Chapter Forty-Three
43
"Man, if I knew I was gonna be on tv...I would have done myself up pretty!" Jaden joked as he ran through the halls in a rush to get ready before the school duel show down between him and Chazz Princeton.
"Man up, Chazz!"
"Huh!?" Jaden was stopped by the sudden desperate cry of a familiar voice and searched around for its source.
"Man...Up!"
Chazz...?
Jaden blinked as he hid around the corner of the hall wash room, witnessing the heart breaking scene of a Chazz Princeton melt down. Watching as he pounded against the mirror and trembled.
"Come on...!" Chazz said out loud to himself as he lowered to the floor,"Show them that Chazz princeton is no Slacker...!" he said in heated breaths,"That you're worthy of the Princeton name...!" he panted,"That you...that you can win...!" he huffed,"And you can keep winning! Over and over! That you're the best...!" he started speaking between sobs,"You've got to do your part, Chazz..." he whimpered,"You've got to show them that you're supreme...! It's your duty! It's the plan!"
Jaden remained hidden in the shadows as he listened in and witnessed this scene. Now having found a new understanding to Chazz Princeton and the pressure he was under.
I see...I wonder if Connar knows about this...
He thought to himself.
If so...then it makes sense now that she will defend him to the end...
He narrowed his eyes and silently snuck away before he was caught.
"Now go and win Chazz..." Chazz said to himself between breaths,"Go and win! Go and win! Go and win!"
A sudden smack hit the floor and he panicked, startled by this sound as he looked down to find the documents on Connar that Jagger handed over to him. His eyes narrowed as he picked it up into his trembling hands.
And Connar...
He thought to himself.
I don't know how they got this information...
But it could ruin her.
He sighed.
No matter what circumstances...Connar has always been on my side.
He thought to himself.
That is...until I gave her a reason not to be...
He sighed again.
She doesn't deserve this...!
...But That's what they want me to do...
His hands trembled and gripped tightly to the folder. He gritted his teeth while Crumbling it and all of its hidden contents as he channeled his frustration and tried to keep it under his control. He sniffed and rubbed his eyes.
I don't have time for this...!
He huffed as he placed the folder in the folds of his black jacket.
First...I need to destroy Jaden.
He thought to himself as he rose to his feet.
Then...I need to find a way to destroy this evidence...!
XXXXX
The crowd was going wild with excitement as the directors pumped them full of pep.
"Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up!"
North Academy was riled up and ready.
"All right Jaden! Here we go!" said Syrus,"It's the big match against your big rival!" he nudged,"How do you feel?"
"...I'm okay." Jaden said softly. His heart didn't seem quite in to this.
"Okay!?" Syrus blinked,"
"Don't you mean sweet!? Or something?" Chumley asked. Even he seemed bothered by Jaden's lack of spirit.
"No, I feel good, it's just..." Jaden sighed, and Connar glanced over curious as to where his earlier pep had gone,"I overheard Chazz in the bathroom." he said,"It's just too bad that one of us has to lose...that's all." he sighed and glanced over at the silent Connar who also seemed to have her mind a bit somewhere else.
"Connar..." he called for her and she blinked and gave him her attention.
"What is it?" she asked.
"...I owe you an apology." said Jaden.
This only confused the pink haired girl.
"Why?" she blinked,"What for."
"I think I understand better now why you're so quick to defend him." said Jaden.
"Huh?"
"See...I'm starting to understand where Chazz is coming from and..." he sighed,"It's not exactly an easy place."
Connar blinked.
He...understands?
She repeated to herself questioningly and narrowed her eyes.
I see...then perhaps maybe...me too...
Norika blinked in confusion at the silent conversation these two seemed to be having.
"Understand?" Norika blinked, "Not from an easy place?" she questioned, "Isn't he rich? And snobbish?" she folded her arms, "How does it get hard in a life like that?" she asked.
"Because." Connar said harshly with a clenched fist, "That kind of life...is more ciomplicated than the surface portrays." she said, and clicked off in her red heeled boots.
XXXXX
The crowd roared as the two Chancellor's joined together to start the event.
"All right now, students!" Chancellor Sheppard began,"Welcome to the School duel!"
"And now..."said Foster.
"Let this year's competition finally begin!"
"And now I~ shall introduce the two duelists with pleasure~" said , "After all these are two duelists that I know personally. " He stated,"And personally I just adore them~" he chuckled,"Now first...from Duel Academy...JADEN YUKI!"
The Audience of Duel Academy roared.
"Go Jay!" cheered Syrus,"You can do it!"
"And~ For his opponent-"
"Get off the stage!" Chazz snipped in,"I'll introduce myself, you scrub!"
"I BEG YOUR PARDON!?" huffed out a temper tantrum unappealed by such disrespect, however The mic proved to be more of a challengefor him as he wrapped himself up in a twisted mess off the stage.
"Hahaha...scrub." Norika chuckled, "ALl right CHazz, I'll give you that...that was pretty funny.
Chazz took to the center after swiping the mic and spoke.
"It's Chazz Princeton's turn now!" he huffed,"Though I don't really need an introduction since everyone here already knows who I am!"
Princeton...
Connar watched as she felt the pain constrict within her heart.
After all it was true.
"However this time around...Chazz has changed!"
It's true.
Connar thought to herself.
He really has...even I can see that...
"That's right...I'm not the same as I once was, and now-I'm here to-"
"Chazz it up!" The North Academy crowed cheered.
"That's right! One more time!"
"Chazz it up!"
"Wow..." Syrus blinked,"It's like they really...like Chazz."
"Yeah..." Norika let out a long whistle, "Imagine that? Chazz...actually popular."
And I'm glad to see it...
Connar thought to herself and smiled.
"Show No mercy!"
"Go time." said Chazz as he readied his duel disk for action,"Show me what you got Jaden!"
"With Pleasure!" Jaden steadied as he activated his own.
"No...the pleasure will be all mine." Chazz smirked,"Because you're going down!"
"DUEL!"
"I'll go ahead and take the first move!" said Chazz as he drew,"And bring out a monster with some bite!"
He summoned forth Masked Dragon and Connar blinked in surprise.
"Dragons, huh?" Norika blinked, "That's new." she stated, "With a new deck comes a New Chazz too I guess...Let's see what he's got to show."
Jaden countered with Burstinatrix and soon regretted it.
Bad move...
Connar thought to herself. After all...she was all too familiar with dragon types. For more reasons than one.
"Thanks for taking the bait!" said Chazz,"Thanks to Masked Dragon's ability I can summon out a dragon type with 1500 points or less, and I know exactly which one will work!" he smirked,"Come on out, Armed Dragon Level 3!"
"Level!?" Jaden gulped.
"Yeah...and 3 is the lowest." said Alexis,"If Chazz plays this right, that dragon will get a lot bigger."
"What I wonder is..."Bastion blinked,"How on earth did Chazz get such a powerful card."
"But isn't that one of your school's top cards!?" Sheppard asked Foster who replied with a smirk.
"I did what I had to...I want the prize this year, and I'll make sure I get it!"
"HaHa, sweet card, Chazz!" Jaden beamed,"I can't wait to see what that Armed Dragon can do!"
"No worried there." Chazz smirked,"You'll get a front row seat!"
"Well, until then, I'll lay a face down and end my turn."
"Great." said Chazz,"Now I can start ending you!"
And right he is...
Connar thought to herself, as Chazz continued on with the effect of Armed Dragon. Watching as he leveled up to 5 Jaden's trap couldn't even protect him, thanks to Level 5's ability. Within an instant, since automatically destroying Burstinatrix was just its ability once he discarded Flying karmikiri from his hand, with its direct attack, Jaden was already down to less than half.
"Now, with one card face down I'll end my turn."
"He's finally acting like a Princeton." Slade smirked as he watched from the crowd alongside his brother.
"That's true." said Jagger,"I just hope he doesn't win too fast!"
"Huh?"
"Hey~" Jagger shrugged,"The longer he thrashes this kid, the more we make in commercial revenues." he smirked,"And next we can deal with Kaiba too~!" They exchanged grins and laughed with their smug confidence."
"My go!" said Jaden,"And now you're in trouble!" he grinned as he played Bubbleman, whose effect allowed him to draw two cards when he was summoned alone. This gave Jaden the tools he needed to summon the fusion Elemental Hero Tempest. And while the beast did over power his, it didn't prove much help other than a small life point drop, as Chazz's Call Of The Haunted brought them right back to square one.
"Well...I guess All I can do now is throw down a face down and hope for the best!"
"Whatever!" huffed Chazz,"It's time for me to wipe this Low rent Duel Academy's floor with you, Jaden!" he scoffed as he activated his undead monster's effect once again.
"This could win it for him...!" said Norika.
Connar gasped and rose from her seat. She wanted to cheer, but she had to keep quiet...after all, if she didn't, it would be a betrayal to her own school. But she couldn't help but feel proud, as she sensed pieces of the Princeton she knew, coming into play on the field. The one who got her excited to duel, and whom she admired as a duelist.
"Activate Difusion!" said Jaden.
"Wow talk about a close call!" Syrus sighed in heavy relief.
"Tell me about it." said Chumley,"He was barely able to save his monsters!"
"Whatever, I still have his attack!" stated Chazz as he used his dragon's blast to blow Jaden's Spark man out of existance,"And now it's time to kick this duel into the highest level!" he smirked.
"Say what!?" Jaden blinked.
No way...
Connar thought to herself.
You mean...!?
"Now join me Jaden~ in welcoming to the field, Armed Dragon Level 7!" the crowd went wild as he released this powerful beast.
Jagger was put in shock as he watched
"What's wrong?" asked Slade.
"That monster..." said Jagger,"That wasn't in the brief case I gave him!"
"Say what!?" Even Slade was surprised.
"So Jaden...anything left to say!?" said Chazz with a satisfied grin.
"You bet!" Jaden beamed,"I gotta get me one of those!" he laughed,"Trade for him!?"
"What!?" Chazz blinked,"Hell no, I won't trade for him! What's wrong with you!?"
"There goes Jaden again..." Norika snickered.
Connar blinked and gave a light hearted chuckle.
Chazz huffed.
"You should be scared of him! Not admiring him!"
"But why not!?" Jaden laughed,"He's an incredible beast, and this has been an incredible duel!"
Connar couldn't help but giggle as she watched Jaden hop around like an excited child. But his excitement was short lived. As upon his turn, Chazz activated his dragon's ability to allow him to wipe away the rest of what Jaden had on the field defending him.
It was looking grim for him as it shocked the Duel Academy crowd when North Academy cheers rose to an uproar as it looked like the final attack of the match.
"It's time for you..." said Chazz,"To go bye bye!"
To Be Continued