Chapter Forty-Two
42
It was a dark and stormy night at North Academy. The thunder rolled. The lightning striked. All of the students gathered for the ceremonial bestowment of the school's new strongest student.
"Students of North Academy!" The school's chancellor demanded the attention of the atendees,"I present to you, our school's new top duelist!" he stated,"And I present to him...North Academy's top dueling cards." An ash haired male stepped from the shadows, dressed now in black and nothing but. He nodded with acceptance as the deck was passed over to him.
"With these cards...you will triumph!" said the Chancellor. "With these cards... ...you...will Chazz it up!"
"Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up!" the gathered students chanted as Chazz Princeton took his stage and held this deck up with pride.
"Duel Academy is FINISHED!" He cried out. and took in the echoing cheers.
"Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up!"
XXXXX
Back at the Duel Field Jaden jazzed himself full of motivation.
"I've got the sweetest monsters, ever!" he cheered,"With you guys on my side, we'll whoop whoever North Academy throws at us!"
"You sure seem fired up." Connar chuckled, stepping quietly into the dueling arena, where just the two of them stood alone.
"Hey, Connie!" Jaden beamed as he leapt of the arena to greet her, "Glad you could make it~ I wanted to talk to you anyway!" he stated.
Oh?" the pinkette blinked with wide baby blues, "About what?"
"About what~?" Jaden laughed, "Come on Connie don't tell me you forgot!" he stated, "You owe me a secret~"
"Huh? A Secret?" Connar blinked and pondered as she tried to think about what he was talking about.
"If you win...I'll tell you all about my summer of lost love~"
She blinked a few times and blushed heavily.
Oh shit...why'd I have to go and say something like that!?
She sighed.
"Seriously?" she questioned, "You're about to be part of the biggest duel of our School...and you're more concerned about my past love life?"
"Come on, Connie~" he poked her cheek, "It's just the two of us and you owe me a story!" he laughed, "Who was your first kiss!?"
She sighed and shook her head and chuckled. A small smile crept onto her lips and she worked her way to his side and lifted herself onto the edge of the arena. Curious, he smiled and joined her there.
"All right~" he beamed, "Story time!"
She laughed softly.
"There's not much of a story to tell, Jaden." she said softly, "Like Norika mentioned before...I had a boyfriend for three years before coming to Duel Academy..." she stated as she leaned back on her hands and looked up, "We broke up last summer...Shortly after I graduated Duel Prep School, and was preparing to Duel Academy." she blinked, "...He was my first kiss, Jaden." she chuckled.
"Woah..." Jaden blinked, "Well yeah...three years of dating it makes sense that he would be." he said, "So what happened? Why did it suddenly not work out?"
Connar's smile softened and her blue eyes narrowed sadly, "To be honest'''it wasn't sudden..." she said softly, "It was long distance...I say were were together for three years...but the thruth is, I only ever saw him during the summers of that time." she stated, "We went to totally different schools, our breaks and hollidays didn't always line up...so the summers were really the best way we could see each other...even a little."
"Oh..." Jaden said softly, "That...kinda stinks."
"Yeah, it did." she smiled, "And then after graduation...we were forced to go our separate anyways..." she stated, "It was hard enough only being able to see eachother during summer, " she said, "Imagine trying to make it work while attending Boarding Schools on completely different sides of the Ocean." she chuckled, though her smile was a broken one...and made Jaden's heart hurt a little.
"I see..." Jaden said softly, "I'm sorry Connie...I didn't mean to bring up painful memories for you..."
"it's okay." she said softly, "To be honest...it's probably better I talk about it...get it out in the open so that it can become real and I can move on from it." she stated, "It's not like there's bad blood or anything..." she blinked, "In fact...we still continued to keep in touch with each other after wards..." she sighed as she pulled out her pink cell phone and sighed, "But that stopped when school started...I guess we bother are just too busy now." she shrugged and slid it back in her pocket.
Jaden was silent for a while...
He had one leg set up and rested on it as though lost in thought.
"...So, tell me Jaden~" Connar slid in with an awkward smile, "Was it worth knowing all my secrets~" she joked.
"I feel like I hardly know any." he said back, "You didn't go into too much detail~"
"Hey!" said Connar, "The deal was I'd tell you about my first kiss~ not give you all the steamy details!" she joked.
"Booooo!" Jaden jeered, "Well fine, if you won't go into the spicy details about your kiss that wasn't me-" he stated, "Then let's talk about the current details...MINE!"
Connar blinked as she came to realize something.
"Jaden..." she blinked, "Was...that your first kiss?"
"Huh?" Jaden blinked, "Well...yeah...kind of." he stated.
"Oh I see..." she said, "I'm so sorry-I didn't mean to steal that from you!" she stated, "I just panicked-You don't have to think anything of it, really-"
"Calm down, Connie~" Jaden laughed, "It wasn't bad! It was just a kiss!" he stated, "I'm not upset that you stole it...I'm upset that I could have done it better..."
"Oh really~?" She giggled and Jaden blushed with a stubborn pout.
"Totally!" he declared, "Want me to show you~?"
"Wait what-?" she blinked.
As Jaden leaned in closer, awaiting her response they were soon interrupted.
"Heeey! Jay!" Syrus called for the attention of his brown haired friend, and along with the smaller Slifer came the taller female Norika joining in the greeting.
"What are you doing here? Everyone's waiting for you!" she huffed and froze as she studied the two Slifers before them in close proximity and curled her lips in a cheshire grin, "Oh sorry~ Were we interrupting something~?"
"Well Actually-"
"N-No!"
the two Slifers spoke at the same time and shifted their glances.
"What do you mean, 'well actually'?" asked Connar.
"What do you mean No!?"
"Auuuugh you two can argue later!" huffed Syrus, "Everyone's waiting for you, Jaden!"
" Huh? For me?" Jaden blinked,"What for?"
"For the Meet and Greet!" Syrus huffed,"North Academy just showed! Your opponent is here!"
"Then what are we waiting around here for!?" Jaden laughed and leapt from his duel stage,"Let's go!"
"What do you think we're here for!?" Norika laughed as she watched the brunette dart ahead.
"Aww, wait up!" Syrus sighed as he tried to keep up.
Norika remained behind, waiting on Connar who, now that she was alone, aside from the red head's presence- Held tightly to her pounding heart in her chest and her heated flush.
"SO...what did I miss~?" Norika said teasingly.
"N-Nothing!" Connar huffed, "Come on-Let's go!" she leapt from the duel field and quickly darted ahead behind the Slifer males...and then there was Norika, watching from behind with a smile.
It's funny...she seems a little different now.
She thought to herself.
Like her heart had finally released a heavy burden...
more...free.
XXXXX
Everyone had gathered at the docks, welcoming the arrival of the rival school.
"Chancellor Foster." Chancellor Shepperd grinned welcoming the fellow chancellor openly,"It's been far too long...How have you been?
"I've been well...ever since I got over the defeat you handed us last year."
"Oh it was a close match." Shepperd chuckled.
"I don't think so." said Foster,"But this year I have a feeling it will be."
"Here's to a spirited duel between our schools!" said Sheppered.
"Yeah, yeah. Spirited!" Jaden beamed as he popped in the middle of the two chancellors,"But enough with 'how you doing' " he grinned,"I wanna meet who I'm dueling~!"
"Yes, Jaden...we were getting to that." Sheppered blinked.
"Great!" beamed the brunette Slifer,"Then I'll just wait right here until we get there!"
"So you're Jaden?" Chancellor Foster chuckled,"Duel Academy's Phenom..."
"Jaden!" Connar huffed as she dove in with a high jump kick to Jaden's side , who let out a huff of surprised pain while Norika roared in laughter,"Don't be so rude!"
"Yeah...definitely more free!" Norika snorted.
"Free?" Syrus blinked, "From what?"
"HaHaHaHa~ nice aim...Connar~"
A Familiar voice sounded in Connar's ears and she let out a soft gasp.
That can't be who I think it is...can it?
"Do us all a favor, and kick him again! A little harder this time!"
No way...
She blinked and swallowed hard, slowly turning her head toward the source of this familiar voice and her eyes opened wide as she took in the image of the familiar face that matched it.
"...Princeton..." she said in a hushed whisper.
"The one and only, Princess~" Chazz smirked,"Did you miss me?"
"Nope! Not at all!" Norika huffed. But Connar couldn't tear her blue eyes away. She didn't know what to say or how to respond. She simply blinked a few times as her cheeks grew redder and she tucked loose strands of pink hair behind her ears and averted her gaze shyly while he smirked.
He looks so...different now...
she thought to herself.
He feels different too...
She always did like the color black on a man. And Chazz's case was no exception. Though...she certainly wasn't gonna tell him that.
"Oh, so now you're shy, huh~?" he teased.
Actually...she's always been kind of shy, hasn't she?
He thought to himself and chuckled softly.
I guess I never fully noticed before because this is the first time I am seeing her with new eyes...
"Awww come on Connie what'd you go and do that for...?" Jaden mumbled. Though Connar was far too distracted by something else.
Or rather...someone else.
"Come on...When do I meet my opponent?" Jaden blinked.
"Right now, Slacker!"
"Huh? who said that?" Jaden blinked.
"It's me."
"WOAH HOLD ON!" Jaden said as he quickly rubbed his eyes,"Am I seeing things or is that Chazz!?"
"Got that right." he scoffed.
"But...why are you here?" Jaden blinked.
"For the duel." stated Chazz,"I'm in it. I'm dueling you."
"Wait...you mean you're North Academy's duel rep!?" Jaden blinked,"Since when did you transfer!?"
"Since I stopped getting the respect I deserved, here!" Chazz huffed.
The intensity between the rivals was electric. It had its own wind, nearly blowing everyone away.
"Eeeek!" Connar squealed as her pink hair suddenly went flying all around her and she covered her face for protection.
"Connar!" Norika called out quickly running to the aide of her smaller friend to help her stay mounted on the ground.
What the hell is going on!?
She though to herself.
It seemed the wind was actually caused by the helicoptors hovering from above.
"Now what!?" Jaden called out over the sound of the humming propellars.
"Hi Chazz~" Jagger sang from above.
"What's going on, little brother~?" asked Slade,"Mind if we drop in?"
"Slade!? Jagger!?" Chazz blinked,"Why are you here!?"
Slade and Jagger!?
Connar blinked.
You mean the men who were trying to take over my father's company!?
"Why else!?" they shrugged,"To celebrate your big dueling victory!"
"I mean...you are going to win...right Chazz!?" said Slade. In the surrounding areas people gathered with video cameras and began filming. They seemed to be some sort of tv crew.
"Uhh...what's going on here?" Foster asked.
"What's going on? I think you mean when are you going on!" said the man who seemed to be the director,"The answer is Prime Time baby! As this school duel is gonna be broadcast world wide!"
"No way!?" Jaden stated,"Me!? On TV!? World Wide!?"
XXXXX
"You set this up, didn't you!?" Chazz huffed. He met with his brothers in the locker room for a private conversation to better understand the situation.
"Well of course we did." said Slade,"We need the world to see that you're on your way to being Duel Monster's best." he stated,"It's all part of the plan."
"Yeah, yeah." Chazz huffed.
It certainly wasn't part of my plan though...!
"Look...World Domination is ours for the taking!" said Jagger,"If we all do our part, Chazz!"
"And we have!" huffed Slade,"Now it's your turn, bro!" he stated, "To conquer the world of Duel Monsters! To be the best!"
"Did you really think you could get away from your duties!?" asked Jagger,"Get away from us? By dropping out of Duel Academy!?"
"I...uh..." Chazz hung his head down as he tried to find the right words to say.
"Don't deny it!" Jagger snapped,"You have always been the slacker of this family!"
"It doesn't matter!" Slade butted in,"The point is, Chazz, you can still turn it around!" he stated,"You can still show that we're supreme!"
"That's right!" Jagger snapped as he slammed a brief case down before Chazz,"The cards in this briefcase are gonna help you do just that." he stated,"They're the most expensive out there, so you have no excuse to lose." he huffed.
"Don't let us down, Chazz!" said Slade,"Don't let the Princeton name, down! It's all on you!" he huffed,"Now go!"
"And win!" said Jagger,"And after you do that..." he smirked and pulled a manilla envelope from his suit jacket and handed it over to Chazz,"You can take care of this too...!"
Blinking in confusion, Chazz accepted the envelope took with trembling hands and looked at the contents inside. His eyes opened wide as he read the information within.
"This is...about Connar...!?" he gasped, and dropped the contents of the folder to the floor with widened eyes of shock and confusion...
To Be Continued...