AN: This was technically supposed to be part of chapter 16, but I got too burned out to write it all at once. So, I'm having it here and I'm sorry it is not as early as I had originally intended it to be. A couple of duels in past chapters are also under revision due to errors.
"Thanks again for inviting me here for a while today until the paint is done drying in my room. It is certainly not every day that I would get to see the inside of Obelisk Blue after all!" Bastion said gratefully as he followed Aster and Zane down the Obelisk hallway.
Aster casually waved off Bastion's gratitude. "It's no big deal. In the end, Obelisk is really just sort of like a bigger Ra and not much else." He said nonchalantly.
"I don't even care as long as I can duel." Zane said indifferently.
"Yes, I suppose that is the most important mindset to have here. I just hope that nobody raises an issue about my visit today." Bastion confessed somewhat insecurely.
"Who cares? If they're willing to get bent out of shape over petty stuff like that, then they won't be ready to become real duelists." Aster said bluntly.
"What Aster says is true. And besides, we don't have any rules against students from other dorms visiting us." Zane agreed.
"Thanks, you guys. I wish everyone saw this as logically as you both do…" Bastion said wistfully.
For a couple minutes or so, the trio moved on in silence. But once they reached the dueling arena area, they found Chazz standing near the opposite side of it. For once, he wasn't flanked by his two trademark sidekicks, Taiyou and Raizou. But all the same, he didn't appear to be exactly thrilled by their presence either.
"Where were you!? Thought you were too important to stay for the dorm council meeting, Aster? And what's the Ra doing here!?" Chazz said accusingly.
"One: I don't need to answer that. Two: I don't think I am; I know I am. And lastly, three: he's here because we invited him." Aster answered smugly.
"Hmph! So cheeky as usual… But this is Obelisk Blue. Ras-and Slifers, for that matter-don't belong here." Chazz complained.
"You know, I find it really sad that a duelist like you seems to need this pathetic little imaginary class system that's been set in place here for you all. It makes me wonder just what you're going to do once you get out into the real world of dueling and have to start your way up from the bottom like everyone else." Aster said tauntingly.
"And just what is that supposed to mean!?" Chazz shot back in annoyance. What irked him more than anything else Aster had said was the, "a duelist like you" part. He couldn't tell whether that was supposed to be some cheap implication or a weird way of complimenting him.
"Settle down, you two." Zane said warningly; the last thing he wanted was to referee another of Aster and Chazz's spats.
Aster simply shrugged his shoulders carelessly in response to Zane's peacekeeping effort. "It's the truth, though. When I first started dueling, I had to earn my way into the Pro Leagues. And once I was there, there was no special admittance that let me start straight at the top of their ranks. Everyone has to work their way up to the higher divisions." He explained matter-of-factly.
"Well then, if that's the way you want to look at this, I can comply. How about we do it this way? It's you and me, Ra. We'll duel for it. If you win, I'll leave you in peace. But if I win, you leave this place and don't come back. What do you say?" Chazz challenged Bastion.
Bastion smiled at Chazz's words. "I say that this has just become very interesting now. I accept your challenge, Chazz! It's the perfect opportunity to test out one of my new decks, after all." He said cheerfully.
"Well, at least you've got some backbone; I'll give you that. Then let's get started!" Chazz announced.
Once both Chazz and Bastion were positioned across from each other on opposite sides of the duel arena (with Aster and Zane standing off to the side to watch), Bastion held out his hand to signal Chazz to wait.
"Before we get started, I'd like you to choose the deck you're about to face." Bastion announced.
"What are you on about?" Chazz asked suspiciously.
"I mean exactly what I said. You see, I have six different decks, all based around a single elemental attribute: earth, fire, water, wind, light, and dark. I always like to let my opponents choose which one to face. It adds to the fun." Bastion explained.
Chazz rolled his eyes at Bastion's words. "This is such a waste of time." He complained.
"Then by all means, please select your choice so that we can proceed." Bastion prompted Chazz.
"Whatever. Fine; I pick earth, I guess." Chazz said in boredom.
"Ah! An excellent decision! I've been especially waiting to try this one out! Now, without further ado, let's duel!" Bastion said excitedly.
"Alright! I'll go first! Just watch! You'll see that I'll be ready to defeat you once and for all, Aster! And that goes for you too, Kaiser!" Chazz declared as he shifted his gaze towards Aster and Zane.
"Well, I'll be looking forward to when you're ready for that challenge." Aster said with a genuine smile. While Zane simply rose his eyebrows slightly at Chazz's words as if to say, "You dare!?"
"I'll start by playing Masked Dragon (ATK 1400 DEF 1100) in attack mode. Then, I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn. Now, show me what you got, Ra Reject!" Chazz sneered.
"With pleasure! I draw!" Bastion announced.
After a moment, Bastion smiled triumphantly when he saw his opening hand. "You're going to want to change that ever-so-insightful title you've bestowed on me after this." He warned Chazz.
"First, I play the spell card, That Grass Looks Greener! Since my deck has more cards in it than yours, it allows me to send cards from the top of it until it is equal to the amount of cards that your deck has." Bastion explained.
Aster looked on in surprise at Bastion's move. "Now that I'm looking at it, Bastion's deck does seem a bit…bigger than normal." He pointed out.
"True. And I'm guessing there's a good reason for that. And that it means nothing good for Chazz…" Zane agreed.
"What's the point of throwing out a big chunk of your deck like that? Sifting through all the trash, perhaps?" Chazz said skeptically.
"On the contrary, because now I can special summon Block Dragon (ATK 2500 DEF 3000) in attack mode by banishing three earth type monsters from my graveyard! So, I'm banishing Gem Knights Obsidian, Lazuli, and Iolite." Bastion announced.
"Not bad, I guess. But it will take more than your Lego dragon to beat me." Chazz said casually.
"Oh, but I'm far from done! I use the spell card, Gem Knight Fusion, to fuse Block Dragon and Gem Knight Amber from my hand to create Gem Knight Zirconia (ATK 2900 DEF 2500). And now, this sets the stage for Block Dragon's other effect. When it's sent from the field to the graveyard, I can add up to three rock-type monsters from my deck to my hand whose total levels equal eight. And I choose Gem Knights Obsidian, Lazuli, and Alexandrite." Bastion explained.
Oh, god. Wait a minute. He's doing THAT, isn't he? Aster recognized in horror as the realization of what this probably meant for Chazz dawned on him.
Zane also must have realized what was going on with Bastion's strategy, because he simply shook his head sadly.
"Now, I will banish Gem Knight Iolite in my graveyard in order to add the Gem Knight Fusion that I already used back to my hand. So, by fusing Gem Knights Lazuli, Obsidian, and Alexandrite, I fusion summon Gem Knight Lady Brilliant Diamond (ATK 3400 DEF 2000)! And now that they've been sent to the graveyard, Lazuli and Obsidian's effects activate. Lazuli will add Gem Knight Amber from my grave to my hand; while Obsidian will special summon another Gem Knight Amber (ATK 1600 DEF 1400) to my field. And since it's a Gemini monster, that means I can normal summon it as well now that it's been special summoned first." Bastion went on.
"And now you're going to attack, right?" Chazz asked carefully, hoping that it would be the end of it if he did. Somehow, he knew he was wrong, though.
"No, this is a bit different, I'm afraid. I activate Brilliant Diamond's effect. By sending Zirconia to the grave with it, I get to special summon one gem knight from my extra deck. So, I choose Gem Knight Lady Lapis Lazuli (ATK 2400 DEF 1000)! And now, this is where things get interesting! I activate Lady Lapis Lazuli's effect to send Gem Knight Lazuli from my deck to the grave to inflict five-hundred points of direct damage to you for each special summoned Gem Knight monster on my field! And since I count three, that equals fifteen-hundred points of damage to you, Chazz!" Bastion said triumphantly.
"What the- Ugh!" Chazz exclaimed as Lady Lapis Lazuli fired three beams of energy at him in succession.
"Gem Knight Lazuli's effect has been activated, allowing me to add a Gem Knight to my hand again, and I choose Gem Knight Lapis. Now, it's time to bring back Gem Knight Fusion again, so I banish Lazuli to return it to my hand once again." Bastion added.
"What!? Just how many times are you going to get to fusion summon because of this!?" Chazz said in outrage.
Bastion smirked at Chazz's reaction. "Oh, it's only going to get worse for you, I'm afraid. I activate Gem Knight Fusion once again! I'll use Gem Knights Amber, Lady Lapis Lazuli, and Lapis to fusion summon Gem Knight Master Diamond (ATK 2900 DEF 2500)! Master Diamond has a very interesting special effect. By banishing one level seven or lower Gem Knight fusion in my graveyard, it takes its name and can copy its effects for the turn. And of course, I choose to copy Lady Lapis Lazuli! I think you know what this means now." He said cheerfully.
"Oh, $#%*…" Chazz cursed.
"That's right! But first, I'm banishing Gem Knight Lapis to bring back Gem Knight Fusion to my hand again. Next, I activate Amber's effect. I'll send my Gem Knight Fusion from my hand to the graveyard to bring back the banished Lady Lapis Lazuli to the extra deck. And now, Master Diamond will copy Lady Lapis Lazuli's effect by banishing her from the graveyard to deal you another fifteen-hundred points of damage!" Bastion declared.
"No! Not again! This isn't fair! Are you even going to attack me at all!?" Chazz said in frustration as he took more damage.
"No, you see, this is this deck's main feature. And now it looks like I'm ready to wrap this up. I activate Gem Knight Fusion from my grave to banish an Amber from there to recover it again. Now, I use Gem Knight Fusion for the last time in this duel, using Amber, Master Diamond, and the Lapis in my hand to fusion summon my second Master Diamond. And I'm copying Lady Lapis Lazuli's effect again. I send Gem Knight Aquamarine to the graveyard to deal you one-thousand points of damage, Chazz." Bastion said solemnly.
"Nooo!" Chazz said in horror. There was nothing he could do. His facedown card couldn't protect him from this kind of damage.
"According to my calculations, I believe that this duel is now over." Bastion said firmly.
Chazz LP- 0 Bastion LP- 4000
Winner- Bastion
"Not much of a duel to begin with…" Zane muttered to himself disgustedly. As someone who believed in the philosophy of respectful dueling, first turn kill burn victories weren't exactly something that he considered as "fair".
For a moment, all Aster could do was gape dumbfounded at what he had just witnessed. He had seen strategies like this utilized in the Pro Leagues before (thankfully, not against him), but to see Chazz rendered utterly helpless by one was different. He realized that he actually felt bad for him.
"I wasn't expecting you to pull off something like that, Bastion! That was sick!" Aster complimented Bastion once he had found his voice again.
"Thanks, Aster. It's not always easy to pull off that combo, so I was a bit worried, truth be told." Bastion admitted ruefully.
"That's right! That was a cheap shot and you know it! Argh! I can't believe I lost!" Chazz groaned angrily.
"I don't think there was much you could have done in that situation, Chazz…" Aster said sympathetically.
"I don't need your pity, Aster!" Chazz snapped.
"It's not pity. Look, it's a first turn kill gimmick. I've seen them before. When you can pull it off, it's amazing, but chances are that you won't be able to. You were just unlucky, that's all. It happens to the best of us. We won't tell anyone about this, if it makes you feel any better." Aster said patiently.
"No, it's not okay! You don't understand. I can't lose!" Chazz said frantically, almost to himself. He knew that it didn't matter if no one else at school found out about his loss. Slade and Jagger always seemed to have a way of finding out about everything he did. He wouldn't be surprised if they somehow had hidden cameras watching him.
"Just why do you believe this, Chazz?" Aster questioned. He had a feeling there was more to this than Chazz was letting on, but he had no idea just what his problem could be.
"You wouldn't understand…" Chazz used the excuse that every teenager going through puberty gave their parents.
"Well, why don't you try us then!?" Aster said in frustration. He was trying to do what he had learned from Alexis, to find out the reasons behind people's behavior with dueling first before he made any judgements. But Chazz was making him lose his patience.
"I don't have to explain myself to anyone! It's my own problem." Chazz argued.
"Suit yourself. Either way, you lost the duel, so we'll be on our way now." Aster said simply.
"That's fine with me. But mark my words, this isn't over yet. You only won because you got lucky with that degenerate burn combo! I'll defeat you for sure next time!" Chazz vowed as he turned to Bastion. He then stalked off before anyone else could say anything more.
"You guys are right, I'll admit. That deck is a more of a gimmick actually. I'm not even sure I enjoyed that." Bastion admitted sheepishly.
"You have nothing to feel sorry for. A win's a win." Aster reasoned.
"While it may not be a method that I find very favorable, that was still an impressive feat to pull off in one turn like that." Zane complimented Bastion somewhat grudgingly.
"Thanks, both of you. I appreciate it. But I think I do want to try something different next time. I'm sure that strategy is really for me." Bastion said thoughtfully.
Xxx
"You'd never know just what Bastion has to go through just by seeing him around here. Feeling like he has to hide his own ambitions because of what his family believes is just messed up." Aster complained. He then casually tossed a can of soda to Zane that he had just gotten out of the vending machine in one of the dorm room hallways of Obelisk.
"You talked to him a lot today, didn't you? I'm glad. It's good for you to start making some healthy social connections here." Zane said in approval.
"Chissakes, Zane. What are you, my therapist?" Aster joked, unable to refrain from rolling his eyes in amusement.
"Heh, that's something even I wouldn't have the patience to want to sign up for. But really, I am glad to see you getting along with others better now, even if it's just a little at a time." Zane said meaningfully.
"I guess you could call it a work in progress. But I can't guarantee anything more than that. I just wish that Bastion would do the same when it comes to his own problems. I told him that he should do what he wants to with his life and not worry about what anyone else thinks of him for it." Aster admitted.
"That's some interesting advice. But shouldn't you be taking it yourself before giving it to anyone else?" Zane said seriously.
"What is that supposed to mean? I know exactly what my goal is for being here. And I have every intention of achieving it." Aster said resolutely, his expression hardening slightly at the thought of finding his father's murderer.
"I know that, but that's not what I was referring to. I meant after that. Let's say you do find who killed your father and put him to justice. Then what? What do you want to do with your life, Aster? Do you want to keep dueling, or is there anything else you have in mind? Just what does Aster Phoenix want for himself?" Zane asked seriously.
Aster stared down at his feet as he contemplated Zane's question. He realized that he hadn't ever thought of what he would want to do with his life after avenging his father. For the longest time, it had been the only thing he could think of; a burning desire for revenge that never truly left his mind. He was stuck in a rut of sorts on this island, scraping for answers with a fine tooth comb as he waited for Sartorius' prediction to come to light. It was why he had become a pro duelist in the first place, so that he would be able to travel the world at ease to find his target. But after that, Aster didn't really have an answer. He had already completed college, more than most adults had. And sure, he enjoyed dueling, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to do it forever. So what else was there?
"I…don't know." Aster answered quietly. It was a rare moment of uncertainty for him.
Zane smiled understandingly at Aster's confusion. "Then you're not that different from a lot of others. It's normal to not know what you want for yourself out of life yet. We don't always have the answers to everything. So, sometimes it's better to just not think of it and see where life takes you instead. And then maybe you'll have an answer when you least expect it." He explained.
Aster nodded slightly in agreement at Zane's advice. It wasn't a solution to his problem, but it was the best he could hope for right now…
AN: And we're done with the Bastion episode! Sorry for the OTK. I just wanted to write a quick duel since I was burned out from writing the tag duel and I'm now in the process of editing some mistakes I made in some previous duels. (Idk, does anyone even care about the duels in this? lol) Chazz will most certainly get his chance to shine during the next chapter, though! It will be his "episode" that shows how he will decide to go to North Academy. But it's not like the anime where he stole Bastion's cards and was going to get demoted and leaves because of that. That scenario doesn't work here what with Aster being the one he lost to, so he's going to North Academy in a different way and will still remain as an Obelisk Blue student because of it. (And because there really is no purpose to him becoming a Slifer and staying in that dorm in this story.) So, the next chapter will be very Chazz-centric. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed and please feel free to leave your thoughts since it would make my day! Thanks!