Skraku: Oh, there's a human yet left to explore within the monster. She just had to be brought out a little, s'all. Kinda like Kyle, right?
Monica: I've certainly seen that kind of smile for a while now. Thought it might be good to put it into a chapter and try to add a little realism. Glad to know she and her namesake have something in common!
Penny: Idiotic? Hardly. Hopeless? Perhaps. But I guess you'll see for yourself! *wink*
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Over the course of the next month, Kyle began developing more of a friendship with Theoris. Of course, he remained tentative – after all, in this society, being friends with voices in one's head would be interpreted instantly as schizophrenia. So Kyle told no one else of Theoris' existence, and the same went for the true nature of the Millennium Shield.
Chubs still came over, of course, and dueled Kyle on regular occasion. Curiously, there didn't seem to be much conversation exchanged between them, not as much as there had been before. Kyle wondered if perhaps Chubs was beginning to distance himself, in order to make it a little more bearable when his best friend moved across the country.
Monica also came over... on rare occasion, and always whenever Chubs wasn't there. But she came, nonetheless, and dueled Kyle as well. Of course, she continued to beat him – she had built her deck around making sure he didn't get monsters on his field so that she could attack his Life Points and not his monsters. Strangely enough, he never did manage to put Sanga on the field, and he never told her he had it.
Trump card. I'll spare her the knowledge until I put it in front of her.
One Saturday evening found Kyle and Theoris – or just Kyle, really – sitting alone in his apartment, watching TV as news of murders, rapes, social discord, and celebrity deathmatches graced the screen. Kyle was feeling under the weather, and so had a rather large cup of white soda by his side.
How could the world have come to such vile means as these to entertain itself? Theoris asked. It seems such a frightful existence.
We live with it, Kyle responded. It's not that we don't care what's happening in the world. I happen to think most of what's going on these days is pretty sickening. But there's not really much I can do about it.
Such words I have heard before. Such words I have spoken before. Then I realized that there was, indeed, something I could do about it. Through being a soldier, I could protect the people I loved and defend my home. A greater sacrifice I could not imagine.
Nor could I, Kyle readily admitted. But weren't you conscripted into the army?
Merely because I was a conscript was not the reason I took such passion in what I did.
I suppose that's true enough. Kyle reached up through the afghan he was using to help sweat out his illness and lightly fingered the pendant at his neck. Do you have any idea how to get this thing back to its original size?
I have none, except to simply concentrate and will it to become larger.
I suppose that's worth a shot. Kyle closed his eyes and put the image of the pendant at the focus of his mind's eye. He still had no idea how it had become smaller in the first place, but he guessed it might have been that he willed it to become smaller – and it had. Maybe the reverse can happen, eh?
Abruptly, he saw a bright glow shining through his eyelids. The light wasn't harsh, but it was definitely bright, and if his eyes had been open, possibly blinding. As it was, by the time the light faded, he was seeing a delightful array of greens and purples.
He forced his eyes to open, and to his surprise, there'd been a drastic change in the shape of the afghan around him. Now it seemed to be surrounding something else. He tossed the blanket aside with his right arm—
The Millennium Shield, now in its full glory, was strapped to his right forearm. The shield was so large that it nearly occluded his entire right hand from view; if he closed his hand into a fist, he wouldn't be able to see it at all. The straps were made of durable-looking brown leather, and there seemed to be no obvious contact point between the straps and the back of the shield. It was almost as if the straps were fused with the metal.
Whoa.
--
As time continued to pass, Kyle continued to pack his things in preparation for leaving his Indiana home. By the time the date for graduation arrived, his apartment was nearly bare, thanks to the movers that had arrived the day before. His plan was to leave that night.
After the movers had finished with his place, he'd gone out to the barber shop to get his hair drastically reduced from what it used to be. When he came out, no longer was it the long, stringy black hair he'd gone in with, but instead down to normal-length, light brown. Upon his arrival for commencement, he drew several stares from his classmates.
The entire time he waited through graduation, he shifted around, feeling uncomfortable in the robes and cap. I should just relax and enjoy the moment. I'm finally done with high school. I passed with flying colors, made high honors, and managed to make myself proud all at once. Not many people can say that. Especially not many in my position.
Indeed. So enjoy this time. Savor it. This is your time now, Kyle. Do with it what you will.
With that endorsement, Kyle made a conscious effort to ignore the discomfort of the robe and cap, and when his name was called to receive his diploma, he took it with pride.
--
Chubs was at Kyle's apartment when his friend returned to the place for the last time. More specifically, he was sitting outside the door, shuffling his cards. As Kyle approached, Chubs glanced up, smiled, and asked, "One for the road?"
Kyle grinned, pleased to oblige.
--
One Month Later
Trenton University, Oregon
--
If there was one thing Kyle had quickly learned from this place, it was that classes were a lot easier than they were made out to be and teachers were a lot less harsh than their syllabi claimed they were. Not only that, but it was tougher than it seemed to simply look Monica up in the student directory and give her a phone call. He'd yet to come across her in any of his classes, but then again, this was the summer term. He couldn't imagine she was taking all that many. He knew he wasn't. Only three classes on tap this term.
Kyle yawned as he stepped out of the latest Government session a full half hour earlier than the teacher had originally intended to dismiss.
Theoris admonished Kyle. You spend half your time in that class yawning. Why did you schedule it for this time frame if you cannot keep yourself focused on the lesson?
I've got a recording of the entire lecture. I can take notes on it later. As you saw, Mr. Hoskins doesn't care whether or not students sleep in his class; if they can ace the material, they'll pass the class.
Nonetheless, it should not be condoned.
Other classes, it isn't, don't get that wrong. Some teachers make exceptions, others don't. I'll take notes on the lecture when I get back to the apartment.
Make sure you do. I am always with you, you know.
Yes, Mom. Kyle scoffed and made his way to the student cafeteria.
The place wasn't very full. A lot of the students preferred to go out to Burger King or McDonald's if they wanted something for lunch. As it was, Kyle had already eaten two bowls of cereal two hours ago, so he wasn't feeling particularly hungry. Thirsty, though.
With that thought in mind, he stopped by the bookstore – just outside the cafeteria – and grabbed a bottle of root beer out of the nearest convenient fridge.
"Hi, there." The cashier smiled at him.
"Hey. How's going?" Kyle asked idly, spying the gum rack.
"Going fine." She cocked her head at him. "I think I remember you. Kyle, right?"
He nodded, eyeing her suspiciously. "Yeah... what about it?"
"I'm Colleen Miles, I was in a few classes with you in high school."
Kyle blinked. "Oh. Yeah, I remember you."
She grinned. "Good. Kinda hard to forget you."
"I'll bet," he scoffed. He placed the root beer on the counter.
"One dollar. You've changed a bunch; I almost didn't recognize you."
Kyle handed over the money. "Most people who knew me probably would have the same difficulty."
"No doubt. I like the hair. The contacts, too. And the clothes, and absence of tattoos."
"Good to know my appearance is now becoming as bland as that of the rest of the world." Kyle snorted.
She laughed. "What, you think my tastes are bland?"
"Hardly." Kyle noted her shirt and shorts were conspicuously devoid of any insignia or insulting phrases. "I like your taste in clothes as opposed to the taste, or lack of such, that most others in our school had."
"Amen to that."
Kyle opened his soda and took a swig. "So what're you doing here? Nearest job opportunity you could find? Wouldn't surprise me – job market's not all that great back in Indy..."
"Close enough. I wanted to go to this school, and there was an opening here in the store, so I took it."
"Sounds good."
"What about you?"
"Eh, I'm here for the writing." Kyle indicated his backpack, stuffed with rumpled papers and equally rumpled books. "Lots of stuff to go through."
She nodded. "I remember seeing you writing a lot of stuff. I looked over your shoulder to see it once... looked pretty dismal, but it was a great style. I'll bet you'll do well. Have you looked into a writer's guild around here?"
Kyle shook his head. "No... wasn't aware of one, anyway. There ought to be, though. I've only been here for a couple weeks."
"I'm told there is one. You might want to check it out. Maybe I'll take a look, too. For all you know, they might publish materials. Make a little money off it."
"I'll look into it, thanks." Kyle nodded at her, then headed into the cafeteria and took an unoccupied booth. He pulled out a notebook and began to doodle around the margins, trying to find visual inspiration to write poetry.
Are you sure you can afford to goof off like this?
Sure I'm sure. My next class is Intro to Computers. I already know just about everything in it.
Is not the goal of your attending this school to learn? What will you learn from a course you already know the materials for?
That's not the point. I need to prove that I'm literate in this subject. And I am, so yes, I can afford to blow it off.
You are paying money for something to be "blown off"?
If I didn't, I wouldn't graduate to the next level of education. It's crazy, but that's how it works. Kyle continued to doodle; most of what he had were simply random marks and squiggles in the margins.
I do not know if I would have even wished to survive to see such madness. I much prefer the simplicity of the military.
Even the military isn't so simple anymore. Kyle snorted, an amused sound, and wrote a pair of stanzas.
"A thousand years, and more to spare
When down the path we go
We lose our minds, our lives, our hope
Beneath, we're fraught with woe
Yet on the path come those who say
They'll be here 'til the end
They know naught but happiness
When you say they're your friend."
Kyle sighed and sat back. You're my friend, Theoris.
Thank you.
Kyle's eyes scanned the cafeteria, which was beginning to fill with various hungry college students. He glanced around, saw several people from his Government class had chosen to blow off Burger King in favor of the cafeteria.
Can't imagine why. Inflated prices, mini-burgers...
Kyle's eyes halted, though, when he spotted one person sitting alone in a corner booth. Her lithe form was stretched out very comfortably across the curved seat, and she had a thick book propped on one knee.
He blinked. Jade...?
As though sensing he was watching, Jade raised her eyes from her book for a moment, then went back to reading as though she had seen nothing more than the usual bustle of people.
Kyle blinked again. Just how many people from my old home do I get to meet around here, anyway?
This is Jade?
Yeah. I've told you about her before, right?
Yes, you briefly mentioned her just after you won Sanga of the Thunder.
Heh, I should've done more than that... particularly since she's on the hunt for cards like that one. Kyle closed his notebook, got up from his seat, and approached the table. There was no mistaking her; that was indeed Jade.
"So," she said, without looking up, once he had reached her table. "It seems I've let you find me once again."
Kyle grinned slightly. "Oh, is that how it worked? You 'let' me see you that first time?"
She looked up at him, her expression unreadable. "If I didn't want you to see me, you wouldn't have."
Kyle cocked his head. "You wanted me to spot you then? You wanted me to see you now?"
"Obviously. Do you have some obsession with being taller than me, or are you just unable to sit whenever I'm around?"
That broke the ice. Kyle chuckled audibly and sat down.
"So," she inquired, sliding a bookmark into the central crease of her book, "how was your day in the hive of drones?"
Kyle loosed another chuckle as he shifted around in his seat. "Boring. Sometimes I find myself wondering why I suddenly became so... 'normal.'"
"I can only guess that the idea seemed attractive at the time." From her backpack she extracted a bag of almonds before continuing, "Want some?" She held the bag out after taking a handful for herself.
Kyle couldn't help but lick his lips at the prospect; he hadn't had almonds in a while. "Sure." He took a couple and chewed thoughtfully.
"I hear congratulations are in order for you. I admit," she said conversationally, "I hadn't expected that of Zack. It's not often people surprise me, but I have to ask: did he throw the duel?"
Kyle leaned back and crossed his arms. "I doubt he was quite that desperate. Question is, how did you find out? That was a private duel."
"A little birdie told me. Unless you're going to deny that you have Sanga of the Thunder...?" She trailed off, raising an eyebrow.
He considered it, then shook his head. "No, I won't. You're right, I have it now. What's it to you?"
She brushed the question aside by holding out the bag again. "More almonds?"
Kyle hesitated for a moment. Should I trust her?
It is free food, Kyle. Whether her agenda is to acquire your card or otherwise, she is offering something I would never have ignored during my life.
He nodded, both to Theoris and to Jade, reached out, and took a couple more. "Yeah... sure."
"You didn't have to look quite so suspicious," she said idly. "They're just almonds. Really." She stretched a little in her seat. "To answer your question, I want Sanga... but you knew that already. So why don't you ask what's really on your mind?"
Kyle huffed. "I thought I had some talent in hiding what I thought or felt. Must've lost it in the transfer from monster to human being." He leaned back in his seat and exchanged his suspicion for curiosity. "You were watching Zack before. You've been keeping track of me since that duel. Am I right so far?"
"Maybe. Would that make you nervous?"
"It made him nervous. Not me, though, not really. Just curious as to why. I hardly had any talent in the game when we first talked."
"I wouldn't say you didn't have any talent, Kyle." Jade responded, fixing him with her green eyes, "I did challenge you, after all, and you said it yourself, why would I want to duel a weakling? Besides, now you're the keeper of a Labyrinth Brother. So unless you stole it, bought it, or found it gift-wrapped under an evergreen, you must have been good enough to win it. And that makes you worth watching."
"Maybe," Kyle conceded. "But that doesn't change the fact that I didn't know what I was doing back then. If you 'let' me see you before, as you claim to have, why? Why waste your time with a guppy when the big fish was just waiting for you to cast your lure?"
"Because this guppy isn't running with the rest of the school, and it catches my attention."
He raised an eyebrow. "Interesting. In the meantime, I suppose you're watching whatever poor soul has Suijin, as well?"
"Oh, 'poor soul'," Jade scoffed. "Listen to you. You make it sound like I'm stalking people."
Kyle offered a pointed look. "From what I've heard, the word's accurate where Zack was concerned. Personally, I don't care whether you chase after me or not. I don't think you'll find much on me, and what I do have, I'll gladly share. I've had worse than a poor soul, you know. I've lived a long time without a soul at all. Meanwhile, here you are, your purpose is set, and whatever your trick is, you've got every advantage. Yours is the enlightened soul. And I've no soul, which means that to ensure the balance, whoever has Suijin is the one with the poor soul." His grin returned.
Jade just looked at him for a moment, as though trying to figure out if he was serious or not. Then a slow, genuine smile crept across her face. "Not bad," she praised. "Not bad at all. Don't try to tell me, though, that you haven't paid attention to people or things that could change your life."
Kyle had the urge to grasp his pendant at those words; he tried refusing himself that temptation, but he ended up fingering it lightly. "I wouldn't dream of saying anything of the sort. If I didn't, I wouldn't look the way I do now. I went to school with that girl in the bookstore, and she only barely recognized me."
Jade raised an eyebrow, inviting him to continue, not missing the almost-restrained gesture.
Kyle brushed his hand through his now short, light hair, a direct contrast to the black ponytail he'd had at their first meeting. "I don't know if I could even explain what happened. And even if I were able to, the story would sound almost too fantastic to be true. But..." He sighed. "Once upon a time, I was the worst of the worst. Path of self-destruction and all that."
He pulled up the right sleeve of his jacket, where the remainder of one of his tattoos lurked as a collection of fading ink splotches under his skin. "Not quite finished with the laser removal yet, but I'm on the last leg."
"What brought about this metamorphosis?"
Kyle's finger played lightly with the pendant. "A trip to a far-away land." He smirked. "I can only hope that it all comes out to a fairy-tale ending, me living happily ever after."
Jade opened her mouth as though so say something sarcastic, but closed it again after a moment. "Well. I suppose we can always hope for fairy-tale endings."
Kyle cocked his head. "Have you got one?"
"Getting a little redundant, aren't you? You already know I want the Gate Guardian," Jade replied.
He decided not to press the issue and leaned back in his seat. "Are you going to try to find a way to get to me the way you got to Zack?"
"What do you care?"
"Well, I'd just as soon you not scare the hell out of me like you did with him."
That earned him a grin. "Am I somehow terrifying?"
"Far as he's concerned, you are. Me... I dunno."
She seemed pleased with the answer. "Well, when you find out, let me know... I like to know how other people... view me..."
He offered an incredulous grin. "You do, huh? And how do you view me?"
"Again, what do you think?"
His grin turned wry. "Not gonna happen this time, Jade. I'm not psychic, and unlike myself, you're quite unreadable. If I were to go by a guess, I'd say I might have earned a little respect for winning Sanga... but beyond that, I haven't a clue."
"Then you'd be right," she answered promptly. "And I'm not ashamed to admit that when I first saw you, I thought you were just a bumbling duelist with no talent and a few lucky draws. Now I see that I was wrong, and for once, that pleases me. You're turning into some decent competition."
"I'll choose not to take offense at that because at first, I was nothing but a bumbling duelist with no talent and the occasional lucky draw," he responded smoothly. "Nowadays I get a few lucky booster packs and make the best use of what I've got."
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table, his manner frank. "So, what now? Are you going to challenge me to a duel in the interests of getting me to hand over my one and only trump card?"
"You made my point for me," she said bluntly. "Sanga is your one and only trump card. I said you'd gotten better and I meant it – but you're still not good enough to take me on and win. So wait and train yourself up... and when you get to a level that interests me, you'll be the first to know."
"And allow yourself a greater risk of losing Kazejin?" he asked, an eyebrow rising. "I was under the impression you enjoyed crushing duelists underfoot."
"I enjoy taking some duelists down a couple of pegs, yes," she agreed without hesitation, "but for serious challenges, I prefer to wait. Besides, I gain the Labyrinth Brothers, not lose them." She looked at him confidently. "Don't be so eager to lose Sanga to me, Kyle."
A corner of his mouth turned up at that. "All right, then."
He glanced at his watch, which told him he had ten minutes to get across the street and to the media center for class. "Well, I should be going. It's been nice talking with you, though."
He got up and slung his backpack over one shoulder. He turned to leave, then glanced over his shoulder. "I think I've made my decision. Zack may be afraid of you, but I'm not."
She gave him a smile that could be interpreted as feral. "Good," she proclaimed. "It's more fun that way."
"What is?"
"Winning."
He scoffed as he turned back around. "I'm sure you'll have your day. For now, have a good one."
That will not be the last of her.
Long as we both have Labyrinth Brothers, there's never going to be a "last of her". Soon enough it'll come down to her against me.
Then you had best prepare yourself.
Just watch me.
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Thus ends this chapter! Coming up, Kyle receives an invitation to a tournament cloaked in
mystery... and how is Zack involved? Stay tuned and find out! Meantime, please review!