Under the Wing of Destiny: Part II Chapter 1, a yu-gi-oh gx fanfic

It took me a while to come up with a way to celebrate 2,000,000 words written since I first started writing the fantasy world where most of my stories take place. I could have done what my friend Yung Warrior suggested and write an appendix, The World of Termnnia! Or I could have done The 1001 Tales of House Rosenkruz. But that would have just added another pile of stress into this prison of insanity that I have created for myself during this pandemic. During these tough times, I started re-watching Yu-Gi-Oh GX and found a newfound appreciation for a certain character.

So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you...

Aster Phoenix Month! And let's face it. This guy needs a little more of the spotlight. And I need another hero to root for. As much as I love Jaden Yuki, he gets under my skin sometimes. If I hear 'Get Your Game On!' or 'Throw Down a Face-down, again. I'm going to personally throw my pc in the pond in front of my house. Yeah, there's always the Sub, but I've been too lazy and too glum to want to bother looking for it. Anyways, it took a long time for me to get to this milestone and I just want to thank some friends of mine for...

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

My door slowly opens and Aster sticks his head through the crack, glaring at me with his obnoxious blue eyes.

"Hey, dipshit. Don't start, will you? No speeches! This isn't the damn Oscars."

"Uh...Okay..."

"Hey! Do you want to know what you and the Oscars have in common?"

"Sure..."

"No one cares! No one gives a damn who's ass you've had to kiss to get here. Can we just get on with the show here? Make your little speech, pat yourself on the back for writing more words than there are in the bible, and let's get going!"

"What the hell's your rush, Aster? We've got a whole month to kiss your ass. I could have done Syrus Month or Jaden Month. But I chose you. The least you can do is be thankful."

"Thankful. Yes, we get it. But we don't need a long essay on how and why. This is fanfiction. Not Days of Our Lives. Get a move on it, will you?"

He sticks his head back into the darkness and shuts the door.

"Pfft. Well, can't argue with him. Aster Phoenix Month, everyone. All Aster all month every weekend. Fri-Sat! Enjoy. Be healthy and be safe, everyone. See ya."

Under the Wing of Destiny: Volume II

A million things rushed through Alexis's mind when she saw Zane sitting at the kitchen table.

How? Why? When did he get here? Where has he been?

She rushed toward him and hugged him for what felt like an eternity. From where he was standing, Aster could see a tear or two rolling down Zane's eye. He quickly wiped it away with the tip of his finger and rubbed his hand up and down Alexis's back. She backed away and blinked rapidly to dry her own tears. She then smiled and hugged him one last time before sitting him down and offering him any refreshments, to which he politely declined.

Alexis bent down to pick up her dog and sat down next to Aster on the opposite side of the table. "I can't believe it's you," Alexis said after listening to Zane's story of how he traveled the world teaching young duelists about the Cyber Style deck and helping Syrus with his own league.

"It's been a while, yes," Zane said. "But then again, you're a hard girl to reach. I asked all your friends if they knew anything about you and they didn't know a thing. That really started to worry me. Thankfully, Jasmine and Mindy added me to their contacts when we attended a banquet a few years ago. When they told me they ran into you last night, I just had to fly over here and find you."

"You didn't have to do that, Zane."

"But I did. That's how much you mean to me. Where've you been all these years?"

"I've been in the shit," Alexis replied.

"You must have been," said Zane. "I don't recall foul words coming from Alexis Rhodes's mouth before. Which begs the question. Why didn't you reach out to anyone?"

Alexis placed her elbow on the edge of the table and rested her cheek on her palm. She blinked for a moment, trying to keep her emotions in check. "What can I tell you, Zane? I became a laughing stock. I was humiliated. I couldn't show my face anymore."

"Do you think that would have mattered to us, Alexis? You know we could have helped you."

"I know, I know, but I was so embarrassed. And everyone was doing so well. Chumley is the head of the art department in Industrial Illusions. Jasmine and Mindy married wealthy dueling tycoons, Syrus opened his dueling league, and Aster is fighting in the legendary Paradise City Colosseum. And there I was just snaking my way through life. ME! The one everyone hoped would grow to be a grand success. But I wasn't. I just had way too much pride to suck up, Zane. I didn't want everyone I knew and loved to see me in such a state."

"There's a reason why pride is one of the seven deadly sins," said Zane.

"I can agree on that," said Aster.

"And I can't thank you enough for helping her, Aster."

"I wish I did a better job." He held her hand tightly under the table. "Because of me, Alexis has got a hit on her."

"A hit?" Zane asked.

"My former employer," said Alexis. "He was the general manager and owner of a small-time dueling league. He put out a reward of fifty grand to the duelist who beats me in a duel and takes my deck."

"Why would he do that?" Zane asked.

"To hold some sort of leverage over me," Alexis replied as she leaned back on her chair. "If he has my deck, he'll hold it for ransom. Most likely my name being on his roster is the payment needed to get my cards back. I can't afford to lose my cards, Zane."

Alexis looked at him and giggled. "Do you how hard it is to find a Prismatic Rare Cyber Angel Vrash? A Ghost Rare Drytron Meteonis Draconids, and a Starlight Rare Cyber Angel Izana? I've got a lot more in there, too. Add those rarities up and you're looking at a $12,000 deck."

Zane chuckled softly. "Well, given who you're living with now, don't you think you can afford to get cards like that very easily?"

"Nope," said Alexis. "Some of the cards I have in their specific rarities aren't in print anymore. They were out for a short time. And do you know how hard it is to find a Ghost Rare?"

"I understand." Zane opened up his blazer and dug into the pocket inside. He held out a Ghost Rare Cyber End Dragon with alternative art. It was a special card given to him by Maximillion Pegasus himself when he and Syrus started their own promotion.

"I rest my case," said Alexis. "Not only that but I've bonded with my cards. They're like...they're like a part of me. I can't lose them."

"You won't," said Zane. "Only a real low-life is going to accept hunting for that bounty on you. And they don't have good decks."

"You can say that again," said Aster. "Man, you're not going to believe how many losers I've dueled who think that just because they have a custom paint job on their Duel Disk it means they're good."

"Same," said Zane. "I've been hit before."

"I feel sorry for anyone who went looking for you," Alexis said with a shake of her head. "So, Zane, are you going to be here for a while?"

"Might as well. Aster tells me you two partnered up for the tag team tournament soon. What's it called again...The Dueling Frontier?"

Aster gave a nod the held Alexis's hand even tighter. "It's gonna be a good place for Alexis to hone her skills and show the world she's not the joke that jackass made her out to be."

"So what's the whole premise of this tournament?" Zane wondered.

"Duelist Kingdom but for tag teams," Alexis replied. "Me, Aster, and a dozen other pairs are going to be shipped away to an island far, far, away and Duel in a giant battle royale, but instead of Star Chips, we play for these weird coins." Alexis got up from the table to go to her room. She came back with a gold coin in hand with a big D on the center. The coin flashed in all the colors of the rainbow, much like the holofoil of an ultra-rare card.

"Ah," Zane said taking the coin to examine it. "You got yours already, huh?"

"Yup. Apparently, if we collect enough, we can enter some special arena at the center of the island and face off against the tag team champions."

"Interesting," Zane said. "And let me guess. If you lose all your coins, you are kicked out of the tournament."

"Pretty much," Aster said. "But Alexis and I are going to win those games no sweat. With my intellect and her cunning, I think we're a shoe-in for the title."

Zane smiled at him. "Well, glad to see your overconfidence hasn't worn off after all these years, Aster. And there's a reward of a Colosseum contract with your name on it, right, Alexis?"

"Yes," said Alexis.

"Well, you've earned this title," said Zane. "I read a lot of articles about you and your performance has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. And it's safe to say that I'll no longer have fears of losing you ever again."

"I won't do that anymore, I promise. I've gotten in touch with everyone. Chumley works here. Jasmine and Mindy are on vacation after attending the Song from the Divines premier. I'm going to see a lot of Chazz since he works at the Colosseum, too. It's almost one big happy reunion. I just wish we could get a hold of everyone else. Have you heard from anyone, Zane?"

"I haven't. Except for Chumley, Jasmine, and Mindy, I haven't kept in contact with anyone. I ran into Hassleberry a while ago. You're going to run into him in the frontier. He was boasting about a very strong partner."

"What about Jaden?" Aster asked before Alexis could.

Zane went quiet and drummed his fingers on the table. He looked out the window at the cityscape. "God only knows where that kid has run off to. He could have made a career with skills like his. But he thought it best to help people duel instead. He's never in the same place twice. A nomad pretty much."

"How has he been surviving all these years?" Alexis wondered. "Where does he go to sleep?"

Aster laughed. "I wouldn't worry, babe. If he was able to find the Slifer Red dorm and its food luxurious, I'm sure he's making do with whatever he's got."

"That is true," said Zane. "Nothing ever dampens that kid's spirits."

"Tell me about it," said Alexis. "If someone ever put on bounty on his head, I'm more than sure he'd be overjoyed."

"Yup," said Aster. "It just means more challenges for him. More duels."

"Then I guess I'm just going to have to be the same way," said Alexis. "After everything I've been through, I'm ready for them."

"You sure about that?" Aster asked.

"Oh, yeah! The way I'm feeling right now, no bounty hunter would dare mess with me. If Wade wants my deck, he's going to have to pry it from my cold, dead, fingers."

Zane grinned. "That sure sounds like the Alexis I used to know. I'm glad you were able to find your love of dueling again. I'll be rooting for you two at the tournament."

"Thanks, Zane," said Alexis. "And thanks for coming to check up on me. I'm sorry I've been a burden."

"Nonsense," said Zane. "Just so you know, Lex. you've got powerful friends. There are more people with you than you know."

"Thanks, Zane. So...now that you're here, do you want to see how well I've gotten at Duel Monsters."

Zane chuckled. "So, you think you can take me on now, Alexis? That's fine, I accept your challenge. But let's make things interesting. Let's go to the store and buy a bunch of battle packs to build a random deck from them. If I think you're worthy, we can Duel again next time but with our actual decks."

"Okay, I actually like that idea. Besides, Aster and I need to get supplies for the tournament."

"Supplies?"

"Dueling Frontier?" Aster said. "We're going to be out in the wilderness. And then thing is, you can get challenged at any time, even at night. We've got to get three weeks' worth of gear to be out there on that island."

Alexis rolled her eyes. "Man, remember when Duel Monsters was just playing cards at school with your buddies? Ugh, this twist is a little too much."

"Remember who's sponsoring the event," said Aster. "Seto Kaiba himself." He lowered his voice to sound like him. "Not only will this tournament test your dueling abilities, but it will test your strength and stamina as well. If you can't take wandering the wilderness of Duel Island, you don't belong here."

"Good ol' Seto," said Zane. "Sounds like fun though." He rubbed his hand over his chest. "If it weren't for my heart condition, I'd definitely have a go at it. Man, I'm only in my twenties and I feel like an old man."

Alexis reached across the table and patted his hand. "Don't worry, Zane. You've still got us here in Paradise City to play you. And I can't wait to duel your actual deck. I heard the Cyber Dragons were given some new support. You know, I've got something of a cybernetic dragon myself in the Drytrons. I'm sure they'll be more than a match for your Cyber Dragons."

"We'll just see about that," said Zane. "Well, all this talk about dueling sure has me pumped. Let's go get our battle packs, shall we?"

Since the tower Aster lived in wasn't too far from the stores in town, the trip to the shopping center wasn't a long one. They found the aisle with all the Duel Monsters merchandise, which was right at the entrance. There were giant Duel Monster plushies from the limited edition Black Tyranno promoting the Song from the Divines movie, to Blue-Eyes White Dragons, and even a giant Winged-Kuriboh, which Alexis begged Aster to buy. After batting her eyelashes at him and clinging to his arm whining like a puppy, Aster succumbed and bought her the giant plush monster, which needed to be carried around in a cart of its own. Zane walked to the shelf with the battle packs, booster packs containing cards so players could make duel-ready decks out of whatever they could find in their packs. There was a certain radiance coming from him as he stood there with a big grin on his face, scooping up box after box.

It warmed Alexis's heart to see him that way. He looked...he looked like the Zane she used to know. For a moment, Alexis was brought back to the island where she met the people who she would hold dear. She could already feel the hot sunlight beaming down from the sky as she walked to class. She could smell the hallways, the rooms, the jungle. And for a moment, she saw her friends. Jasmine, Mindy, Zane, Aster walking by his lonesome down the halls. And, of course, Jaden, always smiling when he saw Alexis coming.

"You going to buy something or what?" Aster asked. His voice brought her back to the present. In an instant, the sights and sounds of the past faded and she found herself under the dull blue-white lights of the superstore with a wall of booster boxes in front of her.

"Yeah, yeah, of course. My, my, someone's pushy today."

Aster approached her from behind and wrapped his arms around her neck. He kissed her neck and nuzzled her hair. "Well, can you blame me for getting a little cranky? After last night I was hoping to have you all to myself today."

Alexis looked over her shoulder at him. "Oh, is that right?"

Aster responded by kissing her neck three more times. "Yeah, you better believe it. Any other person I would have thrown the door at. But since this is Zane I guess I can make an exception." He suddenly let go of her and took a step back. Just like that her soft touch was replaced with a sharp feeling like he was hugging a cactus or something.

Alexis noticed his sudden jolt and turned around to look at him. "Something wrong? Do I offend?"

"No, it's not that." Aster rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. "I...I didn't come off as too strong, did I?"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do you mean? I just sounded like a total jackass. I just said I wanted Zane gone so I could spend another moment with you. You know, like the one we had last night. Ugh, I came off as a lustful moron. I'm sorry."

"Aster, there's no need to be sorry."

"No, no, I should be. You haven't seen Zane in years. This should be a special moment for you two. And listen to me. I want him gone for the sake of getting you in bed again." He smacked himself on the forehead with his palm. "Damn it, Alexis, I'm sorry. I'm better than that. I..."

Alexis shushed him with a kiss. "Aster...shut up." She smiled and tapped his nose. "Last night was fun. Believe me, even with Zane here, it's still fresh in my mind. I'm glad my friend is here, but deep down, I also wanted to have another moment alone with you. You were...you were amazing. I haven't had a moment like that ever. You know, I always wanted to share a romantic evening like that with someone special. And I'm glad that someone was you. I was so stuck in the past that I failed to see what was there in front of me. Maybe I've been stuck there for too long."

Aster chuckled. He hated to agree with what she said, but she was right. "Well, six years is a long time, Alexis. Did you really think he was coming back? And uh...just out of curiosity. There haven't been any other guys since then?"

There were. And the memories of those blunders made Alexis rear her head back and laugh. "I met a few prospects in Wade's promotion. But all we had was dinner, maybe even a peck on the cheek once in a while. But my thoughts of Jaden always turned me from them. Actually, I'm kind of glad they did. Those guys in Wade's league are...bleh. And Aster, you can't really scold me for waiting on Jaden for six years. Have you ever heard the story of Odysseus and Penelope?"

"The Odyssey. Of course. I read that story when I was in college."

"Before or after Duel Academy?"

"Before, obviously."

"Well, did you know Penelope waited twenty years for Odysseus to come back home after he left to fight in Troy? Many knew he wasn't coming back. They claimed he was dead and since Penelope was the queen of Ithica, she was supposed to marry a suitor so he could become king and rule in his stead. There are dozens and dozens of them at her door, dying to be her bride. But she is faithful to her one true love. She knows Odysseus is out there. She comes up with this really cool strategy to get those losers off her back, see."

She took him by the hand toward a towel with the Dark Magician Girl on it. "Penelope says she has to weave a burial shroud for Odysseus's father, who passed away. And every night for three years, she undoes the shroud so she can work on it again and again."

"Man, those suitors were dumb. In three years she can't weave a shroud? If I were one of them, I would have kicked down the door to see what the hell was going on."

"Well, that story is sort of what kept me pledged to fidelity."

"Fidelity? To Jaden?"

"Yeah. I know how silly it sounds, Aster, but he meant a lot to me. He was the one I wanted."

"Well, as loyal as Penelope was, I can't say the same about Odysseus. You know he spent seven years making love to a Nymph? And he screwed other women along the way, too. Who's to say Jaden hasn't found himself a sweetheart out there, Alexis. And unlike Odysseus, he's not lost at sea. He's not searching for a way back to you. He went down his own path."

Alexis's face creased with sorrow. She backed away from the towel, realizing that Aster was right. Who the hell was she to compare her life to the story of a mythological queen. Fidelity. Perhaps it was something that only existed in fairy tales. "You're right," she said. And she walked to the shelves with the battle packs and bought herself three. Once they made their purchases, they walked to the mall's Duel Pavillion, an indoor park with trees and meadows and even a pond. Zane registered their party to one of the large Dueling Arenas. Alexis and Zane sat on opposite sides of a table, opening their packs. Once they had decks of 20 cards, they climbed aboard the arena and began their match.

LP 4000

Zane laughed when he saw his opening hand. "Man, I haven't seen some of these monsters since Metal Raiders."

"I know!" Alexis laughed. "So, how about you start things first, Kaizer?"

Zane cringed. He brushed the feelings off with a chuckle. "Really? Had to bring that up, Alexis? Man, I forgot how much of an edge lord I was back then. But I decline. Since you're the Queen of Obelisk Blue, I say you go first."

"If that's what you want." Alexis drew. "All right. I summon Destroyer Golem in attack mode!" Lights radiated from the playing field. The holograms hummed as they worked their magic. The giant golem made of ancient stone materialized in front of her. Its right arm was made of flesh and armored in decorative plates of gold and blue with a big red orb on the shoulder. Destroyer Golem pumped his fist and bellowed as his ATK and DEF projected next to him. [ATK/1500 DEF/1000]. "Gotta love the classics," joked Alexis. "I'll boost his power with Invigoration, which increases Earth monsters ATK by 300." [ATK/1800]. "All right, Zane. That ends my turn."

"My turn!" Zane declared. I summon Blackland Fire Dragon in attack mode!"

The dark-green dragon looked like a classic medieval-style dragon that guarded hordes of treasure. Its bright yellow eyes flashed, showing it was ready for battle. Though its eyesight was poor, it could sense its enemy in front of him. [ATK/1500 DEF/800]

"Yes, yes, I know. Your Golem is stronger than my dragon. But wait until I play this card. Mountain!" Zane slid the card onto the liquid-crystal display playmat. The playing field turned into a vast range of snow-capped mountains. "This will boost the power of winged-beasts, thunder, and dragon monsters by 200 points. And I'll add this to further increase the power of my dragon. Dragon Treasure. Activate!"

A blue necklace crafted to resemble a dragon embracing a brilliant green jewel formed over Blackland Fire Dragon's neck. Its eyes flashed even brighter as the legendary stone increased his power to 2000.

"Good old, Zane," said Alexis.

"Blackland Fire Dragon! Attack and destroy Alexis' Golem!" Zane commanded. Blackland Fire Dragon unleashed a stream of fire from its mouth, burning the golem to cinders in a matter of seconds. "Your golem has been disintegrated," Zane chuckled. "I set this card face-down and end my turn."

Zane - 4000 LP

Alexis - 3800 LP

Alexis drew her next card. "You're so lucky this isn't my deck, Zane. I wouldn't have let you start off that strongly. But I picked up some good cards myself. I set this card in defense mode and lay a card face-down, too. That will do it for me."

"I'm sort of glad we're not using our usual decks," said Zane. He drew. "This is how the game was originally meant to be played. Who's got the biggest beat stick on the board. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the new rules and strategies we learned in school, but there's something about classic Duel Monsters I find rather charming. Well, Alexis. Let me introduce you to another dragon. I summon Gray Wing in attack mode." Another classic medieval-looking dragon materialized on the field. It was dark gray in color, hence the name, and its claws flashed in the lights of the mall. [ATK/1300 DEF/700 + 200 (Mountain) = ATK/1500 DEF/900]

"Someone's got a bit of a dragon fetish going on here," said Aster. "Damn, Zane."

"What can I say?" said Zane. "Dragons have always been a love of mine since I was small. And you're about to see why. Gray Wing. Attack her face-down monster!" Gray Wing took the air. It flew in circles over the arena, wowing spectators on the upper floors. It then shot fire from its mouth. It hit something. A shield!

"Aw, damn it!" Zane shouted. "You got me!"

"Damn right," Alexis held up her card. "Big Shield Gardna. A favorite of the King of Games back in the day." [ATK/100 DEF/2600]

Zane smirked as his Life Points went down to 2900. "You cheeky girl. I didn't think you'd pull that card out. Serves me right for thinking I had the upper hand with my strength. However, there's a drawback to your monster, Alexis. After the damage step, Big Shield Gardna switches to attack position. Now he's the perfect target for my Blackland Fire Dragon. Attack!"

Blackland Fire Dragon reared up on his hind legs, spreading his wings to make himself look bigger. He breathed fire, animating it to look like Salamandra. The fire dragon roared and rocketed toward Big Shield Gardna."

"I activate my trap card, Zane. Ready For Interception! This will switch my monster into face-down defense position. Sorry, Zane, but my Gardna is safe."

"Impressive," said Zane. "Even without your own cards, you managed to build yourself a strong deck. I end my turn."

Zane - 2900 LP

Alexis - 3800 LP

"Thanks, Zane. But don't think you haven't built a good deck of randomness. Dragons. Lots of them from the looks of things. I had a feeling they'd sneak into your deck somehow. They aren't your Cyber Dragons but you use them so well. However, I think it's time for them to go. I activate Soul Exchange. With this card, I can use one of your monsters as tribute so that I can summon a stronger monster of my own."

"Is that so?" said Zane. "Damn. What have you got in store for me?"

"Only this. I tribute Big Shield Gardna and your Blackland Fire Dragon to summon Wingweaver!" Big Shield Gardna and Blackland Fire Dragon were absorbed by light, which then combined into one giant orb. The orb then transformed into a six-winged angel with long purple hair wearing a yellow gown and sash, which she hung on her arms. [ATK/2750 DEF/2400]

"Oh no," Zane said quietly.

"And I give her the power of Elf's Light!" Alexis picked the card out of her hand and slid it on the Spell/Trap Zone. The display on the mat lit up. Wingweaver's body was then covered by a radiant light, making her wings grow even longer and the feathers glisten like gold dust. "This spell card can increase her strength by 400 points, Zane. That makes her the toughest monster on the field." [ATK/3150 DEF/2200 (-200 Elf's Light)]

"So she is," said Zane.

"Wingweaver! Attack Zane's Gray Wing!"

Wingweaver created a bow and arrow made of pure light. She notched the arrow, aimed at Gray Wing's heart, and fired. The arrow flew through the air making a rich ringing sound and leaving a trail of sparkling light. The arrow then struck the dragon. It reared its head up and cried out in pain before it shattered.

"Not bad, Alexis. Sorry to say that Wingweaver of yours won't be around for long. I activate a trap of my own. Michizure."

"Oh no! Now one of my monsters goes to the grave with the monster I just destroyed!"

"Very perceptive," said Zane. "And since Wingweaver is the only monster on your field, you know she must go, too."

Eerie fiendish hands rose out of the ground. They grabbed Wingweaver, pressing her wings together and crumpling them. She screamed in horror as the hands dragged her down into the graveyard.

"Tough break, Alexis," Aster said. "Damn, that was brutal."

Zane - 2250 LP

Alexis - 3800 LP

"I'm still in the lead, though," said Alexis. "Serves me right for thinking I could get the best of you so easily though, Zane. Even when you're playing with a deck that's not your own, you're still at the top of your game."

"And I'm glad to know my luck at getting good cards from packs hasn't worn off after all these years," Zane added. "Time to play the super-rare card I just pulled from my packs. I play the spell, Ancient Rules. It allows me to special summon a high-level normal monster from my hand. I call upon the Serpent Night Dragon!"

He held up the card. Even from where she stood, Alexis could tell it was a Prismatic Secret Rare card. It shined like a jewel in his fingers.

"Yeah, that luck of yours always got my panties in a bunch." Alexis sighed. "Damn it, man! This is why I hate card shopping with you. You always get the best cards when it's time to pull."

Zane laughed. "Well, what can I say, Alexis? Just like old times." He put the card down on the mat and the hologram of the rare beast formed right out of a cloud of darkness. Serpent Night Dragon had an eerie screech and it kept itself in the air with four skinny bat-like wings. [ATK/2350 DEF/2400 + 200 (Mountain) = ATK/2550 DEF/2600]

"And look at that," said Zane. "You've got nothing to protect you. Time for a direct attack on your Life Points. Serpent Night Dragon, Nightmare Sonic Blast!"

Serpent Night Dragon's wings went ridged. The red membranes started to become fluorescent purple. From his wings, streaks of darkness shot out and rained down on Alexis. She crossed her arms over her face and grunted as the attack pummeled her. When it subsided, she lowered her arms and looked up at the beast. Her Life Points took a sharp decline to 1250.

"Come on, Alexis!" Aster cheered, clapping his hands. "You've still got plenty of Life Points left. Try to find a way to change things around."

"Easier said than done, babe," Alexis replied with a nervous chuckle.

"Babe?" Zane wondered. "So when did you two become an item? I mean you and Aster Phoenix? I just never saw it."

"He's taken care of me and helped get me back on my feet," said Alexis. "We spent a lot of time together since he first got me out of Wade's league and I grew to like him...a lot."

"You love him?" Zane smiled. "Go ahead and say it."

"Yeah. I do."

"Well, well, well," said Zane. "Alexis Rhodes finally finding a sweetheart? I never thought I'd see the day. Well, Aster, thanks a lot for taking care of her. Thanks to you, she's the Alexis we all grew to know and love." He looked at Alexis. "And I love you a lot, kid. We all did."

"I know," Alexis said. "I'm sorry it took me all these years to see that. You know, for the longest time I thought everyone just forgot about me."

"How could we? Aw, man, Alexis. I missed you a lot. It's good to see you again. Even better to be dueling you. Now, I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn."

Alexis showed off the card she drew. "I'm going to play Pot of Greed and...you know the drill." She drew two cards.

"What kind of battle packs were those?" Aster asked. "Damn, there are some good cards for a quick duel set."

Alexis then flipped one of the cards she drew so Zane could see how much trouble he was in. "Read it and weep, Zane. Monster Reborn. And I'll use it to resurrect my Wingweaver!"

With one flash, Wingweaver rose out of the ground and spread her wings. Alexis commanded her to attack but Zane was quick.

"This card describes your move. Rush Recklessly! It will boost the attack of my dragon by seven hundred points. Honestly, Alexis, I thought you would have noticed my face-down card. Taking my dragon down isn't going to be that easy. And here's a little bonus. Shrink. This card will cut your monster's attack in half."

"You mean..."

"Yeah, it's over kid. Serpent Night Dragon! Counter-attack! Nightmare Sonic Blast!"

Alexis dropped her cards and sighed after the battle was over and her Life Points fell to 0. "Good old, Zane."

"Hmm," Aster said. "Maybe there's still a little more work we have to do before the tournament. Alexis. Being in Obelisk Blue, I figured you would have done something about Zane's backboard before attacking."

Alexis merely shrugged him off. "Well, there weren't a lot of options. I didn't have any cards that cleared the backboard. Even if I didn't attack, Zane would have still performed his combo on his turn to finish me off. Cut me a little slack. And remember this isn't even my deck."

"Ease up there, bud," said Zane. "This was just a fun squash match. You always were a tough one when it came to the game. Even when the dueling was just for fun. I figured you for a stubborn jackass but damn."

"Well...this stubborn jackass beat you."

"Anything can happen in this game, Phoenix. Don't let one victory cloud your mind with overconfidence. I'll capitalize on it next time we duel."

"Why wait?" Aster said with a leer.

"Because I don't have my actual deck with me and I have some business to discuss with my brother. It's time for me to head out."

"Aw, really, Zane?" said Alexis. "You've got to go?"

"I'm afraid I do, Lex. But I'll be in town for a while. I've always wanted to come to Paradise City. Heh. I guess I needed a vacation. If there's anything you need, I'll be at the Lexington Astoria. Feel free to drop on by whenever you like."

"I'll do that, Zane. Thank you. Thank you for this. And thank you for coming to visit me. I...I'm touched you guys all came to see me. Forgive me for believing..."

"Say no more. Times are getting better for you. That being said, you've still got a tall mountain to climb." He looked at Aster. "And you're not climbing it alone from what I see. Take care, you two." He turned and lowered the platform's elevator, taking him down to the ground. He took one last look at Alexis and walked off.

Alexis rode the elevator of her platform down and joined Aster at the table beside the arena. "Everything's going to be so much different now, huh?"

"Yeah, I see that," said Aster. He sat back and admired her as she set her cards down and stacked them neatly to put into the box. She was smiling so much more and her eyes had this adorable twinkle every now and then. When he first saw her in the old warehouse arena, she looked almost pale. Now her skin was glowing with a rich and healthy color, almost peach. Alexis began to notice him and smiled. "What?" she asked, to which Aster said: "You're starting to look more and more like your old self. I've got to say, that was the most fun I've seen you have in quite a while. Not including our little moment in bed last night, of course."

"You ready for round two?" Alexis asked with a cheeky expression.

"Hey, easy there, tiger. We've still got to get our supplies for the tournament. If you ask me, I think we're going to have plenty of moments to ourselves on the island. It's pretty huge. I bet there are lots of places for us to hide when we've kicked enough ass and won enough of those coins."

"Well, I don't wait till then, Phoenix. Say...playing with these old school cards gave me an idea."

"Let's hear it."

After they supplied themselves with provisions for the tournament, they had dinner and went home. As requested, Aster turned all the lights off in the apartment and lit two big red candles on either side of two classic Duel Monsters paper playmats. Alexis stepped out of the darkness as though she were born from it and kissed him. "Sit," she said softly. Aster took his seat and so did she. They took out decks of cards randomly made from the battle packs and shuffled them.

"Ready?" Alexis asked.

"I've never done this before."

Alexis giggled. "Hey, you'll grow to like it. I'll start first. I set a card face-down and end my turn by summoning Silver Fang in attack mode."

"Okay, then. I summon Fireyarou. Since he's 100 points stronger at 1300, your Silver Fang is toast."

"Nah, I don't think so. I activate Reinforcements. Now Silver Fang is at seventeen hundred. Your Fireyarou is the one that's toast now. And you know what that means."

Aster grinned at her. He scooted his chair back and took off his jacket. "Just testing the waters is all. But I'm not the only one losing something this turn. For my main phase two, I activate Hinotama. Take off your jacket."

Alexis sniggered through her nose and took it off, throwing it across the room. "My turn?" She asked.

"Not quite. I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"All right. I activate Polymerization. I fuse together my Silver Fang with Darkworld Thorns to create Flower Wolf. And I'll attack you directly."

"No can do. I activate Call of the Haunted, which lets me bring back my Fireyarou. And then I flip over my spell card, Rush Recklessly to increase his attack by 700 points."

"Aw, darn," Alexis said wrinkling her nose. She stood up and took off her belt. It fell on the floor with a loud clank. "You're not pulling any stops in this game, are you?"

Aster laughed at that. Of course, he was putting his all into this one. "Well, if winning means seeing you naked, I'm going all out, baby. Now it's my turn. And you're about to lose even more clothes. I summon Celtic Guardian and attack you directly with both monsters."

Alexis threw her legs on the table. Slowly, she started untying her shoes. Her socks were pink with blue polka dots, making Aster chuckle. Alexis wriggled her toes around and set her feet back down on the floor. "Is that all?" she asked.

"No. I activate Tremendous Fire. Don't worry. According to the rules, this is my last spell that inflicts damage. Not that I need any. My monsters are going to tear you apart."

Alexis pulled her left sock off. "Hey, Tremendous Fire forces you to take damage, too, you know."

Aster undid his tie and yanked it off before throwing it towards the couch. "Happy?"

"No. You're still fully dressed," Alexis said with a pout.

"Sucks to be you. I set a card face-down. Go."

"My turn. I activate Soul Exchange. Now I can use one of your monsters for Tribute to summon a strong monster. I'll get rid of your Celtic Guardian so I can call on Gyakutenno Megami. And I'll attack your Fireyarou."

"It's not going to be that easy, Alexis. I activate Waboku."

"Arrgh! Now your monster is safe."

"You know you're making this too easy. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were losing on purpose."

"Well, I guess there's a reason why battle packs have never been my forte. Ha! If I had my real deck, you would have been naked last turn."

"I highly doubt that. You done?"

"Yeah, after this spell, though. Oozaki." She snapped her fingers. "Your shirt. Take it off."

Aster kept his cocky grin as he unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. The candlelight revealed his powerful form. He sure had grown over the years from a skinny high-school kid to an Adonis. Alexis admired him as though he were a statue conceived in the Renassaince. She swooned, her insides were getting warm and tingly. More! She had to see more. "I end my turn."

"You getting sweaty or is it just me?"

Alexis ignored him.

"Time for you to show a little skin. First I use Polymerization to fuse Fireyarou and Rhaimundos of the Red Sword to create Vermillion Sparrow. And then I equip him with Salamandra, which increases the attack of fire monsters by 700 points. And then, since he's the only card in my hand, I can bring out Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight. I'll destroy your fairy with Vermillion Sparrow and then attack you directly with Swift Gaia the Fierce Knight. You're going to need more than flex tape to fix this damage."

"Har, har," Alexis said. She took off her remaining sock. Then she crimsoned, knowing what else she had to do. Aster snapped his fingers, telling her to hurry. Alexis groaned and took off her shirt. Even though she wore a bra, she found herself crossing her arms over her breasts.

"What? You weren't all that bashful last night."

Alexis bit her lip and giggled. "Well...it was dark. I couldn't really see anything."

Aster raised a glass of wine to his lips with a leer. "You better have some powerful defenses in that hand of yours. Next time I attack, your pants are going down."

"Why wait?" Alexis said. She dropped her cards in surrender and stood up. She popped the button of her jeans and started yanking them down. Aster leaned back in his chair. He loved the way she had to shake around to free herself from them. She then climbed on top of him and starting kissing him loudly. Aster fumbled around with the clasp of her bra until he undid it and sent to drooping down her chest. He yanked it off with one powerful, impatient, thrust of his arm and threw it across the room.

"I'm glad you found me that day," Alexis said with a whisper.

Aster woke to the sound of thunder and heavy rain splattering against his penthouse window. A flash of lightning illuminated the bedroom causing shadows to dance against his boring white walls. The neon lights from the casino a few blocks away flooded his room in orange and dark red. Aster extended his arm toward the night table and fumbled around for the control to the shades.

Once he found it, he pressed a button and the shades slowly came down and cast his room in darkness. The light hum of the motor caused his sleeping beauty to stir around in the sheets beside him.

He turned his head and smiled, watching Alexis roll around in the sheets. She gave a soft moan and she nuzzled her pillow, looking for a cool place to rest her cheek. She was wearing a gray shirt over lacy black undergarments after she showered when they finished making love. She looked so cute. Aster slid his hand down her thigh and gently patted it, making Alexis twitch and pull her shirt down. Aster rubbed her leg again before he got up and pulled on his pajama pants.

He decided to go into the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Can't sleep?" Alexis mumbled. Her eyes were still closed and her lips were pressed against her pillow.

"I just woke up," Aster said stopping in front of the bed. "I'm going to get something to drink. Want anything?"

"No. I'm good," Alexis said with a yawn. "Did you take your pills?"

"What? I'm not..."

Alexis propped herself up with her elbow and looked at him. "Don't lie to me, Aster. I saw the papers on your desk when you were changing. Why didn't you tell me?"

"It's for my anxiety. It got out of control last year when Antosson started booking me for all these shows. My opponents, even though I got the best of them, were getting tougher and tougher. A lot of my duels ended with close calls. You know what will happen to me if I lose my title?"

"I get the picture. But you make plenty of money from other things. Don't you?"

"I do but not enough to keep this place. This isn't just some pad I bought to show off online. I like it here. And I want to stay here."

"I understand. But those prescriptions Antosson is making you take are so high."

"Yeah...yeah, I know. I'm not anxious, babe. I promise. The storm just woke me up." A fierce wind rattled the windows and caused the rain to splash against the windows even fiercely. "I haven't had any use for them since you came into my life."

Alexis formed a sleepy smile and yawned. "Get your drink. Then get your ass back into bed and cuddle with me," she said lying back down. "I'll help put you to sleep."

"You sure about that? Last time you tried to help me sleep the sun was coming up."

Alexis laughed and threw her sandal at him. "Shut up and get over here."

"In a minute."

Aster dragged his feet to the kitchen to get his water and his medication. His left hand was twitching like the tail of a rattlesnake. Though the blinds were down, the orange lights peered through the slits and lit up the kitchen just enough for him to see in the dark. He opened the cabinet and found his bottle of pills to relax his body and relieve him of anxiety. The price he paid for being at the top of the mountain. He worked hard to be the best duelist in the pro leagues. Now every duelist from every corner of the world wanted a piece of him and his Destiny Heroes. If he were to lose, he would come crashing down, and perhaps he could lose all of this. His home. His money. Maybe...even Alexis, who he loved more than all the material possessions he had.

"No..." he said to himself. "I won't lose."

He plopped his pills into his mouth and went back to bed. But sleep was not something that he found. Once he got back into the covers, Alexis rolled on top of him and sat up. She looked down at him and smiled, looking like a succubus in the hellish-colored glow coming from the windows.

"Alexis..."

"Hey..." She leaned down sensually, arching her back as she kissed his nose. "You know this is a good way to ease all that stress."

"Yeah," Aster chuckled. "But the whole point of taking those pills is to relax. You're not helping."

Alexis countered by taking her shirt off. The diamond pendant around her neck made a jingle as it struggled to escape.

"Oh, God," Aster sighed with a grin. "This is gonna be a long night."

The sun had now risen over the city. The sky was blue and there were only a few clouds up in the sky. Aster and Alexis were both naked under their sheets. Alexis was asleep on Aster's left peck. He kissed her forehead and pet the back of her head softly, not wanting to wake her again. Just then, his phone rang. But where? He couldn't find it.

Alexis stirred. She was laying right on top of it. "Hello?" she answered and yawned. "Oh, hey. Uh, yeah, hold on." She handed the phone to Aster. "It's for you. It's Antonsson."

Aster grunted. "Aww, man. I told him not to call this number." He took the phone from Alexis. "I told you not to call this number."

"Oh, hi, Aster, baby. Good morning. Sorry, but we've got to talk about these shows, my boy. We've got almost a year's worth of bookings."

"Oh, God!" Alexis groaned. She crawled then laid over his lap to pour herself some gin on his night table. "Tell him off already. You're not a robot."

"Look, Antonsson, I told you the days that I would duel. I'm not going to work during the holidays, you know I can't do that."

"Aster, come on! We've got to get you warmed up for the tournament next week. After that, there's the world tour! We've got some major competition in Greece. Besides, think of the money you'll make with all these shows. Win the event and take your vacation."

"Money? Come on, man, you've already booked me in more events than I can handle."

"No," agreed Alexis. She laid back down on her pillows with her drink in hand. "No, no, no. You're tired, you're sick, you're already working hard enough."

"Ahem. Aster. Give the phone to Alexis."

"Why?"

"Just give the phone to Alexis. I have a question for her."

Aster handed her the phone. "He wants to talk to you."

Alexis blew out of the corner of her mouth and took the phone. "Hey, Anty. What's up?"

"Hey, Alexis. Do kindly stay out of my fucking business. Now give the phone to Aster."

Alexis distanced the phone away from her face and her eyes widened. Without asking, Aster held out his palm and Alexis gave him the phone back again.

"Mmm-hmm?" he said. "I'll do two shows but that's my limit. All right. Yeah. Yeah. Sounds good. Okay. No, you can't come to dinner tomorrow tonight Chazz coming over. We're making pork."

Alexis burst out laughing just as Aster hung up.

"Oh, wow. Does he hate him that much?"

"I don't care," Aster said. "Come on. Up and at 'em. We got a lot of work to do today."