Aster waited outside near the entrance to the diner, tapping one foot against the ground impatiently. It had been almost ten minutes since Alexis had gone back inside to use the restroom, and he was starting to wonder just what the heck was taking her so long. He started to take out his cellphone to text her, but then changed his mind and put it back into his pocket. Alexis was just taking her time; it could happen. Maybe dinner just hadn't agreed with her. Or, he didn't really like to think about the details, but it was also possible that she was experiencing that "special" time of the month for women. Either way, Aster didn't want to look like the world's most overprotective boyfriend by flipping out over a bathroom break taking a little longer than normal. Their relationship was strained enough as it was thanks to the Kaiba Land incidents, so Aster had been trying to give Alexis some time to breathe and sort through things on her own more. While he was a bit dismayed that intimacy (even a lot of non-sexual contact for it) had grinded to a halt in their relationship, Aster knew that he had to be patient. He and Alexis had already discussed her fears at length and there wasn't much else he could do right now. He knew that trying to push her would be the absolute worst thing he could do. So, he had decided to wait and see if things would gradually stabilize with more time. If needed, he could always try to explore the topic further with more discussion and hope that it would give them more ideas about how to solve the problem. But it wasn't at that point yet.
After a few more minutes, Aster couldn't help starting to worry. Alexis had been inside for over twenty minutes now. He had to go back inside and find out what was wrong. Because somehow, Aster had the sinking feeling that something was very wrong here.
After entering the diner, Aster scanned the main room. Only a couple tables were occupied, and they were just some elderly couples. He walked briskly down the small hallway towards the women's restroom, his dread growing by the second.
Once he reached the restroom doorway, Aster knocked softly on it a couple times before speaking. "Alexis? Are you alright?" He asked in concern.
When he didn't hear a response after a few seconds, Aster decided that he had to take action. After checking to make sure that no one was nearby, he opened the door to the restroom and quickly slipped inside. He felt a little apprehensive about his action. God only knows what would happen if word got out that Aster Phoenix was going into women's restrooms. A quick look around the small bathroom and under the stalls told Aster what he had already pretty much knew by now: Alexis wasn't here. Just to be sure, he opened every stall door and peered inside. Nothing. There weren't even any windows in the room.
Starting to panic more by the second, Aster dashed out of the restroom, slamming the door behind him. He didn't care if anyone noticed him anymore. Alexis was missing and he had to find her.
Once he was back in the main dining area, Aster spotted the waiter, who just like everyone else in the restaurant, looked to be about eighty years old.
"Excuse me! Did you happen to see the girl I came in here with anywhere around here!? She came back inside to use the restroom and I haven't seen her since." Aster asked the waiter worriedly.
"Oh, you mean the pretty young blonde that's your lady friend? I did see her come back in after you had both left. But I'm afraid that's all. I was busy at the tables after that, so I must have missed her leaving." The waiter answered, appearing slightly puzzled by his own observation.
"Are you sure? There's not any other exits here, is there!?" Aster pressed desperately.
"I'm afraid not. Unless she wanted to climb out one of the windows. Although that's something someone would notice for sure here!" The waiter joked.
"I see…" Aster answered glumly.
"Maybe she left without you noticing? Women can be awful quiet when they want to." The waiter suggested.
"Yeah, maybe…" Aster trailed off vaguely.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help…" The waiter apologized.
"No, it's fine. Thank you for your time." Aster said politely. He then turned to leave.
"Okay. But once you find her, remember this: women are always right. The sooner you go along with her, the sooner you'll be able to make up with her. Trust me, I know about these things. Sixty years of marriage will tell you that." The waiter advised Aster seriously.
"Um, sure. I'll keep that in mind. Thanks again." Aster said somewhat hurriedly. He then dashed out of the restaurant.
Xxx
Alexis could only gape in shock from her captor's words. Sarina. This was the woman who had been like a sister to Aster throughout a good part of his life. He had told Alexis a lot about how he had met Sartorius and Sarina. How they had been a constant source of emotional support to him with the D usually being out on pro league tours and not spending much time with Aster. Between that and the fact that Aster had not had any friends his own age due to his schedule with being homeschooled and training for the pro league, the little fortune-telling shop had become his home-away-from-home, and Sartorius and Sarina like the siblings he had never had. Until everything with the Society of Light had started, that is. Sartorius had started his cult operation, while Sarina had gone off the grid entirely, presumably to her mountain retreat for spiritual training according to Aster. He hadn't been able to make contact with her since. But now, here she was, right in front of her. It had been a few years since the picture in Sartorius' apartment had been taken, but Alexis could recognize Sarina easily enough. Wearing the traditional miko* style garments, with long dark hair and a gaze of piercing intensity, Sarina commanded quite a presence.
Before Alexis could dwell on her thoughts anymore, Sarina's voice brought her back to the present. "Thank you for your devoted service, Thunder. I trust that you and Frost will have no problems retrieving the others?" She enquired. The slight edge in her voice made it sound more like a challenge than a question.
"Of course, we won't! As long as Frost doesn't try to screw things up by making it all about himself…" Thunder answered, muttering the last part more to himself than Sarina.
Sarina raised an eyebrow slightly at Thunder's visible annoyance but didn't say anything about it. "Very well then. I expect results. You know what will happen if there is any failure on your or the others' parts. You may proceed." She warned Thunder.
Looking a bit pale from Sarina's words, Thunder quickly straightened himself up and bowed to Sarina. "Yes, Lady Sarina." He said obediently. He then disappeared in a whirlwind of lightning.
Alexis had to blink to make sure that her eyes were working properly. The man in front of her just seconds ago had disappeared right in front of her in a literal flash of lightning. Just what was going on here!? And what had they meant by "retrieving the others"? Were her friends in danger, too!?
"I do apologize for having to have my subordinate bring you here like this. I have no doubt that it was a frightening experience for you since I already know what weighs on your mind. Rest assured that no harm shall be bestowed on you or your friends while you are here." Sarina said apologetically.
"How do you know about that? Can you predict the future too like Sartorius?" Alexis asked cautiously. She had no doubt that the that they were both referring to was her encounter with Harrington.
"Yes, but my powers differ a bit from my brother's." Sarina answered, not elaborating any further.
"Why did you bring me here to…wherever this is!? That Thunder or whatever said something about me being bait for Aster. Just what are you trying to do!? You better not try anything to hurt him!" Alexis fired a barrage of questions at Sarina.
Sarina didn't appear fazed in the slightest by Alexis' outburst. "We're in Kaiba Corporation's virtual reality space of their amusement park. I know that this method may seem unsavory, but it is necessary. You see, this is a test for both Aster Phoenix and Jaden Yuki. In order to ensure both their cooperation and motivation, I had to use ones who are close to them as bait. I have found that one's true strengths are tested better when they are under pressure, as cruel as it may seem." She explained.
"Just what are you testing them on?" Alexis asked carefully.
"To see whether either of them are chosen ones in destiny's plan." Sarina answered cryptically.
"So, you're a part of the Society of Light, too?" Alexis asked accusingly.
"In a manner of speaking, yes. But this about more than that. I'm hoping that this will help determine whether at least one of them will be able to save my brother. You see, he wasn't always like this. Ever since the day he was shown a certain card from one of his customers, he started to change for the worse." Sarina explained.
"So, you mean that something is making Sartorius act like this with setting up the whole Society of Light cult and brainwashing people. That would explain why he changed so much from how Aster told me he was like…" Alexis said, the realization dawning on her.
"That is correct." Sarina confirmed.
"And this "certain card"… You don't mean the one that Aster is searching for, do you!?" Alexis asked excitedly. Of course, she had heard the whole story from Aster about how one of the cards in his Destiny Hero deck had been found missing the night that he found his father murdered in cold blood.
"I can't say for sure since I haven't been able to get a firm reading on it. But I suppose that it is a possibility. Aster has revealed a great deal to you, I see. I can tell that you are very dear to him." Sarina said thoughtfully.
Alexis felt her face heat up in embarrassment from Sarina's statement. "Aster is…very important to me. More than anything, I just don't want him to get hurt..." She admitted softly.
"I admit, that's another reason why I brought you here. I wanted to talk to you about him." Sarina confessed.
"Do you think that Aster could be the one to save Sartorius?" Alexis asked.
"One would think so what with his talents and everything he's been through. But on the other hand, I fear what could happen if that is the case knowing how Aster is. He has lost so much growing up, so I'm afraid that he's grown up to be quite pessimistic where the future is concerned. The reason why Aster became so enthralled by the idea of everything being predestined was because it gives him a sense of security and control over his life. The idea of being able to see outcomes in advance made him feel more emotionally prepared for any more potential tragedies or unexpected turns in life. But the downside to this is that once he knows about something unpleasant, he tends to feel a sense of hopelessness and inevitability. It's like a double-edged sword." Sarina explained worriedly.
Alexis thought back to her conversation with Aster when they were at Sartorius' apartment. Clearly, he had been dependent on Sartorius' predictions for a long time. But the stress from the possibility of finding out about less-than-desirable potential outcomes had been too much for him in the end.
"But he's changed since then. I really think that losing to Jaden has helped him to start seeing things differently." Alexis insisted.
"To an extent, yes. But I don't it's been enough for him to feel completely free from the influence of destiny. The thing is, Aster would be willing to shoulder the burden of having the whole world on his shoulders if he knew that it would guarantee safety to the ones he cares about. But that is also what can make him incredibly reckless. Because above all, he fears losing more people that he loves. And that fear has only gotten stronger now that he has you to worry about as well." Sarina explained somberly.
"I never would have guessed it from when I first met him, but Aster really does have a lot weighing him down. And now I've added to that…" Alexis said sadly.
"That's not the whole case, though. While he does worry for you, you have also given him something irreplaceable." Sarina said confidently.
"What?" Alexis asked carefully.
"Hope. I believe that growing close to you has helped Aster to see that there are always new possibilities for happiness in the future. Because just as there is tragedy in the finality of death, there is also joy in new beginnings. And you are the latter for him." Sarina said.
"I don't know if I'm that important to Aster, though. I mean, sure we're together and I know that he cares about me. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he wants to spend his whole life with me or anything…" Alexis said unsurely.
"Only time will reveal the truth. And that is also why you should witness the duel that will soon take place here." Sarina said.
Xxx
Aster walked through the city at a brisk pace, searching everywhere that he could think of that Alexis might be. The sun had set by now, and that only added to his anxiety. Nighttime to him was when the worst breed of scum ruled the streets. He remembered all too well the types of criminals he had found lurking around back when he was doing his vigilante work to try to find his father's killer. The worst thing he could think of was Alexis being in another Harrington Rosewood situation or worse. He had to find her.
Before he had begun his search, Aster had tried calling Alexis' cellphone. Of course, she hadn't answered. But that hadn't stopped him from calling and texting about ten more times during the last half hour, as well as leaving multiple voicemails. He had even called the hotel where she and the other students were staying to check if she had come back, but the receptionist had no record of her returning today. What he didn't understand was just how Alexis had disappeared. The diner had no other likely exits that she could have used, and he had been watching the front door the whole time. Aster wondered ridiculously for a moment if it was possible that some sort of professional kidnapper who knew secret ways of avoiding detection had gotten Alexis. Perhaps there really were things like secret chemical mixes to make people invisible? Deep down, he knew it couldn't be true. But the fact was that there was no logical explanation for how Alexis had disappeared. Unless it was completely illogical all along. Aster didn't like to even consider it, but this was looking more like the Society of Light was involved. Perhaps they had resorted to this to get Alexis on their side since she wouldn't willingly duel them…
I have to find Sartorius! If he really is involved in this, then he'll at least know where Alexis is! Aster thought to himself determinedly.
Aster came to a halt when he saw who wasn't far ahead of him. Jaden and Atticus were standing near a campfire site, huddled together in what looked like a serious discussion. Aster couldn't hear everything they were saying, but he still caught a couple snippets of the conversation like, "-here one moment and gone the next.". It sounded as if something had happened to them, too.
Wasting no time with pleasantries, Aster decided to get right to the point. "Jaden, Atticus! Have you seen Alexis anywhere!?" He interrupted urgently.
"No, we haven't. Wasn't she with you?" Jaden said in surprise. Atticus didn't reply, only narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the conversation so far.
"She was. Then I sort of…lost her." Aster admitted nervously.
"YOU WHAT!?" Atticus, who had been calm until now, suddenly sprang into action. He grabbed Aster viciously by the front of his shirt, practically shaking him in the process.
"It's not what you think! Just let me explain!" Aster protested in frustration as he attempted to free himself from Atticus' grip.
"What's to explain!? You said you lost her! Just what the hell is wrong with you!? Can't you even keep her safe!?" Atticus raged.
"Atticus! Calm down! We won't get anywhere by fighting! Why don't we hear what happened from Aster first?" Jaden interjected.
Atticus reluctantly let go of Aster. "Fine. But you better have a damn good excuse here, kid." He relented, still visibly fuming.
Aster explained everything that had happened. From how Alexis had left to use the restroom in the diner, to how he hadn't been able to find any other likely exits after he had gone back inside and searched everywhere. Finally, he admitted his worst suspicion: that the Society of Light was involved in this.
"I don't know. Are you sure she didn't just take that route out the window to escape from you? I always told her there was still time to get out of this." Atticus suggested snidely.
"I'm quite sure, thank you very much." Aster replied acidly.
"Guys, enough already. I think Aster is onto something. People don't just vanish into thin air. This is definitely something of the weirder variety, and the Society of Light currently fits that bill this time. Plus, we haven't been able to get hold of Sy and Hassleberry for awhile either. I got a bad feeling that this is all connected somehow…" Jaden said worriedly.
"Okay. So that means that we need to find Sartorius ASAP." Aster said seriously.
"That won't be necessary." A loud female voice suddenly echoed around the boys, interrupting their conversation. All three of them turned to find the image of Sarina staring down at them.
"Sarina!? What are you doing here!? Don't tell me that you've been behind this all along!?" Aster asked frantically. There was both shock and hurt in his voice.
"You know her, Aster?" Jaden asked in surprise.
"Yes. She's Sartorius' sister." Aster answered simply, causing Jaden and Atticus' eyes to widen like saucers.
"Jaden Yuki. If you wish to see your friends again, then you will come to Kaiba Land. Only then can I witness whether you are truly favored by fate itself." Sarina said ominously. Next to her, she revealed a portal space showing a view of two people: Syrus and Hassleberry.
"Sy! Hassleberry! What have you done to them!?" Jaden exclaimed in alarm.
"They are unharmed. But if you wish to see them again, I'm afraid you must comply. The same goes for you as well, Aster, as I have also taken someone important to you." Sarina explained. She then revealed another portal showing Alexis.
"Alexis! Sarina, you've gone too far! You could have just tried to talk to me first!" Aster insisted. A part of him was relieved to see that Alexis appeared to be safe for the moment. But he was still reeling from Sarina's actions.
"I know this is unpleasant, but it is necessary to help discover the truth. Come to Kaiba Land, and all will be revealed." Sarina said.
Xxx
When Alexis regained her bearings after Sarina had apparently teleported her to another area of the virtual park, she realized that something felt a bit off. Her clothing felt a bit different on her somehow. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly at first, but it felt…tighter. And even worse, her vision seemed to be obstructed a little. Glancing across the room, she gasped in shock when she caught sight of her reflection in the tall, glasslike wall. Her body and other physical features were the same, but she was now dressed the same as one of her own duel monsters. Clad in the long blue and red leotard with a ruffly skirt, ballet shoes, and visor over her eyes, Alexis was the spitting image of Cyber Tutu herself in terms of attire.
I don't believe this! Did I just become one of my favorite Duel Monsters!? God, but this outfit is so cutesy it's ridiculous! Oh, well. I guess there were more embarrassingly dressed ones to be. Like Cyber Angel Dakini. Alexis thought to herself, shuddering a bit at the last part.
"Hey! Is that you, Private Lexi!?" A familiar voice called.
Alexis turned around and received another shock. A giant dinosaur and living toy car were staring back at her. It took her a moment, but once she recognized some familiar features, she realized that they were Hassleberry and Syrus.
"Hassleberry! Syrus! I can't believe they got you guys, too!" Alexis exclaimed. She realized now that they must have been the "others" that Thunder and Sarina had been referring to.
"Yeah… It all happened after we lost a tag duel to these weird guys." Syrus lamented.
"This is all for Aster and Jaden. We're the bait to get them here so that Sarina can duel them. But why do we look like Duel Monsters?" Alexis wondered.
"I dunno. Maybe it's part of the virtual reality here? Kaiba Corp. might have scanned our decks and changed our appearances to resemble them in some way. Either way, I have always wanted to evolve, so I don't think it's that bad." Hassleberry said thoughtfully.
"Speak for yourself! I'm a car! At least Alexis got to look cool…" Syrus said miserably.
"Thanks, Syrus. But I don't particularly feel cool in this. This leotard itches like crazy…" Alexis complained.
"Well, I think that Aster would like seeing you dressed like this, though." Hassleberry said teasingly, earning him a sharp "don't you dare" type look from Alexis.
Before any more words could be exchanged, Alexis and the others heard two voices below them on the main floor.
"Look! It's Jaden and Aster!" Syrus said excitedly.
"Alexis! Are you alright!? And…why are you dressed like Cyber Tutu?" Aster asked. More than anything, he was relieved just to see her alive and alright right in front of him.
"Yeah! And why do you two look like something out of a Toys R Us catalog?" Jaden asked perplexedly as he pointed at Syrus and Hassleberry, causing them to groan in embarrassment.
"I'm fine, Aster. But the rest is a long story, I'm afraid. But I'm just glad to see you again…" Alexis said with quiet relief laced in her voice.
"Don't worry. I'm going to get you out of here; I promise." Aster vowed to Alexis.
"Yeah, just don't mind us over here, soldier…" Hassleberry said in a deflated tone.
"So, you have arrived." Sarina's voice interrupted. Quick as a flash, she appeared across from Aster and Jaden.
"It looks like our duel can finally begin." Sarina said.
"Now you're talking my language! So, why don't I start off and-" Jaden started to say excitedly before Sarina held out her hand to silence him.
"You misunderstand. You both will be facing me in a two-on-two duel." Sarina corrected Jaden.
"You mean like a tag duel? But we don't have enough people for that! Who's going to be your partner?" Jaden asked in confusion.
Sarina smiled eerily at Jaden's observation. "That's not completely accurate. I will be dueling both of you…with myself." She said. They all gasped in surprise as a perfect duplicate image of Sarina materialized next to her.
(skipping the duel, because we don't need that) Xxxx
The duel had been hard, but Aster and Jaden had been able to work together to earn an impressive victory over Sarina. Now, finding herself safely back on the ground, Alexis was barely able to take one step before she found herself surrounded in a tight embrace by Aster.
"Alexis! Thank god you're okay! You don't know how worried I was when I couldn't find you after you went back into the diner! I thought I'd lost you! You just don't know…" Aster said in near-hysteric relief. With his arms wrapped tightly around her, Aster had buried his face against her shoulder. He was practically breathing in the scent of her hair, as if trying to convince himself that she was actually real.
To Alexis' surprise, she could feel Aster's body trembling slightly. She placed her hands gently on his shoulders and slowly lifted him up from his posture, forcing him to look at her. "Aster, it's okay… I'm fine now. Nothing bad happened to me and we're all safe now." She soothed him gently. She started to gently run her fingers through his silky, silver hair.
"I'm glad… I still couldn't believe it at first when I found out Sarina was involved in this. But it looks like she meant no harm to you and the others. How are you feeling?" Aster said in a much calmer tone.
"I'm alright. Maybe just a little…tired." Alexis said doubtfully. Before she could say anymore, she felt a drowsy dizziness start to take over her body. It was as if the day's events were just now finally catching up to her. Or maybe it was a side-effect of being in the virtual reality space for too long. Whatever the reason, Alexis felt darkness overtake her vision as she passed out right in Aster's arms.
AN: I had meant for this whole field trip saga to be only two chapters long, but I ended up making it into three with how much longer it took me to write everything. I started a class recently, so I couldn't make the last chapter include this part, too. But I wanted to post SOMETHING before I actually started it. To make up for it, this story got back-to-back updates before I worked on anything else so that you guys could have this quicker. Anyways, the next chapter really will wrap up this arc. In the anime, the whole part with the monarch duelists and Sarina with her tag duel against Aster and Jaden is one of my favorite parts of season two. I sort of reworked things here a little by changing some of the scenes to get the plot moving faster (for example, T-Bone was captured by Sarina "off-screen" by leaving Jaden and the others before she appeared to him). But I still wanted to do it some justice, so I added a scene with Thunder, Sarina talking to Alexis about Aster, and kept the Bastion interaction. I hope I did okay and that nothing was boring or felt like it dragged. In the next chapter, you'll finally get the long-awaited love confession for Aster and Alexis. So, thanks for sticking with this for so long if I haven't managed to bore you to death with all this. XD