Author's note: Since we are finally done with the mini Ruin arc, we will now return to random snippets of Yugioh GX episode! During the ruin's timeline, it was Manjoume vs. Misawa's duel. And that we're forwarding to this episode and timeline, we're skipping SAL Monkey duel, Psycho Shocker duel, and Duel Tennis! We are now in episode 16 of GX and here. I hope you enjoy it and please give more reviews. More reviews equal more inspiration!
Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh! And credit goes to GLL99 for subs of Yugioh GX 16.
Episode 16: Tag Duel! Kurai's Second Chance! Part A
Few days had passed since the unfortunate incident inside the South Duel Academy ruins where a student dared to enter. That particular action resulted more students and three professors following him into the ruin and rescuing him. When the students were finally found near the ruin, they were immediately taken to the hospital for medical care. The principal, Kamil, decided not to bother those students since they dealt with such tumultuous event. Kamil decided to wait until they were fully recovered. However, just when the Osiris Red Students were about to be fully recovered, the principal had conduct a meeting with the Headmasters of the dorms to decide the fate of one Osiris Red troublemaker.
On the top floor of the Duel Academy, the Principal was inside a meeting room consisted of large long table and comfy chairs. The walls were made of sound proof glasses that were so thick that outsiders wouldn't see what's going on inside this room. The silver-haired Principal was sitting at the far end of the table with a small blonde female professor, Rebecca, standing near the wall right behind him. Each row of the table consisted of three chairs, bringing the total of six headmasters.
On the left row, the first chair was occupied by the Headmaster of the Obelisk Blue boys' dorm, Professor Gabriel. He was dressed in his blue custom-made suit trench coat over his black pant and shirt. He wore a blue tie and a black fedora. The second chair was occupied by an older gentleman, Professor Schmitt, Headmaster of the Ra Yellow boys, who had short willow brown hair that was neatly combed and he wore a thin squared glass, making him look like a dignified man. The last chair was occupied by the youngest one, Professor Tyrell, the Headmaster of Osiris Red boys. He wore a red custom-made red sports jacket over his simple T-shirt and long sport shorts.
On the right, the first chair was vacant but the second chair was occupied by a woman with an outer worldly aura and closed eyes. She wore a Ra Yellow priestess robe over a thin silk pant. She was Professor Anya, the Headmistress of the Ra Yellow girls' dorm. Finally, the third chair was occupied by a woman with beauty marked with strictness. She had maroon-colored hair with Osiris Red Uniform designed as a teacher's clothes. She was Professor Morgan, the Headmistress of the Osiris Red boys' dorm.
The Principal started, "Since Zenobia is currently not here, we might as well start it anyway. This meeting is about the punishment of an Osiris Red student, Kurai Yuki, a duelist with exceptional talent. Normally, it would be up to the Osiris Red Headmasters to decide the punishment but… Kurai did an unforgivable crime, so we must discuss his future status but first what's the status on his current health, Doctor Schmitt?"
Schmitt pushed his glasses up his nose, showing his importance, "He only suffered minor damages since he miraculously survived the fall of the ruin and today his bandages should be removed."
Kamil replied, "So he's in fine condition, that's good news but we must now make a choice for Kurai. Should we allow him to stay or," He narrowed his closed eyes together, "expel him from the Duel Academy?"
Morgan slammed the table with her fist, "It's quite clear that Kurai Yuki must be expelled from the Duel Academy!" The teachers had a sweat droplet, "This troublemaker broke a very strict rule and not only that, he also involved other students too and put them in great danger!"
Rebecca quickly interrupted, "Hold on just a minute! We went to the Ruin by our own choice!" She did follow the students deep into the ruin.
Morgan pointed out, "But you went inside the ruin for the purpose of rescuing Kurai, who went to the ruin alone in the first place, isn't that correct? So it was his fault for involving other students in his mad reckless sense of trouble!"
Rebecca glared and thought to herself, 'You're just saying all these stuff because you want him out of here!'
The Principal raised his hand to block Rebecca, "Don't speak, Rebecca. Professor Morgan stated her opinion. Would anyone would like to speak their opinion?"
Schmitt spoke, "I would to speak, Principal. Kurai had committed a serious crime. That is the fact. But there's another fact that Kurai is indeed an excellent duelist. He showed excellent scores in his written exam and displayed amazing dueling skills against Professor Tyrell and Shadow," Tyrell nodded, "defeated one of our top Ra Yellows and Obelisk Blues, and almost on the equal standing with the Dynast. I'm afraid if we expel this student, it would be waste of rare talent. A good duelist does display the fame and strength of our school."
"But at the same time, a duelist like him would show the weakness of our school." Gabriel crossed his arms, "He had broken the rule of the Academy. And if we let him do whatever he wants just because he's an exceptional, then we the Professors had failed to raise a proper duelist. A duelist should have respect and this student did not really have any. I feared that he might make a bad name for this Academy."
Morgan nodded as the argument went on to her side.
"Woah, woah, woah. Hold on just a minute!" Tyrell intervened, "Why are we making such a big deal out of this? I mean he only broke one rule."
"It was an important rule, you dumb moron!" Morgan roared, "You know, it's because of your lazy carefree attitude, our students are lacking in manners!"
Tyrell countered, "If I messed with them, then I would mess with their potential. You know, you gotta let the seeds grow and everything will work out."
Morgan crossed her arms, "That's just lazy talk."
Tyrell explained, "This kid only broke one rule, shouldn't we just give him some kind of warning?"
Morgan argued back, "The point is, this "KID" broke a very serious rule that could have resulted death!"
Tyrell smirked, "But he's still alive!"
Morgan shouted, "WITH INJURIES!"
Schmitt pointed out, "They are only minor, not very serious though."
The maroon haired woman yelled, "But this student brought others in danger too!"
Tyrell retorted, "They knew the risks and dangers plus they survive too. There's nothing wrong, is there?"
Morgan glared at Tyrell and then she took out a folder with photos of the temple being in ruin, "Their interference messed with a historical place."
"Now this ruin became historical?" Tyrell raised his eyebrow in suspicion, "Why I am not surprised that this is the first time I heard of it? Beside this kid had a reason for going there, right, Rebecca?"
Rebecca looked up in surprise, "Well, I heard from others that he went there to become stronger."
"See!" Tyrell exclaimed, "He went to the ruin to become stronger. He knew the dangers and the deaths there. You gotta admire his manly determination. You don't see those sorta qualities in many duelists nowadays!"
Morgan scoffed, "Maybe if you actually take the time to discipline other students, he wouldn't be the only one."
Tyrell smiled, "I don't need to know. I already know that my students would be great duelists."
Kamil sighed and asked the final Headmistress, "Professor Anya, what about your um… "spiritual" opinion?"
Anya who had her eyes closed was murmuring in dark language as she shook a small bag. She then tossed random items such as animal bones, gems, and sorts of mythical items cross the table. She was silent for awhile as she gazed upon those items and then started to pick them up, "The spirits were happy."
The Principal questioned, "Does this mean you want the student to stay?"
Anya picked up all the contents and continued, "The spirits were happy until this child entered the ruin. When he entered the ruin, the spirits cried and screamed." She held her head, "So many screams of horrors and tears of despairs. I can feel their fear," she let go of her head as she gave her answer. "This boy will bring great trouble in the future. It would be very wise to let him go."
"I see, so it is three against two." The Principal declared, "Then Kurai Yuki should be expelled."
Rebecca gasped, "But Principal…"
Morgan offered, "Should I get the paper works then?"
"How rude….you started the meeting without me?" A woman wearing an Obelisk Blue uniform with few top buttons opened revealing her obvious beauty over a thin blue dress, making her looked like a fashion model. She had long silk raven black hair. Her smirk was bewitching combined with a rather dark look in her beautiful face.
Rebecca quickly recognized this woman as Zenobia, the Headmistress of the Obelisk Blue girls' dorms, 'Oh great, not her. How dare she come in here so late…..with those….' She looked away, 'fake ballons…'
The Principal gave a wide smile, "Welcome back, Zenobia-san!" He said it with hearts at the end of the sentence.
Rebecca just fell down and had a giant sweat droplet, 'I forgot…..the Principal is a stupid pervert…'
Zenobia smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Kamil!" She then became serious, "I heard everything. It does bring a bad image to our Academy if we allowed a troublemaker to be unpunished just like Gabriel said but it would be waste of talent if we let an excellent duelist go just like Schmitt."
Morgan scowled as she loathed Zenobia especially when she had the nerve to show up late at a mandatory meeting, "What are you implying?"
"I do think that it would be a great idea to expel him from our school." Zenobia closed her eyes.
Morgan's eyes widened in surprise, "Really?"
"If this student can redeem himself," Zenobia slowly opened her blood red eyes that glowed evilly as she smirked arrogantly because she had manipulated the others into her own smooth hand, "We give him a challenge."
Rebecca shivered as her bones were instantly chilled inside a refrigerator. She hated this chilling feeling that she often received from this older woman. She knew that she was no ordinary woman but of course she would know this fact because all headmasters here were not ordinary. She knew each of them was a top duelist in their primitive age. Schmitt was the Academy's doctor but he wasn't any doctor. He's the doctor that could determine the very potential of any duelists by looking the charts. Morgan served under the strongest military and took duel monsters as hobby. She lived by the rules and she made sure this entire place would live by the rules or the duelists would dare face her wrathful punishments that would sent any duelist home crying. Tyrell used to be the best boxer in the West and his laidback attitude made him extremely popular with the students. He was determined to see how students grow if he left them alone in the wilderness and the students would had to survive by themselves. The strangest headmaster would belong to to Anya. The woman who always had her eyes closed just like Principal Kamil. She might be blind this way but she could see through everything "spiritually." She had the strange ability to communicate with ghosts and spoke their opinions through her netherworld lips.
Time seemed to progress slowly but the meeting was finally over. Rebecca stepped out of the meeting room, leaving the adults to their arguments. She looked down and sighed long out of big relief. The chill had evaporated from her body but she was worried about him. She closed her eyes and took a deep breathe, "It's all up to him now."
"So I take it that the meeting doesn't go well?" A calm gentle voice touched her ears.
Rebecca tilted her face up and frowned at the sight of a familiar Obelisk Blue student, "You're not allowed here, didn't you know that?"
Alexander just smiled as he held folders with thick stacks of papers in his hands, "I was told to bring to them to Professor Morgan, but it seemed like she's not going to need it now. So how did it go?"
Rebecca rolled her eyes, "What make you think I'm going to tell you?"
Alexander just laughed softly, "Because I knew Yuki and I knew you. I assumed he's not going to be expelled?"
Rebecca frowned slightly, "Not yet." She looked up to Alexander, the most mysterious person she ever known. Even though she knew of his family heritage but the rest of him remained mystery to her. A tiny part of her wanted to solve that mystery but that's for another time.
Inside Duel Academia, Obelisk Blue students were having problems with the mysterious duelist that appeared at night and took their cards away in ante duels.
Professor Chronos was walking down the hallway as he was trying to solve this recent problem, "This is bad-no ne…To think that the Obelisk Blue students that I supervise are losing to this unknown duelist…" He stretched out his arms in dramatic pose, "And by violating the school regulations with Ante Rule, no less! If word gets out, I'll be blamed for not supervising them-no ne!" He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in frustration, he then noticed three Osiris Red boys standing in the middle of the hallway. He smirked as he had an evil plan, "That's it-na no ne! I'll simply push this on to them-no ne!" He walked up to the boys, "It's you Dropout Boys!"
"Ahh!" Sho screamed, "It's Professor Chronos!"
Chronos smirked, "I am giving you all a special assignment-no ne."
Judai asked, "A special assignment?" He glanced at Hayato with confused look.
Chronos continued, "If you can fulfill this task well, you will be exempt from doing the report on duel theory!"
"Really?" Judai exclaimed.
"Eh?" Sho looked at Judai with fear in his eyes, "This is dangerous, aniki!"
"Really, na no ne." Chronos assured, "Just look into my eyes-no ne." He grinned evilly, "This should…"
Judai interrupted, "Alright, I'll do it!"
Sho and Hayato gasped. Sho clenched his head in worries and Hayato sighed in disappointment, "Judai…"
Judai questioned, "So, what's the assignment about?"
Chronos leaned toward Judai, "At the moment, in this academy, there is a fellow who challenges others to a duel with the Ante Rule-no ne. You are to capture that person and expose their identity-no ne."
Judai asked, "You mean the Giant Duelist of the Dark Night?"
"Eh?" Chronos was surprised that Judai knew about it. He leaned back, "A-anyway, I've something to do." He walked away, "Canzone…" He snickered wickedly, 'Thanks to this, it would befit them to find that mysterious duelist. Even if he loses and has his rare card taken, it'll work out well-na no ne! Sorassone…' He walked further down the hallway.
Few blocks away from the Duel Academy, lied couple of fancy huts set across the shallow ocean. Inside one of the huts, a red-spiked hair boy was complaining to his roommate.
"Yuki!" Tsubaki yelled out of frustrations.
Kurai, the blue dual-color haired boy was simply lying on his neat bed, reading magazine about what's happening lately in the world of Duel Monsters. He was ignoring his annoying roommate on purpose to annoy Tsubaki greatly and not wasting his breathe. However, his annoying cries were definitely bothering his ears. He answered, "Hnn?"
"Aren't you even worried? Do you know that you could be kicked off the island?" Tsubaki was upset that his "sort-of" friend was being so calm about it.
Kurai flipped a page and shrugged, "Hnn."
Tsubaki's forehead vein twitched out of annoyance as this cold brat annoyed him to no ends. The red-haired teenager snapped, "At least show some concern! I'm showing some concern, am I!"
Kurai flipped another page, "Hnn."
"ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Tsubaki grabbed his hair and pulled them, trying to subdue the annoyance with physical pain. He heard a strong knock on the hut's door, "Huh?" He went to the front and opened it, "Hello?" He blinked in confusion as he saw no one there, "Hello?" He looked around and still saw no one here. Tsubaki frowned slightly, "Weird." He suddenly faced an upside down but familiar smiling face. Tsubaki just stared at him with his eyes widened in shock.
Rad, the American Ra Yellow student, was hanging upside down from the roof. He waved as he gave a toothy smile to shocked Tsubaki, "Yo!"
Tsubaki just responded by turning pale white and then…
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Few minutes later, Rad was inside the room, rubbing a large bump on his head, "Ouch…." He was teary eyed, "That really hurt, Tsubaki!"
Tsubaki roared with red angry demonic eyes and sharp jaws, "Then stop scaring me like that if you don't wanna get hurt!"
Rad laughed, "Why would I stop? It's my own personal greeting for you."
Tsubaki shouted, "ARGHH!" He vented his frustrations out of the opened window toward the ocean.
Rad ignored the annoyed duelist and talked to Kurai, "Hey Yuki! You're really popular around the Academy again! Rumors were flying everywhere!"
Tsubaki stuck his head back in and grumbled, "Why I am not surprised? It's been few days since we came back from the stupid ruin."
Rad smiled as he looked up to Tsubaki, "Oh yeah I forgot to ask! Do you get to find any treasure?"
Tsubaki glared, "There were treasures but we have to rescue this cold guy here! All that dangers and walking crap, we winded up with nothing!" He raised his arms out of anger.
Rad sweat dropped, "Um…okay…" He went back to Kurai, "Are you going to be expelled? If you are, I want to have a duel with you before you're gone!" He gave a thumb's up.
Kurai just simply flipped another page as he finished reading the previous page, "Hnn."
Tsubaki snapped again, "How can you be seriously calm at a time like this? Don't you want to go the pro league?"
Kurai stopped moving his pages and looked up at Tsubaki's eyes, "Not really." He replied concisely as he went back to his magazine.
Tsubaki was taken back from Kurai's response, "Huh? Isn't the duelists' dreams to participate in the Pro League?"
"Not mine," Kurai answered, "I only wish to beat one person."
Tsubaki asked, "One person? Oh…" He finally remembered it, "I forgot about that…but you never really told us who is this one person."
Rad suggested, "Maybe, it's the Dynast?"
Tsubaki replied, "I don't think it is since he mentioned this person he wanted to beat before dueling the Dynast," He moved his head back to Kurai, "So you don't really care if you are expelled?"
"Hey! Ain't no one is getting expelled, well…not yet." A voice grabbed the duelists' attention. The duelists looked back to see Professor Tyrell.
"Professor Tyrell?" Tsubaki was surprised, "We haven't seen you around for awhile."
"Hey, that's cruel! Gabe and I just save your butts at the ruins few days ago!" Tyrell pointed to himself, "Remember?"
Tsubaki crossed his arms as he tried to remember, "Hmmm….Nope, you don't ring a bell. I remember Alex telling us that he saved us…." He shuddered, "from tentacle rape."
"That does sound disturbing," Tyrell interjected, "but who gave Alexander the sword, hmm?"
Rad answered, "Professor Gabriel?"
Tyrell sweat-dropped, "Well…that's true….but I did something!"
"If you have done something," Tsubaki pointed out, "we would have remember it."
Rad nodded, "Yeah, that's true."
Tyrell gasped, "You guys are cruel! Anyway, that's not the main subject here! I was gonna explain Kurai's situation."
Tsubaki questioned, "So Yuki is not expelled?"
Tyrell groaned as he was thinking hard, "Maybe…Carol can explain better but she had some business to do."
Tsubaki didn't hear the rest of the Professor's words after Maybe, "Do you hear that, Yuki? You're not expelled! I gotta tell this to Izumi," He realized something, "Hey, where is Izumi?"
Some huts away, a maroon haired girl just recently closed a suitcase on the top of the empty bed inside an empty room. Izumi looked down as she picked up her own suitcase and headed toward the door. She opened the door and was about to leave but she looked back as she remembered the fond memories of her room. She whispered, "Good bye." With that, she closed the door and would never open it again.
Kurai slowly stood up from his bed and narrowed his amber eyes, taking the Headmaster's words with serious attention, "What's the catch?"
"Catch?" Tsubaki averted his attention from the girl to Kurai, "What do you mean?"
"You're an idiot." Kurai replied dully as he closed his eyes out of annoyance.
"Hey!" Tsubaki whined, "What did I do to deserve that?" The red-haired teenager demanded to know.
Kurai explained, "Do you honestly think they would let me stay after breaking a rule?" He opened his clear amber eyes, "There's obviously a catch here."
Tsubaki understood, "Ohhhh. That does make sense."
Rad laughed with closed eyes, "Tsubaki, how can you not catch that? You're slow, aren't you?"
Tsubaki turned around to glare at Rad, "Shut up!"
Tyrell coughed to grab the boys' attention, "You're sharp, kid. There is a catch but I'm sure you can figure it out," His green eyes stared directly at Kurai's sharp amber eyes, "After all, you're a duelist."
"Wait a minute," Tsubaki realized that Kurai was the only one who is in trouble, "How come we're not in trouble? We entered the ruin too."
Tyrell faced Tsubaki, "Well you guys are in luck, the Academy decided to look this over since you guys went into the ruin for a good reason, saving your friend which is a real manly thing to do."
Tsubaki waved in embarrassment, "Aw shuck, I just did what I have to do."
Rad blinked in confusion and said it bluntly, "But didn't you go into the ruin for trea…"
Tsubaki quickly covered Rad's mouth and had a giant sweat droplet behind his head. He laughed it off, hoping to make the others ignore them, "Ha! Ha! Ha! Radnor, you're such a joker! Ha! Ha! Ha!" He kept Rad's mouth shut even though he was turning blue.
Tyrell tilted his head in confusion and commented, "I didn't hear any joke."
"What's the catch?" Kurai asked while crossing his arms, hated to be ignored when he wanted answers.
Tyrell scratched his face cheek and answered, "Well I don't really remember, heh heh."
Tsubaki finally let go of Rad and gaped, "But you just had the meeting today!" Rad was gasping for air as he silently thanked the heavenly being for letting him live.
The boxer had a sweat droplet in front of his forehead and he explained, "I don't really pay much attention to the meeting since I didn't really care about it," He smirked, "So I just leave the complicated stuff to Carol!"
Tsubaki pointed at Tyrell accursedly, "You're just lazy!"
Tyrell waved his hand and stopped him, "Hey!" He adjusted his jacket as he tried to look cool and dignified, "I prefer the term "relaxed.""
Tsubaki just yelled, "That's practically the same thing anyway!" Tsubaki groaned, "There's seriously too many strange people on this island." He looked at Tyrell, "So where's Headmistress Morgan?"
Tyrell shrugged, "Eh, who knows? Maybe she's cleaning one of her prized torture devices." Suddenly his head was smacked by a metallic clipboard, "OUCH!" He looked behind and saw the familiar maroon-haired woman, "That hurt!"
Tsubaki sweat-dropped, "Speak of the devil…"
Morgan scoffed as she put away her clipboard, "I knew your muscle-for-brain wouldn't comprehend such simple task."
Tyrell pouted, "I have feelings, you know."
Morgan noticed Rad and frowned, "A Ra Yellow student playing around in the Osiris Red Dorms? How very disgraceful. If I catch you messing around," She suddenly gave her death glare, "I'll make sure you will never step in this place again."
Rad had many sweat droplets pouring on his head, "…Um Yes, Ma'am…"
Tsubaki shouted at Rad, "Hey Rad, let's fool around!"
"Okay!" Rad exclaimed happily and then he realized what Tsubaki planned him to do. He glared with slight frown in his lips, "Hey, you were trying to kick me out of this place!"
Tsubaki snapped his fingers, "Darn, I was so close."
Tyrell interrupted, "Anyway, it took you long enough, Carol."
"Morgan and I have some business to deal with." Morgan said it rudely without any apology in her tone.
Kurai asked again coldly, "Now she's here, what's the catch?"
Morgan narrowed her eyes as she frowned upon Kurai's rude tone, "Since the muscle-brain couldn't explain, I'll explain it for you." She stared at Kurai with a serious expression, "Kurai Yuki, you had broken a very special rule by trespassing in the ruin. Your punishment should have been expulsion."
"Huh, but I thought Yuki is not expelled?" Tsubaki rudely interrupted her.
Morgan gave Tsubaki another deadly glare of her, "He will be if you interrupt me one more time!"
Tsubaki had numerous sweat droplets and kept silent, not daring to provoke her rage further.
Morgan continued, "However, the Academy decided that your talent is indeed incredible, so it would be a waste to expel you. Therefore, we are going to give you one more chance by winning a duel."
Kurai's serious expression grew into a cold smirk as he replied in bored tone, "That's it?" He said it as it was easy.
Tsubaki had more sweat droplets around his head as he knew that Kurai would dare provoke her rage. Kurai was that kind of person.
Morgan's another forehead vein twitched, showing her anger was growing but she remained calm, "So you think this is easy, hot-shot? Well I'm not finished. This is no regular duels that you usually take. No, this is the tag-duel."
Tsubaki mouthed to Rad, 'Tag-Duel?'
Kurai lost his cocky expression as he became serious again, "Tag-Duel? Who are my opponents or my partner?"
Morgan answered, "Your opponents remained a secret. So you better be prepared. As for your partner, you are given the choice of any student of the Duel Academy. You may even ask the Dynast to be your partner. You have the entire day today to pick your partner because this tag duel is tomorrow," She narrowed her eyes, "But beware. This tag duel is different from what you think."
Tsubaki was stunned, "Oh man, I gotta tell Izumi about that!"
Morgan recognized that name and averted her sight to Tsubaki, "You would not need to tell her."
Tsubaki gulped as her sight sent shivers through his backbone but he spoke, "Um why not? Unless this is going to be broadcast all over the place."
"It will be broadcast in everyone's PDA to show how we deliver our punishment to our student." Morgan explained with strong distaste.
Kurai smirked, "What punishment? I just need to win, that's all."
Morgan's another forehead vein twitched as her hatred for the troublemaker kept growing, "Ignoring that, but that is not the reason."
Tsubaki asked, "Then why?"
Morgan closed her eyes, "She is no longer the student of the Duel Academy."
Tsubaki gaped as he absorbed this shocking bad news, "Wh…Wh….Wh…" He couldn't say anything. This bad news was too much for him. They were getting along so well. To think that his best friend would be leaving so soon was too painful. He looked at Kurai for an answer to this situation. However, Kurai just stood there unaffected by the news. Tsubaki's eyes widened in shock as the third member of the trio didn't say anything. How could he not care? Tsubaki wanted to punch those words into him.
Morgan walked out of the hut, "Now excuse me. I have to see this student off in an hour from the port." She walked down the bridge above the water.
Tsubaki rushed up to the entrance of the hut and yelled, "But why? Why is she leaving? I thought we're excused from entering the ruin!"
Morgan continued down the bridge, "I don't need to answer that."
Tsubaki glared with fiery anger in his eyes as he punched the wall, "Damn it all!"
Rad showed concern in his eyes and he finally asked, "Professor Tyrell, do you know anything about this?"
Tyrell looked down, "I'm not going to beat around the bush and be frank about it. It was brought up in the meeting."
Tsubaki removed his fist from the wall as he looked at the Professor, pleading for information, "Then you know why?"
Tyrell answered, "The gal had missed the Promotion Exam and not only that, she also missed the Entrance Exam. We let that go at first but this is the second exam she missed. We don't know what her worth as a duelist was and she didn't even bother to show it. We'll have to remove her from the island."
Tsubaki stared in shock and then he looked down with his eyes covered by shadows, "Just for that?"
"Sorry kid, I wish I could do something but my hands are literally tied," Tyrell suggested, "You should go see her off." He also left the hut.
Rad sighed disappointedly, "This really sucks big time. I like Izumi. It's only the half the fun without her around."
Tsubaki's face remained down in sadness then he heard the door opened. He quickly looked up and saw that Kurai was leaving. He asked, "Where are you going?
Kurai replied in a bored tone, "Looking for partners."
That was the final straw. That was it. How could he not care for her? Tsubaki clenched his fist and he roared as he suddenly tried to punch Kurai but Kurai blocked it by grabbing Tsubaki's fist with his hand. Tsubaki's eyes were on fire out of pure anger as he tried to push his fist through Kurai's hand. He snapped, "How can you not care? What the hell is wrong with you? Izumi and I just wanted to be your friends! And yet you are being such a stupid cold hearted stiff bastard like you always were! Izumi skipped her promotion exam because she wanted to help you! Without Izumi, we would never have saved your cold sorry life! AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HER?"
Kurai pushed him so hard that Tsubaki fell on the floor. He glared at the duelist below him, "That was her choice and her fault. Now I'm going to look for partner and it's obviously not going to be one of you." He silently left his room.
Tsubaki groaned as he clenched his fists and he punched the floor roughly, "You're such an asshole….Yuki…"
Rad looked at Tsubaki sadly, "Tsubaki…"
An Obelisk Blue female student with long shining blonde hair was walking down the pathway outside in the bright sun surrounded by natural greenery. She flicked her shining model's hair over her slender body and smiled with her gorgeous lips, "I'm so gorgeous." Then Lisa snapped, "How come I didn't get much scenes! A beautiful attractive young sweet heroine like me should have plenty of scenes!" She narrowed his eyes and gritted her teeth, "It's all that poor city girl's fault! She took away all my scenes and she had the nerve to hang out with other hotties!"
Suddenly the entire scene blackened out and a spotlight appeared right above Lisa. Her face expressed sincere sadness with few tears coming out of her eyes. Sorrowful violin music was playing. She sniffled, "What do I ever do to deserve this cruelty? The poor city girl is the one who's wrong. I'm just a poor sweet innocent woman with an unbelievable hot body."
"Miss Lisa!" A high-pitched voice yelled, making the violin music came to a screech.
Lisa recognized the sound and frowned as her private special moment was interrupted. She smoothed herself and turned around gracefully, "What is it, my loyal aide, Vanessa?"
Vanessa was out of breath as she had run miles to give this information to Lisa. She composed herself and yelled, "Lord Yuki is not going to be expelled!"
Lisa gasped and clasped her hands, "That is wonderful news! Our beloved Lord Kurai Yuki is going to stay with us! I fear that we got off to a bad start and we haven't," She sniffled dramatically, "patched anything up."
Vanessa continued on, "But in order for Lord Yuki to stay, he had to participate in a tag duel tomorrow and win!"
Lisa gasped again, "A tag-duel? Such difficult thing to do but I'm sure our brilliant Lord Yuki will win. Who is this handsome man's partner?"
Vanessa answered, "He gets to choose any student here."
Lisa gasped for the third time and had a dreamy look in her eyes, "You mean, I could be Lord Yuki's partner?" She put her hands around her face and dreamed, "I can imagine it now. Once I fight by Lord Yuki's side and display my amazing powers, he will immediately fell in love with me and then we'll get married and then we'll have children." She sighed happily, "It's such a wonderful life."
"There's more!" Vanessa interrupted Lisa's dream.
Lisa waved at Vanessa, "Oh hurry up and say it, I want to stay in my lovely dream." She said it dreamy.
Vanessa suddenly became all dramatic as she was confessing to the entire world, "Kitamori Izumi is expelled!"
Lisa gasped dramatically with lightning struck the dreamy background. Her jawbone slowly changed into a wide grin and her ruined background was replaced by flowers and festive music was playing. Lisa exclaimed, "That's the best news I heard all day!" She grabbed Vanessa's hands and danced around in circles, "The witch is leaving! Rejoice to the world and handsome duelists! Fate has chosen me!"
Vanessa had a giant sweat droplet as she was dragged around by Lisa, "Um…Lady Lisa…" She tried to get her attention.
Lisa was still dancing, "Not now, Vanessa! Can't you see I'm happy? I want to celebrate!"
Lisa heard a cold voice, "Will you get out of my way?"
Lisa twitched as her happiness was interrupted again, "Do you know who you are speaking to? I won't tolerate your horrible behavior!" She noticed Vanessa who was panicking and gave hand signs to stop talking. Lisa realized what Vanessa was saying and she gulped, "…Lord Yuki is behind me, isn't he?"
Vanessa nodded frantically.
Lisa laughed nervously and turned around to face Kurai's cold glare, "Heh. Heh. Heh. Hi, Lord Yuki, I didn't know you were there. All that stuff I just said, I didn't really mean it."
Kurai scowled, "You're blocking."
Lisa gulped, "Of course! My apology!" She and Vanessa moved out of the way, letting Kurai walked past them. Lisa just remembered the tag duel and rushed up to him, "Lord Yuki! I heard that you're going to have a tag-duel for a chance to stay in this school."
Kurai just ignored her and continued walking on.
Lisa tried again, "I also heard that you need a partner. Well take my advice, you need a powerful partner for a tag-duel and," She flicked her beautiful hair, "I want you to know that I'm available for that position." She winked.
Kurai stopped in his tracks.
Lisa gasped and she looked at Vanessa with glee. She looked back at Kurai, "Could it be that you're willing to accept me?"
Kurai slowly turned around and gave the coldest glare from his amber eyes. He only said one word, "Denied."
Lisa gasped dramatically as her jawbone suddenly dropped and she turned white with dramatic lightning bolts striking everywhere behind her.
Kurai scoffed and then he walked away from the girls.
Lisa just gaped in shock and muttered, "Lord Yuki rejected me. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" She suddenly shrunk in the dark background all the way to the nothingness. But in reality, Lisa just fell unconscious.
Vanessa gasped, "Miss Lisa!" She tried to fan the poor heart-broken blonde girl.
An exotic beautiful voice spoke to the girl with the bob-cut hair, "Hello, Vanessa."
Vanessa slowly turned her head as she recognized the voice, "Headmistress Zenobia."
Meanwhile inside the port at the edge of the island, Izumi was sitting on one chair of many rows of chairs reserved for students who took cruises to go back home during vacations. However Izumi was not going back home for vacation but permanently. She was kicked out because she was a loser. She missed two exams and she only dueled few times. Such acts were unforgivable.
Izumi sighed sadly but she smiled slightly, "It's not really the end of the world. I mean I made so many memories here. And it all started with him…"
She remembered when she first met him.
The maroon-haired girl quickly stood up and brushed off the dust off her skirt. She bowed, "Sorry about that." She faced him directly, "My name is Kitamori Izumi!"
Then she also remembered when she first met Tsubaki.
The boy smiled, "I'm Tsubaki Ryozai!"
Of course, she remembered meeting Alexander.
She noticed Alexander walking up the stadium stairs. She walked up to him, "Hey there, great duel!"
There was also, Radnor, the late newcomer of the group.
Rad smiled as he waved, "Yo! Tsubaki! I came all the way from the dorms to see you!"
Izumi smirked slyly as she joked, "Tsubaki is really popular among guys."
Izumi couldn't help but remember other fond memories she made in this place.
"Can we least talk to each other like friends? You are the first duelist I met!" Izumi exclaimed with a happy smile.
Kurai just stood there, looking annoyed, "…" He slammed the door closed again.
She had so much fun being here with her friends as she continued to remember what she did in the previous few weeks. They met a duelist named Hyun-Ki. They met the annoying duo of Lisa and Vanessa. They met the mysterious duelist, Shadow. They also met the crazy scary man, Domon Yaki, the zealous trainer, Yumi Ikazuchi, and the handsome dancer, Wolx. They also met the cocky former Pro League duelist, Leroy Eagles, and the intelligent duelist, Ethan. She remembered Kurai's first loss against the Dynast and the adventures inside the ruin. She finally remembered her first duel against Shizuka. She closed her eyes as she reminisced what she said before.
"Onee-chan wouldn't want me to give up…" Her violet eyes flashed opened with determination, "I came here to be strong as my sister and I'm not leaving this place until then! Draw!"
She snapped back to reality, "How stupid," She sniffled, "I said I won't leave this place but I really am leaving. Now I'll have to leave all my friends and I would never be strong as my sister." Few tears dropped on her Hane Kuriboh backpack. She quickly covered her eyes with her arms, "No…I shouldn't cry…I'm not supposed to show weakness…" Even though her arms were blocking her eyes, rivers of tears were flowing down her cheeks as she remembered that Headmistress Morgan came to her hut.
Morgan ordered, "Because of your neglecting of your responsibility, you are expelled." She walked away, "We don't need a troublesome weak duelist like you."
Izumi rubbed her eyes roughly, then she slapped her faces, "Stop it Izumi! Stop crying! I won't be weak. I'm not weak." She looked down in depression with no hopes of cheering herself up. She noticed an Osiris Red shoes and she quickly recognized them as Tsubaki. She put on a fake smile, "Hey, Tsubaki, come to see me off?" She looked up and gaped in shock.
"…Hey." Kurai replied.
Izumi just gaped. She never truly expected this. She thought that Yuki wouldn't give a care about her or his friends. For him to come all the way here, it's really a miracle.
"….well? How long are you going to stand there with flies coming in and out of your mouth?" Kurai spoke rudely.
Izumi quickly snapped out of her shock and cleared her throat, "Yuki….I didn't expect you to come here to see me off…"
Kurai crossed his arms and looked away, "I didn't come here to see you off…"
Izumi looked down slightly in depression, "Oh…of course…I should have known that."
Kurai gritted his teeth and asked, "Why?"
Izumi looked up at Kurai in confusion, "What?"
Kurai groaned as he was struggling to say his words. He looked at Izumi's violet eyes with his amber eyes, "Why do you skip your exam and went after me?"
"Oh…that…" Izumi smiled slightly, "Isn't that obvious?"
"….what is?" Kurai wanted to know.
"You're my friend." Izumi closed her eyes and smiled warmly, "That's why."
Kurai just stared at her with slight shock in his expression. He continued speaking, "…even though I'm a cold hearted stiff bastard…you still treated me as a friend?"
"Even if you're hot headed like Tsubaki or just plain weird like Alexander or just insanely positive like Rad, you're still my friend." Izumi spoke with firm determination in her eyes.
Kurai was baffled and scoffed, "You're weird."
Izumi laughed, "Am I always?"
The Osiris Red students heard the doors slid opened and they saw a familiar headmaster.
Izumi spoke her name, "Headmistress Morgan." She knew why she was here.
Kurai narrowed his eyes into a cold glare.
Morgan walked in the port building and saw Kurai, "You? Why I am not surprised? It's not unusual for troublemakers to stick together. Have you already said your byes? Because she's leaving in few minutes." The students heard a boat coming in.
Izumi slowly stood up from her chair, "I had said my byes to him. I'm ready to leave."
Morgan crossed her arms, "Then let's go." She leaded the way.
Izumi took one last look at Kurai, "Bye." The way she said it made it seemed that she would never see him again. She walked forward and slowly followed the Headmistress.
Kurai just stood there and watched her as she went closer toward the exit and about to leave this place forever. Kurai slowly opened his mouth and dared spoke, "Wait."
Izumi stopped and she slowly turned her head toward him, "Yuki?"
Morgan stopped and looked back, "What is it now? She's still leaving."
Kurai's amber eyes shone with determination as he declared, "I haven't said my byes and I'm not planning to. I decided my partner."
Izumi was confused, "Are you talking about the tag-duel?" She already knew about Yuki's challenge from Headmistress Morgan.
Morgan was surprised, "Already? Who then?"
Kurai stared directly at Morgan, "My partner will be…..Kitamori Izumi."
Morgan stared in shock and Izumi's eyes widened. They both yelled at the same time, "HUH?"
Alexander was staring at the calm ocean from the patio of the Duel Academy. He was silently enjoying the sea breeze and the calm sounds of the waves crashing on the beaches.
Rebecca walked into the patio as she noticed him there, "You're not going to say bye to Izumi?"
Alexander just smiled, "Nah."
Rebecca frowned, "How mean of you."
Alexander just chuckled, "Why do I need to say bye when she's going to stay here?"
Rebecca was surprised at Alexander's comment, "Huh?"
Back at the port, the long uncomfortable silence was interrupted by a loud brash male voice, "Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh? Izumi is going to be your partner?"
Izumi looked toward the door and exclaimed happily, "Tsubaki! Rad!"
Tsubaki just stood there with his jawbone dropped.
Rad just waved with a toothy smile, "Yo, Izumi!"
Morgan was stunned and then she stuttered, "But…But…But….wait a minute! Kitamori is not a student anymore!"
Izumi winced at Morgan's loud screams and knew that she was right.
Kurai just stood there, unaffected by the Headmistress's words, "Izumi hadn't left the island, so she's still a legal student. I read the rules at the library."
Tsubaki was surprised and it explained why Kurai didn't visit her until the last moment.
Kurai continued, "Also since the ditz is my legal partner, if we win, then she had to stay too."
Morgan touched her head out of great confusion, "Um…Ah…Wh….I need to talk to the others." She quickly left in great hurries.
Izumi just stared at Kurai with new respect, "Yuki…" Her shocked expression grew into a wide smile. She rushed up to him and hugged him, "ARIGATOU!"
Kurai was stunned as he wasn't used to this foreign action, "Ahh! Get away from me!"
Tsubaki joined in the hug, wrapping arms around Kurai and Izumi, "Yuki, you're the man!" He laughed heartily, happy with the news.
Kurai just groaned, "Just get away from me."
Izumi and Tsubaki just laughed as they were too happy to do what the cold hearted boy wished them to do.
Rad smiled warmly as he enjoyed this happy sight and then he grinned crazily as he pointed out, "So you guys know how to tag-duel, right?"
Izumi and Tsubaki stopped laughing as the truth hit them right on the face.
Kurai had a tiny sweat droplet behind his head since he doesn't really work in tag-duel. He's a loner, that's why.
Izumi had a big sweat droplet because she doesn't have a clue about tag-duel.
Tsubaki had an even bigger sweat droplet because he feared for his friends.
Rad just smiled, "You do know how to tag-duel, right?"
TBC
