Chapter 35: That Which Was Lost
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
When I had finished reflecting, I decided to make my way downstairs. The party had been cleared out completely, empty drinks strewn about the floor and dishes stacked up on tables.
"Don't worry about all this, the hotel staff will clean it up in the morning. And I'll make sure they get good tips." Mokuba had a way of sneaking up on me. He was surprisingly coherent for a guy that had been drinking heavily for the past nine hours. I suppose college has a way of building up a man's alcohol tolerance. This younger body was a total lightweight in comparison to what I could handle in my own college days, but I digress.
"Where's Roland?" I asked after an oddly long pause.
"Home. Or on his way, anyways. His smokeshow wife didn't drink." Mokuba answered crudely. "Everyone else is either gone or is waiting for a cab."
"Good." I was glad that Bastion and Jasmine were already gone. I didn't want either of them in danger. With Bastion drunk as a skunk, Jasmine was the only one of the two who could duel, and that was a pretty generous assumption considering how silly she was in class.
"Do you have the rare cards?" Mokuba asked. "Cause if you don't my brother is going to kill you. And I don't mean that in a metaphorical way, I mean literally."
"Yeah, they're right here, still sleeved. Far be it from me to harm your brother's precious assets." I slapped the deck in Mokuba's hands, feeling petty and snappish.
"Well done. I don't know who that guy was or what his problem was, but it looks like you sent him packing! Where is he now? How did he know you?" Now the questions came pouring out.
"Don't worry about it, it was just some weirdo. Flew away on those wings of his after I beat his fucking ass." I said without making eye contact.
"Did he?" Mokuba said with cool suspicion. "I trust he…won't be a problem any more?" He said lowly, and I knew what he was implying.
"No." I said quickly. "Not anymore."
"I suppose if you were able to handle Kagemaru, then this shouldn't be new territory. Not one for half-measures, are you Lancaster?" Mokuba regarded me strangely.
I thought of seeing Camula disappear. I thought of my harsh and unforgiving treatment of Banner. I thought of my voice breaking as I questioned a dying Kagemaru. "No, no half-measures."
"Don't sweat it, Lancaster, I saw my brother do much worse when he was your age. Can't afford to be soft in this world. But it was his nature to rise higher and higher, anything in service to his dream. I wonder if that is your nature as well."
"I didn't take any pleasure in it. I tried to show him mercy." I protested weakly.
"You should be glad you were even in a position to show mercy in the first place. You're still alive, aren't you? Then keep walking. Life is too uncertain to have regrets." Mokuba clapped me on the shoulder. "I can see why my brother hired you, you're a lot like him. Now then, I need to get some sleep. You should do the same."
I found the knowledge that I was like Kaiba to be chilling. "That makes me feel a lot better. Thank you, Mokuba. See you Monday." I said with a false smile.
I walked out to the parking lot, wondering how I was going to get back home. I'm sure Tobias and Joanna were worried sick. "I must carry my cards with me at all times now. That could have been really bad." I thought with hardened resolve. How ridiculous, that trading cards could be a lifeline in this world. But I didn't make the rules. And what difference does the weapon make anyways, once the battle had begun?
"Duel spirits can attack anywhere at anytime. I can no longer afford to be lax. I must go higher and higher in order to live. But not like a dragon…not like Kaiba. I refuse to become like that man! I must carve my own path…things are gonna have to change around Obelisk Blue this fall. Sartorius, Tragoedia, Yubel…I will defeat you all!"
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(Seto Kaiba POV)
"I confess I didn't expect you of all people here, Kaiba Boy. Small world, is it not?"
Standing in the doorway was the seemingly ageless Maximillion Pegasus, CEO of Industrial Illusions, creator of Duel Monsters, and host of the Duelist Kingdom tournament, a tournament that was crucial in the game's popularity booming on a global scale. Silky silver hair (it had always been that color, even as a young man) was carefully positioned to cover his empty left eye socket. Kaiba still didn't know how someone as meek as Ryo Bakura could have taken the Millennium Eye, but it didn't matter now.
For some reason, Pegasus was peacocking today - a dapper, yet loud red double-breasted tuxedo, rounded white boots that looked like something Mai Valentine would kill for, and…were those stockings Kaiba saw running up his calves? All his personal design, if the Industrial Illusions logo was any indication.
"What's wrong, cat got your tongue?" Pegasus' smarmy tone rang in Kaiba's ears. Overcoming his surprise, Kaiba turned to Jesse's mother.
"Please tell Jesse that we will be waiting outside. I could use some air." Without waiting for a response, Kaiba practically shoved past Pegasus and stood on the porch. The silver-haired man followed quickly after muttering some pleasantries to Anna.
"What are you doing here?" Kaiba asked through clenched teeth. There were never any coincidences with Pegasus – the man always felt comfortable dabbling in the affairs of others. Of course, Kaiba was in the midst of dabbling in someone else's affairs when Pegasus arrived, but the hypocrisy was lost on him as it often was.
"Is that any way to treat an old friend? Why, it's been years!" Pegasus actually went in for a hug before Kaiba stepped out of his reach. The man always stood too fucking close for his liking – Kaiba seriously doubted he was straight, despite the sob story Yugi fed him about Pegasus having a dead wife. As if he, the great Seto Kaiba, was gullible enough to believe such tripe!
At Kaiba's tense silence, Pegasus continued, "That really is a nice tie – the blue brings out your eyes quite nicely." His finger trailed up Kaiba's chest, and the White Dragon cringed at how deliberate every word was. Always bullshitting around the point. He removed the perfectly manicured hand from his person swiftly.
"Must I repeat myself?" Kaiba said coldly.
"I'd prefer to wait until Jesse is here, as this has much to do with him." Pegasus finally moved the conversation along.
"Why? Is he your protégé or something?" Kaiba snarked. He could see that. He wouldn't be surprised if Anderson and Pegasus went to bat for the same team, so to speak.
"After a fashion. You know, I was the one who gave him the Crystal Beasts in the first place. I could tell that they were meant for him. He's one of the best duelists I've seen from this new generation." Pegasus explained, not seeming to pick up on what Kaiba was implying.
"I actually agree. He is stronger than he appears. Judging by the exhibition match at the American Duel Academy, he might even have more potential than the Princeton brat." Kaiba surmised, seemingly unaware of how Pegasus was guiding the conversation.
Pegasus gave a noncommittal shrug. "Princeton was facing a stronger opponent. Speaking of that particular name, I've heard some troubling rumors about Slade and Jagger. From one friend to another, I thought you might like to hear them." Pegasus insinuated.
"No such thing as a free lunch, especially with you, Pegasus. You can stow your favors for someone who needs them. If you mean to tell me that those two are untrustworthy shitheels, I already knew that. On my current list of enemies they aren't even in my top ten." Kaiba rudely refused, revealing his awareness.
"Am I in your top ten?" Pegasus batted his eyelashes, as if this would charm Kaiba into speaking truthfully.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kaiba teased back.
"I would, I truly would. But as I was saying, there seems to have been a falling out between them and the youngest one, Chazz. A former student of your school." Pegasus supplied nonetheless.
"You still act as if you know everything, even without that ridiculous bauble in your eye socket. So what?"
"I am glad to hear you finally acknowledge the Millennium Eye's power, but I assure you, my intelligence network is still flourishing. Why, it's almost as if I never lost the eye. Chazz is currently obsessed with retrieving his Light and Darkness Dragon card. He believes Reggie Mackenzie, the number one student at the American academy, stole it from him." Pegasus continued.
"Reggie Mackenzie…" Kaiba tasted the name.
"She will be attending Central Academy this fall as a transfer student." Pegasus smirked.
Kaiba narrowed. "I'll have my intern keep an eye on her." Lancaster could include that in the regular reports Kaiba already planned on assigning him. Recent events taught Kaiba that keeping a tighter hold over the island would be…prudent. It should be easy enough considering Mackenzie would be staying in the Obelisk Blue compound.
At that moment, Jesse left the house, a deck box in his hands. "Uhh…. mister Pegasus! I'm sorry, I didn't realize you would be coming!"
"Jesse boy! It's no problem at all, in fact I apologize for dropping by unannounced. Where are my manners?" Pegasus said jovially. Kaiba rolled his eyes. What was the point of this performance? Are some stupid enough to actually take it at face value?
"Mister Pegasus, I've been using the Crystal Beast cards you gave me. I can't thank you enough for them – these cards and I, we really do have a bond." Jesse profusely voiced. The boy seemed to actually admire Pegasus. Kaiba scoffed – it was like watching a mouse idolize a viper.
"I'm so glad to hear that! From what I've heard of your feats, they've served you well. You truly are something special, my boy." Pegasus said unctuously.
"Indeed. Mister Anderson had no need of the Sacred Beast to get where he is, and he won't need it to continue doing well. You see Pegasus, our discussion was just concluding when you showed up." Kaiba said impatiently.
"Well, I'm afraid the discussion is being reopened. I believe the best course would be to allow mister Anderson to keep Hamon." Pegasus raised his voice just a touch.
"What did you say?!" Kaiba roared. There was no way Pegasus didn't' know about the true nature of the Sacred Beasts, especially if his intelligence network was the bee's knees like he claimed. Jesse looked meekly between the two titans, deciding wisely not to jump in.
"Kaiba boy, it's for the best. Jesse is a capable duelist, and I believe that Hamon will be safe in his hands." Pegasus was soothing, like a babysitter to a pouty child.
"Like hell it is! How dare you meddle in my affairs!? I demand satisfaction!" Kaiba flew off the handle – Pegasus reliably grinded his gears.
Gently, Pegasus turned Kaiba away from Jesse, who looked more confused than ever. "You recall that Jesse is a good friend of Chazz Princeton, yes?"
"Sure, I knew that." Kaiba really didn't, but he feigned impatience anyways.
"You recall that Chazz is not on the best of terms with his brothers. Think about it - when Chazz left Central Academy, he was off the grid completely for nearly ninety days. The media was going crazy trying to figure out where he might have gone, and what did Slade and Jagger have to say when asked about whereabouts?" Pegasus continued.
"Not a damn thing. But I figured they were just saying that to get the press to fuck off. It's a good tactic." Kaiba countered.
"Perhaps, but when Chazz returned for the School Duel, he did so as a representative of North Academy, not the Princeton group. No sponsorships, no logos, no media appearances on their behalf. A new hire of mine by the name of Chumley Huffington told me that Chazz even refused to use a supply of rare cards offered to him by Slade. Frankly, I have little doubt that Chazz is planning to go independent – it's only a matter of when."
Kaiba was not sure why he should care. Then, the pieces started to come together. "Jesse is a friend of Chazz…"
"Exactly. Chazz has no chance of matching his brothers in the arenas of politics and finance. But he may well duel them to assert his independence, and having a Sacred Beast on his side may make all the difference." Pegasus concluded.
"You believe Chazz can be made an ally? I have no fondness for traitors." Kaiba said, but as he spoke, he remembered how it felt to be trapped under Gozaburo's suffocating, tyrannical influence. Kaiba never lost a wink of sleep after usurping him. "But then again…at the very least one potential enemy will be suppressed if those brothers go to war."
Pegasus and Kaiba turned back to Jesse. "Boy." Kaiba said dully, causing Jesse to snap to attention. "Listen to me. I have terms to offer." Pegasus stood back and allowed Kaiba to talk.
Jesse took a deep breath and nodded nervously. "I'm all ears."
"I will allow you to keep this Sacred Beast..." Jesse smiled, making to thank Kaiba profusely, but the CEO pressed on. "For now. Someday, I will return for it. Until that day, use it as you wish. I already know you can harness its power without losing control of it."
"Wow, that's great! What made you change your mind?" Jesse asked with a grin.
"Tell your buddy Chazz Princeton that I look forward to dealing with him on a more…professional basis in the future. I have a feeling he will need your assistance in the battles to come." After talking a little more to iron out some details, Kaiba bid Jesse a cordial goodbye. Pegasus' goodbye was a little more mushy, even giving Jesse a hug as he left.
The two men, probably the most influential figures in Duel Monsters, walked down the gravel road towards their respective sports cars. Pegasus was in a rather innocuous Audi A4 – unlike Kaiba, he had a chauffer driving him.
"If I find out that you made me waste my time…" Kaiba snarled, the threat hanging in the air.
"Kaiba Boy, you really ought to loosen up a little. We've been friends for so long, after all. A party at my estate might just do the trick…my door is always open to you~" The seemingly magnanimous offer made Kaiba's skin crawl.
"We are allies in this instance, nothing more. Besides, I have another party to deal with...Mokuba threw one for Roland's 55th birthday. I just hope my brother was able to pull it off without getting kidnapped this time." Without another word, Kaiba hopped in the Maybach and peeled out of the Anderson home, empty-handed.
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(?)
Blade Knight returned to the spirit realm, his meeting with the one formerly known as Hank Ishtar concluded. It was a most fruitful discussion, though the fugitive required some…convincing when it came to a few sensitive matters. It amused Blade Knight to see the man in that juvenile red hat, trying to escape his own name. Such things can never be truly escaped. The past cannot…should not…be forgotten. Overall though, Hank had few other options but to help him gain the Egyptian Gods, so the negotiations were fairly expedient. There was still much planning required until such a plan could be initiated, though.
He waited for a time at the agreed point he was to meet Birdman and Command Knight, but neither of them showed. Blade Knight cared nothing for Birdman – that one was a fanatical zealot for Yubel's cause, swearing by Jaden Yuki as the Supreme King of the twelve dimensions. From what Blade Knight had seen of the boy, he was a simple boy with a full heart and an empty head who was more concerned with fun and friends than he was with ruling the universe. Yubel assuaged many of the army's doubts with claims that his memory was tampered with, as well as speculating that he did not know of his past reincarnation's status as king. Blade Knight was not sure if she spoke the truth or not, but even if she was, Yubel was too unstable and psychotic to follow for long. Only those equally crazed and violent enjoyed serving under her, like Birdman.
But Command Knight…that was a tougher loss to swallow. She was one of the only ones he dared to confide in. In the end, he wanted to believe that she truly cared. His trust could have backfired at any point, but it hadn't. With her, the armor came off. He couldn't believe she was gone – this assignment was supposed to be easy! Misawa was drunk, right? How did he prevail? Did the lion feed him some sort of information? Was he really drunk? Blade Knight had no way of answering these questions.
"I won't let it be in vain, my friend." Blade Knight vowed then and there that he would arrange a proper sendoff for the fallen warrior. "I won't stop until the war is won."
Blade Knight then drew his sword, creating a direct pathway to Yubel's castle. It was one of the many useful abilities held in his weapon, but it was dreadfully taxing as well. Power never comes without a price – Blade Knight was acutely aware of this truism. The next time he went to sleep, he probably wouldn't wake up for a day.
He reappeared in his personal chambers, a privilege granted by being one of the few in Yubel's inner circle. He greatly appreciated the privacy, especially right now. However, as he made to take off his helm, he became aware of how unusually noisy it seemed in the castle. Down below, he could hear whoops and hollers. What was going on?
Blade Knight rushed down to the foyer to find a good portion of Yubel's duel spirit army throwing down like there was no tomorrow. A grand party was being held, the demons feasting and drinking in good cheer.
"What the hell?" Blade Knight could not fathom why this was happening. Unless…did they go forth into battle without him? When he was the one drawing up most of the battle plans?
Yubel sat the high table with the rest of the inner circle – Chaos Sorcerer, Mr. Volcano, and Jinzo. Jinzo nervously fidgeted in his seat, unable to eat or drink due to his cybernetics. Yubel most likely sat him there to make him uncomfortable. Chaos Sorcerer and Mr. Volcano seemed to eat merrily, but they were both carefully watching and anticipating Yubel's moods – it was the only way to survive being in her service. Yubel, on the other hand, was completely uninhibited, drinking wine from a strangely colored goblet. Upon closer inspection, Blade Knight realized it was a skull. Why wasn't he surprised? All of them showed signs of battle, but none more so than Yubel – blood stained her hands and fingers, and a few drops had crusted on her face and hair as well. "She is probably in one of her choking moods." Blade Knight silently observed.
"Ah, Blade Knight! So good of you to join us. I was worried that you fell ill. Where have you been?" Yubel asked jovially, but Blade Knight knew that if he answered wrong he would be in for a world of pain.
"I was out scouting, as scheduled. It appears the siege of Endymion is over." The Knight said coldly.
"An astute observation." Mr. Volcano noted to chuckles from Yubel and Chaos Sorcerer. "We had enough waiting around, that's all. Those damn spellcasters had some decent tricks, but they weren't real killers. Once we broke through the walls, the battle was won. Besides, your scouting was taking longer than scheduled."
"We encountered some of the Mad King's forces. I beat them back, but Birdman and Command Knight were lost." Blade Knight reported sadly, and it was an emotion he did have to fake.
To his surprise, Yubel's features softened. "I see. Come, take a walk with me. I will fill you in on what has happened since you left." She suddenly stood and began to walk out of the feasting hall. Warily, the masked knight followed close behind. What was Yubel's motive here? Did she know that he went to the human world somehow? He was tense as a drawn bowstring as they wandered down the moonlit corridors of the castle.
"You have my sympathies." Yubel finally said as they walked side by side, neither trusting the other enough to walk in front. "I can feel your loneliness and pain. Considering all that has happened to you…to lose someone you care about again must be hard."
Blade Knight was not sure how to answer, feeling instinctively that this must have been a trap. "Such is the nature of war."
Yubel frowned. "True. But to fight without the one you care about is empty. Today, I was surrounded by distress, fear, blood, and screams – I love all of these things, and yet I could not enjoy them without Jaden here. Those who we are bonded to nourish us, and without them we are naught but beasts." She said in a somber tone of voice.
Blade Knight was utterly befuddled. He had never seen Yubel behave this way. She was always either openly blood lusted, or otherwise seething and calculating. For the first time, he almost began to view her as something other than a demon.
"…What is the plan moving forward? Is the citadel truly fallen?" He asked, taking the conversation back to relatively safe waters.
Again, Yubel seemed frustrated that he refused to be open with her. "It is. We sustained some losses, but overall the battle was a great victory. The Mad King's forces are in retreat, but I know he has more powerful fighters in his employ than what were stationed at Endymion today. The war is not yet won. Before Jaden finally joins us and takes his place as king, I want the throne secured. For now, we will take our focus away from the human realm. Once this dimension is united, we will move forward with the creation of the Super Polymerization card, and then, once the twelve dimensions are merged, Jaden will return to my arms where he belongs."
"And of course, you shall obtain what you desire as well." She added. "Fate will bring us back to what we have lost."
"…I appreciate your comforting words." Blade Knight said dully. " I am quite exhausted. If you'll excuse me, I think it would be best if I retired to my chambers."
"Of course." Yubel said in what she thought was a soothing voice. "Rest as needed. Cultivate that pain…after all, where would I be if I did cultivate my own hatred? Then, you will return to the war room."
Blade Knight bowed stiffly before retreating upstairs. "Is it possible that I bear similarity to that creature?" He wondered?
"Blade Knight," Yubel called out behind him, making him stiffen. "This brings me back to when we first met. You were a nameless warrior, wandering from battlefield to battlefield. We fought a duel for your freedom. What a duel we had that day...one of the singularly most memorable of my life. I will make sure you are toasted in tonight's drinking."
The knight silently continued his ascent up the stairs.
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It was the end of July, and so it was time for Tobias Lancaster to read the monthly livestock journal. His steely blue eyes took in the news attentively – he prided himself on an attention to detail.
Jamie was sitting next to him at the kitchen table, scarfing down a plate of scrambled eggs and ham. It was Friday, and the boy was about to head out to work for the day. Tobias was about to do the same. Joanna was outside tending to the family garden, trying to water them before the heat of the day set in.
They both reached for the coffee pot at the same time. "Sorry, go ahead." Jamie said quickly.
"It's fine." Tobias waved, allowing his son to drink the last of the brew. Jamie silently nodded his thanks. The boy never seemed to meet his eyes these days. In fact, he had been awfully quiet ever since he came back for the summer.
It was impossible not to notice some of the changes in Jamie. He was in better physical shape now than he used to be, his jawline a lot sharper and more defined. Tobias imagined that Jamie would have gotten soft at that damn boarding school, but if anything it seemed the opposite had occurred. Jamie seemed far less interested in sports now as well. Before, he used to love following the National Hockey League in North America, his favorite team being the Anaheim Ducks. Nowadays he could barely be arsed to watch the Stanley Cup Finals. "I suppose teenage boys are prone to such whims…" He thought, but it didn't seem like a satisfying answer.
After wiping his mouth with a napkin, Jamie stood and said, "Have a good day, dad." Almost hastily, the boy reached for his bag and made for the front door.
"Jamie, just a second." Tobias said smoothly and calmly, not looking up from the paper. His son froze for a moment, but turned around all the same.
"As you know, the summer is coming to an end soon. I know you're working long days, and you value your free time. But I'd like to take you out fishing at least once before you leave for school. You've been doing very well." "And it's good to see you're finally growing up a little." He added silently.
Jamie smiled. "That sounds good. I really appreciate it, dad. It'll be good to cast in freshwater for a change."
Tobias smiled back, putting down the paper and taking off his reading glasses. "Your mother and I will be going out tonight. Apparently, we're going to see a play, I think it's called Cats or something like that. It's a bunch of bullshit of course, but you know how she likes that sort of thing."
"Right." Jamie laughed. "Just so you know, the title isn't symbolic. It's about actual cats, singing and dancing ones."
"Oh goody. Well, we'll leave some money for you, feel free to order a pizza or what have you." Tobias cursed under his breath, Joanna walking inside at that moment. Her hair was tucked behind a bandanna, and her gloves were dirty from weeding.
"What were you guys talking about?" She asked with a knowing smile.
"Oh, erm…beef prices are down." Tobias clumsily lied.
"Oh? That's too bad." Her smile widened. Tobias was never able to hide much from her. Neither was Jamie…or so he thought.
"Alright, I have to go! See ya!" Jamie bowed out.
"Have a good day, sweetie!" Joanna waved cheerily. Those two had the same eyes, Tobias noted not for the first time. A bright, clever green.
Jamie left thereafter, and Tobias soon had to leave as well. Straightening his tie, he leaned over to kiss his wife on the cheek. "See you tonight."
"Do you have a second?" She asked. He nodded sharply.
"Toby…what happened to our little boy? He seems so distant now, I barely even recognize him. It's like a different person came back from that school." Joanna said wistfully.
Tobias was never good with this mushy stuff. "What do you mean, dear?"
"It seems like he's always wearing a mask now. His eyes are always sad, as if they're weighed down by some burden that no one can see. Know what I mean?" She pressed.
"He's just growing up, that's all. You worry too much. Look at how well he's doing, he's working for one of the largest gaming corporations in the world, and he's only sixteen! Remember how much of a goof-off he used to be? Going to that school has really lit a fire under his ass. He's become a man." Tobias countered, feeling his voice become laced with pride. He always thought Duel Monsters was a silly thing, but its growing importance on the global stage in the past decade had revealed the game to be as legitimate a career path as any. He just didn't think going to a private boarding school about the game would result in Jamie getting the backbone he has. When he was the boy's age, he was getting ready to go to trade school for god's sake!
"Oh, I suppose you're right. But still…something seems off." Joanna was clearly not entirely convinced by her husband's argument.
"He'll be fine." Tobias said soothingly, rubbing her shoulders. "He has to grow up sometime. You just can't stay a child forever, at some point you have to spread your wings. He's still our boy, our flesh and blood."
"Hmm..." Joanna still did not look entirely convinced.
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(Jamie Lancaster POV)
The summer went by quickly, as it always does. My first summer in this world had passed. I confess I was never too terribly fond of the season. I generally prefer autumn, although summer is good for fishing of course.
Kaiba came back from Norway without the Sacred Beast, which is something I could not have predicted. A selfish man like him probably hated the feeling. Of course, we're all selfish, but he can afford to be a bit more open about it than most. Is power simply the ability to discard the mask and wear one's will on their sleeve?
I asked him about it. All Kaiba said was that Hamon would continue to be in Jesse Anderson's possession for the foreseeable future. Who could have convinced Kaiba to leave the boy alone? Was it Yugi? I couldn't help but notice that the currently reigning King of Games was quite shy of the public stage. Ironic that he shunned power and fame, and yet had both in excess. I couldn't imagine anyone else actually succeeding in convincing Kaiba to do a thing. Perhaps the White Dragon deemed it in his best interest to allow Jesse to keep the card for now. Jesse was a good man, but could he protect Hamon if the demons came calling for it?
From there, I concluded that it would be for the best if Jesse and Jaden were kept separated. It was a heartless thing to think, but their bond, deep as it was, caused so much pain to themselves and others. It nearly caused the end of the universe as we know it. "No." I corrected myself. "It was Yubel that twisted their bond, who controlled Jesse for her own aims." My growing hatred of Yubel was irrational, as I knew it wasn't all her fault that she did the things she did. But in this world, those actions resulted in true death and destruction on a universal scale, and not just through a fictional medium. Her intense devotion to killing me in the most painful way possible also did little to endear me.
My thoughts drifted as I sat in Bastion's garage. It was our last weekend before we were to return to Duel Academy. We were watching a baseball game on a small CRT that Bastion set up by his father's tool bench. I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that Bastion played fantasy baseball – for someone as smart as him, keeping track of the various players and their stats probably wasn't that hard.
"Alright, Jamie, I just need Trout to get one more good run and my position will be secure." Bastion wore a rusty orange tank with black gym shorts – it was a brutally hot day outside. He was drinking water while I helped myself to a beer from his dad's fridge. So far, Bastion was keeping to his vow not to drink alcohol – apparently, the morning after his overindulgence party was quite punishing for him.
"Hard to believe the summer's already gone." I murmured.
"Well, surely it's not that hard to believe, three months have passed, which is usually how long summer lasts." Bastion wasn't even being sarcastic, he was just observing a fact. A master of conversation, he was not. "Frankly, after how hard we've worked, Duel Academy will be a nice break by comparison.
"I doubt it. This year will be challenging, I feel." I sighed, thinking of Sartorius and Aster Phoenix.
"Can't be as bad as last year, right?" Bastion asked while jotting down some stats on his notepad.
"Heh, maybe not." If I play my cards right and be proactive, perhaps the Society of Light won't be such a problem this time around. After all, as long as no one strong duels and loses against Sartorius, then there's no way that the Society can really materialize. But this begs the question – is it fate that Sartorius' plans advance? Is there really anything I can do? Am I subject to the whims of destiny like the others are? No, I refuse to believe it! I will not be a mere piece in someone else's grand design!
"Fate, destiny…if these things truly do exist as we humans perceive them, then there must be a reason for me being here, reincarnated in this world. If my purpose in the cosmic plan, if there is such a thing, is to fall at Sartorius' hands, then so be it. But if there is no such plan, or fate, then whether I fail or not depends on my own efforts. So it seems that the only way to know for sure is to impose my will, and see what happens." I pondered.
"Bastion, do you believe in fate?" I asked, genuinely curious about his answer.
Bastion raised an eyebrow. "Feeling philosophical, are we? You are an interesting one, Jamie." I continued to wait silently for his answer.
"Well, it's a complicated question. I believe that something similar, perhaps akin to fate can occur when one has made a certain amount of choices. You see, when someone embarks on a particular path far enough, only a few outcomes are available to him, and this lack of scope can resemble fate. Ultimately, however, none of us behave as though we are beholden to some grand design. No one seriously believes that they must do a thing because destiny says so. Perhaps those fools that believe in astrology do – I have to cheat on my boyfriend because I am a Scorpio! – and so on. Anyways, since everyone behaves as though they have free will, it is perhaps best to navigate this world on the presupposition that we do actually have free will, practically speaking." As I expected, Bastion gave a nuanced answer, ponderous and verbose and yet lacking in his own personal opinion.
"But do you truly believe that humans have free will?" I asked piercingly.
"Well, our genetics certainly play a key role in determining our behavior, as does our upbringing. But in a cosmic sense of the term…well, I have seen no evidence to suggest such a thing. If fate exists, it is probably more ordinary than most would like. I have noticed that people tend to like the idea of fate when they themselves are losing in the game of life, while those who succeed believe they did so entirely on their own efforts." Bastion continued.
"So, in short…who the fuck knows?" I concluded.
We both laughed. "I suppose we'll find out when we die. For now, I prefer to occupy myself with the earthly sciences, as opposed to metaphysics." Bastion agreed.
I internally continued to laugh. After all, I died once and I still didn't know diddly-dick about the workings of the universe. Unless that cold, black void I drifted in was the true afterlife…it was a thought so unappealing I couldn't give voice to it.
"We'll find out at some point, I'm sure." I shrugged and let the matter rest. I was outwardly calm, but inside, my blood boiled at the prospect of the battles ahead.
"The Gentle Darkness, the Light of Destruction, or any other gods that exist out there, hear me now! I will defeat everything you throw at me. Everything."
A/N
Hope you all enjoyed.
This chapter was light on action, but we get to explore aspects of the world and the perspectives of characters rarely seen. I find such things important.
Pegasus is ambiguous (in more ways than one), suave, slippery. Most of all, he has a seemingly omnipresent awareness of the balance of power – it is as though the Millennium Eye is still with him. Some would think that Pegasus relying on the eye so much would cause him to become ineffectual without it, but I think that over the years he would not lose his touch for manipulation and power dynamics. To me, he is the perfect foe for Kaiba, who is inflexible and transparent in his motives. Pegasus, on the other hand…who knows what he wants? Is he truly a "good guy", fully redeemed? It's anybody's guess. Perhaps he simply gets amusement from denying dear old Kaiba boy and his earlier justifications were just a means to that end.
I really think it's important to get to see what the parents think, short though it was. How will they react to the truth, if they ever learn it?
Jamie's resolve has strengthened. Obelisk Blue will be a different place with him at the helm, but how will it be different? Is he a slave to fate, or can he defeat the Society of Light? Well, it wouldn't be a very interesting story if season two went exactly the same as canon, so you can probably guess that one lol. I wonder what Sartorius knows about Jamie, and how that will affect his actions. I hope the conversation between Jamie and Bastion was engaging without being too ponderous or navel-gazing.
With this, we have concluded the First Summer Arc! It was a lot of setup, but I promise it all has a purpose. Perhaps I could have continued on for a few more chapters, but this was where I felt it was right to move on. Next time, we will begin the Society of Light arc! Thank you for your continued readership!