Chapter 12: ...Super Ultimate Mega God Form Ultra Instinct Elemental Hero OP Dragon Sharingan Harem God King Sith Emperor
I rushed down to the pier. Seemed like a lot of crazy stuff had started and ended down there recently. My stomach growled, but I didn't stop to eat, not wanting to miss anything from this match. Half-formed questions began to take shape in my mind, but there were no immediate answers to them.
Many of the students were already waiting by the docks, as the first ships would be arriving within the hour. It was hard to believe that this first semester had passed so quickly. The days are long, but the years are short, as they say.
It looked like I wasn't in time in watch the beginning, but the duel was still in its starting stages. Erin had nothing on the field and five cards in hand, while Alexis had a Cyber Angel Benten (1800/1500) and one face-down. They had amassed quite the crowd, although since most of the student body was incidentally waiting for the ships to arrive this wasn't a surprise. Of course, something told me that a catfight like this might have attracted a sizable audience no matter what. The main question was why fight?
"With that, I end my turn. I hope you're not wasting my time, Reid." Alexis said coldly. Cyber Angel Benten stood battle-ready by her side, a fine dress hanging onto her metal frame. Both players seemed to have 4000 life points, which told me the game was early yet. In fact, it looked like the end of the first turn.
"Oh come on, none of us got anything to do but wait. I'm just glad you finally accepted my challenge. You've been dodging me for a few months now, Rhodes! Makes me wonder just why you've chosen now to fight back now that we have a little wager." Erin responded boisterously. "Ever since you've come here, everyone's been calling you the queen of Obelisk Blue, but you haven't had to defend that title until now! Now let's go!"
There was something left unsaid here. What wager was she talking about?
I stood near the back of the crowd, not wanting to attract any attention. I looked around for a familiar face, finally finding Adam at what seemed to be a makeshift wooden stand. The word "Bets" was written in black marker on the front. On the countertop were two boxes, pink and blue in color. Behind the desk sat a rather pleased Adam.
"Let me guess, the pink one is for Erin and the blue one is for Alexis." I ask dryly. "How did you even set up a stand this quickly anyways?"
"I have my ways." Adam waved off. "As far as the spread goes, it looks like roughly 60% are going for Alexis, despite Erin being a year older. Kinda surprised me. Are you gonna throw some gold into the pot, Jamie?"
"Something tells me no matter who wins, I lose."
"No offense, but having two hotties compete over you isn't the worst thing in the world. You normally don't complain when we're busting our asses at work, so why complain about this? Just kick back and enjoy." Sugihara didn't seem very interested in my romantic foibles, but his perspective seemed sound. I really shouldn't be worrying about girls considering the threats that would soon be coming down the pipe. Even if I ended up alone in the end, it was fine as long as the people of this world were safe.
"Did Alexis mention why she accepted Erin's challenge?" I asked, despite knowing the answer in my heart of hearts.
"No, she didn't say why. I suppose there could be any number of reasons why. But there's only a few plausible ones, eh?" Adam responded. "It's probably not wise to bet anyways. I'm gonna have to give all this money back if the ships get here before the duel is finished. I don't think either of their decks are geared for quick victories." He continued.
"Ah, you're probably right. I suppose you're hoping for a quick game anyhow though?" I asked, trying to keep my mind off of things.
"Yeah. By the way, Jaden and the others are over there." Adam pointed over to the front of the crowd, where Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Mindy, and Zane sat. Jaden and Chumley were absolutely chowing down on buckets of popcorn, causing my lips to twitch upwards.
"Right. So, where are you going for the break?" I clumsily changed the subject.
"I'm visiting some family in Macau, probably gonna work at my uncle's shop. How about you?"
"Just catching up with the family in Domino. It'll be nice to kick back for a bit. I have a feeling next semester is going to be much more difficult than this one."
"Heh, hopefully not. Well, you have a good break, Jamie. Enjoy yourself." Adam said finally.
"You too." I bid. It was good to have a guy like Sugihara around; his down-to-earth ways and enjoyments of the simpler pleasures kept me grounded. That stable perspective was especially important to me, as I was unsure of my place and my role in this world. I wondered when he was going to duel Bastion as I made my way over to the rest of the crew. I haven't even seen him duel yet, come to think of it.
"Well, if it isn't the man of the hour." Zane remarked as I approached. "I took the liberty of grabbing your bags from the dorm. By the way, how did that whole situation with Bastion go?"
"Thanks man." I said, grabbing my backpack and suitcase from him. "Uh, let's just say it was a load of monkey business."
"Hey, where are Bastion and Jasmine anyways? I thought they would be with you." Mindy interjected.
"Uh, they went for a short coffee date. I'm sure they'll join us shortly." I chuckled.
Mindy tittered in response. "A date, huh?"
"Jasmine and Bastion, sitting in a tree, D-U-E-L-I-N-G. That's how that song goes, right?" Jaden commented between shoveling mouthfuls of popcorn, eventually choking on a stray kernel. A strong pat on the back by Chumley solved the issue resoundingly.
"I think you have the basic meaning of it, Jaden." Syrus said with a sigh.
"They grow up so fast…" Zane said wistfully. "But speaking of relationships, how about this duel, huh?"
I grimaced.
"My draw! I'll start by activating the field spell A Legendary Ocean! Now, all water monsters gain 200 attack and defense points. Furthermore, all water monsters on the field and in our hands have their levels reduced by one. Because of this, I can summon Giga Gagagigo (2650/1700 after field spell boost)! Try saying that five times fast!" Onto the field emerged a giant bipedal lizard partially covered in incomplete cybernetic plating. Its red eyes were wild with rage.
"Man, including those level five water monsters is a really good idea. She can bring out really strong monsters for free as long as that field spell is out!" Syrus commented.
"Yeah, that and level sevens. She can summon Levia Dragon Daedalus with only tribute now, and from there she'll be able to destroy all of Alexis' cards easily." Zane added.
Jaden grinned. "So, the field spell is the most important card in the deck…I bet Alexis already knows what to do."
I stayed silent, my eyes darting between the two rival duelists.
"Next, I'll play Terraforming, allowing me to add a field spell from my deck to my hand." Erin grabbed another copy of Legendary Ocean to thin the deck slightly.
"Now, I attack your Cyber Angel Benten! Charge, my monster!" The reptile rushed at the metallic dancer.
"I activate my trap card, Doble Passe! This card causes your attack to hit me directly. Then, my monster gets to strike at your life points!" With a graceful pirouette, Benten sidestepped Giga Gagagigo and leapt at Erin. With a slash of her fans, Erin was blown back. Likewise, Alexis took the brunt of the lizard's swing. (Alexis 1350/Erin 2200)
"Ugh, Doble Passe is such a bad card. Why wouldn't you just run Magic Cylinder or Mirror Force?" I complained.
"I know, but I think Alexis has a plan here. She's going to ritual summon again. That way, she'll get Benten's secondary effect activated and get some hand advantage." Zane responded.
"Let's go, Lexy!" Mindy cheered.
"I wonder why Alexis didn't use any of these Cyber Angels against me in our first duel." Jaden queried.
"They weren't out at the time, they just came out in that new collector's pack about two weeks ago." Syrus answered. "I just wonder if she knows how to play those cards, and not just use them."
I chuckled. Alexis has some nerve, testing out new cards in a competitive match. The snow angel of Obelisk Blue was renowned for her poise and grace, but let it never be said she didn't know how to throw down some disrespect. Jaden offered me some popcorn, and I gladly took it.
Erin realigned herself, wiping the side of her mouth with her fist. Grinning, she said, "You know how to dance, that's for sure. But it looks like I got the better deal in that exchange. My monsters get super strong in the water! Good luck getting past them! I set two cards face-down and end my turn."
"Brute strength is far from the only deciding factor in a battle. Strategy, patience, and poise are essential as well. I see dueling as an art form, not merely a game. That is the difference between us, and that is why I will win!" Alexis began her next turn. "I summon Cyber Petit Angel (300/200) in attack mode." Another fairy made of metal appeared, its pink body a metallic sphere with two angel wings sprouting from its back.
"When this monster is summoned, I can add a Cyber Angel monster or a Machine Angel from my deck to my hand. I choose to add Cyber Angel Dakini." Showing the card to Erin, Alexis' deck automatically shuffled due to the random algorithms of the duel disk.
"Next, I play Preparation of Rites. This spell lets me add a level seven or lower ritual monster from my deck to my hand. I choose Cyber Angel Idaten. Next, I can add a ritual spell from the grave to the hand. This lets me get the Machine Angel Ritual I used to summon Benten back."
"Wow, her deck has insane searching power! I had no idea ritual monsters had so much support." Jaden said, impressed.
"It's because ritual summoning is an inherently costly mechanic. A duelist requires at least three cards in hand in order to summon a ritual monster in the first place- the necessary spell, the necessary ritual monster, and at least one tribute that meets or sometimes exceeds the level of the ritual monster. Any ritual deck absolutely needs a lot of searching power- it's so easy to brick otherwise. I've always found that ritual decks are among the most difficult builds to get right. I feel like I'm always adjusting ratios to avoid bad starting hands." I replied.
"True. Plus, unlike fusion monsters, ritual monsters have to be stored in the main deck, meaning they tend to brick more. Frankly, I've never liked them, but it looks like Alexis is making this work." Said Zane.
"Now, I activate Machine Angel Ritual once more! I sacrifice Cyber Angel Benten and Cyber Petit Angel on my field to ritual summon Cyber Angel Dakini (2700/2400)!" Alexis cried. Her fanboys cheered as one of her ace monsters hit the field.
Benten and Cyber Petit Angel vanished in twin pillars of light, a four-armed woman with steely blue plating appeared in their stead. In her hands were a long lance, a curved scimitar, and a shorter sword with a blue feather tassel on the end. "When this monster is summoned, you must send one of your monsters to the graveyard. Keep in mind that the monster is not destroyed, just sent to the graveyard. Feel free to take your time in making your decision." Alexis snarked, knowing that Erin only had one option available to her.
"Tch!" Erin frowned, forced to send her Giga Gagagigo to the graveyard, leaving her field open.
"Anyways, since I sacrificed Cyber Angel Benten, its secondary effect activates, letting me add a light fairy from my deck. I choose another copy of Cyber Petit Angel." Alexis added yet another card to her hand.
"Now, Cyber Angel Dakini attacks your life points directly!" Alexis thrust her gloved hand forward, causing her monster to rush forward with lance in hand. I don't think she expected the attack to go through, but she just wanted to spring Erin's trap.
Sure enough, Erin was forced to act. "I reveal my face-down card, Tornado Wall!" Cyber Angel Dakini's charge was halted by the sudden emergence of three spiraling blue tornados of water. Soon enough, the warrior returned to Alexis' side in retreat. "Now, I won't take any battle damage from your monsters as long as my field spell is up.
"Shoot! That's gonna be tough to play around. I end my turn, but during my end phase, my Cyber Angel Dakini lets me add either a Cyber Angel ritual monster or a ritual spell from the graveyard to my hand. I choose to add Cyber Angel Benten back to my hand." Alexis cursed. I wondered if she ran any backrow hate- I bet a Mystical Space Typhoon would be a welcome sight to her right now! As it is, Erin's pretty much good to go as long as she can keep Legendary Ocean or some equivalent on the field.
"My go again!" Erin drew. "I set a monster. And…I'll end my turn." Erin said shortly. It's probably either a Yomi Ship or a Penguin Soldier. I had to wonder how Alexis was going to get out of this- none of her monsters that I know of could really destroy backrow…I guess she really is going to have to hope for an MST at some point.
Seeming to realize this, Alexis slowly drew her next card. "I set one card face-down and end my turn."
"Ok…I set another monster and end my turn." Erin parroted.
"Oh brother, somebody do something exciting already!" One of the impatient fanboys from the crowd shouted out.
"Piss off!" Both girls shouted right back. They grinned at each other shortly before they remembered they were supposed to be enemies. To compensate for this, they both mean mugged at each other until Alexis started her next turn.
"Man, you've got a couple of spitfires on your hands, Jamie! You remind of a harem protagonist from a light novel!" Syrus said unwisely. "You already have an ice queen and a sporty girl, now all you need is a shy girl and a loli!"
"Shut up! I'm not anything like that!" I responded, highly triggered by his remark. Mindy started laughing uncontrollably, causing my irritation to rankle.
"Ok, sure you're not. Geez…you know, most people would take that as a compliment. Hell, some would kill to be in your position, myself included." The bespectacled boy meekly responded.
"Syrus, our parents said you weren't supposed to be reading those damned light novels anymore! You get into those for long enough and you start to get delusions of becoming a harem king! Wait a second, what's that in your hand?" Zane clamped a hand on Syrus' shoulder.
We all took our attention of the duel to notice that Syrus was holding a volume of High School DxD in his hands. Yelping, the younger brother scampered off, with Zane in hot pursuit. Considering Zane had about two and a half feet of height on Syrus, I doubted the little bugger would get far.
"So, you're starting a harem, eh Jamie? Can I join?" Mindy sidled up next to me, seemingly seductive in her demeanor.
"Get the fuck off me! I'm not a harem protagonist, damn it!" I shake her off, cross my arms tightly.
Mindy clutched her sides in hilarity. "That sounds exactly like something a harem protagonist would say!"
"My turn! And I think I know just what to do to get past your tornado wall!" Alexis started. "I activate Machine Angel Absolute Ritual. By tributing Cyber Prima from my hand, I can summon another Cyber Angel Benten from my hand!" In another fiery column emerged her second copy of Benten.
"Now, I'll attack one of your face-down monsters with Cyber Angel Benten!" Alexis' monster flapped her twin fans, causing a whirlwind to run towards Erin's hidden creature.
Sure enough, it was revealed to be Yomi Ship (1000/1600 after field boost), a wooden dingy that was summarily ripped apart from the cutting winds of Alexis' attack.
"When my Cyber Angel Benten destroys a monster by battle, you take damage equal to that monster's original defense points! And since this is effect damage, it bypasses your tornado wall!" Another blast of wind knocked Erin off her feet, causing her to land with a wheeze on the soft green grass. (Alexis 1350/Erin 800)
"Damn…but since you destroyed my Yomi Ship, its effect activates, destroying the monster that took it out!" Suddenly, Cyber Angel Benten exploded, with Alexis throwing her arms up to shield her eyes from the explosion.
"It doesn't matter! Cyber Angel Dakini, destroy her other monster!" The blue dancer jumped into the air, pointing her lance down at Erin's last monster. Normally, Dakini would inflict piercing damage when it attacks a defensive monster, but Tornado Wall negated this effect.
The revealed monster was Needle Sunfish (1700/300 after field boost), a seemingly innocuous blue fish. However, before being destroyed, it shot a large needle from its mouth that lodged itself in one of the Cyber Angel's arms.
"When Needle Sunfish is destroyed, I can cause one of your monsters to lose 500 attack points. Therefore, your Dakini is down to 2200 attack points!" Erin explained.
"Okay…I set one more card face-down and end my turn." Alexis said in dissatisfaction. It was clear that this duel wasn't going as easily as she thought it would. Meanwhile, Erin grinned audaciously, looking ready to unleash a powerful attack next turn.
"Oh boy, this is exciting! I can't wait to see what happens next!" Jaden gushed.
"Yeah, this could really go either way…" I murmur.
"Shoot, I'm out of popcorn!" Chumley despaired.
Suddenly, we all heard the distinctive and loud noise characteristic of a ship's horn. The hundreds of duelists in the crowd turned around sharply to find three large ferries slowly docking at the academy piers.
"They're here already! No way!" Syrus said, disappointed. Many of the students shared his sentiments, groaning as they realized it was time to leave the island for a while.
I shared the sentiment as well, because I knew that this semester would almost certainly be the most simple and peaceful my life was going to be for quite a long time. The world could be such a dark and cruel place, there was no use denying it. I knew that in my old life, before I died. And in the back of my mind, I knew that the evils in this world far outstripped the ordinary ones in my old life, at least as far as destructive capability was concerned.
And yet, the good similarly outshines the evil. As I looked around at the friends I had made here, people I once thought mere drawings on a page, I knew that despite everything, this life was still ultimately good and worth fighting for. There were enemies coming, and soon. But having the strength to fight on is also a component of a good life, is it not?
Snapping out of my reverie, I looked at Alexis and Erin, but they seemed to have no intention of ending their match early, not caring if they missed the boat, seemingly.
"Come now, children, it's time to leave!" Headmaster Sheppard and the rest of the teachers appeared to oversee the departure. Crowler, Sartyr, Fontaine, and Banner (shifty bastard) along with many other teachers I didn't have classes with were there to ensure that everything proceeded smoothly. I even saw Vector Drummond, the history professor I defeated in the entrance exams. I hadn't seen the guy since the first day- I wondered if he remembered who I was.
It felt like much had changed since that tumultuous first day. Truly, I felt like a different person now than I did in my old life, in a good way. Part of me wondered if my consciousness merged and mixed with the boy originally named Jamie Lancaster, and that was what caused this. But what I thought was that being here, in this world, with these people, had changed me for the better. The novelty of this experience had well and truly worn off by now, and yet, I no longer felt such great remorse for my old life as I once did. This world was my world, its people my people at long last. There's no way to turn back; we march forward, only forward.
"Miss Reid, Miss Rhodes, I'm afraid you will have to conclude your duel some other time. It is imperative that we board with the appropriate expediency so as not to arrive later than our expected time." As usual, Crowler had a way of making the simplest statements sound complicated and official.
Sighing, Alexis gave Erin a hard, meaningful look. "We'll settle this when we return in January, Erin. As far as I'm concerned, this is a draw."
"I'm not turning my duel disk off first. Come on Rhodes, they can wait until we finish our fight!" Erin protested.
Haughtily, Alexis turned away and turned off her duel disk, causing the card holograms on the field to fade away. Grunting in disappointment, Erin was forced to deactivate hers as well. "Teacher's pet…" She sniped, but Alexis either didn't hear her or ignored her. They both walked over to our group's area to grab their bags.
As they both approached, I gave each of them an even look. Both girls looked surprised that I was there, but Alexis seemed more bashful than Erin, who seemed practically pleased in comparison. Both shared a sense of expectancy.
"Oh, hey Jamie…." Alexis started awkwardly. Erin merely gave me a lazy wave.
"What is this about?" I asked coolly.
"It's like I said; I've been wanting to duel Rhodes since the beginning of the term. I couldn't stand the idea of waiting over winter break, so I stepped forward." Erin explained haughtily. "We had a little bet going."
"And what exactly were you wagering?"
"The next time the loser draws the golden eggwich on sandwich day, they have to give it to the winner." Erin said facetiously.
I gave her a droll look, and she knew that this little rivalry went beyond a mere sandwich. I was the prize in this game, and in going this far, they were forcing me to make a decision. These two people weren't going to pretend to get along for my sake.
"Well, I thought you both did well, but Erin's defenses proved to be a challenge. It seemed she had some advantage in this regard, although you had the stronger monsters, Alexis." I chose my words carefully and gently- it felt as though I was handling a piece of fine china.
"I was up on life points. I had the game well in hand." Alexis remarked.
"Like hell you did! You had no way of damaging me. You're lucky this match ended when it did, Rhodes!" Fiery Erin jumped in.
"No need to argue about it, you'll both have a chance to settle things when we return! Besides, I think it's a great thing you guys are sharpening your skills against each other. That was a sweet match!" Jaden cut in, only for Erin and Alexis to actually look displeased at him. Any additional presence in this conversation was unwelcome.
"Yes, indeed." None of us noticed Crowler barging in, and the sound of his voice so near caused us to jump. "But for now, it is time to leave. Come along now, students."
Behind him stood Professor Drummond, who was reading a book and basically ignoring his surroundings completely. As per usual, he was wearing a sharp blue suit with a silver tie and similarly grey thick-rimmed glasses. I bet all the teachers were mandated to be here, or else he would be reading his book in a more quiet area. I peered over to see that he was reading the history of the Peloponnesian War. Man, he sure knew how to paint the town red, eh?
Taking this opportunity to break off from my friends, I waved my hand to catch Drummond's attention. "Hey, professor, remember me?"
Tearing his eyes away from the page, Drummond's lazy brown eyes widened in recognition. "Ah, mister Lancaster. I see you've made good on your promise to enter Obelisk Blue."
"The beds are just as nice as I expected them to be."
"Hmm. I noticed that you've risen to the top of the freshman class as well. In fact, I believe you're only second in the overall school rankings, behind mister Truesdale. Zane, that is. I must admit, I'm looking forward to having you in my History 103 class next semester. It has nothing to do with card games, of course, but I hope you'll fund the subject suitably fascinating regardless." He dryly responded.
"History is enjoyable, to be sure, but I was wondering if you would take me up on a duel when I return. I've always been curious about your real deck." I ask boldly.
He chuckled softly. "You're no less driven than you were the day of the entrance exam. I suppose this explains your taste in women, at least."
"Jealous?" I ask facetiously, even though I probably shouldn't have been mouthing off to a teacher, but for some reason I really wanted to get this guy's goat.
"Hardly. But I suppose I will indulge you. It's been a while since I've dueled a student with my real deck. Enjoy your break, mister Lancaster, and make sure your cards are strong when you face me." He said, unflappable.
Sighing, I responded with, "You too." I left with my curiosity even more piqued. Rushing down to the pier, I met up with my friends once more, the future legends of Duel Academy. Jaden, Syrus, Chumley, Alexis, Mindy, and Erin were talking about their holiday plans, while Zane and Adam aloofly stood apart from the group, but not that far apart. I still didn't see Bastion and Jasmine- I wondered if they were going to make it onboard in time. Zane watched the others with a quiet smile on his face, while Sugihara grumbled about not getting to collect any of the bets on Alexis and Erin's interrupted duel. Perhaps it was a byproduct of being in a cheesy shonen series, but seeing them warmed my heart truly.
"Well, I guess this goodbye, everyone!" Syrus waved tearfully.
"Chill out, Sy, it's only a month before we reunite, stronger than ever!" Jaden reassured.
"I can't wait." Erin smirked with a challenging smirk at Alexis. The blonde ignored her, seeming solemn at the prospect of returning home. I imagined the holidays were probably a difficult time for her family due to her brother still being missing. My eyes found Professor Banner standing with the rest of the teachers, the cat purring innocuously in his lanky arms, and I remembered why Atticus was missing in the first place.
My eyes blazed with anger. I had no idea if I was making "eye contact" with him due to his eyes always being closed, but I was looking directly at him nonetheless. He ought to enjoy his remaining days as much as he could- the jig was going to be up soon. As soon as the seven keys were distributed, I was going to take him down and get some answers about this whole Abandoned Dorm situation, which remained ambiguous despite my knowledge of canon.
Oh yes, he was going to pay the piper soon…
"So then I said to her, like, oh my god, I can't believe he really said that! Can you believe that, Jamie? Mindy said to me, finishing up a long and complex dramatic story. Apparently she had been talking to me during the entire time I had been thinking about Banner.
"Uh, yeah, can't believe it, Mindy. Hey, everyone make sure to really work on your decks over the break. I think this next semester is going to be much more difficult than this one." I warned, unfortunately dampening the mood slightly.
"You bet!" Jaden said. The ship's horn sounded again, and now we knew it was really time to get on board.
"See you later, everyone! Have a fun break!" Jaden said cheerfully before he, Syrus, and Chumley ran off to get spots on the cruise liner.
"Later, Jamie. I'm going surfing in Hawaii over the break, so I'll send you lots of postcards!" She said, giving me a hug and a peck on the cheek.
As we embraced, she leaned into my ear. Her breath caused goosebumps to erupt on my skin. "I don't have time to play around with you forever." She whispered. I said nothing in response. I understood what she meant by those words, and it was giving me a headache.
Picking up her bag and surfboard, she ran along as well to get a decent spot on the ship. Adam waved goodbye as well, ambling slowly in contrast to the hurried pace of the others. Only Zane, Mindy, Alexis and I remained.
Alexis remained meaningfully silent, and sensing the mood, Zane said, "See you all. I'm looking forward to more matches when we get back. I hope to make my last semester a good one. Why don't you walk with me, Mindy?" He said, less stoically than usual.
Although Mindy surely wanted to hear what Alexis wanted to say, her desire to walk with the great Kaiser outweighed her penchant for gossip and drama. "See ya, Harem King." She said to me jokingly. I only scoffed in response. I can't let these girls run roughshod over me- I had to step up and start taking the reins before more complications sprung up from under me again.
Once they left, I turned to Alexis. "Hey, I know that the holidays probably aren't the most pleasant time of year for you, but if you want to talk, you know where to reach me, alright? And by the way, your new Cyber Angels look strong. I'm sure they'll be useful in the future." I ramble.
"Yeah…hey look, you don't to have to say anything…I just wanted you to know that I'm glad I've met you this semester. I never thought I could meet so many amazing people in my freshman class like this. It helps me forget that Atticus is gone, at least until I'm by myself." She said, melancholic.
"He's not gone. He's not dead." I wanted to say, because it was the truth. It wouldn't be long before he was back by her side. I couldn't speak because it would reveal too much knowledge too early, but the desire still burned. It took great restraint to remain silent in the face of this sad, fearful girl, even as the solution to her worries hung on the tip of my tongue. Casting my eyes away, I hastily squashed the hard lump in my throat.
"I've never told this to anyone before, but the reason I want to gain power is not purely for love of the game. I've told myself that so many times, wishing for it to be true. But I cannot be motivated by pure excitement and enjoyment like Jaden. After I saw your battle with Jinzo, I realized that I can no longer idly mourn and grieve for Atticus. His killers still lurk in the shadows, and I will not rest until they are brought to justice. That is why I fight." Her voice was heavy with a sense of duty.
Holy shit. What brought this side of her out? Was it just seeing the battle with Jinzo up close? Or was this rage lurking within her this entire time?
"I want to be strong enough to stand alongside you, Jamie. I've been thinking about this for a while, but the way you stood up to that duel spirit was incredible. It's shown me how long I still have to go before I can really call myself a duelist. You've shown me that I can be better than I am." She continued, her eyes softening.
"Is that why you dueled Erin today? Just to test your mettle?" I asked a leading question.
"Partially…" She trailed off.
I leaned in. "I've noticed that you tend to hold back what you're really thinking a lot. It takes you a long time to verbalize your feelings. If you have something to say, then you should say it. Sometimes waiting for the right time causes you to miss the opportunities in front of you." I thought of her failed confession to Jaden in season four. "I have trouble speaking up sometimes too, believe it or not."
She was silent at that, so I prompted her with, "So, what are you thinking about right now? I want you to say what's on your mind at this exact moment." I smirked devilishly as a ruddy blush crept up her face, staining her normally smooth, pale features.
She shook her head. "I-I'm not sure what to say. I just…I don't know."
I shrugged. "That's fine, I'll wait…for a little bit. Perhaps after you finish your duel with Erin you can say what you really think." I really shouldn't be doing this, considering Erin has her eye on me, but something about Alexis was undeniably alluring to me. Whereas Erin was a relatively simple soul, Alexis was mysterious in many ways. I couldn't help myself.
"Ok…" She whispered.
"In case you were curious, I think it's normal for you to want to avenge your brother. And just between you and me, I want to get to the bottom of the whole abandoned dorm incident as well. Something is rotten amongst the staff. One of the teachers in particular isn't who he says he is." Wait, I wasn't supposed to reveal my knowledge! Why can't I control myself around her?!
Her hazel eyes widened in shock and surprise. "What? No way! Who…?" she questioned.
The ship's horn blew for the final time. "This is the last boarding call for the student ferry to Domino City. All Duel Academy students please board one of the two ferries departing at this time." A calm female voice sounded over the PR system.
"You better call me and tell me who you suspect! I'll be really mad if you don't!" Alexis said fiercely.
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry about it. I'll see you in January, Alexis! Have a good one!" I cheerfully waved her off.
She gazed after me as we each boarded a different ship. I had no idea how the student body was separated, but it seemed we were split half-and-half amongst the two ferries. I bounded up the steel boardwalk with my luggage and hand. From the looks of things, it seemed I was the last student to board this ship.
"Glad you finished chatting up that girl in time to get on board, kid." The sailor serving as a security guard snarked as I entered.
"No offense dude, but I would think a sailor is the last type of person who should be making jokes about seeing girls." I shot right back- I was never one for taking shit from randoms. The sailor grumbled, but let me pass.
The main deck was almost completely full, and I had to wade through a sea of people before I found a familiar face in the form of Bastion. He moved his bag aside, clearly saving a seat for someone. He had taken off his uniform, instead wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and jeans.
"Hey man, was anyone here?" I ask him over the din of people.
"No, I think everyone else was assigned to the other ship. Sadly, Jasmine was as well. I think it's just you and me for this journey." Bastion replied wistfully.
"Thank god for that." Someone as calm and stable as Bastion would make for a good traveling companion, especially after the day's events.
"It seems your date was cut short, then. You don't sound too happy, did things go poorly?" I asked as I sat down. The lack of space caused me to uncomfortably draw my knees inward.
"No, it went well, but this voyage would have been a marvelous thing to share with her. I think she and I will get along just fine. The only problem is that she didn't understand my math jokes." Bastion said, placing his backpack between his feet.
"Bastion, I told you not to do that shit. You should have been talking to her about sports or something stupid like that!" I reprimand.
"I know, but it's so hard to resist! She didn't even know what Rouche's Theorem was, Jamie!" Bastion complained.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Ugh, training him in the art of conversation was going to take a while. But in time he would learn, even if it killed me.
"To be fair, I don't exactly have all my ducks in a row when it comes to girls as well. At any rate, you have nearly a month before you'll see her again, so try to think of something good to say in that time."
Bastion nodded, accepting this new homework assignment with the same readiness he would have with regards to calculus or history. "I'll try to improve." He said.
"We'll all have to improve if we want to survive." I said darkly. When Bastion gave me a quizzical look, I added sloppily, "The school year, I mean! It looks like next semester is gonna have some tough classes in it. Yeah, that's definitely what I meant."
"Oh, ok." Bastion said, relieved, before he returned to his book. I looked out the window, filled with dread at the future events to come. The time to be strong has begun.
A/N
Hope you all enjoyed. Definitely my favorite chapter title so far.
Since it seems the duel was inconclusive, I must ask again which of the two Obelisk girls you think would win if they had continued. I'm trying to toe the line between silly and serious, the way real life relationships so often do. Jamie has a choice to make in the near future, but luckily he has a bit of time to consider it. However, his mind is first and foremost focused on how best to address the problem of the Shadow Riders. We will see what he has planned next chapter.
It would seem that Alexis does have some feelings towards Jamie, although she is of course characterized by self-restraint when it comes to romance. She couldn't ever summon the courage to confess to Jaden in canon, and she's having trouble giving voice to her feelings here- she does not think what her heart wants is important. However, crossing swords with someone as impetuous and forward as Erin is a bit of a wakeup call. The rivalry over Jamie is not spoken aloud, but both Erin and Alexis understand it nonetheless. I hope this chapter did a good job at highlighting the differences between the two characters.
Oh by the way, after seeing some other authors do this, I have decided to put some 8tracks style character mixes in my profile. I would post them on 8tracks, but that site has been pretty much done for a while now. Instead, what I will do is post a new character mix in my profile every time I update a chapter from this point forward. What do you guys think of this idea? I figured this would be a good way of supplementing the characters' depth without being intrusive. Btw if anyone wants to talk shit about my music taste, see me in the streets. JK kind of.
Next chapter will begin the Shadow Rider/Seven Star arc.