It was a few weeks later that things were back to normal, the castle's repairs and all members were back in tip top shape. Dan's words were true enough; no attacks or appearances of the agents of darkness had appeared since.
But a strange calm was still in the air, and both Aaron and Sarah could sense the unease of around them.
Sarah had been spending her time down in the Vault trying to figure out if Dan was after any thing particular, while Aaron had been spending his time back on the promenade, trying to rearrange his Spellcaster deck for his original deck.
Jacob and Chuck were nearby watching him, seeing what kind of deck he was trying to construct.
"He's innovative, I'll give him that much." Chuck said.
"After that Double Duel, I think he's trying to work out some new tricks until his Rema grows enough to handle another Elma combo." Jacob said.
Aaron looked at the Masked Beast card, and remembered how Sarah had sent it flying back to his hand.
Despite the problems surrounding him, he's still a good card to have in here.
He put it in the deck, and looked at the pile of cards beside him, looking for any of the gems he had collected in his career.
Just then, he saw something that caught his eye, St. Joan.
"Wait a sec... oh crud, I forgot, the dance!" He moaned.
Chuck looked at Jacob, "You know what he's talking about?"
"If I'm not mistaken, he's got a formal Dance to go to at the end of the next 2 days, but I think he's moaning because he forgot to ask a girl out." Jacob explained.
"Well you're always popular with the girls, why not try and hook him up?" Chuck suggested.
"Oh no, the last time I did that, Kyle ended up in a body cast." Jacob objected.
Aaron finished his deck, and sat down in frustration, Great, I've got only 2 days to ask a girl out. But there's just one problem. I CAN'T EVEN LOOK ONE GIRL IN THE EYE AND ASK!
As Aaron wallowed in self inflicted grief, Jacob wondered what to do.
"Hey what's up homies!" A very loud voice called out from down the halls.
Chuck looked and saw it was Jordan, "Hey man, whatca doing here?"
"I was bored, the folks tried to put me to work volunteering at Retirement Home." He said.
"So you were planning on hiding out here till the heat blows over eh?" Jacob smirked.
"Yeah, hey what's up with the new guy?" Jordan asked, looking at Aaron.
"He just realized he's got a better chance beating Kuro arm wrestling or growing taller than Dalin in the next two days than getting a girl for the dance." Chuck summed up.
"Man that's rough."
"Hey Jordan, I got a proposition for ya." Jacob said, a vile grin on his face.
"Oh man, he's got that look on his face." Jordan said.
"It's the look of a sinister man at work." Chuck agreed.
Aaron pulled himself out of his misery and said, "Oh well, I guess I'm going to spend the night doing Laundry."
"Is that the attitude of a winner or a quitter, boy?" A voice called out from behind him.
Aaron turned around to see a kid with brown eyes and hair, about 2 inches taller but about the same build. He wore a T-shirt with a Picture of Yu Yu Hakuso, a blue hoodie jacket, a pair of jeans, and Necklace with a silver Ankh and a pewter Cross.
"Jordan, may I ask why you prying into my business?"
"Because I'm going to help you become a lady killer, mark my words!"
"As last ones?" Aaron asked, and watched Jordan slammed against the floor in typical anime form.
And in similar style he flew back up to his feet and said, "I'll show you the ropes pal, Give me a chance, I mean, come on what do you got to lose?"
My sanity for one, but who knows, I need all the help I can get.
"Alright then, Jordan, lets do this." He answered.
"Then follow me, to the bat cave!" Jordan said, running back down the hall.
"I may have just agreed to further embarrassment." Aaron muttered, as he followed suit.
As the two took off, Jacob looked at Chuck, "I wish I could go see this, but I've got watch duty today."
"I'll go then. I'll give you the instant replay." Chuck said, as he followed them.
Chuck snuck aboard the Zephyr Express as the two got on.
Aaron and Jordan sat down and began to talk, "So what's the game plan?" Aaron asked.
"Find a hunting ground; it'd be in your best interest to find a girl from your neighborhood." Jordan explained.
"And then?"
"We go to work." He grinned.
This is going to be a rough day.
In a bright flash, Jordan and Aaron landed in Thompson, at the same train tracks where Aaron had gone on before the Jeni and Ken duel.
"So this is where you live eh? Not a bad place hommie." Jordan stated.
"I know, it's peaceful but there's a slight problem." Aaron said.
"And that would be?"
"You'll see."
Meanwhile Chuck had gotten off the train a few yards behind them, and continued to keep an eye on them.
Aaron led the way, going from the center of town, to towards the School. The classes were over, but kids were all over the place.
Aaron paused, and let Jordan take in the sights, "This is the problem I have."
Jordan looked, and couldn't believe his eyes, gorgeous women were all over the grounds, red heads, blondes, brunettes, anything you could imagine was there.
"This is a problem?!!" Jordan gasped.
"You'll find out, try using those lady killer lessons out." Aaron said, stepping back.
Jordan gave him one last glance, but then put on his cool Play boy expression, and approached a stunning red head; her dazzling green eyes looked like emeralds.
"Shannon Peacock, Uh oh." Aaron muttered to himself.
"Hey there, beautiful, mind spending your evening with a handsome gentleman such as myself?" Jordan asked.
"Sorry, but I don't think my boyfriend will like that." She grinned.
"And who would that be?" Jordan asked, not getting the hint.
"Jordan, get out of there!" Aaron tried to call out, but he was too far away for Jordan to hear.
Just then, a heavy hand landed on Jordan's shoulder, He turned around, and saw a guy a few inches shorter, his figure was quite muscular, he wore jeans and a flannel long sleeve shirt, one his feet were cowboy boots, and a hat of similar era. His coal black eyes were focused on Jordan.
"Me," He said, as he gripped harder, and flew Jordan into the air and slammed him against the tree Aaron was standing next to.
"Ouch..." Jordan moaned.
"That would be Tommy Witkozki, I suggest you don't do that again." Aaron said, helping him up.
"Point me in the direction of a girl who doesn't have a boyfriend, and I'll win her over." Jordan commanded, apparently unfazed from the sudden collision.
"Ok, try a brunette, Ah, over there." Aaron pointed out. This one had her hair in a long ponytail; she wore a short skirt, and a blue turtle neck. Her eyes were a hazel brown.
Jordan's eyes bulged, and pranced his way over to the lovely, and spoke, "To the fairest sight I've seen in all of the providences, I ask of you, will you be my lady?"
The brunette turned around and said, "Oh, you're so sweet, but I'm taken."
"What? I thought you didn't have a boyfriend." Jordan stated, just as a pair of long nailed hands wrapped around his neck.
"Get away from my girl!" He heard a feminine voice call out as he was thrown back wards.
He collided with a branch and fell down to the ground with a deafening thud.
"Aaron, why didn't you tell me she was taken?" Jordan flew up from the ground and pointed at Aaron.
"Ahem, Point me in the direction of a girl who doesn't have a boyfriend, and I'll win her over. Sound familiar?"
"Good point. Is there a single girl in this place that's single?" Jordan asked.
"Well if I followed that exactly, that is a yes. But there are still some who are single. Over there, the blonde." Aaron pointed.
Jordan's face turned a bright red, she was stunningly beautiful, her hair was a golden waterfall that flowed past her shoulders, her skin was a faint tan, her crystal blue eyes were sparkling, and she was wearing a cheerleader's uniform.
"That is Catherine. Now don't push it with this one." Aaron said.
Jordan's nose had a steady stream of blood flowing out of it before he came to his senses and headed over to her.
"Hey there Beautiful, I hear you're available, Care you got out on a date tonight?" Jordan in his coolest tone.
"Sorry, But I got to clean my hair, maybe next time." She said, walking away.
Aaron looked on and said, "Well at least this time he didn't get hurt."
But just then, Jordan pulled out a cape from his pocket, and threw it on, and in a single bound, he flew up into the air, and nailed his head against a tree branch.
When he landed back on the ground, Aaron looked over him and asked, "And what was that for?"
"Sorry, But I'm Captain Heartbreak! I can't explain my motives to an innocent bystander." He explained.
What did this guy have for breakfast? Jet fumes?
"Alright, let's get you out of here." Aaron said, trying to pull him off the ground.
"Hey what happened to this guy?" A voice called out from behind.
"Reality came down and let him have it. I know that voice anywhere Ashley, so may I ask what you're doing here?" Aaron asked.
Jordan turned his head to she a stunning brunette, her face had a pair of small glasses covering her blue eyes, she wore a white blouse, and a pair of dress pants.
"I was checking up a few things when I saw you're friend here lying on the ground." She said.
"Oh, well then, Ashley, I'd like you to meet Jordan, Jordan, this is Ashley Lovechild." Aaron said.
"A pleasure to meet you." Ashley said.
"Oh no, the pleasure is mine." Jordan restated.
"Hey Ash." A voice called out.
Aaron simply closed his eyes and said, "Better get going, sounds like Dave is calling for you."
"Alright, Nice seeing you again." She said, as she headed back into the crowd.
Jordan looked at Aaron, "Hey what's up man?"
"Nothing, Jordan." Aaron said, taking another look out to the crowd, "Nothing at all. Let's get you some place where you can't get thrown through the air."
"Sounds great." Jordan said, as Aaron struggled to pull him along.
"And I thought Dan was heavy." Aaron moaned.
"Hey, I'm on a diet here."
"Say that to my back!"
As the two marched back into town, Chuck was watching from the tree.
"You'd think after all those collisions; they'd have the sense to look up?" Chuck muttered to himself.
But then he turned his attention back towards the crowd, he saw Ashley meet up with a guy in the mass of kids. He was tall, had black hair, a light complexion, and sharp brown eyes.
He gave Ashley a peck on the cheek, and the two of them headed off the grounds.
I wonder. Chuck thought to himself.
Just then, his duel brace began to glow.
Something is nearby, but I don't sense a monster. It looks like the hiatus is over.
Chuck took one more look, and jumped out of the tree, but in the woods, many eyes were watching.
"So 3 of them eh?"
"Looks like were going to have some fun tonight!"
Meanwhile, after walking a half hour down the road, Aaron had brought Jordan to a Pizza parlor. Jordan had sat himself down in front of the TV watching Jerry Springer.
"Watching that will give you bad ideas." Aaron said, as he sat down as well.
"Well watching you is almost as entertaining." Jordan replied, as he watched a pair of men tear each others wigs off.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
Jordan turned away from TV, and turned to face Aaron. "What's the deal with you and Ashley? You seem to get along with her good enough."
"She's the Principal's daughter, the unattainable for somebody like me." Aaron stated.
"Oh? After seeing you risk your life to beat V, I don't think a simple inconvenience is enough to ward you away, I can see it in your eyes man. You're falling for her."
"Gimme a break, there's more to it than that. She's got a boyfriend, Dave Leone, school salutatorian and she's valedictorian, everyone at the school saw a relationship forming." Aaron said, his mood getting a little sadder.
"Every one but you." A voice said from behind.
Aaron turned to see Chuck standing behind him.
"Yikes! What do you people do all day? Stalk people?" Aaron called out in fright.
"Nah, more of a hobby, any way, judging by how you two get along, why didn't a relationship grow out of it?" Chuck asked.
"She was always busy studying and working to stay on top of school that she never had much time for herself. I was just a kid staking through school by the skin of my teeth, and while the both of us met and became friends, I knew nothing could grow out of it; she could only have time for a boyfriend that was on an equal level with her. And then came Dave, and the rest is history."
"Well that bites." Jordan said simply.
"Oh yeah." Chuck said.
"Something tells me you two have had worse trouble than this."
Just then, as a pair of women was ready to get into a cat fight, the TV switched over to a news broadcast.
"Attention, Amber Alert is in effect for the town of Thompson Connecticut."
The three guys turned back to the TV, "Amber alert? What the hell?" Aaron wondered, My Town is far from perfect, but I've been here my whole life, the kids around here are smart enough to keep themselves from being nabbed.
"Approximately 10 minutes ago, a 911 call was issued for the abduction of a teenager in the West Thompson district. Her name is Ashley Lovechild, age 18."
All of a sudden, Aaron froze, What the...
"Reports indicate that the young girl was abducted from right in front of her boyfriend, Dave Leone."
The announcer was switched over to a reporter, "Diane, I'm with Dave now, He's been with an interview with the police and is still under questioning. When I spoke to him, he claimed two men in black suits, and a man in a monster costume ambushed them as they crossed over the West Thompson Dam."
Aaron's gaze met with Chuck and Jordan's, "Daikai."
"A letter was left at the crime scene, To the 3 knights; we are your dark rivals. Be one with speed, or the fair flower shall wilt and perish. Across the vast mirror, on the river of stone, and in the house of old come to face us, or be gone the flower shall be. The police are baffled at the meaning, but are doing every thing in there power to try and locate this missing child."
Chuck turned to his teammates and said, "I knew there was something amiss in this town. I should have looked closer!"
"Enough of that! It's us they want, so we have to be there to save her. But where do we go?" Jordan asked.
"They had to have picked places close enough for us to reach if they expect us to go after them. And I think I know where." Aaron said, reaching into his pocket and pulled out a map.
"The mirror has to mean a large reflection, and since water reflects, the West Thompson Dam is the closest body of water." He pointed.
"But that means they never left." Chuck said.
"I'll take that area." Jordan said.
"The river I think means the high way, an exit isn't that far away from here." Aaron said.
"And I'll take that, Aaron, the last place is yours. Let's move!" Chuck said, as the three of them barreled out the door.
"SPIRIT MERGE!!!"
Jordan and Aaron were swept up in energy, and transformed to their duel monster forms.
"Gearfried the Iron Knight!"
"Archfriend Soldier!"
Chuck, instead of transforming, decided on a different method of transportation.
"Where'd you get that truck?" Jordan asked.
"I'll explain later, get going!" He shouted, as his newly acquired red Dodge Ram burned out of the parking lot.
Archfiend took off at high speed down the road, while Gearfried dove into the trees.
"Hang on Ashley, we're coming!"
To be continued...