Chapter Forty-Four
44
"Why didn't my attack go through!?" Chazz huffed as he failed to reduce Jaden's remaining life points.
"Because of my trap, Hero Spirit!" Jaden stated,"When this card is activated, if a hero is destroyed all damage goes to zero! Zip! Ziltch! Nada."
"Hmph...Congratulations you can use a thesaurus." Chazz huffed, "But it will take a lot more than that to take on my Armed Dragon." he stated, "And alot more than any card you have!"
"I gotta get something started!" Jaden huffed as he drew his card. A familar voice soon chirped in his presence,"Ah, hey there Kuriboh!" Jaden grinned,"Maybe you can help get me out of this jam!"
"Why'd you bring him out!?" Chazz asked as Jaden summoned his Winged Kuriboh in defense mode and ended his turn,"What are you planning to dust around here?"
Though, the winged hair ball didn't take too kindly to that remark.
"Aww~ Did I hurt his feelings?"
"It's okay if you did, boss!" Said Ojama as he popped out of nowhere once again,"Those little things give me the creeps..."
"Shut up!" Chazz snipped,"If I want your opinion, I'll tell you! Got that!?"
"I got it boss..." Yellow gulped and hovered back behind his shoulder,"sorry..."
Connar gasped as she saw the yellow orb of light bouncing around Chazz.
No way...is that!?
She blinked and rubbed her eyes.
"It is~" said a familiar husk of a voice from an apparition in the empty seat beside her,"It's a duel spirit~!"
"Kaibaman!?" she squeaked,"What are you doing here!?" She peeked around in a panic trying to make sure nobody else saw.
"...You're the only one who can see me, milady." he stated,"Well...you and...Jaden." he blinked,"And I suppose...now...Chazz too?"
"Really?" Connar blinked as she looked again. Princeton did seem to definitely be reacting to the yellow ball of light that hovered around him.
So...he can see Duel Spirits too...?
"What are you squeaking?" Jaden asked as his furry little friend hopped on his shoulder,"Chazz has got a Duel Spirit!?" Jaden blinked as he looked closer and took notice of the yellow creature in the red speedo,"Hey! I see him!" he stated,"So Chazz...who's your little friend?"
"Huh!?" he blinked,"Uh-It's nothing!" Chazz stated as he swatted around to try and poof it away,"Just a figment of your imagination! Nothing to see here! No duel Spirits at all-HAH!" He finally caught the bugger and clapped him away with a huff,"It's my turn now and your Kuriboh's turn to get blasted!" he huffed as he went on the attack,"I'll leave it at that."
"My turn!" said Jaden,"And I'll activate pot of greed!"
And with that draw came Jaden's chance to turn things around. With a spell card effect, Chazz's Ultimate beast was off the field at last, and he was alone on it, and open to Wild Heart's direct attack. While he still remained in the lead, he still took the hit for some major damage.
"What does Chazz think he's doing!?" Slade huffed,"We've given him the best cards in the world, and he's not using them!"
"It's...my turn!" Chazz huffed.
But the pressure was weighing him down.
"You've got to be duel monster's best!"
"I'M TRYING!" Chazz huffed as he shot glares to his brothers in the crowd.
"Huh? Trying what?" Jaden blinked.
Princeton...!
Connar winced and clutched her hands together as her glances followed Chazz's.
His brothers...
she thought to herself and sighed.
Repeating the same action as he noticed his pink haired friend do from the crowd he also saw where those onyx eyes rested.
His brothers!
Jaden thought to himself.
That must be why Chazz was flipping out...because of all of the pressure his brothers were putting on him!
he sighed.
Poor guy...he should realize that the only thing worth dueling for...is fun!
"Those guys said they were Chazz's brothers, right?" Norika muttered.
"That's right..." said Connar in response to her friend, "...They are."
"Well..."Norika blinked, "They're really ass holes."
"You don't know the half of it..." said Connar.
Norika blinked.
"Say...do you know them on a more personal level, COnnar?" she asked, but the pinkette didn't respond. Syrus stood and called out to his friend.
"Jaden!" Syrus called out.
"You can do it, Princeton!" Connar chimed in, rising to her feet, her cheer was so loud, that it echoed even in the crowd, and startled Chazz back into reality as he glanced back at the pink haired girl in the crowd.
"Connar..." he said her name softly.
"Huh!?" Jaden blinked as he listened.
"Connar! Aren't you supposed to be cheering for Jaden!?" said Norika, "He's OUR rep!"
But Connar paid her no mind.
"FIght, Princeton!" she cried, "And Win!"
Jaden's eyes widened as he listed to the girl's cries to the black haired male, who watched her with wide onyx eyes.
So That's it...
Jaden thought to himself...
Connar's telling Chazz to fight and win...against himself. And not the one standing here.
He blinked.
She's talking to the one that's drowning inside!
I've gotta win this duel now! To help Connar show Chazz what dueling is really about!
Jaden attacked Chazz's armed dragon that he had previously returned, to which Chazz countered with a trap of his own.
"It's called The Grave if Enkindling!" said Chazz,"Since a monster was destroyed in battle, it lets us both summon a monster from the grave in defense mode!"
To which Chazz chose another armed dragon of the 5th level. Jaden chose a card called Hero Kid, whose special ability helped him bring out two more from his deck.
"So you think by playing three monsters, I will have to discard 3 cards to destroy them, right?" Chazz scoffed,"You wish! I don't have to discard 3! I just need to play one!" he smirked,"I activate the spell card level up!"
And with the activation of this spell card...
Guess who was back on the field once again.
"HaHaHaHa~" Chazz laughed, feeling triumphant for the first time,"I've been waiting a long time to tell you this Jaden...so I hope you're listening!" Chazz smirked,"I got my game on~ and now...I'm about to turn yours off!"
The North Academy crowd didn't hold back a single cheer.
With that...Chazz can destroy all of Jaden's monsters once again!
Connar gasped as the duel played out, and Armed Dragon's ability ridded the field of Jaden's Hero Kids.
His life points now were down to 300. And Chazz was on top of the world.
"Tell you what, Jaden!" he smirked,"If you surrender now, I promise not to humiliate you on global tv!" he blinked,"Oh wait-Oops~" he smirked,"I already did!"
"Don't give up Jaden!" The Duel Academy supporters called out.
"Who's giving up!?" Jaden laughed,"I'm having way too much fun to give up...win or lose!" he grinned,"Because if you're having fun, you win every time!"
"Gag me." Chazz scoffed
"But it's true!" said Jaden."If I can stand here and have fun, losing...shouldn't you be able to have fun winning?" he chuckled,"It's not that hard you know...despite what your brothers may want you to believe.
"What do you know about my brothers!?" Chazz snapped.
"Well for starters..." Jaden blinked,"I know they're the ones you're dueling for." he said,"And the ones putting all that pressure on you too..."
Chazz let out a low growl.
"Come on, Chazz~" Jaden chuckled,"Don't you remember when you dueled for the fun of it?"
Chazz took a moment in silence. He closed his eyes and the flashes of his time with Connar back in Duel prep school played into his memories.
"Boo! I lost again~!" Connar pouted playfully.
"So get better!" Chazz laughed.
"Is it just me, Connar? Or are you doing worse, lately?" asked Norika.
"I'd like to see either of you do better under the strict teachings of one of the best duelists ever!" Connar huffed, "I'm tired, okay!?" she pouted.
"I'd still like to know who this supposedly strong duelist who you say your dad IS!" Norika stated.
"You mean you still don't know?" Chazz blinked, "Look at that~ I know something you don't~ Doesn't that just suck!?" he laughed.
Norika pouted.
Oh yeah!? I'll show you what sucks!" she huffed, and swiped his deck, darting down the hall.
"Hey!" Chazz huffed, "You give that back you scrub!"
I remember...
He thought to himself.
When she challenged me... again and again...
Getting better each time.
He blinked.
When I teased her...
And when they used to smile and laugh with her...Even with Norika hanging around when I didn't want her.
...
"...I only play to win."
"Welp." Jaden shrugged,"Let's see where that gets ya~!" he said as he drew and activated his spell card The Warrior returning it, he brought back Avian which he then fused with Burstinatrix, bringing back the Jaden Yuki Classic: Flamed Wingman.
"So what!?" Chazz huffed,"He doesn't stand a chance against my monster." he said,"My Dragon has 2800 attack points! You're out matched."
"Not for long~" Jaden smirked," Because I am inviting my hero kids to come out and play~" he grinned,"With his points!"
"What!?" Chazz snapped.
"I play Mericle Kids!" he claimed,"And here's how it works, for every Hero Kid I have in my grave, your dragon loses 400 attack points," he stated,"And since I have 3, that means your monster loses 1200 points!"
This move brought the beast down to an attack of 1600, which was just enough under Wingman's attack for Jaden to take the win.
"Quick cut the transmitions!" the film crew demanded,"Cut it now!"
"Noooooo!" Chazz huffed as he fell to his knees in defeat and the Academy crowd cheered. It was a celebration worthy match, but there's no way his brothers would stand for that...
"You loser!"
"You Dog!"
They each spat out insult after insult as they approached their youngest brother who now groveled on the floor in bitter defeat.
"You've disgraced yourself!" Slade huffed,"You've disgraced the Princeton name!"
"...You are no brother of ours, anymore." said Jagger.
"Please...just give me another chance..."
"Another chance!?" Jagger huffed,"Do you know how much we spent on this duel!?"
"The Cameras!? The rare cards!?" Slade huffed,"None of which you used, by the way!"
"I'm...sorry..." Chazz said softly,"I thought I could win on my own..."
"On your own!?" Jagger huffed as he gripped his younger brother by the scruff of his shirt and lifted him off the ground.
"Since when could you do anything by yourself, Chazz!?" said Slade.
A white headband came flying out of no where making contact with an audible smack against Jagger'sshoulder, to which he winced from its sting and glanced at the direction it flew from, being met with a pink haired girl who ran fearlessly ready to jump in.
"Put him down!"Connar's voice spoke out in a low fierce tone. from "Connar!?" Norika gasped, shocked by this bold move from the normally so timid girl.
Maybe Chazz wasn't the only one who's been going through changes...
she tought to herself. She had never seen such a fierce look in the pinkette's pure blue eyes.
And even Chazz was shaken by the bravery she showed to even dare hit Jagger with anything at all.
"Why you pink haired brat-"
"Connar, stay back!" Chazz cried out, and Jaden stopped her with his arm to keep her back behind him.
" You heard the girl." said Jaden, "Let him go!" he demanded this quite boldly himself, with clear defensive anger in his tone,"Yeah he lost." he stated,"How can he not though, with you jerks breathing down his neck!?"
"Jerks...?" Jagger growled,"Do you have any idea who we are!?" he huffed,"We could have you crushed."
"Try it." Connar snipped and the group that gathered all gasped at her sudden bold demand, "No really..." she said as her eyes became a few shades darker,"I dare you."
"Connar!" Norika hissed as she pulled her friend back nearer to Zane and Alexis who all joined in on the intervention along with Bastion and Jaden's friends and room mates. It was clear to the taller female now, that Connar was not acting as herself so she felt the need to hold her in place, for fear she might actually come at the Princeton Brothers swinging.
Connar!?
Chazz gasped. He had never seen this type of shift in her personality ever in their time together.
Just what happened to her while I was gone...!?
"Oh, don't you worry, little girl." Jagger hissed,"Yours is coming~" he shot a notifying glare at Chazz who gulped and clenched his teeth.
"Why defend Chazz anyway!?" asked Slade,"He's a nobody! Disowned by us and by the whole world!" he scoffed,"I mean...the cameras caught enough of it! " he stated,"He got schooled and mopped up!"
"That's right!" said Jagger as his grip tightened,"Worst of all...he got beat!"
"I will ALWAYS stand beside him!" Connar declared, and the rest of the group gasped as she stepped forward.
"Because he's my friend."
Chazz widened his eyes and slowly turned toward the girl who stood bravely before the two men who towered over her.
Connar...
He blinked.
"Oh, is that what you think?" Jagger smirked.
"Who knows?" said Connar,"Maybe...he's not." she shrugged,"But I am his." she looked up, giving him a warm smile,"...And I always have been."
Chazz blinked.
"...Connar..." he whispered her name softly and returned a smaller, softer smile.
I know that now...
It just took me so long to see it...
When I should have seen it all along.
"Connar's right." said Jaden as he smiled at her while placing a supportive hand on her shoulder,"And you're wrong." he hissed at them,"You see...there's one fight he did win." he stated,"The fight against you." he glared,"It's true...he didn't win the duel...but he fought it on his own terms! He used his cards...not what your money could buy!"
Connar smiled and nodded in agreement.
With no words left to say the Older brothers huffed in a grunt and tossed Chazz back to his feet.
"That was a tight duel, Chazz." said Jaden,"And call me cheesy...but the truth of the matter is, we both won here."
"You're just saying that!" Chazz huffed holding his clenched fists to his sides, as he hung his head down,"I mean...it's not like anyone else believes that..."
With a warming hum, Connar smiled and took his fist gently and held it up in both her hands.
"...I do, Princeton..."
"Huh!?" Chazz blinked, darting his head around as he met with her flushed cheeked gaze.
"We do too!" said the crowd, and soon, all stood, Duel Academy and North Academy alike, chanting,"Chazz it up! Chazz it up! Chazz it up!"
"Grrh...I don't have time for this garbage!" Slade huffed over the roaring crowd taking his leave with his brother. Chazz looked down and saw Connar's deadly weapon on the ground and chuckled, picking it up gently and slipping it into his Jacket for safe keeping.
To Be Continued