Well, here's the next chapter!
This chapter takes place during 'Taken By Storm', and briefly during 'J-Dawg and T-Bone'.
I only own my OC's!
"You're… You're sure that's what you saw?" A female voice asked, trembling. "You should know better than anyone I'm not joking." A male voice replied seriously. "I just don't know what to do…" The voice then sighed. "I don't understand why you saw that." The female voice spoke up uncertainly. "I'd already seen similar things before, remember?" The male one reminded gravely. "It never went this far!" She responded in astonishment.
"You know…. You know we can't choose what we want to see." "So, you're willing to agree with what you had seen?" The female voice asked quietly. "I don't want it… But you and I know everything we had seen happens." The male one pointed out with a sigh. "I know, it just sounds horrible… Letting it happen without doing something is even worse." She stated.
"But going against…" He stopped, letting out a quiet gasp. "Even though I think it's impossible... What if…" "What if what?" The female voice cut the other one off. "What if we tried cheating fate?" The male one spoke up. It was quiet for a few moments. "Do you think that's possible?" The female one asked. "There has to be a way, if we want to avoid this…"
"BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!" My alarm could be heard. As soon as I heard it, I shot up in my bed in panic. Shaking my head to get back to senses, I let out a sigh. Everything dawned in on me at that moment. Today was the day of our field trip. Today, we were going to Domino City.
I jumped out of the bed with feelings of both excitement and panic washing over me. As much as I was looking forward to this, I was also afraid of being late! What if they left without me in case I didn't show up in time?! I certainly didn't want that.
As soon as I brushed my wild, red hair, I jumped towards my uniform. I put it on and tied the Deck Box to the right side of my waist. After checking whether everything I needed was in my suitcase and backpack, I raced towards the mirror.
From what I could see, I looked presentable, apart from my crazy hair… It still looked as messy as ever. I let out a sigh and looked down in disbelief. Of course… No matter how much I was used to it, it still managed to annoy me!
I looked up, playing with one of my hair strands. I just hoped people wouldn't think of me as a witch, or something…
Someone kept running a hand through my hair, making it even messier. "Hey, stop ruining my hair!" I shouted with a laugh. "But your hair is messy already, Serena." The boy pointed out, trying to sound serious. However, I knew he was only pretending. And yes, he was failing miserably at sounding like that.
"That's not a reason to ruin it even more!" I exclaimed while trying to get his hand off my hair. Unfortunately, I was unable to do so, since he kept running his hand through it. He didn't say anything for a few moments. I smiled at him, grabbing the hand in process. Finally, he would stop ruining my hair for at least a few seconds!
"I've never seen hair as red as yours." He told me cheerfully. I let out a chuckle. "And I've never seen hair as unruly as yours." I replied. "You mean, yours?" He corrected me. "No, yours!" I replied with a laugh. "Yours!" He argued. "Oh, you asked for it!" I finally exclaimed and jumped on him.
As soon as I was on top of the boy, I started running a hand through his soft hair. "How does it feel like to have your hair ruined now?" I asked playfully with a smirk. "Don't think this is over!" He replied mischievously, his hand reaching out to me. Soon after, he was running a hand through my hair as well.
He then tried to push me off him, but I was fast as well. As soon as I was on the ground, I pushed him as well, so we were rolling around and laughing.
I backed away from the mirror, wide-eyed. Since I pretty much didn't notice bed was behind me, I fell on it in process. I grabbed my head, trying to process what I had just remembered.
While I did appreciate some of my memories were coming back, them returning so suddenly could really shock me… Sometimes, it would take me a while to get back to my senses.
I quickly took off my left glove to look at the bracelet on my wrist. It was so simple, yet it apparently meant so much… It's been my charm for luck ever since my parents forced me into Duel Academy. It was also something I didn't know much about, yet my parents did… Mum even tried to take it from me! She was damn determined to do so; it was only luck Dad told me I could keep it.
Aunt Maria also knew about it… It was a gift from a boy who kept appearing in my memories. That explained why I had the urge to wear it despite my dislike for Duel Monsters. Even though I didn't remember it, my subconscious was most probably aware of what this object had meant to me earlier… According to what I had found out, he used to be my friend…
I could remember it clearly now. The boy used to like messing up my hair because he knew it would sometimes annoy me. I would do the same to him. While I couldn't remember what he looked like, I knew his hair was really soft…
I really hoped our trip to Domino City could clear up some things concerning my amnesia. That was the city where all those memories took place after all! It's where I had grown up before my parents and I moved away!
Sitting up, I quickly checked my backpack to see whether my pictures were still in there. Thankfully, I hadn't forgot them.
After putting on my glove and red boots, I took my suitcase. I then slung the backpack over my right shoulder and walked out.
By the time I arrived where boats usually were, I could see a lot of people. Most of them were members of Society Of Light. No, wait. Two thirds of people there consisted of them…
I looked around, trying to see familiar faces. Since Jaden, Bastion, Syrus and Hassleberry were some of only sane people here, I hoped I could at least find them. Even seeing Aster Phoenix meant something! Apparently, he was a student here as well. Jaden told me so yesterday when I returned.
However, I couldn't see anyone. Instead, my eyes landed on something else. Chazz, Alexis and Ben were talking to Sartorius about something. They technically were familiar faces, but not the ones I wanted to see…
I must have been staring for too long because they stopped talking. Then, all of them looked in my direction. Chazz had a scowl on his face, so did Alexis. Ben sent me a glare and looked away, while Sartorius' cold look was directed right towards me.
Feelings of fear washed over me. My heart started beating faster in sudden panic. Chazz and Alexis not being happy with seeing me was expected. Ben being hateful towards me hurt, even though I got used to it by now. But Sartorius looking directly at me scared me so much at that moment…
How wouldn't it? He's threatened me twice so far… Did I want to be near someone who wanted to cause me harm? No. In fact, I didn't want to have anything to do with him!
I quickly looked away, squeezing my eyes shut. I then quickly started walking away from them. However, I didn't watch where I was going because I bumped into someone. "You've got to watch where you're going, soldier." A familiar voice spoke up, making me open my eyes in surprise.
Looking up, I could see Hassleberry frowning at me. "Sorry." I apologized. He simply nodded back. That was when Bastion, Syrus and Jaden walked over to us. "You're ready for the trip?" Jaden asked me with a grin. I simply nodded back with a small smile.
While talking to him certainly lifted up my spirits, I was still nervous being around a group of people (even more now that I knew my lack of socialization led to my awkwardness) …
"I can't wait for us to arrive." Syrus spoke up. "It's going to be an interesting trip…" Bastion nodded. "Where are Crowler and Bonaparte?" Jaden then asked in confusion. "There they are, Sarge." Hassleberry pointed somewhere. We looked in that direction to see Crowler and Bonaparte running over. Both of them were holding suitcases in their left hands respectively (Bonaparte also had a megaphone in his right one).
Students moved out of the way so two men could walk to the center of our meeting place. As soon as they out their suitcases down, Bonaparte lifted up the megaphone. "Attention! All students of Obelisk dorm, head to the bigger ship." He pointed at the ship on our left. "The rest of the students, head to the smaller one." The French man pointed at a boat on our right.
All of the members of the Society Of Light started walking towards the bigger, white ship. I turned around to look at our small, simple boat. Seeing there were less Slifer Red and Ra Yellow students, I guessed we could fit in…
I took my suitcase and started walking towards the boat. As soon as I was inside, I sat on a bench next to the window. I also put the backpack on the floor in front of my feet. Now I could watch waves during the sail, and try to enjoy this trip…
The guys walked in as well. Jaden sat next to me, on my left. Bastion sat next to him. Hassleberry sat on a bench right across me. Syrus frowned, looking between Jaden and me back and forth for a few moments. Finally, he sat down next to the guy. I briefly glanced at the short guy in confusion and then at Jaden who had a relaxed look on his face.
I didn't understand what that frown was for…
"How long is the trip supposed to last anyway?" Hassleberry questioned while stretching out his legs. I quickly moved my backpack under my feet, so he wouldn't accidentally kick it. "Two and a half hours, I believe." Bastion spoke up with his arms folded. "Then that means we'll be there at half past ten." Syrus spoke up with a smile.
Whatever the deal had been before, it seemed like he had forgot about it…
"I can't wait." Jaden grinned, putting hands behind his head. He and the other guys soon found themselves in a lengthy conversation. They seemed to be pretty excited about the trip…
I, on the other hand, stayed quiet. The thing was, even though I promised I'd try to talk to people more… I was feeling awkward right now. Firstly, because I didn't know what to talk about. I didn't know much about Domino City, and I didn't exactly want to tell them about my memory problem…
Besides, it's only miracle I found something I could talk to Jaden about. Before, I hadn't felt so embarrassed since I didn't really bother what others thought about me. I came to respect them, and tried to communicate… But now, I really knew I wanted to do it more often, even if it was with only one person. Being here with four guys made me feel overwhelmed with embarrassment.
"What are you looking forward to seeing in Domino City?" Jaden suddenly asked me. My eyes landed on him, before briefly moving towards other three guys. They seemed to still be in the middle of the conversation.
I turned a bit around so I could look at the brown-haired guy better. "I don't know much about Domino City. I just want to see my hometown." I replied honestly. "Wait, your hometown?" Jaden asked in surprise. "I was born there, and I lived in that place until I was six. We then moved away to Rome for a while, before my parents decided to come back to Japan." I explained with a nod.
If I really wanted to try to spend time with someone, I figured briefly telling him my backstory wouldn't be so bad. I didn't bring up my amnesia after all!
"Oh yeah, I remember. You said you had lived in Domino City." The brown-haired guy commented sheepishly. "But where did you move then? I ran into you in that card shop…" He pointed out. "Nagoya." I responded. "That's where I live as well!" Jaden grinned. I blinked at him in surprise.
All this time, we lived in the same city? I didn't even know that… Since my parents moved back to Nagoya a month ago, that meant I technically still lived there. Aunt and Uncle had a house there as well.
"I didn't know that." I admitted sheepishly. "I mean, I guessed you lived nearby once I ran into you, but I wasn't sure… Plus, I hoped I wouldn't see you again back then…" I blurted out. "Did I anger you that much?" Jaden demanded in surprise. I simply nodded, not knowing what else to say.
"Why did you choose Domino City for the trip?" I then spoke up. "That's where Yugi Muto lives," He smiled. "Besides, my dad's from there. We used to live in that city too." By now, I was staring at him in surprise.
He lived in Nagoya, and used to live in Domino City just like me?! What kind of coincidence was this?!
"Wait, you used to live there as well?" I asked astounded. That earned me a nod. "We moved away about ten years ago." "How old are you?" I asked immediately. "16. You?" Jaden asked as well, putting hands behind his back. "Same." I responded. "When's your birthday?" "On 15th July." I said. "Yours?" "On 31st August." He smiled.
I let out a small laugh. "We used to live in same town, live in the same one even now… We are in the same dorm at same school, and our birthdays are month and a half apart? What a coincidence…" I commented in disbelief. "Are you sure we hadn't run into each other before you got angry with me in that shop?" Jaden asked with a sheepish grin.
As soon as those words came out of his mouth, a frown appeared on my face. There… There was something about them that I couldn't get out of my head… 'Are you sure we hadn't run into each other before you got angry with me in that shop?' I could hear the words echoing in my mind.
"Hey, I was just joking." Jaden told me, apparently noticing my frown. "No, it's fine." I responded, putting on a smile not to get him upset.
Before anyone could say anything else, Hassleberry asked Jaden something. I looked at the brown-haired guy while my back was against the window. That way, I could see him better from here. A smile was across his face. His hair looked as unruly as always, and…
Wait. Did I say unruly? For some reason, I was feeling weird. It was as if I had felt some sort of… Recognition? Familiarity? I couldn't get rid of that feeling, even if I wanted to! That word just couldn't leave my mind, just like I couldn't take my eyes off the person next to me.
Why did I use that word to describe Jaden's hair? I mean, it technically was unruly, but 'messy' could have worked as well! At that moment, I felt this sudden urge to do something I'd most probably regret.
Before I could think it through, I lifted up my left hand. Seeing the others were still talking, I started running through Jaden's hair. A quiet gasp escaped from my mouth at how soft it was.
'I've never seen hair as red as yours.' 'And I've never seen hair as unruly as yours.' Those two voices were echoing in my head. Honestly, it made me stop breathing for a few moments. Why did that memory keep popping up in my mind all of a sudden?
"What are you doing?" Bastion's astonished voice brought me back to reality. I looked up slowly. Syrus, Bastion and Hassleberry were staring at me (with Syrus and Hassleberry gaping too). It was then I realized my hand was still going through Jaden's hair. My eyes quickly turned to the person in question. He was staring at me as well, and I could have sworn his cheeks were a bit red.
Finally, what I had just done hit me. I started running a hand through someone's hair without asking them and without a good reason! How much of an idiot could I be?! I've never felt so embarrassed (apart from the time I walked in on Hassleberry and Syrus) …
"Sorry." I quickly said after clearing my throat. I then pulled my hand away, folding both of my arms. Not wanting to see their reactions, I quickly turned towards the window.
That way I could hopefully avoid all the embarrassment… I didn't even know why I did that! They were sure going to think I was some sort of a moron!
For some reason, even more familiar feelings washed over me. No matter how weird and insane it sounded, running a hand through Jaden's hair like that wasn't strange to me at all. It felt natural, as if I had already done it before…
"How does it feel like to have your hair ruined now?" I asked with a smirk while running a hand through someone's soft hair.
Suddenly, realization hit me. This wasn't the first time something similar to those memories happened.
One of first things Jaden asked me yesterday was whether anyone else in my family had red hair too. The boy from my memory stated he had never seen anyone with hair as red as mine. That wasn't the only similarity. I had just run a hand through the guy's hair as if I had done it several times before. It was something I had done in that memory… Plus, I called his hair unruly. I had done the exact same thing before… His words triggered one memory from when I was in first grade. He had even said something I could have sworn I'd already heard before.
Jaden said he used to live in Domino City… His parents knew something about Italian culture, and those feelings of recognition just kept popping up. The boy loved dueling, so did Jaden…
Could it mean… Could it mean that Jaden was that boy?! It would definitely explain all the coincidences, and feelings of familiarity… It would also explain why I felt more comfortable with him than with other people at the Academy. Of course, you'd feel more comfortable with someone you had already met before!
Breathing became harder as that idea slowly sunk in. It made sense… But it was just a theory! I didn't remember anything else to actually confirm it!
Letting out a deep breath, I managed to calm myself down a bit. At the same time, I was forming a plan in my mind. Out of a corner of my eye, I could see Jaden now talking to the rest of the guys.
I couldn't just ask him whether he was a boy from my memories or not… It would sound insane. I had no proof, nor did I remember him! If I did find something in Domino City, then I would confront him about it… Until then, I'd stay quiet.
I got off the ship with the backpack over my right shoulder. The guys were already outside, with Syrus and Hassleberry helping Bastion (who got seasickness a while ago).
"May I have your attention, s'il vous plait, it's time to review our schedule!" Bonaparte said through his megaphone. The guys started walking closer to Crowler and the French man (who was standing on the metal part to which their ship was tied to by a rope). I followed them from behind.
"I beg your pardon, but my dorm and I have our own agenda today!" Sartorius spoke up, making Bonaparte glance at him surprised. I backed away a bit, wanting to keep a good distance from the leader of the sect. I mean, he was literally only a few meters across us! Thankfully, I managed to hide behind Bastion and Hassleberry.
"Now, if you'll excuse us…" "But regulations clearly said that…" Bonaparte started, only to be cut off. "Good day, Sir." With those words and a slight bow, Sartorius and the rest of the society members started walking away. I was peeking at their disappearing forms from behind Hassleberry's left shoulder. I felt so relieved they were gone…
Regulations clearly said that they didn't give a damn about following the rules… But as long as that meant they would be far away from me, then good for them!
As soon as they left, Crowler and Bonaparte turned around to look at five of us. "Well, I'm not babysitting them. That much, I can tell you." The former commented, making me frown. Babysitting? What were we, ten?!
"Don't look at me." Bonaparte agreed. "You're on your own! If you need me, I'll be back at the hotel!" Crowler declared before walking away. "Me too. Room service, here I come!" Bonaparte jumped off the metal part and followed the taller man. I scowled at them.
Not that I wanted to be babysat, but if anything happened to us, they would be responsible for the consequences… We weren't of age yet!
"Well, this is just great. Abandoned in an unknown city." Bastion pointed out sarcastically. "Who cares? We don't need those guys holding us back!" Hassleberry replied. "Exactly. We've got to make the most of this!" Jaden smiled.
Syrus and Hassleberry then each took out a guidebook. Meanwhile, Aster Phoenix walked up to us. "Aster, tell me, what's Sartorius planning to do? You must know something, after all, he's your manager, isn't he?" Bastion asked the professional duelist. "Not anymore." He frowned.
The moment I heard Sartorius' name, I started backing away. I was in Domino City. I was here to find out more about my past. I didn't give a damn about what the heck Sartorius wanted to do, nor did I want to think about him! Seeing they were discussing that subject, I wanted to just get away. The less I heard about that man, the better!
"Serena, where are you going?" Jaden spoke up before I could walk away from them. Syrus, Hassleberry, Bastion and Aster Phoenix looked at me as well. The three guys were confused, while the professional duelist frowned at me. "I'm going to check out something here."
"Well, why don't you come with us?" Hassleberry raised an eyebrow. "What I want to see is… Personal." I explained. "Oh." The four of them nodded. Aster Phoenix, on the other hand, kept frowning. "Then we'll see you later?" Jaden smiled. I simply nodded, not knowing what to say to his question.
By now, I was aware that he could be my former neighbor from here. But, now I didn't know how to act around him without seeming suspicious…
"Have a nice city tour!" I said to all of them.
With those words, I ran off.
I walked down a long street while looking around. Seeing I was without a guidebook, I wanted to buy one here. Even better, if it had pictures, maybe I could compare them to ones I had in my backpack… Then I could recognize where they had been taken!
Suddenly, I could see a stand with guidebooks on my right. I raced to it immediately and grabbed one guidebook. I started looking through it. It seemed to be the biggest out of guidebooks here… The more information it had, the better.
Without a second thought, I walked inside and paid for it. "Do you happen to know a good nearby café?" I asked while taking the guidebook in my hands. "There is one, just down the street on your left. It's hard to miss it." The shop owner smiled. "Thank you." I nodded. "Enjoy your stay in Domino City!" He waved cheerfully. I nodded to him with a smile and walked out.
I managed to find that café. Once I sat there, I ordered a freshly-squeezed orange juice. As soon as the waiter walked away, I took out my guidebook and the envelope with pictures.
The first picture was of my four-year old-self and Aunt Maria at some sort of a square. She was holding me in her arms and waving at the camera. The other ones were of me at various places I couldn't recognize… But I was about five or six there, that was clear.
Just as the waiter brought me the juice, I started looking at pictures in the guidebook. From what I could see so far, only one place resembled a picture I had… The one with me and my aunt. It was a place called Domino City Plaza.
I quickly drank the juice and asked for the bill. While I was waiting for it and putting the pictures back in the envelope, my excitement grew even more. It was true I couldn't figure out much about locations because my parents would get suspicious, this square was better than nothing!
"Do you happen to know where Domino City Plaza is?" I asked the waiter after paying. He nodded. It's about twenty minutes from here. Keep going down the street, then turn left. Walk along, then turn on first right. It should be at the end of the street." He explained. I thanked him and stood up, getting ready to leave.
I was walking down the long street on the way to Domino City Plaza. For a street, it looked quite pretty. There were a lot of cherry blossom trees. Unfortunately, since it wasn't time for them to bloom during winter, there were no leaves on branches at all. Too bad, since I wished I could see them in full bloom…
Walking up to one tree, I touched it slowly. From what I could see so far, Domino City was a nice place. Even though I couldn't remember it, there was this atmosphere of familiarity…
"When are Mama and Papa coming home?" My eight-year-old self asked Sarina while we were walking down the street with cherry blossom trees. She kneeled down to look me in the eyes. "They should be home soon, dear." She responded with a small smile. "But it's been far too long since I last saw them!" I exclaimed.
Sarina let out a sigh. "I know. They're quite busy." I looked down, tears threatening to start streaming down my cheeks. "Hey," She lifted up my chin with a smile. "They'll be back. There's no need to shed tears." "But when? The last time I saw them was a year ago!" I asked, trying to brush off my tears.
The woman's eyes widened slightly. "Where did you hear that?" She asked in surprise. "I heard you and Sartorius talking about it last night." I admitted quietly. "Oh." She then put a hand on my shoulder. "I promise they'll be back soon, dear." She smiled. I hugged her, only to be hugged back as well.
I stood still for a moment, trying to process what I had just remembered. But then, another memory came…
Wind started blowing, making some cherry blossom petals fall off trees. "They're so pretty!" My five-year-old self squealed, jumping up and down in excitement. "You like them?" Sartorius asked. "Yes!" I squealed yet again.
Seeing one tree branch was near my reach, I ran to it. I started jumping towards it, trying to pick the branch with flowers… But I couldn't reach it! I was too short… Seeing I couldn't get it like that, I was about to try to climb up the tree…
When I was grabbed by my right arm gently, preventing me from climbing. "What are you doing?" Sartorius asked me, just as my left hand let go of the tree. I turned around to look at him. "I can't reach that branch," I pointed up. "So I wanted to climb the tree to pick it!"
"I see, but climbing up that tree could only get you hurt." He told me gently. "How else am I supposed to get the branch then?" I asked quietly. "I can pick it, since I can reach it." He stood up from the kneeling position.
I watched as the man picked the branch with his right hand. He then turned around, and gave it to me. I looked at the branch. It had many pretty flowers on it…
"Thank you!" I then cried happily, hugging the man. After a few moments, I was hugged as well.
By now, I was staring at the ground with hands on my head.
No matter how many times the memories came back, they always caught me by surprise… I could remember those two things clearly by now.
Letting out a sigh, I looked up at the tree. I should have known avoiding the topic with Sartorius would be pretty much impossible. I should have known trying not to think about him would be freaking useless. I literally walked down these streets with him and Sarina as a kid, they were a part of those memories too!
While I knew when those two memories took place, one thing was both clear and unclear to me. Back when I was eight, I told Sarina I hadn't seen my parents for a year… That took place here in Domino City. It was the very same street I was in right now.
But, from what I had been told, we moved away from Domino City when I was six… Why did my parents and Aunt lie to me? Memories of us moving away to Rome were quite hazy…
Too bad I couldn't ask anyone about it. I didn't dare tell my parents about this, and my aunt was missing… Uncle didn't talk to anyone right now, and Ben had never been in Domino City until today… Sarina and Sartorius must have known what happened, based on that memory. Except that I couldn't ask them either, since the former was missing while the latter had gone insane… Che bello… Beata me!
What was that about me not seeing my parents for a year anyway? It certainly explained why their absence when I was small felt longer than it actually had been… But I didn't understand why. What were my parents so busy with that I couldn't see them for a year?
Knowing that I would probably never get an answer to that question, I let out a sigh and looked at my left hand.
Things were so different back then… Wherever Sarina was, I hoped she was fine. Was she even aware of her brother's insanity?
"Sartorius, what made you go insane?" I wondered aloud, leaning against the tree by now. 'You're still trying to convince yourself in that 'insanity' thing?' My other part asked me unimpressed. 'I'm not trying to convince myself; I know that's the case. And I will keep thinking so until you find me a logical explanation for his behavior. First he's kind, then I don't see him for more than a year, and BAM! He comes back as a leader of a sect, supports my cousin's hatred for me, hates me as well, threatens me, and…' 'Alright, you made your point!'
'But you know that's not the case. He said so himself.' 'Do you really believe in those words?!' 'Deep down, you know they're true.' The other part spoke more firmly this time. 'Serena…' 'No.' I shook my head firmly.
I then started pacing back and forth, with hands still on my head. "Forget about Sartorius and his crazy sect, forget about Sartorius and his crazy sect…" I kept repeating to myself firmly. But, for some reason, I just couldn't. Why?!
"What are you doing?" A familiar voice asked, interrupting my pacing. I quickly turned around in surprise. Aster Phoenix was in front of me with his arms folded. A frown was on his face. "No offense, Phoenix, but it's personal." I responded.
He raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? Then next time, solve your personal problems somewhere else, not where everyone can hear you." "I may have picked a bad place for it, but it's still personal." I replied coldly.
"It's about Sartorius, isn't it?" Aster Phoenix gave me a knowing look, as if he were daring me to respond to that statement. "Where did you get that idea from?" I straightened up and frowned at him. "I happened to hear you saying 'forget about Sartorius and his crazy sect' at least five times before you noticed me." The silver-haired guy pointed out, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I glared at the professional duelist who had a nonchalant look on his face. "That's why you're trying to forget about him and the Society Of Light, isn't it?" "Excuse me?" I demanded angrily. "You're scared of Sartorius." He concluded.
"Say that again." I growled immediately while my heart was beating faster in panic. "You're scared of Sartorius." Aster Phoenix repeated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Not true!" I growled yet again. "Maybe you can lie to others, but I can see through your facade."
"And just where did you get the idea that I'm scared of him?" I demanded while curling my hands into fists. "The look on your face when he grabbed you violently clearly showed fear," He started. "When he looked in your direction this morning, you walked away with the same look. When I mentioned him, you walked away, and now you're trying to forget about him to get rid of your fear. Is that enough proof for you?" He gave me a daring look.
I scowled. "That proves nothing." I spat. "Look," Aster Phoenix ignored my words. "Trying to forget about him and his society won't help you at all. You may think it will ease fear and pain, but it won't. What's happening right in front of you is real."
It was truethat the more Sartorius treated me like that, the more scared I was of him. Not just scared. Terrified! If I could, I would gladly get off this island and not come back while he was around! But I didn't want anyone else to know that… Why did Aster Phoenix have to be so damn smart?!
"Why are you telling me this?" I asked coldly with my arms folded. "To let you know the truth. While I don't know what Sartorius is here for, he seems to want something from you. He's mentioned your name a few times." "What could he possibly want from me?" I frowned, still not understanding it. "I don't know. What I do know is fear won't help you. Your choice." He then started walking away.
I let out a groan and tugged at my hair out of nervousness. The only thing this conversation did was make me even more scared. Having a professional duelist tell you his manager wanted something from you was not comforting. That meant I could be Sartorius' target for all I knew!
By now, I was even more conflicted about everything. I was scared, convinced the man had gone insane, yet one part of me didn't believe that for some damn reason, and now Aster Phoenix had to bring up all of this… Why?!
I couldn't think about all of this right now, I just couldn't. I wanted to get away from it, and see Domino City peacefully… Was I asking too much?!
Taking a deep breath, I took my guidebook. I was trying to clear my mind and not think about what had just occurred. It would only bring me more stress, and fear… As long as I stayed away from Sartorius and that society, I'd be fine for the rest of the day.
Finally, I arrived at the end of the street. An open square was in my view. I walked towards it while looking around in amazement. The place was beautiful…
Domino City Plaza was surrounded by some buildings. I could even see a café there named 'Almondo'. At its center, was a giant clock on a pole inside a fountain. It was surrounded by a circle of bushes in flowerpots.
I walked closer towards the clock with a small smile. Right now, it was twelve o'clock…
"Race you to the clock!" The boy declared as we were running around the square. "Hey, wait up!" I shouted with a laugh, racing after him. "Just watch where you're running, there are people in here!" I could hear Aunt Maria shouting after us.
I grabbed for a nearby flowerpot in astonishment. There it was, another memory… I had been here before, now I knew. But that still didn't help me. It didn't tell me who the boy was, nor could I remember what he looked like! I was still convinced it may have been Jaden, but I had no proof…
Suddenly, massive clouds appeared in the sky. For some reason, shivers ran down my spine. I had a feeling something was happening; I just didn't know what… And I wanted to avoid it. In fact, my common sense advised me to get away from the storm, and wait until it was over.
I ran towards that café.
By the time I came out of it, the storm finally disappeared. Thankfully, I managed to entertain myself inside with some ice-cream and reading the guidebook. The café looked awfully familiar as well, but I just couldn't remember it…
Seeing I didn't know about any other location, I decided to just look for those mentioned in the guidebook. One was this so called 'KaibaCorp' building. From what I read, KaibaCorp was a company run by a man named Seto Kaiba, who also owned the Duel Academy. I didn't read what the company was for, but I guessed it was for something concerning dueling since the man owned the Academy too.
The other place was called Kaiba Land. From what I understood, it was some sort of a theme park…
Since I didn't have anything else to do, I might as well check them out.
It was night time by the time I was walking near the seaside. After finding those two places, I just let my feet carry me. I ended up walking around the city the whole day, which I didn't mind at all. Taking a walk could clear your mind from all the problems…
Now I was trying to find our hotel. Since I didn't get to see the seaside, I decided to go past there on my way to the hotel.
To my surprise, I could see some tents set up downstairs, just by the sea. Some people were gathered around the fire as well. My eyes landed on red blazers most of them were wearing. That meant those were students from Slifer Red…
I decided to join them as well, seeing we were from the same dorm. Besides, maybe Jaden was there as well.
As soon as I ran down the stairs, my suspicions were confirmed. Jaden was indeed down there, and he wasn't alone. He was sitting on a log next to Atticus (who had a guitar in his hands), Bastion, and an old man with weird, spiky hairstyle.
"Look, there's Serena!" Atticus noticed me and pointed at me with a smile on his face. Bastion, the old man and Jaden looked up. "Hey, Serena." Jaden greeted with a small smile. "Is that another one of your friends?" The old man asked him, earning a nod from the brown-haired guy. "Where have you been?" Bastion raised an eyebrow.
"All around the city." I said simply. "Did you find what you were looking for?" He asked. "Well…" I trailed off for a few moments, wondering how to respond. "Partially." I finally said with a shrug.
That was when I noticed Jaden and some of the Slifer Red students were eating wrapped-up sandwiches. "Where did you get those sandwiches?" I asked because I could feel my stomach growling. "Here, take one." The old man offered me one. I took it with a smile. "Thank you, Mister… Mister…" I trailed off, realizing I didn't even know his name.
On the bright side, I couldn't embarrass myself with forgetting the name if I never heard it…
"Muto." Bastion stood up and whispered in my right ear. "Grazie mille." I whispered back with a nod, making the British guy smile. He then sat back on the log. "Mister Muto." I then told the man sheepishly. He let out a laugh in response.
I then unwrapped the sandwich and started eating it. Whoever made them was a genius, since it was delicious!
"Say, Serena," Bastion suddenly spoke up while I was still eating my sandwich. "Yes?" I looked up curiously. "I've noticed something… Peculiar I wanted to ask you about." He stated. I raised an eyebrow while taking another bite.
After swallowing it, I looked in the guy's grey eyes. "Go ahead." "During two events, when Sartorius' name was mentioned, you would react quite strangely," He started. Feelings of dread washed over me. I hoped this wasn't what I thought it was…
"What do you mean?" I asked, realizing his, Jaden's, and Atticus' eyes were directed right towards me. "When Chazz mentioned his name, you looked like you froze. The same thing has happened today, when Aster mentioned his name." Bastion continued. "Then when Sartorius appeared here, you ran out of the classroom, and Hassleberry even told me you had defended him once… And you were hiding behind Hassleberry and me today until the white dorm left…"
"And your point is?" I snapped, finally realizing where this was going.
Bastion's grey eyes looked right into my light blue eyes. "Serena, do you know Sartorius?" He asked.
The moment he said that, Atticus gaped at him, and then at me. Jaden's eyes widened slightly. And me? I was lost for words while gripping the wrap on the sandwich even more tightly. I'd finally been busted… I really had hoped they wouldn't figure it out, but it seemed I really had no luck…
I cleared my throat, trying to think of what to say. "What do you mean?" I said without thinking. "I think you understood the question very well, judging by your reaction." Bastion replied firmly.
Letting out a sigh, I realized there was no point in lying. He figured it out, and I didn't want to lie to only people I could be around during current circumstances…
"I do know him." I finally nodded. That earned me astounded looks from Atticus and Jaden. Bastion, on the other hand, frowned. "How, if I may ask?" "He and his sister used to look after me when I was small. They were there for me more often than my parents." I said simply. Three of them looked astonished yet again. "He has a sister?" Atticus gaped. I simply nodded.
"Had you known about the Society Of Light before he came?" The British guy asked. I shook my head. "I know about it as much as you." I responded honestly. "Did he act like this while looking after you as well?" Bastion raised an eyebrow. I shook my head immediately.
I wanted to avoid saying my opinion about how he had gone insane, since that would basically be badmouthing. No matter how crazy he was acting right now, he did not deserve it… That would be disrespectful of me as well.
He and Sarina didn't have to look after me at all, yet they did. He put up with some of my demands so many times while I was a kid, like when it came to constantly spinning me around in the air. I couldn't badmouth him, even if I wanted to.
"What was he like during that time?" Bastion continued questioning me. "He looked after me, even though he didn't have to." I responded coldly. If I said something else, then it would turn into badmouthing.
Seeing I wasn't going to tell him more about that topic, Bastion let out a sigh. "Thanks for telling us." I simply nodded back and took another bite of my sandwich.
That was when I noticed something. Syrus and Hassleberry were usually around Jaden… So where were they at the moment?
"Where are Syrus and Hassleberry?" I asked while looking around. I couldn't see them at all… Jaden let out a sigh. "They're missing." He told me. "What do you mean?" I raised an eyebrow. "While we were taking the tour of the city with Mister Muto, he suddenly went missing. We split up to look for him," Bastion started.
"That was when today's storm started. Some Ancient Duel Monster Spirits appeared, guarding the city." Jaden then said with a frown.
I looked at him perplexed at the mention of 'spirits'. Had he hit his head somewhere? There was no such thing!
"We finally found Mister Muto, and ran into Aster. We saw Hassleberry's monster at the top of one building, so we raced to that place." Bastion continued. "That was when the storm disappeared, so did the spirits. But there was this guy named Frost waiting for us at the street. He knew where Syrus and Hassleberry were, but refused to tell us." Jaden jumped in.
"Jaden and I were about to go to White Dorm and demand where they were, when two guys showed up. One of them named T-Bone demanded to have a duel with Jaden." "Then some strange, violet light appeared, and the other one named Blaze disappeared…" Jaden added to Bastion's previous words.
I kept looking between them back and forth, trying to process everything. "Then we heard a woman's voice. It told T-Bone not to let her down, or else he'd end up like others." "Who was it?" I asked in confusion. "We don't know." Jaden sighed. "When Jaden won the duel, the guy disappeared in the same manner like the one before him." Bastion jumped in.
"We had no idea what was happening, which was why we raced to where the White Dorm was staying. They didn't treat us well," Jaden rubbed the back of his head. "And then Chazz showed up, telling us to be at Kaiba Land tomorrow." Bastion finished. My eyebrows furrowed.
Why would they want them to be at Kaiba Land? I didn't understand a thing…
"I was there a few hours ago." I then spoke up. "Have you seen Syrus and Hassleberry?" Jaden asked me hopefully. "No." I shook my head. He let out a sigh. "Then we need to wait until tomorrow." The British guy sighed as well. I stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. All of this was a lot to take in…
That was when several Slifer Red students ran past us. One of them accidentally knocked me to the ground in process. Suddenly, I could feel piercing pain coming from my left palm. I let out a scream since it hurt so much…
Looking up, I realized why it hurt so much. My left palm was a bit red in color, and my glove was completely burned from that side. While I was falling, my hand accidentally touched nearby fire…
"Serena!" Jaden got on his feet and jumped down to where I was. Bastion, Atticus, and Mister Muto gathered around us. "You burned your hand?" Jaden looked at it in realization. I nodded, still feeling pain. "Do we have first aid kit here?" I looked up at them.
Atticus nodded. "I'll go get it." He ran to one tent. "Serena knows how to treat wounds." Bastion explained to confused Jaden. "Oh." He said simply before nodding. "It doesn't look too bad. I think it's burn of first degree." Mister Muto spoke up. "They could have watched where they were going nonetheless…" I trailed off bitterly while looking at my hand.
"What matters is that you're fine." Jaden grabbed my right hand, the one that wasn't burned. I looked up at him in surprise. I still didn't know whether he was that boy… We haven't started on best of terms, yet he still wanted to talk to me even though I had treated him rudely, and now he cared about my wellbeing…
That was when Atticus returned with the first aid kit. "Thanks." I told him just as he put it down next to me. He nodded with a smile. Bastion then asked Mister Muto whether he knew where Kaiba Land was, and they started talking. Atticus walked up to them, listening to the conversation.
I took some ointment out of the first aid kit. "Do you need help?" Jaden asked while I opened it. "No, thanks." I shook my head with a small smile. I then put the ointment on my burned palm and started rubbing it against it.
Seeing he was still there, I decided to ask him something. "Say," I spoke up, making his brown eyes look at me directly. "Why was I so interesting to you when we first met? Why did you want to talk to me even though I was rude to you?" I knew Syrus had already told me some of it, but I wanted to hear it from the guy himself. Maybe his words could indicate something I had missed before…
"You seemed like a nice person." Jaden smiled. "Even though I was rude?" I raised an eyebrow. "It may seem funny," He let out a chuckle. "But I could tell you weren't like that in general. It was as if I had already known you from somewhere."
I stopped breathing for a few moments. He had just said it. He had just said he felt like he had already known me. Yet another coincidence…
Wondering what to say next, I started taking off my left glove. Since it had already been burned, there was no point in wearing it any longer. The same went for the right one. I would spend the rest of the trip without gloves, then ask for new ones once we returned to the Academy.
I was just about to put the glove away… When someone grabbed me by my left wrist.
Looking up in shock, I could see Jaden holding my wrist with his right hand. His left one was pointing at the bracelet I had. His eyes were wide. In fact, he couldn't take them off the bracelet at all.
"Where did you get that?" He looked up at me astonished. "I've had it with me since I can remember, but it's not until last year that I found it…" I managed to speak up, still surprised by his reaction. If he was reacting like this to a simple bracelet, then could that mean…
"Why?" I asked him. Jaden didn't answer. Instead, he turned it around. I didn't understand what he was looking at… "I used to have the same one, with exact same initials." He pointed at the back of the charm. I looked at it better. It had initials S.A.
How come I hadn't noticed it before? I've been wearing this thing for more than a year now!
"What makes you sure it used to be yours?" I spoke up. "People selling them would carve the owner's initials so they wouldn't lose it." He responded immediately. "I had it with me, until… Until…" He trailed off perplexed. After a few moments, a look of realization appeared on his face. "Until I gave it to…"
His chocolate brown eyes widened yet again. "Serena…" He trailed off once more. "Serena." He then said, as if trying to let something sink in. After a few moments, he finally looked up at me. "Serena." A huge smile was all over his face. "I gave it to you!" He spoke up happily.
I looked at him wide-eyed. Then that meant I was right; he was that boy…
Seeing I was still surprised, smile fell off Jaden's face. "You don't remember?" He asked. "I don't." I shook my head. While my theory was proven correct, that still didn't help since my memories were missing…
"Serena," He put hands on my shoulders with a smile. "It's me, Jaden! Your next-door neighbor and buddy from school!" "I believe you, but I really don't remember…" I spoke up with a sigh.
Jaden let go of my shoulders with a frown. After a few moments, another smile appeared on his face. Then he pulled up his blazer's right sleeve.
My eyes widened in surprise once I saw a bracelet on his right wrist. It looked just like mine. "Now you'll never forget me, 'cause you'll always have it with you." He recited familiar words. I had definitely heard them before… I looked up to see Jaden's hopeful face.
But then, my vision changed. Instead of him, a small boy with unruly hair and chocolate brown eyes was grinning at me.
"Hi." I greeted cheerfully, walking up to the boy's desk. He looked up at me nervously, not saying anything. "Did cat bite your tongue?" I asked. "I.. I…" He stammered. "Hey, I won't bite you, or something like that!" I let out a laugh. However, he was still quiet. I decided to walk closer to the desk. "I'm Serena," I offered my hand to the boy with a smile. "What about you?" "What about me?" He asked nervously. "What's your name?" I asked with a bigger smile. "I'm… I'm… I'm Jaden." He finally said, slowly grabbing my hand. "Well, Jaden, nice to meet you!" I grinned.
"What's that?" I asked curiously, looking at the cards in Jaden's hands. "They're Duel Monsters." He looked up at me with a small smile. "Duel Monsters?" I tilted my head to left perplexed. "It's the best thing in the world!" He grinned. "Want to give it a try?" "I don't know how it works." I admitted. "I'll explain the rules."
"I'm gonna win this time!" Jaden shouted from behind me determinedly. "That's what you said the last time!" I laughed, still running from him with cards in my hands. "Well, I'm saying it again! If I'm going to lose to a girl, then let it be with honor and a good duel!" He shouted after jumping on me. I looked up, meeting his eyes. "You said you wanted to be the 'King Of Games'?" I rolled my eyes. "At this point, you sound more like the 'King Of Drama'." We burst in laughter.
"You're my best friend." Jaden said while we were lying on grass. "You're my best friend too." I giggled. "We'll be best friends forever, won't we?" He asked slowly. "Yeah, forever!" I exclaimed excitedly.
"I think I'm going crazy." I told Jaden with a frown. "Why?" He asked me curiously. "I… I keep some weird spirits whenever I take these things in my hand. It's scary." I explained uncertainly. Jaden started laughing. "Why's that funny to you? I wasn't joking!" I exclaimed. "I know you weren't." He told me reassuringly. "So you don't think I'm crazy?" I asked hopefully. "If you were, then I'd be as crazy as you." "Wait… That means…" "Yes, I can see them too."
"Let's have another duel!" Jaden shouted excitedly. "You said only one more, which ended with you winning. Now we're playing something else." I reminded pointedly.
"Happy birthday, Serena." Jaden offered me a small box and a birthday card. "What's that?" I asked curiously, opening the box. "I have the same one," He showed me the bracelet on his wrist with a smile. "Now you'll never forget me, 'cause you'll always have it with you!" I looked between our bracelets back and forth. "I love it! I'll never take it off!" I squealed, hugging him.
"Serena, what do you suggest for cooking?" Aunt Maria asked while we were in the kitchen. "A difficult question, Aunt Maria…" I sighed. "Why?" Jaden asked in confusion. "Everything she cooks is good, that's why." I let out a laugh.
"It's not always about winning or losing. It's about having fun." Jaden told me with a smile.
"How does it feel like to have your hair ruined now?" I smirked, running a hand through his soft, unruly hair.
"A good duelist can't use the same strategy over and over." Jaden explained cheerfully. "Aunt Maria told you that, didn't she?" I guessed. "Yes," He nodded. "You have the best aunt in the world." "I know, but I mostly think that because of her cooking, not dueling." I laughed. "Well, both! Beside her good cooking, she really taught me a lot about dueling… She's my role model." "She'd be glad to hear that."
I grabbed my head as more memories started rushing back to my mind. I was staring at the ground and breathing heavily. There were so many of them, and they all made sense… I could remember them clearly. I could remember every detail, including how I felt back then…
Looking up at Jaden, feelings of joy and happiness overwhelmed me. At that moment, nothing else mattered. My younger self was at peace, now that I had memories of my best friend back.
"Jaden!" I cried with tears streaming down my cheeks. Without a second thought, I ran to the guy and pulled him into a tight hug. He hugged me back as tightly as I did. "I can't believe it's you!" I then exclaimed excitedly once we pulled away. "I can't believe it either!" He exclaimed as well with a grin, grabbing my hands.
By now, we were jumping around the fire in excitement. But I didn't care if the others noticed (which they most probably did, due to our shouting). I was feeling so happy right now that I didn't care about anything else in the world…
"How could I forget you?" "How could I forget you?" We asked each other at the same time. "How did this even happen?!" "How did this even happen?!" We exclaimed in unison. "Wait, stop," "Let me speak first," We said in unison yet again before laughing.
"WILL SOMEONE TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Bastion's shouting brought us back to reality. Looking at each other wide-eyed, Jaden and I turned around to look at Atticus, Bastion, Mister Muto and Aster Phoenix (didn't notice him coming over here) staring at us.
Bastion then cleared his throat. "Sorry for yelling, but you didn't hear us at all." "It's fine," I spoke up, only to be cut off. "The thing is," Jaden then started. "How about you calm down first?" Aster Phoenix suggested.
We looked at him before taking a deep breath. "Sorry." We apologized. "I'm just happy to see my best friend again." Jaden spoke up with a grin. "Best friend?" Bastion asked in surprise. "Again?" Atticus was astonished as well.
I nodded with a grin while my hand was over Jaden's shoulders. He had his own one over my shoulders as well.
However, before we could say anything else, violet light started shining.
"What's that light?!" I could hear Atticus asking as I covered my eyes. After a few moments, I took my arm off them since the light disappeared. Several mirrors appeared in the sky… "What's that?" Aster Phoenix demanded in astonishment. We walked closer to the rest of them, in case something happened.
Suddenly, one of mirrors changed. It showed a woman. My eyes widened once they landed on her long hair, and ceremonial clothes. I let out a gasp, realizing who it was. It was Sarina…
"Jaden, that was a very impressive victory!" She spoke up coldly. There was something about the look on her face that made shivers run down my spine. I've never seen her like that… "You're quite powerful, now I can see why my brother is so interested in you..." She smiled smugly. That meant she and Sartorius have been in contact all along…
"What do you want with me?!" Jaden demanded as she let out a low chuckle. I just couldn't say anything, I literally felt like I was frozen… First Ben, then Sartorius, and now her too?!
Two mirrors changed to show Hassleberry and Syrus sitting in some sort of glass things. "You'd like to see them again? They're waiting for you." Sarina said, with that smug look still on her face. "And you too, Aster!" She then added.
"Say what? Why me?!" Aster Phoenix demanded with a frown. "For the test, of course. You see, Sartorius may have been wrong." I had no idea what that meant, but apparently the silver-haired guy did. An astounded look was on his face. "Jaden's not the one?" He asked, narrowing his eyes.
"That's what we're going to find out…" Sarina looked at all of us directly. Then, her dark purple eyes landed on me. "I'm waiting for you there as well, Serena…" She told me with a smug smile.
I felt like I stopped breathing for a few moments. I was so scared at that moment…
"What for?!" I shouted, trying not to show fear in my voice. Unfortunately, I could hear it trembling. The response I got was another smug smile from Sarina. That was when all of the mirrors disappeared…
I grabbed Jaden's hand and held it for dear life. I really, really wanted to know what this was all about… What did Sartorius and Sarina want from me?! Was going to Kaiba Land a smart idea?! My fear was literally eating me up inside…
I looked up to meet Jaden's determined eyes. He looked at me determinedly. "We're going to save Syrus and Hassleberry." He declared. I simply nodded to him.
While I really did want to get away, and didn't want any part in this… Sarina wanted me to come for some reason. I wanted to know why. Both Aster Phoenix and Jaden were going there as well… If Jaden could go there, I could as well! I only hoped my fear wouldn't get the better of me…
Well, kaboom! This was one of chapters I enjoyed writing the most, and I hope you liked it! Off to Kaiba Land next, where Sarina will hopefully spill the beans why she wants Serena there as well… Fingers crossed lmao.
The reason Aster told Serena what he had said is because he could relate to her in some way due to both of them knowing Sartorius. Just to clear that up. It's one of relationships I'm looking forward to writing as well, since they do have some things in common...
Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter, since it took me an eternity to plan and write it, especially with the revelation near the end. It's one of key chapters in this story, and from here, some major things will happen…
Words in Italian:
Che bello-How nice/wonderful;
Beata me-Lucky me;
Grazie mille-Thanks a lot.
Until next time! :)
