare Chazz, but instead stopped the trembling. The person then lied down next to Chazz, hugging him from the front. The work-ridden teen fell instantly asleep.
The Light rose both her eyebrows high from this unusual healing act. She took a good look at the person of blue hair, and she recognized him from another life time. A sparkle appeared in her focused insane mind where the wheels turned in odd impossible ways against each other. The corners of her lips rose much like a Cheshire's before she slipped to the mountains, glad that Crimson had urgent business elsewhere.
._._._.
A/N: So there you go! The Seven Sinful Cards that I was really trying not to focus too much around Greek Mythology, and hopefully seem interesting!
And I am going to make Czar more relevant to Chazz's story since I do want North Academy to be a bigger impact on Chazz than just the change of clothes. I guess his personality did shift a little, but not much really. I just want him to have more friends outside of Duel Academy or childhood.
And I reintroduced Bernie who in the original fic is Jesse's younger brother who was a victim of the war and had a fairy deck, but he was taller with a pompadour, and more expressive and two-faced where he was nice and attentive to Chazz and those that Chazz cares about, but nasty to everyone else. He was also supposed to be Levy's lover, but decided to cut out that part completely and leave Levy single.
Now Bernie is short with curly midlength hair, and more soft. I wanted a cuter OC since the original one just wasn't working with the fic and this new idea. Definitely going to end up with Czar though. The gayer the merrier! Though wished I had plotted for more lesbians and not just bisexual girls, but happens in a male dominated series, though the vice versa happens in a female dominated series like RWBY, MLP, Steven Universe, definitely Sailor Moon and other similar ones cuz magic and shoujo equals lesbians while scifi and shounen equals gays.