Getting his new rank, Shini wasn't completely pleased. Had to slightly give up his gothic ways in school, and had to take notes. That was the only problem with him. He had so much short hand, if a person was absent and needed notes, he was the first person to not volunteer. You might as well been doing a cryptogram over deciphering his notes.
However, nothing stopped him. First day of his actual class, he walked in the school, wearing his headphones once again, having the dueling disk on his arm, with the deck in it, and he entered the classroom, getting towards his seat. Other students looked at him, and a few smiled a bit, others glaring. Shini finally got to his seat and sat down, seeing a red spiky-haired guy right next to him.
"Nice ass-whooping, kid," the guy smiled towards Shini.
Shini looked over. "Um . . . Thanks. Who are you?" Shini asked in a friendly manner.
"Name is Zack Volcano. Don't ask how the hell I got the last name. You are Shini . . . . . Oh gods, can't remember your last name," he said, hitting the palm of his hand into his forehead.
"Laser. Don't ask where the hell I got the last name," Shini joked.
Zack joked a large amount. "Nice catching me there. Anywhere, basically, not much to the class. He gives pretty gives basic ideas for deck building and dueling, he'll say your limited to a certain amount of Deck Points for a future dueling situation, which the card and point list will be given out before the assignment, and you have to make a deck, make a benefit map, and then you'll be dueling it against others. That is the situation in at least in this bloody classroom. The better it preforms, the more points you score. Just note, the more luck involved with your win, the lower your grade. Just don't worry, if you win, there is no way you can get an F."
Shini nodded. "Sounds fair. He supplies all the cards we will need, correct?"
"Of course. I heard the next one is just going to be a basic elemental theme deck. Maybe you'll get something pretty much like your water deck? Oh, also, watch out for the side notes. If they have like the mathematical symbol for an empty set, that is banned for the tournament. If it says like that if you have a certain card also in the deck and that one, each one is worth so much. Also, really make sure you keep in the deck limits. Even a few points over the deck limit will get you a flat F. He'll give you credit for trying, but you won't be in the tournament," Zack said.
"Got that," Shini nodded. "So, anyone in here I should be worried about in the classroom?"
"No where close, Shini. Well . . . Actually, see the guy with the blue hair near the front row?" Zack whispered.
Shini looked over. "Yup. Can almost remind me of Weevil Underwood," he said.
"It isn't Weevil, but has the evil intentions as Weevil. Uses machine decks, always tries to get Cyber Dragons and Polymerization or Cyber-Stein on top of his deck. Has Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Cyber Twin Dragon, and Cyber End Dragon. If he gets the three Cyber Dragons and Polymerization, nearly no one can stop his power. Maybe you can ask the teacher for a side-deck option to throw some more valuable cards in it," Zack whispered.
"Got it. Sounds like fun," Shini grinned.
Finally, the class started, and the teacher yelled, "Morning, all. Well, new deck assignment! Theme decks. All ready for card list?" Professor Blaze asked.
The class almost silently nodded, and the lists started to be passed out. Nearly 40 sheets of paper, containing over 1200 different cards. Shini sighed, looking up.
"750 deck points max, and I think that is it. Any questions?" the teacher asked.
"Yeah, I have one, sir," Shini said, which got the attention of everyone. "750 for the main deck or main and side deck?"
The teacher sat on his desk, putting a hand on his chin. "I have an idea. Anyone can quickly do 750 times 5/4 for me?" the teacher asked.
"937.5," Shini answered.
The teacher looked at him. "How about this: 750 max for the main deck, and 950 all together. Thanks for the question, Laser. So, go ahead and work on them. Due on Friday!"
Shini and Zack nodded, starting to go and make their decks, Shini getting out his calculator and quickly started to type on it his calculations. At times, he had to deduct cards for his point count, but then realized one card. "Dimension Wall?" he softly asked himself.
Zack looked at him. "You know what that does?"
Shini shook his head. "Not used to the new card set."
"Well, if you were to get any battle damage from a battle, activate that, and instead of you getting it, your opponent gets it. Trust me, it will help in the long run."
Shini nodded. "So, after filling it up as full as possible, I got to write the list, and then write benefit maps?"
"Yup. Good luck with that, though. There are so many benefits you can do, benefit maps are pretty damn hard," he said.
Shini shrugged. "Such as life. I'll get it done, one way or another."
And with those words out his mouth, the teacher dismissed them. Shini put on his headphones as soon as he got out of class and started home. Zack walked by his side, looking at him. "Mind coming to my house to work on our decks? I am good at dueling, but deck building is not my speciality."
"Um . . . Sure, Zack, as long as your bedroom door is locked from the inside," Shini joked.
They both had a good laugh. "Nah, I am not really into dating, so don't worry. I just need to get a theme with my deck. Maybe a Fire Beat-Down or Fire Speed?" he asked.
Shini nodded. "Sure. I am hoping I have enough room to slide in Guardian Sphinx, Magician of Faith, Spirit Reaper, and Mask of Darkness. Wait a second. Doesn't Spirit Reaper and Mask of Darkness cut each other's DP cost?"
"They are both Dark, so I think so," Zack said.
Shini nodded. "That is pretty damn sweet. Now my deck list is almost completely now."
"Yeah. Guardian Sphinx and Magician of Faith is going to be hard to slip in, though, you know."
"I'll think of something," Shini nodded a bit. "Even if it is throwing a few fake traps in my side deck."
"Fake traps? What?"
"Cards I am throwing in there for nearly no purpose."
"Oh. Okay. What weak light and earth monsters could you throw in with or without a purpose?"
"Hm . . . . Earth, I could always throw in Man-Eater Bug just for fun, and light . . . . Hm . . . . ."
"Well, get Guardian Elma," Zack suggested.
"Butterfly Dagger - Elma is banned, so no purpose of throwing that in. Maybe Tryce, since I do have that in my side deck," Shini nodded.
"Sounds fair. Settled over there now?"
"Yup. You still want help, though?"
"Um . . . Well, let me try to make the deck on my own, but tomorrow, can you critique it?"
"Sure then, Zack. See you tomorrow in class," Shini smiled and then started for his own house.
However, even with that smile, it contained a bit of nervousness. How badly can that kid cheat so that Shini can't win? What type of duels is going to go on between him and the others? Will Zack be Shini's best friend one second, but then they will be the big rivals of the school the next? Shini had no clue at the moment, but was hoping the dominos will fall the way he set them it up.