Chapter 4: Wave After Wave
Finally…" I roared. "I've got you right where I want you! Prepare to meet your doom, Bastion Misawa!"
"D…Damn you…you'll pay for this!" Bastion grunted, his teeth clenched in frustration as I backed him into a corner.
"Not likely. Bishop to E3."
"Oh, you bitch." Bastion cursed under his breath as my black bishop took his white queen from across the board.
"Language. You know kids could hear you." I laughed boisterously. We were both sitting cross-legged on the patio outside the Ra Yellow dorm, enjoying a calm Sunday morning. We sipped on coffee and green tea respectively- turns out Bastion's a bit of a health freak. He was always talking about how green tea was a superior nootropic to coffee, and suggested I switch teams immediately. Naturally, I continued to drink my coffee just to spite him.
"What kids are those?" Bastion chuckled weakly, a bit miffed that I had taken his most powerful piece while securing my own position. I admit, pulling off that particular move felt pretty good, especially since Bastion usually kicked my ass at chess. That was embarrassing, considering I had many years of life experience over him. I never got into chess in my previous life, but I found it a positively invigorating activity now. It was pure strategy, devoid of the auspicious luck that so often characterized a game of Duel Monsters. That's probably why Bastion usually beat me.
"Oh, none I suppose. Still, I'm shocked to hear that a gentleman like yourself has such a potty mouth." I smiled at him. "It's a good thing you don't lose very often, or you'd make the sailors blush." I gestured over to the ships leaving the harbor near the Slifer Red dorms, no doubt off to get some more provisions for the denizens of this cozy little island.
"You took me by surprise, that's all. To see you actually pull off a shrewd move is like watching Zushin the Sleeping Giant hit the field." Bastion mocked right back. He was starting to give as good as he got, which was good- perhaps he would even have a sense of humor before the year was out!
"You've actually seen Zushin the Sleeping Giant in play before?" I asked, taking a swig of my drink.
"Of course not, my dog back home is smart enough to keep that monstrosity from every being summoned. Who in their right mind would ever try to play such a ridiculous card? I mean could you imagine keeping a level one normal monster on the field for ten turns? It's just a metaphor, that's all. Oh, and check."
I grimaced before moving my king out of danger. "I don't know, it's probably happened somewhere. I almost want to try it, just to see if I could pull it off." I shrugged while inwardly chuckling. If this ever turns into a 5D's crossover, I'd like to see Bastion have words with Team Taiyo.
"Why bother? You'd have better luck showing up with a deck of regular playing cards and dueling with those, I expect. I summon the ace of spades in attack mode!" Bastion chuckled.
"Must you destroy my dreams? But you're right, I suppose. Besides, duelists around here are too proud to risk losing games, even when there are no stakes." I said.
"Said the man whose deck mainly consists of semi-limited and limited cards." Bastion pointed out, perceptive as always.
"Hey, I never said I wasn't too proud to risk losing games. Although there is a new deck I've been meaning to try out for a while. I'll show it to you after I finish it." I mentioned offhand, looking forward to the time when I would unveil my Melodious deck to this school's population.
"I can't wait to see it. Checkmate." Bastion trapped my king between his sole remaining rook and bishop, and I was forced to concede.
"Man, you're really good at this." I shrugged and laughed.
"You're pretty good yourself. At the very least, you're capable of planning out your moves a few turns in advance. Good game. Anyways, I'll see you later." Bastion stood abruptly, donning his yellow blazer.
"Where are you off to?' I asked idly, my gaze turned out to the sea.
"Hall Government meeting. Apparently, Professor Crowler wishes to see us about something as well. I'll be talking to him afterwards." Bastion yawned, packing away his chess set.
"Should I come along?" I wasn't sure what business Crowler would have with me, considering I had never even spoken with him before. Hopefully I hadn't earned his ire this early.
"You don't have to if you don't want to, I doubt the matters spoken of will be very interesting anyways. I'll give you the details afterwards if you don't accompany me." Bastion offered. I liked how utterly reasonable he was all the time. It was a pleasure to work with someone so chill.
"That sounds good. Thanks, man." I said sincerely.
"It is no problem, the issue concerns us both, after all. I'll see you in a bit." Bastion waved goodbye and went downstairs for the hall government meeting. Naturally, Bastion was the vice-president of the dorm already, despite being a freshman. I hadn't met the president yet, but I assumed he or she was a pretty accomplished and intelligent person to be able to pull rank on Bastion.
I didn't want to go back to the room yet, so I decided to go see what my favorite Slifers were up to. I imagine that with their tag team match over and done with, they were getting some much-needed down time. I couldn't blame them- it was a great day for a nap.
I grabbed my fishing gear and moseyed down the beaten path to the Slifer Red dorm, preparing my nose for the musty stench that would surely greet me upon arrival.
Scrunching my nose, I bounded up the rickety steps that lead to the dorm's second floor. I knocked on the door carefully so as not to knock it down, such was its fragility. I was greeted by Chumley, which came as a surprise.
"Man, you're up early, Jamie." The big koala bear yawned in a rather endearing way.
"What can I say, I've always loved the mornings. It's a great time to fish. Besides, it's nearly ten. Shouldn't you be up by now anyways?" I asked playfully, nudging his arm.
"No way, it's Sunday. Besides, I just went through a very stressful tag match recently against the Paradox Brothers- I deserve some sleep!" Chumley said facetiously.
"Ah yes, must have been harrowing for you. Are Jaden and Syrus around?" I asked for the sake of being polite. Of course, if Jaden or Syrus were here, they would have answered the door while Chumley remained in bed.
"They went to go shoot some hoops, I think. I bet they'd be glad to have you though, you look like you're in decent shape." Chumley said idly.
"Cool, maybe I'll join them. Thanks, Chum. Say, you wouldn't happen to be down for a quick duel, would you?" I couldn't keep the grin from working its way up my face as I spoke. Chumley's normally ruddy face paled at the question, and I broke out into laughter.
"Just kidding. What I was really wondering is if you had a grilled cheese on hand, I'm a bit hungry." I said, and the tension visibly deflated from his face. Shame that dueling gets the guy so worked up, but then again his talents clearly lie elsewhere. I bet he made good money designing cards for Industrial Illusions at the age of sixteen while the rest of his peers were still in school. That's something to admire.
"I was just about to whip some up, come in." Chumley went back into the room, leaving the door open for me. Nodding, I walked in.
To put it gently, the place smelled absolutely atrocious. Grabbing a can of spray deodorant from the corner, I sprayed it all over the place before opening the shades.
"Oh god, natural light!" Chum nearly melted upon direct contact with the sunlight. Going over to his desk, he grabbed a briefcase and opened it, revealing a portable sandwich toaster that looked brand new. Is it weird that I'm not surprised at all he owns a personal sandwich grill? Better not question it. He grabbed bread and cheese before going to work.
"So, any plans for today?" I said idly, looking around the place. The room was clearly split into thirds, with Syrus' section being much cleaner than Jaden and Chumley's. It was a bit cramped and far from luxurious, and yet it also had a comfy, homey feel to it.
"No problem, Jim." I started- that's the first time anyone's called me that. "I was thinking I'd do some drawing today."
"You like to draw? That's cool! Do you have any artwork lying around?" I ask.
"Sure thing, it's in the bottom drawer, right side." He nodded before turning his attention back to the toaster.
Sure enough, there was a short stack of pencil and pen drawings at the bottom of the drawer. Some of them were of Duel Monsters cards- I noticed a very well-done Master of Oz and a Dark Magician in there. Others were of breathtaking landscapes. My personal favorite was a detailed watercolor painting of the Sydney Opera House.
"These are excellent! So, are you from Australia then?" I ask. It was never actually said whether Chumley was from Australia or not in canon, but frankly it's a deduction anyone could make. The guy even looks like a koala for Ra's sake!
"That's right! Sydney, born and raised! That painting you're holding was an impression I drew up while I sat at this really nice coffee house across the bay. It's one of my favorite pieces." Chumley took the sandwiches off the grill and handed me one. It was too hot to eat, so I set it on the desk while looking through the rest of his work.
"Which duel monsters do you like to draw? Any preference in particular?" I ask while looking at an uncolored pencil drawing of Elemental Hero Flame Wingman.
"Whatever catches my muse at the time. I was thinking of drawing Cyber End Dragon or Black Luster Soldier next." Chumley said, taking a bite of his grilled cheese.
I grinned. "That sounds great."
After chilling with Chumley for a bit, I continued on my way to go fishing.
It was the weekend, so of course the beach was fairly crowded- not as much as it would be in the afternoon, but still a fairly populated shoreline. The waves were fierce today, whitecaps crashing on the sands at surprising speeds. I moseyed over to the pier, the only spot where the water was calm enough to fish in. I missed fishing in a freshwater lake, but this was just fine. More than fine, really.
The view was utterly magnificent, and I wasn't just talking about the water. Plenty of fit female surfers out and about, their well-kept surfboards carving through the water like blades through string. Unfortunately, it looked like the vast majority of them were having an outing with their boyfriends- always a disheartening sight to the single man.
I ignored them and returned to fishing. Casting out a line, I began to let my thoughts wander unrestrained. There were so many questions…they loomed over me like a dark storm cloud, blotting out the horizon.
And why shouldn't they? The abandoned dorm, the shadow riders, the Society of Light, Adrian Gecko, Yubel…and the King. Was that everything? No…I forgot about the oh-so cleverly named Darkness and that weird Trueman guy. And Fujiwara. Everything seemed relatively normal now, nothing but school assignments and girls to worry about. But the supernatural bubbled beneath the surface, threatening to burst forth at any given time. In mere months, I would have to deal with godly forces that have been warring since the beginning of time.
The best way to deal with it was not obvious. In fact, it was actually incredible how far out of my depth I was. Oh sure, we could just beat all the bad guys in duels when the time came, but what if we get bad draws at the wrong time? What if the enemies have powers that affect the duel in an adverse way? What if crucial cards in our decks get banned? I'm looking at you, Elemental Hero Stratos! The next banlist in this world comes out December 31, in a few months time. And besides, even if the enemies seen in canon are defeated, who knows whether the forces of light and darkness will even remain complacent afterward? There was so much to prepare for, I didn't know where to begin.
My mental drifting was interrupted, somewhat fittingly, by a physical drifting. A black and violet striped surfboard caught onto my fishing line and jolted me from my reverie. I smiled, bemused. "Looks like someone had a bit of a wipeout." I leaned down and grabbed the board, dragging it up onto the pier. I straightened out the line as best I could before standing up and looking for this board's lost owner.
What do you know, it was my lucky day. I saw someone swimming frantically to shore, helped along by the waves. I picked the surfboard up, rolled up my pants, and leapt onto the sands.
She ran out of the water towards me with a breathless smile. Her hair was light brown, windswept and stringy from the water. She had eyes of a deep, deep blue, the color of a lake at midnight. Her swimsuit was a warm shade of pink, made to wick dry quickly after a long day in the water. She was in great shape- I saw defined triceps and calves, which is usually a rare thing around here.
"Thanks for catching that! Who knows how far it would have went otherwise." Her voice was weightless and relaxed- clearly, she was either in a great mood or was a naturally buoyant person, like Jaden.
"Hey, no problem!" Either way, her good cheer was having an effect on me. "It looks professional, you clearly take good care of it." I smiled back.
"Thanks! I'm trying to surf competitively someday, so I'm trying to get some practice while the water is still so nice! Gotta get a leg up on the competition, ya know?" She smirked.
"Yeah, I know what you mean. Keep it up! You already look better than anyone else out here." I decided to go for the compliment. She seemed to enjoy the praise, so I counted it as a good move.
"Aw, thanks! You're in pretty good shape for a fisherman, yourself." She said brazenly while she raked her eyes up and down my frame, which was growing more and more fit by the day ever since I started working out and eating right again. It was difficult and frustrating working with this scrawny fifteen-year old body, but gains were made nonetheless, with enough effort. I made a little 'aw-shucks' gesture. What was her accent? West coast for the most part, but there was a vague sprinkling of some British slant in there.
"I'm-" Damn, I nearly dropped my real name again! One of these days I'm gonna slip up and that's gonna be really awkward. Weird to think that now I nearly share a name with an already existing fictional character. Wait, aren't I technically a fictional character now? Never mind. "Jamie Lancaster, nice to meet you."
"Sweet, I'm Erin Reid, future surfer extraordinaire and current sophomore in Obelisk Blue." She held out her hand, and I very nearly didn't take it, thinking it a rather lame gesture. I did anyways, and I was surprised to find out how strong her grip was. It seems like all the hot girls are in Obelisk Blue. "Are you a freshman? I've never seen you before." She asked lightly.
"Yeah, but don't hold it against me." I said. We both chuckled a little bit. "Are you in Obelisk?" She asked with an arched eyebrow, crossing her arms.
"I will be soon. For now, I chill in Ra Yellow. Frankly, I think blue would suit me better. Not to mention I hear the company is better."
She nodded, satisfied with this answer. "Good to meet you, freshman. I'll see you around." She lightly touched my arm before grabbing the board out of my hands and rushing back to the water. Erin Reid, I believe her name was. Wow, where were the girls like her in the series proper? If they wanted me to tune in every week, just give that character some more screentime. Bemused, I decided to head back to my fishing, having much more to think about now.
With a little spring in my step, I made my way back to the Ra Yellow dorm around one in the afternoon, intent on a nap. I couldn't believe how tan my skin was getting- I think island life agrees with me! I imagine it's quite expensive for any parent to send their child to this school- the weather alone merited a high cost of entry. And to learn Duel Monsters no less! It was simply too good to be true, and yet it was.
Sighing, my good mood was somewhat dampened when I saw Crowler and Bastion standing in the commons, talking at length about something. I already knew that I should have a look into this.
Bastion caught sight of me and waved me over. "Jamie, have you had the pleasure of meeting Professor Vellian Crowler outside of class yet?"
"No, I haven't had the displeasure of seeing his ugly visage up close, Bastion, but thank you for asking." "No, I'm afraid I haven't." Putting on my most charming smile, I shook the professor's hand firmly, keeping my eyes fixed on his shoulders. I did this partially to avoid looking at his ugly mug, and partially to seem like an awkward and unassuming freshman intimidated by something as trivial as a conversation with a teacher.
"It's an honor, mister Lancaster, truly." Crowler crooned. I had no idea if he was being sarcastic or not.
"The professor was speaking to me about a possible advancement opportunity for us both." Bastion said, his hands folded.
"Excellent, I would love to hear about it." I prompted.
"Very good. See, I have heard whispers of your daring match against young master Truesdale, and found them positively scintillating. Really, you must tell me more about it!" Crowler clapped his hands together like the fop he was. I supposed he was polite enough though. Maybe he wasn't bad as long as Jaden wasn't around. Then again, I'm sure his affability would evaporate quickly if I crossed him.
I explained the story to him, carefully choosing which aspects of it to emphasize and which to downplay while still keeping a mysterious air about the whole thing. I made sure to extensively compliment Zane while keeping my own achievements somewhat downplayed. Crowler ate it all up.
"Simply marvelous. I only wish I could've seen such a spectacle with my own eyes. But I'm sure you wish to hear more about this promotion opportunity."
I placed my hands behind my back, prompting him to continue while not showing too much of my excitement.
"I admit, I originally wished to offer this to Bastion alone, but after mister Truesdale put in a few good words on your behalf, I had to come to you as well. From there, Bastion seemed to agree with me that you are the best choice for Obelisk Blue."
"I don't want to advance until I defeat the greatest duelists in our year. That includes Jaden Yuki…and you, Jamie." Bastion nodded deferentially. His time would come soon, but Bastion decided that today was not that day. He still had opportunities to pursue in Ra Yellow that he intended to take full advantage of. For this, Bastion's decision was entirely respectable to me.
"Thank you, Bastion. I won't forget this." I said seriously to him. "It is no matter. I'm sure you would do the same for me." He responded fairly.
"Ah, so good to see the bonds of friendship at work! Anyhow, Jamie, I propose a match against an Obelisk Blue. Are you acquainted with Chazz Princeton?" Crowler asked casually.
"Poor Chazz. Crowler's kicking him to the curb just because he lost one game against a Slifer. But this is how the wheel of power turns, I suppose. I won't make the same mistakes he did." "I'm afraid not, sir."
"Very good, I was hoping so. If he loses this game, you will take his seat in Obelisk while he will be demoted to Ra Yellow. I was hoping to have the match tomorrow at four in the afternoon, if such a date wouldn't conflict with your class schedule." Crowler said unctuously.
"Actually, I do have a class at four-" I began to speak, but Crowler immediately interjected, "Of course, of course, that is a busy hour. Perhaps seven, then?"
"Yeah, that would be best, I suppose." I said quickly, wanting this conversation to end before some hidden stipulation or obligation made itself known. Such things usually happened in business deals, which is really what this was. Crowler was trying to secure an asset (me) while simultaneously ridding himself of an investment that was no longer profitable (Chazz). By brokering this advancement duel, I expect he wanted to indebt me to him as well.
"Good. Well, that's all I wished to speak to you about, mister Lancaster. Unless there's any other concerns you wished to voice to me, I will see you at seven sharp tomorrow evening." Crowler said professionally.
"None at this time, sir." I responded cordially.
"Very well." Crowler wrung my hand, and I was shocked at the strength of his grip. "Good day, mister Misawa, mister Lancaster."
After Crowler left the Ra dorm, I turned to Bastion with a wry smile. "I didn't think Crowler could cut such an professional figure. Especially with that ridiculous makeup." I joked.
"Don't be fooled, he talks better than he does anything else, dueling included. Still, we would be wise to tread carefully around him. He acts as Sheppard's second-in-command, and rumor has it he's next in line for the Headmaster position if Sheppard leaves." Bastion replied, leaning against a wall in the common room.
"As insightful as ever, I see." I chuckled lightly.
"Of course. And speaking of insight, you should know that Chazz is no pushover, despite what Jaden might tell you. His pride has been gravely wounded since his public match with Jaden, and he has everything to lose in this duel. Never underestimate a cornered animal." Bastion said gravely. "I have a formula to beat his deck, if you're interested."
"I appreciate that offer, but no thank you. I've seen Chazz duel. He has a lot of potential. It's a shame that potential is stunted by his brothers so often. That said, he's not strong enough to beat me yet." I said. When I first watched the series in my previous life, I always found Chazz's story arc fascinating. He could be a powerful ally, once forced to distinguish himself from his brothers.
"I doubt he would appreciate your sympathies." Bastion commented.
"I doubt he would either. But I've often found those who perhaps need sympathy the most rarely appreciate it when it is given." I said, looking away for a moment.
Bastion grunted, not seeming to agree with my statement. "It hardly matters either way. Chazz's defeat is nearly certain. I would predict your chances of defeating him to be around eighty-seven percent."
"Eighty-seven percent? That's not near-certain." I replied.
"Word is he got some new cards recently, so I had to adjust the odds for that. Besides, the sheer randomness of this ridiculous game has to be accounted for."
"Right, wouldn't want to fuck up the statistical probability, would we?" We laughed. I really enjoyed talking with Bastion; his dry humor reminded me of office-mates from my previous life, one in particular. Every day as I walked around and talked to the people that lived in the world of GX, I saw echoes of those I knew from my first life. Not literally of course, but in a more subtle fashion, through body language and tonal inflection. Surreal was the only way to describe it- just thinking about it gave me a headache.
As I walked towards the steps leading to our room, Bastion said, "Oh, by the way, I'm going to paint the room this afternoon with Jaden and Syrus. I'd really appreciate your help, unless you're busy. While the coat dries, I was thinking of crashing at Jaden's tonight, since he has an extra sleeping bag. I'm sure Banner could find one for you if you wanted to tag along."
"Sure." I said nonchalantly, but as I faced away from Bastion, a smirk worked its way up my face as a devious idea blossomed in my mind.
We spent the day having a good old time, splashing as much paint on each other as we did the walls. Jokes were made about "accidentally" dripping paint on the Elemental Hero Flame Wingman or Black Luster Soldier- Envoy of the Beginning cards. And of course, Jaden and Syrus were in awe of Ray Yellow's absolutely basic, functioning cafeteria with its decent food. I really don't get why Jaden ever chose to stay in Slifer Red, but I guess he's just less of a snob than me.
Before we packed it in for the day, I made sure to grab both of my decks from the room- the Goat Control format deck I constructed, and the Melodious Diva deck from my time. It would have to be kept carefully under wraps until the shadow riders attacked- even Bastion had no idea of its existence.
Once it was dark outside, we trekked down to the Slifer Red dorm, a pleasant orange glow emanating from the warm lights inside the house. I was lucky enough that Chumley had a spare sleeping bag. I grinned, as it was extra large and comfy due to it belonging to Chumley. I checked the time- it was nearly ten o' clock, and so it was time to set my plan into motion.
"Shit! Hey guys, I just realized I left my phone at the Ra Yellow dorm. I'll be right back." I grimaced.
"Alright, man. We're just gonna throw on a movie probably. See ya in a bit!" Jaden waved nonchalantly. Bastion, Syrus, and Chumley were busy messing around with the microwave, and so I slipped out quickly. I swiftly walked up the hill towards the Ra barracks, and once the red dorm was out of sight, I broke into a run. My phone was in fact at the Ra Yellow dorm, but it was there entirely by design.
Once I got to the Ra dorm, I slowed my pace. I breathed slowly and deeply, trying not to audibly wheeze after my extended sprint. Wiping sweat from my brow, I approached the building from a corner so that I couldn't easily be seen from my second-floor room window. From there, I swiftly made my way through the main entrance and bound up the stairs. The door to Bastion and I's room was ever-so-slightly ajar. I threw it open and ran in.
Breathing a sigh of relief, I saw that no one was in there. The ivory paint was drying nicely- it really added a calming effect to the room that I sorely needed. The white linen curtains billowed gently in the early autumn breeze, but I did not relax my guard. Cautiously, I waited, standing in front of the closet and out of view of anyone entering the main doorway.
I waited nearly thirty minutes, the suspense wearing out my nerves. Soon enough though, I heard footsteps approach. I heard someone walking in, and at that time I adjusted my posture and pretended to read off my phone.
Chazz Princeton was aghast when he saw me, audibly gasping in shock. This was my first time meeting the arrogant Obelisk- shame it had to be under such circumstances. Chazz forewent his distinguishing Obelisk Blue uniform in favor of a grey hoodie and black sweats that helped to blend in with the night.
"What are you doing here? This isn't your room." I asked in mock surprise, and very real anger.
"Umm…well…" Chazz sputtered, racking his brain for some type of explanation. In the meantime, I advanced upon him, my countenance darkened.
"Wait a second…I think I recognize you from somewhere…" I muttered, and Chazz's eyes widened further.
"I just walked into the wrong room, t-that's all!" Chazz backed up hastily, and soon we were out in the hallway, which was empty due to the lateness of the hour.
"Of course, a mistake anyone could make, especially since the door is open. Except for the fact that you're an Obelisk Blue student, Chazz Princeton." I said with a passionless inflection.
"How did you know I was going to be here!? I saw you leave with Bastion and those Slifer slackers earlier!" He protested loudly, and I nearly broke my façade to laugh- if anyone was around to hear that, Chazz would be in some deep shit. Well, deeper shit than he was already wading in.
"I did. I just forgot my phone back here, and returned to retrieve it. But you…you were here to steal something, weren't you?" I snarled. Chazz's teeth were on edge as he backed up into a wall.
"Do you really think I would be so foolish as to leave my cards unattended where any scumbag like yourself could steal or destroy them? You must think I'm a joke." I placed a hand on Chazz's left shoulder; he had no point of escape to his right, so this movement essentially prevented him from fleeing.
"How dare you! I wasn't planning on stealing anything!" Chazz lied. They always lie, thinking that they can hide behind the slippery nature of words. My grip on his shoulder tightened.
"You lie."
"Don't touch me! If you hurt me, you won't just have Crowler to worry about. My brothers would have your head!" Chazz protested and my knuckles turned white as I clamped down on his shoulder.
"Your brothers would do no such thing. You are a fool to trust them. If you think I'm gonna let you rob me blind, you have another thing coming! But I can't hurt you- this school's policy on fighting would see me into more trouble than you if I punched first. Now be a good boy and go back to bed. You won't be getting anything from me. You've already lost the duel, in your mind. Why else would be resorting to such underhanded treachery? Now get out of here!" I released the youngest Princeton from my grip, and he quickly got out of my arm's range.
"You…you're gonna regret this!" He hissed before running away, no longer concerned with salvaging any of his dignity. I let out a ragged breath. I probably mishandled that. If Chazz is going to be an ally later, I probably shouldn't threaten him like that. But at the same time, right now he was a classic bully- and the only language he would understand is force. But did that justify being so angry with him? It was hard to say for sure.
"I hope one day we can say this is water under the bridge." I thought.
With that, I turned and went back to the Slifer dorm, thinking of an excuse for my lateness as I went. I decided to tell the boys that I had just got caught in a conversation with some girls, which they believed. Or at least, I think they did- Bastion's sidelong glances at me made me think perhaps otherwise.
Of course, we stayed up late, and I ended up getting only around five hours of sleep. The next day passed by in a blur of tiredness- it was only thanks to Alexis constantly prodding me that I didn't fall asleep during Crowler's class. Whenever my head started to loll, she would step on my feet underneath the desk, causing me to jolt awake like some sort of drinking bird.
At six-thirty, I hustled to the Obelisk Arena, sipping out of a thermos of coffee as I went. The Slifer Boys and Bastion were there waiting for me, and I gave them a cheesy thumbs-up and a grin as I walked up to the spectator seats.
"Are you ready?" Bastion asked facetiously as he grabbed the thermos out of my hand and took a sip, grimacing once he realized it was coffee in there.
"Give that back." I mumbled. "You know it's your fault that I'm so tired today."
"You'll beat him, don't worry. Besides, it's not like you're the one who gets demoted if you lose. Just chill and have fun!" Jaden advised, sitting with his feet up and his arms behind his head.
"Easy for you to say…" I pretended to grumble before shooting a quick grin Jaden's way.
"And where's our favorite Obelisk couple at? I would think this match highly fascinating to them." I asked Syrus, thinking he might have some idea where his brother is, despite their strained relations.
"I don't think Zane and Alexis are actually a couple, Jamie." Sy answered meekly.
"I never said I was looking for Zane and Alexis specifically, but if that's where your mind went…" I ribbed. Syrus actually blushed and stammered at the idea of two people he knows being in a romantic relationship. I swear this kid makes it too easy.
And speaking of romantic relationships, I was surprised to find none other than Erin Reid walking up the steps behind me. I found her swimsuit suited her better than the white and azure Obelisk uniform, but she looked great nonetheless.
"Lancaster, I heard you're getting promoted today." She said in that strong-willed voice. "Wow, you look tired." She added upon seeing the purple bags under my eyes.
"Yeah, I definitely need my beauty sleep. First, I have to win a short duel against Chazz Princeton." I replied, knowing that she enjoyed it when I acted cocky.
She laughed. "Ha! Chazz can be crafty, but I think he's full of hot air. If you want a real challenge, you should duel me sometime!" She had a fire to her, for sure.
"It would be more interesting than this dull affair, there's no doubt about that. Anyway, why don't you introduce yourself, Erin?"
Bastion leaned forward from his seat and shook her tanned hand. "Erin, yes? Charmed. I am Bastion Misawa, Jamie's roommate."
She giggled at Bastion's formal demeanor. Jaden gave her a lazy wave as he reclined in his seat. "Sup, I'm Jaden."
"Ah, you're the one who has been taking down all of the elites in Obelisk Blue over the past month. You must be really strong! We'll have to face off some time!" She clenched her fist excitedly.
"Yeah, no doubt!" Jaden responded with equal enthusiasm. Peas in a pod, those two.
"Uh…hey, what's up, I'm Syrus Truesdale." The kid steeled himself before answering. I was proud of him- he only stuttered once!
The sound of footsteps diverted my attention forward to the arena's opposite entryway. Sure enough, it was Chazz. He walked alone, a grim and somewhat fearful expression betraying him. The cronies that used to orbit him so feverishly were nowhere to be seen. I almost felt bad for him- he started out with everything and now he had nothing to depend on but himself. And yet, this was the only way for Chazz to grow up and make a name for himself. The only way for him to move forward was to lose those things that held him back- at least, this is what I told myself.
"Ah, there he is." I adopted a less jovial expression. I didn't want Chazz to think I was taking any undue pleasure from this. Best to finish this quickly and definitively. I loped down the stairway, activating my duel disk as I went.
"Let's get this over with, Lancaster." Chazz growled.
"Spoken like a man headed to the gallows." I thought humorlessly. "Come, then. I have no interest in prolonging this." I declared. I forewent my Ra Yellow uniform in favor of a casual light blue tee shirt with khaki pants. I figured wearing the Ra colors would only serve to denigrate Chazz further. Meanwhile, he was wearing his Obelisk uniform, which only made sense as he would have no cause to wear it in the future.
Crowler arrived shortly thereafter, surprised to see Chazz and I already primed to duel. "It's good to see you're both punctual, at least. In that case, we will begin. Jamie Lancaster and Chazz Princeton, this match will serve as an official examination for you both. The victor of this match will be lodged henceforth in the Obelisk Blue men's dorm, while the loser shall be lodged in Ra Yellow. All standard regulations and rules apply. Are you both ready to begin?"
"Yes." Chazz and I said simultaneously.
"In that case, the game shall begin with a roshambo to determine turn order." Crowler needlessly reminded us of the rules. Take notes, Zane! Chazz and I strode to the center of the arena to throw down some rock-paper-scissors. Chazz had paper, and I rock, so he chose to go first. He avoided eye contact with me at seemingly all costs, his coal grey irises darting everywhere to avoid my placid gaze.
We went back to our respective sides and Chazz drew his first card. I glanced over to see that Erin had taken a seat next to Syrus, which seemed to make the little guy uncomfortable. I chuckled before looking at my opening hand. Unless Chazz made any notable changes to his strategy from canon, I should be just fine.
"I summon Cthonian Soldier (1200/1000) in attack mode!" A vicious-looking knight in blue-grey armor took the field in a burst of violet flame. "Next, I'll set a card an end my turn. Now do your worst!" Chazz finished.
"I'll end this quickly, Chazz. I summon Blade Knight (1600/1000)!" My trusty knight appeared, his gleaming armor a sharp contrast to Chazz's demonic soldier. "Next, I'll set three cards. Now that I have only one card in hand, my knight gains 400 attack points! Attack his monster now!"
Unsheathing his sword, the shining knight leapt forward and cleaved through Chazz's monster in one stroke. Chazz flinched before smirking slightly. "When my monster is destroyed in battle, you take the same amount of damage I do!" A vortex of purple fire whipped up in the center of the field, tendrils of flame lashing at us both. (Jamie 3200/Chazz 3200)
I noticed a smirk creep up Chazz's visage. He seemed to think I was playing into his hand. Oh, I only felt pity for him. "Shoot, looks like you got me there. Well, I guess I'll just end my turn then, buddy." I smirked right back.
Chazz's lips curled downwards into a sneer once more. "Fine, then! You're going to regret looking down on me! All of you are going to regret looking down on me, you hear?! I will not stand for this!"
Our small audience, most of whom were jovial before, grew serious at Chazz's rage-induced proclamation. I didn't want to enrage him further, so I stayed silent as Chazz made his move.
"Draw! Activate reverse card, Call of the Haunted! This trap allows me to summon back my Cthonian Soldier from the graveyard!" I grimaced, knowing what he was about to do.
"Next, I'll chain Inferno Reckless Summon, allowing me to summon two extra copies of my soldier from my deck! You're finished!" Chazz's ranks were bolstered as he now held three copies of his soldier on the field. My expression remained stony as he did this, and I suddenly realized I was acting a lot like Zane did during his match against me. I didn't even realize it, but once I did, it made me uncomfortable.
"It really is like a wheel…"
"Next, I'll activate the equip spell Cthonian Alliance! This allows me to boost one of my soldier's attack points by 800 for every monster on the field with the same name. This gives one of my soldiers an attack boost to the tune of 2400!" One of Chazz's troops grew exponentially large, dwarfing everything else in the arena. Its head nearly scraped the ceiling.
"Well, if Jamie doesn't have any traps, it's over. That thing has 3600 attack points, and he has two more soldiers waiting in the wings!" Jaden noted, hoping this wasn't the case.
"He set three. Unless he bricked his opening hand, it's not over." Erin rebuked.
"Oh, it's over, believe me." Bastion interjected, a small smile on his face.
"Why's that?" Erin challenged.
"Because something came in the mail today…a gift I gave Jamie for this duel." Bastion replied cryptically.
"Cthonian Soldier, destroy his Blade Knight now!" Chazz thrust his hand forward, and his soldier brought his guillotine-sized blade down on my lowly knight.
'That's game. I activate Magic Cylinder." My voice was like a death knell to poor Chazz, whose face quickly deflated the moment I sprung my trap card on him. Two Magic Cylinders were expensive, to be sure, but an invaluable asset in this meta. I could hear the gasps from my friends and Crowler as Chazz's own soldier struck him down in one fell swoop. (Chazz 0/Jamie 3200)
Chazz's eyes were dull from despair as he fell limply to his knees. "No…not like this…HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO ME?!" He threw his head to sky and wailed.
Bastion, Chumley, and Erin could scarcely stop cheering, but I noticed Jaden and Syrus looking over at Chazz with curious expressions. They seemed to feel sorry for him, which I could understand, somewhat. Mainly, I was pretty pleased that this duel was done with. "Not a very good indicator of skill, but it gets the job done. I suppose this is why the official life point total is 8000." I thought.
Crowler's jaw was fixatedly dropped as I nonchalantly shuffled my cards back into my deck. I simply looked at the professor, waiting for him to speak first. "Erm, very well…I didn't expect that, to say the least, young master Jamie…"
I simply continued to gaze at him, and it took everything I had not to burst out laughing. Crowler cleared his throat before continuing, "I, doctor Vellian Crowler, do declare Jamie Lancaster the victor of this promotion exam. Henceforth, he shall be lodged in Obelisk Blue, and wear its colors. Chazz Princeton will henceforth be demoted to Ra Yellow, and he will wear that rank accordingly."
I heard clapping, and I turned to see them all clapping. My friends! "Way to go, Jamie!" "You destroyed him, dude!" They all wore smiles on their faces and pride in their eyes, and I knew in this moment that this second shot at life was worth it. This was real joy…the joy of achieving a long-awaited goal. I felt invincible.
"No…I won't be a Ra!" Chazz roared before turning and outright running from the arena. If I didn't know him, I would think him pathetic, a sore loser. However, I knew his situation, and I knew that striking him down like this would bring him a lot of pain in the short term. But he needed that pain to grow, otherwise he would remain the same old asshole he was at the beginning of the series until the day he died. I looked after him, both strict and wistful as I saw him go.
"Farewell, Chazz. Hopefully when we meet each other again, you'll be a better man, and I can give you a worthy fight." I muttered, no one hearing those words.
"Erm…I'll handle him later, mister Lancaster. Congratulations on a swift victory. I am certainly excited to see what you can contribute to the house of Obelisk. Sometime tomorrow, you'll want to stop by the registrar's office to file out some paperwork regarding your lodgings. A student volunteer moving crew will come by on Thursday or Friday to move you in, once Chazz has been evicted. As I am your head of house, I will meet with you later this week to discuss policy." Crowler said unctuously. Part of me wished that he hated me like he did Jaden- anything was better than this fake flattery. Still, I was very pleased that I had finally made to Obelisk. I had a feeling that my life was about to get a lot busier.
"Of course, Professor. I look forward to it." I replied back politely. He nodded before quickly exiting the arena. Glad that Crowler was gone, I turned around only to get mobbed by my friends.
"That was something else! I've never seen such a quick defeat before! Especially against an Obelisk Blue! You're really something, Jamie!" Jaden praised, giving me a one-armed hug.
"I know which card to watch out for when we duel…that was really quite funny." Bastion acknowledged with a cheeky grin.
"Nice moves, dude!" Chumley laughed. "Good job!" said Syrus. I felt so light and happy at their praise, it was hard to describe.
But it was Erin who captured my attention as her deep blue eyes practically sucked my green ones in. "I'm glad you didn't prolong this…and yet, I was sad to see it end. I'll show you a real duel soon." She laughed, brushing my arm. Would you look at that, I think she was trying to fluster me!
"I would love to see that." I said, driving my voice as low as it could go. She seemed taken aback, yet pleased by that response, giggling a little.
"C'mon, guys! Let's go grab some grub!" Jaden exclaimed boisterously, throwing his tanned fist in the air. We all cheered and made for the Obelisk Blue dining center.
We hung out for a while, but eventually we turned in early due to us all having classes in the morning. At seven the next morning, Bastion and I woke to get ready for the day. It would be the last time I would sleep in the Ra Yellow dorm for the forseeable future.
I would miss having Bastion as a roommate. Even though we only lived together for six weeks, he had quickly become a steadfast and loyal friend- I couldn't ask for a better one. Still, having my own room would be nice, and the Obelisk living arrangements were lavish to say the least. It was also a better position to operate in with regards to the coming threats. I would not let that damned Society of Light corrupt the Obelisk dorm as they did in canon- that's a promise. I fondly looked around the sparsely-decorated dorm room, both glad to move on and wistful to say goodbye. "That new coat of paint looks nice." I said groggily as I stretched.
Bastion looked around, as if noticing it for the first time. "Yes, I suppose it does." He glanced at me. "Does it feel strange, moving on so soon?"
"No," I answer, "it feels right, somehow."
"Good." Bastion nodded. "I'm sure you'll like it there. What time are you moving in?"
"Tonight around seven." I answered. "I'll get Jaden and the rest to come help you around then." Bastion offered. "Thank you, man." I said before heading off to class as if it was a regular day. "And the show goes on." That grin came back, and I had to fight to keep it down.
A/N
Hope you all enjoyed.
Not a very long duel, eh? And yet, it will have immense consequences for the plot. Chazz won't forget this any time soon. Big plans for Chazz down the road- I plan to employ more of his manga characterization than his anime portrayal, although there will be some elements from there as well. He certainly won't be a comic relief whipping boy in this fic, as much as this rather swift defeat may imply.
Thanks to mobylickseven for pointing out some duel writing errors in the last chapter, I will edit that chapter soon and fix them.
After some deliberation, I also introduced a second OC in the form of Erin Reid. I thought it would be a good idea to flesh out the female cast, and I plan to develop her as a sort of foil to Alexis, Jaden, and Jamie in certain respects. She is clearly romantically interested in Jamie...we shall soon see what becomes of that. I know that female characters in this franchise tend to beat around the bush when it comes to romantic feelings (Aki...) but Erin is a straightforward , even somewhat fierce girl who isn't afraid to go after what she wants, which is an essential trait in an athlete. Erin will be a somewhat major character in the narrative, but she will not eclipse or replace the main canon characters in any way. I aim for her to be a distinct, fully realized character with strengths and flaws. Just as I'm trying to avoid having Jamie be a Sue, I don't want to write Erin as simply "a girl" put in for shipping/romantic purposes. In future chapters, I will be introducing one more OC of comparable importance to the plot before stopping. No need to crowd the cast- I hope I'm doing a good job balancing things so far. I'm really hoping for this story to have its own unique flavor, if that makes any sense.
Anyways, excuse my ramblings. Hope you all have a good one. Next chapter we will see Jamie's initiation into Obelisk Blue.